Fear Not

Summer is winding down. Autumn approaches with its downward tug, pulling us by the ankles from our lofty, summery dreams. We’ve been recreating. The sun has drawn us out of ourselves and up into the heady feel of Nature in its fullness. Now, the shadows grow longer and the weight of responsibility draws us back to ourselves. It’s back to school or college for children and young adults. We all begin to turn our attention to preparing our homes and cars for winter. There’s a feeling of “back to work” for us all.
As the earth travels through the seasons, it also moves through the seven chakras, ending with the red root chakra at Christmas. Autumn is the beginning, for those of us living in the northern hemisphere, of living with the orange chakra. Creativity. Sexuality. Emotions and relationships. What have we harvested as fall approaches? On a primal level, even though we no longer live in an agrarian society, have we harvested (or created) enough to make it through the winter? Will it be a difficult time of lack and hardship? We can feel the energies of the seventh chakra, the root, start to bleed in with thoughts of approaching dark nights and bitter cold. Fear’s icy fingers begin to tighten its grip on our thoughts, even though we may not see it’s affect as a primal force.
Fear can be crippling. It is the impetus for so much of the negativity that rules our lives.
There is help at the end of September to battle our encroaching fears. Can you hear the rousing cavalry call of the approaching warrior? Archangel Michael. Michaelmas, celebrated on September 29th, is a mostly Western European Christian tradition that some also recognize in the United States. St. Michael, along with Uriel and Gabriel, are honored in a feast day on the Catholic calendar. Waldorf school students play challenging games in “The Festival of Courage” in honor of Michael’s bravery. Stories of Saint George battling the dragon are told to fortify their spirits.
Michael is the Archangel who overcomes Satan and darkness. He places his foot upon the head of Satan while he brandishes his sword, encouraging us all to take up the sword of our wills and face the fears that plague us. Once we do so, we see that those overwhelming fears are not so big and bad, and they shrink into mere shadows. Can we see them for what they are? Can we integrate these now small fears back into the light?
Embrace the warrior spirit of Michael. He, as well as the whole hierarchy of angels, are here to help. Talk to them – out loud even. Make clear what it is you need, what fears you have, what your heartfelt desires are.
Then, on the darkest winter night, when we are deep in the throws of our red primal chakra, a new light is born unto the world. Another angelic voice begins its proclamation with, “Fear not!”