The Celtic Wheel of the Year is about to turn again as we approach the autumnal equinox. For many of us, summer’s end days have been packed with activities and outdoor fun. In the northern hemisphere, our collective internal clock sounds a quiet alarm that winter is not far off; but first, a joyful transition is afoot! The month of September offers many celebrations alongside the need to get down to business. Packing away the patio furniture and hauling out sweaters is just one part of it. The middle harvest is serving up summer season’s last bounty of sweet corn, delicious berries, and too many varieties of apples to count. Kids are back at school, businesses are gearing up for the holidays, and pumpkins are readying for their October high jinks. This year the autumnal equinox falls on Monday, September 22, 2025, at 11:19 (PDT), and occurs the day after a partial solar eclipse, with the sun and moon at the final degree of Virgo. This marks a time to make room for autumn’s many nuanced gifts. Let’s dive in!
Seasonal Themes and Nuances
Bounty, Beauty, & Endings – As noted in last year’s Welcome Autumn newsletter, we are entering the magical, bittersweet and beautiful season of dying. Fall’s beauty, color, and flare are unmatched by any other season. An abiding gilded sunlight slant stretches across the land as the greenery of summer fades. Trees find a way to outdo each other, donning a vibrant wardrobe of crimson, burnt umber, orange, and gold. This celebration of color beckons us to remember the transient nature of the turning seasons; and the transient nature of life itself. This is the time to embrace summer’s bountiful gifts and to revel in the smells, sights, and sounds of autumn’s beauty. It is a visible transformation, a final festival of light and vibrancy that signals a time for endings, and the letting go of that which has become outmoded, burdensome, weighty, or oppressive. Opening to the gifts and graces of this season are at once as inspirational and invigorating as they are a call to quieting and healing.
Finding Balance – Since equinox is the time of year when daylight and dark of night are in equal balance, let’s consider the ways balance plays out in daily life. Is there a balance of give and take in our relationships? How do we establish a healthy balance between our emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual aspects? Is there a balance for things like work and play; rest and activity; socializing and internal pursuits; openness and boundaries? Explore those ideas in your journal and ponder ways to instill balance for those conditions that require adjustment.
Leaves and Leaving – In keeping with the Further Shore mission to provide education and resources for living well and dying with dignity, autumn seems the perfect time to acknowledge a wonderful little book called, The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: A Story of Life for All Ages by Leo Buscaglia. The story describes the way Freddie learns about the cycles of living and dying, the courage, the concerns, and the grace. It is always worth reading, but you can listen to it here. Speaking of leaving, autumn is an appropriate time to address all kinds of details, including arranging for, or updating a medical power of attorney and living will. The living will is a legal instrument describing end-of-life preferences and naming an agent to uphold those preferences. The Five Wishes is a living will with heart and soul. It is also a powerful tool for gaining clarity about personal preferences during final days. Message me if you would like to explore this important aspect of our mission. Lastly, this touching song, I Know You by Heart, by Eva Cassidy speaks to leaving in the season of orange and gold.{Please note that tissues may be required while listening.}
The Seasonal Soup Kitchen
This year one of my goals is to celebrate Wayne’s legacy. Sharing a hearty bowl of soup, a crusty loaf of bread, and good conversation was Wayne’s way to celebrate. Making and sharing soup with others is an act of kindness, and while I can’t make soup for you all, I can share soup recipes from the Food Doctor and Friends cookbook. This Miso soup offers savory ingredients to boost the immune system during cold and flu season. Add red hot chili pepper for extra kick. The soup is a healing staple when recovering from a cold or pesky ragweed allergy symptoms!
- 1 T. olive oil
- 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 inches peeled, grated fresh ginger root
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- ¼ head cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 carrot thinly sliced
- 1 cup broccoli florets (optional)
- 1 cup sliced daikon radish (optional)
- 6 cups water
- 1 lb. cubed tofu
- 3 T. miso
Sauté oil, garlic, ginger, and onion. Add remaining ingredients except for the miso; simmer for 30 minutes. When ready to serve add miso and stir to dissolve thoroughly. GREAT when you have a cold or sore throat! Yield 4-6 servings.
To Serve or Not to Serve? We all find ourselves in service to others at some point in life. This section of the newsletter will invite you to reflect on the many surprising ways we live a life of service (whether we are aware of it or not). Let’s remember that one meaning of the noun “service” is to provide an act of help. Our 4th installment was featured in the Late Summer Greetings Newsletter and focused on being in service to elders. This season’s topic is service to home and hearth. When thinking about service, it is natural to imagine looking after, caring for, nurturing, and/or assisting other living beings. This section explores the way we do those things for the place we call home. In a world where homelessness is an increasing reality for many, having a place to call home is a privilege. Whether that place is an apartment, a cabin, mansion, recreational vehicle, or tiny house, it is a place to find solace, privacy, sanctuary, and hopefully a sense of security, safety, and stability. You may be surprised at the many ways you are in service to your dwelling. Grab your journal or sit down with your housemates or a friend to talk about these prompts.
- Let’s start by examining the phrase “home and hearth.” It has a nostalgic ring to it and may conjure the image of a cozy cabin with a central fireplace (hearth). Before modern methods to provide heat and light, the fireplace provided both. The hearth was also a place to cook food, and to share warmth, sustenance, and conversation. This was the heart of the home. Today, many homes do not include a fireplace but may include a space that naturally provides a feeling of welcome and warmth. Does that place exist within my dwelling? If so, where is it and how do I nurture that space? If not, would it be useful to create such a place?
- For many, the concept of “home” is about feeling emotionally and/or spiritually connected to another individual, family member, housemate(s), neighbors, animal companions, or even to a larger community. When present with that being or group, there is a sense of safety, acceptance, and freedom to be oneself. Who do I feel at home with? Do they live in my home, nearby, or far away? How do I serve, assist, or help them? What do they give back as service to me? Is it balanced? If not, is there something else I can do to encourage deeper connection or more balance?
- Being in service to the physical aspect of a dwelling can take many forms. Our homes need protection from general wear and tear, and from the natural elements. There are practical activities like cleaning, interior design, repairs, remodeling, yard work, etc. Am I serving my dwelling with the needed ongoing attention and care? Is there something that requires my attention sooner than later? If so, is there a plan, energy, focus, and means to accomplish the task? Do others in my home assist with these tasks? Is neighborly, housemate, family, or professional help needed to address a task or project? Am I comfortable asking for and receiving help or assistance with home projects?
- Both owners and renters serve their homes via matters concerning money! Paying taxes, mortgage or rent, utilities, insurance, and other home related bills is another way to take care of the dwelling. Are these activities shared with others in the home? If so, are the tasks and financial responsibilities shared equitably? If not, how can that change to provide more balance and avoid burnout for the primary home caretaker?
- Another area of “home service” is to nurture the space itself. This can take many forms from cleaning closets and decreasing clutter, to pest control or installing an air purifier. Scheduling annual window washing, fireplace and chimney cleaning, furnace inspection, and other regular maintenance helps to keep home and hearth safe.
- To clear heavy emotional energy and create sacred space, one can use feng shui cures; an aromatherapy diffuser; or smudge with sage, sweet grass, or palo santo. A simple ceremony to clear negativity is to offer a blessing, prayer, or peace mantra in each room. Does my space feel clean, calm, and peaceful? If not, what needs to happen to create those feelings? Do I need help in decluttering or creating a safer, healthier, or more creative space? Who can I call on to help with that?
- How does my home serve me? Am I comfortable with the surroundings? Does it feel like home here? Does something need to be removed, updated, repaired, or replaced to provide more functionality, security, safety, beauty, or comfort? Is my home a place for solace, harmony, creativity, and joy? If so, how do I express gratitude or appreciation for the feelings of home and hearth surrounding me? If not, what might I do to bring those energies into the home?
- Is serving my home draining my physical or emotional energy? Am I in over my head with the upkeep? Is it time to downsize my dwelling, or to let go of some aspects of home care (i.e. yardwork, housekeeping, repairs, etc.)? How do I do that with grace?
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On the Blog: The latest post in the Long Covid Series is Covid Confusion; “X” is for Crossing parts 1,2, and 3 are available in the ABC’s for Living Well.
Quotes for Season: “The song of leaves as they fall, that life is to be celebrated, to fill your soul with colors, so they can ignite you when winter comes..” ~ Jayita Bhattacharjee, Author
“The tints of autumn. . . a sunset in the leaves” ~ John Greenleaf Whittier, American Quaker Poet
May all beings be safe, well, happy, and content.