It’s a dark, dreary day. The sky is overcast, the sun has hidden behind her gray curtains. It rained overnight, so everything is shiny. The wet sheen on the fall foliage heightens the colors on some hillsides, while a heavy blanket of mist conceals them entirely on others.
Today’s post is a day late. They normally appear on Sundays, but my weekend got away from me. Today, though, is an in-between day for me. My next module of studies starts tomorrow, and I finished the previous one Friday. I can legitimately do whatever I want today. This post in pure appreciation of fall was at the top of my list.
When I took Roxanne out for our walk this morning, I didn’t bring my phone. I just basked in it without trying to capture it. I told myself, this is just for me. I had to sneak back out later to get these images. But as I was walking the second time, to grab images, I kept thinking I should have a Go-Pro on. my head, so I could share the entire morning walk with you. (Oh, we walk in the afternoon, too, and there are mini-walks every little while in between. But it’s the morning walks that are the best, especially this time of year.)
Everything is fresh and clean, and the day is newborn and eager. The birds sing the most in the morning— it seems everyone has a story to tell about that odd dream they had the night before…or something.
I only see spiderwebs in the fall. Well, I suppose I see them other times of year, but there’s something about the angle of the sun in autumn that lights them up, and when they’re coated in morning dew, and those golden rays hit, they sparkle like diamond necklaces if you look closely.
Fall feels like a sigh to me. It feels like a long, slow exhale. Like the gradual loosening of tight, overworked muscles.
It feels like taking off my bra after wearing it all day. (Sisters, WHY do we still wear these things? I’m so glad we voted pantyhose off the island. Can bras please be next? Vote by applause or running up the stairs braless. Same sound.)
Nevermind, never mind. That bra topic pulled me out of my autumnal bliss. Outside right now I am immersed in a masterpiece. There’s not enough appreciation I can pour into the beauty, not enough basking in it that I can achieve.
But I’m gong to make an effort!
Grandfather Maple has passed his autumnal peak. His hair is thinning now. We walk our dogs under him, always have, and we scoop up dropped maple leaves and throw them at the dogs and each other. We’re down to one dog now, who doesn’t really get it, but she plays along to humor us.
Here’s a view of our koi pond. One of my favorite views from our place. But there are many.
We disagree gently about those trees between the pond and the gorgeous view of the hillside. There’s a road in between. Lance thinks the trees provide privacy and have become habitats. I think they block my glorious autumnal view, and should at least be thinned out during a time when it wouldn’t disturb their inhabitants too much. But they are poplars, which don’t have a very long lifespan anyway. So if I keep the new ones coming up trimmed down, eventually, the view will be clear.
A daily practice, if you like it
To power up our relationship to nature, we can include an easy, gentle practice in our days that will do that trick. We must go outside to do it, or, if we really can’t go outside, we can practice in an open window facing the appropriate direction.
In the morning, face the east, the direction of the sunrise, open your arms with your face toward the sun. Greet the sunrise. Greet the day with love. Feel the energy of nature melding with you. Recall that our bodies are parts of the earth as much as our cells are parts of our bodies. It’s all one body, really, the planet’s and ours.
At midday, repeat this process, facing south this time. Go outside, and soak in the energy of high noon. Notice how different it feels and tastes and smells from the morning.
At sunset, do it again, go outside, open your arms, facing west this time, and once again notice the smells, and sounds, the slant of light, and how very different all this energy is from the morning and the midday energy.
At midnight, if you happen to be awake, do it again. Go outside, face north and open your arms to the night. Embrace and welcome it, feel and experience it. Hear it, smell it, taste it, and feel it. Let its energy soak into you.
Alternatively, you can do the midnight round at bedtime, if you like.
If this were witch class…
I’d assign you to write a rhyming couplet (two lines) for each of the four times of day, using either midnight or bedtime as your fourth, whichever you choose.
Being the ambitious type, I’ve written a bedtime prayer as well as a midnight couplet. (I’m always up to pee by 2 or 3 at latest, so the timing is close enough. All time is now, after all.)
We are dual beings: spirit and body
The reason to do this kind of daily rite and to make it a regular part of your routine is because the stronger your bond with nature and the more aware you are of your oneness with nature, the more powerful your magic will become.
Meditation, quieting the mind and stilling the body, empowers our bond to our spiritual source.
Physical presence in, contact with, and melding with nature empowers our bond to our physical source.
Force and Form. Spirit and Body.
Enjoy, fellow mystics!
Harrison Hyde and the Runaway Bride
A country-style rom-com that’ll make you feel good again!
Releasing Tuesday October 8th, 2024 from Oliver Heber Books
(Psst! That’s a week from tomorrow!)
