Witching hour along the horizon…

It’s fall y’all! The time for cool air, leaves changing color, day fires, pumpkins, cider drinks, corn mazes, (unfortunately) shorter daylight hours (good for all you night walkers out there) and the more global holidays, All Hallow’s Eve and the Day of the Dead.

And let me say when cooler weather approaches, so does.... pumpkin spice. What is it about this time of year that people go nuts for pumpkin spice? It is like they had a spell cast upon them. Or maybe pumpkin spice was the outcast of the 90’s hit British band, Spice Girls and claimed it’s own season forever more. But in all seriousness, I do like pumpkin spice, but not enough to make everything in sight about pumpkin spice. Nothing against those who do, I just want to study your brain for a bit.

Fall, I have heard people say its about the plants and trees dying. People rejoice in the piles of dead leaves and such but that seems to be a pretty bleak outlook on this season. In truth without the natural progression of tree life, we wouldn’t see the blooming process in spring.

Trees are grand teachers to us humans, if we only listen and watch them, as they do us. When the leaves fall, we should take note and release all that might be holding us back. Your home might be too cluttered with trinkets from summer and the time for those items are past. Shed the outer layer of filth so in winter you may renew yourself. Greek legends have given us a story to follow along and answers as to why Autumn is the time for crops to perish and the daylight to be so short. Legend says Persephone, Queen of the Underworld and daughter of Demeter (Goddess of fertility and harvest), is captured by Hades and taken into the Underworld while picking flowers with her mother. When Demeter saw that her daughter was gone, she fell into a deep sorrow and searched for her relentlessly.

While her mother was searching for her, Persephone wed Hades, King of the Underworld, where she began to rule alongside him. When her mother found Persephone’s whereabouts she demanded Hades to release her. While in capture, Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds which granted her access to return to Hades every year. In Greek mythology, if someone is to eat food from the captor, they are bound to return to them.

So, a part of the year Persephone is with her mother Demeter, who tends to the earth and keeps it fertile. Another part of the year Persephone returns to Hades, leaving her mother in a sorrowful state, which in turn makes Demeter disregard her duties of the land, hence winter.

So, the time of fall is upon us and whether you drink pumpkin spice, fall into Hades, or cast a spell, do it with the thought of kindness and health, for winter is coming. The darkness is longer and who knows what lurks beyond. Enjoy your spooky season.

“‘Aren’t you afraid of my darkness, my dear?’ Hades asked with mischief in his eyes. ‘No,’ Persephone replied, ‘You haven’t seen mine yet.’” - unknown

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