The season of Harvest has arrived. The remnants of Summer Fire are embedded within the warmth of the sunny days, but there’s also cool hints of the coming Fall. The Earth is at the peak of its fullness. There’s nothing to do, no more planting, the growth of the crops is complete, our only task is to harvest the rewards of all our hard work. It’s a time to reap what we have sown.

Gardeners this time of year are up to their eyebrows in tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini. They cannot possibly think of a single new palatable way to prepare this produce that was once so coveted in the cold days of winter. Unfortunately, all their neighbors are in the same position. It seems as though no matter how much they give away, there’s still more to give. In the season of abundance there’s so much more than we can possibly take in at once.

In Five Element medicine, Harvest is the season of abundance, nourishment and the emotion of sympathy–to truly understand others at a deep level. It’s a time to enjoy all the sweetness life has to offer. It is the moment of perfect satisfaction. There’s no need, no lack. When we are balanced in the season of Harvest we can give from a place which, in our giving, we only become more enriched. We don’t give at the expense of ourselves or another. We cannot be depleted because we give from the Source that has no end.

Whatever you are receiving right now has, in some way, begun as seeds of something sown in the past. If we have sown love and generosity, we may be harvesting the rewards of feelings of contentment or a generosity bestowed upon us in time of our own need. If we have sown seeds of bitterness and hate, we may be reaping relationships that have suffered through alienation, of emotional connections that are now starved of warmth and love. The dedicated gardener knows that weeds produce just as vigorously as vegetables, sometimes even more so.

Sometimes what we are reaping may be deceptive. If we have decided that we need to sow more truth or that we must diligently tend to our own self-care, we may now be reaping the clearing out of relationships that cannot hold up to these new goals. However necessary this clearing out might be, the loss will still be keenly felt. Ultimately, however, your perceived loss is really a net gain.

“Balanced sacrifice is rooted in compassion, acceptance and respect for the dignity of others. Even though you may receive so much more than you’ve given, it’s not the motivating factor for your sacrifice. True sacrifice doesn’t ask you to carve up a serving of your own flesh in order to feed those who call out in hunger. You won’t be called to set yourself on fire in order to keep others warm. You won’t have to give up your very bones in order to build a ladder out of another’s grief and pain. You’ll give from a perfect state of abundance because that’s who you are. Because you are standing amidst the lushness of a harvest that is always available through the generosity of God, you can’t possibly give it all away.” -from Soul of the Seasons (c) 2016 by Melody A Scout

Consider the following questions concerning the Harvest time:

What are you Harvesting in your life right now?

What seeds have you sown in the past and are now coming to fruition?

What do you have in abundance that you can now share with others? Your talent? Food? Time? A hug or smile?

Are you being fed on all levels?

What do you need to receive in the way of nourishment?

By tending to ourselves first in a balanced, healthful way, we can then truly give from a place where we will not feel loss but only gratitude for all we have been given.

Blessings and Peace,

Melody