Celestial Events - Reminded by Wonder
“You have to operate, at least some of the time, in the world of mystery, beneath that great and terrifying cloud of artistic unknowing” ― Nick Cave, Faith, Hope and Carnage
On October 8th there was a class-X solar flare event. This is the most powerful type of solar flare, which sent out solar particles that collided with the Earth’s magnetic field, creating a geomagnetic storm. This geomagnetic storm created colorful vibrant auroras that could be seen all over the world for the following days, giving those who stepped out into the night and looked up into the sky the experience of a true celestial event.
This past Thursday I was able to see the Northern Lights in my home in South Central Indiana. Standing on my own driveway I could see blue, violent and green vibrating lights. It was breathtaking. I’d read that the most intense colors would happen between 11pm and 2pm, so I drove to a small nearby lake with a clear view of the northern sky and sat at the edge of the water — alternately grinning and moved to silent wonder. Green is the most common color of the aurora. Red is the second most common. Purple and blue are the most rare colors and often more difficult to see. The lights I saw this past Thursday were glowing purple and blues tinged with reds and small areas of green. Not only did I get to experience the rare occurance of being able to see the aurora this far south in North America, I was able to see the most rare colors. As I drove home, I sang… soft and low and with inordinate gratitude.
These are days of unprecedented weather events as we experience the effects of climate change and rising temperatures. These events are not a natural celestial events, like a solar flare. We grieve for those who are in the paths of more frequent devastating weather events—hurricanes and floods, fire and tornadoes. We help in the ways we can and wonder when it will be our community’s turn if it has not already happened. This reality is true and heavy. And so, it felt healing to be reminded of the wonders of the natural world that continue to grace the planet and encourage us to remember how important it is to look up, get a bead on True North, and be filled with wonder and gratitude.
It is not too late, but the scales are slipping and dangerously, delicately balanced. There are many reasons why I am deeply concerned about upcoming election. But one thing is for sure, only one candidate, and one party, has any plan or desire to address climate change in any meaningful way. That’s not partisan, it’s just how it is currently. I deeply and fervently hope that folks who care for their children and grandchildren and all the generations beyond remember this as they enter the voting booth.
So today…I hold the mystery and miracle of a night sky filled with glowing purples and blues close to my heart—I bow my head in gratitude for every tree, every lake with a clear view of the stars, every remembrance of what matters most.
Question
Did you have a chance to see the Northern Lights this week? Or at another time? Tell us how you felt when you saw a sky full of glowing moving colors.
Special Appreciation Gift for The Gathering of Spirits Subscribers who live in the Bloomington Indiana region.
To show my appreciation for your support of this Gathering of Spirits Community, I’ve partnered with Bloomington Roots and IU Arts & Humanities to offer you two free tickets to BloominGrass 2024 Night 2 – My Black Country: An Evening of Lyrics & Literature.
Really, no catch - Complimentary 2 free tickets to BloomingGrass Night 2!
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Here’s a description of the program
“Bloomington Roots welcomes Alice Randall, a New York Times best-selling novelist, award-winning songwriter, educator, and food activist. Her new memoir, My Black Country, celebrates the power of Black influences on country music. Joining Randall with a performance is multilingual singer/songwriter and founding member of Our Native Daughters and Carolina Chocolate Drops, Leyla McCalla, as well as LA-based street singer, guitarist, and roots music revolutionary Sunny War. Both McCalla and War appear on the accompanying album My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall. Opening the night will be Colorado songwriter Emily Scott Robinson.”
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I love your perspective, Carrie, and yours as well, Nick. Here's mine from Thursday:
Life is full of firsts- some longed for, some not. My last first was Thursday night when I wanted a sprig of parsley from the garden, and got instead one of those long longed-for wants- to see the Northern Lights: Great bands of white light streamed down from the edges of an open circle, suffused with a brilliant red glow unlike any sunrise or sunset I'd ever seen. When my neighbor walked by I beckoned her into the garden to see if she knew what I was seeing. She did, and we stood in awe, quickly joined by other neighbors in what felt like a uniting of souls, souls who in these earthly bodies hold a wide range of beliefs- but who in that moment bonded with the glory of this planet. She, the Sun, and the clear, clear half-moon that night gave us a dance I will carry in my heart forever
I saw them 40 years ago on a wintry night in far upstate New York. It seemed as though I had pried open the back door to Heaven and peaked in.