On the Autumn Equiniox, the days and nights are of equal length, and from that point forward, the life-giving warmth of the sun dimishes and the natural world as we experienced it during Spring and Summer begins to "die." Autumn is typically known as a time of harvest and abundance, but in a mystical sense, it is a time for acknowledging death. Buddhist teacher Gary Thorp tells us, "Sometimes there is no remedy for our situation than to begin from a point of absolute darkness." Many of you who follow my work and the Afterlife Conference know that point all too well through your experiences with grief and loss.

The beauty of the relationship between Autumn and death is that it is a point of departure on the path to the rebirth and new life. There is a reason why ancient cultures ceremonialized death at this time of year, because the leaves fall from the trees and begin to decompose, the plants begin to go dormant, and the light begins to fade. In the Celtic tradition of Samhain, this was the time of year when the veil between the worlds was at its thinnest, and interaction with the dead became more readily available. 

I invite you to take a moment this month to create a personal ceremony that honors the sacred process of transformation. It could be a simple as writing down something you wish to transform and burning the paper in a ceremonial fire, or creating an altar to your ancestors. Here is a lovely article that can help you with that. And I'd also like to suggest -- for children and adults alike -- the classic book by Leo Buscalia PhD, The Fall of Freddie the Leaf, which can be found in just about every hospice library in America.

Many blessings to you all on this sacred Samhain season!

Rev. Terri Daniel