Late Summer. A time to gather in.

​“Earth season arrives on a slow and humid morning, calling us to nourish ourselves and each other, to celebrate the generosity of the land”.  Lorie Eve Dechar. 

There are five season according to the ancient Chinese, as Late Summer - the time of Harvest - is given its own place in the seasonal cycle, a golden 6 weeks between the height of Summer and the beginning of Autumn, or Fall.  

We see the Earth Element at its most manifest at this time, a time when we hope to see an abundance in nature, a time of plenty, when Mother Earth yields her bounty as a blessing.  A good harvest brings us contentment, security, safety.  A good harvest tells us we can survive the Winter ahead. 

Energetically, this is a time of gathering in; traditionally the whole community would gather in the fields to reap the harvest, working together to make sure nothing was wasted or lost.    To fill the grain stores brought everyone a sense of security and this sense of community, of belonging, of being held and supported, of having enough, is part of what this Element offers each of us, within.  

If we consider the organs we associate with this Element and their broader remit, we are looking  at the Stomach (yang), Spleen and Pancreas (yin).  These yin/yang expressions of the whole Element support digestion, transformation, distribution, their remit includes the muscles, the blood, our immune system, our ability to process thoughts and feelings.  

This element also represents nourishment at all levels of body, mind and spirit, so as you enter into this season consider how you feel with the energetic shift.  Have you had your fill of Summer, are you ready for the seasons ahead?  Or do you feel a lack somewhere within you?  A need that hasn’t been met?  Cultivating gratitude practices at this time of year can have a really powerful effect of our inner Earth Element as we turn our attention to all that we have, the reciprocity of giving and receiving.

“The harvest of a whole year depends on what you sow in the Springtime”. 

This Chinese proverb reminds us that Late Summer offers us the opportunity to spend a little time thinking about our own Harvests from the year that has just passed.  What seeds of growth or hopes for ourselves did we plant in the Spring?  How did they grow?  Unless we fully appreciate our harvest, we cannot fully lean into the work of Autumn. 

The Harvest Moon offers us a sweet spot in our calendar to do this consciously, to celebrate what you have grown in your life, your garden, your allotment, your community.   Hosting, or attending, a Harvest Supper or simply offering gratitude for the food you eat when you share your meal that evening is a wonderful way to honour the energy of this incredibly giving season.