Leaning into slowness

Nature play resources from ecoexplorers.com.au

Apr 2026

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We are deep into autumn now, almost halfway between equinox and solstice. In the Celtic tradition this time is called Samhain or Halloween… what colours or sensations do you associate with late autumn?

I think of pumpkins ripening, the warm hues of falling leaves, mushrooms, mist, cold wind on my cheeks, warm scarves, spiced tea, gathering by the fire, telling stories and remembering our ancestors.

The Wurundjeri name for this season is waring. It’s the longest, coldest season here in the south, spanning from April to July. Nights become longer, the mornings cold and wet. The colours of this season are deep brown of muddy earth and leaf litter, bright green of fresh grass, and crystal clear drops of mist and rain on leaves. Wombats emerge from their burrows to graze in the winter sunshine, tree ferns and fungi flourish.

Maggie in the autumn sunshine, Wadawarrung country, Apr 2026

Emotionally, the increasing darkness urges us to slow down, tune inward and let go. The shift away from daylight savings is a clear marker for this - the dark falls suddenly in the evenings and we feel the pull to eat early and snuggle up indoors.

I find it easier to follow these earth rhythms than resist them… how can you intentionally slow down? find more time for simple joys, spaciousness and quiet reflection?

Some ways I’ve been leaning into slowness:

relieving mental exhaustion - taking care of small physical tasks on the to-do-list that lighten the mental load. Noticing that it’s not always my body that is exhausted, but my mental energy that is depleted.
shaping things with my hands - drawing, collaging, kneading dough, massaging my daughter’s face as she heals from a sinus/ear infection, arranging fruit and flowers, doing the dishes.
curiousity about my internal shifts - reflecting on recent changes in my life, how I integrate different parts, how these changes are mirrored in my relationships with others. Wondering how I can be a decent, mindful human in reciprocity with the world around me.