Autumn Indulgence

I just love this time of year!  Autumn and winter are my favorite seasons and I love the mists, the rain, the howling winds and swirling leaves fluttering to the ground.  I know that some people begin to feel depressed as the nights draw in and summer is long over, but for me this is the best time of the year, when a cosy winter waits around the corner and the amber glory of autumn is under way.

It is dark before 7pm now and soon the clocks change - I can't wait.  I seem to get more energized through the darker half of the year; I get more done; I feel more productive as the early dusk inspires me to be even more creative.  I wrote the whole of my first album Moon Chants (which is a pagan musical journey through the seasons)  at this time of year and I think that the autumn and winter tracks came to me more easily because I was tuning into the season around me.  These shorter, colder days certainly inspire me to spend more time at my piano as it situated in the warmest room in the house! And with the windows closed I practice my vocals more too!

Autumn is a time of great activity in nature, and this has an effect on us humans too...we feel the need to spruce up the house and make it as warm, secure and comfortable as possible, knowing that we will be spending more time indoors as the temperature plummets.  We tend to stock up on comfort foods, take more hot baths rather than a quick shower, and dig out winter woollies.  We are certainly encouraged in this as we walk down the high street - shops are filled with gift ideas ready for Yuletide shoppers, and it is a great time of year to treat yourself, especially if the darker days make you grumpy.

This need to indulge in comfort and warmth is a natural reaction to the drop in temperature, and treats need not be expensive. Magical goodies can be found in most supermarkets if you know where to look.  Tonight for example I indulged in a long hot bath fragranced with Bededas bath gel, which is made from extract of horse chestnut and smells simply divine...it smells like autumn in a bottle and the fragrance is so powerful it has wafted right through my entire house...making me feel like I am living in the middle of a woodland glade.  Magically speaking, horse chestnut is associated with healing and promotes good energies, while any tree which casts nuts or seeds is said to bring prosperity and abundance.

At the same time I was sipping on Tetley's Chai Tea which I love!  Its a dreamy blend of autumnal spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and clove...all of which are linked with prosperity.  So there I am, indulging in good vibes and bathing in the waters of abundance, both within and without.  Magic made easy!  Try it for yourself - next time you are in the supermarket see what magical things you can pick up and indulge in a spot of  simple enchantment.  If you want to hear samples of my album Moon Chants  go to www.paradisemusic.co.uk