How to nourish your soul

When we are in harmony with the flow of Nature, life is easy. There is ease. When we attempt to bypass or disregard the natural flow of things, there is an absence of ease.   Louise Hay was the first to put a hyphen between the dis and the ease and thus illustrate to us that the natural state of being is one of ease. 

Each season reminds us of the natural flow of things. Nature and colour go hand in hand. Take out the green from a fresh summer meadow, or the blue of a glorious sunny sky, or the rich red shades of autumnal leaves; the result is bland and lifeless. Colour gives everything shade and nuance. It is the bridge between nature and the soul. It's the way we see and feel the natural flow in our daily lives. 

Things are never simply black or white. There is everything in between. We are rainbows, you and me. If we could see our true beauty and the colours we emit on a moment to moment basis, we would truly see the magnificence of all things and realise that we are all part of this magnificence. 

Colour speaks to us instantly. It melts into our consciousness with exquisite charm, the perfect guest. If I am the host of a dinner party, my noisy guests are my thoughts, colour is my discrete and wonderfully efficient butler, serving every dish cooked to perfection and satisfying my appetite.

Colour nourishes us on every level.  Autumn is all about nourishment. Think of a warming bowl of soup on a cold day, a hot cup of tea, fresh baked bread; to nourish something is to pour your love into it so that it can flourish.  Autumnal nourishment is to provide warmth and comfort so that the colder winter months are more comfortable, this is a time for gathering, sharing and reconnecting.

In our fast-paced, digital world, we’ve often lost touch with the depth of gathering. While we may meet up for a quick coffee or check in with friends on social media, the quality of connection can sometimes feel shallow compared to the deep, communal gatherings of our prehistoric ancestors who gathered around the campfire.

But as the nights grow longer, it’s a perfect time to focus on cultivating deeper, more meaningful connections. Here’s how you can embrace the art of gathering in your own life:

Create Space: Just like early humans gathered around the fire, create spaces for connection. This could be as simple as hosting a cozy dinner with close friends or setting aside time for meaningful conversation with a partner, or a heart to heart with your self.

Set the table beautifully, whether it’s for 1 person or for 10, and let each place setting at your table be a reminder that there is more than enough for everybody, that the abundance of nature is all around you and that you are connected to this abundance.

Make these gatherings sacred free from distractions like phones or work. Light lovely candles that channel your inner caveman, lay out some clean napkins and your favourite crockery. There is absolutely no point saving anything for “best”. Let every day be a celebration. Switch off your phone, screens and any other distractions that activate the monkey brain and really savour the moment.

Share Stories: Storytelling was one of the most important forms of connection for early humans. Through stories, they passed down wisdom, entertained, and bonded. In your gatherings, encourage storytelling. Ask questions that allow people to share their experiences, hopes, and even struggles. This deepens the emotional connection between everyone present.

Nourish and Comfort: Autumn gatherings naturally lend themselves to sharing food and drink. Eating together is one of the oldest forms of human connection. It nurtures both body and soul. Think of it as more than just a meal—it’s a way to offer comfort, warmth, and care to your loved ones.

If you go way way back into the origins of the word nourish, you’ll find that its original meaning was to flow, or to swim. So think of nourishment as flowing, or that we are swimming in a sea of nourishment, Mother Nature inextricably connected to us, and tune in to this idea. See what comes up for you.

Why not hold your own autumn gathering this week? Whether it’s a small dinner party, a coffee chat, or even a virtual meet-up, make space for connection. Or use this time to reconnect with your inner self, that part of you that knows you better than anybody else on this planet and that is already connected to all things that ever are and ever will be.