September: Gather the Needful

 
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September begins the walk towards winter, when all the scurrying creatures start readying for the cold. Here we are greeted by a pika in the process of gathering dried leaves and twigs—some to cozy the nest, and some for a tasty snack while lounging in the cozy nest. There is as much in this friend’s mouth as could possibly fit. Round and fluffy and right up in our faces, we’re welcomed to the season of gathering with this vision of plenty. 

We acknowledge the notion of abundance can be unsettling. It tugs on stories about merit, guilt, and privilege. There’s the myth that some deserve more than others, the fact that the global marketplace relies on deforestation and human rights abuse, and the dangerous idea that we can “manifest” material prosperity if we’re spiritually evolved enough. It is okay to feel uncomfortable about all these various cords tied to our understanding of the word abundance. And, with this spell we’re turning towards other stories and associations for abundance: daydreams and flowers, leaves and emotions, twigs and acorns, berries and sunlight. Water, mycelia, nitrogen. Interrelationships. Compostable material. Communities of creatures finding ways to keep warm. 

Working With this Spell

Most of us have experienced some kind of scarcity—we may have lacked adequate food or housing, employment, healthcare, intimacy, loving attention, time to rest, time to create. Scarcity is such a threatening beast that even when it has passed we continue behaving as though it’s here, or could be back any moment. We hoard and squander, or we restrict and deny. These cycles are related, and neither has anything to do with abundance. In scarcity thinking, what nourishes us is always fraught with anxiety. In an abundance mindset, our needs are expected and allowed and we do our best to get them met without shame or fear. Maybe we need more blankets or fewer pillows or more midnight snacks. Maybe we need time outside or community to snuggle with through the cold winter. The magic here is to notice and to act on what we need, with the basic assumption that it is possible to find. 

A great loss in this system of artificial scarcity and abundant commodities is the ability to assess what is truly needful. It’s a subjective assessment, and will always be a moving target. Move more and you need more food. Socialize a lot and you need more alone time. We are always responsible for feeling into our present state and asking: Do I feel safe and satisfied? Do I feel starving and insatiable? As we walk toward winter, this spell invites us into trust in finding what we need for protection and nourishment. 

You may notice drafts that need blocking, pantries that need filling, hearts that need warming, friends that need check-ins, neighbors that need your extra eggs. Our needs cannot be fully disentangled from what holds us—our homes, our communities, our relationships. But if you become overwhelmed, pause to notice what beauty is available right now to nourish you, to fill yourself with until you can’t possibly hold anymore.

This Month

Jocelyn (Jo) Mosser & Corina Dross