Boo! Spooky Peace, llvl

For me Halloween is a holiday, but a holiday of Mother Earth, not the party store. It’s half-way between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice. Otherwise known as the beginning of Winter. Winter deepens as it nears the solstice and then it starts lessening its grip — never mind that the cold is still fierce. As the hymn says: “Light is returning, even tho’ this is the darkest hour, No one can hold back the sun.”

This is the time for looking within, for remembering our ancestors and our heritage and our lineage. This is a time of releasing the grudges — anything that hold us back from a good night’s sleep and the Sacred Dreaming that is to come. The only goblins I believe in are the hobgoblins of our thoughts that haunt us and hold us back. Let go!

I get a little whiny about commercialized, over sexed halloween… I dislike that it’s another opportunity for greed and materialism. I guess I’m a humbug. So today you get not one, but two (count ’em, two) poems about being a Witch on Halloween. (the first one’s in paragraph form, because Word press is not a fan of poems, keeps leaving a space between the lines… Funny all this time i’ve been writing on Word Press, I’ve never known this…) I’ll spend some time in this six week season thinking about the possibilities of letting go… But in the meantime, here I am, in all my glory, Grumpy Witch!

It’s not easy to be a witch on Halloween — Where’s your hat, everyone asks me? And then they laugh. Like they’re the first person that ever thought to say that. Ha!

I’m a witch. This is what a witch looks like. I look like this every day.

Of course I wear black, I’m an edgy, New York kinda witch.

But my spiritual practice is not about wearing a pointy hat and riding a broom. My spiritual practice is about honoring creation and all who dwell within.

I don’t even like cats and as for snakes, no thanks! I must confess, the whole thing makes me grumpy.

Yes, there are witches, real witches, who wear their silly hats and carry a broom around. But then at Christmastime, you can find Christians in some pretty scary outfits, with flashing pins that have very little to do with any baby born in a manger, destined to claim the world for peace. And Easter Bonnets do not make much more sense.

While people run around this Halloween, dressed like goblins and harlots, the world is slowly dying. On this sacred day, when it is believed by some that the veil between this world and the next is the thinnest, that our ancestors can whisper their wisdom in our ears, the din of battle over-rides the still small voice.

Divine Spirit can shape and change us and all we want to know is, “What do you have for candy?” and “What are you wearing on Halloween.”

So yes, I am a witch. And no, I don’t wear a hat. and if the Gods had wanted me to ride a broom, vacuum cleaners would never have been invented!

So, color me a little bit grumpy and a whole lot grateful. No hat, it ruins my hair. Yesterday I had a ride through Autumn’s dying colors and I rejoiced. Boo! There, witchy obligations handled, I wish you Peace and a spooktacular, sugar laden evening if that’s what turns you on! Consume responsibly.

Gingko Peace, llvl

I am a fan of the gingko tree. I don’t know that I ever knew them before I went to college, But over by the library and the humanities building there were a bunch of them. Come fall, they were carefully watched. Everyone wanted to be around as the “gingked!” It was amazing to watch as the trees poured their golden bounty down onto the earth. (It was less amazing to smell it… whew. Decided I should look that up. Here it is from eHow:

“Ginkgo trees are large, deciduous trees found in temperate climates. Hardy trees well-adapted to withstanding harsh urban conditions, they are able to thrive despite poor soil, pollution and packed soil. Female ginkgo trees produce large amounts of seeds covered in a seed coat. Ginkgo tree berries stink because the seed coat contains butyric acid, a chemical found in vomit, which is released if the fruit is allowed to rot.” ok. eww.)
They release in such a short time. It’s amazing. Somehow something gets in that tiny, little tree brain and boom, leaves fall in a glorious golden profusion.

More recently, I love the gingko because they have been planted down at my old town pool in honor of my parents and my sister. There they wave and rustle and will for long after I’m gone… That certainly makes me proud, if not happy.

They herald the end of Fall, they’re late to turn. But they hold on, hold on, and then they don’t and then they presage Winter. This year, they’ve done a great job, Hallowmas is the 31st… and the trees are just now releasing their hold on this beauty. Peace in living with the earth, sweet Peace indeed. Makes you think that Mother Earth and Nature know exactly what they’re doing!

Finding Peace, llvl

There are amazing people who live right around the corner from you — people who can call all things amazing right out of you!

It’s so easy to dismiss where we live as not enough. It’s true, it may not be perfect for you… but it has its good sides, you just have to look around a bit.

I left this region at a dead run when I was a kid. Needed to get to the city and explore that version of exploding life. And I loved it. But I quit my job and went to seminary because I was looking for life that was, i remember saying, more circular, more full. I wanted to know people who polished more of themselves than their work life. I wanted people very like the people I grew up with.

Of course people saw that as my saying they weren’t something enough, but they just weren’t what i needed…I lived in NY. I met people who this was the 80s. People in New York were driven. (and that bothers you, you say, you’re pretty darned driven yourself.) yes, but about totally different things. I lived on the left coast for a while, and that was great, but I do best in small towns.

I know that’s not for everyone, but this is where i get to be me. I get to do good work and I get to have good fun. I know people in all places in their lives, the good ones and the hard ones. And I know people, surprising amounts of people who are really, really excellent at something in their lives. It may be their work, it may be a hobby. Some of those things really interest me. Some fascinate me… who knew people did that????

But wherever you are. there are amazing people. You probably want to know more of them. Harvest Peace. Wherever you can find it. And speaking of harvest… farewell to this gorgeous pic…

Fall, Sabbath, Peace, Beauty, llvl

We can’t know how many more of these days we’ll have, so I want to take advantage of this one. Welcome to my vida local… it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

One of the great joys of writing my musings and this blog is being seduced into discovering the beauty of the moment. It’s so beautiful here, so there are lots of those moments. Mountains, trees, fields and streams… pretty good building blocks for Beauty.

And Time and the lingering over it are pretty good building blocks for a Peaceful Fall Sabbath.

Next week it could be gray and cloudy. But it’s not today. Indulge yourself. Savor the day and the weather and whatever else comes your way. Yesterday it was folks standing around outside carving pumpkins (not me, no don’t be silly). To get there, we had to drive past fields where local Amish farmers were using teams of horses to pull the feed corn being harvested. Then you drove down into a valley filled with color and that small beautiful creek where only months ago I found myself sitting watching the world drift by. Today it was so still it looked like a lake, holding nothing but an occasional leaf and the reflections of the trees and the sky. Picture perfect…

Somewhere, someone said something like: “Delight is the only response the Creator desires from the created.” Today’s a good day to practice!

Sabbath Peace Coincidences, llvl

Fall driving through Pennyslvania makes a few things pretty clear: 1) they weren’t wrong to name it Penn’s Woods. Even though much of it was clear cut for logging, it has now reclaimed its title and right about now is about as glorious a place you would ever want to visit. 2) I’m very grateful for roads. I would not have wanted to be moving around in a wagon on a small trail the bears and deer wore down. 3) Road trips with good friends are really great.

We drove ‘way too far to hear a great friend sing. But it’s been a while; in the meantime she’s been very sick, a mutual friend of ours died and my sister died. It felt right to push to spend a bit of time and hear her sing. We didn’t know if EG would recover but she did, and her new cd is simply delightful. You really might want to take a listen. EG Kight’s voice is as lush as ever and her pickin’? Yes’m. She invited this friend of hers up to sing, Long, Tall Deb is another fabu blues singer. These women play well with others, the two of them. Such generous sharing of great talent. Hootin’ and hollerin’ ensued.

Then a great night of sleep on a lovely hotel bed. Call me shallow, but I do love mangled hotel sheets. mmm.

Neither Emily nor I had ever seen Falling Water, so we decided to come home the long way. (and oh yes, it was the long way. You really can’t get there from here. But we did.) What a beautiful place. I’ve lived in PA a lot of years but I’d never seen it. It’s worth a visit. (Geezer alert, lots of walking, lots of steps with no balustrade. Oh the things we notice these days we never did before. Steve’s wanted to see this, makes me sad that I can’t take him along…)

But then to come out and seem my nephew’s mother-in-law hanging around in the visitor’s center, that was pretty fun. We did a lot of squealing and hugging. And they were getting ready to meet Elijah and Meghan. I had to get back and get ready for today, so we couldn’t be the surprise guests at their dinner party, but what a fun thing! Altogether now, one loud chorus of “It’s a small world, after all…”

So, here’s me, heartily recommending a weekend off with a bud. Peace is in the details and the coincidences. Go have a lovely Autumn Sabbath afternoon, that color won’t last forever! Go make some memories!

Balance in Peace

I’ve had a couple rather inspiriting if sobering days. So it was great yesterday to get in the car and literally and figuratively drive away from those times, give everything a chance to settle.

And what better way than to drive through the Autumn Foliage. Route 80 where i live is fairly high, and driving west it’s fairly wild. So nothing but trees, trees, trees, in varying states of Fall finery. Red, Orange, Purple and still a fair amount of vivid green. Wow!

Emily and I are good travel companions. We share responsibilities easily and laugh just as easily. GPS takes the “where do i turn next?” right out of the question, so, zoom, zoom, zoom.

And then there was a slow and comfortable afternoon, spent, reading and goofing off, drinking a bottle of champagne with the purpose of this trip. EG Kight. I just don’t see her often enough.

And it’s been good to catch up. She was very sick a couple years ago, they didn’t know if she would live and afterwards if she would ever write/sing/play again. But last night but all those fears to rest. Strong of voice. Sweet, sweet songs, and hot, hot guitar licks.

And today after breakfast, we take off for Falling Waters and a big tour. I’ve never been and am really looking forward to it.

Sometimes you have to step away for a moment so you can step forward. And if you’re going to do that, might as well have it be fun. Even Peace needs a break. Sing ho for a small pause for laughter.

Arrival of Fall Peace, llvl

Deb’s brilliant photo is a gentle reminder that things are changing. Change is a good thing. But oh, we’re all reluctant to let go of summer and the outdoors world. But October does what she can to ease our reluctance by turning gorgeous reds and yellows and oranges. At least in our little vida local.

Our job is to keep our hands and hearts open… to release what is finished and to welcome what is coming. Life is quite extraordinary, no matter what’s happening… What does the future bring? We can only know that by responding to the cues of the present.

So, here we go. Thank you, Glorious Summer, for the extraordinary times, for the warmth and the friendship. Thank you, Autumn, for the bounty of love and life we’re now enjoying. Thank you for the balance. Thank you for the wealth of experiences which will be the basis for my Winter stories and my study beside the fires… Peace is in every season, but only if we’re willing to recognize and enjoy it!

Stretching Peace, llvl

Spring Peace is often about looking forward. Fall’s Peace can be about holding tight and not letting go of the beauty we’ve just experienced. We’re reluctant, maybe not so much to see the heat of Summer go, but the outsideness of it, those days when you can sit comfortably in the shade and enjoy. So when those days linger, we rejoice.

But at the same time it’s great to be back to work. I don’t know about you, but the crisp mornings stir my brain. I have all sorts of projects on the boil — figuring out a little of this and a little of that; moving life forward. I’m up and awake in the morning, working on things.

At the same time, I seem to be taking the time to remember. I’m flooded with thoughts of what used to be. I’m willing to clear out the debris in my life, to let go grudges, to forgive transgressions, as I clear out the debris in the house and finally finish projects that are hanging over my head.

I want to experience every minute of these beautiful days. I want to grab every thought and record it. I want to stop worrying about what happened and start making things better. I want to balance (it’s the equinox!) the pleasure and the work. And I will, because it’s Fall!

Fall Sabbath Peace, llvl

It’s going to be another glorious day here. (anyone else worried about the lack of rain?) But since we’ve got it, let’s enjoy it. Hot days, cold nights. Glorious weather.

I went to the the local fair last night (think bigggggggggg) and heard the doo-wop show. It was really fun. I kept looking for my sister and her crowd… it was her era. And it was grrreat. Steve had said, oh, if you hear this guy, i’m like sure, i’m gonna hear that guy… well I did. So it was my husband’s era as well. And yes, i ate too much, but hey, it’s the fair!

But today after the fog burns off, I have my eye on a little walk and a little nap. Hope you have a good one. I wish you the Peace of lovely Autumn days and I wish you the time to get out in it…

Evening Peace, llvl

I had different plans for Friday evening. After all, King Street Coffee House was kicking of the season. And then there was the lure of doing absolutely nothing after a day of running hither, thither and yon. (both yon and thither were a distance, let me tell you! even if some of it was only mental!)

But Elijah called and I don’t get to see Meghan and him all that often. So, I succumbed to the lure of local. It was great. Local gallery with two great businesses run by lovely friends. And then a movie I’ve been wanting to see at our fabulous restored Art Deco movie house.

Walking home, it was still a lovely, warm Autumn evening and the gallery doors stood open in invitation. In for a quick gossip and boom, the evening was over with no real effort from me. I didn’t drive anywhere, and the popcorn at the movie theater has real butter. ok, now. That’s a Friday night. And in a couple weeks, I can get to King Street.

It can be a rich life if you’re willing to live la vida local. And if you’re willing to work on the things that stand between this life and Peace. But hey, that’s why we’re here, right?

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

Tag Archives: seasons