The Autumn Equinox marks a time of balance, equal day and night, before the slow descent into winter. It is the season of turning inward, letting go, and preparing for what is to come. Just as the trees shed their leaves, our bodies invite us to release, rest, and reflect.
Inside the menstrual cycle, this same energy is mirrored in Inner Autumn, also known as the luteal phase, the days after ovulation leading toward menstruation.
This is often a misunderstood season of our inner world. Many of us resist it, wishing for the lightness of spring or the passion of summer. But autumn is sacred. It teaches us how to listen, ground, and deepen into ourselves.
What Is Inner Autumn?
The Science:
After ovulation, progesterone rises. This hormone prepares the uterine lining for a potential pregnancy. If conception doesn’t occur, both progesterone and estrogen begin to decline, signaling the approach of menstruation. Energy may shift, sometimes subtly, sometimes strongly. You may notice more sensitivity, mood changes, or the desire for solitude.
The Energetic View:
Like autumn leaves turning golden and then falling, Inner Autumn asks us to slow down and honor endings. It is a season of discernment—what is ready to be released? What is truly important to keep? You might feel more intuitive, inward, or focused on home and hearth.
When we meet this season with acceptance instead of resistance, we reclaim it as a powerful time of connection with our inner wisdom.
Practices for Inner Autumn
Breathwork: Exhale to Ground
Try a simple lengthened exhale practice:
Inhale gently through the nose for 4 counts.
Exhale softly through the mouth for 6–8 counts.
Repeat for 5–10 breaths.
This calms the nervous system, grounds excess energy, and creates a sense of steady release.
Yoga Style to Try: Restorative & Yin
Think cozy blankets, long holds, and gentle folds. This is not the season for intensity, but for deep presence and nourishment. Forward folds, supported child’s pose, or reclining butterfly can be deeply supportive.
Herbal Tea for Inner Autumn
Recipe:
1 tsp skullcap
1 tsp lemon balm
1 tsp spearmint
3 cups hot water
Honey to taste
Allow to steep for 10–15 minutes, covered, to preserve volatile oils.
Why it helps:
Skullcap: calms the nervous system, eases irritability.
Lemon balm: soothes digestion and uplifts mood.
Spearmint: cooling, balancing, and supportive for hormonal shifts.
Honey: warming, and rounding sweetness to soften the edges of this phase.
Sip this tea as a ritual, a reminder to slow down and tend to your inner autumn.
The Gift of Inner Autumn
This phase can sometimes feel uncomfortable, marked by PMS symptoms, fatigue, or heightened emotions. But these experiences are not flaws; they are signals. Your body is asking for gentleness, patience, and care.
By honoring your inner autumn, you:
Strengthen your connection with your cycle
Cultivate self-compassion
Learn to release what no longer serves you
Prepare your body and mind for the renewal of Inner Winter (menstruation)
Reflect & Deepen
On this Autumn Equinox, nature reminds us that endings are as sacred as beginnings. Your body holds this same truth.
Reflect with these prompts:
What am I being invited to release this cycle?
Where can I create more space for rest?
How does my body speak to me during this season?
Inner Autumn is not a time of loss, but of deepening, into your body, your intuition, and your rhythms. By honoring this phase, you learn that your cycle is not something to fight, but a natural wisdom to live by.