Fall-ing for Balance.

Tis the season for pumpkin everything and cooler days as we begin to hunker down, slow down and ground down for this exceptional fall.

The start of autumn is an exceptional time to take notice of not only the external changes happening in the world but also the internal changes within ourselves as we begin to shift seasons. As we begin to realign our schedules and pack away our swim suits and summer gear and dust off those old tea mugs this is a great time to determine how balanced we are in our lives.

The start of fall means it's Libra season ya'll. Libra in Latin means "weighing scales" and the constellation is depicted as such. The start of this sign marks the fall equinox, meaning the day and night are equal and have essentially found balance in the sky before the days start to become shorter and nights become longer in the shifting seasons. Like most things in life the origins aren't entirely clear but there are assumptions of the importance of the scales during ancient Greek and Roman times to ensure equity during trade and barter, the importance of switching to longer nights and shorter days as a clue to farmers that it is time to begin their harvest as well as this constellation being associated with the Goddess Themsis of divine law and order. Balance in how we live, balance in seasons, balance in sweet justice.

Here's the thing whether you go down the rabbit hole in astrology and horoscopes or think it's a bunch of foo-foo we can still use these sweet and supple stories as reminders to periodically check in with our inner landscape and to notice what comes up.

Just as our universe is constantly in a dance trying to achieve balance, as human beings we can strive for the same. As the leaves and seasons begin to change I encourage you to notice what feels in and out of balance within yourself and then be curious as to what, if anything, needs to shift.

Things that feel balanced in your life right now, GREAT, find some gratitude for those. Recognize what you have needed to overcome for those things to feel "oh so right right now". Whether that was adding something to your life or removing another, give yourself credit where credit is due to have created those slivers of peace in your life.

For those certain somethings in your soul that feel a little wobbly or uncertain at this time, allow yourself to explore that sensation of uneasiness and what comes up for you. Does a shaky foundation lead to instantly trying to garnish control or perhaps an aversion to the experience all together. Whatever it may be, laying down our veil of judgement and just exploring how it feels can be enough to turn the wheel in the direction necessary to achieve better balance in a way that is kind to ourselves.

Remember, we are humans which means we are apart of the natural world and there is nothing fixed or rigid in nature; the scales will always tip, allow yourself to have some fluidity and freedom just to be along for the ride. Be gentle with yourself as you explore and inquire about your own internal scale and as always, invite more balance into your own life.

Self inquiry questions may be but not limited to:

What feels balanced right now?

What feels unbalanced right now?

Why is balance important to me?

How do I respond to situations that are uneasy and feel unbalanced?

What tools can I use to bring more balance into my life?

Carrot Ginger Soup for the Soul.

• 4-5 carrots

• onion

• big ol scoop of garlic (i use the minced garlic cause i'm impatient)

• couple inches of ginger

• half a fennel bulb

• half of a leek

• chicken bone broth or veggie stock

In dutch oven drizzle some olive oil and turn on medium, add in all ingredients except broth, cover and cook until flavors are well incorporated.

Add in broth, place lid on dutch oven and cook for about 30ish minutes until everything is soft.

Pour all contents into food processor and blend until smooth.

Serve by itself or with a hunk of sourdough or rosemary focaccia and enjoy :)

This is a fall time favorite. Carrots are loaded with vitamins and minerals while leeks, fennel, onions and garlic are inflammatory and immune boosting, ginger is an incredible digestive and immune boosting as well. This feels so good for my belly and gives me a clean boost of energy to get going through my day.

Pro tip - Feel free to double your batch, freeze some and pull out as needed when starting to feel under the weather.