Kiss Your Life (Celebrating Fall Equinox)

The Autumnal Equinox is a beautiful time to begin to take stock of what is ending and making room for what is beginning. The seasonal clock begins to turn once more, as summer readies itself for autumn with the arrival of cooler crisper mornings and the call of migrating geese overhead at sundown. And as an integral part of nature, we too are invited to shift; to honor our inner seasons and cycles. To take note, assess and review our metaphorical "life garden", harvest our bounty, and prepare for the new futures we’re wanting to dream, plant, grow and live.

The fall equinox is a magical, empowering and sacred time to initiate a period of reflection, acknowledgment and being present with all that this year has shown us, and how it’s influencing, shifting & changing us and the world around us. There is such power and responsibility in being with where you’re at and witnessing all the inner transitions and outward steps that have led you to where you stand in this very moment.

That journey carries the energy of the thoughts, emotions, courage, dreams, longings, trying, unlearning, relearning, falling, embracing, releasing, healing, loving and action you chose to take, and all the ways in which you supported and tended yourself along the way.

Too often we’re quick to approach life as a perpetual to-do list, checking our boxes, and looking ahead to the next new task, project, relationship, job, place, or chapter without ever allowing ourselves time to press the sacred pause button. Or we may be in such a hurry to leave and "move on" from something we deem as "negative", bad, a waste of time, or out of our comfort zone, that we skip over the critical and potentially transformative steps that come along with processing, acknowledging and being present with what is. I’ve come to learn that there’s so much rich, golden nuggets of newfound awareness, healing and wisdom to be had in the spaces held between where, who, and how I've been and where, who, & how I'm becoming.

So take up the invitation to catch your breath. Devote a little non-negotiable space for yourself, that's truly for you and all about you. Cast a sacred circle around your time. Light a candle. Make some tea and sit, rest, reflect and give yourself permission to be with this day, this week, this season, this year, or even this life so far, and lean into the opportunity to learn something radically new & revolutionary about yourself. This ritual is intended as a field study of the Self, rather than a dive into deep inner work.

Acknowledge where you got brave, took a risk, followed your heart or your curiosity, listened to your inner nudges, called someone out, spoke a truth, said “yes”, or perhaps “no more”, created something, took a step (or many), healed something, closed a door, rested your body, started a new practice, made space, embarked on a new adventure, et al.

Reflect … what’s leaving, what’s here, and what’s feels like it's on the way? Take more than a moment and take a deep bow for all your work, both inner and outer.

In the pause we can rest, replenish and reset. We can step back from the doing, and we can become the silent and wise witness. We can be present with ourselves, with our choices, with our truths. In the lessons we learn, we receive the medicine, we adjust, we expand. We become more self-aware. We strengthen our intuition. We learn to trust ourselves. And in the pause we allow ourselves to be with our own personal harvest …”the fruits of our laboring”. We get to pick our bounty, rejoice, celebrate and share it with others. And, we open our heart’s doorway to experience more love and deep gratitude for our place in this world.

This is Harvesting.

The seasons; the sky, all of nature, the moon are perpetually changing; just as we are, as individuals and as a collective family. Our experiences shift and shape us and we’re constantly transitioning, shedding, growing, evolving; even when we don’t “feel” or look any different with our seeing eyes. The world is our classroom. Each experience of life, both the light and the dark become our wisest teachers if we are open to receiving the opportunity. Taking time to turn inwards is an opportunity for us to learn something new about ourselves, each other, the power we behold in co-creating our reality and the world around us.

There are billions of people who never take a moment to look up. Billions more who never look in. Take a moment. Take a moment. Take a bow. Acknowledge and honor the sacredness of your Self and all that you’re becoming.

Being willing to be with your Self. To Honor & Celebrate your Self. Have gratitude for and Kiss your Life could be the beginning of a beautiful new relationship with the most important person in your life ... you.

With such big love …

Jo x