Connecting to the Seasons. A Sacred Year
Following on from a blog I wrote many months ago, haha like this time of the year about 3 years ago.. I feel now is the time to share my thoughts on what each of the 8 seasons/festivals mean for us. Whether it’s the changing colour of the leaves, the temperature, the energy of the earth, our own energy. This seasonal/Nature’s way of looking at our months and year, has really supported me in getting deeper with my Sacred Self, connecting further with my Intentions and allowed me to absorb the energy of the time of year, harness it and make amazing magic with it.
We start in the Southern Hemisphere on the 30th of April, where we celebrate Samhain: pronounced ‘sow-ane’
“This is the beginning, and this may be strange to start the beginning with an ending, but you can’t have a beginning without an ending,
and this one night marks them both.” from the wheel of the wiccan year, by gail duff
A bit about Samhain: This festival marks the beginning of Winter. It is the halfway point between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice. Days are certainly getting shorter, morning air is getting cooler, we’re starting to wear long sleeves and socks.
This time of year brings amplifies contrast, light and dark, ending & beginnings. It has an energy of ceremony and remembering, as well as fun, laughter & joy. We know Winter is almost upon us, but we look beyond and know deep down that new light will be here before we know it.
We look back at our past year at all that we’ve harvested, our goals, our intentions, our dreams and desires, and we explore them. What have we learnt, we ask ourselves what do we want to carry forward into the new year, what perhaps is ready to fall away? What have we loved, what have we moved away from?
This time of year we really do start to go inward, have you noticed it within you? The shorter days means earlier dinner perhaps, more time to relax at night with your slippers on. I know for me, I'm less outgoing, I'm happy with more quiet in my days and weekends. I’m more open to a nap.. I mean if you know me, you know I looooove me a nap. But at this time of year and for the next few months, I really soak up that energy.
We’re encouraged with Samhain to turn inward, we’re maybe more reflective, we’re Grateful for all that we've achieved last year. But now we’re really reflecting, meditating, contemplating, what it is we loved about the last 12 months, and what hasn't worked.
There is no judgement here, it’s just observing. Because what we do next, is to rest, to recharge, we prepare ourselves for active hibernation, with nothing on our to-do lists but to be in the restful space of our lives. And you may find that with your social life, your business, your work life.
Things are moving, but they’re in a calm space, they’re moving through the motions. Because come Winter Solstice, we start to step it up, we think about our seeds for the new year. So enjoy this next 6 weeks, and I’ll see you back here as we honour Winter.
SACRED SELF PRACTICE for SAMHAIN:
Because you know I can’t leave you without a little Sacred Activation.
If you’ve not had a chance already. I deeply encourage you to work with my Connecting with your Hearts Wisdom Practice. It’s a shortish (<15mins) Meditation and Journalling prompts.
And what is important at the time of Samhain, is to really connect with what it is you’d like to fall away. Because Samhain loves to celebrate with fire, so you’re going to do your own little fire/releasing Practice.
Grabbing a small piece of paper, a pen, a lit candle, and a bowl of water. You’re going to write/answer on the piece of paper: What is one aspect of myself that I would like to change or get rid of? Don’t over think it, just bring it in from your meditation, what comes up for you when asked that question: write it down, and mindfully take a breath, light the piece pf paper, watch it burn a little, and once its burnt enough that you’ can’t hold it any more, place in the bowl of water to distinguish. Take another breath here, allowing that to be released from you.
And repeat this quietly to yourself:
Although we constantly journey into the sacred spiral
Never to return on the same path again,
Parts of our lives can be renewed.
We can send into the dark the aspect of us that we do not like,
So that, in spring,
We will see unexpected parts of our lives emerging and being renewed
To give us joy and hope.
Take another breath here, give yourself a hug in Gratitude for you showing up in this Sacred way and honouring the season of Samhain. Now head to the toilet and tip the bowl and the ask and any left over paper down and flush the toilet. Your Sacred Self Practice is now complete.
SIDE NOTE: There are also many aspects and Practices of Samhain that I’ve not covered, like it’s said that the veil between worlds is thin at this time, which allows us to connect with loved ones who’ve passed away. So there are different ways to connect and honour those who are no longer with us. There are other Rituals and Practices, like eating and counting the seeds of an apple, sipping mulled wine, carving pumpkins. And of course in the Northern Hemisphere where this custom originated, of course it’s Halloween. I wanted this post to be about how i resonate with the energy of samhain, and what I’ve learnt and what i bring into sacred circle. as with any sacred self practice, enjoy this however you feel.
Let me know in the comments below what you thought of this post, as well as how you went with the Sacred Practice: Samhain. I’d love to hear from you.