Welcome to the West Gate on the Natural Calendar!

We are on the art/life trail ride discovering natural creative connections. The West Gate opens us to our emotions. 

The 90 days between fall equinox or Mabon and winter solstice give us a chance to love our destiny. These twelve weeks also provide time to attend to that which is ready to die. As we relinquish what is no longer valuable we make space to expand into, and rebirth through the creative process of introspection and reflection, a whole and present sense of maturity.  

Here’s a short description from the Autumnal Equinox entry in Joan Borysenko’s Pocketful of Miracles:

Today the cosmic wheel turns and opens fully to the West. The hours of light and dark are exactly equal on this first day of fall. By tomorrow we will be beginning our descent through the Western Gate into the darkness of the underworld.
The light is fading and the call of dreams, archetypes and  synchronicities grows stronger. We have prepared ourselves to listen to their messages so that the wisdom of our unconscious can mature in the growing darkness. We can look forward to emerging from the underworld transformed in six months, on spring equinox.

Each year on September 22 the balance of equal light and dark occurs. Like a sunflower imagine your face turned toward the sun. Like a tree imagine your roots planted deep in the earth. Focus. It’s the natural time to align with the feminine, receptive, nurturing qualities that will midwife a new level of being by spring. For the next six moon/months our creative focus will playfully and even dreamily regenerate itself…the rejuvenating power of rest and play allows us space to lovingly nurture a connection to our deepest creative center…so that 

“our unconscious can mature in the growing darkness”

Last week we took inventory. As any good shopkeeper knows inventory offers a chance to see what is of value and at the same time to clear the shelves of what is no longer valuable. Things that we no longer want are placed on sale, donated or tossed.

On the trail ride we look around to see what needs to be cleared away so that we can see sign posts. We want to be able to see the signs that line up with our North Star. Our North Star on the art/life path is our destination, our purpose, our sacred dream. We line up with our Destiny point, our North Star, so that we can experience, express, create and contribute making the most playful and sane Life possible. We aren’t looking for perfect we’re eager for development.

Journal page, Drozda, 2009

Stay open in mind and heart aware of confusion and the mixed bag of emotions trailing behind each and every one of us. Place attention on natural ‘slow time’.  Notice and name feelings that are present within and around. Emotions get triggered through early life patterns, through others, the media and culture.

Here’s a short list of possibilities:

angry
scared
confused
worried
delighted
furious
resentful
jealous
anxious
vulnerable
optimistic
joyous
guilty
pained
trapped
disgusted
excited
silly
naughty
clever
confident
curious
surprised
challenged
threatened
ecstatic
euphoric
desperate

Take time daily, at this turn of the season, to feel and become familiar with the name of feelings. This brings expressive power that can be channeled into writing, dance, clay, painting, etc. and in that way do no harm.

 Joan Borysenko once again:

If possible, go out into nature and do the meditation of bridging earth and heaven. Center yourself in your breathing and become aware of the energy of the sun. Now open to the energy of the earth. Breathe in the sun from above and the earth from below, letting their energies mingle and balance in your heart. Breathe out marriage of earth and sun, conscious and unconscious, to all beings. You are the bridge between the realms.

You are the cosmic awakener!

The Ninety Days Ahead

Here at the West Gate we can sense into the 90 days between equinox and solstice. Then we can stretch our awareness into the 90 days between winter solstice and spring equinox.

Close your eyes for a minute and imagine standing at the start of the next Natural Year in April 2017. Isn’t it exciting to consider the path and the signposts that will appear for you?

And isn’t it refreshing to know that we are going inward for the next six months to be deeply acquainted with the rich inner dark/feminine nurturing and nourishing guidance.

There is a Rooting Quality to the Journey

Symbolically we’re moving down and in so that we can consciously reconnect with our true nature. We do this creatively. We don’t isolate. We continue to take part in the day to day and remain in the world…as we explore the power of being not of the world.

We’re on the art/life trail ride and the whole point is to have an adventure looking for creative ways to address what hops out onto the path ahead. Knowing that we can support one another as we elect the direction, the timing, and the content of our path helps us to be confident and courageous.

First Come Back Home

When you are willing to start from Home you become your own  ‘Here-O’ in the art/life story. Home is your deep wide Center…this is where you are anchored and aligned with your most creative connection.

Consider, as my mentor points out, that you and me and we are the front line of 2000 generations of women…our mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, great great grandmothers…the entire feminine lineage all the way back to the beginning… have spiraled through time and space to make it possible for us to be standing here now. How stunning is that!

Present

Being Present, Drozda, Acrylic/canvas, 9 x 6″, private collection

At the equinox we make space for the masculine/active and feminine/receptive attributes to join and bring us…Home.

Within we can picture a marriage of inner masculine/doing and inner feminine/being…Home.

From Home it’s possible to discover the creative response rather than the stress reaction to current events.

This Is Your Life

At the equinox you look inward toward an exciting and dynamic intuitive opening to the ‘Life’ quadrant of the Natural Year. The 90 days between fall equinox and winter solstice give you the chance to love your destiny through introspection and reflection. The result is a new level of strength.

I look forward to the unfolding of this quieting turn within.

I’m glad that we are here together. We’re practicing balance and creative connection. we’re aligning with our sacred destiny. We develop a more empowered art/life role exploring Life around us. We lean into the feelings that rise up as we sing and dance and play as part of every day.

Exercise: Meditate on balance:  take inventory on how you handle your feelings especially those that create disruption and pressure. Notice how you manage your and other people’s emotions. How easily is your peace of mind disturbed? Consider the ways you can reduce negative stress in your life. Imagine bringing more balance to your Life for this quarter. Is it possible to go to bed earlier? Might you wake up earlier to begin the day with less rush? Have you developed non-violent communication skills…this encompasses self talk as well as what is said…or even thought…about others. Are you eating for health and well-being?

 The west Gate opens us to our ability to reflect upon, repair and/or release unhealthy relationships. The equinox point is an especially powerful time to fine tune relationship skills. Notice how you’re doing if you are in the role of a family caregiver. If you have a high-stress job, pressure-filled commute, or find yourself enmeshed in personal drama can you develop practices that will release the pressure…such as moving the body or taking time for breathing exercises.

Dear Future,

We have no crystal ball. We have no knowledge of the who, what, how, when, where that is before us…however traveling together we’re curious to see what’s on the trail up ahead!