The Direction of the West- September 21
On Planet Earth, West is the direction of the setting sun. It signifies evening, twilight, autumn
and the coming of night. In the Northern hemisphere September 21, The International Day of Peace, is the Autumn Equinox, when
the energies of day and night are balanced .
In Feng Shui, the west is the direction
of the element of metal, and its color is white. Metal the element that has been tempered by time and the forces of the other
elements, and must be formed for use. It represents wealth and mental agility, and is the predominant element in the glittering
cities of the twenty first century.
In the Indigenous traditions of the Northern
Hemisphere, It is a time of harvest and preparation for the winter. The fall equinox also represents maturity and the coming
of wisdom.
In the time of Autumn, the time of sunset, we have been tempered by the seasons
of life. Summer, the season of growth, is over. The fruit is ready for harvest, the seeds begin to fall to the group, our
winter approaches and we come to the realization that our time on Earth is short and that all things pass away. The question
arises, what do we leave behind, what is our legacy? What will take root and grow when the spring equinox comes to awaken
the Earth?
In the tradition of the Native Americans, all decisions are made with the idea
of how they will impact the generations to come. Wisdom comes from turning away from our personal needs and desires, to caring
for the future and all our relations.
Soon enough, winter comes
and we will return to the Earth who gave us our life and all our substance. Before we do that, we can ask, how can we use
our resources, talents and energy to leave our world a better place for the generations to come?
Standing
in the direction of the west, we are asked to harvest, not just for ourselves, but for the many. At the time we can choose
to gather our wisdom, talents and resources to leave this world better than when we arrived. If we leave for our children
and the generations to come a depleted Earth with polluted water and air, what sort of legacy have we bequeathed?
The directions remind us that we are part of a greater whole on the wheel of life. At the autumnal
equinox, the direction of the west, we can pause to thank our ancestors and the Earth and take some time to pay it forward
to the generations to come.
This September 21 please take a moment at noon to join with millions
around the planet and, in your tradition, spend a few moments in praying or meditating for peace for this magical world, all
the generations to come and all our relations. May peace prevail on Earth.
Rev Betsy Stang
Feng Shui for Real Life
Care2.com
http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/853073
http://www.wittenbergcenter.org/id27.html
www.idpvigil.org
