“The bamboo for prosperity.” a Japanese friend explained to me,”the pine for long life, the plum for courage…the plum for courage because the plum puts forth blossoms while the snow is still on the ground.” Anne Morrow Lindbergh
“We live in a time when the greatest form of courage is to act as if our lives made a difference.” William Sullivan
The tiny purple and white daisies that bloom this time of year are sometimes called Michaelmas daisies because they bloom near the feast of St. Michael or Michaelmas.
Michaelmas is celebrated around the time of the Autumn Equinox when the Sun enters the sign of Libra. This year The Equinox falls on the 23 of September and Michaelmas on the 29th.
For centuries Michaelmas celebrations have been held commemorating the triumph of the lowly peasant, George over the fearsome dragon who was terrifying his village.
Many others before George had in vain attempted to fight and slay the dragon and had lost their lives as a result. But it was because of the intervention of the archangel Michael- the mightiest of the archangels, known as the protector of humanity and protector against darkness- that George was able to succeed.
The symbolism of Michaelmas has to do with the battle between the forces of Light and Darkness in both our outer and inner worlds. The darkness symbolizes fear and doubt – and the Light represents hope, faith and courage – the qualities which protect us during the dark night of the soul and during times like the Fall when the power of the Light wanes and the forces of darkness grow stronger.
It is a good time to cultivate courage and keep the inner fires of inspiration burning bright.
One of the Sabian symbols for Michelmas is,”A man watches his ideals taking concrete form before his inner vision.”
Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill