Fall Equinox: Facing Darkness and Embracing Light

Welcome the change of the seasons!

As we welcome the Fall Equinox, the sun’s light begins to sink lower in the sky.  The nights grow darker and chillier.  Perhaps before we even notice the changing colors with our eyes, our other senses register the shifting seasons.

Harvest time is here!  We honor the harvest of the living things planted in our outer gardens and the harvest of our inner efforts and intentions.   Autumn invites us to create room for greater visions to grow, to embrace empty space and introspection.  We pause and listen to what is emerging within us.  This is our time to compost old ideas, utilizing the energy to enrich fertile soil, and providing nourishment for new creativity and fresh possibilities.

The crisp air of Autumn beckons us to Rest, Reflect, and Re-set in preparation for the still, cold winter days ahead.  Let’s pause and reflect with the sacred gift of SOLO time in nature!  We are called to be present with our sacred selves and with Mother Earth, to allow her centering balance to flow through our bodies and minds.

Please join us!

Your Hosts

Terra Shimada

Terra Shimada brings to her GC sisters a life-long passion for seeking, exploring, journeying, learning, and finding meaning through service, relationships and her love of nature.  Academically trained in gerontology and public health, breaking down barriers, advocating for social justice, and embracing community, Terra’s career was grounded in the nonprofit sector where her training and passions intersected.  Terra was the ED of an all volunteer-led free clinic, an international nonprofit that trained local community members in elder care, and more recently fiercely advocated for equitable access to oral health care. She lived in Nepal for over 10 years, and ‘walking in the mountains’ is one of her greatest joys…second only to ‘swimming in the wild blue ocean’. She lives on the Columbia River on Sauvie Island, with Nellie & Petey (Mini-cattle/blue-heelers) whom she co-parents. Her daughter Marina lives in PDX and son Takumi lives in Hong Kong.

Sabine Glatz

As a highly sensitive person (HSP) Sabine always had a deep connection to nature. She spent her childhood out and about exploring the forests surrounding her hometown in Bavaria, Germany. Later on, after becoming a graduate social pedagogue and working in Human Resources in the corporate world, she was on the edge of a burnout when she re-discovered this love for nature. She ultimately changed her life and became a certified Nature-Coach. These days she takes groups and teams to the forest explaining how ‘forest bathing’ can prevent burnout. She also offers personal and business coaching, mainly for women who want to live their full potential and overcome their fears and blockages by changing their subconscious beliefs in an easy way with the method PSYCH-K®.

Photo credits: Terra Shimada, Sabine Glatz, Autumn leaves photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash