Dear Autumn Souls,
I began to write this blog on Thursday with the Harvest Moon. Plenty of time to have it done before the Equinox, but as I began to engage with my thoughts and feelings, I went deeper and time passed. So I am sending this to you late. I don’t know how you paid attention to the Equinox Within as it is so easy to see it as just another day.
It is not too late to create your plan for your Inner autumn…
The Latin root of Equinox is equi = equal and nox = night.
The word “equal” calms as it calls forth the imagination of balance and stability.
And Night conjures up thoughts of hidden mysteries and unseen powers – malevolent or benevolent.
Sunday, September 22, is the Autumn Equinox, and the turning point when night overtakes day. The Equinox begins a new season for being human and becoming I.
For our souls it is the Equal Night that signals the midpoint of a journey inward to the darkness of inner reflection. (It is the Spring Equinox that signals the midpoint of the journey outward into the light and outer expression.)
How can you begin this new season with 1 or 2 intentions for your inner development? The inner gesture of the Autumn season is moral development. Moral development evolves to the degree that we meet, transform, and vanquish evil, the darkness, in our own souls and how we engage and strengthen our inner light through our relationship with the forces for goodness. Heavy order for self-inquiry and self-compassion!
A Suggestion
Here is a suggestion: Just consider a baby step of noticing evil and goodness in how you listen to others. This is not about feeling shame or pride, just about gently and simply noticing. Perhaps around the middle of November, you can intend to do a little less of the shadowy listening, and a little bit more of the open listening.
Journal about listening…what is shadowy listening? …what is open listening?
It is also a real value to consider the moral quality of the listening you receive. Make note, explore the feelings you have when someone is truly open to you in their listening, or is their attention really focused somewhere in the shadows of selfishness?
Seasonal Goals – Resources & Commitments
It is really important to articulate your goals, such as the goal to be more awake to the deed of listening. Goals are the completion, achievement, and fulfillment of intentions. Please write them down. And then consider how you will get from your Equinox intentions to your Solstice celebration… just 13 weeks.
What are the resources can you access and utilize to support the achievement of your inner goals? If conversations with another person would help, are you willing to request anothers time, attention and care?
Are you confidant? Are you committed? Do you feel you deserve this? What do you place more value on than the development of your inner life?
These questions bring to light, the mistaken notion that inner work is about self-interest and inner pleasure, essentially selfish and unholy. Not so!
All that you bring to others, to the world, to the future is a reflection of your inner strength, integrity, purity, and wisdom. The more your work on your inner development the greater your contribution becomes. And it also means that you are willing to meet your inner shadows and demons, not avoid them.
Let’s meet the new season of darkness with the light of clear intention and commit with heartfelt promise. Let’s have an inner plan.
If you want to know what I am bringing to my Autumn inner life, read my thoughts here.
