Saturday 22 September 2012

The Light And Dark Stand Equal

The Equinox is a time of balance as the light and the dark stand equal. In the Northern Hemisphere, this marks the beginning of the descent into winter, but we should not forget that it marks the ascent into summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Balance; there is always balance. Sometimes we have to look for it, but nature always provides a balance whether it is day and night, light and dark, birth and death...

Yet, we can so easily become focused on the shorter days, the dimming light and the unmistakable chill in the air. It is all too easy to look ahead towards the winter rather than keeping our focus and awareness on the present moment and it is the present moment that truly matters, for this is where we are now; the past is behind us and the future hasn’t happened yet. Whilst we know this to be true, it is simple to get sucked into forward thinking, worrying and pondering about what may, or may not, lie ahead. This is human nature, but the more we focus away from the present moment, the more we deplete and drain our reserves, our energy and our focus.

During this special time of the harvest, we can see, hear and feel the abundance of nature all around us. This is therefore a special time to connect to the harvest, within and without, in order to celebrate all that we have and all that we are. Whilst we may want more in life, it is important to keep our awareness on the present moment, so perhaps it is time to take a moment to give thanks and gratitude instead of pining for what we lack, need or desire? 

Giving thanks is not the same as giving up; this is not a time to let go of dreams and goals, but it is a time to re-focus and re-balance, and from this it is all too likely that our needs, dreams and desires will begin to shift and change. This is part of our personal evolutionary journey through life, and if we can embrace such shifts and remain rooted in the present, then we can begin to celebrate the true majesty of balance in life. 

A flower in nature bends and flexes with the wind; its roots keep it fed, its stem points it toward the light. A bird migrates back and forth across the globe to mate; intuitively knowing where to head, and when. When we consciously step into our own natural cycles, we can begin to see our true essence and flow, and this helps us to ride the waves of life more consciously and gracefully; joyfully and abundantly. 

If we allow it to, modern living can take us away from living in tune with the Earth and with our Selves. Yet, it is possible to live in the modern world and still be at One with the true flow; from watching the sunrise and sunset, to connecting with the seasons or the ebb and flow of the tides, there is always a way to be One with nature.   

The more we step into the One-ness, the more deeply we go within to discover the true riches and treasures that lie hidden and tucked away. There are closets that may hide some profound and possibly painful emotions, but it seems important to have the courage now to go within to bare our souls by standing naked and vulnerable as we illuminate those darkly lit corners within. This takes courage and it takes strength, but in order to become Whole, it seems to be the only option so we can finally be free. 

It is once we have faced the Truth within that we can feel a truer part of the Whole, for we let go of resistance. We can then feel our true power, and, like the majestic, and seemingly calm, tranquil and peaceful mountain, we can begin to connect to the power deep beneath the surface that is glowing, energised and highly active (a volcano waiting to burst into life). It seems that by letting go of resistance and embracing balance, we can find a path for our essence and power to flow freely like magma. If we continue to resist, we can expect a pyroclastic flow to erupt uncontrollably bringing more imbalance and incongruence. 

Volcanoes destroy, but they also create, for out of the ashes comes fertile soils and new life.  Once we can accept the bigger picture that creation and destruction go hand in hand and stand equal, just like the day and night at the time of Equinox, we can begin to feel more centred as we ride the waves with more clarity and confidence, faith and trust. 

Whilst we can never be certain as to what lies ahead, by embracing our true power, we stop resisting and containing, and instead become One with the flow; riding the waves, rather than fighting them or struggling. This doesn’t eradicate the challenges, but it shifts our perception helping us to handle them differently.

So, during this time of balance, it seems time to accept that being a beautiful volcano is not only okay, but it is Truth. This is not about wielding power or embracing destructive tendencies though, it is about becoming fully conscious of all aspects of Self and knowing that we are not just beings of Light, but we are beings of Dark as well. In other words, we are balance.