A Slow Guide To The Four Seasons
How To Live In Tune With The Seasons
This voiceover is an audio version of my Slow Sunday Letter below. It is unedited, so may have some stutters, imperfections, and background noise. I hope you enjoy listening to it anyway!
Welcome to Generosity of Spirit, a gentle community exploring all aspects of Slow & Gentle Living. We also get cosy with our bookish chats & I share insights into living a creative life. You are so welcome here, grab a cuppa & stay a while …
Welcome back to another Slow Sunday Letter! I hope you have had a slow and gentle week.
In the UK we are mid-way through August, the temperatures are high and we are in the full swing of Summer. I find the cycle of the seasons so comforting and reassuring, and I enjoy following along each year. I have always felt lucky to live somewhere that experiences four distinct seasons.
The four seasons of a year are often used as a metaphor for the cyclical nature of humans. As nature changes with the passing of the seasons, our energy mirrors the natural world around us and how our lives ebb and flow with the passing of time. Each season brings with it its own unique opportunities for self-compassion, understanding, joy, creativity, growth and transformation, and it's up to us to embrace these changes- guided by the seasons and the natural world around us.
In this weeks Slow Sunday Letter, I want to explore the different ways the four seasons of the year - Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring can be applied to Slow and Gentle Living and how you can embrace them more fully in your life.
So grab a cuppa, get cosy and let’s take a look at the Slow Seasons together…
A Slow Guide To The Four Seasons
Learning to live in sync with the seasons through food, nature, gardening, moon cycles, seasonal rituals, and more can bring with it a multitude of benefits. I believe aligning with the seasons and embracing nature is one of the most effective ways to find balance and calm, and it compliments Slow and Gentle Living beautifully. The more we learn to connect with the seasons, the more connected and rooted we are to the world around us and the present moment. You get to decide ultimately what each season means to you, and what space you will hold in each season.
Summer: Growth and Abundance
Affirmation - I am welcoming in joy and warmth, and the opportunity to flourish
Summer was my least favourite season, until this year! I have taken the time to think about what I do love about Summer, and instead of following the masses I have made this season my own! I have created an earlier morning routine, limited social plans to maintain my balance, and also tried out new hobbies and signed up to new courses to learn some new skills.
Embrace a slow Summer, where the days are long and the natural world is thriving. Summer is the perfect time to take steps towards your dreams, relish in your passions and find joy in these bright, warm days.
Autumn: Change and Acceptance
Affirmation - I embrace change and let go of that which doesn’t serve me
Autumn is a season of gentle change. I adore the spirit of Autumn, I love it’s quiet power. The colours of Autumn are beautiful, and watching the leaves change and fall is one of my favourite natural wonders of the year.
It is a time to look inward, and let go of what no longer serves us, to practice embracing change. I like to give myself time for reflection in Autumn, as we start easing and winding down to a gentler pace. Moving on from old habits and behaviours and introducing new ideas to encourage our own transformations. It is a magical season and one I love to make the most of. I will watch plenty of cosy Autumn movies (like Practical Magic and You’ve Got Mail), drink even more hot warming coffees, light plenty of candles, and wear cosy jumpers and cardigans. I look to Autumn to inspire, and embrace new opportunities for growth and transformation.
Winter: Rest and Reflection
Affirmation - I allow myself a period of rest and calm
Winter is a time of rest and reflection. I love the notion of ‘wintering’ as explored so beautifully by
in her book Wintering. Nature is resting and so can you. I believe winter is about taking it slowly, and giving ourselves time to reflect on our year. Winter is often a time for home, more introspection and self-reflection. You must take good care of yourself in this season- up the comfort levels! Sleep a lot, eat good food and nourish your mind and body. Allowing yourself to ‘winter’ is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.“That’s the gift of winter: it’s irresistible. Change will happen in its wake, whether we like it or not. We can come out of it wearing a different coat.” Katherine May
Spring: New Beginnings and Rebirth
Affirmation - I am ready to bloom and try new things
Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth, when the world comes back to life after the long winter months. It's a time of renewed energy, sparking dreams, and plans. We relish in the chance of new beginnings and fresh starts. Harness this power, set new goals and intentions, and be brave - take steps towards a brighter future. I think Spring is a time when your creativity can grow exponentially if you allow it… be open, and give yourself room to bloom!
Slow Seasons: A Creative Guide to Reconnecting with Nature the Celtic Way - Rosie Steer
In her late-twenties, feeling utterly overwhelmed by the pace of modern city life, Rosie Steer found solace in the traditions she had been brought up with, influenced by her Scottish roots, that celebrated nature and observed the small steady shifts in the seasons.
The Celtic Wheel of the year is an ancient seasonal cycle that aligns with solar events - the solstices, equinoxes and their midpoints. For each mini-season, Rosie shares nature notes for what we can look out for as the days get warmer or cooler, the nights longer or shorter, alongside activities, things to make, flowers or fruit to forage, seasonal recipes to enjoy and a modern take on the traditional celebrations.
As the Wheel turns towards Imbolc on 1st February, we can make hand poured candles to welcome the return of the light, embrace the chill of a wintery walk with a flask of hot chocolate, and fill our homes with the scent of citrus making batches of marmalade.
By slowing down and paying attention to the ebbs and flows of nature, we can find moments of calm whenever we need them.
I really recommend this beautiful book - it is a gentle guide through the Celtic calendar - part memoir, part cookbook, and part DIY craft guide.
Each chapter is dedicated to a different season: Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lunastal, Mabon, Samhain, and Yule. Rosie gives us insights into the history of the season and then gives us invitations of how to celebrate it- inside the home and out in nature. Rosie introduces the reader to so many ideas, recipes and celebrations - connected to the changing seasons, all through a deep appreciation of the natural world. It is a real delight and I enjoyed it so much.
Create A Seasonal Bucket list
There’s an undeniable connection between slow and seasonal living and I think one of the best ways to embrace both is by creating a seasonal bucket list. Grab your favourite notebook, coloured pens and a big piece of paper, use your notes app, Notion, or whatever you like best. Spend some time thinking about the season you are in, or the up and coming season and then write a list of your bucket list items!
These could include fun seasonal activities, foods you want to eat, books you want to read, movies to watch, places to visit, as well as your wishes and dreams for the season. Not only will creating a bucket list help with getting ideas flowing, but you'll likely get inspired and excited to embrace the season in your own unique way.
Slow Living and Seasons: Journal Prompts
What do you love most about this season?
How can you make more time for the things you love in this season?
Do you need to adjust any of your routines to better suit the season?
How can you make the most out of this current season of life you're in?
Can you think of at least new one habit/practice/activity/hobby that would fit your life in your current season?
Learning how to live in alignment with the seasons gives you an opportunity to embrace the natural rhythms of life. Adopting this can lead to more calm, balance, and improve your overall wellbeing. By taking the time to understand seasonal changes, adapting your choices, engaging in seasonal activities, practicing mindfulness, and creating a seasonal home environment, you can fully enjoy and benefit from each distinctive season of year.
I would really love to know your thoughts on the seasons of the year and life - do you follow the changing seasons closely? Can you feel your energy ebb and flow through the year?
If any of this resonated with you - and if you feel able, please do share in the comments.
Thank you for being here,
With Light & Love
Emily xxx
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A couple of days ago I had a real sense of heading towards autumn - a slight chill in the morning air was all it was, but it struck me that I usually notice this in September as the swallows gather together on the telephone wires before going south for the winter. My awareness of how the seasons flow into one another suddenly heightened and now I find myself more attuned to those subtle changes.
Thank you for this beautiful post, I appreciate your perspective! Just starting my “journey” into living with seasons, cycles,etc and this was the encouragement I needed.