A few days ago, I was walking through the forest when a squirrel suddenly caught my attention. It was moving quickly between the trees, stopping here and there to gather something and then disappearing again. As I watched it, I found myself thinking about how naturally animals respond to the changing seasons. They sense the shift, adapt to it and do what is needed. A little later, I noticed a spider carefully working on its web, and then a raven watching from above. Three very different animals, yet each seemed to offer a different kind of wisdom for this particular moment of the year.
The squirrel: prepare, gather and trust
The squirrel’s medicine reminds me that autumn is not only about letting go. It is also about gathering.
Watching that little squirrel darting through the forest, busy collecting and hiding its treasures, I was struck by its sense of purpose, and yet there was nothing heavy or serious about it. It was working hard, but it was also playful. It ran, climbed, explored and seemed completely absorbed in the moment.
Squirrels are preparing for winter, gathering and storing food for what lies ahead. But they are also famously forgetful. They bury seeds and don’t always remember where they put them. And those forgotten seeds can eventually grow into trees.
I love that image as a reminder that we don’t have to control the whole journey.
We can prepare. We can gather our strength, our resources, our wisdom and the experiences that have nourished us. We can plant our seeds with intention. And then we can let go of the need to know exactly what will come of them.
Some of the things we begin now may grow into something completely unexpected. Some may bear fruit much later. Some may even become something that benefits others in ways we will never see.
Perhaps this is part of the squirrel’s wisdom, do your part, but leave some room for life to do its part too.
On the day of the Autumn Equinox, we might ask ourselves, What do I want to gather and carry into the next cycle? What gives me strength? What seeds am I ready to plant, and can I trust myself, and life, enough to let them grow in their own way?
The spider: weave the next chapter
The spider reminded me of something different. Its web is created thread by thread. It requires patience, precision and a clear sense of connection between each part.
We often imagine transformation as something dramatic, leaving something behind and beginning again. But much of life doesn’t happen that way. We create our next chapter gradually, through the choices we make every day.
The spider’s medicine invites us to look at what we are weaving. What kind of life are our daily actions creating? What relationships are we strengthening? What intentions are we giving energy to?
And if part of the web no longer works, we can repair it. We can change the pattern. We can weave differently.
The raven: observe before you act
Then there was the raven, watching from a distance.
Ravens are highly observant and adaptable animals, and in many shamanic traditions they are associated with mystery, transformation and seeing beyond what is immediately visible.
For me, this encounter brought the importance of observation. Before deciding what comes next, we sometimes need to step back and simply see.
What is happening in your life right now? What patterns are becoming clearer? What have you been too busy to notice? What is quietly asking for your attention?
The raven’s medicine reminds us that wisdom doesn’t always come from doing more. Sometimes it comes from becoming still enough to perceive what is already there.
Entering the next cycle
The Autumn Equinox marks a point of balance between light and darkness, and from here the days gradually become shorter. It is a natural threshold, a moment to pause and consciously acknowledge the transition into a new season.
We often associate autumn with release, letting go of what no longer serves us, just as the trees let go of their leaves. And there is certainly wisdom in that.
But perhaps we don’t only need to let go this autumn.
We can also gather our strength like the squirrel, observe like the raven, and consciously weave the next phase of our lives like the spider.
The Equinox can become more than a date on the calendar. It can be a moment to ask ourselves what we are taking with us, where we are directing our energy and what we are ready to create next.
Nature doesn’t separate letting go, preparing and creating into different seasons of life. They are all part of the same cycle.
Perhaps the invitation this autumn is to pause, listen inwardly and consciously choose what we want to carry, strengthen and create as we enter the next cycle.
Happy Autumn Equinox!