Autumn Equinox Incense Mix 20g - 21st Sept

Autumn Equinox Natural Resin Incense - AUTUMN EQUINOX - 21st September - Gone are the lazy summer days. Autumn is knocking on the door. With a last burst of exuberance the sun paints the leaves for a festive display before its final decline. It is a time to get busy - bringing in the last of the harvest and preserving it for the lean times to come. Now is the time of reckoning - for we shall reap as we sowed. For the moment there is plenty, a cornucopia of fruit to be grateful for and to celebrate with a harvest feast - but will it last through the dark half of the year' Today is a day of equilibrium - night and day hold their balance - but tomorrow the dark forces are beginning to win the upper hand. Autumn Equinox is a time to celebrate the harvest and the abundant gifts of the earth. It is a time to reflect and be grateful for that which nourishes and sustains us. FESTIVAL: Everything has its season - there is a time to be born and a time to grow, a time to learn and a time to mature, there is a time to live and a time to die, a cycle of seasons that marks the passage of time. Each time of the year has its beauty and its special gifts, but inevitably the wheel must turn and the season will pass - until its time comes around again. The seasonal cycle gives rhythm to time. Today it is easy to ignore the necessities of time that dominated the lives of our ancestors until quite recently. It is easy to forget that time is not linear, but cyclical in nature and although we may ignore it, deep within our hearts we move to that same rhythm as the earth. Our ancestors could not escape the seasonal cycle as we can today. On the contrary, it was crucial to their survival. Naturally, they were much more keenly aware of the seasonal changes, which they celebrated with their annual festival cycle. In the Celtic traditions of northern Europe this cycle consisted of 8 festivals, the quarter days, which marked the equinoxes and solstices and the cross-quarter days, which marked the 'in-between times'. The cycle of the season was envisioned as the story of the Earth Goddess and Sun Child, which becomes her lover and husband and together they make the Earth fertile and abundant. At the Summer Solstice he reaches his peak and must die. His declining power still ripens the fruit, but by the time harvest comes he is dead. The life-force retreats and the Earth Goddess is mourning, until she realizes that she is pregnant. At Winter Solstice she gives birth to the Sun God once again. His power is restored and her womb is fertile once again and so the cycle of life starts all over. The seasonal festivals marked the ‘stations’ of the year. At these times we are at a threshold when time, for a moment seems to stand still and everybody, young and old came together to celebrate the cosmic drama of the Earth Goddess and the Sun King. For a brief interlude the rules and routines of everyday life were set aside and the focus of the community was directed towards the Gods and the changing balance of male and female forces in nature. USE: As without - so within. The seasonally shifting energy reflects on the inner rhythms of the soul. Today, most of us are out of touch with the seasons of nature and the crucial points in time that determine the rhythm of the growing cycle. However, those rhythms still beat within our hearts. Celebrating the seasonal festivals may harmonize the soul with the rhythms of nature. HOW TO BURN INCENSE: Place a self-igniting charcoal disc on a fire-proof surface, well away from flammable objects. The charcoal disks can be ignited simply by holding a match or lighter to the rim. Be aware that these discs may occasionally spit and sparkle profusely upon ignition. Allow plenty of air to flow around the charcoal to ensure that it burns evenly. Some people prefer to open the window while the charcoal is igniting as it gives off quite a bit of smoke. Once the charcoal disc has finished sparkling it will start to glow, usually first on one side, then slowly spreading over the whole disc. When the entire disc is glowing red hot it is ready to use and you can place a little pinch of incense on top. As the disk glows through, the fire will concentrate in its centre. You may occasionally want to scrape off the ashes to expose the glowing centre and add fresh incense as desired. CARE FOR YOUR INCENSE: Incense keeps well and often improves with age if kept in a cool and dark place. Charcoal