Living with the Seasons: September
It’s the month of the corn harvest if you’re a farmer. The corn ‘maize maze’s’ start to close across the countryside as the corn is harvested and stored. Mabon, or the Autumn Equinox, beginning 21st September, brings corn abundance towards the end of the month too. A nod to the years gone by when we would have all gathered for a feast of corn to celebrate the end of summer and beginning of autumn. At The Snug, we will be celebrating Mabon with a corn feast of some description, alongside meditation and sound healing to really engage in the changing of the season. Feel free to join us on 23rd September for our celebration.
Mabon marks the second of the big harvest festivals, the first being Lammas on 1st August, and the final one being Samhain, or Halloween, on 31st October - the harvest of the pumpkins and squash! It’s a time of abundance. Of realising those seeds you planted at the beginning of the year are ripening and ready for harvesting. They’re going to nourish you from the inside out.
As I come to consider September, it brings me to consider the yogic principle of Aparigraha. This philosophical practice asks us to consider how we grasp and hold onto possessions, things and thoughts or emotions. It asks us to consider where we are greedy in terms of items, time, love, possessions, money… it asks us to consider what exactly we need, and what can be shared out for everyone to enjoy. So with that, I want you to take a moment to reflect.
Question: How do you feel about the concept of Aparigraha, and think about how you can be greedy not just with money. Perhaps with ideas, expectations, thoughts, emotions, time, love… How does greed or possessiveness show up for you?
There are two immediate situations which spring to mind for me this September when I think about my own greediness which can often translate to privilage.
The energy crisis and how I can use my position to effect change, rather than just rest on my laurels. This greediness relates to my time - how much time and energy do I need to proportion to my own self care, and how much can I lend to others to help in this situation.
The second way is embracing change within my life as we transition from Summer to Autumn through September. Basically, not holding onto the summer and accepting change is happening this month.
So let’s start with the first one, the energy crisis here in the UK and abroad too.
I’m not going to get into the politics of this situation, because that wouldn’t be a good use of my energy right now we’ll cover Brahmacharya another day), however I would like to provoke you into some critical thinking.
How are you feeling about the upcoming winter and rising bills? There tends to be two camps here. One is scared about how they are going to pay their bills. The second is feeling ok about the situation, obviously no one wants bills to rise, but you can afford the bills and that’s ok for now.
Now, if you’re in the first camp, working WITH the energies of the month, we have Virgo energy. Virgo energy is all about getting down to the details, the nitty gritty, the ‘day to day boring’ almost, the perfectionism in a situation. So if we’re working with the energy, go through all those finer details that you need to. Face any problems head on rather than waiting. Check all your monthly incomings and outgoings. Make savings and cancel direct debits where you can. Plan, use a spreadsheet, journal, diary, however you can, to make sure you can be prepared. Remember though, we all need balance. If you can, still make sure you’re carving time out for yourself. You don’t have to be spending money, but making sure you’ve got time to walk, meditate, rest, move… think balance. Through September do the earthy ground work so you can feel prepared for winter and feel like you’re living with the seasons more. I’ll be using my slow cooker A LOT this winter, so for me part of my planning is getting some decent slow cooker recipes nailed down. And I should say, if you’re worried about your bills this winter, I’m sorry you have this worry with you. It absolutely shouldn’t be happening, which leads me to camp two.
If you’re in the second camp, use your energy to lend a hand. Put a little extra into your shopping basket for the food bank. Donate to the food bank if you can. We shouldn’t have food banks and I can’t believe I’m writing this in 2022, but here we are. Sign up to Enough is Enough campaign and The Good Law Project, and again donate if you can, or at least help spread the word with friends, family or on social media. There are also campaign groups like Insulate Britain which, I know some people are against, but they predicted this was going to happen and here we are. They’ve helped get the energy crisis on the agenda with the media through their actions, and for that we can be thankful. We just need something to be done now.
Join protests if you are able to (I’ll be sharing some of these on my instagram channel and going to some local ones myself). Write to your MP/email them asking them to put pressure on the government to act fast. Your MP should be working for you. Use your time, energy, effort, money however you feel you can to give others a helping hand this winter. When we are in a position of privilege, we should recognise that and help others. The choice of heating or eating shouldn’t be privilege after-all.
Ok so with that… the second part to living with the seasons this September is embracing change… not being greedy with holding onto the summer and accepting that autumn is around the corner
As mentioned earlier, September is a month of transition as well as having this strong Virgo earth energy with us. The nights are starting to draw in and we notice that chill in the air over the coming weeks. There’s dew on the ground in the morning and evening, and (hopefully) a little more rain and cloud around to nourish the soils and earth again.
We’re not great at living with the seasons most of us. We have no idea when crops are sewn and harvested. We turn the heating up to 25 degrees in the house and wear shorts all year round inside. We eat salads in winter (!?!) when most salad ingredients aren’t in season. And we resist winter blues when in reality all they are is an indication we need to hibernate, slow down and rest after the mania of fire season December. We can’t be all go, go, go!
So with that, I’ve compiled my top 3 tips for September to help you embrace the change…
Seasonal vegetables cost much less than imported vegetables, and they taste much better too… they’re fresh and homegrown! In season during September are LOADS of crops, because we’re still reaping our harvest from last month and even the end of July too. Make the most of the last of the salad bits and bobs, but also start to look towards the more filling foods like potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, beetroot, courgettes and sweetcorn. I’ve just subscribed to a local seasonal vegetable box to help me cut down on popping to the shops (because you pay more in the long run when you get those bits and bobs!) and also support the farmers getting a fair price for their work.
In Ayurvedic terms, we are transitioning from the heat and fire of Pitta, to the air and ether of Vatta. The Ayurvedic system is based on that of balance. So, when we’re in Pitta season, we should be balancing the fire by drinking cool drinks, plenty of water or watery fruit and vegetables like cucumber and melons, and staying away from any great heat producing foods. Which, when we think about it, makes sense. We eat lighter to balance out the fire externally as well as internally. But as we transition to Vatta, that changes. All through the month you’ll feel this push and pull as we transition from Pitta to Vatta. As you feel that change, you want to be introducing a little more Vatta into your life. Welcoming in change, giving yourself space, and importantly allowing your diet to reflect the change. Vatta balancing foods include things like sweet potato, lentils, wild rice… basically adding a little bit more ‘stodge’ to the diet to prepare for the colder months. Seasonal eating perfectly lends itself to ayurveda…
And finally, foragers can have a feast this month with blackberries in abundance. Top tip: If you’re going foraging for blackberries, don’t leave it too late, and head for a patch not near a main road. There are loads in woodlands! You don’t want the air pollution in your blackberry crumble!
So with that… how are you planning to work with the season changing, September coming in, and that Virgo energy above us in the skies? Let me know @becky_thw
