The rains have already begun (hallelujah!), Canadian geese are on the move south, the leaves are turning and beginning to drop, and night temperatures are cooler. Everything in nature is paring down, and moving energy to the roots and into the earth.
Mark the Start of Autumn:
1. Journal queries
2. Write a mission haiku
3. Make a straw doll
1. Journal queries:
This is the second balancing point in the year; in the fall we might gently shift our attention from the physical side of life to the spiritual and mental, to indoor projects and thoughtful pursuits. As the nights lengthen, we have more dark time available, to be alone and to think; to become clear about our intentions; to nurture inner seeds that may not sprout until spring.
This morning I take time to center, and consider the balance in my life.
How well do I balance my physical, mental, and spiritual needs?
How can I balance my personal needs with my commitments to the outside world?
How do I balance my various priorities so they get the appropriate attention?
I also consider the balance in the world - meditate upon what this half of the year will bring, dark and light, and how best I can take right action in the world.
2. Write a mission haiku:
My missions are my various big projects or directions in life. The mission I'm looking at today is to "lead a simple life of integrity".
Today I'll write this mission / intention as a haiku, because a poem has a unique ability of getting to the core of a Truth, and I'm always surprised by what surfaces. Here's the steps I use:
1. Write a brief, evocative sentence or two describing this top mission in my life, and the significant issues that surround it: My purpose is to lead a simple life of integrity, DOING what I must to BE authentic and whole."
2. List the most exciting or pleasing verbs that describe what I want to do with this mission:
writing, gardening, honing down, serving, speaking up.
3. Next, list some core values that prompt this mission:
Integrity, unity, simplicity, earthcare.
4. Turn these sentences, verbs, and values into a haiku (5, 7, and 5 syllables) or a Cinquain (2, 4, 6, 8, and 2 syllables) that gets to the core of my mission, and gives me a framework for my actions.
Integrity is
complexity and order,
making time for love.
3. Make a straw doll:
Wheat and straw weaving is an ancient art form, done all over the world, as a symbol of the harvest. The custom in Europe was to make a straw figure out of the last sheaf of wheat that was harvested, so the spirit of the grain had a place to live through the winter. Then it was planted again in the spring.
I usually make a simple figure on or near to the equinox, with a few pieces of straw and scraps of fabric.Supplies: Straw, carpet thread, scissors, water, cloth scraps
1. Collect a handful of grain, and cut to 6-1/2-inches, leaving some of the grain heads longer.
Tie them together just below the grain heads with carpet thread.
2. Soak a couple of shiny pieces of straw in hot water for about 15 minutes, and flatten them out with your fingers.
Wrap the flat pieces around the head of the figure, and tie at the neck with carpet thread.
3. Tie a few short pieces together at both ends, trim them, and insert them under the head for the arms.
Tie them in place, wrapping thread in a X across the chest.
5. Finally, add a few scraps of bright cloth for a vest or skirt.
Tie them together just below the grain heads with carpet thread.
2. Soak a couple of shiny pieces of straw in hot water for about 15 minutes, and flatten them out with your fingers.
Wrap the flat pieces around the head of the figure, and tie at the neck with carpet thread.
3. Tie a few short pieces together at both ends, trim them, and insert them under the head for the arms.
Tie them in place, wrapping thread in a X across the chest.
5. Finally, add a few scraps of bright cloth for a vest or skirt.
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| 2026 Harvest Doll and Nature Box |
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