Michaelmas

Yesterday, we celebrated Michaelmas here at the Mount.  Michaelmas is a harvest festival centered around the archangel St. Michael.  St. Michael is the conqueror of the dragon and friend of mankind.  Reflection on him can help us all to overcome the darker sides of ourselves and let the lighter sides shine through.  St. Michael conquers, rather than slaying the dragon.  We must tame our passions - most notably pride and fear - though they cannot be exterminated.  Michaelmas is the first of many festivals to be celebrated here.  We started the day with a collection of performances.  I sang in a choir and recited and verse with my house but there was also music, dance and storytelling.

  

Calendar of the yearly festivals. 

After the morning gathering with the community, we split into groups to harvest different sections of the gardens.  My house was harvesting leeks.

The harvest! 

In the afternoon, we each worked on a different project with a group of students.  Each group produced something to share with the community at the end of the day - dancing, cooking, and iron forging were among the projects.  My group was preparing a harvest display for the dining room.  

The Masterpiece! (That's St. Michael in the center) 

To end the day, we had an outdoor supper of pumpkin soup and rolls,
followed by pudding - of course.  

I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day.  What a blessing to be able to spend time working together with a community.  The fact that we have been enjoying an Indian Summer helps too!  Holidays can be stressful - everyone running around trying to prepare some sort of wonderful day to be enjoyed.  It is so easy to get overwhelmed.  There is usually enormous pressure to prepare so much ahead of time so that everyone can "relax and enjoy the day" that one can forget to relax at all.  This harvesting festival, while almost continual work, was an important reminder that the beauty of the day is simply working together.

I am overwhelmed with how cool my life is.