Autumn Is Speaking To Us  

Autumn teaches in silence. Trees, once vibrant with green, begin their slow surrender. Leaves shift into shades of red, gold, amber, and finally brown before they let go, falling gently to earth. They gather along streets, in gutters, or beneath the trees that once held them. But far from just a seasonal display, this process reveals something essential: that what appears bright and central to our identity—our image, our attachments, our roles—will inevitably fade. Not because it’s tragic, but because it’s natural. Do we ever stop to wonder: what is actually falling here?

We often mistake our current desires or insecurities as fixed truths. That job title we hold onto for validation, the need to be seen a certain way, the fear of aging, or the way we think a relationship should look—these become like brightly colored leaves. They feel like everything. But within moments, days, sometimes hours, they can shift, change, even fall away completely. And yet, while they’re with us, we pour our entire selves into them. What would happen if we simply noticed them instead? Like watching a leaf change color—we might see our attachments for what they are: expressions of impermanence. Not the Self, but stories we briefly wear.

The film Lootera—based on O. Henry’s The Last Leaf—offers a beautiful & haunting metaphor for this. In it, a young woman clings to life while believing that her fate is tied to the last leaf on a tree. Her caretaker, in a quiet act of love, paints a leaf to keep hope alive. He then goes outside in a snow storm to preserve the last leaf on a tree, as a symbol of that preservation. But when the final real leaf eventually falls, something subtle shifts. In fact, he falls along with the leaf slipping on a ladder, expressing a revelation of surrender. There's not just loss, but also fulfilling release. It invites us to ask: Are we, too, holding on to a painted leaf, an illusion, out of fear? What does it mean to let go, not with despair, but with trust? To no longer cling, but to fall into being.

An Observation Exercise

Find a quiet moment this week. Go outside—into a park, a backyard, or a tree-lined street—and locate a single leaf still attached to its branch. Stand or sit quietly, and observe it. Watch how it moves with the wind. Notice its color, its veins, the way it holds on. Ask yourself:

• What does it take for this leaf to let go?

• What might it be like to release—without fear—what no longer serves me?

• Which part of my identity am I clinging to like this leaf?

Sit for a while. You don’t have to write anything. But if you’re moved to, let your thoughts fall onto the page like leaves: gently, freely, without editing.

This autumn, may we experience what it means to let go—we may fall, but because of that, notice a release, a surrender that puts a smile on our face.

Stay Tuned!

Yes - it was the culmination of Season 4 for our podcast. But, STAY TUNED! Throughout the weeks, we have been releasing previous conversations, video podcasts, and information on upcoming events.

Want to know what our name means? Find out through this beautiful explanation. The ROOTS Movement is founded on Realizing Our Own True Selves. We are grateful for this expression, as it provides a goal and context for our daily practices.

In the past season, we spoke with Sadhviji, George Mumford, & Dayal Gauranga. Truly an honor to spend that much time with teachers and practitioners of this caliber! We are hoping that you can join us in understanding and applying the philosophies of now that the esteemed guests share. Feel free to reach out with questions, notes, and reflections of your own.

In The Philosophy of Now podcast, we speak with thought leaders and innovators to learn about their mantras and perspectives for being present, or what we like to call - their philosophies of now.

We’ve already learned from a diverse range of phenomenal personalities like Sri M, Henry Shukman, Swami Sarvapriyananda, Sid Sriram, Acharya Prashant and Nandita Das.

Join Us On This Journey!

We hope The Philosophy of Now serves to be a unique podcast - one in which the listener feels fully present and truly immersed in the conversation. One in which the guest, interviewer, and listener share a collective learning space.