Fall is definitely in the air. I have no personal insulation so the house is closed up about 80% of the time. If the outside temp hits 70F, I’ll open the door to the deck for the four-legged kids but otherwise, I have started my winter-time cocooning.
I know a lot of people like the dark time of the year and rejoice at the Autumnal Equinox. Not me. I get very sleepy at this time of the year. The medical community tells me I have Seasonal Affective Disorder. I think that’s just their scientific explanation for the fact that I am very Earth-bound. When the plants start their wind-down to sleep after a very energetic Spring and Summer, I follow suit. Were it not for human conventions and an alarm clock, I’d probably join our local black bear in his cave for several months.
Mundane preparations around here include putting the “winter” cat door into the window so the “kids” can get out to the deck when they wish without freezing my butt off. This year has been a little more amusing. We put the window door in yesterday. The kittens have figured out how to go out that door but they’re still trying to come in the screen door. I’ve been hearing all sorts of ‘bumps’ as they try to go through the screen cat door and hit the glass door. They’ll figure it out eventually – probably about the first snowfall!
I also do mundane cleaning to ready the house for being closed up for several months. Then I get to work magically.
I make six large candles with Ylang Ylang and Peppermint essential oils. While I find Ylang Ylang very calming and you’d think it would make me even sleepier, it helps ease my anxiety about not having a lot of energy and being inside a lot more than I’d like. The Peppermint is energizing and keeps me from going to sleep. Naturally, they are appropriately charged to give me energy and clarity during the dark months. Six is my winter stock and I burn one in the living room at night; the other in my office during the day. (The imprint of a keyboard on my forehead wouldn’t be very attractive.)
While I struggle with the dark time, I like it, too. As with farmers, I use the dark time of the year for review of the prior Spring & Summer, and planning for the next. Spirits seem to be more active around here in late Fall and Winter, too, so I do more spirit work than I do in the light half of the year.
What do you do to prepare for the dark time of the year? If I stifle a yawn, it’s not your answer. I haven’t made my candles, yet.