I love trivia, so when we began work on this issue, I just had to know: why does our beloved third season have two names?
In brief, autumn, derived from the French autumne—replacing the more general term harvest previously used to describe the season—dates back to the 12th and 13th centuries, and is more preferred today by the British. Fall, on the other hand, comes from the phrases “fall of the leaf” and “fall of the year,” dates to the 16th century, originated in Middle English, and is more preferred today by North Americans.
“Fall of the leaf/year” poetically describes the visible changes we see in our weather, doesn’t it? It also aptly represents our emotional transition during this period. There’s an implied delicacy. The beginning of the end. We are reminded by falling leaves and the air’s crispness to slow down, rejigger our monkey minds, and calm our bodies.
One way to shift our minds is with meditation. In this issue, author Amy Andrews McMaster teaches us in “Mindful Meditation” that by dialing back and being fully present in the moment we can truly practice being rather than doing.
But what about our bodies? We also can prepare them for the cooler months ahead by using massage and bodywork as a conduit to become more attuned. In “The Changing Seasons of Bodywork,” author Cindy Williams shows us that welcoming different forms of bodywork into our health-care regimen can help us achieve optimal support for our seasonal wellness.
Regardless of whether you prefer autumn or fall, we hope you enjoy this issue of Body Sense and couple the beautiful foliage with our ever-learning bodies and minds.