Autumn Emerges
September Newsletter
Hello, hello, hello ~
How was your summer?
When I last wrote, I was craving sunshine, and I’m glad to report that I did receive some warm rays during our trip back to North America. Even since returning to Ireland, we’ve had a few blissfully sunny, gorgeous moments. I hope you had some of the weather you’d been craving, wherever you are in the world.
In the past few days, there’s been a distinct shift into what’s coming next: Autumn. And I daresay, I’m excited. I’ve realized ~ I like seasons. I like to notice changes happening in the world around me, and to adjust to them. Last night I relished the opportunity to put my fluffy down blanket on the bed, after I’d woken up cold the nights before. I’ve been lighting candles, turning on the soft lights, and pulling the curtains when it gets dark. It’s not even mid-September yet, but I’m beckoning Autumn closer, ready to revel in the coziness, already smelling the cinnamon-spiced baking, eager to curl up with a book after an energizing walk in the blustery weather.
Today it’s crisp and still, and the sky is almost fully blue (in Ireland, this is always worth noting!). Now that the kids have finished their second full week of school, and we’ve settled into our new routines, and the house is closer to being organized than it was last month, I feel that much-needed internal space to look ahead, and wonder, and dream: what will this year bring? What will I bring to this year? What will fill it? What will I fill it with?
Autumn is traditionally thought of as a time of letting go, and there’s no doubt it is that. But year after year, I also experience autumn as a time of hope, and excitement, and possibility. A time of new beginnings.
That brings me to Bless My Feet. This year, I am considering unpacking one particular theme throughout the year, and I wonder if you could help me identify which one would be of most interest to you.
The first option is Celtic Spirituality for Daily Life. With this theme, I would hone in on Celtic Spirituality as a resource that can inspire and nourish our day-to-day life. This is something I speak on quite regularly, and I thought it might be a good opportunity to explore this more throughout the year, with you.
The second option is Spiritual Practices for the Journey, and this would be a more general exploration of spiritual practices from different traditions that I have found to be wise companions on the journey. Practices from Ignatian, Benedictine, Celtic traditions, as well as resilience skills.
So, with that in mind, would you be willing to click on this poll so I can get a sense of what interests the readers of Bless My Feet? I would appreciate your input!
May Autumn bring you an eager anticipation of what’s ahead, and may you know the Divine presence beckoning you forward.
Kiran
Upcoming Events
Dates for your Calendar in 2024/25:
28 September 2024 - Psalm Gathering (Zoom) 7pm Ireland time
12th-13th November 2024 - Darkness to Light Retreat (Corrymeela)
27/28th February-2nd March 2025 - Stillness in Community (Corrymeela)
29th April-4th May 2025 - Resilient Spirit Retreat (Corrymeela)
Retreats
Check out our schedule for retreats at Corrymeela in 2024/25 - dates and themes below. Contact welcome@corrymeela.org for more information.
Darkness to Light Retreat (Overnight) 12th-13th November 2024
Stillness in Community (2-3 Days) 27/28th February-2nd March 2025
Resilient Spirit Retreat (6 Days) 29th April-4th May 2025
Join the Psalms Journey…
For the past 33 weeks, I’ve been busy over on the Psalms for the Spirit podcast, featuring one Psalm per week as we journey through 44 Psalms with the accompanying journal. Find out more on the podcast webpage
If you’d like to join the Psalms journey, you would be most welcome. Free subscribers to Psalms for the Spirit receive a weekly short-form podcast, and Paid Subscribers to Bless My Feet or Psalms for the Spirit receive the podcast along with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages (you also get the full 180-page journal ebook).
Listeners and journalers are invited to a Psalm Gathering on Saturday, September 28th on Zoom at 7pm Ireland time. Whether you’ve been following the journaling prompts, listening to the podcast while on the go, dipping in every now and then, or would just like to join the party, you’re all welcome! I’ll send out a link closer to the time, and I look forward to seeing you there.
The Journal is out in Paperback
The journal is available in paperback on Amazon
Would you be so kind as to leave a review?
If you choose to purchase the paperback journal, would you be so kind as to leave a review? That will help others know more about what the book and accompanying music are like, and it also helps people find it on the big marketplace of Amazon. Thank you so much to those who already have reviewed, and thank you in advance to those who can take the time!
If you’re somewhere else, scroll down the page to the bottom to find where to review!
Blessing for our Journey
May the God of shifting seasons
shift us into this new season
with anticipation of what might emerge.
As the flowers come to the end of their glory
may new buds begin to take shape in our hearts.
As the leaves redden and float away with the wind
may fresh space be cleared within us.
As soft lights and candles and hearths are lit,
may light be kindled in our spirits.
In this time of letting go,
may we also open our hands
to the Divine
beckoning us forward.
Amen