Today we cross the threshold into Autumn, a time of gathering, wearing warm, cozy clothes, and connecting with the things and people that most nourish us. I’m enjoying the bounty from local farms (above) and taking walks with late summer flowers (below you’ll see the gorgeous sunflowers from River to Ridge trail in New Paltz). How you are welcoming the season?
I’ve been a little quieter here lately, tucked away with my manuscript and the long, sometimes wonderfully wild process of bringing a book into being. Functional Herbal Medicine: Seasonal Care for Body, Mind & Spirit is due to my publisher on October 31st, and I’m looking forward to closing that chapter and opening my doors again to new clients this winter.
Until then, I invite you to savor this season as a time of ritual care.
Let your kitchen become an apothecary: simmer nourishing soups and stews, roast roots and winter squash, bake apples with warming spices. Bring aromatic herbs like ginger, coriander, and nutmeg into your cooking and your teacup. Walk outside and notice what is changing: the goldenrod has brought sunshine to the fields, the leaves are beginning to turn, and coolness nips the morning air.
Autumn reminds us that wellness isn’t only about doing more. Sometimes it is about gathering what nourishes us, releasing what no longer serves, and listening for the wisdom of the season.
May you find warmth in your home, nourishment at your table, medicine in the plants, and a little magic in the turning of the year.
With warmth and gratitude,
Ashley
