Does Autumn Change Your Brain?
BY CAROLE SAWO
“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it.”
(George Eliot – aka Mary Ann Evans)
The clocks have gone back, but it isn’t only the clocks that shift. Within the brain, our internal clocks naturally shift too, with all the changing chemicals and sleep behaviours that come with the season.
A mistake is to assume that something is wrong with you. A few years ago, I was interviewed live on BBC Radio about SAD syndrome, in which I dispelled that it was a disorder at all. I guess they were rather matrix medicine mad, as for the rest of the day they made half-hourly announcements that it, ‘was a recognised disorder’. Well, not by me, the squirrels and the bears. Or anyone else who understands evolutionary psychology! Can you imagine a squirrel at the psychiatrist? “Well, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I seem to be more nuts than usual”.
We are meant to change with the seasons: biologically, physically, behaviourally, psychologically, and metaphysically. We are supposed to slow down, to hibernate as much as possible, to even average 8-10 hours sleep a night. As the whole world apparently goes crazy, you may wish to follow my lead. I’m hunkering down. Cosy, coffee, everything fleece-lined, warm and snug, and a do not disturb on the door. That’s not only a request, it’s a spiritual order.
Especially in this season of ‘the fall’, dreaming can take on new meaning. Thankfully, I’m well-versed in decoding the dream. Even a nightmare is an opportunity to do some homework. The mistake is turning to dream dictionaries. They’re generic, and one symbol does not mean the same thing to everyone. You need context. You need the entire sentence.
The subconscious speaks in an ancient language of symbolism, often directing you to something to release, to guidance, or to spiritual intervention. And those seconds between sleep and wake are rich in the most delicious communication. Don’t miss them.
So gather your nuts, all of them! Join me online, in class, for an in-depth analysis of the ‘what on earth?’ and the ‘why?’, or if you’d rather study at your own pace, take the specialist workshop below. Whatever you’re up to this season, let it be private. Silent. Still.
Happy hunkering,
Carole
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