Allow the Equinox to Guide You Through Letting Go

The Autumn Equinox is a great teacher. While many people struggle with the shorter days and longer nights, the transition into fall is a gift from nature.

The fall equinox invites us to think about letting go. We see the colors of the leaves changing and ultimately falling off the trees. Farmers begin to cut their fields to the ground. Birds, pollinators, and other summer beings begin to travel south or hibernate altogether.

Rather than looking at this transition with sadness, we can replace those feelings with gratitude.

Replacing Loss with Gratitude

In our current yoga session, we’re exploring topics related to letting go. Last week, the students offered ideas on ways to practice this concept in their day to day lives.

A few of the yogis shared how when they let go, they often feel the need to replace whatever they released with something else. Students expressed how if they just let go of something, they sort of feel uncomfortable or confused without something coming into its place.

As we look to nature as a teacher of letting go, we might find answers on this concept. Let’s go back to the farmer cutting down the fields. Well, not a fulltime farmer… but, rather, a hobby gardener. Me!

This spring I seeded a 2,500 square feet area with sunflower seeds. I cared for them, watched them germinate, fought off the deer, and ultimately was blessed with a full field of branching sunflowers. The butterflies and pollinators, as well as travelers passing down my road, enjoyed the beautiful blooms for weeks.

As all annuals do, eventually the flowers faded, and the blooming season ended. I had to terminate the field so I could prepare for future flowers. Yes, I was sad to cut them down. And then I remembered nature and the gifts we ought to be grateful for!

I collected dozens of spent flower heads so I could give the seeds to my chickens throughout the winter. I saved seeds for myself so I could sow this variety again next year. And I am grateful for future fields and the new beautiful flowers I envision myself growing!

Releasing Can Be Healing

Trees don’t know it’s “sad” they are dropping their leaves. Animals don’t get “upset” when the days are shorter and the nights are longer. Nature cycles through and everything is OK.

We have to go through these cycles so we can flow. A student brought up this week how she is actually grateful for the longer nights. She feels less pressure when there is more time to rest. While she loves the spring and summer, she feels a need to produce during those times. And she values fall and ultimately winter so that she can finally get a break.

Imagine if we had to produce in high gear ALL year long? How tiring! I imagine we might burn out!!

As trees drop their leaves this fall, what can we learn? How can we model their easygoing, free flowing ability to let go?

Perhaps, we might consider purging old clothing we don’t wear any longer. Maybe we look around the basement or attic and give away things we haven’t used in the past five years. You might even open up the freezer or refrigerator and throw out something that you know you really weren’t going to eat anyway. Or, better yet, can you look in your cupboards and donate perishable items to those less fortunate?

And it’s not just “stuff.” Are there toxic relationships you need to release? Is there someone living rent free in your head that you need to let go of thinking about all the time? How can you let go so that you take the best care of yourself?

Take the Steps

It’s one thing to think about these questions. It’s even another to maybe take some notes in a personal journal, jotting down what you think and how these ideas could be helpful.

But I challenge you… can you take just one step?

Five years ago, I was the president of a national nursing organization. I had started out as a board member of this organization in 2015. Being in my mid-thirties and elected to a national board, I was overjoyed. In fact, I remember thinking to myself, “I’m going to run for president one day…”

That day came and I wound up getting elected! Oh, the pride, joy, gratitude, and humility I felt. I couldn’t believe it when I saw the ballot results.

I started my presidency in June, 2021. And then, ended it in September, 2021. Just three months. Three months in a role I aspired to achieve.

What happened? Well, during that time the country was journeying through the aftermath of the pandemic. People were pushing vaccination as the only way to handle the disease. As a national holistic organization, I felt nurses should be able to embrace holism, if they chose to.

The organizational values included compassion, authenticity, integrity, balance, and communication. The AHNA believed in inclusivity and freedom of choice. It aligned with holistic options for healthcare as well as medical model treatments.

Letting Go to Heal

Well, there’s too much to say in this post about what happened. Essentially, I stood up for holism and my board reacted by breaking confidentiality. Board members went outside of our board circle and rallied non board members to dispute my leadership. Trust was broken. Board members were callous. I became physically ill from how I was treated.

I had to make an EXTREMELY DIFFICULT decision (and one I wonder if I still regret today) to step down. I was devastated, angry, and sad. I felt like a loser. I worried I let my membership down. It was terrible.

And here, four years later, I still am haunted by this. So, rather than just pondering these concepts on letting go… I am beginning to take action.

I took the first step last week and called the (now retired) Executive Director. I plan on writing letters. I am going to speak out. I will not hold onto these negative feelings anymore. I want to heal from this pain.

You Can Do It

So, I challenge you. Think about your needs related to letting go. Journal about them. And then do something to take the steps. Move yourself forward towards healing.

Yoga can be instrumental in this process. In our practice, we inhale into the stretch (aka, the “pain”) and we exhale, exploring our edge (aka, what we would like to release). Or, again with the breath, we inhale into the pose and exhale to soften, releasing.

The breath can be so healing. And with each breath, we can take just one step.

What do you think? Have you had to let go of anything? If so, how did it go? Any other tips to add to the list above??

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And, of course, we’d love to see you in a future class! Check out our yoga schedule and sign up for a future program.

About the Author: Elizabeth Scala MSN/MBA, RN, RYT (200) is a holistic nurse, registered yoga instructor, and reiki master.

Elizabeth received her dual master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University. She is a certified coach, nature lover, and avid meditator.

Elizabeth lives in Maryland with her supportive husband and playful pups. She enjoys gardening, jigsaw puzzles, baking, music, and hiking.