Maria Dubaber: Seven Paths to Inner Peace: Special Fall Practices to Reconnect with Your True Self 🧘‍♀️🍂

October is Mental Health Awareness Month. After the rush of summer, both nature and the soul call us toward slowing down and turning inward. It's easy to feel lost in the growing twilight but remember: Fall is also the season of change and letting go.

This is the perfect time to dedicate a few moments to yourself and find your way back to the calm, strong center that resides within you. ✨

I’ve compiled 7 simple yet profoundly beautiful practices to help you slow down, release unnecessary burdens, and embrace the gentle energy of autumn. 👇

1. Autumn Leaves – A Creative Practice for Gratitude and Release 🍁✍️

The falling of leaves shows us how beautiful surrender can be. Let's use this wisdom from nature!

Practice: Find and collect 3-4 fallen leaves that speak to you.

• The Release Leaf: Write down an anxiety, worry, or thought you want to be free of. Then, let it go: toss it into a flowing stream or bury it in the earth. Watch as the burden drifts away from you. 👋

• The Three Treasures Leaf: Write down 3 things you are most grateful for today. 🙏

• The Inner Strength Leaf: Write down an inner quality you wish to strengthen (e.g., calmness, patience). Place it somewhere visible as your personal mantra.

  
  

2. Fragrant Fall Moments ☕️🕯️

The sense of smell is one of the most powerful gateways to the present moment.

Practice: Create a "scent meditation" for yourself. Seek out aromas connected to fall and introspection: cinnamon, cloves, frankincense, damp forest moss, or the steam of a hot tea. Close your eyes and inhale slowly, mindfully. Observe what feelings or memories the scent evokes. Remain in this peaceful state for a few minutes – this moment is just for you.

3. The Five Senses "Checker" Walk (Mindfulness) 👣🌳

Turn off the "autopilot"! Mindful presence helps you stay engaged with the reality of the moment, instead of getting caught up in past worries or future anxieties.

Practice: Go outside and consciously observe your surroundings using this sequence:

• 5 things you see: (e.g., the play of light on water, the movement of clouds)

• 4 things you feel/touch: (e.g., the brush of wind, the texture of your sweater, the bark of a tree)

• 3 things you hear: (e.g., the crunch of leaves underfoot, a bird's song, distant sounds)

• 2 things you smell: (e.g., the scent of damp earth, smoke from a chimney)

• 1 thing you taste: (e.g., a sip of water, or simply noticing the taste in your mouth)

  
  

4. The Calming Breath (4-4-6) 🌬️😌

Breathing is the bridge between the body and the mind. Calming your breath calms your thoughts.

The Practice: Sit comfortably.

• Inhale slowly for a count of 4.

• Hold your breath for a count of 4.

• Exhale slowly and completely for a count of 6.

Repeat this 4-4-6 rhythm 5-10 times. The longer exhale is key because it activates the "rest and digest" part of your nervous system, immediately reducing anxiety.

5. The Journal of Quiet Acceptance 📓🌙

Release the burdens of the day before you fall asleep.

Practice: Before bed, ask yourself 3 questions:

• What were 3 small, positive experiences that went unnoticed?

• What thought or worry do I want to release for tomorrow?

• What inner state do I want to wake up with tomorrow? (e.g., patience, focus)

  
  

6. Warm Light Visual Meditation 🔥🧡

Create a sense of warmth and safety within yourself.

Practice: Light a candle. Close your eyes and imagine the warm, golden light of the flame flowing into the center of your heart. Visualize this light slowly spreading throughout your body, bringing calm and security to every cell. This is an act of internal "nesting."

7. Self-Care: The "Behind My Back" Massage 🎾💆‍♀️

Help your body release the tension and burden you are carrying on your back.

Practice: Stand against a wall and place a tennis ball between your shoulder blade and the wall. Move slowly to allow the ball to apply pressure to tense areas. Take deep breaths, and with every exhale, let go a little bit of the tension.

Remember: mental health is not a destination, but a daily practice. You don't have to do all seven! Choose the one that resonates most with you today and be gentle but consistent.

Take care of yourself! Because when you are well, the world around you is well. You are what matters most. Because you deserve peace. ❤️

#MentalHealthMonth #SelfCareFirst #InnerPeace #SlowLiving #Mindfulness #AutumnEnergy #BackToSelf #SimplePractices #SoulRecharge #October

Maria Dubaber

Visual Therapist, Educator