nature's zodiac

I woke up today to the pale break of dawn, the light even softer than usual. Outside, a gentle rain. The leaves had scattered across the grass in the night. Yesterday they seemed like gifts falling from the pale blue sky.

A new moon arrives a few days before the shift into Scorpio season. The air feels quieter, the colors softer, as if the world is gathering itself inward, preparing for the deeper tones, more minor tones of autumn.

This new moon opens a pause between the visible and the hidden. The balance of light and dark begins to dissolve into something more mysterious. It is a power born from what isn’t here, what we don’t have, what we don’t know. It is the cosmic abyss, the gap of understanding, the mystery.

Yesterday we found a horse farm we had never heard of before, a hidden local gem hosting a Halloween party. Many costumed kids weaved in and out of the stalls of friendly horses offering candy by their doors. There were free pony rides outside led by older children also in costume.

There was a dark, dark room, just beyond the lit up festivities. Creepy sounds escaped from it. It beckoned Geo, aka Peter Pan and his friend Winnie the Pooh forward. Inside and lit by blacklight phantom ghosts and a talking headless horseman waited. They stepped inside, wide-eyed, and came out with a warm glow of courage.

I have switched to incandescent lights in the house, just in time for this seasonal change. I love it! The past few evenings have had the feel of lanterns and candles. The dark is something I try now to protect as I learn more about the rhythms of nature and the importance of circadian light.

I often notice the warm lamplight in children’s books. A gentle light that belongs to the evening, complementing the dark instead of erasing it.

In the same way, when we protect the dark within ourselves, the places of mystery and imagination, a quiet glow begins to rise. It steadies the soul and kindles the spirit.

Poetry and mystery are parts of nature. We are meant to help the world deepen its interior life so that its quiet richness can shine outward again.