Posts Tagged ‘fall equinox’

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Fireplace mantel decorated for Fall

The Fall Equinox is near, are you looking forward to Fall weather as much as I am? It’s my favorite time of year and I start by decorating my home in preparation for the season.  I start in my library, placing pumpkins, gourds and leaves on the mantle and like the falling leaves outside, they spread around my home, covering tables and anywhere in the home that I think needs a touch of Fall. I even have a blackboard in the breakfast room that I change seasonally with quotes and happy affirmations to share with family and friends.

To me, the seasons are one of the greatest gifts we have here on earth, as they remind us that time is moving along and that the only constant in life is change.  Everything about the Fall season makes me excited to be alive, the crisp cool air, the cascade of colors on the trees, the hint of warm apples, pumpkins, cinnamon and cider in the air and the mellowing of the Sun as it still shines but now with a warm golden glow, rather than the bright white of summer.

Table set for Fall and Halloween with pumpkins and owl

Fall means that the holidays are on their way, starting with my favorite, Halloween. I think we should decorate as extensively for Fall and the entire Autumnal season as we do for the Winter/Christmas season. This can begin well before Halloween with natural decor in warm colors. When Halloween draws near, add to the decor with ghosts, bats and other creatures of the night and then after Halloween, return back to the natural decor with leaves, pumpkins, corn and embellishments for Thanksgiving.

It’s also a wonderful time of year to enjoy the outdoors after such a long hot summer and take a walk and spend some time in nature. If you are looking for natural products to add to your collection as a light worker, it’s a great time to find feathers dropped by birds and good sturdy branches that have fallen from trees from the recent high winds, that would make for great wands and staffs.

The possibilities are endless, use your imagination and intuition to determine what feels like Fall for you and then go wild! I’d love to hear from you about your favorite fall decorations and what you love about the season.

I share other tips on how to Spiritually Celebrate the Fall Equinox in my article here on the Huffington Post.

May the Spirit of Fall bless your home and all who reside within,

All the best,

*~Kala~*

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Each September, once Labor Day has passed and we’ve put away our white shoes for the season; there’s a noticeable crisp change in the air and a mellowing of the sunlight guiding our thoughts to turn toward the season of fall. In some parts of the U.S., the landscapes are ablaze with vibrant colors of red, yellow and orange as the trees put on a dazzling show for several months. The official marker of the fall season is the fall equinox, which arrives this year on Sept. 23, 2011 at 5:05 AM EDT. In ancient civilizations, where agriculture was the focus of activities in the village community, the fall equinox was often celebrated in a variety of rituals and festivals, which portrayed the bounty of the harvest through abundance, gratitude and reflection.

In this modern age, we are not as directly connected with the earth and the harvest season. But, it is still possible to observe this passage of time in order to express an appreciation and awareness of our connection and relationship with nature.

Here are three ways to recognize and acknowledge the special attributes that the season brings to our consciousness on the mind, body and spirit level.

See my suggestions on how to celebrate the fall equinox with family and friends in my column on the Huffington Post. 

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Revel in the Magic of Halloween

The spirit of Halloween has a tradition for everyone to enjoy. Perhaps it’s time to open up to the possibilities…. On this Halloween Eve, I offer ten tradition-filled ways to celebrate and embrace the magic of the season including:

1. Find love with a magic apple.
If you’re single, select a juicy red apple and peel the skin in one long piece. Hold the peel of the apple in your hand and say aloud, ‘As I fling this apple peel, my true love’s name will be revealed’. Fling the apple peel over your head and turn around to look at the shape that the peel forms on the ground. It is said that the apple peel will form into the first initial of your true love’s name.

2. Dance in the moonlight.
It’s not quite a full moon this Halloween, but Lady Luna will be shining bright. Let your hair down, light a candle, put on some music and dance in the moonlight.  Need I say more? Let your inner wild child come out and play!

3. Celebrate the ‘Day of the Dead’ – Mexico style.
Honor friends and family who have passed on to the other side. Host a special dinner and set a place for departed loved ones at the table. Light a candle at their seated place of honor and include framed photos. During dinner, share stories about all of the wonderful memories of your deceased loved ones.

4. Have a ‘Come As You Were’ costume party.
Take a step back in time and explore your past lives. Invite guests to come to your party dressed in a costume representing who they were in a past life. The conversations will be endless as each person shares who they were in a past life and how they lived.

5. Reach out as a volunteer to help others enjoy the holiday.
Nursing homes appreciate volunteers to help out with holiday festivities, as do charities with fund raising events. Spend Halloween spreading the spirit of the season with others and make a difference in your community.

6. Have a seed planting celebration.
Many cultures celebrate Halloween as the end of the year and November 1st as the New Year. Invite friends to celebrate New Year’s Eve on Halloween and make resolutions for the new year. Hand out packages of seeds to each of your guests and invite them to plant new seeds of thought this Fall which will manifest and bloom with new dreams in the Spring. Don’t forget to plant your carved pumpkins in the ground with your seeds, they make great compost.

7. Turn out the lights, curl up on the couch and scare yourself silly by watching paranormal TV shows including:
A & E’s
Paranormal State
The History Channel’s
Real Wolfman
and
The Travel Channel’s
Ghost Advenutres

8. Enlighten others on the history of Halloween and help end harmful and baseless superstitions.
Help debunk a superstition that is based on fear, like the one that says black cats are bad luck. In Ancient Egypt, black cats were revered in honor of the goddess Bast. Many cultures find black cats to be the luckiest color of all. Read WikiAnswers for more information on how black cats have been revered throughout the ages by many cultures. Share how Halloween is celebrated in various customs around the world. This website has some beautiful photos showcasing how the holiday is celebrated in different countries.

9. Have a horror movie trivia competition and film festival.
Rent several classic horror movies and invite friends over to engage in a movie trivia competition followed up by watching the films. Read my article on Best Paranormal Movies of All Time to find a great selection to rent.

10. Listen to supernatural interviews on the Explore Your Spirit show with Mary Ann Winkowski the Ghost Whisperer (on whom the tv show Ghost Whisperer is based on) along with Werewolves with Dr. Bob Curran, Vampires with Brad Steiger and Ghosthunting Texas with April Slaughter.

Happy Haunting!

More about Kala Ambrose:
Kala is an award winning author, intuitive and talk show host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show. Her thought-provoking interviews entice listeners to tune in around the globe! Described by her guests and listeners as discerning, empowering and inspiring, she speaks with world renowned authors, artists, teachers and researchers delving into metaphysical, holistic and paranormal topics. Kala’s  book, 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled delves into the mysteries of ancient Egyptian mystery schools and explains their wisdom teachings. Kala lectures on Esoteric Teachings,  Developing Business Intuition, Working with Auras, Chakras and Energy Fields, and Wise Woman Wisdom (also known as the Divine Feminine). Kala’s Guided Meditations CD’s have just been released with Spirit of Hawaii and Egyptian Mystery Temple and Tibetan Mountain Journey.  More info: www.ExploreYourSpirit.com

Enjoyed this article? Kala welcomes your comments and reads them all. For more articles by Kala Ambrose, visit her main page at National Metaphysical Spirituality Examiner.

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The official date of the Fall Equinox this year, where night and day meet in equal balance, is September 22, 2009 at 5:18 pm EDT. For many cultures the fall equinox is celebrated on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels including; gathering the harvest (abundance), offering thanks for the bounty received (gratitude) and reviewing the results from the growing season (reflection). It is a propitious occasion to reflect upon the undertakings of the year, using the opportunity to transform each experience into wisdom and restore balance if needed. Given that the equinox of 2009 occurs during Mercury retrograde, there is greater probability that actions from this year will return for review. As the autumnal season signifies the final harvest from the fields, it’s also time to review how well the seeds of thoughts and dreams planted in the spring have flourished into an abundant harvest this fall.

In this spirit of thanksgiving and contemplation, take the time to offer gratitude to each person met this year, whether the encounter appeared to have been positive or not. By doing this each person who created an impact on one’s journey is honored at the soul level. In life all people are simultaneously teachers and students. It is difficult to fully understand what has not been experienced. Thus, the journey of life is one of seeking experience. From experience comes knowledge and applied knowledge ripens into wisdom. By honoring the experience, each moment becomes sacred with personal and divine value representing that all encounters present the opportunity to learn and grow.

These cumulative actions create an auspicious window to release excess baggage and stagnant energy (prune), in which to begin the new year with a clean slate. Letting go of limiting thoughts and actions (what has been reaped and sown), changes the future by manifesting an open, positive and receptive atmosphere to bring new ideas to fruition.

Of great importance to remember during this time is that the only constant in life is change; events will occur, choices are made, and actions are generated. While the past cannot be altered, the bountiful harvest of wisdom gained from each experience is a gift. Life can present us with great tragedy and tremendous joy. With a discerning mind, we can locate the grains of wisdom and insight to plant as seeds for the future.

Ways to Celebrate: The Fall Equinox is a wonderful time to celebrate abundance, gratitude and reflection with family and friends. Celebrate this occasion by hosting a special dinner. Decorate your home and table using leaves, berries, cornucopias and the colors of Autumn; orange, brown, red and gold. Pumpkins, apples, seeds, bread and gourds are traditional items to display and include in the dinner. To connect each guest with the celebration, ask them to bring an item to share that signifies what they harvested this year, whether in their garden or in their life. For example, one could bring honey to signify they have learned how to appreciate sweetness in life. At the dinner party ask each person to share what they have learned this year regarding gratitude, abundance, growth or creativity and then offer a toast to each experience with red wine or apple or grape juice. Enjoying the equinox with good friends can lead to empowering conversations, facilitating the opportunity for each guest to reflect on the good in their lives and reaffirm their commitment to go forth and create their dreams.

More about Kala Ambrose:
Kala is an award winning author, intuitive and talk show host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show. Her thought-provoking interviews entice listeners to tune in around the globe! Described by her guests and listeners as discerning, empowering and inspiring, she speaks with world renowned authors, artists, teachers and researchers delving into metaphysical, holistic and paranormal topics. Kala’s  book, 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled delves into the mysteries of ancient Egyptian mystery schools and explains their wisdom teachings. Kala lectures on Esoteric Teachings,  Developing Business Intuition, Working with Auras, Chakras and Energy Fields, and Wise Woman Wisdom. Kala’s Guided Meditations CD’s have just been released with Spirit of Hawaii and Egyptian Mystery Temple and Tibetan Mountain Journey.  More info: www.ExploreYourSpirit.com

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