HARVEST
There's something about Autumn that just draws me in, unlike any other season. To say Fall and Winter are my two favourite seasons is something I probably wouldn't have even realized until my realization a couple of years ago that I'd rather pile on the layers and watch the snow sparkle gently from the sky than sit in the heat in as little clothing as possible with a heat rash.
Autumn, you see, feels so magical. The warm breeze, the changing colours of the leaves-- there's this sense of renewed excitement for the remainder of the year as the Academic calendar kicks off and even those of us who haven't stepped foot in a classroom for years can feel the energy of the season that brings a crisp air to sweep out the lethargic heat of summer.
Autumn and winter are two of the more introspective seasons. They are times where we bundle up and spend more time indoors. They are the seasons where we savour the limited hours of daylight and end up spending our mornings and evenings in the retreat of darkness rather than the energizing light. This introspection and analyzing, these slower moments where there's less pressure to be out and about and you can, instead, retreat with a book and a cup of tea, are where I find myself feeling most alive. As Autumn sets in and we watch the leaves change colour, we can embrace the beauty of shedding as the leaves fall like glitter to the ground around us. The rustle of the leaves in the tree's, the cooler mornings, and then, the eventual snowfall that allows the earth to rest and recharge.
People who know me, even a little, know how much I love Autumn. They may not know the depths of reasons but my Pinterest boards and Instagram posts boast pumpkins and golden leaves almost year-round. With this passion for the season bubbling up inside, it was time to plan another event.
After NOURISH this past spring, Kayla and I decided to host another event. We decided on fall, selected a date and tossed around a few names before landing on HARVEST. We loved the community aspect of NOURISH; how women from all ages and stages of life came together to move together, to worship God on their yoga mats and to enjoy a brunch of vegan, gluten-free foods together to nourish their minds, bodies and souls. We knew we wanted to make our next event in line with these sentiments, but with a distinctly more cozy feel.
HARVEST was born out of a love for autumn, coziness and an intentional reflection to come together before the colder weather leaves us feeling more restricted to the place we call home. HARVEST is a cozy evening of yoga, journaling and a delicious dinner as the sun sets on the evening of Sunday, October 6th. This evening stays true to Nourish boasting a vegan and gluten-free menu and our desire to make the event as zero-waste as we can.
When Kayla and I met and began discussing a theme, the mimick of the seasons came naturally-- Autumn is a time to harvest, to look at your fields you planted in the spring, that you cared for all summer long, and to harvest what you grew as you take in what you have for the winter...
In our lives, we plant seeds in spring and look to God for direction on how to care for them, how to make them grow. As our fields begin to grow, and as we see certain seeds blossoming, we end up placing more effort and care into certain crops than others. Maybe those are friendships, your marriage, your career, your faith... all of these seeds grow at different rates and at different times and sometimes, some of the seeds you plant don't seem to grow at all. When we harvest, we have an opportunity to take stock of what the year has provided so far; where have we seen the abundance of God's goodness in our lives? Where have we not placed enough time and energy? Through intentional reflection on our harvest, we are able to see where God has been working in our lives and we learn to be content if we harvest abundantly or harvest a small, yet precious yield of intentional growth. And through it all, we need consistent reminders not to compare our harvest to another-- we are all on different journeys, God is using us in different ways, and we can easily get caught up thinking our fields must look the same as our friends, our co-workers, our neighbours or those we follow on Instagram.
I am so looking forward to leading those who attend through a 90 minute all-levels yoga class which will incorporate journaling and reflection as we look at our fields, look at our Harvest, and find ways to find contentment in our own growth, releasing comparison. You'll have time to move your body and open yourself up before diving into introspection and my biggest hope is you will leave HARVEST feeling full of thankfulness for your own unique harvest of blessings, that you'll be able to celebrate the blessings other have with them without jealousy and you'll feel content as you move through the rest of this beautiful season.
The menu is hand-selected by Kayla and features delicious foods I know you'll love and, weather permitting, we will end up a bonfire and s'mores to continue cultivating intentional community with those who are our guests for the evening. The entire evening is set to the scripture of Philippians 4:12-14 (NIV)
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."
This scripture will be our focus for the yoga class as well as the devotion that Kayla will share over dinner, sharing from her heart and her own experiences to spur conversation and depth with all of those who attend.
I am so honoured to partner with Kayla to bring this evening to life for you. Consider this your official invitation to join us as we set time aside before the business of the holiday seasons start to arrive to reflect on our blessings, express gratitude for them, and learn to sit in contentment for all we have as we Harvest the goodness God has given to us.
Click HERE to learn more about HARVEST and to grab your ticket. Tickets are limited. We would love to see you there.
Thank you to our generous sponsors who are helping bring this event to life: