Today I am shifting my pattern of Never Going In The Basement. Of avoiding the *thing* that catches on the corner of my eye. Of ignoring the creak of the cellar door as it comes unlocked. This is a time of year for raking up and clearing out all the corners of our living spaces - mental and otherwise. Autumn, the Time of Dying, has come and everything is letting go, sinking under, and the natural world seems to be speeding towards its own deep sleep with a vengeance. The nights grow long and cold and there is less to distract us from the monster hiding under the bed.