Spiritual Harvest at Autumn Equinox

• Posted by Rev. Renee Paddock January 22, 2017 - 1,139 views

  This sermon was delivered in the fall of 2013

   

  Iroquois Thanksgiving Prayer
  
  We return thanks to our mother,
  the earth, which sustains us.
  
  We return thanks to the rivers and streams,
  which supply us with water.
  
  We return thanks to all herbs,
  which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.
  
  We return thanks to the moon and stars,
  which have given to us their light when the sun was gone.
  
  We return thanks to the sun,
  that has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye.
  
  Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit,
  in Whom is embodied all goodness, and
  Who directs all things for the good of Her children.
  
  ~ Iroquois Prayer ~
  
  

  It is harvest time. The year is winding down.
  In many pagan and wiccan circles this is the time when we celebrate Mabon as“Thanksgiving” as it is the true heart of the harvest.   It is also Equinox, the between time, neither Summer nor Winter; neither beginning nor end. My friend D likes to use this time of year for divination or omen questing – she places herself in as many in-betweens as possible….(in a doorway, noon time etc) and looks at what is around her and tries to figure out what it means….but that is neither here nor there

  As part of our UU principles and sources we acknowledge the wisdom of earth-centered peoples and promise to honor the web of all existence:

  7th Principle
  Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

  6th source
  Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

   

  It is the 6th Source I’d like to concentrate on today: Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

   

  To live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

  Many of us at SUUF have done some of this by eating local foods, fresh and in-season.  This benefits the health of both ourselves and the planet.
  But how about applying this SPIRITUALLY as well.

  In Pagan/Wiccan rites we talk about the “wheel of the year”. We talk about birth and beginnings at Yule when we turn the tide from dark to move toward the light; seeds/and ideas being planted at Imbolg, sprouting at spring equinox, being fertilized and nourished at Beltane, flourishing during Summer Solstice, beginning to bear fruit at Lughnassa, being in full harvest : putting food by – storing  and preserving at Mabon, and honoring and speaking of death and the dead,  and putting to rest the fields at Samhain.

  There is also the oft referred to “Circle of Life” Birth,Growth,Youth,Maturity,Old Age,Death and some say rebirth.

  The pagan group I led in for several years also looked to the wheel of the year for our growth and development.
  We used it to bring to life ideas – ideas we’d plant, nourish, grow, harvest and then reflect on….in the dark days of the year.

  I have a question - How many of us take time – any time – to slow down or to reflect?

  Our culture here in the US always seems to provide ample opportunities and indeed incentives to keep revved up, to start another thing if one has finished, and even if it has not. To keep as many things going at one time as possible. And to never take a reasonable break.  Even our vacations are frequently filled with trying to achieve a goal –whether it be climbing Machu Pichu or making it to every ride in the Magic Kingdom in one day.

  And so – we are at the Equinox - we have returned again to a day of balance in this season of harvest and putting by – a day when we can reflect on what balance means in our lives.
  If we have been following the “Wheel of the Year” toward a goal  – and New Year’s resolutions fit this model;  It is now time to take stock of where we are and what more we can finalize before this turn is complete.

  In the turning of the year, we have reached a good place, to think about the harmony we say we want to mimic and how we can incorporate more of it into our lives…because we heading into a time of renewal and regeneration a time when we can use the external darkness as an internal focus…a time when we can allow ourselves to find our source, our center as long as we are willing to filter out the frenzy around us.

  Autumn Equinox is an optimal time to clarify personal intention and direction

  The energy of this season invites long term planning and incubation

  I’m not advocating becoming hermits or cutting ourselves off from each other or the world around, simply proposing that we creatively use the dark season ahead to find some inner peace. Whether it be to set aside some time for reflection or meditation (silent or with music), yoga, tai chi, trying a hand at art or poetry, scrapbooking as reflective process or other ideas.

  We are all aware of the sayings about endings which are beginnings and some of those happen whether we want them to or not, but it is also good to deliberately bring aspects of our lives to a close so that we may make room for new things to come in…

  I invite you now to take some time to reflect on your personal harvest this year; accomplishments, goals achieved, a-ha moments……..
  If you wish to write down your reflections I have paper and writing implements available….

  Also reflect on how you could personally use the” Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature” in your life.

  We will take XX minutes to reflect with some music

  Then we will take some time to discuss.