Autumn Equinox and the End of Summer

Succulent hedgerow blackberries

Summer officially ended yesterday. The reality of autumn is all around. I'm just back from a walk along Wick Hollow, down to Paddington Farm, past Gog and Magog and back via Paradise Lane, a favourite route.

I notice firstly the calmness, the earth's quiet mood. Then the hedgerow harvest: blackberries now super ripe in unrelenting abundance, random apples decaying and fermenting on the ground. Shiny brown horse chestnuts bounce along the lanes, newly ejected from their spiky jackets.

The trees are tipped red, yellow and bronze and as the wind picks up, a graceful cascade of dry leaves tumbles into my path.

I am in wistful mood, basking in a bittersweet melancholy that I can almost taste. Memories of spring and summer are still fresh and vivid. I am still wearing my summer clothes, with some additional layering. No need  for gloves and scarves; yet that is where we are headed.  The seductive imaginings of a country winter: rosy cheeks and mittened hands, booted feet crunching the frosted earth. Of bare silhouettes of trees and stark skies. Woodsmoke. The pale and elusive winter sun.

Balance point of dark and light

This is the time of the autumn equinox, a brief interlude in the wheel of the year, a balance point with days and nights in equilibrium after which we turn away from the light and progress steadily and certainly towards the dark.

As a yoga practioner,  I find a parallel with the breath. In certain pranayam techniques one cultivates an equal length of inhalation and exhalation, rechaka and puraka. Kumbhaka, retention, is the cessation of breath and body activity, the supreme moment.

The cycle of the breath is repeated many times within a minute, the cycle of the earth's revolution of the sun occupies a full calendar year, yet the principle is the same; expansion, pause, contraction.

I use equinox as a moment out of time, an opportunity to look back at what has been and ahead, towards what is to come.

It has been a curious summer, of witnessing with confusion the falling away of many structures and circumstances that supported me. The releasing of a longterm relationship. Of markedly less activity in work and in my social life. Of making do with less, materially and financially.

The flipside of which has been the deepening into what remains. Primarily my relationship with myself, discovering the jewel in the lotus, the sacred centre within. 

Understanding the gift and the prerogative of presence. Redefining abundance. Strengthening key friendships, gaining greater fulfilment from quieter times. Hearing the voices of the natural world speaking louder and singing in my heart.

As far as looking ahead, well this is a wonderful time to be in Glastonbury. A time of sharing and nurture, coming together and slowing down after the scattered exuberance of summer. To spend the autumn and winter here is truly to know the heart of Avalon. My plans however are leading me elsewhere... In this moment I am here and I celebrate!

Recommended Autumn Equinox events in Glastonbury:


Thursday 22nd September 8pm -
Community Celebration, Assembly Rooms, High St
www.assemblyrooms.org.uk

Friday 23rd September 12pm -
Chalice Well Wheel of the Year Festival and Meditation
www.chalicewell.org.uk

Pagan Gathering Under the Stars
Cinnamon Lane 7pm
Contact Morgan: 01458 835518

Enjoy this time of balance and pause

Equinox blessings

Jennifer

Taking Time Out for Myself

Enjoying quiet time at home

I'm getting good at listening to myself, understanding and honouring the messages from within. For the last couple of weeks I have felt the need to rest at home quietly and spend time with myself.

This is quite beautiful, as it resonates with the rythmic cycle of the seasons and the slow yet obvious sloping away of energy as we turn to face the autumn equinox and beyond that the darkening into winter in the northern hemisphere as we rotate away from the sun.

I have a practice of self-honouring and self-care, by which I mean I commit to looking after myself, as a sacred contract, which I renew daily in the form of prayer, meditation or affirming intention.

This subverts years, decades of patterning and behaviour during which the opposite was true; I gave up listening to myself, I was woefully unaware of my true needs and would override any inner messages that managed to get through.

I made everything more important than myself; work especially, also other peoples needs. I had a definition of my own needs which tended to decrease rather than support health: the mixed blessings of the modern age which mercifully we are now waking up and reconsidering: status, shopping, rich food and all kinds of indulgences.

My physical and emotional self suffered and eventually collapsed under the strain, leading to recurrent episodes of chronic fatigue, burn out and depression. My spiritual self was ever present I guess but buried within and lost to me; I was lost to myself.

Early signs of autumn: time to turn inward

I have loved myself back to health and happiness and reconnected with my inner being. Staying true to my whole self is a full time job and even now, I can feel guilty about prioritising my clear and obvious need for rest and quiet time, when I feel that I should be engaged more actively with the world.

This success mentality, the attitude of doing, imposing goals, timetables and outcomes leads to imbalance not only in the individual experience but collectively too. Its a big one to shift and I need to acknowledge myself when I intervene and act preventatively. Which I am beginning to do more easily.

So when I received two potent dreams on consecutive nights, both indicating fatigue I knew I had to stop. Firstly, a refridgerator fully iced in; my laptop embedded within, frozen. Either I was going to seize up or I needed a break from writing and the internet.

Secondly, wading uphill in Glastonbury town, through knee deep water feeling too tired to continue: meaning I was getting  burnt out in town; time to pull back.

This time, the guilt was minimal and I allowed myself to enjoy this special time; a retreat at home.

Living in a small and interconnected dynamic community of Glastonbury, complete seclusion was unrealistic. Two days into my exile, even the meter reader from the power company felt the need to tell me, unprompted, all about her healing experience at Chalice Well!

I am getting comfortable with setting personal boundaries. I have let go of worrying that friends will feel excluded or rejected. I say; I'm taking a some time out at home, I'll give you a call in a few days and we can do something lovely together.

I get positive feedback on this, such as Wow you are really looking after yourself, or I should really do that! Take good rest

Nurturing the Inner Self

So I keep my home clean and uncluttered and bring in fresh flowers, burn incense and candles, throughout the day. The computer is resting too, unplugged. I meditate upon deities; Shiva and Ganesha, the Goddess of the Ganga. I practice yoga asana, I chant and pray.

I rest deeply in my own presence, giving myself the quality time and attention I deserve.

I sit in the garden, face upturned to catch the still warm delicious golden rays of the Spetember sun. I forage  in a nearby abandoned orchard, collecting armfuls of tiny apples, blushed pink.

I recall how I sang bhajans under a particular tree with friends in early spring as the blossoms were forming and we looked forward to the summer ahead.

Eschewing electric light, I take myself to bed as the sun sets, free of the restraints of clock time and rise before dawn, opening the doors to receive the day.

Early morning walking the circumference of Glastonbury Tor and receiving the energising morning prana as the sun's appearance burns away the mists of Avalon while still sleepy sheep huddle against the slopes of this holy hill.

My dreams became more vivid and my ablity to feel deeply and receive intuition becomes heightened, I begin to feel restored.

Then the call back to a fuller engagement: the feeling of wanting to connect and share with others. The urge to write and a wonderful dream: of newly de-cluttered kitchen cupboards, I open them all to find order and spaciousness and there is an accompanying feeling of contentment and wellbeing: Meaning I have created some much needed internal space.

I am now ready to resume and rejoin the flow of life, relaxed and feeling peaceful once more. I wonder what's next....?

Intentions and affirmations

I listen with love to my body's messages (Louise Hay)

My intuition is always on my side

My dreams are a valuable source of wisdom  and guidance to me

I give myself permission to slow down and stop

I take really good care of myself at all times

Tine with myself is precious and wonderful

My friends are understanding and supportive of my needs

It is safe to let go

I am nourished by quiet time with myself

Why not give yourself permission to slow down and stop?

Peaceful blessings,

Jennifer

Shepton Mallet and Street: A tale of two lidos

Lovely clean 1930's architecture

A scarlet sycamore leaf, curled at the edges and brittle dry floated in the clear blue water. Though the day was warm and sunny, there was an underlying chill and the sense of autumn coming in.

It's the final week of opening for Greenbank outdoor pool in Street, where I have been happily swimming since the start of the season at the end of April.

Membership renewal letters arrive in the first half of April which is massively exciting as one can look to the summer ahead. Today's floating leaf is a sure sign of summer being over and it is indeed bittersweet.

I took a moment to pause, acknowledge and appreciate how much I have loved coming here. The feeling of entering the water at the start of my swim, every day like the first time, receiving the water's warm and supportive embrace and my body expressing joy at the freedom of movement. Ploughing lengths steadily up and down has become a mindfulness practice for me, freeing the mind as I stay present to a new set of sensations in body and breath. The regular sounds of moving water complete the meditation.

Well tended lawns 

My exercise is witnessed by the ever changing British summer skies, and I am an all weather swimmer. I enjoy the hedonistic exuberance of hot high summer when families gather on the lawns, packs of teenagers too and the pool itself becomes a colourful vibrating squawking mass of shrieks, laughter and splashing.

I favour cooler, wet days. My favourite swims this season have been when I have donned my waterproofs, mounted my bicycle and cycled over in the rain, enjoying all the sensations and blessings of water. On such occasions one finds oneself surrounded in steam as warm water from the pool rises and condenses. Heavy downpours and moody black and grey clouds create a dramatic scenery.

When I have completed my swim I like to take a cold shower at the side of the pool, a sturdy hand cranked mechanism. Then scurry into the changing area, also open to the air, for more water therapy from the hot and powerful showers.

Swimming at Greenbank is a community affair. You will see regular faces (and bodies!) in the pool,  many (such as myself) show up for a swim most days. Sporty guys thrashing like sharks, its best to get out of their way! Young girls dart and dive like water nymphs, quick and graceful, young boys bombing and diving until reproached by the lifeguards. Older women swimming two abreast and chatting, reminding me of ducks. Most have a season ticket which makes it very affordable, additional discounts are available for Street residents.

Ladies outdoor showers

Some may not like the idea of swimming in chlorinated water, but as an outdoor pool, fumes evaporate off and honestly it doesn't feel overly chemicalised. And yes I love to swim in lakes, in the ocean, in rivers and under waterfalls too.

Living in town this is a practical and real solution that fits in well with daily life in Glastonbury: Greenbank pool is located three miles away in the commercial town of Street.

Is it heated? I get asked this a lot, usually by people who like the sound of an outdoor swim, but are hesitant because of the cold. I'm quite into the cold water experience and think it supports health and invigorates the body. And the pool is heated to a consistent temperature that is warm enough for most.

As all lidos, Greenbank represents a living history with roots in our once thriving industrial past. It has been granted Grade II listed building status. Taken from the pool's website, here is a brief summary:

Greenbank Pool was a gift to the people of Street from Alice Clark in 1937. The town's prosperity came from the Clark family firm of shoemakers, and the present-day headquarters of Clarks is still based in Street, close to the Pool and the Clark's factory shopping village.

Much of the housing adjacent to the Pool was originally built for factory workers and before the Pool was built the local men and boys used to swim naked in the nearby River Brue. Alice Clark was a strong supporter of womens rights and left money in her will indicating that she wished a pool to be built so that the women and girls would have somewhere to swim.

The Pool is a registered charity held in trust and administered by a management committee.

 

I take delight in the idea of swimming naked in the river Brue, a spot still favoured by some. How charming of Alice Clark to propose a more genteel solution for the town's womenfolk!

Further information and links www.greenbankpool.co.uk 

Lido entrance

I took a couple of dips in another pool, again quite local to Glastonbury, at Shepton Mallet Lido. Another ongoing episode of social history. It's quite a contrast to Greenbank pool and I would not want to compare the two as they are so different in character. 

Shepton Mallet has, to be honest, a somewhat down trodden air, a market town formerly sustained by farming (Shepton = Sheep Town) and now dominated by a new edge of town Tesco and retail park, it speaks the story of many small towns across the UK. The fact that the lido has survived and was redeveloped in recent years speaks of resilience and survival.

The water is ingeniously heated from the industrial process at the immediately adjacent cider factory.  Heat produced when the factory chills its drinks is passed through a system of pipes to the pool. This means that the temperature is not constant.  I was greeted by an handwritten notice, taped to the window, informing me that the pump had broken and it may not be warm enough to swim in. My heart beat a little faster in my chest: a challenge!

Pool with cider factory next door

I paid my fee to the slightly bored attendant who now due to my presence would have to sit outside and watch the pool under the heavy showers.  

It was raining hard, mercurial silver raindrops pelted the pool like bullets. Vast cylindrical metal tanks to one side and rolling Somerset pastureland on the other, somewhat dilapidated social housing ahead it was a curious landscape. 

I was the sole swimmer, and the water was cold, yet refreshingly so. I managed about fifteen minutes, a dozen lengths before I started to lose communication to my limbs. 

The showers and changing facilities are enclosed and basic. I didn't linger. I didnt feel a sense of care and did expect a higher level of hygiene and tidiness. If it were my regular pool I might find this challenging.

Shepton Mallet lido is managed by Avalon Leisure who direct local municipal leisure resources. This means that if you are a member of any local leisure centre, entrance is free or included. I hope that this pool continues to receive support, and also a little love and caring.

Opening times, location and more information from Avalon Leisure  

www.avalonleisure.co.uk/shepton-mallet-lido

Archived article from Mendip Council www.mendip.gov.uk/NewsArticle

Monday is Moon Day

During the summer I was introduced to the idea of days of the week being named after the planets.

This had never occurred to me although obviously the Gregorian calendar is based on planetary cycles: months approximately one lunar cycle and a year representing the time taken for the Earth to journey around the Sun.

I would like to share the following unabridged commentary on the esoteric meaning of Monday, which I recorded at New Holistic Camp 2011.

Elucidated by Tchenka, an alchemical astrologist, who held the morning meetings. On first hearing I was struck by Tchenka's natural eloquence and grace, she was completely unscripted, speaking from the heart, and her words form a beautiful prayer or meditation.  

  

The moon reflects the light of the sun, reflected polarised light, that's what special about moonlight, no light of its own, pure reflection.

And it rules the waters the tides, the tide of life, the growth and reproduction of nature, the rise and fall of the sap, it is the Mother: Artemis, Phoebe, Diana

The spirit moved upon the waters of the Earth and brought forth life, the water within us captures the light and grows in response to the light.

Vivacious Tchenka

We have the earth, our bodies; we have air, the breath which connects us; fire which is our warmth and vitality and the life spark that quickens us and the water, we are 98% water, let's be aware of our wateryness.

Water is the soul, the part of us that captured spirit and held it within our bodies, so Monday is a soulful day.

We feel as emotions, those feelings inside how they ebb and flow and change from one thing to another! Somethimes like a rushing sparkling stream, sometimes like a great still lake. 

It is water that connects us on the level of compassion and feeling to all the rest of life. Even the smallest blade of grass is full of life: water really links us.

Tchenka is associated with the UK Wheel of Astrologers  

www.wheelofastrologers.co.uk

Santosa Summer Camp: Living in the Land of Yoga

Morning meetings were well attended

Simplicity, purity, sharing and devotion: Santosa Yoga Camp unfolded as a sattvic finale to the festival year. Living in the land of yoga in the beautiful vale of Avalon as summer concluded.

I had selected low key events this season; basing my choices on gate protocols.

No more wristbands, walkie-talkies or security guards. I needed to be greeted with a hug, by gentle people who knew my name. Hedgerows not fences: I needed to feel LOVE.

I had been offered a teaching ticket and decided to share an Inner Yoga; an introspective journey using mantra, mudra, pranayama and restorative poses enabling practitioners to experience and work with the subtle energy body.

Juice o'clock!

As the event approached, the weather was mixed, but I would be safe and dry in my caravan or a short sprint from home if things got heavy.

I had just landed back in town from New Holistic Camp and was keen to stay in the flow of camp life, living outside, simply, creating community in nature.

Most days I awoke at first light and was vivified by sunrise and birdsong. An obligingly unused yurt was an ideal space for asana self-practice.


Then I would bathe under a cool, clear spring in the adjacent field and join fellow devotees to sing bhajans - all before breakfast.

Being late August there was plenty of foraging to be done in the local lanes. I located elderberry, blackberry and some stunning wild mint.

I made a couple of visits to the nearby lido at Shepton Mallet, courtesy of a bicycle loan from a generous crew member (Fluorescent green pedals! Thanks George!). The simple sauna, constructed in a bender with a woodburning stove inside was a daily requirement. I really felt that I was purifying and cleansing on all levels of being.

Tanya and John were sorted for sprout

The law of attraction meant that I was serendipidously sited next to a trusted festival friend Annette. I made some great new connnections too.

The raw of attraction was in operation: my other neighbours were Ian and Aradhana of Positive Living Bath, we share mutual friends and a passion for living foods and juicing. They are both yoga practioners and really easy to be around.

Aradhana was holding raw treat workshops and was carrying some impressive technology, including a Swiss hand blender.  I persuaded them by demonstration to upgrade their Easy Health manual juicer to the mighty Z Star which I use in my caravan.

Across the field, were another raw couple who were living foods enthusiasts, so much so that their caravan annex was a de facto growing room with stacking shelves and a mini shop.

Tanya started chatting when she noticed my trays of sprouts (barley grass, baby sunflower greens and snow pea shoots). She explained that her partner John had converted to the living foods lifestyle in response to a serious health condition and had visited the Hippocrates Institute in Florida to educate himself and ultimately others.

They were friendly, passionate and committed and it was great to discuss the finer details of juicing and sprouting and we will stay in touch. John is growing some enticing sounding fruit at their home in Gloucestershire, such as goji berries and honey berries. With three acres of land they are living the dream!

Detail from the Bhakti space

I was thrilled to meet Lucy Crisfield and Alex Honeymann, both musicians, a divine couple whom I knew of by reputation. They travel widely and present their very different material together, it really works.

Alexander is a singer songwriter who presented personalised versions of classic bhajans as well as his own material, which really speaks of the healing and ascension of humanity at this time.

Lucy offers the classic form; she has studied Vedic chanting in India and texts from other spiritual traditions. She gave a truly commanding rendition of Sri Rudraprasana, invoking Lord Shiva by reciting his many names.

Bhajelo ji hanumann!

Bharati and Dinesh are another divine couple, experienced, mature and compassionate musicians who for me epitomise the spirit bhakti, the yoga of devotion.

They were tireless! Evening kirtan followed on from afternoon devotional chanting and they showed up for morning bhajans too.

I would gladly attend any future event they are part of as I truly respect their work and am inspired by their attitude and pure presence.

In an auspicious moment, Bharati and Dinesh  initiated me in chanting the Hanuman Chalisa: a beautiful prayer to the monkey faced deity. Accompanied by the vibrating tones of the harmonium, we read from tiny books from Indian written in Sanskrit and transliterated into English.

Joined by yoga empress and all round goddess Uma Dinsmore-Tully who birthed the Santosa Camps, I knew myself to be profoundly blessed and was grateful to be receiving in this way.

Boys will be boys

Other magic moments included sharing lentil soup in the pouring rain around a camp fire, courtesy of the beautiful, vibrant Sultan.

Witnessing a spear chucking contest, a small tribe of boys armed, rewilded and empowered thanks to Ben, who was putting an end to his children being teased for attending yoga camp This year they're going home with weapons, he declared firmly. 




Join us in 2012! www.sitaram.org/sitaram/santosa-yoga-camp

Aradhana, Ian and friends www.positivelivingbath.co.uk

Bhakti bliss assured www.bharatidinesh.co.uk

Great inspiration www.lucycrisfield.com