autumn :: the spiritual new year

as i look outside the world is turning orange, gold and red. i love living in new england where the world changes color each season. winter makes it all quiet and white. spring brings shades of green, summer is every color of every flower and yellow like the sun. . . and here we are in autumn. apples, pumpkins, harvest festivals, cool breezes. it might be my favorite time of year.

in autumn we get to start again, don't we? it's a new beginning and for me, it is the start of a new year. january never felt like true new years time to me and so i was happy to learn as i traveled my spiritual path that in october is a Spiritual New Year. i feel the anticipation of this stirring on the inner right now.

this autumn i see the trees letting go of their leaves and i'm asking myself, "what am i ready to let go of? what's it time to shed?"

today we celebrate Michaelmas at my children's school--a wonderful Waldorf school perched on a hill in the woods. from their teacher, "Archangel, Michael inspires us to face our inner and outer darkness with renewed strength of will and purpose of life." it's a day to celebrate our courage and face up to the things we have not yet been willing or able to let go of. Michael had to slay the dragon, and of course, so can we. . .our inner dragons. so, we muster all our might and courage and watch them fall. today i'm asking myself (and my inner Michael), can i let go of my outstanding ability to compare myself to others? can i let my true self shine and find inspiration and music from within?