Samhain(part 2)Summer's End-Winter is here

Again it was cold and bright and then warmer and grey.

Now we are surrounded by cloud, 

which seems appropriate.

I think this surrender of and to time is what we may call life.

So it helps to do so with love.

Looking at the pics, I realize there were still leaves on the trees then.

Now we are in the long season of bare tree limbs framing the sky

and evergreens.

Not sure how this wheel of the year keeps turning without us falling off, 

but grateful to still be standing. 

Already I can sense the lengthening of the light approaching, 

even as we are in the darkest of nights. 

We anticipate forward and look back.

So then was before the election and at the end of the harvest.

The rush of autumn blowing through us like the winds and the wyrrd.

Senses of dread and fear bolstered by acts of kindness and fortitude.

The wholeness of all of our ancestors coming for a visit. 

The wholeness of deep sleep.

The finality of the end.

I don't have lots of notes from ritual and the whole idea of documentation,

like hosting,
was hard for me then and maybe still is.
According to my notes it is something I needed to think about then and maybe still do.

 

What is this setting the table and the land to welcome and to honor the Kindreds?

What is the dance that we do not know we are doing?

What does it mean to be open?

 We made a fire before everyone showed up, which was good, since we had so much rain.

We had lots of food but few pictures of it all.

We had 3 very different Elizabeths,

and children and teachers, and children grown, and childlike grown-ups, and parents of all kinds.

Many folks who had never been here and many spirits all around.

We had boisterous laughter and keening sorrow.

There was the wandering of lost souls and our fire to guide the way.

There was an ungroundedness which caught in my belly and made me suddenly weak.

She went to the garden and gave an offering to take from the Gods that which I needed,

now part of their harvest, and brewed tea. 

There was note pads for letting go and origami to unclutter the mind.

Feasting before feasting and drinking all around.

There were no birds, no wild life interruptions.

There was a sonic dissonance in the air,

at first.

And then we began, most folks crowded in the North-West of the circle

with the wind blowing into the South.

The fire roared for all our dead as we mourned what had left us.

And also for the doors that will open.

And at the end of final praise offerings- is there anyone else who has praise for the season?-

a car has driven up and 3 people come down the walkway and they are standing in the circle of light from the motion-sensor bulb and they don't come to the fire and maybe they are spirits

but I run around the circle because I can only go one direction when inside and go to them

and they ask for my son, who does happen to be here, but no one comes by our rural road in the dark looking for my kid and he comes out of the circle and it turns out to be canvassers making sure

he had a plan to vote.

And that was a powerful omen.

So even though there was much sorrow we had a lot of giddy laughter too. 

Nervous energy of the day turning into night.

Sparktastic fire igniting our heart.

 

our omens

from our Ancestors: the Horse or Ehwaz, the connection between horse and rider, that empowerment, the ability to travel and do things and that partnership with another life form.

Mobility, before engines and the whole automobile thing, where we were at was the horse. 

And today with our mechanized robot menaces.

it is that kind of partnership with how things were done before.

from the Spirits of Nature & Place: WUNJO or JOY! Joy to the world! And particularly the joy of the company and coming from the spirits it is one of simple enjoyment and finding joy.

from the Gods & Goddesses: Tir or the Spiritual Warrior, having to do with truth and justice and balance and direction and upward and upright, guiding directive.

For Bryan it was the whole North Star thing.

for the Season:Thurisaz or thorn or Thor's hammer, protection, a prickly outside, lock on the door.

Go boldly forward with joy and truth and safety.

I'll take it.

The sky had gone from bright to deep blue.

We took in the waters.

We gave our thanks, 

the rest of everything.  

We came back and feasted more.

Otherworldly interconnections like a dream.

Energies of passages.

Folks in the dark.

Compelled later to burn sweetgrass and sage

throughout and around the house.

There is never enough that can be offered in gratitude

and it is important to also offer that gratitude to the self.