The Autumn Striptease: 3 Playful ways to Get grounded this Autumn
There’s one road that I drive on every few months that always distracts me.
It’s in a deep valley and the landscape expands outwards in both directions before rising up to a steep hillside.
At the top of one of the rises is a row of magnificent trees.
SO many magnificent trees that look like they must have been there for centuries.
The trees are the problem.
They captivate me!
Because I don’t drive it often enough to become numb to it, it never fails to grab my attention. It makes it hard to stay focused on the road.
In the Spring, the canopy of the trees is a bright vibrant green and through the summer it becomes a dense, deep green that feels so abundant.
And of course now we approach Autumn, it will put on its most spectacular show of all.
On a sunny Autumnal day, the riot of colours is like every tree is competing with the next to be the most colourful.
Nature Knows what it’s doing
There’s something deeply relaxing about succumbing to nature (except if you’re driving and need to make sure you stay on the road!). When you’re in the throes of overwhelm, activating your awe and wonder at the world can be a powerful antidote.
There are two qualities in particular that supercharge that connection to Nature: Curiosity and Playfulness.
I’ll be truly honest with you and say that these are qualities I have to cultivate and practice regularly.
My default is often to carry responsibility, to hold life tightly and to push myself to “be productive”: the edicts of our modern culture seem at odds with my deeply felt wisdom that it’s the opposite of those things that we need.
Do you find this too?
That there’s a yearning inside for more joy and play but that it often gets squashed?
3 ways to Ground yourself as we slide into Autumn
Like many things that are the antidote to modern life, grounding yourself is something to strive for whilst also accepting that it’s a journey and we are always a work in progress.
Let’s have some fun as we think about how to harness nature to ground and energise us for the long dark months ahead.
Here’s my top 3 playful ways to get grounded this Autumn:
- Leaf Peeping
A few years ago, a Canadian friend invited me to go leaf peeping with her.
“Say what??? What the heck is leaf peeping??”
A quick google search later and I was in! It basically means going out to find, view, appreciate and photograph the spectacular colour spectacle of autumn leaves changing colour.
Of course, we all notice and admire the autumnal strip-tease as we go about our days, but it brings a whole new energy to it when you intentionally get together to “leaf peep”.
Even the name sounds a little bit cheeky to me!
Give it a try and I’d love to see your pics … no cheeky ones though please!
2. Climb a Tree
There are some woods a few minutes drive from home that I pass on the way back from dropping my kids to school. I really got to know it properly back in the Covid lockdowns (there were some upsides).
One of the ways I love to get grounded is to come off the path and wander into the middle of the trees. I look out for fallen trees, or extra low and inviting branches and climb up inside.
I’m not limber enough these days to climb way up in the trees but there’s something really wonderful about nestling in the branches (with a big coat on usually!).
If you don’t fancy climbing, see if you can find a little nook to climb into and sit down. It feels so different when you actually stop and sit instead of barrelling through to get your steps in.
Extra bonus points if you have a little chat with the tree — they make great listeners!
3. Take a dip in a river, stream or the sea
Ok, so this one won’t be everyone’s cup of tea … but even the most cold averse person can manage a little toe dangle every now and again.
As the river or sea temperatures cool down, it makes you feel so alive to connect with flowing water. For me, I like a full blown swim to blow the cockles away.
Start with even putting your hand in the water.
Just sitting beside the water is also incredibly nourishing and grounding.
Remember being a child and that playful curiosity that came so easily for most of us?
See if you can bring that spirit of adventure to being outside. Then your grounding and connection is not just to the earth but also to the lost parts of yourself.
Do you have any special ways you like to feel grounded? Email me at laura@bemodernmeditation.com, I’d love to hear from you!
Love and autumn vibes
Laura @ Be.
Originally published at https://www.bemodernmeditation.com on September 27, 2022.