Crisp air awakens
the nostrils ...faint smell of smoke on the wind. Above birds wheel to the South. At night
a sweater warms against the chill. Autumn is here once more ... a bitter-sweet season of
rich harvest & fading summer.
On the Autumnal Equinox Nature hangs in perfect balance. Night & day are equal in
length. The Wheel turns and golden Summer yields to Autumn's tawny hues. Nature exhales
... turning inward from creation to introspection, celebrating its bounty while preparing
to shelter from the cold nights of Winter.
As in every season, we are invited to take our cues from rhythms of the Earth.
This is a time of harvest -- for giving thanks for the bounty in our lives.
If I hear myself respond "My life doesn't feel bountiful," it's time for me to
pause and go deeper ... deeper into awareness, into gratitude, into celebration of the
abundant gifts of Earth & Spirit. So I pause ... turn inward echoing the example of
Nature. Introspection yields a fierce awareness of the fullness of living that I so often
take for granted, minimize, deny. I am alive! At peace! Snug in the shelter of my home.Outside a single bird serenades me. My children smile
at me from their pictures above my computer. Tokens from my friends cluster on my friends
& family altar, reminding me that I am loved and supported. I breathe into the
gratitude, letting that breath expand into my heart which opens in bitter-sweet joy ...
the sweetness of fullness, the bitter memory of all the moments I've forgotten my
blessings. Today I remember.
This is a time of balance -- between day & light, action & stillness, internal
& external -- a time to examine the balance of our lives. Do spend I spend more time
working than playing? Do I spend more time delaying than achieving? Do I talk more than I
listen? Do I listen well but deny my natural expression? Are my friends more
important than my family? Or does my home life consume me until there is no time for
outside connections or commitments? Can I still my mind and open to the subtle whispers of
soul & nature? Do I meditate often, but act seldom? Can I express my anger as well as
my joy? Am I willing to be out of balance in the moment, trusting that balance is a
dynamic which unfolds over time, not a static state of mediocre experience? Do I worship
the sun? Can I greet the moon with joy and let the inky folds of night cradle me without
fear? What are the extremes of my life, how can I balance them.
On this Autumn Equinox go outside at the moment of sunset when night & day stand at
the balance, and declare your intention to invite & honor more balance in your life,
for it is the endless dance of opposites which yields all creation!
This is a time of preparation.
The stark Winter lies ahead of us. Life is always prepared to render up its next
challenge, but we need not fear the natural cycle of things. If we take stock, prepare
& remember, we can weather any winter.
Take stock of your skills, strengths & resources, and prepare. Often challenges
overwhelm us because we overlook our own abilities and fail to utilize the resources
available to us. Our skills & effort have yielded a larder-full of sustaining
energies. No matter how depleted we feel, we have survived to this moment. Our very
survival reminds us of the strength within that has upheld us through so many winters. We
can draw on this strength & the wisdom gained through years of living to help us meet
any challenge. Prepare for future challenges by growing your strengths in the warm and
gentle seasons, so you can draw on them when the snow begins to fall.
And remember we are not alone. Winter can be a lonely world if we don't reach out for
support & community. In the deep cold of winter survival sometimes depends on
extending yourself beyond your self-sufficient boundaries. Take stock of your external
resources, friends, family, ministers, counselors & other helping professionals or
volunteers. Who can you call on in times of need? Who can call on you? Nurture & honor
mutually supportive relationships. At all times remember that we are surrounded by spirit
helpers who stand ready to support, guide & sustain us if we will only ask. We are
never truly alone even in the depths of winter. If we take time to inventory &
prepare, we will discover that our pantry is well stocked for the coming season.
This Equinox claim time to take stock, honor the harvest & give thanks! Pull on a
sweater and take a walk in the chill of the evening, tuning your body to the subtle
shifting of green to gold. Come home to a warm cup of apple cider, and an hour or so of
quiet contemplation with the stillness to honor deep gratitude. Surround yourself with the
energies of the loves & blessings of your life. Celebrate! |
