“I am not the body, I am not the mind. I am something divine.”
Yogic proverb
“Yoga is the mastery of the modifications of the mind. Then the Seer rests in its true nature.”
Yoga Sutras 1.2 to 1.3
Fall is by far my favorite season, but maybe not for the reason you think. I certainly look forward to a good crunchy leaf, and I’ve been known to indulge in a pumpkin spice latte, but it’s the nostalgia of my first dozen or so autumns that makes this season special. The fresh start of a new school year, and the chance to reinvent myself, were the focus of my earliest memories of fall. Those feelings of renewal and new beginnings still arise as the seasons change. This time of year makes me feel ready to try new things, meet new people, and celebrate the coming holidays with family and friends.
Seasons of completion
As an adult, I learned that many traditions associate this time of year with completion and reinvention. These celebrations mark the passage of time and the cyclical nature of the seasons. The Jewish tradition celebrates Rosh Hashanah, the yoga tradition celebrates Navaratri, the Buddhist tradition honors Higan, and Chinese and Vietnamese traditions celebrate the Moon Festival. The end of the summer harvest, the shedding of leaves and leftover crops, and the coming quiet introspection of winter all give this season a sense of new beginnings.
These seasonal shifts and celebrations make this an excellent time for self-reflection: for discerning which thoughts, habits and associations are useful, and which can be let go.
My autumn retreat
Each fall I go on my own mini retreat to honor the season and reconnect with myself. Physically leaving my daily environment helps me detach from the distractions and chatter of day-to-day life, but you can easily create this space at home. I journal, make collages, practice asana, meditate, and spend time on the beach and in the woods, forgetting about the meaningless materialism of modern living and reconnecting with our true nature.
What is our true nature?
Some describe it as loving awareness. Others call it the Witness, the Seer or the Knower, or the thinker who is thinking the thoughts. This uncolored, unbiased state of pure consciousness is our true self. It is not the roles we play (daughter, sister, student, teacher, woman, Melissa), our outward accomplishments (salary, home, clothes, car, appearance, career), or our thought patterns (the ego). Those are only costumes we wear to exist in this world.
Unless we live a monastic life, we can’t opt out of our roles entirely. Where we get tripped up is identifying with those roles and believing they’re who we are. One mantra I use to remember the truth is, “I am not the body, I am not the mind. I am something divine.” We are the Witness to the feelings, the Seer connecting with truth, the Thinker watching the thoughts.
Letting the leaves fall
Like trees that shed their leaves when they are no longer useful, it’s important to regularly release the false identifications, thought patterns and material preoccupations that keep us from being centered in our true nature. Whether through a holiday, a getaway or a simple meditation at home, reconnecting with our true selves grounds us in the less apparent psychological and spiritual reality.
I come back from my autumn renewal refreshed, relieved and reconnected, ready to jump into the new season. After tending to my headspace, I’ll usually follow an Ayurvedic cleanse to recalibrate my body too, since seasonal changes affect the body’s balance. (The all-too-familiar sniffles that come with autumn’s first chilly winds are a great example.) With body, mind and spirit grounded, I feel ready to take on the holidays and the new year with ease.
Questions for reflection
- How do you reconnect with yourself this time of year?
- Are there traditions or rituals you repeat each season that mark the passage of time and encourage inner renewal?
- How could you reconnect with your true nature seasonally, or even monthly, weekly or daily?
