Between Autumn Equinox and Samhain

Is it just me or are the veils thinning a bit earlier each year? It seems so and makes sense, too, when so much is occurring at an accelerated pace here on planet Earth in this crux time of evolutionary chaos.

We are currently in an “in between” time, a liminal space in a multitude of ways. We are in between the world that is rapidly crumbling and the world of compassionate connection and justice we are creating as we heal from the ongoing damages wielded by the greed, oppression and cruelty of the patriarchal, white supremacist systems that have held sway for thousands of years.  

We are moving toward the annual thinning of the veils between the worlds of form and formlessness, between the worlds of the so-called “living” and the so-called “dead”. 

When the veils grow thin we have greater access to commune with our ancestors and also with those yet to come- the future generations for whom we will be the ancestors. Think about that! 

You who are reading this will one day be an ancestor. What do you wish to create while you are here? How would you like to be remembered?

It is a time for remembering, as well as for imagining and envisioning the future. This entire month provides a perfect time for opening yourself to wise guidance; it’s a good time for tarot, astrology and the like, as well as to commune quietly with your “team” on the “other side”.

It is always a good time to quiet your mind and listen to your inner voice.

I have a personal ritual I do every year to honor my ancestral heritage and to more deeply prepare myself for Samhain and the Day of the Dead, the most sacred holiday/holy day of the calendar for witches, including green ones like me.

The sacred holiday/holy day of Yom Kippur is traditionally known as the day of atonement. My practice is to acknowledge the remorse I feel when I’m thoughtless or less than skillful, etc. as it happens, and do my best to repair my mis-steps and mis-takes and the like as they occur, not just once a year. So, I have transformed this holy day into something a little different to make it truly meaningful for myself. 

I call it my Day of At-One-Ment. I put aside 24 hours from sunset to sunset to turn away from the world outside. I turn off the phone and computer, cover the clocks and simply am with myself and Nature. I take this time to move away from doing, accomplishing, and my preferred distractions, and sink into Being. I often do this ritual on secular New Year’s day, too. 

It is beautiful, enlightening, and refreshing, though it can also be challenging. I encourage you to explore your own version of this for whatever length of time you can claim for yourself, away from your daily responsibilities. 

One more ritual for you:

I didn’t grow up in a religious household, so only came to this beautiful practice as an adult. 

You might choose to practice the Jewish ritual of Tashlich, of releasing bread into flowing water to symbolize releasing something you wish to let go of. You don’t need to be Jewish! 

Step 1 - Bring bread to a moving body of water, sit quietly contemplating nothing, making a space for insight to arise.

Step 2 - When you know what you’d like to release, imagine placing it inside of the bread. It could be something such as a resentment you’ve been holding onto that is only hurting you.

Step 3 - When you’re ready, ask for help from the flowing water, toss your bread into it, and imagine that hurtful thing you’ve held onto flowing away from you, freeing yourself to live and love more fully.

I’ll write more on traditional Samhain rituals in the next newsletter. Meanwhile, I hope to see you soon! 

Love and Green Blessings,

Robin Rose ~*~