As Summer gently bows out and Autumn takes it's place, this time of the year is a wonderful chance to spend some moments reflecting on the months that have gone by and those that are yet to come. This year has seen so much change and uncertainty for all of us and we have had to find new ways of adapting to and experiencing life. Being able to adapt is an incredibly important tool; it can help you become a more effective problem solver, show you how to see things differently and to generally better deal with the uncertainty that life will inevitably throw our way.
The leaves are starting to fall from the trees and the days are steadily getting shorter and cooler. We have seen more rain in the past week and the wind has been sweeping through the hills in an incredible mist. Autumn can sometimes feel like a melancholy time but there is much beauty to be found in the changing landscape. Our valley is slowly turning shades of red and gold and even the most seasoned walker finds delight in the carpet of leaves scrunching under foot during a crisp Autumn walk.
The birth flower of October is the bright orange calendula, also known as the marigold which is both beautiful and an incredible healer for treating various skin ailments. The official birth stones for October are the captivating Opal and Tourmaline. Opal is a romantic and mysterious gemstone that has captured people's imaginations for centuries. It is a transformative stone and it is thought to inspire confidence, motivation, and optimism. Tourmaline (translated into English to mean "a stone of mixed colours", the official gem of the Zodiac sign Leo, is one of the most colourful gemstones in the world. It is believe that it promotes happiness, balances chakras, and builds self-confidence. The energies within the crystals differ depending on its colors; for example, pink tourmaline promotes love and joy.
SoulSimple: Updates from SoulSimple Retreats
We've taken time this week preparing the Retreat for the seasons ahead; cleaning, tidying and elevating our spaces. Outside, we’ve been having a wonderful time transforming our hanging baskets. There’s something so utterly nourishing about planting & digging your hands in the earth. GETTING INTIMATE WITH THE ELEMENTS. Cradling the roots of a plant and holding it’s life - an exquisite expression of UNTAMED BEAUTY and inviting this beauty into your home. Even more nourishing is to notice it’s unconditional affect upon you. The simplicity of a flower’s natural presence uplifts and inspires us the more open we are to receiving it’s beauty. This beauty is WILD. Our beauty is wild. Wild meaning OUR NATURAL STATE OF BEING.
In order for nature to thrive, it needs earth, air, wind, water, fire, and sustenance - the things that make us feel grounded, alive, free, cleansed, renewed, and nourished.
When we are heartbroken, confused, depleted, distressed, anxious, and deeply hungry for something more, nature can be our tonic and teacher. All we need to do is re-assimilate ourselves back into our wild landscapes. Re-wilding in nature helps us reclaim our creativity, learn how to nourish our bodies and souls, as well as unearth our wild, true, and untamed selves. Re-wilding is answering the primal call to unapologetically be our true selves. It’s about rekindling our instincts - that inner knowing of who to trust, what is right and wrong, where to go next, when to rest, pause, run, or hold strong. It’s about knowing how to truly feed ourselves - literally and soulfully. It’s a way of connected, authentic living.
Inside of the Retreat, we have been both enjoying and creating more sacred spaces in our rooms. It can be so invigorating to create these tiny, magical spots in our homes; spending time in them encourages us to be more receptive and open to the subtle energies around us. It is also important to give yourself a special place to be with your inner thoughts and emotions and to find some calm in the sometimes storm of the day to day.
Try finding a table or pot on a windowsill for your favourite crystals, encouraging you to bring your attention to their beauty and connect with their energy. Light a candle at the end of the day to mark the moment of transitioning into a more peaceful energy. Create your own sacred space.
SoulNatural: The Inner & Outer Naturalness of Life
October's Celebrated Fruit - the Apple.
Apples, taxonomically, are members of Rosaceae (the Rose family) along with other edible fruits such as as pears, plums, peaches, cherries, strawberries, and raspberries. The exact origins of what we recognise as apples are rather obscure but they are generally thought to come from the Caucasus Mountains in Asia Minor. By 2000 BC, the fruit had reached the eastern Mediterranean, most likely carried by merchants and travellers down the prehistoric trade routes which crossed the Middle East. From Palestine, apples were taken to Egypt and cultivated in the Nile delta during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries BC. where the Egyptians regarded them as a luxury. Apples were also taken west to Greece and Italy, and Homer refers to them in The Odyssey, which was written between 800 and 900 BC.
Despite it's outward simplicity, the apple is actually incredibly tricky to cultivate, they have a more complex genetic make-up than any other fruit. Apples seek to multiply rather than re-produce the same fruit. They require pollinators to take the pollen from one plant and transfer it across into the flower of another. It's this crossing of pollen that creates the most wonderful genetic exchange. Every single apple pip is potentially a new variety that could be green or red, big or small, juicy or sour!
Some of the world's best-loved varieties of apples, like the Braeburn or the Bramley, were discovered growing by chance, happy accidents from nature that just happened to taste delicious. The Granny Smith apple was incredibly discovered growing out of a pile of discarded crab apples near Sydney! Over time, we have had to fathom how to clone our favourite apple trees with an ancient process known as grafting, which remains the same to this day.
As well as being one of our best loved fruits to cook with and eat, the apple has amazing health benefits for our bodies. They are a powerful source of antioxidants and fibre (SO important for digestion) as well as Vitamin C which helps support a healthy immune system - vital at this time of year especially. In our next blog we will explore these benefits more and the best way to utilise an abundant Autumnal crop of apples.
SoulScapes: Art, Sound, Dance and Movement
The change in seasons and weather can be challenging for those of us who love to spend time outdoors and connected to Mother Nature. The lift we receive from time spent outdoors in the sunshine is precious and harder to come by as the days draw shorter. However, during this time of the year, it is more important than ever to remember movement and how important it is to your overall wellbeing. Our bodies are designed to move - through walking, running, cycling, swimming, stretching, yoga, dancing...all utterly nourishing for our bodies and minds.
Make a concious thought of ways you can ensure that you protect your body and it's movement throughout the coming months. Cosy evenings spent curled up inside reading a favourite book are all the more welcome after a refreshing morning stroll through the dewy grass, wrapped up in a coat and hat. Take a pledge to honour your body and put some time aside, even just a couple of minutes a day, to move in a way that feels good for you. See how this gradually changes your mood and your outlook on the day. Try motivating yourself with music - it can be a powerful invigorator on days when you feel more tired or sluggish.
SoulWoman: Divine Feminine Freedom
Autumn is be a potent time for igniting a new wave of energy...but how can we start to light this fire within ourselves? PURPOSE ignites PASSION!
The passion fuelled by purpose creates the most magnificent effect — not only do we have the energy to live with a happy mind, we have the vital force to make things happen in our lives. Instead of feeling lost with our predicament, we wake in the morning with an inspired enthusiasm. Our nutrient-rich blood circulates and nourishes our tissues and organs, our life-force concentrates in the central nervous system, and we channel our inner-fire towards our new found purpose.
Start searching for your passion, it is a wonderful journey that will not end where you expected it to. As individuals, the path to find what drives you is incredibly important and potentially life changing, let your heart speak freely and guide you.
