Autumnal Equinox Balancing Act

  Winter will be coming but first the winds.
Surprised to still have leaves after these storms,
this season lingers deliciously,
gratefully.

 Harvestide almost done,
to begin again
from the beginning
soon enough.

I can already see the joy of this coming Spring.

 sky and the light
now much more golden,
moving from the richness
of time of equal daylight and dark,
towards the oncoming
monochromatic winter
through which we will transform
again.

 

This whole season we have been processing-
peaches and pawpaws,

mushrooms for some,
flowers and herbs and grasses,
emotions, lives, spaces.

The heart not wavering,
even if unbalanced,
out of control,
or afraid.

Do it now.
The time is now.
There is only now.

We have reached the time of endings
and new beginnings.
Seemingly so soon after equal day and night.
Equinox is the springboard,
find that quick balance,
before plunging forward.
Perhaps that moment of equality,
standing still for a moment,
is energy in itself.

On the precipice.
Leaping freely forward.
Holding on and letting go.

This was a season of resolutions,
getting it done successfully,
keeping the faith,
staying true.

Climate is more challenged,
we are older,
the cycles turn again.

Notes and pics from then with commentary from now:

The POP of color

Its as if our appreciation of what is
is heightened in the balance of endings.

 adjusting to the desires of the gathered folk
how much do we change what we do
to accommodate.
Flexibility of the Random.
Change in plans like seasonal change.

 working the fire
a reminder of the sacred

sometimes you have to use
all your sacrifice just as tinder
all in gratitude

the perception of balance
between our mind and heart
between dreams and fears
between past and future
the here and now

a great gathering of companions and comrades in camaraderie
still comfortably outside in the strong sun,
hot but no longer summer
the beginning of the peach harvest
but the last of the season's harvests
the last flowers-still brilliant and giving

we cannot promise a better tomorrow
but we can take joy today

 Forgiveness/Resilience/Tolerance
Gratitude

There is much sorrow on the edges
but it seems
our gathered light
helps

3 guys ready to gather a tree

is it because we are isolated
that times together are never enough?
we could talk all day
stopped only by the darkness
now earlier, each day earlier

moved to the 5 circle fire pit
each of us helped to kindle the fire
sun rises due East and sets directly West
taking the Middle Way,
slipping not slipping,
balancing on the rocks towards
the center.

bird calls at the nature spirits
3 dimes for the well
hot sauce for the tree
everything for the fire

sliding down gently
sparkling flame

he gently placed each flower
on the standing branch
finally falling under the weight
of the fire
tended by many hands
many breaths
many hearts

 gentle gathering of kindreds
 always goes so fast
we could take all day offering prayers and gratitude
and it would barely be enough

The OMENS
from Our Honored Dead: Perthro the Lottery up, Chance, Luck

from the Spirits of Nature and Place: Isa, Ice, Solid, Transparent, Very Cold, Still

from the Gods and Goddesses:Yera, a Whole Year, Harvest, Complete Cycle

for this Season of Autumnal Equinox:Ehwaz, the Horse, the Main Power Superhuman Ability to Get There, Getting Where You Want to Go, Horsepower baby!

Iridescent chocolates
filling our mouths and bellies with light

fleeting season
snake in the kitchen 

vacuuming cobwebs everywhere 

the more you look 

the more you see

full moon rising as last folks leave

the Fragility of Balance

when lost, clean house.
make fires and art.
cook.

 this Time of the Other World is so heavy
especially when the veil is thin.

Leaves change and fall,
clearing the way for the next Spring.

It is hard to keep moving forward,
gentle with ourselves
fierce with the world,
always coming from a place of love.

This crazy balance.


Taking in last harvests,
everything on the mountain ripens late.
More appreciative than with the early ones,
knowing it will be months of darkness
before there is more.

Now many weeks later it is the time of closing that door.
Winter is here though we have been given a respite from the cold and rain.
Hard killing frost on the eve of Hallowe'en
on a Blue Moon
in a time of fragility and fear
and possibility.

Each day from the beginning of October
we have faithfully put out dumb suppers
feeding our ancestors and those traveling through.

The spirits have been very present,
perhaps the only thing actually keeping us together
during these challenging times
and always.
With great gratitude we honor them,
thanking them for their sacrifice and for going before
sharing lessons and knowledge
bringing us here now.

Because of the moon, because of the times,
because of the illness and anger and fear and the cold  and our need to cope,
we set up a fire on All Hallow's Eve and made sacrifice.
Two small beeswax candles lit the fire made of sacred sticks from the Nemeton,
while another candle burned at the shrine out there.
Simple but enough. 

But in this time of Samhain,
this post should be about our Equinox.
Balance is so fleeting
and that is the point.

Balance is movement.
Balance is fluid.
Balance is acceptance and action.
Balance is understanding.
Balance is letting go.
Like the leaves from the trees,
like the cycles of the seasons and years,
like our evolving bodies and minds,
balance re-calibrates.

We have moved through first autumnal colors
to an incredible and lingering peak season
to the winds bearing change
tearing through the trees
and carpeting the land with what has now become
-through days of raking and blowing and mowing-
mulch to protect
through the winter
next year's garden.

This is the magic that brings us to a new day,
a new balance.

It is silent these nights except for a lone coyote or dog or the owls
and there is rarely a bird song at dawn,
but then
as we were edging into this season
there were still flying insects and butterflies,
the call of migrating geese,
bears passing by,
 and flowers everywhere.

At our ritual was a last hummingbird
buzzing through during our offering for Bridget.
Two bats circled overhead at the end.
Pigeons were in the road and snakes on the land
and a troop of blue jays all around.
That night there was a symphony of owl song
and a cacophony of a coyote pack
loud and close.

There was comfort and discomfort
and gentle interaction.

These times of uncertainty
where caution is essential
and fear lingers everywhere,
speaking our heartfelt truth
is all we got.

Prayers for good fortune.
Sparking seeds.
An exploding egg.
feeling whole and holy.

Balance is here to remind us
that the closing of doors is the opening of other ones.

Pics from then with whatever memories they bring
as always read the flames.

family gathered with love

finally using the long-ago gifted kombucha as sacrifice

 

This was a real hot fire burning clear the path ahead.

Winter is coming we know.

do not be afraid

 

Our Omens

from our Honored Dead: Othala -the Sacred Enclosure: a separate and safe place

from the Spirits of Nature and Place:Thurisaz -the Thorn or Protective Hammer: on guard, a boundary or border, protection
from the Gods & Goddesses:Ansuz or Os- the Voice and the Wind: its Odin's cape blowing,
the air/wind/voice/intelligence/message of the gods. LISTEN

for the Season:Uruz- the Primordial Ox: strength,
Ancient Wild Strength from Within

OTAU

Vector

no flower left behind

leaf art butterfly

burning through the darkness

like a moth to a flame

fire burned all night with coals in the morning
rekindled with gratitude and peace