Harvesting the Inner Garden: An October Reflection

October is a month of golden fields, falling leaves, and the slow turning of the wheel of the year. As farmers bring in their crops, we too are invited to gather what has grown in our own lives. The seasons outside mirror the seasons within—times of planting, growth, harvest, and release.

This month is the perfect time to pause and tend to your inner garden.

The Metaphor of the Harvest

All year long, you’ve been planting seeds—whether intentions at New Year, healing practices you’ve carried through, or the quiet choices made in daily life. Some have blossomed into blessings you can hold with joy. Others may have struggled or not sprouted at all. Both outcomes carry wisdom.

The harvest is not only about celebrating what grew—it’s also about acknowledging what did not, and releasing it with compassion.

Reflection & Journal Prompts

Set aside quiet time with a cup of tea, your journal, and perhaps a candle. Let these questions guide you:

1. What am I most proud of harvesting within myself this year?(This could be growth in patience, courage, self-care, or tangible achievements.)

2. What intentions or “seeds” thrived, and how have they nourished me?

3. What seeds did not grow, and what lessons did they carry?

4. What am I ready to release back into the earth?(Habits, fears, or stories that no longer serve you.)

5. What gratitude can I gather and carry forward into the quieter months?

A Simple Self-Ritual for the Harvest

You might like to create a small ceremony to honor your personal harvest. Here’s one way:

1. Prepare Your Space: Light a candle, burn incense or sage, or simply sit near an autumn window with falling leaves outside.

2. Name Your Blessings: Write down the things you are harvesting this year—your growth, your wins, your lessons. Place them in a small bowl to symbolize gathering.

3. Release the Rest: On separate slips of paper, write down what you are ready to let go of. Safely burn them in a fireproof dish (or bury them in the soil), letting the smoke or earth carry your release.

4. Close in Gratitude: Place your hand on your heart and thank yourself for the journey so far. Whisper a blessing for the months ahead: “I carry forward only what nourishes me. I release what no longer serves. I trust the cycles of my inner garden.”

Walking into the Restful Season

Just as nature prepares for rest, so too do we. By honouring both the harvest and the letting go, you prepare your spirit for the stillness of winter, when new dreams begin to root beneath the surface.

This October, may you celebrate all that you have grown, release with peace what is complete, and trust that the next cycle of life will bring fresh beginnings.