HALLOWEEN: A lesson in endings

HONORING HALLOWEEN

CONNECTING TO THE TIME OF YEAR

As the season approaches Samhain, Nature tells a compelling story of winter’s approach. 

• Deciduous trees cast off their leaves in a grand finale of colour. 
• Birds, like swallows and geese, embark on long, determined migrations to milder climes. 
• Bears, hedgehogs, and bats settle in for winter slumber, conserving precious energy. 
• Squirrels and chipmunks dash to and fro, diligently gathering and stashing nuts for the lean months ahead. 
• Insects, amphibians, and reptiles, too, retreat into a dormant state. 
• The fallen leaves blanket the ground, promising nourishment for future growth. 
• Chilled winds announce frosty mornings and prompt a shift in animal behaviour as they adapt to the changing environment.

There’s still plenty of opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities. Whether it’s a walk among the colourful fall leaves, mushroom or chestnut foraging, preparing the garden for winter, or stargazing in the autumn’s crisp air, there are plenty of ways to acknowledge autumn’s gifts. From it, we can draw strength and inspiration, much like a river carving its path through the earth, prompting us to question what we need to shed and release in our life journey.

SHAMANIC JOURNEYING

At Samhain, you can benefit by doing these journeys:

• Letting Go: This can involve journeying to ask for healing to release specific burdens or just immersing yourself in the overarching theme of letting go that characterizes this time of year.
• Ancestral Healing: If you are familiar with ancestral healing practices, Samhain is a good time to work with that energy. Delving into your ancestral roots and addressing any unresolved issues can be especially meaningful. 
• Connecting with Healthy Ancestors: While healing our ancestral roots can result in profound well-being, an even more potent form of healing emerges when we connect with our Ancestors – healthy, wise and compassionate Ancestors of the Lower-World, rather than our individual ancestors. This connection allows us to connect to the healthy template of what it means to be Human at its core and learn to live in the right relationship from the source. You find Ancestors in the Lower-World by meeting your Tribe and working with Elders, Adults and Children. Learning how to do that is a part of the Wild Soul Course, starting on November 4th.
• Dissolvings. Although Halloween marks a transition to Winter, we are not there yet! Autumn is connected to the Water element, so you can still significantly benefit from dissolvings.
• Also, journey and be Autumn – be Plants and trees shedding their leaves, be Swallow or Goose preparing to travel to warmer regions for the winter, be Squirrel collecting and storing nuts for the coming winter. Remember, from an animist perspective, Nature is our greatest teacher and healer. Do all you can shamanically to immerse yourself in it.

Learn how to do a shamanic journey through our online training course here.