Samhain takes on a special significance. It is the transition from day to night, from light to darkness. Here on, for three months, we shall be living predominantly in the dark. Outer habits and inner attitudes must be reorganised, or it means trouble. For me, at least. If I am to have a really tricky time emotionally during a year, it will most likely happen between the beginning of November and the third week of January. You have been warned.
In keeping with the shutdown, much of the natural world goes into hibernation. Suddenly, almost overnight it seems, many of the trees are virtually empty of leaves. Nature goes minimalist. Many of the animals go into indoor, doing-as-little-as-possible, mode. Some go quiet and underground, while others hibernate completely.
Keeping in tune with this movement in the natural world, Pale Green Vortex is also going into hibernation mode. Like the squirrels, who reserve the right to pop out of their hideaway from time-to-time in order to uncover a buried nut or two, the Pale G.V. may jump into occasional life. But for now, that is the way.....
Since the blog first exploded into action some seven years ago, many words have been written. Things have been most splendidly active over the past three years. This has all been great: personally necessary, and for others entertaining, helpful, and sometimes annoying. I am quietly proud of what has taken place on Pale Green Vortex: it has tracked a good deal of my own journey through life during these years. But it's time to focus on other things, which are less amenable to chat, discussion, expression through reason and ideas (not that everything here has been especially reasonable!). The blog is not a particularly suitable medium for 'the inner work' at present.
As one of the occasional inspirations in the Vortex, Jim Morrison once famously sang: "The future's uncertain, and the end is always near." Let us strip the second bit of its nihilistic tone, and take it less literally i.e. that the present configuration is always up for changing. Then we have a suitable little anthem for the state of the Vortex at present.
See you sooner or later......
