Closing and Opening

In the wheel of the year we are about halfway between the Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice at a time known as Samhain. If you think of the year as a breath, then this is the last bit of exhalation before the lungs are empty and another breath begins. To me this year it feels somewhat like a gentle sigh. In many places the harvests have been brought in and thoughts turn towards reflection and preparation for the darkness and cold of winter. Many Celtic peoples think of this season as a thin time when the boundaries between this realm and the otherworld are thin. These notions informed the Christian observance of things like All Saints Day and All Souls Day. The days are getting shorter and it’s common to reflect on the Harvest As I gathered with Druid friends in our newly formed Wisewood Seed Group to observe the turning of the wheel of the year and honoring those who have passed I was inspired by the idea of closure. Closing out the harvest, closing out a season, or closing out a project has a unique power. The energy is gathered, the fruits are eaten or preserved, and a new freedom emerges to begin something new. So my hope for all of us is that we rightly discern what is ready to be closed out so we may be open to the gifts of new life coming in new forms. Have a blessed Samhain!