Autumn and the work of the subconscious mind

Day and night, activity and rest, consciousness and subconsciousness

"At the fountain autumn" - Henry Ryland (1856-1924)
(click to enlarge)

'A very considerable expenditure of materials and energy is involved simply in being conscious, awake and mentally active. You have no idea of the fantastic amount of energy the brain uses to keep you awake and conscious. And if the forces and materials required are exhausted, a few minutes sleep during the day will often be enough to set you up and make you feel full of energy again.

We are constantly at work, therefore, night and day, through activity or rest, in the sphere of consciousness or in the subconscious. But night and day can be found in one form or another everywhere, in every area of life.

What are spring and summer, for instance? They are day. And autumn and winter are night, the period during which nature sleeps and recuperates so as to be ready to produce fruits again when spring and summer come round. This is why the work going on in plants and trees moves up or down, from one level to another, according to the seasons.

In autumn and winter the roots are active, whereas the trunk and branches are resting and leaves, flowers or fruit fall to the ground. This is the period that corresponds to the work of the subconscious. In spring and summer activity begins to move upwards again, to the level that corresponds to consciousness, and at the end of the summer the downward movement starts again, and so on, in an endless cycle...

Where else can we find this alternation? Everywhere, in every area of life.'

"At the fountain autumn" - Henry Ryland (1856-1924)
(click to enlarge)

'A very considerable expenditure of materials and energy is involved simply in being conscious, awake and mentally active. You have no idea of the fantastic amount of energy the brain uses to keep you awake and conscious. And if the forces and materials required are exhausted, a few minutes sleep during the day will often be enough to set you up and make you feel full of energy again.

We are constantly at work, therefore, night and day, through activity or rest, in the sphere of consciousness or in the subconscious. But night and day can be found in one form or another everywhere, in every area of life.

What are spring and summer, for instance? They are day. And autumn and winter are night, the period during which nature sleeps and recuperates so as to be ready to produce fruits again when spring and summer come round. This is why the work going on in plants and trees moves up or down, from one level to another, according to the seasons.

In autumn and winter the roots are active, whereas the trunk and branches are resting and leaves, flowers or fruit fall to the ground. This is the period that corresponds to the work of the subconscious. In spring and summer activity begins to move upwards again, to the level that corresponds to consciousness, and at the end of the summer the downward movement starts again, and so on, in an endless cycle...

Where else can we find this alternation? Everywhere, in every area of life.'

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