November 1st marks the midpoint between Autumn Equinox, with its equal hours of light and dark, and the Winter Solstice, or Yule, the shortest day and the longest night of the day.  In this week’s podcast, Sara Walka, Founder and Head Magic Maker here at the Sisters Enchanted talked about the dark months, their call for us to rest, reflect and release and how to use story to help feel grounded when modern holiday preparations feel so unaligned with the natural energy of the season.

Many of us associate Halloween with darkness and the narrowing of the veil between the living and the dead, but it is today, November 1st, that really is the gateway to the darkest season, between Samhain, or Halloween and Beltane at the start of May.

 November 1st marks the midpoint between Autumn Equinox, with its equal hours of light and dark, and the Winter Solstice, or Yule, the shortest day and the longest night of the day. So, from now until Yule on December 21st, the days will grow shorter. Then, at Yule, we welcome back the Sun and watch as the days gradually increase into Beltane.

 Death and Rebirth

 The dark months are the time of year when we are energetically called to think about death and rebirth. In nature, we see leaves die and fall back into the ground to be broken down, reabsorbed into the earth and nurture the new growth as seeds are planted and shoots of new life appear in the spring.

 In our own lives, now is the time to rest, relax and release anything that is old, that no longer serves us and that can be put to death to make way for the new. It is time when we are called to isolate ourselves a little and come within ourselves.

 All this is important as, just as the dead leaves nourish the soil for the new seeds to develop and grow, so we need rest, reflect and release to set ourselves up for success as we plant our new seeds of intention for the coming year ahead.

BUT

 Of course, our real life in the modern world is often anything but aligned to this natural energy of the seasons. During these dark months we have US Thanksgiving, then Christmas and all the hustle, bustle, shopping and doing that comes with the holidays.  All of this is in total opposite to the energy we are called to at this time. This misalignment as we find ourselves pushing against the energy of the season can cause us to feel ungrounded, out of our own selves and wrapped up in expectations, impulsive and unable to hold the boundaries we need to allow ourselves to slow down, go within and reflect.

 We may not want to adapt and change how we celebrate the holidays, but there are still things we can do to work to stay grounded in the season.

 For our Holistic Witchery students, now would be a really good time for a deep dive into your unit on energy protection. We also have a free gift for everyone in our new ‘Stay In Your Magic’ digital magazine and this, our very first edition, is all about how to stay grounded through the dark season.

 The Power of Story

 One really great way to ground yourself in the seasons is through mythical and old stories that relate to the energies of the turning year. We can find a sense of meaning in our own lives through reading and engaging with these stories. There are some wonderful stories relating to the transition through the dark months, leading to Yule.

 A great story for this time is “Ragnarok: The Final Destiny of the Gods” as retold by Neil Gaiman in his book ‘Norse Mythology.’

In it, he writes;

“There is no end. It is simply the end of the old times, Loki, and the beginning of the new times. Rebirth always follows death.”

 At Halloween, we talk about the thinness of the veil between ourselves and the dead, our ancestors. The veil is also thin at this time of year between who we were and who we will be. Stories about death and rebirth are a great reminder of what the season is about and to prompt us to consider:

What am I leaving behind?

What do I want to leave behind in this year?

What am I going to transition into?

What will be born on another side of the things I am now putting to death?

 Reading myths and stories with others, especially with children is a great way to open conversations with them and inspire them to think also about how they can stay grounded in the energy of the dark months and what they need to leave behind

 Stories remind us that, as the Sun rises on Yule, it brings with it an opportunity to begin to set new intentions, but before then, we need to put to death all that has been done and place it all back to earth.

 Reflecting on the energy of the season and what it urges us to do helps us to stay centered in ourselves and the things we wish to expand for us and less centered on the chaos and ambiguity about our truth, our values, time, money, and resources that so many of us can feel at this time of the year.

 Understanding the natural rhythm of the season can help us to align with it as much as our modern life enables us. In some cultures, the darkest months are a time when families come together to share food and hospitality but the present giving takes place in January. This is more aligned to the seasonal energy of gathering for gratitude, warmth and protection during this dark season and sharing gifts at the time when we begin to sow the seeds of intention as the new year starts.

 But, even when we can’t always align to the natural seasonal energy, knowing what the rhythm should be and how it feels when we step out of it can help us to find ways to stay grounded, give back to ourselves and take some time and stillness to hear the way forward.