Canadian Thanksgiving weekend has come and gone, but the change in the seasons has just started. I am someone who experiences seasonal affective disorder (also known as seasonal depression) so sometimes this time of year can be very challenging for me, but the colour changes and the crispness in the air is something I hold close to bring joy and calm.
In previous blog posts I have shared a variety of different guided meditations, here is another fall guided meditation for you to use. Please note that these are made with intention to be a general meditation used as a tool for overall wellbeing, this is not a “solution” to eliminate anxiety or depression and may not be for everyone!
It is my hope that in the future I will have more time to record some of these meditations for my youtube channel – stay tuned 🙂
A 5-Minute Guided Practice celebrating the fall season
Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Allow your body to settle, your breath to soften, and your mind to slow. Read this meditation gently to yourself, pausing wherever you feel called to rest.
Arriving in the present moment
Take a moment to arrive exactly as you are.
There is nothing you need to fix, nothing you need to prove, and nowhere else you need to be.
Gently close your eyes, if that feels comfortable, or if you are reading this to yourself, dim the lights and lower your gaze to focus inwards.
Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose…
And slowly release your breath.
Again, breathe in, creating space within yourself…
And breathe out, allowing your body to soften.
Feel the ground beneath you, steady and supportive. Let your shoulders relax. Unclench your jaw. Allow your hands to rest gently.
For these next few moments, give yourself permission to simply be.
You do not need to earn this rest. You’ve earned it by existing.
You are allowed to pause. Pausing occasionally from the busy circle of life is essential for wellbeing.
You are allowed to care for yourself. You deserve to be given grace and compassion.
Pause for three slow breaths.
Connecting with the wisdom of autumn
Imagine yourself walking along a quiet path on a crisp fall day.
The air is cool against your skin. Golden leaves dance gently in the breeze and crunch beneath your feet. The trees stand tall, their branches slowly releasing what they no longer need.
There is a quiet beauty in this season.
Nature does not rush the changing leaves. It does not apologize for letting go. It simply follows its own rhythm, trusting that every season has its purpose.
And perhaps you can offer yourself that same understanding.
You are allowed to change.
You are allowed to grow at your own pace.
You are allowed to release the expectations, the pressures, and the stories that no longer feel true to you.
Like the trees, you do not have to hold on to everything to remain whole.
Take a gentle breath in…
And as you breathe out, soften your grip on anything you have been carrying too tightly.
Let this moment remind you that there is wisdom in slowing down, and strength in allowing yourself to simply be.
Pause for 10 seconds.
Returning to yourself with gratitude
Now, gently bring your awareness to your heart.
If it feels comforting, place one hand over your heart and feel the warmth of your own touch.
Notice the simple miracle of your breath moving in and out.
Notice that you are here, in this moment, giving yourself the gift of your own attention.
Bring to mind one thing you appreciate about yourself.
Perhaps it is your kindness, your resilience, your courage, or the way you continue to show up, even when life feels difficult.
Perhaps it is something much quieter: the way you care, the way you listen, or the part of you that is still willing to hope.
You do not need to search for something extraordinary.
Simply acknowledge yourself with gentleness.
Let these words settle within you:
I am grateful for the person I am.
I honor how far I have come.
I give myself permission to be imperfect.
I am worthy of the same kindness I so freely offer others.
Take a slow breath in, and imagine creating a little more room in your heart for yourself.
As you breathe out, release the need to be anything other than who you are in this moment.
You are a work in progress, just as nature is always changing.
And you are worthy of love through every season.
Pause for 15 seconds.
Resting in self-love and inner peace
Imagine the warm, golden light of an autumn afternoon resting gently around you.
Allow this light to represent the compassion you are learning to offer yourself.
There is nothing you need to chase.
Nothing you need to become before you can appreciate yourself.
You can meet yourself right here, with patience, understanding, and an open heart.
When your mind wanders, gently return to your breath.
When self-doubt arises, meet it without judgment.
When you notice something you wish were different, remember that you can grow without being unkind to yourself.
Silently repeat:
May I treat myself with gentleness.
May I trust my own journey.
May I find comfort in who I am today.
May I make space for joy, rest, and renewal.
Let each breath be a quiet reminder that you can return to yourself, again and again.
Pause for three slow breaths.
Closing: Carrying the peace within you
Begin to notice the space around you once more.
Feel the support beneath your body. Notice the gentle rhythm of your breathing.
Take one final, nourishing breath in…
And slowly let it go.
As autumn leaves fall, may you remember that letting go can make room for peace.
As the trees stand rooted in the earth, may you remember that you, too, have a place to belong.
And as the seasons change, may you give yourself permission to change, to rest, to grow, and to begin again.
You do not have to be perfect to be worthy.
You do not have to have all the answers to trust your journey.
And you do not have to look outside yourself for every reminder of your own goodness.
There is a quiet place within you that you can return to, a place where you can breathe, listen, and meet yourself with love.
Carry that knowing into the rest of your day.
Let gratitude ground you.
Let compassion guide you.
And let this season remind you that you are allowed to bloom, to rest, and to simply be — exactly as you are, in this moment.
Take your time.
When you feel ready, gently open your eyes.
Welcome back to yourself.
An invitation for your day: Before moving on, ask yourself, “What is one small way I can show myself love today?” Let the answer be simple, gentle, and enough.
