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MY REFLECTION ON AUTUMN

 

Autumn in New York by IvyOLam.

 

1. BALANCING DARKNESS WITH LIGHT

The Wheel of the Year now turns towards the  Autumn Equinox this Monday,  this is when the day and  the night are of equal length. This signals the need for us to learn to  balance light and darkness within us. Far too often, we fear the dark because many religions define the Dark as evil and non beneficial something to dread and to stay away from and so we have learned to love and cleave only to the light . Many of the Earth and Pagan religions have learned that darkness is a vital and necessary aspect to life, for without it there would not be any light to judge it by, our challenge is  to befriend our inner darkness: I am learning  to acknowledge how darkness is becoming less of an feared enemy  and more of a place , of peace, and of silent nurturing, where time becomes more slow and steady , a time where gestation is  needed so that my soul's growth may occur. It is in the darkness of night that we are rejuvenated and where healing takes place in our bodies and in our dream times. Not only  do I welcome the  light as a vital  part of my life, but I am also beginning to have a greater understanding of how much I need to befriend the darkness within and how vital this aspect is in our lives. Our Solar year is divided between the Light half  to the Dark half of the year. We will do ourselves a favor if we  learn from their guidance in how to live well in these times of Light and Shadows.

I have spent most of my life seeking the light, information, the answers to all my questions, and sometimes I have succeeded, but there are many unanswered questions that remain hidden in the darkness that await the best and most opportune time in my life's journey to reveal their secrets to me, I know it will be when the time is ripe, and ready , when I have reached that point in time where it will be understood, and acted upon. And it is here that I have been given the opportunity to learn the lessons of Patience!

Sometimes there is no remedy for our situation so we must begin from a point of absolute darkness.Try as we might no answers seem to be offered it is at these times that the turning off  of a television , the radio and the computer and  the extinguishing the light of a candle have certain similarities; they are both abrupt and transition making, and can leave us in a different world. In darkness, we are always on our own, and faced with only ourselves, this is what many people try to avoid,with all the noise that they surround themselves with, but  being alone with themselves, from whom they can not hide , it is here where you can finally meet yourself. It is here where we will gain the courage to face our fears and shed our demons,  so that we can  move  on in  the process of our soul crafting.

 

2. LETTING GO

As I  watch leaves  begin to turn their brilliant color and  as some begin to fall to the ground ,I am reminded that nature's cycles are a mirror and a reflection  in our lives. Autumn is a time for letting go and releasing  the past, old hurts, failed goals, lost hopes, old beliefs that no longer fit where you have grown, it is a time of forgiveness to yourself and to others, for it is only in the blessings of forgiveness that true growth begins, it is a time to release the things that have been a burden to your soul.  Most all the religious traditions pay tribute to such acts of relinquishment. Autumn is the right time to practice getting out of the way and letting the Great Spirit take charge of our lives.

 

This is a time to learn the power of generosity and the grace of giving, which has great power to give to the crafting of our soul ,great leaps of transformational  growth, because it is characterized by the inner quality of letting go or relinquishing. Being able to let go, to give up, to renounce, to give generously — these capacities spring from the same source within us and what I have learned is that the Source ,from which we come ,is Love . When we practice generosity and giving, we  become open to all of the  liberating qualities of love simultaneously which will  carry us to a profound knowing of freedom.  Autumn then becomes the perfect season to give generously of  our time ,  our love, and talents to others which is really all that we  really have.

3. ACKNOWLEDGING IMPERMANENCE

Autumn's lesson and it's blessings is that it  reminds us of the impermanence of everything. We have experienced the Wheel of the Life at it's beginning at the Winter Solstice where we are taught that  through the dead of winter  is a reflection of what is happening  within our lives as well, that life is always about growth even when the way looks dismal and cold, and when we think we can not go on, when times get so hard to go through then all of a sudden a flower of hope breaks through the bleakness  of the barrenness in our souls, to offer us hope in our journey and then with another turn of the Wheel of life we experience The New Birth of Spring, when the seeds that have lain so long in dormancy now begin to sprout and bust through the not yet warm soil, when we see the small fragile violet  or daffodil blooming through the melting snow, it is here we realize that there is hope, there is something happening, that we are beginning to see life come back into our world, and then The wheel turns yet again and  the rapid growth and  flowerings and profusions of The Summer Solstice, where life is full and things look bright. This is a time to manifest our hopes and dreams and busy our selves with living life fully in the heat of passion that is necessary to keep the energy in what we want to flourish in our lives growing. Now as we approach yet again the turning of the Wheel of life ,Autumn arrives and the leaves turn once again as a final grand finale with their wonderful display of richness and color before they fall to the ground and expose the  bare branches  which remind us  of the lesson that is truly Autumn ,which is   the fleeting nature of all things.

We must not let this opportunity escape us, we must learn to  contemplate and cherish Autumn's changes, if we do we will grow more appreciative of all the beauties and gifts that are in our lives and  that surround us:

"The poet Wallace Stevens once wrote, 'Death is the mother of beauty.' How true are those words, Death is a powerful teacher that reminds us that we truly are just Dust in the wind, and that we are only here such a short time, we must not let the opportunity pass us by  of applying the lessons of the Wheel of the Year in our lives, for Mother Nature is teaching us daily that life is precious , life is short and we can not afford to harbor in our lives the seeds of despair and heartache we must let them drop to the ground as the leaves do each Fall. We must not hold on to grudges, and hurts and disappointments we must let them go, we must hold on to the seeds of love and grace, hope and faith and most of all forgiveness, and be able to plant them where they are needed in the lives of those around us . This is a time we must cherish our loved ones, we must enjoy the life we have, we must greet each new morning as a new beginning every day, and we must greet  the sunset harboring no ill will towards anyone. It is said in the Good Book not to let the sun go down being angry, for it will fester in our lives and truly bring the darkness into our very souls. We must make it our aim to greet the morning sun not harboring hatred or anger , for if we do not, we will miss the opportunity of the new beginnings that the rising sun offers to us each and every day that we are gifted to see it shine.

Yes the Wheel of the Year keeps on turning, and the lessons they give us must be treasured and given away to others . For the seasons reflect a truth , that nothing remains the same, that change  is the law, and growth is the power of life, Autumn brings home to our consciousness death and the challenge to live every day to its fullest.

"I have read that certain spiritual masters in Tibet used to set their teacups upside down before they went to bed each night as a reminder that all life was impermanent. And then, when they awoke each morning, they turned their teacups right side up again with the happy thought, 'I'm still here!' This simple gesture is a powerful reminder to celebrate every moment of the day." This is a wonderfully simple ritual that we can do each day to remind us of this truth.

 

Blessed be you in this season we call  The Autumn Equinox ,may it give you the blessings of retrospection, and the understanding of the lessons of impermanence  and death,may it  offer you the brilliant colors of hope, love, and forgiveness in your lives  that you may need , and may you be blessed to be able to  see the Grace and the Gift that the  Divine Spirit has given all of us, which is the  opportunity that we call life, may you live it well. Blessed be!

 

 

 

 
 
   
 

What do they mean?
I was reading wnovemberangelw's entry today (who I hadn't met before) - and she mentioned how this guy called Jason was a potential, partly because he was dark, to quote:

"
His personality is so poetic, dark, and fascinating. He has a wicked sense of humor too, which balances out the almost sinister quality he has. Not only is he intelligent, but he's also very good looking too. And he's a Dom <3"

Now I have heard women say before that they like guys who are "tall, dark and handsome" - but it's this 'dark' bit I don't understand - what does it mean, and why? Where's the logic in it? Any info from either womenkind or guydom would be appreciated :)

Also- what's a Dom?
And how do I change font size in this bloody thing? :p (I found an indirect way by dragging stuff in and out of notepad to get it back to normal lol)
 
 
 

   
Cal and Rosie
P6130019.JPG hosted for free by ImageShack


Here's a picture of the two of them for now, I must upload the ones from the camera for more :P

Yes I know the picture isn't the best, but I love it :D

 
 
   
 

Worst Party Ever!

So, today I had a family party.

I think I'd never been so judjed in all my 15 year old life.

I was wearing black jeans and a white shirt with red skulls and then there were all my cousines dressed like "Lady's". So my uncle said to my mother "OMG did you really let her wear that kind of clothes?And she wears dark make up!!".

 

As I like making fun of people I said something like "Be carefull, I can get to emotional and kill myself!!" and he thought I really wanted to do it -.-

 

At least my mother was laughing about what I said ^^

 

So, I spent the afternoon playing with the cat .

 
 
 

   
THE DARK MOON ENERGIES

YouTube - Drew Nelson & Matt Morrow - Grandmother Moon  "," "," ","&#53&#32&#103&#114&#101&#101&#110&#32&#100&#111&#119&#110&#108&#111&#97&#100&#115","&#76&#105&#110&#107&#101&#100&#32&#116&#111&#32&#103&#114&#101&#101&#110&#32&#115&#105&#116&#101&#115","&#48&#32&#112&#111&#112&#45&#117&#112&#115","More info...","",'green','siteadvisor:','&#89&#111&#117&#84&#117&#98&#101&#32&#45&#32&#68&#114&#101&#119&#32&#78&#101&#108&#115&#111&#110&#32&#38&#32&#77&#97&#116&#116&#32&#77&#111&#114&#114&#111&#119&#32&#45&#32&#71&#114&#97&#110&#100&#109&#111&#116&#104&#101&#114&#32&#77&#111&#111&#110',1.0)" style="Z-INDEX: 999; MARGIN-LEFT: 2px" onmouseout=shut(event) height=16 src="siteadvisor:green.gif" width=16 border=0>

The Dark Moon

When is the Dark Moon? :
Also known as the "dead" Moon, this is the time when there is no solar reflection, leaving the lunar face in darkness. The dark lasts about three days before the new crescent appears.
Is this the same as the New Moon?: For many, the new Moon begins at the moment of the Sun-Moon conjunction, but for others it remains the dark Moon until that crescent is in view. As the Moon wanes toward those final days of darkness, there's often a turn inward. In those contemplative moments, the inner reality is presented through dreams and waking visions. It's fertile ground for the new Moon intentions to be conjured.
How does the Dark Moon differ from the New Moon?: The dark of the Moon is the most powerful time psychically. It seems to lure us toward the deepest self, the longings of the soul, and restful listening is a great way to receive these messages. It's been compared to the dormant seed under the winter snow, or the cocoon holding the butterfly. You might feel tired, or crave quiet solitude. It's important to make space for the unfolding of the spirit at this time. Like death itself, it's preparation for the new beginning that begins with the crescent.
 

 

The Dark Moon and Women's Cycles:
You've probably heard about the "menstruation hut" of matriarchal and so-called primitve cultures. The dark of the Moon was one of those times when women gathered together to draw wisdom from the powerful psychic energy afoot. Often there was a merging of women's cycles -- as there is now when women live in close quarters -- and this created an amped up collective power. In the hut, women could share visions, divine messages and open to higher wisdom.
 
The Dark Moon and grief:
 Whenever we experience a deep loss, we are changed profoundly, which is a kind of death. This is considered a dark Moon phase, and lasts as long as it takes to fully integrate the experience. Sometimes others are made uneasy by our personal confusion, melancholy, soul angst, etc, and try to prevent us from fully dwelling in the dark. But taking a cue from nature, we can see that everything dies for a time, before coming alive again in a new form. Just like that, there are times when we die to our old self and are reborn to a new life.
 
The Dark Moon and the Seasons:
During the Winter Solstice, when the days are short (in the Northern Hemisphere), it's an inward time with a cozy intimate feeling. It's always a surprise to see the green things come to life again after being stripped to such a bare state. The growth at this time is underground, hidden, but powerful because it's often the base, the roots.
The Dark Moon and Growing Older, Dying:
 In our own lives, there's a dark Moon phase toward the end as we prepare to enter the mystery of death. Often there is a convergence of memories, making time seem to run together. So many traditions believe the spirit carries on, but to where? This is the great unknown, and a dark Moon period that is taken on faith, with the hope of new life to come. The dark Moon is associated with the underworld, a seperate plane where the dead and almost born are together.
Are we living in a Dark Moon phase?:
In her book, Mysteries of the Dark Moon, Demetra George presented this concept. We live on a dying planet in the sense that her form is changing, from the rainforest floor to the air encircling her. Part of the dark Moon is a break-down of old systems, and letting go, and there's some review going on of how we've been living, what we believe, our relationship with the natural world. The new seeds are being planted, but there's still a lot of uncertainty and fear -- darkness. Seeing this time as a dark Moon period can put it in a broader perspective, with hope for a new beginning.
 
The Power of the Dark:

The dark Moon is private, intimate, richly renewing and full of depth. The waning Moon is a time of letting go, and as you're stripped of what you've known, there's a moment of standing naked, not knowing who you are. This might be what dying is like, an awesome mystery that makes us feel fully awake at that final moment. What comes next, we wonder?

I've found the dark Moon to be the most powerful time for organically unfolding soul-searching. The inner Self starts to grow in power, and make its presence known. Ideally, you can listen, integrate, and set intentions that will bring you into harmony with yourself during the waxing Moon.

Stillness is the key word for the dark Moon. Restful, rich solitude gives you the chance to hear that inner voice. With the lunar face hidden, the intuitive-psychic self takes over. Make space for a clearing of the mind and spirit, so that you can be ready to recieve.

There's a historic pattern of fearing the dark, and denying death. But it's a fact of nature, and if embraced, can be met as the winding down before the next new beginning. The Moon is associated with women, and many Goddesses like Hecate, Kali, Lilith, represent her dark aspect. The dark Moon reminds us of nature's cycles of death and rebirth. The grave and the womb become the same place, a transition when you're held in the mystery beyond physical existence.

Each dark Moon is a chance to be renewed, to experience unknowing, and to gain timeless wisdom. The dark Moon opens a door to the past, and it reaches back far into the collective memory. Make it a sacred time for yourself each month, a time to connect to the great mystery of life.

Source: This is original writing, the foundation of which came from the works of Vicki Noble, Demetra George, Judy Grahn, Starhawk and Elinor Gadon, to name a few.

 
 
   
 

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