Pumpkin Spice Latte Anyone?

Cooler temperatures.  Boots, sweaters, and scarves.  Picking apples in the orchard and visiting a pumpkin patch.  Apple cider spiked with Fireball Whiskey (if you haven't tried this, you're missing out. Seriously).  Trees ablaze in colors of yellow, gold, orange, and red.  Halloween!  Pumpkin spice everything.  What's not to love about autumn?  Fall is definitely one of my favorite seasons.  Ok, I like them all for different reasons but for me, fall means the end of the relentlessly cruel summer heat and is the gateway to winter which I absolutely love.

With today being the Autumnal Equinox/ Mabon, I wanted to share a few ways to celebrate and usher in the new season.  For those of you that don't know, there are two equinoxes, the Autumnal and the Vernal (which is the one in the spring) every year and two solstices.  The Autumnal Equinox is all about giving thanks for what we have.  In Pagan and Wiccan traditions, Mabon is a celebration of the second harvest, the first being in mid-August and celebrated as the Sabbat Lammas or Lughnasadh.  It is a giving of thanks for a bountiful harvest and the many blessings that have been bestowed upon us.  To celebrate this harvest you can participate in the fall-type activities I listed in the first paragraph such as apple picking, visiting a pumpkin patch, and making apple cider.  You can also make a meal or dessert from harvested foods.  Think apple pie, pumpkin bread, roasted veggies, ect.  Equinoxes are a day of equal light and equal dark, balance.  You can celebrate this aspect by honoring balance in your life through yoga or a thorough house cleaning and/ or decluttering.  We all know that autumn is a time of death.  The leaves change and fall from the trees; fields become barren after the last harvest; all of the summer flowers begin to wither away.  Celebrate this lifecycle by honoring the dark.  Stargazing is a great way to do this as well as sitting on the patio at night with a nice fire going in the firepit while drinking some of that apple cider you spent all day making.  Other ways to celebrate the changing of the season include making a fall craft (see Pinterest for endless ideas), getting back to nature with a fall leaf hike, collect leaves, pinecones, and acorns, set up an altar honoring all that is Autumn, and give thanks by making a gratitude list.

Since I mentioned giving thanks, I want to take a few moments to sit in gratitude before I head out for my own leaf hike this morning.  Please understand that this is completely selfish.  Huh??  Well, I am trying to follow the Law of Attraction which simply put is "the ability to attract into our lives whatever we are focusing on".  (For more information, the Law of Attraction has its own website at http://www.thelawofattraction.com/what-is-the-law-of-attraction/).  In all seriousness though, I believe that we often get too wrapped up in the things that we don't have or the things that are going wrong instead of focusing on the things that we DO have and the things that ARE going RIGHT.  We are so accustomed to the everyday struggle of "keeping up with the Jones'" that we forget to be grateful on a daily basis.  Sure we practice this at Thanksgiving here in America but what about the other 364 days of the year?  So do me a favor, please.  Sit down and make a list of at least 5 things you are grateful for.  Here are 5 of mine:

* I am grateful for my two amazing children.  They are the lights of my life.  I am so grateful that they are healthy and that they think for themselves instead of just following the crowd. 

* I am grateful for my boyfriend.  He has shown me what love is supposed to be like and has helped me to heal wounds and insecurities that I thought would be impossible to. 

* I am grateful for my best friend.  She is my soul sister and fellow badass hiker babe and adventurer.  She has lifted me up when I needed it most, makes me laugh like no other, and has made me believe in friendship again.

* I am grateful that I get to call the beautiful state of Colorado home.  This place is an outdoor enthusiast's playground.  Hiking, biking, skiing, fishing.  So much fun to be had here and I am taking advantage of it!

* I am grateful for my health.  I do have asthma but thankfully it has gotten milder and is well managed.  My good health allows me to do all of the outdoor things that I love so much.  

** Bonus **  I am grateful that I could still go on about all of the things that I have to be thankful for.  My list is way more than just those 5 things.  

Well folks, my friends are waiting for me so I better shut this down.  I guess now that it's officially fall we can expect to see some Christmas lights going up.  Do NOT get me started on that. *Insert angry emoji face here*.  Enjoy this day.  Be grateful for it because there are so many that didn't get that chance.  

Peace, Love, and Light.  Blessed Be.