Seasons @ MindSay

 

Symbols are shorthand for our perceptions in  life. As a Pagan,the symbol of  the quartered Circle, the Wheel of the Year is our way of interpreting life passages that takes us through the important aspects of our physical, mental and spiritual growth as we journey on our Earth/Nature, centered/focused path. The Sabbats and Esbats, mark  the time-lines of our individual  lives. The Seasons as they cycle around us every year are  sacred and serve as the Great Model, and framework that symbolically represents the longer cycle of our personal journey in this life. So this connection of the Wheel of the Year with our lives helps us to understand  and bring into perspective these  same patterns, and cycles and will  give us a broader perspective in order to understand the patterns in our own lives and the lives of other. This broader perspective helps us understand that we are all related, Mother Earth and all her offspring, be they plant, animal and human , we are all here and interconnected in ways that we have yet to understand. By understanding the cycles of nature, the seasons and of the phases Grandmother moon, and how they are but a mirror and reflection of our own lives will help us to anticipate and prepare for changes that will come into our own lives as well. Births,childhood, maturity, and dying and all the in between things that happen within each season of our lives. It helps us not to get broadsided by events that  seemingly happen out of the blue,but by knowing that although each season and phase of the moon  seem the same, each year , we know what can be generally expected within each season , we also know that there is also great variation within them as well, thus  showing   us to always expect the unexpected.Each turn of the wheel prepares us for life, Spring shows us new beginnings, and how they bud and are brought forth into this plane of existence, thus we see that we too are capable of bringing forth into this plain of existence new life be it  a child, a new project, a new craft, a new idea and so forth. But within the season of Spring are the times of strong weather patterns that bring tornado and severe thunderstorms but out of  this extreme fluctuations of power, life emerges , and so it prepares us to weather our  own times when violent storms of change occur in our lives as well. Summer shows us every year how rapidly things grow, how abundant life can be, but also shows us that storms can arise suddenly in nature as it will in our own life, but even so , out of the storms, flowers will bring forth their blooms,plant life is made that much more richer because of it, a lesson we must always remember while we are weathering the storms that unexpectantly arise in our own life.The lesson of the oak tells us that it is the constant breeze and light flowing  winds that has made her strong and able to handle most anything because of the constant buffeting by the wind, the tree is forced  to dig her roots deeper in order to withstand, so that when the big storms of life come she is rooted and grounded deep within her Mother the Earth and more able to stand firm against  the greater storms assault. The season of Autumn, the rich colors that are brought forth out of no where as Mother Earth paints upon her canvas, the seeds are maturing, the plants bring forth their bounty only to succumb to the nip of frost and cold which brings on death and decay.This season shows us that we can bring forth color and beauty in our lives, that we can harvest our dreams, and that some dreams will drop off only to succumb to death, we know that it will happen for nature prepares us each year. Winter comes with it's  cold blast, with snow and ice crystals that sparkle in the air as the wind picks up  crystals and swirls them around so that they dance in the light of the sun. The quiet,is almost deafening,  when no sounds can be heard in nature within the dead of winter, a time when we can finally hear without the distractions of life all around. Winter a time of slumber and solitude, again prepares us for times  when nothing is happening ,so it would seem in our lives, but we know that is really not so, for beneath the surface change is taking place and although we can not see it, we know it is happening in our lives because Winter has shown that it is so.

Within the seasons of our lives  ,because we have been given the gifts of the lessons of the Wheel, when applied these lessons from nature, will give us a chance to re examine the issues of each of our life stages which are already behind us, and  better able to integrate these lessons of the past  with better and new insights  for our future seasons. We do not need to go blindly into our future , not knowing what will befall us, if we are observant  and can apply these teachings into our lives every season as time dances  in and out through  out the year , we will never have to cry 'why is this happening to me?' We will know that there is a time and a season for all things whether in nature or our lives and that this is what we call LIFE.

 

We know within each season of change that some years, there are sometimes long periods of weather patterns, that seem to drag on and on, and we wonder , when will this end, be it a heat wave, a cold snap, rainy and wet times, drought,we know that every year one or more of these times happen, we also know that within our own lives that this holds true as well, so when we are weathering a long season of drought and nothing is happening in our lives, we know  not to despair for this too will pass, nothing last forever, and by knowing these things we are more prepared to handle the season of change in our own lives, and may  be able to spend our time being more productive within them instead of wondering what is going on, and crying woe is me.

By having the great symbolic meanings and teachings of Mother Nature, of the Wheel of the Year, and the Esbats each cycle of the Moon, we have been given  a valuable and wonderful gift from our Source, our Creator to help and enable us to live our lives productively, fully, and expectantly and abundantly .

We have not been left in the dark as to what and how things work, for we have been given the patterns of nature to guide us on our journey as we travel the wheel of life as we journey around the Sun.We have been given many teachers in our life, we have not been left orphaned and alone, for our teachers are always present each and every day, night and year. May we honor our teachers, Father Sun , Grandmother Moon, and our Mother the Earth for they are always with us to give us their light as we journey on the path.

May your journey be blessed  

Isn't it just amazing how time flies?

It feels like ages have passed since high school, yet only a few years have gone by.  Even this year has gone by so fast itself.  Wasn't it just yesterday that this year began?  It feels that a lifetime ago I started at the university that I'm at, but it hasn't been quite a year yet.  This summer feels like it just started yesterday, yet at the same time it's been here for years (that might be due to the relentless heat of summer).

Before I know it my senior year of college will begin and time will pick up speed, or slow dramatically with my anticipation.  Either way this rite of passage grows less distant every day.

Don't really know if there was a point to this.  Other than my nostalgia and being mesmerized by my own perception of time.

I must confess that I miss coming here during the week as I once did.  *Sigh*  After work these days, I don't have much energy left!  I used to have a life!  hahaha  Now, I just work, eat, sleep ... and get up to do it again. 

 

Good thing life comes and goes in seasons, hmmmmm?  I'm hoping this season doesn't last too long, but trying to make the most of it.  :)

 

See you at weekend time!  lol

 

~ B

The other day a young person asked me how I felt about being old. I was taken aback, because I do not think of myself as old. Upon seeing my reaction, she was immediately embarrassed, but I explained that it was an interesting question, and I would ponder it, and let her know.

Old Age, I decided, is a gift. Mind you, I am not quite there, but I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be.  Oh, not my body!  I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt, etc.  And often I am taken aback by that older person that lives in my mirror,but I don't agonize over those things for long. 

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for fewer gray hairs or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio.  I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.  I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with maturity.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?

I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 & 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old soon enough.

I know I am sometimes forgetful.  But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I  eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken.   How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car?  But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion.  A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.  So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.  

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think .  I don't  question myself anymore.  I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I  like being older. It has set me free.  I like the person I have become.  I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be.  And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it) ;)

 

~B

P.S.  I just made my travel plans to go for another visit to Charleston ... with a stop off in Savannah to see my soldiergirl!  YAY!!!  :D