Wind

A strong wind blew the other day, gusting up to 40 mph.

That is not, of itself, an unusual thing.

But this was not a common wind.

It was a wind of Power. A wind of changing.

That wind heralded not only a change in the weather, but a change of seasons.

Wind sculpted clouds.

The wind came a blowing, scouring summer from all the nooks and crannies. Cleaning, cleansing, sweeping away the debris of summer to make way for Winter’s reign. According to the calendar, summer ended six weeks ago. But She Who Orders the Seasons does not care what the calendar says. The season changes on Her command.

Wind is a powerful magical tool. The wind carries wishes and messages, it cleanses and moves things. Set your magic spell upon the wind, like a kite, and see what happens. Stand in the wind and let it cleanse you, change you. Set magic tools and objects in the wind for cleansing. Open the windows on a windy day and let the wind cleanse the energies (not the material, as it will surely bring in dust) and move the energies.

But some winds, such as this one that blew the other day, carry more power. They are the changing winds. There is no outward indication that one wind is different than another. You just Know it. Something fundamental changes when the wind blows through. Summer has been rooted out. The land is now Winter’s domain. Yes, we may see warm days after this, but they will be warm winter days. Summer is gone.

Too often I let these winds of power blow by without taking advantage. Not the other day.

I grabbed a length of red ribbon and tied it loosely on my wrist; a small wind chime; a sarong tied about my waist to flap in the wind.

 

Then I went outside and walked the labyrinth pattern. Standing at the center, I faced the wind and spread my arms.

The ribbon fluttered. The chime tinkled in my ear. The wind tugged at the sarong and tangled my hair.

I breathed… and asked the wind to cleanse me, to cleanse the world of hatred, bigotry, all the obstacles to peace and understanding.

I asked the wind to cleanse me, to blow away the cobwebs and grimes, to blow away patterns drawn with sand that obscures the true bedrock, the foundation.

I asked the wind to fill me with the power of change, to use as I need. I asked the wind to change me. I was a vessel for the wind to fill.

And it opened me. Filled me. I no longer asked the wind, but it gave to me.

There is no degree of separation. The entrance of the labyrinth is but a step from the center. I am but a step from my center, the star at the center of the labyrinth, the star at the center of me. The I.

No degree of separation between me and you. No us. Only “I.” The I of the Universe.

Then  I hung the chime from a tree in the garden, using the red ribbon. I unknotted the sarong and, holding a corner in each hand, held it up behind me. A sail. Wings to carry me upon the wind. And I walked. Back through the cedars. Behind the north garden, past the compost heap. To the edge of the east woods. Behind the wood stack. Around the far side of the sauna. Past the swings and to the far woods.

The Far Woods.

I stood at the edge of the woods, looking into it, seeing it… Seeing the woods. The wind clashed the branches together, speaking to me. I listened. My forebrain has no idea what the messages were, but something in me heard and will get on that right away.

I heard the wind speaking. I felt the River flowing beneath all things. The Milky Way flowed right through the center of my soul.

Open yourself to the wind.

No degree of separation between me and you.

Only I.

Only wind.

Only breath.

Breathe.