Autumn Equinox Journal Prompts and Ritual: How to Mindfully Approach Fall

Welcome back to the Delight Collective! This week, I’m sharing some Autumn Equinox journal prompts and another ritual to help you mindfully ring in the cooler season. This post is a continuation of last week’s post about ritual, so go read that first if you missed it! Remember, the Autumn Equinox is on September 22nd, so we have just a few days to prepare to complete these journal prompts and ritual.

Why journal?

A question that I ask myself now and again is, “How did I get here?” It’s usually for one reason or another:

1. Sometimes you look around and realize you never want to be in that place again, or…
2. Maybe you fell up the stairs, and you might need to recreate that magic another day.
3. (If it isn’t one of those, you might have no idea where the hell you are, and figuring out can be fun.)

Autumn Equinox journal prompts to reflect on the summer:

• Think back to the beginning of the summer. What were my summer hopes and plans? Did those things come to fruition? Why or why not?
• What was the high point of the summer? The low point? Why do I think of them that way?
• Are there any narratives about myself from the summer that I’m ready to let go of this autumn?

Check-in journal prompts to figure out where the hell you are

• What’s on my mind right now? Is it related to the transition of the seasons? Is it related to any other transitions or changes that might be going on?
• How does the changing day-to-night ratio impact my daily routine? Does it affect my mood? What about the types of foods I want or the way I travel?
• What does “transition” mean to me? Is this a high energy time, a low energy time, or something in between?
• Am I neglecting myself in any way? Physically, emotionally, spiritually? Do I feel prepared to address the neglect, if any?

Manifestation journal prompts to plan the future

• What type of energy am I going to surround myself with this autumn? What does that energy look, sound, smell, feel, and taste like?
• This season, will I be focusing on something specific, like rest, work, movement, or my relationships?
• Is there anything I’m hoping to achieve this autumn? What does it look, sound, smell, feel, and taste like?
• Do I have any specific fears or challenges I’ll navigate this season? What are they? How will I navigate them?

I’m putting together my manifestation journal this season, so this is all meta as hell for me. I’m having a lot of fun future planning!!

And finally, a body-focused Autumn Equinox ritual as a way to embrace the cold weather

I love this as an Autumn Equinox ritual because you can do it whenever you would already be taking a shower. Don’t feel like you can’t have a spiritual, centered experience because you don’t have the time! This one adds just a few minutes to your regular routine.

First, a little disclaimer: this is essentially a cold-ish shower. It might suck, but the neurological benefits of cold water are many. The key is to stay dialed in to your physical experience and reduce the temperature gradually. I’m a big proponent for going through the physical to access the spiritual. This is a quick, straightforward way to start honing that process if you’re not used to going through your physical self to access your spiritual core.

Supplies: you, the shower, bath products (with or without spiritual significance), plus whatever you want to use to set the mood (candles, lights, whatever).

Prepare the space. You can light a candle or unscrew one of the bathroom bulbs to dim the lights. Play some music that feels autumnal if you want.

Then, hop in the shower and bathe as you always would. At the end of your shower, visualize yourself stepping into the cold and turn the water to a slightly colder temperature. Ease your way into the coldest you can tolerate. Don’t push yourself so hard that you can’t think or reduce the temperature suddenly!! Fun fact: rinsing your hair with cold water closes the hair cuticle, which can help control frizz.

As you stand there in the cold/maybe lukewarm water, imagine that it’s washing away the hot, heavy energy of the summer and acclimating your physical self for the new season. Imagine a dense core in the center of your body producing warmth to fight off the cold. Now imagine that instead of combat, your warmth and the cold water are intermingling, creating something new. Your autumn self! Whoever you are in this moment, ready to release summer and move forward.

Bit by bit, work towards allowing the cold further into your center. I like to tell myself that I’m returning to a more basic self, one that might have come from the ocean in some way. I remind myself that mentally “fighting” the discomfort takes me away from my objective, which is to accept these uncomfortable but fleeting circumstances.

The moment you find peace in the cold, spend a few seconds letting your mind be still and quiet, and then turn off the water and wrap yourself in the towel. If that feels too challenging, bring the temperature back up first.

There you have it! Happy equinox-ing, readers. I hope you have a seamless transition this season. 💙