Huron River; taken in Gallup Park, Oct 2025

The old will pass away and the new will shine forth
Everything arises from conditions and passes away when those conditions cease.

Try to remember the kind of September.  When no one wept except the willow
Try to remember the kind of September. When dreams were kept beside your pillow
From “The Fantasticks”

 The season is turning; today as I write, summer is officially ending,

The first day of fall (astronomical autumn) in the Northern Hemisphere is Tuesday, September 22, 2026.The transition officially occurs with the autumnal equinox at 8:04 P.M. EDT, which is the exact moment the sun crosses the celestial equator, creating nearly equal amounts of day and night across the globe.

As we move into autumn, we know winter will follow and then spring and a new summer. The seasons will come; with what shall we fill them? What are our dreams; our individual dreams and those as a human race? For the new to shine forth, we must imagine and co-create it.

WE are the conditions out of which the new arises.
The Dhammapada opens with these lines:
We are what we think. All that we are, arises from our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.

This morning in meditation, and after, speaking with Aaron, my mind moved into the question: what are we co-creating? Even more important,  from what within me am I co-creating it: a heart and mind of anger, fear, judgment and hatred, or one of true compassion. It’s so easy for rage to arise as we hear or read the world news every day. If my life and practice have taught me anything, it is to be mindful of the texture of mind. Is it relaxed and open, or hardened, closed with fear?

Back in the early1960s, with people shouting at me in hate, throwing tomatoes and rocks, in sit-ins and on freedom rides, I was introduced to the idea of (and living of) “satyagraha” or soul force. It’s a way of living those Dhammapada lines.

Mindfulness is the key. As Aaron has taught me, “that which is aware of fear is not afraid.  That which is aware of anger is not angry.”  That does not mean there is no fear or anger but that these arise from conditions, will pass, and do not control my essence. I can choose dynamic compassion.

Quoting again from Dhammapada:
Hatred will never resolve hatred. Only love resolves hatred.” 

Fear, anger, and confusion can become conditions for compassion, instead of for hatred. This is the ground from which we must co-create our future if we are to live in peace.

One of my grandchildren in the spring; what is he seeing and feeling? What is he Co-creating?

 Please consider joining us this fall as we come together to imagine a world at peace, and to find the core of peace in ourselves. I’ve been valuing the discussions with spirit as we prepare for the co-creation workshops.

 The Zoom co-creation workshop series
Humans: Divine Co-Creators in the Cosmos
Join for one session or all | Link
Oct. 3 | Nov. 14 | Dec. 5

Our fall live meditation retreat, with time for silent meditation, nature, and reflection.

Maryville Retreat Fall 2026
Finding Our Still Center in the Midst of the Storm
October 17-23, 2026
For late registrations, please email Tana Dean at om@deepspring.org

Maryville retreat, autumn tree reflection.