A Ritual for Autumn

"Rituals are the formulas by which harmony is restored" - Mitch Albom

All photos © The Autumn Chronicles

Welcome to The Autumn Chronicles, a place to shine a light on all the wonder around us as we navigate the seasons. I hope these writings allow you to sit quietly with a cup of something warm and comforting and take a few moments for yourself away from the rush and hurry. If you would like to make sure you get all newsletters directly to your inbox, please subscribe below. Thank you for being here.

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Tomorrow the autumnal equinox will arrive here in the northern hemisphere, marking the halfway point between the summer and winter solstices. At the time of the equinox, the sun is positioned directly over the equator, meaning day and night are almost equal in length. It is from this point on that we shift our consciousness to embrace the darkness outweighing the light as the Earth’s axis tilts away from the sun and we enter a time of the year that is both transformative and contemplative. It is the perfect season to assess our own equilibrium, our particular blend of light and shade, and use these to determine what our priorities are as we start to wind down towards the close of the year.

What is a ritual?

A ritual is an action that seeks to make something extraordinary out of what could otherwise be considered mundane. It is similar to a routine or a habit but is done with the intention to make the action meaningful, to create something ceremonial out of the everyday. Rituals provide a focal point; a moment in which we can truly slow down and be present, promoting greater connection both to ourselves and to the world around us.

Why are rituals important?

We all have routines that we follow regularly but a ritual seeks to elevate this into something special, something transcendent. As the season shifts and we are left with days containing more darkness than daylight, establishing rituals can help us to focus on all the beauty and celebrate all the joy that can be found in the slower months, creating pockets of ordinary, everyday magic to which we can return year after year, season after season.

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Creating An Everyday Ritual

A ritual can be anything on which you wish to spend time and attention. Some people have a multi-step skincare routine that they religiously perform every evening, complete with candles and soft music while others make time each day for meditation or mindfulness. Creating an everyday ritual is the process of adding a pattern to your way of living that speaks to the heart of who you are and what you believe in. Autumn is the perfect time to start establishing rituals as our attention shifts away from the external and we start to focus more on nourishing and preserving what exists within, both of ourselves and our immediate environment.

While a ritual can be anything that brings peace, restoring a sense of harmony and stability against the frenetic bustle of daily life, the environment in which the ritual takes place can be as important as the ritual itself. When our surroundings are calm, it is easier to connect to ourselves and to feel in tune with the expansive fabric of the changing landscape. Changing your environment does not need to be structural or expensive; it could be something as simple as having a specific, cosy blanket you use for reading on the sofa or a favourite mug from which to drink your morning coffee.

Rituals do not need to be something monumental or overly time-consuming. Often, the most impactful rituals are those which fit effortlessly into our lives and which nurture simplicity and ease. They tend to be gently repetitive, ensuring predictability and acting as a buffer against the anxiety and uncertainty of life, while allowing us to track seasonal changes and pay closer attention to specific moments.

Here are some elements that it might be useful to consider when thinking about introducing a ritual into the everyday:

• What kind of environment is best suited to your ritual? Is there anything you need to do to your space to make it work for this purpose?

• What do you want to achieve? Do you have a specific intention or outcome in mind?

• How do you want it to feel? What are you seeking in this moment?

• Can you be fully present, free from other obligations or demands on your time and attention?

• How do you close the ritual?

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Autumn Rituals

As the nights lengthen and the sun begins its descent earlier in the evening, I have been considering how I can introduce more rituals into my own life to capture and maintain the feeling of enchantment that the season brings. I love autumn; it’s my favourite time of year and I feel most alive when the air becomes chill and the leaves start to turn. I love the feeling of opportunity, of taking the chance to let go of things that are no longer relevant or helpful, like a tree shedding its leaves to make room for new growth and possibility. These are some ideas for rituals that I will be introducing this autumn to anchor myself in the season, and to which I can return time and again to make the most of all the wonder to be found at this time of year:

Candles

More darkness requires more light and there is something magical about lighting a candle and taking the time to enjoy the shimmers and twists of the flame in the evening twilight. I love scented candles and picking out my favourite scents is a ritual in itself, particularly those that are reflective of the seasons - orchard fruits and woodsmoke for autumn and pine scents for winter (Diptyque’s Sapin candle is a firm favourite). As the evenings draw in, I light a candle and pause, mooring myself in a moment of cosiness and reflection.

Decoration

I bought a papier-mâché tree as an Easter tree originally but, over the years, it has evolved into a decoration for every season. This is the first year I have made any attempt at decorating the house for autumn but I love how internal features can reflect external changes and help us feel rooted in what is happening outside. Much like my habit, inherited from my mother, of buying a bauble for the Christmas tree from every place I go, collecting seasonal ornaments from holidays and other travels is another ritual that I love and brings back wonderful memories every time I use them.

Gratitude

It is easy to be positive in the summer while the sun is shining and the breeze is warm. As the season turns, practising gratitude becomes much more of a focal point for me to try to maintain balance and recognise all the wonderful things I have in my life. I make a point in my regular journaling practice to take the time to write three things I am grateful for each day. At particularly busy or stressful times, it can be quite difficult to keep thinking of unique things to be grateful for but I really enjoy the challenge of sifting through the day to search out tiny glimmers that have added their sparkle to my life, whether that is an unexpected message from a friend or the particular way light dances through the branches of the tree below the bedroom window.

Nature

There is so much beauty at this time of the year and while it might not be the blousy, obvious beauty of summer or the hesitant, innocent beauty of spring, spending time in the subtle, nostalgic beauty of autumn is the perfect way to remain in tune with the seasons. For me, this looks like long walks to watch the colours change, soaking up the clash of plum, ruby, amber, ochre and bronze - not colours that I am much drawn to at any other time of the year but in which I take great delight during autumn days. There’s also something immensely satisfying about kicking through piles of colourful leaves, no matter how old you are.

Books

I love books all year round but the twilight of the year is my favourite season for reading. You will find me most often on the sofa, blanket on lap and book in hand, candles flickering on the coffee table next to me along with a warm cup of something comforting. They say that readers live a thousand lives and the pure escapism of reading, whether fiction or non, satiates my curiosity and my imagination.

I’d love to know: what rituals do you return to, or would you like to introduce, to celebrate the changing of the season?

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