Autumn Equinox & the Art of Cocooning

Autumn Equinox & the Art of Cocooning

There is something about autumn that asks us to slow down.

The evenings begin to draw in. The light changes. The trees start to let go of what they no longer need, one leaf at a time.

And perhaps, if we pay attention, our bodies begin asking for something different too.

Less rushing.

Less doing.

More warmth.

More stillness.

More time to simply be.

Welcoming the Autumn Equinox

The autumn equinox marks the point when astronomical autumn begins in the Northern Hemisphere, with day and night sitting almost equally balanced before the hours of darkness gradually increase. In 2026, the autumn equinox falls on 23 September here in the UK.

For those who follow the seasonal wheel, this time is often known as Mabon.

Mabon is traditionally associated with the autumn equinox, harvest, gratitude, balance & the transition towards the darker half of the year.

I love this idea of transition.

Because autumn doesn't arrive with a dramatic announcement.

It arrives quietly.

A cooler morning.

The first leaves on the ground.

A little less light at the end of the day.

The instinct to reach for a jumper.

And perhaps a growing desire to turn inwards.

From doing to cocooning

Summer naturally invites us outward.

Longer days. Lighter evenings. More plans. More time outside.

But autumn offers a different invitation.

Come home.

Not necessarily to your house, but back to yourself.

This is the season I think of as cocooning season.

Not hiding away from life.

Not withdrawing from the world.

Simply creating more intentional pockets of warmth, quiet & restoration within it.

A warm drink.

A slower evening.

A walk amongst the changing trees.

Turning your phone off for an hour.

Lighting a candle.

Taking time to notice what your body is actually asking for.

Or perhaps stepping into a warm wood-fired sauna, allowing the heat to soften the edges of a busy week before stepping into cool autumn air.

This is where Sauna, Soul & Stones comes in

My Sauna, Soul & Stones evenings at Pure Hiki Sauna near Woodbury Salterton have always been about more than sauna & cold water.

They're about creating a little space between everything you have to do and simply being.

And as the seasons change, the experience changes with them.

During the warmer months, our meditation & individual crystal healing can take place outdoors beneath the trees.

But autumn asks for something a little more cocooned.

For the October session, we'll begin with the warmth of the wood-fired sauna before moving into the refreshing contrast of the cold plunge or outdoor shower, if you choose to take part.

Then we'll return inside.

The sauna temperature will be lowered, creating a warm, peaceful space for guided meditation & individual crystal healing.

No rushing back outside.

No lying beneath the stars.

Instead, we'll be cocooned inside the sauna space, surrounded by gentle warmth as the evening becomes quieter.

And somehow, that feels very autumn.

Fire → Water → Stillness → Stone

I love the rhythm of this experience.

Fire

 The warmth of the sauna. A chance to slow down, breathe & arrive.

Water

 The coolness of the plunge or outdoor shower. Completely optional. Always at your own pace.

Stillness

 Returning to the warmth for guided meditation, allowing everything to become a little quieter.

Stone

Crystal infused guided meditation, offering a space to settle, receive & reconnect with yourself.

It's a simple journey.

But sometimes simple is exactly what we need.

A different kind of Sunday evening

Sauna, Soul & Stones isn't about achieving anything.

You don't need to be experienced with meditation.

You don't need to love cold plunging.

You don't need to know anything about crystals.

You don't need to arrive feeling calm.

You simply need to arrive as you are.

The cold plunge is an invitation, not an expectation.

Talking is an invitation, not an expectation.

Stillness is an invitation, not an expectation.

And the whole evening is held as a gentle space to unwind, reconnect & restore.

I'll also bring dōTERRA Shinrin-Yoku Forest Blend to accompany our meditation, bringing a little woodland-inspired aroma into our autumn cocoon.

We'll finish with herbal tea or fruit-infused water before heading back into the evening.

Perhaps autumn isn't asking you to do more

Perhaps it's asking you to notice.

What are you ready to let go of?

What deserves your attention now?

Where could you create a little more space?

What would it feel like to stop pushing for a moment & simply listen?

The trees don't hold onto every leaf because they're afraid of what happens next.

They let go.

They trust the season.

And perhaps there is something beautiful in remembering that we can move through our own seasons this way too.

Not forcing.

Not fixing.

Just listening.

Sauna, Soul & Stones | October

The next Sauna, Soul & Stones takes place on:

Sunday 11th October 2026

6pm–8pm

Pure Hiki Sauna, Greendale Farm Shop, Woodbury Salterton, East Devon

Women only

Maximum 5 spaces

£33.33 per person

An intimate autumn evening of wood-fired sauna, optional cold water, guided meditation & individual crystal healing, held within a warm, cocooned space.

Perfect if you're looking for something a little different in East Devon, Exmouth, Exeter, Topsham, Lympstone or Budleigh Salterton this autumn.

A little warmth.

A little stillness.

A little time for you.

And if this date sells out I do have capacity to open up a second Sunday evening session later in the month so do let me know.

Autumn is here. Perhaps it's time to come home to yourself. 🍂🔥💧💎