Autumn is so wonderful and wise; 

yet everything is dying. 

-Hokyo-

This October day seemed more like November with its’ overcast skies, misty air and chilly temperatures. It proved to be a peaceful day of reflection that called to mind the path of the sacred heart. We put a fire in the fireplace and dreamed of other times, past and future, where the seasons meet to create something new and unexpected. We reflected on the darkness and light, sorrows and joys, wonders and wisdom of the ongoing changes that found their way into our lives to expand our constricted awareness. 

What is this transition we all share within the changing seasons of our lives? How is it that we wake up one day to realize we’re somehow in another season of life? Do you remember being in third grade and then suddenly being in high school, in and out of relationships, passing into your forties and. . . being here now? Does time change like the seasons or is it just our perceptions looking from different angles? It seems just the other day I was cradling two babies and now they’re cradling their own. . . .What a shift in perspective. . .

For many of us autumn is a time of mystery as we watch the leaves turn colors, drop from their branches and create humus for new growth. We ponder where we’ve been, where we’re going and why we’re here. We warmly wrap ourselves with memories and hopes for things to come while knowing that we, like the bushes, flowers and trees will one day transform into something we can’t presently see. It’s an ongoing reminder that the only permanence is Impermanence, the only moment is now, and the gift of Life is always Here! 

These reflections take me to some words I remember from St. Francis where he reminds us to be instruments of peace; to sow love, faith, hope, pardon and joy. To console, understand, give and remember that in dying we’re born into a whole new way of life. The mystery of autumn speaks to this mystery of dying and new life. It’s part of a cycle of this earthly experience that’s played out every moment with every being and doing we engage. It’s our eternal ‘wake up’ call to the ongoing cycles of birth, life, death and new life. 

The wonder and wisdom of changing seasons is the ever present reminder that we’re only here for a short time; that we receive life to give life and that nothing can take the place of Life’s loving companion Presence. In our forgetfulness however, we fail to recognize our place in the web of Life. We forget that we are stewards rather than just consumers and worshipers of things. We get caught up in our cultural conditioning and fail to remember our Essence, our True Self, our ever present Divine interconnectivity. 

By living in a materialistic culture, even our spirituality becomes externalized. We build monuments, create special words, actions, ideas, rules, regulations and accepted ways of being and doing that inform our lives. We venerate and worship the forms while forgetting the substance, the very Essence of what the forms point to. As Alan Watts said: “We see the finger pointing to the moon and rather than seeing the moon, we suckle the finger.” The same is true for all physical manifestations of the ineffable, the ever present mystery of Life. . . . Really? ? ? 

How clearly do you see and inwardly digest the wonder and wisdom of this autumn mystery as it lovingly invites you to identify with colored falling leaves flowing gently with peaceful ease? How connected are you to the cycles of life that point to the ever present seasons of birth, life, death and new life? How often do you relax, release and realign yourself with these natural and ever present cycles seeking to awaken an awareness of your interconnectivity? When do you joyfully celebrate the love and reverence of letting go what holds you back for renewal? And finally, how do your react to these questions and can you smile at what they’re asking of you? 

• Over the next weeks, give yourself the gift of meditating with a sagely tree. Slow down long enough to go deep enough and ‘feel’ the energy of this amazing be-ing. What’s the silent message it has for you? Yes, you can even hug the tree and rest in its arms. 

• Reflect on how you experience the ‘things’ you see and give value to. What do they point to beyond their form? What’s the substance, essence of the forms? What might you learn from this experience about the value of Life? 

• Bring your attention to your own form, your physical body, and reflect on its transient nature. View pictures of this form over time and notice how it has changed. Finally, look within and connect with the formless nature of your Being and Belonging. Identify the Essence that came into form and will return to formlessness when the form falls away. Allow this soulful perspective to in-form you and notice what it brings up for You. Are you smiling yet? 

• Give yourself the gifts of Attention, Awareness and Appreciation for all the learning opportunities you have in this earthly life of form and formlessness; permanence and impermanence; attachment and non-attachment. Try giving thanks in all things and. . . . . What might this teach you about the mystery of autumn that’s living within you? Hmm...

Love and Blessings

Fr. Rick+