Can You Surrender to Winter’s Call at Samhain?
~ Exploring the energies of Samhain and early winter ~
How do you feel about winter?
Now, I know for many of us dark wintriness can feel challenging.
If it does for you, perhaps you wish you could fast-forward through to spring?
But I invite you to linger awhile, for wintertime has its own precious gifts to share.
And Samhain (31st October) signals the entry into winter and the darkest phases of the year.
The daylight hours are fading. The days are shorter and colder and oftentimes damp and grey. Deciduous trees are losing their leaves and plants are dying back. Animals get ready to nest. All of nature is readying itself for deep rest, hibernation and renewal.
The prevailing energy of Samhain and early winter is death and decay…
It’s the energy of the waning Balsamic (waning crescent) Moon…
It’s the energy of the entry intro menopause…
It’s a traditional time to connect to your ancestors – to those you’ve loved and lost and to your historical ancestors.
It’s a time for shadow work and healing.
A time to slow down and reflect.
But, above all, Samhain and the descent into winter invites you inwards – to investigate and hang out in your inner world.
And this can feel challenging.
Becoming quiet and still and consciously engaging with your inner world might bring up strong or uncomfortable feelings that the busy-ness of daily life serves to muffle or numb.
Try to be kind to yourself if you find you’d rather distract yourself than be with yourself.
If this is the case then comfort yourself with the knowledge that you’re certainly not alone in finding it challenging (this is how most of us seem to live!).
Working with Samhain energies
So how would it be to feel into your body and stand at this threshold and acknowledge what needs to depart – what needs to die?
Let the veil between the inner conscious and unconscious worlds drop.
Dream into your deepest innermost self and let this be a time to let your masks and emotional armour die-away.
Let Samhain’s death energy foster deep release as well as deep recognition of what is no longer working, useful or required within yourself and your life – whether internally in terms of thoughts and beliefs, or externally in terms of possessions, relationships, or ways of being and doing.
Be open to receive guidance on what has become stagnant and dull.
And invite in the possibility that you can let it all die away.
It’s uncomfortable. So you may feel tired, emotional, confused, frustrated.
You may finally recognize what needs to go from your life. This may bring an uneasy feeling of resistance.
But how would it be to embrace the transformative energy of death as necessary to live a full, authentic and meaningful life?
Enter the Crone
Samhain is also the realm of the Crone Goddess, wise woman, She who has seen it all.
We meet Her in nature … and in ourselves.
She is the witch who has been demonised by the Church – wise woman, edge-dweller, soul midwife, seer.
She is crone, hag and grandmother, and she offers you her wisdom, intuition, inner vision and acceptance of death.
Find her in the stillness of winter and its decay and replenishment.
For Crone offers you the gift of wisdom.
She brings the sagacity to know when to rest and when to act; to know when to be still and listen and when to speak up; and to be able to discriminate between what’s your truth and what is social conditioning or your wounding doing the talking.
A Samhain Blessing
May your dreams be blessed with clear vision; may you feel the love of your ancestors cherishing you and wishing you well; and may you find the courage to let that which is ready to die, depart.
With love and peaceful blessings,
Stella x
Next steps
If you would like to explore these topics further then check out my Samhain and Early Winter resource.
This Sacred Seasons resource will guide you to honour yourself through Samhain with meditation, ritual and soul guidance.
And it will guide you to activate the healing energies of wisdom, deep release and The Crone archetype.
