Nature's Exhale

Autumn is nature’s exhale. Can you feel it? The energy of dissolving and releasing is all around us. If you’re feeling called to let go of certain things, whether by choice or by circumstance, it might help to know that not only aren’t you alone, but you’re right on time and in tune.

I’ve always found it apt that the Hindu festival of Navaratri – the nine nights dedicated to honoring the Goddess - coincides with Autumn in the Western hemisphere. The trees themselves reflect the colours of the Goddess in their red, orange, and yellow leaves, don’t they?

After all, like the Fall, so much about honoring the Goddess is also about letting go, about destruction.

There’s the Goddess Kali wearing a necklace made of the skulls of her conquests, drunk on their blood. And Durga riding her tiger into battle, weapons in hand, ready to fight the demon and restore dharma.

As yogis, we’re given the tools and understandings that strengthen us to do battle with our inner enemies, give us the courage to slay what holds us back and keeps us small, and empower us to confront our internal and external struggles.

But this weekend, walking amongst the fall colours, something else aside struck me: The yellow leaves of the birch trees were falling off their branches like golden coins spilling out of Lakshmi’s hands.

The Goddess Lakshmi represents auspiciousness and abundance, she is wealth of all kinds.

That sight of those golden leaves flying off their branches in the bright blue sky was hopeful. It spoke to me of the possibility in letting go. It represented the certainty of the cycle of nature, the promise of new beginnings within every ending, and the new life that follows every death.

Consider the possibility in whatever it is you are being called to let go of right now. Hold on to the promise of what will emerge on the other side of this release and the freedom that comes with allowing things to end.