Autumn Forest Therapy: Practices for Balance & Renewal

Introduction

Setting intention: balance and renewal in times of change.

Why autumn is a powerful season for wellbeing.

The science of autumn colors (leaf senescence, pigments, and transformation)

1. The Healing Power of Autumn Colors

• Understanding autumn leaf color as more than beauty—a tool for presence and plant identification .
• Key trees and their autumn colors (maples: red/orange, aspens: golden yellow, dogwoods: purple-red, oaks: late brown) .
• Practice: “Leaf Color Meditation” — noticing gradients, textures, and progression of change.

2. Forest Therapy Invitations for Balance

• Letting Go Rituals: Reflecting on falling leaves as metaphors for release .
• Harvest Gratitude Walk: Collect natural tokens (acorns, fallen leaves, seed pods) and journal about abundance .
• Grounding Practices: Sitting with oaks or beeches, feeling stability during seasonal transitions .

3. Sensory Immersion for Renewal

• Sight: Create a personal autumn color field guide with local trees .
• Touch: Explore textures—bark, fallen leaves, acorns .
• Smell & Sound: Breathe in earthy autumn scents; notice crunch of leaves underfoot.

4. Seasonal Wisdom and Ecological Connection

• Phenology: how observing seasonal change connects us to climate patterns .
• Indigenous and cultural traditions of autumn (harvest, transition, honoring cycles) .
• Journal prompt: “What am I ready to harvest? What am I ready to release?”

5. Practical Tips for Autumn Forest Therapy

• Dress for variable weather, prepare for slippery leaf-covered paths .
• Use field guides or apps for seasonal plant ID .
• Practice Leave No Trace while collecting natural items .

Conclusion

Encouragement to continue observing and practicing balance throughout seasonal cycles..

Autumn as a teacher of impermanence, renewal, and gratitude.