The Fall Equinox – Fire Circle, Celebration and Ceremony

WHAT TO BRING:

Bring a chair upon which to sit, drums or rattles to shake or beat, bug spray for safe keeping, water for thirst, some money to donate for upkeep of the Labyrinth, and wear your colorful, comfy ceremonial clothes. We will drum, chant and earth dance our way around  the fire in this celebration.

FALL EQUINOX:

Rev. Zan Benham, Butterfly Deerwoman will be officiating this event.

Equinoxes mark a time of balance with equal hours of light and dark. From now on, the days grow shorter and cooler and the nights longer. 

We open to this Fall Season on the western gate of the Medicine Wheel, marking a time of completions following the Harvest.  What we have sown, we now reap. We celebrate our bounty, lessons and achievements.

This is a time for revaluation and give-always.  It is known in native circles as the “Looks Within” time. It asks us to withdraw into the silence within ourselves for answers and revelations, and to trust this process. In Native American traditions, the Gate Keeper for the Fall time is the “Father of the Winds”, represented by the great Grizzly Bear. Old bear teaches us about “going within” as s/he prepares for hibernation. We can think of this time as a time for meditation, withdrawing ourselves from the chaos and tensions of everyday life.  West is the home of the Thunder Beings; the Element is Water.  The Color of the West gate is the color of darkness, of night, black or navy blue.  It is said that the wise ones, the guides and shaman stand behind the veil of this gate and are always there to help us when we ask. 

Thursday’s ceremony will honor these qualities. Together we will hold sacred space for the power of love and light to transcend and infiltrate all beings on this planet and that we may emulate the path of respect and forgiveness for all beings, including ourselves. It is time for us to connect deeply with one another, the earth and the oceans.

We open ourselves to the time of the Fall,  time of gathering and gratitude.  In the “looks within” time we release our grief and dance to our own inner drumbeat.

With blessing of Light,Love and Ease for all, Rev. Zan