Samhain blessings everyone!
Ghosts, witches, goblins, and all things scary were out in abundance last night. The jack o’lanterns were lit, the candy was doled out, and the night was filled with lights, laughter, and a gentle fall of autumnal rain. Welcome Halloween, and the opportunity to play, pig-out, and celebrate the end of the harvest season.
Flip the coin, and we have Samhain: a time to honor our Ancestors, travel between worlds, and decorate altars with offerings, photos, and sacred ties of connection. Again, we celebrate the harvest, all that we have received, and the turning of the Wheel. Now do we enter into the Dark Night, and a time of introspection, darkness, solitude, rest, and shadow-work.
Currently, I’m ill with a head-cold, don’t have much energy, am tired and grumpy, and am dreading winter. Probably should explore that dread in-depth if I want to be practicing what I preach. Yeah? When I can think a little more clearly.
The summer was abundant, with no drought, but I noticed that I became a bit “bleh” with managing the garden, and observed that some things have gone to waste. Hmmm…what’s that all about? Got distracted by household renovations, Autumn arrived, I noticed that the start of the school year had been stressful, again, regarding a tween with attitude. Lots of energy was poured into navigating child-teacher conflicts and the angst of a budding teen. Grow, child, just not too fast.
My country is in turmoil, invalidation is rampant, #Metoo, predators, and self-care in the face of trauma are at the top of most people’s list. Our President’s hatred and divisiveness is poisoning everything, and we’ve seen a rampant increase in racism, and hatred in general. I’ve also seen a high level of reactivity without growth, and people becoming bubbling, festering wounds; re-traumatizing themselves, and those they were trying to educate or help.
What does this have to do with Samhain? Shadow-work people. Shadow-work. What needs to be addressed that hasn’t been? What darkness is within us that needs to be brought forth and examined? What needs to be ripped out and composted? What needs to be put to rest so that renewal can happen and life can begin again? What pain needs to be validated and healed? What do you need to let go of. Blood, sweat, and tears….let it go. Rest, heal, reflect, learn, and move towards tomorrow. Towards new seeds, growth, and the potential for joy and life.