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| Autumn Equinox Leaf Ceremony: Gratitudes printed on the leaves, spoken on the breeze, floated on the water. |
On September 26, 2012, I wrote the following about our first Leaf Ceremony at the Equinox:
"...One by one, the leaves & their messages flitted to the water & meandered down the stream. One by one, we gave thanks & shared our hopes for the future. Our voices carried over the stream & blended with the humming voices of many -- many who undoubtedly also carry hopes, dreams, wishes & thanks of their own..." -- For the Files: Autumn Equinox 2012, Family Style
It is now 2014 & the ceremony continues, thus qualifying it as a tradition I suppose.
We missed documenting last year's Leaf Ceremony because of the technological breakdown, but perhaps I can take a moment to reflect upon that one too, maybe using it to explain how it is we actually do this thing. Later, of course. For now, this year's recollections.
This year we saw the return of many familiar gratitudes...
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| Gratitude of a devoted partner. |
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| Thanks of a devoted young scholar. |
plus some new & very novel wishes...
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| Be careful what you hope for little one... |
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| A wish for all creatures. |
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| A more personal sense of gratitude. |
Wishes & gratitudes spoken from the same small bridge, into the drifting, chill breeze, onto the swiftly passing water. A tradition continues...
And of course, the libation as offering. This year the last bottle of Black Currant mead from the Ring of Fire Meadery -- this bottle, the last of its kind as this meadery has closed its doors & sold off their equipment.
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| Autumn Equinox 2014: Leaves & Libations. |
Into the water, into our bellies. From the gods to the Earth to us. From us to the Earth to the gods. We are deeply thankful, to be such blessed creatures. May our words be heard on the Waters & beyond.
2 comments:
This lovely leaf ceremony reminds me of the Jewish new year tradition called tashlich. On the second day of Rosh Hashonah, in the afternoon, we would go down by the creek and empty out the lint and crumbs from our pockets and toss them into the running water. In this way, we carry away those leftovers, negatives, and undones from the previoous year and start with clean pockets in the new year.
Ah, I like that. Very, very much! And it's funny that you mention Rosh Hashanah -- a friend of mine stopped by two days ago & had a lengthy story about her experience with that observance this year. A very positive, clearing & closing sort of tale. Good things. :)
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