Dear, Steadfast and True Children of the Earth,
It’s time for the Autumnal Equinox! On Friday, September 22nd at 4:02 pm e.s.t., Day and Night are of equal length. We are turning toward the “darkening of the light” as days grow shorter and nights longer.
Throughout human history, this has been a time of sharing and thanksgiving. The harvest is in, our storehouses are full and it’s time to take a moment and reflect on what is asked of us.
Everywhere we look, we can see that the Earth is giving away her abundance. Apples and pumpkins are ripening, seed husks are falling open as the leaves turn brilliant colors and begin to fall. All of Nature seems to be giving itself away.
Mother Nature is showing us what to do when we face a darkening of the light. Whether that’s in the physical environmental sense or in our own, personal, emotional lives. When we face fear or uncertainty, the thing to do is connect with others and give what we have to give.
In this time of upheaval, the ancient ways are solid and reliable. Giving thanks for what we have and giving what we can is a path we can all walk. It will take us where we need to go.
Namaste,
Mary
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Poem
I lived in the first century of world wars.
Most mornings I would be more or less insane.
The news would pour out of various devices
The newspapers would arrive with their careless stories,
Interrupted by attempts to sell products to the unseen.
I would call my friends on other devices;
They would be more or less mad for similar reasons.
Slowly I would get to pen and paper,
Make my poems for others unseen and unborn.
In the day I would be reminded of those men and women,
Brave, setting up signals across vast distances,
considering a nameless way of living, of almost unimagined values.
As the lights darkened, as the lights of night brightened,
We would try to imagine them, try to find each other,
to construct peace, to make love, to reconcile
Waking with sleeping, ourselves with each other,
Ourselves with ourselves. We would try by any means
To reach the limits of ourselves, to reach beyond ourselves,
To let go the means, to wake.
I lived in the first century of these wars.
- Muriel Rukeyser
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Read on for announcements and more information about the Equinox
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It's been a while since you've heard from me. During the interim I've moved from Vermont to Evanston, IL. ( I love it here so much I've started calling it Heavenston).
You can always find my current address and phone number under the "Contact" button on my website (maryswanson.net) and...
here are the new numbers:
847-563-8713
718 Noyes St. #A-2
Evanston, IL 60201
My website has been rebuilt and I'm excited to let you know that you can now download classes directly from my site!
And speaking of classes... I'm so happy to announce a new, year-long class I've developed with my dear friends and amazing co-teachers, Jena Owen and Laura Tabet:
Sky Magic: http://www.inspiredinquiries.com/p/skymagic
In this 12 month class we approach the cycle of the year through the astrological archetypes. Each month I introduce a new archetype through lecture and guided mediation, Laura takes us deeper into the psychological meanings and Jena shows us how to let our unconscious play through easy and fun journaling and art projects.
You can jump on the cycle at any time. You’ll have access to the whole year at any time. We start with the Autumnal Equinox and the archetype of Venus. Love, balance, and knowing what you’re in affinity with.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_of_the_Year
http://www.mirror.co.uk/science/autumnal-equinox-2017-season-change-11205728
https://www.thoughtco.com/all-about-mabon-the-autumn-equinox-2562286