Autumn is a season of opposites.
It's this transitional season and time of year when we still feel the warmth of the sun while we also feel that crisp morning air.
We're straddling the fullness and light of summer and the quiet and the dark and calm of winter.
And it can be a time for us to slow down and regain balance in our lives.
While we're moving towards slowing down,
It's also not about letting go of everything.
We'll invite that idea in as we begin our practice,
Find a comfortable position,
Perhaps choosing to close the eyes or just lowering the gaze.
And knowing that this practice is really for your own self-care.
At any time you need to open the eyes to shift position,
You're welcome to do that whenever you need.
It's not an endurance race.
Once you feel like you've got a place where you can generally be still,
Let's begin by bringing awareness to the whole body,
Including the sensations of breathing if that feels comfortable,
Dropping attention into the body as if shining a spotlight on the whole body,
Deliberately turning inward and just noticing what's here.
Noticing any sensations around the body,
Perhaps sensations of contact between the body and the chair or the floor.
Perhaps there are some sensations of temperature,
A little warmth or coolness.
Noticing the sensations of the breath,
Any movement of the abdomen or chest,
Maybe feeling the breath in another part of the body.
Noticing any thoughts that are here right now.
Taking a moment to tune in.
If the mind wanders now or at any point during this practice,
Noticing that and as best as you can without judgment,
Guiding attention back to the body with a friendly attitude.
And now becoming aware of a place that feels supportive or steadying right now.
Maybe the feet on the floor or the legs in the chair.
Or perhaps another place in the body.
Taking time to move attention around the body,
Maybe even around the room or space you're in to find a place or an object or a sound that feels grounding and stable.
Not needing to race or rush,
Really taking time to uncover a steady place and letting attention rest here.
Noticing what's here without feeling the need to force anything.
Maybe even bringing interest to what steady feels like right now.
Allowing whatever is here to be just as it is.
Physical sensations,
Thoughts,
Emotions.
As you sit here,
Bring to mind an image of the most magnificent,
Beautiful autumn landscape you have ever seen or you could imagine.
Allowing this picture to gradually come into greater focus.
Even if it doesn't come as a visual image in the mind,
Allowing the sense of autumn to settle in.
Trees with leaves and brilliant reds and golds,
Crisp autumn air,
The crunch of leaves under the feet,
Warmth of the sunshine.
In the image,
There may be a stream or a body of water with colorful leaves floating,
Collecting on the edges.
Perhaps in this image,
There is a light breeze that guides the leaves to let go of their branches and flutter gently to the ground below.
Some floating directly down to the earth,
While others may drift slowly or even get carried by the wind,
Spinning and winding their way down to the ground.
Other leaves don't fall to the ground at all,
Holding on to their branches,
Perhaps having changed colors but not yet ready to float to the ground.
See this image or this sense of the changing world of autumn all around you,
Resting and breathing into the crisp fall air and warm sunshine.
Noticing this image and noting its qualities,
Seeing if you can bring this picture or sense into your own body.
Noticing where there may be a sense of holding on,
Or perhaps a sense of release,
Softening,
Letting go.
As you rest here,
Become aware that the world is constantly changing.
As the earth begins to tilt on its axis away from the sun,
Taking us into darker,
Quieter months of autumn and winter ahead.
And knowing that it will return again to face the sun as we move towards spring and summer.
We all have experiences,
Relationships,
Thoughts and emotions that ebb and flow in our lives.
Some quickly float away as time moves forward and life changes.
Others cling on a little longer.
As you consider this energy of autumn,
Of releasing or letting go.
There may be something or someone that comes to mind for you.
Noticing anything that's here,
Anything that comes to mind,
But also not needing to force anything.
Simply being open to whatever is here.
And this energy of change and this time of transition.
If you notice the mind has wandered,
Invite attention back to a place that feels steady.
Feeling the feet on the floor,
Or the legs in the chair,
Observing the sense of ease with which the autumn leaves let go of the branches of the tree.
Each in their own way and in their own time.
Welcoming in a few moments of stillness in this season of change.
Feeling a sense of stability and groundedness,
Even as the world keeps turning and seeing if you can keep a sense of balance of an effortless letting go.
As you invite a deeper breath in and begin to step back into your day.
