‘String of Gratitude’ - A Harvest Ritual as Spiritual Practice to Give Thanks
Written by Britta Schmitz
Autumn invites us to give Gratitude as we transition into a time of moving from the active energies of summer into the inward energies of the darker half of the year. In this blog we share with you what our harvest time looks like at Findhorn and introduce you to one of our spiritual practices for this season which you can do at home whenever you like over the coming weeks.
The energies of autumn
The Harvest Moon and the Autumn Equinox have just passed. They are our reminders that the Wheel of Life is turning once more and we are now going deeper into autumn.
As the nights are drawing in here in the Northern Hemisphere we start the transition from the outer to the inner planes accompanied by the energies of this time: gratitude, balance and completion.
From now on our nights will be longer than our days until the Spring Equinox in March and we bring in our main harvest to nourish us through the winter. As we bring in the outer harvest from our gardens, we also focus on our inner harvest, our experiences and learnings over summer.
Our outer harvest
Harvest altar at the Universal Hall, picture by Mark Richards at Aurora Imaging
At this point in time vegetables, fruits, flowers and just about everything in nature up here at Findhorn seem to be ripe and ready to be harvested, stored and processed. It is a busy and exciting time basking in the bounty of the fruits of the land.
We enjoy our fresh vegetables, forage mushrooms, eat plums fresh from the trees, pick berries… We harvest and dry seaweed, herbs, flowers… The honey from the Findhorn bees has been brought in, jams were canned, cakes and crumbles baked and eaten, stews cooked and frozen, flower essences made… the apple trees are laden with fruit and they will soon be taken off the trees and stored for winter…
The land is sharing its full abundance with us and just like the squirrels collecting their nuts and the bees bringing in the pollen we are busy harvesting and appreciating what mother nature shares with us…
Our inner harvest
Sitting by a bonfire during the Harvest Celebration, photo by Mark Richards at Aurora Imaging
It is a time to give gratitude for the bounty we experience in our lives and share it with each other. Not only in the form of food, but also the support and care we share with our local and global community and with the unseen realms which are holding this sacred land in balance.
As we move from the outward energy of summer into the inward energy of autumn, now is a good time to focus on what is close to our hearts: our families, friends and communities. Bringing our attention to the simple things in life: a warm home, healthy food, the precious time we spend with ourselves and our loved ones.
Autumn invites us to honour a time of inner listening and spiritual practice to bring what is really important in our lives back into our awareness. It is good time for a simple ritual to give thanks for what we have.
Spiritual Practice: ‘String of Gratitude’ - An Autumn Ritual to Give Thanks
Step 1: Gratitude Attunement
Find a quiet spot and take a moment to tune in to where you are right now. Make yourself comfortable, become aware of your surroundings and connect to a place of stillness within yourself.
Bring your awareness to the summer that is just coming to an end and focus on what you are grateful for in your life.
You can use the following questions to guide you:
What have you experienced this summer?
Where have you been?
With whom have you connected?
What was your most special moment?
What have you learned?
Which dreams have come true?
Which projects and plans did you accomplish?
What has surprised you the most?
Feel the gratitude for anything that comes to your mind as you are contemplating these questions. Be open to any insights and experiences during the attunement.
Step 2: Bringing in your personal harvest
There are many different ways making your inner harvest tangible. Here are two options for you to choose from and of course you might come up with whatever works best for you:
💖 Option 1:
One thing many of us love doing during harvest time is counting our blessings, give thanks and put them on a ‘String of Gratitude’ in the form of berries. It is inspired by an ancient Scottish tradition of stringing up rowan berries as a protective charm for your home during Autumn Equinox time, the time of the berry harvest. You can do this with any berries local to you.
The way I do it, is that I collect rowan berries and string them on red thread, giving gratitude for all I have while I am doing it. Sometimes I listen to beautiful music, light a candle and some incense while I am threading the berries. The strings are a symbol for all I am grateful for rather than each berry representing one exact moment, experience or circumstance.
When I am finished I hang my berry strings around the house and often put them as decorations on my Christmas tree in December. I also like to do this ritual with my friends and family or share with them about what I am grateful for during harvest season.
If you put your garland at your doorway it doubles up as a talisman to protect and bless your home. Some people like to have it in their cars for safe travels.
The pictures show my ‘Strings of Gratitude’ over the years. The first two pictures show this year’s strings. The third one is from 2021 when I made them by the river. The last picture is from 2022, here you can see old strings and the one I had just started. Over time the berries dry out and the colour changes.
✍ Option 2:
If you would like to keep things simple, there is also the option to write all you are grateful for down on a piece of paper and put it up on your bedroom wall or keep it on your desk. This will help you remember everything you are grateful for throughout the darker season.
Of course you can also do both or share another way that feels meaningful to you to express your gratitude.
Step 3: Share your experience with us
If you feel drawn to one of these practices or if you feel like creating your own, please share your experience with us. We are curious to hear from you.
Write to the lovely Kate at connect@findhorn.org and she will forward your email to me.
With lots of Love and autumnal blessings to you, Britta 💖🍂
A Message from the Rowan Tree Deva
Just as I finished this article the message of the Rowan Tree Deva from Dorothy Dorothy Mclean knocked on my inner door and asked to be shared too. So here it is for you:
“We are heaven brought down to earth. Earth brought up to heaven. Each one of us contributes our part in the perfection. Feel the joy with which we play that part. We are what we are. We are no accident. Each tree, shrub and plant has a purpose in the overall scheme of things. God’s ways are best. Tune into them and the world will return to sanity and joy.”
Excerpt of the message from the Rowan Tree Deva from Dorothy Mclean’s ‘Call of the Trees’ - A collection of messages from the tree devas.
You can listen to Judy MacAllister reading the full message of the Rowan Tree Deva here:
The Rowan Tree in Celtic Mythology
In Celtic mythology the Rowan Tree has been known as the sacred Tree of Life since ancient times. All over the British Isles you will find the native Rowan tree besides the entrance doors of many homes. It symbolises protection, healing and wisdom. In Scottish folklore it was forbidden to cut down a Rowan tree as it meant bad luck. Wood, berries or leaves harvested from the tree were only meant to be used for the purpose of ritual and celebration.
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