The Harvest Before the Hush: Three Journal Prompts for October Mornings

October arrives with overflowing baskets and shorter days.

Here in Portland, Oregon, it arguably offers some of the most beautiful weather of the entire year. And yes, I will argue that point.

The tree at the entrance to your neighborhood that was green a few weeks ago is now blazing red and gold. You dress for your morning coffee with a cozy sweater thrown over your shoulders instead of just a T-shirt and pajama pants. Lamplight warms your home a little earlier in the evening.

There is so much color and life around us, even as the season asks us to begin turning inward.

The garden still has plenty to give, even as it begins preparing for rest.

This is the time of year I call the Harvest before the Hush.

A few months ago, I picked up my journal after a long stretch of silence and halfhearted attempts. I wasn’t called to write in it, which seemed ridiculous for a writer. But I was writing nearly every day: blog posts, and the romance series I’m heart-deep in. My thoughts were finding other homes.

I’d considered doing The Artist’s Way and its three pages of Morning Pages each day. Then I caught myself turning journaling into another thing I could fail at. So I went back to basics: three questions, a few minutes, and whatever answers came. Some mornings I write a lot. Some mornings I write a few lines. Either way, I know a little more about where I am before I start deciding where to go.

For October, my morning journal prompts reflect the life I’m tending over the next six months. I’m focusing on my health; stewardship of my money and resources; my spirited self, who needs creativity and care; and my hearth, the home and connections that sustain me. I don’t have all six months mapped out. I do have this morning.

Three questions, a few quiet minutes, and a little attention to the life you’re tending.

1. What am I noticing in myself this morning?

Before the list of things to do, I want to know who’s doing them. Am I tired? Restless? Excited? Is my body asking for movement, food, or a little patience? I can start with what’s true instead of what I think I should feel.

2. Which part of my life wants my attention today: health, stewardship, spirited self, or the hearth?

All four matter. They don’t all need a turn before lunch. This question helps me notice which one is asking for me today, without making the others a problem to solve.

3. What is one act of tending I can complete today?

One act, small enough to fit into the day I’m actually living. A workout. A look at my numbers. An hour with my writing. A call to someone I love. The answer doesn’t need to be impressive; it needs to be something I can do.

I pull a tarot card after I write. Pulling a card is like stirring my coffee clockwise - just something my body and spirit do. I used to pull before journaling, but in September I moved the card to the end. I like giving my own voice the first word, then seeing what the card brings to the conversation.

This month on Mondays, I’ll add one more question:

What am I ready to harvest, and what am I ready to let rest?

I want to notice what’s growing without immediately asking more of it. And I want to let something rest without assuming I’ve given up on it.

If you’d like to join me, bring a notebook to your morning coffee. Answer the three questions in whatever length comes naturally. A sentence each counts. At the end of the week, ask the harvest question and see what you notice.

On Friday's The Signal: Simple Spells for Everyday Magic we will take one act of tending and put a candle beside it.

If you’re beginning a magical practice, you can begin there. If you’ve been away from yours, you can return. I’ll meet you at the flame.

October may be the harvest at its most abundant, but it’s also when we begin setting our homes up for the hush of November. There is plenty to gather and plenty to do. It can feel like living in the fast lane of a life we’re trying to move through more slowly.

Slow living can’t cover every corner of your life. It can give you a moment to savor your coffee, move with a little more intention, or unplug when everything gets too loud. Notice what’s here. Tend what matters today. Today really is the day we have.

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Curious about The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron? You can find it here. This is an affiliate link, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through it, at no extra cost to you. My favorite oracle deck companion for this season is Woodland Wardens by Jessica Roux. You can find it here.

These are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through it, at no extra cost to you.