Transitions During the Autumnal Equinox

Transitions During the Autumnal Equinox

Autumn is a transitional time of year.  The summer has come to an end and we shift to a time in which we are surrounded by the vibrant, changing colors of foliage and all the festivities that the season has to offer.  In celebration of this season, we gather our loved ones to pick pumpkins and apples. We tap into our creativity by disguising ourselves in our best costumes.  We drink warm cider by a roaring fire and we root for our favorite teams. During this time, we soak up as much of the splendor of the outside world that nature bestows on us before we head inside in anticipation of winter. 

Once we head inside, that’s when the real transitions happen.  While the earth moves away from the sun, natural light becomes a precious commodity and our appreciation and longing for it grows.  The mania of summer is over, the leaves begin to fall, trees become bare, and grass stops growing.  We mimic nature by slowing down in our own ways.  When we slow down, we start to reflect on the events of the previous year.  We remember our gains and losses in love, friendship, health, finances, etc.  At the end of autumn, we tend to reexamine the decisions we’ve made in our personal and professional lives, hopeful that our decisions reflect our best selves while looking for opportunities to improve the quality of our lives in the coming year. 

Toward the end of autumn, if we haven’t done so already of our own volition, we are given an opportunity to reflect on all of the good in our lives by giving thanks.  We get together with friends and family to formally express our gratitude for those who have impacted our lives through the generosity of their spirit, friendship, and support.  

Autumn is an opportunity for each of us to shed our leaves and become bare. We achieve this by taking inventory of our lives, through the giving of apologies, the offering of forgiveness and the letting go of ideas and beliefs that no longer serve us.  It’s during this time, that we can discard our summer facades and become our true and authentic selves.  We can take advantage of the cool, crisp air and the natural beauty of our surroundings in order to think clearly about what really matters to us before the rush of the winter holidays.  This is the time to find balance between our inner and outer worlds, for making space for contemplative thoughts, for reconnection with others and for harvesting seeds of future growth.   

Now that autumn is upon us, what transitions are you optimistic for?

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog.  Please feel free to leave a comment or message me with any feedback.  

All the best,

Lisa

Lisa Matus, LCSW

631.626.7420

www.lisamatus.com