The last sun and shadow of Autumn. It is hot in the sun, but the shadows of the forest are warm and welcoming. It smells of earth and sweetness. An embrace of light and shadow signaling the shift of the seasons in ritualistic dance. The deep is dark, still the light continues to fall all around me. A gentle breeze, ever slight, teases a flirtation of summer still lingering. Snapping twigs and birdsong fill the air. It is the breath between the autumn and winter now exhaling.

The vibrant hues of autumn now fade and the chill of winter in turn begins as seedlings in soil. This continued turning of the wheel brings to mind the practice of contemplation along with a deep connection to the land and ancestors. This transitional period reminds me of a Norwegian saying, "mellom sesongene," which means: Between the seasons. Mellom sesongene was a time of preparation, reflection, and spiritual practices that honored the ancestors and the changing environme