Thursday, September 23, 2010

As We Ready Ourselves...


Brightest Blessings, Gentle Readers...

I had the opportunity tonight to enjoy the Harvest Moon. It was so bright and high, shining almost silver in the sky. It made me think of my ancestors who, at this time of year, would be gathering in the last of their harvest. They would slaughter all the animals they needed for the fast-approaching hard winter winds. The animals were offered to the Gods and Goddesses as they were taken for food, clothing and shelter. The ancients knew the importance of them, of the seasons, and were thankful for them with each offering. The women prepared all with great skill knowing their handiwork would care for their families during the harsh season to come. Also during this time, they were even more keenly aware of the veil between the worlds. It was this time set aside to honor those who passed on and seek the wisdom of the Ancients for their future.

In just over a month, Samhuinn will arrive. Now is the time for us to begin to take stock; to harvest that which we've sown over the year. We gather into our figurative barns all of the crops and food we need for the dark time. We edge toward extinguishing the fires of this year and move toward the renewing of the Hearth fire within ourselves and our homes. So what comes of this time of year?

The AIR is crisp and clean. The rustle of leaves beneath our feet tell of the impending dormancy. Its cold chills us. The EARTH is quiet. The stillness of the night falls around us like a blanket and we smell the moss on the fire. The FIRE is dwindling, reminding us of the coming change and the need to purify ourselves. The WATER flows under the frozen ground keeping life alive underneath the winter snow. And the SPIRIT walks between the worlds bringing messages of hope for the other side of the darkness.

During this time of year, living in the Deep South, I must use my imagination for those seasons. I'm thankful to have seen the beauty of the Wheel as it moves through the four seasons. As I close my eyes in meditation, I am reminded of my childhood. I am reminded of the scent of change in the air. It brings me comfort as I think on how my year has played out and what my desires are for the coming one.

So for the next month, take a moment each day to harvest the crops you've planted: love, joy, peace, compassion, etc. Draw them to you and let them guard you and give you comfort. And begin to see that which you wish to sow and reap in the coming year. Lay out your desires before God and Goddess. Bless each as you offer them. And prepare your hearts for a Blessed Samhuinn!


Thursday, September 16, 2010

Our Own Special Light


Greetings, Gentle Readers...

It's been quite some time since we spent a few moments together. Life gets busy. Important things slip and take a back seat, unfortunately. We get caught up in the daily slog.

I have been so many places in my spirit over the past months. And my reading has shown it. I've read everything from Don Miguel Ruiz to the Dalai Lama and everyone in between. And I've come to see that being broken open is the key.

Ego is such an insidious thing. The "me" that infiltrates all we think and do is the thing that holds us back from seeing the truth of our journey. I can't say I fully understand where this is leading me, but the depth of the journey is undeniable. Ego. Don Miguel's Four Agreements has a section on "Don't take anything personally." What is that? Ego. It's our ego that gets our panties in a bunch; that has to retaliate or justify. It is our ego that puts us in conflict. Yet I find that if I can silence that inner ego voice, I can sit with the silence and see truth. It is only when I allow myself to be broken open, that I release myself from the tyranny of ego.

That brokenness is not an easy thing. To deny one's specialness...ouch. I was reminded of this recently and it hurt. But it was a good and necessary hurt that required me to sit with myself for a time. I learn a lot in those "sit with myself" times. It's easier to get busy and just shove things under the pile of our lives than to deal. And in dealing, to learn to release.

This is just the beginning of this leg of the journey. I'm sure there will be more to share as I walk the road and sit with myself on the things that come my way. I hope you'll find solace in your quiet times, learning to release your ego and be part of the Universal truth that is Spirit. We are all One. We are all a part of the greater whole. We are are all One.

Awen. Blessed Be!