October News, Michaelmas to All Saints

Summer passes, autumn arrives, our souls turn with the many-layered creation of God’s making and keeping at Michaelmas. The angels called forth growth, now radiate colors of fall, still shield, encourage, sing holy holy holy, and generally hold all things together.

Soon at Hallow’een and All Saints, we turn ourselves in love to the deepened layers under God’s making and keeping, with the communion of saints and all who have died. A time for a little mischief, and to let ourselves know and pray in the compassion of God. 

Such compassion allows us to recover from the heats of summer, our interior overheatings, and to prepare for winter. In this season we can revere the many-layered creation of things seen and unseen, and remember those who have died, going into the great well of souls and bodies, a communion of saints, souls who layer down like forest duff, an ancestry that gives and hopes, a kind ground. 

And it’s time to hunt! For mushrooms, emerging from the cool, rain-receiving soil. Or nuts-acorns, pinones, hazels, hickories, walnuts, chestnuts, butternuts. Heck, maybe some of you are even squirrel hunters. I know my dog sure would like to be! 

I know Izaak Walton called fishing the ‘contemplative person’s recreation,’ but so can hunting let you be. We walk, stop and start, sharply attuned yet relaxed, open to the gift of the moment, ready to chase, or rest on pine needles, attentive, grateful. The pace of a walk as we ramble and forage amidst fall rains, changing leaves, the chatter of squirrels, the hover-song-talk of ravens,... it can be just right to gain perspective about what fruit lasts. 

You can learn more about my upcoming Advent Class, “Keeping Afloat,” under the ‘Build’ tab, along with other offerings. You can read here about the Bush Butternut, and read about my assorted trees on offer under ‘Plant’. And you can learn more about spiritual direction under ‘direction.’