There is no exquisite beauty… without some strangeness in proportion.»
– Edgar Allan Poe
Autumn is my absolute favourite season!
At first, the summer chatter simply quiets – and in its place comes the music of rain on windows, the sound of branches scarping against rooftops, and the sharp smell of leaves decaying into soil. Then, as the season reaches its full potential, the light bends low; mixing golden colours with rustic-red, fleeting; casting long shadows across the streets. The world seems to shift, with nature’s magic continuously moving closer, brushing past your skin like chill wind.
For me, autumn has always been more than a season. In a way, it is a return to myself. Or, a return to parts of myself that adulthood seems to freequently overlook.
As a teenager, I wore black lace and massive eyeliner, leaning into the gothic, nerdy and ‘strange’ shadows of the world. With age, I (as my mother rightfully predicted) ended up moving past that, strictly aesthetically speaking – but the echoes of those years remain within me. And every autumn these echoes grow louder and louder, rising again.
And as the season rises, dark and moody – the witchy parts of me grows stronger, bolder – and infamously more powerful!
Where other people see doom and gloom, I see beauty;
The gold agains black, the glow of candleflames from the outside of a rainsoaked area.
Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.»
– Emily Brontë
To me, the «strangeness» of autumn brings with it a freedom that is difficult to recreate. It is a freedom away from the perpetual buzz of the summer season; freedom from the constant demand to be bright and vibrant and keep pace with the sunlight, which seems to grow continuously from the early days of spring, and freedom from the cold, slow and tiring days that winter often brings to the table.
Instead, in autumn, my fatigue no longer singles me out. Everyone moves a little slower, a little softer and a little quieter. With it, my disability simply blends intoo the rhytm of the season, almost invisible.
The world slowly begins to remember to take a step back, and rest – and in its pause, I come alive!
Leaning into the Gothic Essence
«Beware, for I am fearless, and therefore powerful».
– Mary Shelley
Darkness frightens many people. They avoid the shadows around them, pretending that beauty can only be found in light.
But, light without darkness has no meaning. And to embrace autumn is to embrace both. Thus, the best way forward is not to deny shadows as they appear – but instead to walk right into them.
Here are a few (easy) ways to invite the gothic beauty of autumn intoo your life:
- Books for rainy nights: Wuthering Heights (Emily Brontë), The Picture of Dorian Gray ( Oscar Wilde), Frankenstein (Mary Shelley), or even modern gothic-tinged novels like Mexican Gothic (Silvia Moreno-Garcia).
- Films with gothic energy: The Crow, The Craft, Beetlejuice, or Classics like Interview with a Vampire (I have also thus far really enjoyed AMC’s recent show-remake of the film). If classical- goth is not your thing, there are many other examples of similar energy, to help you step intoo the shadow. As an example, I tend to watch the series Good Witch on Netflix every october. It is a more modern version of witchy-energy, but equally suiting for fall. Similarly, my sister – who’s always been a massive fan of creepy, gory things, have for the past several years watched a horror movie every day of October, to prepare for the mood of Halloween.
- Music & Atmosphere: Lean intoo soundscapes that match the season; moody piano, darkwave, or even storm recordings. Decorate with your favourite gothic aesthetics, whether it be candles, old photographs – or black and gold touches that makes the space feel enchanted.
- Rituals: Dance freely, sing badly – or scream intoo the wind. Write letters to those you’ve lost, and invite them intoo your dreams. Or, light a candle in their honour. Walk intoo the rain, and listen to a world softened by water and shadow.
Truly, there is sooo much you can do! 😀
Autumn is not the death of summer, but the season of true transformation. During autumn, beauty and strangeness interwine. Shadows stretch long – but they are not here to harm you. They are here to remind you that there is magic in every falling leaf, every candle flicker, in every stormy night where you choose to stay awake with the ghosts.
So let the world grow darker. Light a candle, put on your favourite cult film – or pick up a true and tried gothic novel, and lean intoo it. Find the strangeness, find the shadows – and the beauty that burns bright!
Thus, when the shadows lengthens, and the leaves fall like whispers of time, don’t hide from the strangeness. Instead, step into it comfortably.
Autumn has always belonged to the ones who notice the odd, who dance with the strange, who lights candles not to banish the darkness – but to make it deeper, richer and more alive.
As Nancy once sneered in The Craft «We are the weirdoes, mister.» A line meant as mockery, but also as an anthem of invitation for those of us who thrive in the margins.
Let yourself be unordinary. Build altars from fallen leaves, turn your room into a chapel of flickering lights. Breath in the scent of wet earth as though it were incense. Because strangeness in not just survival – It’s celebration of freedom!
Or, to borrow from a certain ghost with a wicked grin:
«I myself, am strange and unusual.»
– Beetlejuice
– Silje
__
– A task for you, reader:
If you were to find one gothic, or ‘witchy element’ to embrace this season, however small, which one would it be?
– How could you element this intoo your daily life, regardless of season?
_