Seasonal | Pilgrim's Perch

The beginning of November: All Saints

The beginning of November sees the beginning of winter. With the falling of nature into its winter sleep the plethora of rituals and festivals that occur in November stress that sense of ‘remembering’.

Autumn leaves create a reflective mood — Fallen autumn leaves create a reflective mood

All Saints, All Souls, Bonfire Night and Remembrance Day – the month is rich with opportunities to remember – those who have lived, those who have died; those who have enriched our lives and those whose deeds and stories have filled us with awe, wonder and gratitude.

November is rich with opportunities for remembering the saints — November brings a procession of saints

Hot on the heels of Hallowe’en, with its pranks, spooky activity and mischief, comes the the feast of All Saints. However, this is still very much a celebration. Christians believe that through baptism individuals become members one of another in Christ – members of a company of saints whose mutual belonging transcends death. All Saints is a time of giving thanks for the grace of God, powerfully at work in the lives of those who have gone before. It gives a chance to reflect on how that grace can grow in the lives of each one of us – in ordinary times as well as in times of crisis.

Stained glass windows often depict different saints — Saints are often portrayed in beautiful stained glass windows

A small boy, when asked what a saint was, said it was ‘somebody the light shines through.’ We see images of saints in the beautiful stained glass of church windows but we also often see saints in those around us as they pick up on opportunities to serve, comfort or help others. Sanctity, that quality of being sacred, of being set aside to be valued, respected and honoured, is not so much about hero-worship as about accessibility. The saints are the real folk of every age in whose lives we can glimpse heaven in our midst.

Chrysanthemums, often left at the tombs of the dead — Chrysanthemums, often left at tombs of the beloved dead

All Saints customs have evolved and vary from country to country. In Belgium chrysanthemums will be left at a tomb; in Poland, families will gather to commemorate the saints with candles, flowers and a celebratory meal; in Guatemala kites are flown to symbolize uniting the dead with the living.

In Guatemala, kites are often flown in memory of saints

So, at the time of All Saints, those who have gone before us are not forgotten but recalled; we give thanks for those who have inspired us and left the world a better place for their having been in it. Perhaps it can also help strengthen our own resolve. Often a brief prayer may be offered:

Lord, for your blessings in the past and for a vision for the future, receive our thanks and prayer. May we live our lives that we become more closely the saints you would have each one of us be.

...as saints we're meant to be — …as the saints we’re meant to be

Doorway to Darkness: Summer’s End

The end of October brings us to Samhain (pronounced ‘Sow-en’). A seemingly strange word, it comes from two old Irish words meaning ‘summer’s end.’ Samhain is more popularly known as ‘Halloween’ – the eve of the Christian festival All Hallows, or All Saints.

Full moon in dark sky — As summer ends the days become shorter and winter darkness approaches

Hallowe’en falls on 31st October and is the most important night in the neo-pagan calendar – as darkness seems to take over the world with the shorter days and weaker sunlight the night is charged with superstition. This has led to countless customs in the efforts of humans to survive the darker forces of nature.

Candles to keep the darkness at bay — Flickering candles help keep the darkness at bay

The somewhat questionable practices of mischief and ‘trick- or treat-ing’ have their roots in the creating of fantastic and hideous lanterns, carved with faces and lit with candles – all designed to look as scary as possible in order to ward off evil spirits. Samhain and Hallowe’en fires would be lit on hilltops to honour and invoke the sun’s power and to guard against the coming darkness. Death and the absence of light are two of the most embedded fears we experience; keeping them at bay for as long as possible has become a lifelong goal for many.

Spooky pumpkin lanterns with fantastic features scare bad spirits away — Pumpkin lanterns with fantastic features scare bad spirits away

But Hallowe’en has another important purpose too. It was Jung who said about shadow, that ‘one does not become enlightened by imaginary figures of light but by making the darkness conscious.’ In other words, Hallowe’en is a good time to take a hard long look at our fears and doubts, to recognise and acknowledge them before allowing the light of All Saints, the feast that comes hot on the heels of Hallowe’en, to illuminate them.

The dark doorway that comes with the onset of winter and the darker months — Summer’s end brings the Doorway to Darkness

The last day of October has been called ‘the gateway to the darkest months of winter.’ One writer has said of this night, ‘The spirits within the shadows of our minds, and those without, in the shadows of the night, were thought to be abroad. It is a time for attending to our fears, including that of death, and for remembering our loved ones. It is a time for journeying within, seeking wisdom, however hidden or feared, and seeking too the paradoxical way of peace.’

Age and wisdom brings the tools to deal with the darkness and find inner peace — A moment of repose: facing the darkness can bring peace and insight

Blue sky, blue flowers…

When the sun shines at last and the sky is that deep blue that cheers the soul there can be few pleasures that beat taking time out to lie on a rug on the grass and gaze up at the eternal expanse of sky high above…

Early civilisations thought that the sky was a dome. When it rained the water came through small holes in the dome – a bit like a colander or strainer you might use for draining water from cooked vegetables.

Scientific research into the evolution of sight reveals that humans probably first started making blue pigment about 4,000 BC. Though cave paintings date to about 20,000 years ago, none contain blue pigment, probably due to the lack of available blue colorants in plants, rocks, and other natural materials.

But Egyptians are thought to have developed blue pigment using lapis stone in about 2200 BC.

Blue rock from which stunning blue dyes could be made

The rare nature of the ingredients needed to create blue meant the color was reserved for the rich, royal and elites. This may have also caused blue to be associated with divinity, as it is in several Eastern cultures.

Traditionally, blue is a symbol of calm, serenity and peace, perhaps because of its associations with water and the sky. To Hindus, blue is the color of Krishna. Blue flowers symbolize the divine, as well as joy and love. In Judaism, blue hyacinths stand for constancy and sincerity. Blue roses stand for the impossible. For Buddhists, the blue lotus symbolizes intelligence, wisdom, knowledge, and the dominance of spirit over the senses. It’s often depicted as a partly opened bud. To Catholics, blue flowers are often associated with the Virgin Mary. Blue columbines are used in art to represent the Virgin’s sorrow in childbirth and connections with the Holy Spirit.

Mary wears blue to signify her place as Queen of Heaven

Turning your gaze earthwards – and see just how many blue flowers there are… Early spring will bring hyacinths and forget-me-nots. Later, delphiniums, hyssop and iris.

Lofty blooms of agapanthus create a dramatic show..

The globe-like flowers of agapanthus come in varied shades of blue

A field of blue flax., gently waving in the breeze.

Wind-wafted flowers of flax ripple like moving water

But one of my all-time favourites is Anagelis Sky Lover (what a name!). It overflows its pot and cascades in a fall of serene, intense blue and is simple to grow in a container and enjoy throughout the summer. It drops its seeds as autumn arrives and you may well find self-sown seedlings appearing the following spring in unexpected places. A joyful happenstance.

Intense Anagelis Sky Lover flowers overflowing their pot

The rich intense shades of blue may present us with an image of ‘heavenly blue’ but we need to keep ourselves grounded. The priest and author Angela Tilby writes,
‘Do not try to anticipate heaven in this life, but keep attending to the beauty that is here, with all its promise and its limitations.’

There is so much beauty around us – let us keep our eyes open and our senses alert…