Children, parents and friends of the school, present and past, came together for a beautiful harvest celebration one sunny day at the start of October. We gathered in Birch kindergarten for a story and songs about St Michael and the dragon, then shared a fantastic dragon shaped loaf while the children placed their offerings in a basket at the centre of a bountiful and beautiful harvest display.
The highlight of the celebration was a procession around the grounds, with St Michael and the dragon leading the way. Everyone shook and banged with percussion instruments with great enthusiasm. It was quite a sight!
In keeping with tradition the celebration ended with a great afternoon tea, giving us all a chance to catch up, play and eat delicious cakes.
The Michaelmas festival takes place at the beginning of Autumn, a time of great change in the natural world. It is tempting to cling on to summer but to transition into the dark of Winter successfully we must take stock, fixing and renewing what we wish continue with, and discarding what is no longer working. On a spiritual level this is a time for our inner light (symbolised by St Michael) to subdue our inner dragons, so that we can move into the new season in harmony. And of course, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest – both the bounty the earth has gifted us, and our own projects that have come to fruition over the year.