May this season of balance invite us into balance.
May the shortening days remind us to turn gently inward.
May the falling leaves teach us the grace of surrender.
May gratitude deepen with every harvest.
May grief find room to breathe.
May love remain, even as all things change.
Dear One,
When the Veil Grows Thin: Autumn, Grief, and the Wisdom of the Season
As summer fades into autumn, the natural world begins its quiet descent. Leaves fall from the branches, flowers surrender their final blooms, and the earth prepares for a season of rest. Fall reminds us that every living thing has its season - and endings are not failures, but an essential part of life's sacred rhythm.
Across many spiritual traditions, autumn is considered a time when the veil between this world and the next grows thin. Many believe our ancestors draw nearer; memories grow more vivid, and our hearts become more receptive to the unseen. Whether taken as a spiritual truth or a poetic metaphor, this season invites us to pause and listen more deeply.
Grief often becomes more present in the fall. The shortening days and colder temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere naturally encourage reflection. We may find ourselves remembering those we love and miss, feeling the weight of absence. Rather than something to avoid, grief can become a gentle companion, reminding us that love does not end when someone dies. It changes form, living on in our memories, our rituals, and the ways we carry their legacy forward.
Nature offers a profound lesson during this season. The trees do not resist letting go. They release what has served its purpose, trusting that what appears to be death is simply preparation for renewal. We, too, are invited to honor what has been lost while trusting that healing and transformation often take root beneath the surface, unseen.
This autumn, may we walk more slowly, gather with gratitude, remember our ancestors, and create space for both sorrow and joy. In the quiet beauty of falling leaves, we are reminded that letting go is an act of courage; love is never truly lost, and even in the season of endings, life continues its sacred cycle.
This fall, curl up with this book: The Tender Art of Grieving, a compassionate guide to meeting grief where it lives in your body. There are over 75 accessible practices to help you release the pain you have been carrying and discover that love remains present in all of us.
With love,
Elizabeth
Music Playlist
Take a breath. Let the music hold you for a moment.
We're always tending to our community playlist — not just us, but our graduates, our team, and our wider circle. When a song speaks to someone's heart, we add it.
Do you have a song that meets you in the contemplation of mortality, grief, or the full circle of life?
Gabrielle "Gabby" Jimenez: Gabby is a hospice and palliative care nurse and end-of-life doula with 18 years of experience in end-of-life care. She is an author, educator, and founder of The Hospice Heart, a Facebook page with a community of 181,000 people navigating life, death, and grief. Gabby's goal is to improve how people are cared for at the end of life and to educate and support those providing care so they feel more confident at the bedside, less afraid, and more comfortable with their questions, knowing they are not alone.
A special message from Gabby:
I invite you to explore my website, where you will find blogs, podcast conversations, the books I have written, and the class I offer, "Your End of Life Wishes." Over seven weeks, we will work through seven downloadable documents that, once completed, will give you a full packet of information to share with the people you love: how you want to be cared for at the end of your life, what matters most to you, the messages you want to leave behind, and the personal details of the life you have lived, including what you are most proud of and how you would like your story to be told.
**If you are a doula, this is my gift to you: you have my permission to use these forms with your clients. All I ask is that you give me credit for my work.
Thank you for all the work you have done, are doing, and will do...🤗
Xo,
Gabby.
For more information about Gabby and her work, please visit her website: