The other day I was driving my son and his friends home from school. It was about 6:30 pm and we were driving east over the 520 bridge; it was crystal clear, the lake was calm, the Mountain out in it’s glory. My son and I both exclaimed at the same time, “Look how big the moon is!” He asked me, “Could it be that the moon is bigger?” Was the moon bigger, or was our perspective different? Perhaps we were we seeing the moon at a different time of the day, from a different angle, with a different emotion within us. How are you doing right now in your daily life, has your perspective changed or are you still going one particular way?
I so appreciate Michaelmas, a festival that happens in Waldorf education, each fall because it helps me consider my perspective. At this festival there is a play in honor of St. Michael and his slaying of the dragon. The key element of the play is the celebration of inner strength and courage particularly in preparation for the colder, darker, winter months. Rudolf Steiner, who started Waldorf education, said that the outer conflict of Michael and the Dragon is transferred to the inner human being. Only in human nature can the Dragon now find its sphere of action. Thus, we are called to face our own darkness with courage and light. It is even time to question: when we find the “enemy” in the outer world, are we just avoiding facing him in ourselves? And also: how can one be a “peaceful warrior,” taking a stand with courage for a higher truth?
In hearing this, can I look at my darkness with courage and light, being compassionate and loving to myself? Can I change perspective and look at things from a new and different angle? What happens on the outside when I pause and breathe into what I feel inside? Or what is it that’s happening outside of myself that relates to what is happening within myself? What do I need to learn right now? Do I need to support myself here and now or am I taking good care? Do I need to care for myself in a way that’s different? How can I be the light that is shining in the world? It’s a time of slowing down, showing compassion and love for oneself.
I hope this season brings you a deeper knowing of who you are. If you come up with an intention you want to carry forward, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment and let’s step right into your strength and courage to bring about a new perspective.
