Autumn Invitations: A 21-Day Daily Writing Journey (Week 1)
To Encourage Reflection and Balance (and Writing!)
Thursday is the Autumn Equinox in the northern hemisphere, which means “the Sun is exactly above the equator, and both hemispheres receive (nearly) equal amounts of sunlight. In other words, day and night are (almost) equal in both hemispheres.”
Here in L.A., it still feels like the middle of summer, with temperatures in the 80s (which is cool for us), and the heat will most likely continue through early November. Still, the light is shifting and the evenings are cooler — it’s not quite the autumn of my midwestern childhood, but I still love to bear witness to any seasonal changes, even in the Mediterranean climates such as the one I live in now.
I’m still recovering from my surgery — I’m in my brace and can only walk a small time before my knee swells up and starts to hurt — so I’m not able to spend as much time outdoors (especially in my garden) as I’d normally like. I have urged my husband to start decorating, and I’ve been able to hobble outside for a few evenings to dress up skeletons and such.
I know it’s “early,” but I talk a bit about my Halloween obsession here:
And I have been writing — mainly fiction and short horror poems over on Twitter — but I haven’t been writing much on Medium — and I miss it!
I also feel called to write smaller daily pieces again. These past few months have been intense in many ways, between my sudden injury and surprise surgery, my kiddo’s school changes, and more. It’s all okay, relatively speaking — but I can feel that I am craving a reset.
So I am challenging myself to a 21-day autumnal reset to my writing here, and I’m inviting you to join me. I’ve listed the first seven seeds of inspiration for you below. I’ll release the other seeds towards the end of the first week.
Day 1: Thursday, September 22: Balance
Day 2: Friday, September 23: Exchange
Day 3: Saturday, September 24: Growth
Day 4: Sunday, September 25: Grounding
Day 5: Monday, September 26: Surprise
Day 6: Tuesday, September 27: Persistence
Day 7: Wednesday, September 28: Ease
Perhaps you write first thing in the morning, using the word as a starter to guide a freewrite. Perhaps you carry the word with you throughout the day, pay attention to what comes up, and reflect upon it towards the end of the day. Perhaps you write memoir — or a poem — or you take a photo inspired by the word and then write about it. Or perhaps you disregard it altogether and freewrite. Or perhaps you respond to Amanda Laughtland’s fantastic journaling ideas to celebrate the equinox.
Either way, let me know if you are participating by commenting here and also tagging me in your posts. I can’t wait to re-balance — and to reconnect.
I wish you a joyous Autumn Equinox. Whether you join this 21-day journey or not, I hope you find time to explore invitations to balance in your own life.
E. Katherine Kottaras the writer, voice, and co-creator of Yoga with Eleonora on PillowFortTV and the co-writer with Vanitha Swaminathan of the forthcoming picture book, A RAINBOW INSIDE MY BODY, illustrated by Holly Hatam (Viking 2024). She holds an M.A. in English and an M.S. in Kinesiology with a focus on Integrative Wellness, and she is a contemplative writer and holistic teacher, having worked at the K-12 and community college levels for over two decades. She is a yoga teacher, personal trainer, and health coach while also living with invisible illnesses and neurodivergence, and as such, she is passionate about mindfulness, bodily self-determination, and health equity. As the queer daughter of an immigrant, Katherine believes that holistic and inclusive approaches to expression, healing, and growth should be accessible to all.
Connect with Katherine on the social medias: IG, YouTube, FB, LinkedIn, or at katherinekottaras.com. Check out Katherine’s new series, Yoga with Eleonora on YouTube, which helps kids of all ages calm their minds and bodies so they can respond to and communicate their feelings in healthy ways.
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