On the night of the Autumnal Equinox, some friends and I wrote our fears and anxieties on pieces of paper and threw them into a fire. It felt really good. I wrote this Harvest Prayer to mark the occasion. Feel free to use it too if it speaks to you.
As we stand in this circle, we form the sun. We are all rays off this intense star, sunbeams filled with its energy. May we use our powerful energy to shine our goodness and love down upon ourselves and our gatherings with others throughout the coming season. May we answer anger with love and despair with hope.
The earth's fields and rains have ripened summer's bounty. We find ourselves in the center of this abundance and we are grateful. May we continue to experience this prosperity and good fortune.
See the beauty of these trees, these majestic symbols of strength and protection. May these trees share their transformational and healing energies with us and guard us when we are vulnerable. May we be safe and protected throughout the coming season.
Feel the air on our cheeks, and feel our breath traveling in and out, in and out, connecting each time with nature and with each other, all connected, all the time. Let us be thankful for all the spiritual insights and wisdom we have received and may we continue to find strength in the spirit that abides within us and around us everywhere.
Even as we honor all we have been given, let us look clearly at where we are weak in spirit. We take these messages, maps of our suffering, and we burn them in this fire of harvest and hope, asking for strength, wisdom, and knowledge. <Burn your papers now.> May we find the strength to banish harmful thoughts about our suffering so that we can be the best humans we can be, so we can bring our gifts to others as best we can, and so we can do our part to bring peace and justice to ourselves and to our world. On this day of perfect balance, may we get closer to our own perfect balance, and to harmony of body and spirit.