It is finally September, after an extremely long and hot summer. We are nearing the Autumn Equinox – Alban Elued, as the Celts know it. A time when the daylight hours equal those of the night. Nature in balance with itself. The grain and fruit harvests are nearing completion. Before even the slightest colour of foliage can appear, the season looks ahead to winter, and the ensuing cold. It is only Fall, and yet the land is already preparing for Spring. For the seeds from the harvest drop and lie nestled beneath a blanket of leaves, soon to be protected by drifts of snow. In the fullness of time they will burst forth, giving birth to new life once again. And so, the seasons continue their cycle throughout the years. Nature dances in harmony with the world.
In a more agrarian community the pace of life was less hurried, and people were more connected to the natural world. For them the Equinox was a time for reflection. A time of thanks for the gifts of nature given. This in-gathering of fruits and grains, sustenance for the winter to come, prompted an air of satisfaction and blessing.
Conferring upon a grateful people a renewed appreciation for the delicate balance of life, and how deeply we are connected to it… and to each other.
So where does that leave us today? Can we say the same? Or have we lost our way amidst the hectic pace that life now demands, and in many cases necessitates.
William Wordsworth wrote…
“The World is too much with us; late and soon.
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers,
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon…
For this, for everything, we are out of tune…”
These words were written in 1807. Yet, how much more do they apply in 2022?
Yes, the world is very much with us… too much so. 24 hours a day blaring out news and commentaries. Blasting forth on screens and various social media. We need keep step to such a harried pace of life, that some things get lost along the way. Laying waste our powers, and the energy required to maintain a balance within ourselves… and hence with each other. Our attention becomes fractured, scattered to the four winds
The discordance of too much world also touches the heart, disrupting the natural rhythm of our lives. It deprives us of the peace which both mind and body need to restore and refresh anew.
Alban Elued reminds us to readjust our life in all its haste. It’s okay to take a step back from the world when the need is upon us, and the heart calls.
To pause and seek a balance of day and night within our lives, within ourselves… the better to attain, and maintain, a harmony with this present season of nature. The two are connected and go hand in hand.
To hear more clearly the music from within is the wisdom of Autumn’s Equinox… dancing to your own tune rather than that of the world is its gift.
If only we would stop for moment and listen…
