The Missing Season: Why We Need an "Autumn" Archetype in Perimenopause.

September holds an intriguing allure as a liminal and transitional month. As a mum, it marks the threshold into school years, clean notebooks, and new beginnings, while simultaneously serving as the crisp, golden doorway into Autumn. Some days still feel a little like summer, whilst others feel very much autumnal. It is neither one nor the other—it is its own special space. It also acts as a container for the autumnal equinox, a day when time stands still and day and night are equal. A very real turning point in the year!

Thinking about this transitional month has got me considering a belief system that has held a core spot in my life for many years.

The concept that women pass through three distinct phases—Maiden, Mother, and Crone—has long been held in circles I have passed through. This links the female arc directly to that of the Triple Goddess.

I find myself questioning this more recently. If nature moves through four distinct seasons and honours these powerful threshold moments, why do our archetypal life models jump straight from Mother to Crone, skipping the midlife threshold altogether?

The Classic Triad and the Seasonal Mirror

Let’s recap quickly how the classic Triple Goddess archetypes tie directly into the natural seasons:

• The Maiden (Spring): Symbolises youth and raw potential. The awakening of seeds ties directly to teenagers stepping into womanhood—vitality, beauty, and the stirrings of a life yet to be written.

• The Mother (Summer): Life in full bloom! A time of growth, development, and nurturing. The Mother archetype doesn't just apply to physical mothers; it belongs to anyone growing a project, a life, or caring for others.

• The Crone (Winter): Reflects the quiet wisdom of the dark part of the year. The colder, reflective months where the cycle of life and death ends before rebirth in spring.

  
  

The Missing Season and "Ber-Month" Energy

September carries a unique, lingering warmth mixed with an unmistakable autumnal chill. It’s a time of preparation, boundary-setting, and transitions, yet the classical Maiden/Mother/Crone framework leaves no room for this in-between space.

It is a very jarring jump from Mother to Crone. Women are left with a sense of not really knowing who they should be—we are no longer blooming in full summer, but we certainly don't feel in our winter years either.

I wonder if the lack of a roadmap for this stage stems from days gone by when people lived shorter lives, making this threshold feel less stark. Or perhaps it's simply because modern science is still catching up with studying the female body!

The Perimenopause Years as Life's "Autumn"

I have noticed this uncharted transition occurring amongst my friends, not just in myself. It’s like we are collectively claiming and trying to understand our autumn years. Friends who historically favoured summer are now talking about how much they love autumn. We are trying to find language to describe how we feel in our bones.

Just as September invites us to turn inward after summer, perimenopause calls for a shift from outward caretaking to inner focus.

This centring of self can feel uncomfortable for women who have spent years fitting into societal ideals of flexibility and people-pleasing. I know I have really struggled—and still struggle—with putting myself first. I am a reforming “good girl” eldest sister who went from a caring profession straight into motherhood without thinking about who I am.

The perimenopause season calls on us to shed many of these ideals, much as trees shed their leaves to conserve their core being.

Much as our gardens provide a harvest in this season, this time of life allows us to explore what we have grown so far. What have we achieved? What is serving us, and what do we need to let go of? It's a personal harvest of life experiences, both good and bad. The good ones are ours to enjoy, and the bad ones make fantastic compost to fertilise our future experiences.

There are names being bandied about by others who feel this shift:

• Enchantress

• Wild Woman

• Queen

• Mage

I’m not sure if any of these quite fit me, so I am calling this my Autumn for now. Maybe the right phraseology will hit me during a 3 a.m. wee or a hot flush!

Reclaiming the Power of Midlife

Reclaiming midlife as a distinct season allows us to reject the societal narrative that women lose value when their childbearing years end.

For me, shedding the requirement to be "fuckable" simply because I am a woman has been delightful. It has led to a deep realization of my sexuality and sensuality from my own inner perspective, rather than what I project outward. It is allowing me to learn who I am, what I want, and what I believe.

I cannot step graciously into the Winter phase of life until I have walked through the Autumn!

Science is now beginning to show that women’s brains restructure during this Autumn season, much as they do during puberty. We ought to honour that transition and name it. Perimenopause is not the end of youth; it is the start of a crisp new term—a personal September of self-honouring focus.

Join the Conversation & Cottage News

What would you name this Autumn phase of life? Are you a Harvest Woman, living through The Midlife Shed, or something else entirely?

Let’s chat in the comments below or drop me an email!

Nourish Your Midlife Transition

If you are currently standing on this autumnal threshold and looking for a bit of grounding, self-care support, explore our handcrafted Womanpause balm in the Cottage Shop. Formulated with gentle herbs to support you through life's shifts.

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