Good
and gracious Tuesday! We move toward Mabon this week and as such we
begin to say good bye to Persephone! I do not accept the patriarchal
rewriting of Her Story where She is stolen away by Hades, raped and kept
captive. No, I accept the original story where Persephone makes the
decision to leave the care of Her mother, Demeter, to care for the
Underworld for 6 months.
We have a lot to learn from this story
and I think it may be why this time of year is always different for me. I
was married in the Fall. Both my miscarriages happened in the Fall, I
returned to work after the birth of both my children, in the Fall. Then
my children went to public school and then college, in the Fall. And I
ended my 30 year marriage in the Fall.
Persephone stands for me: Major Transitions.
It is necessary that Persephone leaves Her mother, Demeter. And as we
all do, during major transitions, we grieve. Demeter grieved so much
that even when Hecate came to minister to Demeter and assured Her that
Her daughter was ok; Demeter still was so sad that the Garden rested and
went barren.
One of the major gifts of aging is the ability to
look back and see how life unfolded and have faith that it will continue
to unfold for our highest good! I learn a lot in the Fall. I learn
about being quiet, about what harvest looks like in my life and the life
of others. I learn about sharing what I have with others and I learn to
be a gracious receiver when I am in need of something from someone
else.
I am drawn to going within and "licking my wounds", of
acknowledging what has died and what I need to let die! Patricia
Monaghan says in her book: Seasons of the Witch: "This is the time to
decide what will die. Not all of last spring's calves and lambs and
ducklings can be fed through the winter. Some will die, and in the dying
provide food. It is a season of decisions. And of prophecies: for as
other life dies, it foreshadows our own deaths.... As she moves through
autumn, a woman.... does not try to nurture everything and everyone, for
she knows not all can---should----survive. She becomes selective. There
is enough of everything---strength, love, passion, lust---everything
but time."
Persephone leaving Her mother, had Demeter realize that. What would it look like if we followed suit.
We know that Persephone will return to Demeter and to us bringing
flowers, vegetation, and all that grows to nourish and sustain us. That
is Hope. But what about those who have lost that hope? That seem to be
my challenge in the Fall and Winter.
The answer is we share from
our Harvest! We each have something to bring to the Table. It may not
be actual food and water, but it may be compassion, understanding, a
sweet and unexpected note, or a message of "I get it and I care."
Mabon will arrive without a fanfare, without fireworks and without
front page news, but come She will. She will come in Silence. Soon,
Persephone will be deep within the Cave and before we know it, our fires
will be lit, the harvest will be over and we will be cuddled up on our
chairs with hot cocoa and a good book!
May we all be aware of
the Silence, of the need and the want and the deep stirrings in our soul
of what it means to be without Persephone for the next 6 months!
Blessed be and So mote it be!
