Autumnal Harvest and Death

In the Autumnal Season, we can find celebrations that reflect the final harvest before winter. We Hear old Sayings such as, “we reap what we sew” and “all things come to fruition in its own time“. As winter approaches, it is a good time to give thanks for all the good stuff that is finally coming into full swing. Things like months of effort toward getting that new job or that promotion at work. Just as the sayings mentioned here aren’t always to be taken literally, much of the advice given to us through divination should be considered figuratively. However, there are times when our harvest is literal if you are a gardener by trade or hobby.

So, why do we see a lot of celebrations reflecting Death? As I look around, I see many depictions of Death. I can see images of the Grim Reaper, Santa Muerta, Ghosts, creepy graveyards with old tombstones and other creatures of the night like Bats. We see creepy spiders with giant webs and old witches brooms with depictions of old Crones (Crones are symbolic of the final stage of life before Death).

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, between October 31st and November 7th, there are many different celebrations that serve as a season for beginning with celebrations of a bountiful harvest. The Harvest is celebrated to give thanks when the summer crops are gathered, prepared, then stored for the long winter ahead.

It is also a time to honor our ancestors and loved ones who have crossed the veil between life and death. As nature around us transitions from summer to winter, we are in the between. The Veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is thinning. Some believe that the thinning veil allows the dead and living to cross into the other realm. Allowing easier movement between the worlds. A time for communicating with those who have passed.

As life around us seems to approach the darkness of winter through ‘death’ (symbolic or literal), Summer crops are gone and dying leaves are falling from the trees about to enter their winter slumber. Even animals are preparing for the cold, harsh winter. Everything seems to be dying as it grows darker as we wait for the winter Solstice when days begin to grow longer with the promise of rebirth.

Although death is a very important part of life, many people don’t ever speak of it. Reminds me of when I was sick this year. I tried to discuss my concerns and thoughts about my own mortality. I was even accused of being obsessed with death. Although I wasn’t obsessed with “Death” itself but more concerned about my own death that seemed to be imminent. I would have died sooner without the surgery. Being concerned about one’s own health and wanting to talk about dying is not the same as an obsession with death.

This year, this autumnal season and the season recognizing death holds deep meaning for me. I was so sick that I begged for death to come or to be healed. I felt as though I was trapped between life and death. I will always remember how I was blessed with a renewed sense of life as I healed from a sense of dying.