Embracing Autumn: Sensing the Shift

One thing that fascinates me at this time of year - the time of one season slowly transforming into another - is that very process of transformation. When is the first tiny intimation of Autumn felt? When does the upward zigzagging flight of butterflies metamorphose into the earthbound tumble of leaves? When does Summer cease and Autumn take over completely? How does the energy of Autumn compare to the energy of Summer? What are the subtle clues to this seasonal alchemy?

It's partly the changing palette of the landscape as the lively green of summer dulls and ripens to khaki, gold and brown punctuated by late summer flowers in purple, orange and gold and ripening seedpods and berries. The air is scented with fruit more than flowers, with dust and dew and leafmould. The nights have an edge of chill, the days grown noticeably shorter than at the peak of Summer in June. The soundscape of birdsong changes as the emphasis changes from attracting a mate to marking and defending a territory, or preparing for migration to warmer climes. Each little incremental change - changes so small and subtle that they often pass unnoticed by our conscious minds - tips the balance a little more until seemingly suddenly it's fully Autumn.

Embracing Autumn: Sensing the Shift

Take a few minutes each day to notice the subtle changes in the world around you as the energies of Autumn grow stronger. Sniff the air. Note the changes in the greenworld. Listen to the new songs of the birds. Feel the waning strength of the sun on your skin. Tune into the rhythms of the Earth beneath your feet. Feel how the pulse of Autumn differs from the pulse of Summer. Try to determine when the tipping point occurs, when the last of Summer finally evaporates and Autumn fully establishes itself.