The Autumnal Equinox is upon us! Blessed Mabon to those who celebrate! The traditional grain harvest marks the start of the dark half of the year and while we’re not seeing any fall colors here in South Florida, the sun’s impact on our daily lives is just as dramatic. It’s time to turn inward and work on those things that require evolution.
My son showing me how to do crystal grid work.
My son continues his own evolution from baby to toddler to young child. Being an older parent has meant that I had many years to start establishing routines and become very set in the activities of my daily life. But children force us to take stock of what’s important. Being newly brought to the material world he sees things afresh and doesn’t care for the rigid barriers I’ve attempted to construct. Running errands, meditation, spell workings and house cleaning all come with an extra set of eyes, hands that want to explore and a voice that questions why? I’m grateful for the opportunity to take a step back, to slow down and in explaining something to him, take stock of whether what I’m doing is important at all or whether I need to sit and give him my full attention. I feel like years and years of meditation and spellwork have made for excellent training because to do that work requires that you learn to turn off the ‘monkey mind’ and give the full awareness of your being to something. Naturally, I’m still learning, as I always will be but at this harvest I’m thankful for the tools I have available to me when my patience and understanding run too thin.
I think back on my own childhood and recall the seeming inconsequential things that marked me. From this vantage point I know that there are no moments in my son’s life that are inconsequential. Every action I take can potentially create an indelible mark on his life and development. There’s no way to escape that fact as parents and there’s no way that I’ll be able to avoid making mistakes or always be able to be completely present with him.
So part of my work through this dark half of the year will be a meditation on that. In spite of my flaws, how can I trigger more presence in the here and now? How can I be more present for my child? How can I cultivate awareness that will benefit myself and therefor him, as well?
What things will gestate for you during these dark months? What do you want to see bloom when the sun’s rays return to dominance?