In the Northeastern part of the country, as well as in many other places around the world, we get to experience four seasons. Having a winter, spring, summer and fall allows us to go through a cleansing phase two times a year as we transition on the Equinoxes. August/September in particular is a time for getting your nest ready and for releasing anything that needs to be cleared to get your space in order for the winter ahead. Your body starts preparing for the upcoming winter months by going through its own natural detoxification process every fall, so why not match that in your surroundngs outside of your body? August/September therefore is a preparation time for the upcoming detoxification.
During this time of year we experience the dual nature of the season change.We go from no school and vacation time when the grass and trees are at their greenest to the crispness of fall. It still feels like summertime, but in reality, August/September is when our bodies start to prepare for the coming season transition. It’s the same for February/March, when Spring begins, and our bodies go through preparation for the rebirth of energy to blossom into Summer. During these times around Equinox energy, it’s very important to nourish yourself because your energy is lower while you are going through this detoxification phase. Just as in every aspect of life, transition isn’t easy.
Things that you can do during this time are to release clutter and old energy, continue to support yourself with self-care activities on a regular basis, take some time to rest from the crazy activities of summertime, and start to prepare for the fall. In just two weeks, the official Fall Equinox will grace us with its peak of daylight and we’ll have an opportunity to go through this transition with mindfulness and a full tank if we start preparing now. Here are a few things that you can do to make the transition easier for yourself!
- SELF CARE: Don’t overbook yourself this month. Proritize your needs. Keep your schedule open so that you can just go with the flow and rest if you need to. Practice this by listening to your body. Before you jump into your next task, stop, breathe, and ask yourself, what do I need right now? And then – most importantly – give it to yourself! Take naps!
- FOOD: Clean out your refrigerator, freezer and cupboards. Let go of any old food/condiments that have been stored for too long. Create space for new, healthier, and more aligned nutritional energies to come in. Start cooking foods of the season. Kale, squashes (butternut, pumpkin, acorn, etc). This also means shifting from eating colder foods to warmer foods, so switch from cold salads, cucumbers and tomatoes to sauteed or roasted vegetables. Switch from ceviche and gazpacho to butternut squash soup and mushroom soup.
- INTERNAL CLEANSING: Our bodies are always changing, but there are certain times of year that we need additional support, and this is one of them. Do a gentle supplemental detox. Whether it’s a candida cleanse, a juice fast, a liver bowel cleanse, or a gallbladder cleanse. Select something that feels in alignment with your current health goals. This can also include doing a metabolic reboot! This is also a time to take it easy on your digestive system. If you’re thinking of doing a liquid diet of soups and broth, now is a good time!
- EXTERNAL CLEANSING: Clear out your closets and clutter! Transition your wardrobe. Bring out your fall/winter clothing, and pack up the summer clothes. Let go of anything you didn’t wear this past season. Pulling out last year’s fall wardrobe, and again, sorting things that no longer seem to align with your current frequency. Only hold onto things that lift your energy and spirit. Clothes that have associations with old energy or times of sadness, grief, or low frequency emotions – RELEASE! If you don’t feel attractive and good while wearing it, LET IT GO! Clean out all of your old pairs of shoes and maybe go out and buy yourself a new pair of fall boots. Remember, clearing out the old makes space for new and better.
- TIME MANAGEMENT: Get your schedule for the rest of the year in order now! Update calendars with new school schedules etc. Plan your trips for the holidays to the day and make any reservations or confirmations. Put them in your calendar and finalize plans so you can be prepared for the flow of the winter/holiday season in advance.
- TIME IN NATURE: Enjoy the last sunny days by dining outdoors and soaking up as much sun as possible. This will help you support your body with vitamin D production. Offer thoughts of gratitude for the summer months and all of the gifts it provided you this year.
- RITUALS: Draw a sacred bath once a week, lighting candles, burning incense, and using essential oils that are strengthening and nourishing. These would be grounding oils such as frankincense, vetiver, cedarwood, and calming oils such as lavender and ylang ylang. Tip when using the oils: Remember to always mix your essential oils into the epsom salt prior to putting them in the water to ensure that the essential oils are emulsified so they don’t float on the surface and burn your skin.
- FALL SUPPLEMENTS: Another thing to do at this time is to get back on your supplement regimen that maybe got put to the wayside over the active summer. Make sure it includes some Vitamin D as the fall months approach and the days grow shorter. Also include zinc and Vitamin C. Stock up on Elderberry syrup, and you can start that now too!
- FAMILY: This is also the time of year for great change as children are heading back to school, so stress levels can be high for them as well. Remember to support them in nurturing their own bodies at this time as well. Be compassionate, be graceful, and be nurturing with yourself, your family, and your friends.
- SPIRIT: If you have any dreams come up during this time, be sure to journal them and spend time analyzing them to see if there are any important messages that you need to be aware of. Maybe there’s a past, unachieved goal from the summer that remains lingering. Or maybe there’s a reminder of an emotion or something in your life that needs to be released. Let’s use the energy of this transition to help let go of these things that no longer serve us and move on.
Start to get excited for all of the beautiful gifts that fall brings, rather than holding on to the final elements of summer. Shift your gaze forward to the excitement and beauty of fall so you can enter the season in gratitude rather than reluctance! Turn this time of year into a celebration of what’s to come versus dwelling on the past.
Doing all of these things now will prepare your body for the coming of fall in a way that will strengthen you and lift your chi so that when the season changes, you’re less likely to become sick from exposure to germs and stress.
We celebrate you on this journey! Just a reminder that we are offering an opportunity to receive a Fall Equinox gift package.
- Start the Equinox with a detoxifying cleanse! The equinox is the perfect time for detoxification as our body’s natural energy cycles align with the sun’s. This makes committing to a 7 day detox diet or cleanse easier, and the season’s energy supports us in achieving our goals. Whole Body Detox Drops are recommended to help individuals clear out old residual toxins from all systems of the body while following this nutritional protocol.
- Stay warm and prep for the cold! Maggie’s Organic cotton scarf to keep your neck and shoulders warm as the season changes. In the color “gingerbread.”
- Lift your spirits with Amber gemstone essence which helps to temporarily relieve sadness, sorrow, despondency, or feelings of discontent.*
- Follow Suit in your external space by detoxing and clearing the clutter from your home with one of Amber’s favorite books! “Clear your Clutter with Feng Shui” by Karen Kingston.
- 7-Day Cleansing Incense from Sagrada Madre to go with nutritional Detox. Each day for one week, use one in a meditation practice to cleanse the energy in various areas of your life. Featuring aromatic blends such as Rose, Frankincense, Myrrh, Palo Santo, and Sage.
- Preventative Care Immune Support Combo! Prepare for Cold and Flu Season: Wellness Formula and Viral Immune Stimulator
- Anima Mundi Dirty Rose Chai Collagen Booster to warm your heart, to help you feel grounded, to support healthy skin as the season changes to cold and dry, to support liver detoxification and balancing mood as the daylight hours grow shorter.
The opportunity to receive this gift is being offered to everyone who is a part of our beautiful Thrive email community, where we share these blogs and other wonderful information and upcoming events. Please share with your friends so they can sign up for the email and register to potentially receive this nourishing gift package to help perpare your body during this very special equinox time.
Keep Thriving, and we’ll see you on the other side!