Autumnal Equinox

Today the sun will rise nearly due east and set due west as it crosses the celestial equator.  Day and night will be equal.  

I always wonder when, as a collective society, we stopped looking up and marking movement across the sky.  Sun, moon, stars.  We use our phones, our watches, our computers to mark the passing of time and end up missing the magic and the meaning.  

A time of harvest, and thanksgiving and gratitude.  It's a time of preparation for colder and harder months to come.  Although the day and night is in perfect balance change is in the air.  It's a time to consider your place in nature.  Equinox marks the second harvest - the final being at the end of October.  It's a time to look at what you've worked towards, acknowledge what you've accomplished and, remember that there is still work to be done.  It's a time to make a plan.

I went down to my favorite morning coffee sipping location.  During the summer months the sun comes up almost dead center of those palm trees and by winter it'll be casting long shadows into the water.  I tried to remind myself that there is still work to be done.  

Happy Fall Friends!  Get outside today!  Make a plan for some hygge come winter!  Give thanks!  Acknowledge your accomplishments!

p.s. Here's a great article if you'd like to know what else is going on in the sky these nights.

p.p.s.  A previous equinox post if you'd like more.  

Pagerwesi - Ubud, Bali

Yesterday the holy holiday of Pagerwesi wrapped up nearly a weeklong celebration in Ubud.

Pagerwesi Morning.

This year Pagerwesi was extra special because it fell on the full moon and the total lunar eclipse. 

All week the temple at Campuhan (Pura Gunung Lebah) was a little hive of activity - processionals left and arrived daily through town and the surrounding villages. 

Families came from all over Bali to leave their offerings at the temple - it was busy.  On somedays the police would hustle us past the temple because we didn't have on a sarong - we have to walk past the temple to come into town from our house - we quickly got smart and timed our trips home so we weren't being overly disrespectful.

Pagerwesi falls every 210 days on the Balinese Holy Calendar.  It can be roughly translated as 'Iron Fence' and symbolizes a battle between good and evil.  Specifically, it's a day when the Balinese strengthen their minds and spiritual selves against evil forces.  

Offerings left at the top of the lane.  Coconut, banana and rice.  

Pagerwesi comes close on the tails of Saraswati which celebrates knowledge - so an extra emphasis is placed on protecting knowledge from evil.​

During the day our little street was silent which is so, so rare.  Normally, there are motorbikes zooming around from fairly early on.​

Basket of Canang Sari for the compound.  Lots of rice balls.

Around my little house a strong emphasis was placed on warding off bad or evil spirits.  Almost like a cleansing ritual.  Water was sprinkled in all corners of the yard - extra incense was burned and extra robust Canang Sari (if you follow me on instagram this is what I've been documenting) were left.

Mama leaving her canang sari.

Once it started to get dark out and we could spot the moon low on the horizon processions started coming up the hill.​

Can you spot the moon?  It's about half way in shadow.

The first group was smaller and just rang a bell at every house along the street but, once it was dark and the moon had completely darkened a large processional came through banging drums and really making some noise.   

Long exposure shot of the festivities down the road - the long red streak on the left had side is a moped tail light that passed me on the lane.  Night photo!

Our host explained to us that this celebration was a time when they prayed not just for themselves and Bali but for the whole world.  It's also a time when everyone is welcome at the Temple to leave offerings (I think this might be in reference to a cast system).

In the west the full moon following the Harvest Moon is called the Hunter Moon.   After the harvest the fields are stubbly and a Hunter can ride over them with ease quickly spotting animals who can no longer hide amongst the plants...or so the story goes. 

I hope you all were able to see the total lunar eclipse wherever you were in the world! 

As always please excuse the awkard photo editing and lack of real information.  I had a really hard time learning who was being prayed to and what the offerings meant.