Fall is hands down my favorite season. The energy is calming, the crispness in the air, the leaves changing, dying, and opening space for newness to come in. We are being called to SLOW down and slowly begin to go inward after the abundance of summer and the hard work of harvesting all this abundance.
We are Earthly beings and the more we live in alignment with the seasons, the more we honor our natural rhythms and cycles. The leaves and flowers are falling and beginning their decay cycle, allowing for the nutrients to go into the roots and be nourished by the soil beneath us. We too have these cycles of death and rebirth. At this time of year we can begin to harvest all the insight we have gained from the hard work and hard play of the summer months and move these energies down into our roots to be nourished by the winter months of going inward and resting, resetting, and getting ready for the new birth that occurs during the springtime.
Eclipse season starts October 14th, which encourages us to take a closer look at what is arising and what needs to be released and decayed in order to be regenerated and reborn. Some of you may know that the lunar nodes just switched signs this year into Libra (south node) and Aries (north node). The solar eclipse and new moon on October 14th is in Libra - asking us to evaluate how we are taking and how we are giving? Are we perhaps sacrificing our own needs so much to the point of detriment? Are we engaging in codependency which can breed resentment and control? Are we taking with reciprocity in mind? Are we blending boundaries to be what others want us to be rather than standing in our truth and authenticity? Are we allowing the fear of judgment hold us back from stepping into our fullness?
Astrological transits are happening in the background at all times. I believe that when we learn to work with the energies that are silently pulling and pushing us in somewhat chaotic directions, we can move through our lives with more clarity and direction. This allows us to move through our lives with more self-awareness and compassion, for ourselves and the humans in our lives.
Plant medicines (and fungus) are here to help us in so many ways. Here’s a list of plant medicines that will help to navigate through eclipse season with more clarity and grace:
Elderflower
Most people are familiar with elderberries and the effects on the immune system. Of course, as the seasons change and there is less ability to absorb vitamin D (the angle of the sun doesn’t allow for much absorption after end of September which may be why people get sick more easily), this is a great herb to take regularly during the winter, but the flowers are a beautiful energetic medicine as well. In ancient mythology, the elder tree is highly sacred, known as the Elder Mother. The Elder is symbolic of death and rebirth. It is a great herb to add to your morning tea this time of year to call in the energies of the mother to assist you in releasing what is no longer needed and clear space for rebirthing parts of self. It has a mildly sweet flavor and is truly one of my favorite herbs to work with in the energetic and spiritual sense.
Blue Lotus
This super special plant medicine has been used for thousands of years as an aphrodisiac, anxiety reliever,
and sleep aid, and even said to have been used in sacred sexual rituals to induce states of euphoria. With the solar eclipse being in Libra, part of the exploration can be focalized in our bodies, pleasure, and sexual desire. Make a strong tea close to bedtime either with your lover or yourself and allow yourself to drop into what it means to be a pleasure being. How can you allow yourself to experience desire to its fullest capacity without shame?
Kava
Physically, kava is one of my favorite nervines. It almost immediately calms the nervous system in a profound way (not in the pharmaceutical sense - remember herbs are supportive to the body’s own mechanisms). By calming the nervous system, we can feel at ease and gain more clarity. Calming the amygdala brain so the frontal cortex has access to more logic and understanding. In many south pacific cultures, kava has been used before ritual and during ritual to being a state of peace and heightened mental clarity. Eclipse season can be challenging as exiled parts of self come to the surface to be addressed. Kava can help during these times that feel somewhat chaotic and allow us to move through challenging times with more grace.
Microdosing Psilocybin Mushrooms
Microdosing has gained popularity for good reason. Many qualitative studies show that microdosing mushrooms can alleviate depression, demoralization, and some anxious behaviors. Mushrooms help with excavation of buried emotions and deeper meanings of living, and microdosing is a way to do this in smaller "bite size" doses. During this time of looking a little more deeply into the mirror, mushrooms are certainly a way to gain more clarity.
Other Healthy Practices (for all times of the year!)
Some other practices that can be helpful are movement and exercise, journaling, dancing, connecting with your creative juices, community and connection, and of course eating a diet abundant in whole foods. This is also a great time of year to journey into your consciousness to feel into what is needing to be released and let go. Blessings to you on your journey into eclipse season. Blessed be.