Autumn, death and living fully.

I love All Hallows Eve... Not because I get dressed up to hand out candy or go to fun costume parties—I don't do either of those things. I live rurally and honestly I don't have enough friends where I live to supply a Halloween party.

I adore All Hallows Eve because I'm a pagan at heart. The Celtic blood in my veins relishes ritual, song and ceremony that honor our dead.

In this spirit, I offer a Samhain-inspired edition of The Goods for you, resplendent with nods to autumn, death and learning how to live fully before we kick it.

Onwards!

[playlist] All Hallows, B2 edit
Originally created by Danica Boyce of Fairfolk Podcast, Ben and I made a copy and continue to edit it annually. I share it here every year because we literally look forward to autumn large in part so we can start listening to these songs. Currently we're particularly fond of Anaïs Mitchell's crushingly beautiful retelling of the tale of Tam Lin.

[book rec] Meditation for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
A collection of delightfully unorthodox productivity tips. We've been reading this 28-day playful foray into human finitude as part of the Rose & Sword curriculum. A thorough training in imperfectionism, presence and and "scruffy hospitality."

[article] Panic is the new lifestyle
Catherine Shannon is a great writer. She has a real knack for keeping it real, dry and relatable. I enjoyed this piece, which speaks to why so much of my work has become about preventing burnout. 

[virtual workshop] Drumming Through the Veil
My dear sister Leila Strong is offering this badass Samhain-inspired drumming workshop on Tuesday Oct 27th from 11-1 pt. If you want to learn to play a frame drum soulfully, she's your gal! Maybe I'll see you there ;)

[article] A field Guide to Anger
Rose & Sword initiate Linda Anne shared this piece, which I find poignant and soothing. A good reminder that feeling our anger is crucial to living fully, and that expressing it in a healthy way requires no small amount of self-awareness. 

[excerpt] Ninth Duino Elegy by Rainer Maria Rilke
Earth, isn’t this what you want: to arise within us, 
invisible? Isn’t it your dream
to be wholly invisible someday? – O Earth: invisible!
What, if not transformation, is your urgent command?
Earth, my dearest, I will. Oh believe me, you no longer
need your springtimes to win me over – one of them,
ah, even one, is already too much for my blood.
Unspeakably I have belonged to you, from the first.
You were always right, and your holiest inspiration
is our intimate companion, Death.

Look, I am living. On what? Neither childhood nor future
grows any smaller… Superabundant being
wells up in my heart.

— Translated by Stephen Mitchell

🍂 🎃 🍁
Autumnal blessings to you, beloved!

Wishing you a season of kindness, creative potency and slowing down enough to appreciate the thinned veil.