The start of September means that we are well on the way towards the
Equinox on September 21st/23rd - when day and night will be of equal
length.

For us in the northern hemisphere, this will of course be the Autumn
Equinox and it will be Spring Equinox for our cousins in the south.


HISTORICAL and EVOLUTIONARY IMPLICATIONS

To my Celtic Druid ancestors, the coming period, from September 2nd
to September 29th, was the vine month of Muin, sacred to the
God "Lugh" and a time for harnessing prophetic powers!

At a time of declining external light, it is significant that Lugh
was a deity who fostered the qualities of internal light - "Light of
the intellect" and "Spiritual illumination".

Millions of years of evolution have given us a set of ancestral "survival genes"
and internal physiological processes which
are triggered by declining daylength. Melatonin levels, bio-rhythms,
the pineal gland, mental activity and emotional balance are all
disturbed from their summer repose as our hypothalamus registers
that "The Times are a-Changing!".


HEALTH and WELL-BEING

This is a time of year when many people feel a slight "unease" at a
sub-conscious and occasionally at a conscious, level for we know "in
our bones" that "SUMMER IS ON THE WAY OUT!" and with it a decline in:

* outdoor social patterns
* physical activity patterns
* warm sunny days
* long light evenings

In ancient times, this growing sub-conscious unease (environmental
insecurity) was the signal for people to start paying attention to,
and working constructively on, their personal security needs for the
coming months of darkness and inclement weather...

...A time to secure practical physical needs (harvesting and storing)
and also emotional needs (relationships and faith) to sustain body,
mind and soul through the coming winter.


ADAPTIVE and CREATIVE RESPONSES

In his classic book about the "sleep hormone", melatonin,
(http://www.stress-counselling.co.uk/management/testing.htm#Sleep) Dr. Steven
Bock emphasises the value to us of paying more attention to connecting with our
natural environment as daylength declines and our waking life becomes more
dominated by artificial environments.

At this time of year we can usefully be aware of an increased
temptation to satiate our natural increase in anxiety and melatonin level with
addictive behaviours such as:

* comfort eating
* increased alcohol consumption
* "couch potato" - mindless passive lifestyle
* "adrenaline addiction" (workaholic or conflict-prone)
* reckless self-indulgence


WILL POWER and the THROAT CHAKRA!

In energetic terms, this is a time of year when we need a well-
balanced and clear throat chakra which is energetically balanced by
an inter-flow with the heart/will centre - As opposed to an over-
active throat/communication centre driven by an over-active (worrying
or arrogant) mind!

It fascinates me that the key role of the throat chakra at this time
of year perfectly reflects the ancient Celtic tradition of connecting
to the qualities associated with the deity "Lugh"!

Ambika's classic guide to Chakra Healing and Wholeness
(http://www.lovehealth.org/books/ambika.htm#Wholeness) emphasises the
role of the Throat Chakra in connecting (soul purpose), communicating
(self-expression) and manifesting (focussed action) our WILL POWER!


SYMPTOMS OF THROAT CHAKRA DYSFUNCTION

According to Ambika (I have experienced this myself and also seen it
in my stress management clients), a poorly energised or blocked
Throat Chakra results in negative oral behaviours:

* unclear communication;
* repressed feelings, suppressed rage;
* disconnectedness, separateness, insecurity;
* untruthfulness, distractibility;
* dependency, whining, complaining;
* gossip, undermining others, swearing;
* addiction: - smoking, drinking, sweets, chocolate, medical or
recreational drug-dependency,


TOWARDS A VIBRANT THROAT CHAKRA!

In contrast, vibrant, clear-flowing, Throat Chakra energy is
associated with:

* articulate speech
* effectiveness
* creativity
* artistry & craftsmanship
* spirituality
* sincerity, integrity
* independence
* social harmony

To quote Ambika "The [throat chakra energy] centre is the most
delicate and vulnerable chakra in the human energy system. It is as a
consequence the centre most easily unbalanced by stressful emotional
experience or by substance abuse. If the will is not developed to
cope with emotional strain and uncertainty the Throat Chakra can
easily become congested with emotional energy"


EXPRESSING and EMPOWERING THE THROAT CHAKRA

Ambika's Guide gives a range of powerful practical techniques for
clearing and energising our throat chakra.

The subtle sense of "unease" that creeps up on us at this time of
year is an "energy" in itself - Anxiety is an energy and anxious
people are mentally, verbally or physically "busy" people.

No doubt this anxious or "busy/distracted" seasonal energy was very
important to our ancestors - they needed to get busy now to prepare
for winter, before the days get too short to achieve much.

For us, living less physical lives in the 21st century, the
decreasing day-length energy can easily become self-destructive if we
do not channel it into some healthy physical activities, creativity,
productivity or energetic self-expressions like singing and dancing.

Aligning our energetic usage - via willpower and a certain amount of
self-discipline - to the guidance of our heart and spirit is probably
even more important now than it ever was!


A CAMBRIDGE EXPLORATION

For people in the Cambridge UK area, next week's evening Shamanic
Workshop, in addition to the customary "Coming into Alignment" with
heart, spirit and Mother Nature, will include specific practises
(breathwork, movement, self-expression) to clear and express our
throat chakra.

In the usual chanting session round a fire, after dusk, we will
include for the first time a couple of Aramaic chants taken from the
work of middle-eastern scholar, Sufi and musician, Dr. Neil Douglas-
Klotz.

Aramaic is one of the world's most ancient languages, originating in
an era when all human expression was holistic. These Aramaic chants
incorporate "back of the throat" sounds, whose progressive loss from
our present-day language is claimed to have contributed significantly
to the increased incidence of throat chakra dysfunctions in our
society.

More information about this event here:
http://www.sunflower-health.com/workshops.htm