Autumn 2019 - A Season of Harvest and Remembrance

The summer has been full of learning opportunities as well as moments of rest and reflection.  On midsummer morning I found a beautiful spot near the Delaware River, which has become my sit-spot for the last few months. I visit this place several times a week to enjoy the beauty just before sunrise as the world begins to wake up. 

In June I took a deep dive into the concept of animism with Daniel Foor, Ph.D. at Ancestral Medicine, by looking at how I could strengthen my relationship with the many other-than-human beings that populate my local area. One of the relationships I deepened during the course was with the water via the Delaware River.  I have always been wary of "wild water" or water with a strong current such as the ocean or a river, but through connecting with and creating a deeper relationship with the water, my wariness has now been transformed to understanding and respect for this supportive and loving elder spirit of the river. 

In August I had the opportunity to visit Nine Mountains Retreat and Earthdance in Plainfield, MA. It turns out that the land there is home to a natural mine for the gem rhodonite, known to stimulate, clear and activate the heart.  It was the perfect place for the Earth Eros Embodied Retreat, where I had the chance to develop a more loving relationship with my body and myself while feeling the support and nurturing of many plant allies of the northeast.  

At the end of August, I said farewell to summer with a trip to Cape May, NJ where my family and I had the chance to visit beautiful Sunset Beach.  This beach is unique because it is located right where the Delaware River merges into the Atlantic Ocean.  The beach is covered with numerous smooth rounded pebbles that have traveled more than 200 miles from the Catskill Mountains of New York to the shores of Sunset Beach.  While there we were lucky enough to find a few small "Cape May diamonds," which are quartz stones that have been polished to transparency in their long journey downriver.

September is the beginning of our homeschool year.  I have mixed feelings of both excitement and sadness as we begin, knowing that this year will be the final year of school for our oldest son, Ian, who will graduate in June of next year. Meanwhile, this past month, we have been busy delving into chemistry, ancient history, civics, microbiology, geometry, and a really fabulous life skills car care class.

The month of October brings two blessings as both my sister and sister-in-law are due to give birth this month gifting our extended family with two new beautiful babies!  Besides the regular monthly Constellation Circle, later this month I am holding a special evening Introductory Workshop to Family Constellations at Soulutions for Daily Living on the eve of Samhain/Halloween.  If you are interested in attending please call Soulutions at 215-968-9750 to sign-up. 

I am excited to announce that in November I will be joining the faculty of this year's Seeing with Your Heart Immersion Program with Dan Cohen, Ph.D. and Emily Blefeld, LICSW.   This is a nine-month program created to empower individuals to transform their blocks into resources and manifest their desires. As an assistant, I was deeply moved last year by the transformation that was achieved by all of the participants.  I am looking forward to contributing to that transformation this year!

May you have a blessed and abundant Autumn!