Fall Hiatus

RITUAL: Hiatus | SOLAR TERM: Chu Shu | SEASON: Fall

August 23 - September 7

The fourteenth solar term of the Chinese calendar is called Chu Shu. Chu Shu, meaning, “the end of heat”, is the second solar term of Fall. As the weather begins to cool down and we begin to settle into our new fall schedules, it’s wise to take a short pause to prioritize your health and focus on improving your personal wellbeing.

Between the heat of Summer and the hibernation of Winter, Autumn provides us with an opportunity to begin to let go of the old and prepare for the new. Like the trees that release their leaves and let them fall, we can release our attachment to things that require too much of our energy. Then, when the colder weather sets in, we’ll be better able to conserve our energy instead of expending it on things that we no longer need in our lives.

After the summer holiday and as the new school year begins, these is a brief moment of respite before the busy holiday season starts. It’s important to take advantage of this time so that we are prepared to harness the energy of the second wind that will swiftly move us to the end of the year. How you spend your precious time and energy now can set you up for success, both personally and professionally.

There are many ways to utilize this in-between time before the fourth quarter. For some, they will be harvesting the fruits of their labors. For others, they will want to make plans about how to finish their year strong. Instead of doing the hustle, I recommend taking a hiatus to do something just for you.

Harvest

The seeds you planted in the Spring and nurtured throughout the Summer are coming into their full maturity and getting ready to be harvested. If what you planted were actual seeds, you’ll be busy canning, freeze drying and dehydrating to preserve the bounty of food you’ve grown on your homestead or in your garden. If you planted dreams and desires, goals and intentions and you followed through on bringing them to fruition, you’ll be celebrating some big wins in your life, career or business! Savor the rewards of all of your diligent efforts and hard work.

Hiatus

If you can, it’s good idea to take a short break from certain responsibilities in your personal life or business. Create the time in your day and space in your life to shift some of your energy into doing something that brings you pleasure or personal fulfillment. Review your annual vision board or word for the year and select something that you’d like to devote yourself to enjoying or accomplishing.

Habits

Establishing habits that make you feel productive or well is one of the keys to living a fulfilled and balanced life. Choose something you’d like to do on a daily basis and commit to doing it for 21-30 days. Or, select something you had on your list of goals for 2023 that you just haven’t got around to doing yet. Or, find something new that you’d like to learn or master.

Home

After the energy peaks in August is a good time to do a refresh of your home. Deep clean after all the Summer fun activities. Declutter the things that have accumulated in corners, cupboards and closets and organize your belongings. Decorate for Fall with some festive autumnal colors and elements from nature.

Hygge

If you’re the cosy type, you don’t need anyone to tell you to practice hygge. You might be such a hygge enthusiast that you find ways to make hygge a part of your daily life no matter the season. To increase wellbeing, make your home a cosy and comfortable haven and do the things that bring you a feeling of joy and contentment.

Health

Take an inventory of your health. Then, make a list of some of the things you know you should already be doing and start doing them. Make another list of some things that may be more of an investment of time and/or money, prioritize the list and do the most important item first. Improving your health is not something that can be put off indefinitely.

Healing

Many times life gets so busy or we have too many responsibilities that, like our health, we put off healing something in our life. It could be physical, mental or emotional, even spiritual. It could be a relationship. Or, it could be something we know that if we could heal it, would improve not just our wellness, but our wellbeing.

Heart

This is the perfect time of year to work on clearing, healing or opening your heart chakra. Clear stored or trapped emotions from your heart wall. Do heart opening exercises or meditations. Or, do things that make your heart happy.

Help

It’s also a good time to year to help and be helped. Think about how you can help others. And get better at asking for help and receiving help when you need it.

HER

People often talk about being the leading lady or heroine of their own story. And while that way of living life can be interesting and even inspiring, consider what you can do to be HER. You might think of HER as the woman across the room you wish you could be more like. Or, the Ideal Woman you’ve always wanted to be. But HER is really the best version of YOU! The YOU you can be every day by setting your intentions and following through on being true to that authentic self-expression.

Share in the comments below if you plan to take a Fall Hiatus or prioritize your health, improve your wellbeing or be HER.

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Dara Eden is the author of HER Rituals for the Divine Feminine, a periodical guide created in December of 2021. The 8 Elements, her life’s work, provides guidance about how to honor the essential needs and highest values of your personal feng shui element. Inspired by an Internet challenge designed for men, she created 365WISE, a daily self-care practice that supports women in honoring their needs and listening to their inner wisdom.

In HER Rituals, she offers insights, ideas and intuitive guidance about ways to honor your needs, values and unique expression of the divine feminine.

HER Rituals is a Womb Wisdom KeepHER’s guide to cyclical rituals for sovereign women. It provides insightful information, inspirational ideas and intuitive guidance on daily and seasonal rituals you can practice as a form of self-care. Read about ancient wisdom and philosophical principles, holistic approaches and traditional skills, slow work and intentional living, embodiment practices and immersive experiences.