Looking for a Sunday routine to ground you? Rachel Levine (she/her), herbalist, human design guide, yoga therapist, and the founder of Intuitively Wild is here to help. After years of navigating personal challenges in her own life, Rachel discovered that pursuing a ritualistic lifestyle helped her feel healthy—emotionally, physically, and spiritually. She helps clients support themselves “on a foundational level so that they can finally align with their true authenticity and thrive, no matter what life brings.” That sounds really, really good to us.

We’d love it if you could share a nourishing autumnal self-care ritual with us!
I love to dedicate time on Sundays to ritual. This is an intentional way to slow down, reflect, and set my intentions for the week ahead—and autumn is the perfect season to create space for a Sunday ritual, as we transition from the high energy of summer to a slower, cozier pace.

Step 1: Setting up the Ritual & the Altar
I believe that setting up for the ritual is part of the magic. It helps us shift into and embody the energy we want to create. I recommend initiating the beginning of your ritual by taking a moment of silence, lighting your candles, and stating an intention out loud. From there, you can move into setting up an altar, or setting up your space.

If you have an altar, or want to create one, now is a great time to refresh. What we once dedicated and devoted to the summer sun and energy, we now dedicate and devote to the falling leaves and transforming colors.

Start by clearing your space. If you already have an altar, clean it up. Remove any items on it, even if you are going to put them back on. This is a time to start with new energy and intentions. If you don’t have a designated altar yet, choose a clear space to create one.

Altar suggestions: I love to categorize this by the different elements, ensuring we are connecting to all the energies around us. For autumn, I would recommend choosing items inspired by the colors of season—reds, oranges, yellows, and golds.

Earth: Choose a physical symbol from nature that represents fall for you. Once you’ve selected it, place the item on your altar or somewhere you can see it every day. For me, this means going outside and finding a pinecone or a leaf and placing it on my altar. You can also create a piece of art that represents fall, or put a picture or vision board up. I also recommend picking a designated vase for your altar and regularly placing fresh or dried plants in there. The most important aspect is to find a tangible piece of nature to bring into your home to connect with fall every day.

Water: A great item to bring into this altar and use during the season is the Grounded Elixir from the Intuitively Wild apothecary. This elixir contains apple cider vinegar and cinnamon which are perfect for fall. Apple is also associated with the water element. This item will help ground you as you transition from one season to the next.

Air: Incenses are my go-to. I honestly don’t think an altar is complete without incense. For fall, our recommended scents are lavender and sage. Both associated with the air energy—they will help you ease into and embrace this seasonal shift.

Fire: Choose a candle with a scent that symbolizes what fall means to you—whatever that may be! Maybe a scent from your childhood or one that embodies the energy you want fall to hold.

Step 2: Nature Meditation Walk
This is one of my favorite things to do and a yoga therapy tool. If you haven’t tried it, this is what you’ll want to do. In silence, take a walk and notice things you can smell, hear, feel, and see that represent the shift in seasons.

Step 3: Herbal Companions
These change due to the seasons. My current favorites are:

Nettle: This herb promotes fierce boundaries. It will give you the push you need to take action and the confidence to stay rooted in your decisions and who you are. It pushes you outside of your comfort zone to do what you need to do—what is meant for you. At the same time, it provides a sense of comfort, nourishment, and support.

Lemon Balm: This plant helps ground you in the present moment. It keeps you focused on what is happening for you right now. It also supports mental and emotional wellbeing. You can make tea with these herbs to drink while you are completing the rest of the ritual.

Step 4: Journaling
When we’re starting to prepare for winter, we’re preparing to slow down, releasing any excess, and nourishing ourselves from the inside out with more focus and intention. It’s a great time to check in with where we’re at internally and provide for our needs. For this one, I recommend writing out the core components of your life. You can do this in many ways, but here are some suggestions for categories: work, relationships, physical health, mental health, creativity, spirituality. Under each, write about how it looks and feels for you to be nourished in this area of your life. Write where you may be feeling depleted and where you are feeling nourished. From there, write one to three things you can focus on to nourish yourself in each category throughout this season.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
If there’s anything you take away from this ritual, it is the importance of using autumn as a time to truly connect with and nourish ourselves. Intentionally creating space for nourishing rituals throughout fall helps us tune into our needs—physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. You are deserving of prioritizing taking care of yourself.