No Ends, No Beginnings- October 2021
Dear ,
Do you ever feel like the universe is knocking you on the head, trying to teach you a lesson, and you just keep missing the obvious? I certainly do! I recently experienced an incident with a member of the insect kingdom that sent me reeling, then sent me to my doctor’s office for aid, and then, finally, on a metaphysical journey.
I spent a glorious week with my family (ten of us!) in a wonderful house on a barrier island. It was laughter and busyness and activity (three children) – and, sort of like ants – movement never stopped. Although I found quiet moments and some alone time, I was still mostly busy with lots of people, constantly in motion.
There were ants in my car at the end of the trip! My car teemed with scurrying ants. In a panic, not thinking, I sprayed ant killer in the car, and then had a reaction to the spray that created a lung infection. Antibiotics and other meds later, I’m finally better, but it was a scary time.
If you’ve had an Animal Guides Reading with me, Ant may have appeared as one of your guides. Ant medicine is one of the strongest, and hardest, to have because Ant teaches us patience and perseverance, a commitment to follow through with determination on any task at hand. Ant carries amazingly heavy loads, and works well with others, teaching us to trust. Be patient, and you will receive abundant blessings. Be still and listen. Only act when you are certain your actions are for the highest good of all, says mighty Ant!
Ant also invites us prioritize what really matters in our lives, to examine WHY we are so busy – why we become human “doings” instead of human “beings.” You’ve heard me say a thousand times that we need to be still, to just be. What’s the worst thing that could happen if I just STOPPED for a bit? I certainly ignored my own advice, and paid a heavy price for it.
I’m trying to reconcile my killing of so many beings. That is not something I would do if I had been in my rational mind. I’m still working on this.
I also realized that, as an air sign (Libra, with Libra in four houses), during the sign of Libra with Mercury Retrograde, having a breathing issue (and thus an ability to communicate well) is a powerful message from the universe.
So, just to be clear: the universe says, breathe. Just breathe. Slow down, stop scurrying. Be still. Live with clear intention. Speak clearly and gently. All will be well.
Deep gratitude to my friend who called my attention to the metaphysical lessons while I was so focused on the physical!
FREE Meditation!
Remember to click on the link below for your FREE monthly meditation recording! Here’s the link to the No Ends, No Beginnings meditation I’ve recorded for October.
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Ideas for Celebrating the Celtic New Year
Samhain (pronounced sam-han or sav-ven) is the third and final harvest celebration in the Celtic pagan tradition and occurs on October 31. It also celebrates the start of the new year in the pagan wheel of the year.
The suggestions below for celebrating the holiday were printed in my October 2020 newsletter, and I’ve had requests to reprint them. Enjoy!
Hosting a Silent Samhain Dinner
I invite you to consider a lovely practice at Samhain. This is the time when the veil between worlds thins and we can most easily communicate with departed loved ones. It is, unfortunately, from this deeply sacred concept that some of the spooky aspects of modern Halloween come.
In reality, the practice of connecting with our departed loved ones can be a gentle, joyous event. One of my favorite ways to do this is to host what, in old days, was called “a dumb supper.” (“Dumb” in this context meant “silent”.)
Here’s what you do:
Prepare a meal with foods that celebrate the season. Include a dish or two that were favorites of your departed loved ones.
Set the table with flowers, candles, and holiday decorations. Add one additional place setting and chair that will represent a place at the table for your departed loved one(s).
Bring food and drink to the table, being sure you have everything you need so that no one has to leave the room once you begin. (Remember matches for lighting the candles!)
Create a circle of energy around the table by offering prayers or thoughts, and inviting those guests from beyond the veil who you are willing to see. Simply holding hands around the table and speaking is a lovely way to do this.
Light the candles. From this moment forward, not a word is to be spoken.
As dishes are passed around the table, each person serves him/herself, with the person nearest the empty place setting putting a spoonful of each food on the plate reserved for the departed.
Eat in silence, meditating on kind thoughts of those who have crossed the veil, and listening for their communication with you.
At the end of the meal, hold hands again, offer thanks for the visit (whether you sensed someone or not), and thanks for the time together. Extinguish the candles.
When the circle is opened, someone should take food from the plate for the departed one(s) that is safe to do so, outside for the four-legged, winged, and crawling people.
Creating a Samhain Altar
Of all the altars I create throughout the year, my Samhain altar is the most cluttered, and often the most colorful. It contains many candles, representation of the Divine Feminine and the Divine Masculine, symbols of the five elements (air, fire, water, earth, spirit), the directions (east, south, west, north, above, below, within), symbols of the season (leaves, acorns, nuts, gourds, apples), a bell for marking the passage of time and parts of the ritual, incense, essential oils for anointing candles, matches, and books from which we offer readings.
Usually, a pomegranate graces the altar, reminding us to honor Persephone, as she descends into the underworld for the winter, and her mother Demeter, as she lays waste to the land in her grief. Also on the altar are photos and precious reminders of departed loved ones.
On the evening of Samhain, the candles are lighted, prayers are said, passages from beloved books are read. We meditate, we invite our relatives to join us. We laugh and tell stories, and sometimes we cry. Sometimes we sing. There are soul-cakes and a pot of tea nearby for the “cakes and ale” part of the ritual.
At my home, we begin our Samhain ritual with a silent supper, then finalize the creation of the altar. We then offer a ritual around the altar that honors the season, our ancestors, and our commitments for the coming year.
I hope these ideas have been helpful to you as you plan your own celebration of the turning of the Wheel at Samhain!
Tarot Key of the Month: Death
Of course it’s the Death Key this month. Even people who know nothing about Tarot have heard about the Death key. In my work, I have had very few readings in which Death foretold physical death.
Rather, I describe Death as the “renewal” key. It is about letting go of that which no longer serves us so that we have room in our lives to bring in the new. Death symbolizes the ever-spinning circle of life, the rising and falling of kings, overcoming fear of the unknown aspects of life beyond the veil, and the end of the Piscean age, represented by the bishop wearing a miter in the shape of a fish.
Note the sun in the background between the two pillars (which are a repeating theme in Tarot). The flowing river before the towers and the sun remind us that water evaporates into clouds, the rains come, and the sun shines again – and the wheel spins again.
Tarot theorists have varying perspectives about the banner Death holds. Eden Grey maintains the five-petaled rose represents Mars and the four aspects of the Life Force. My research has led me to believe the symbol is related to the legend of the Holy Grail, and the compass rose that represents the Divine Feminine and Mary Magdalene.
One last strange detail – note the woman in the bottom right. She’s the same woman pictured in the Strength Key. While her position here seems to be one of fear and subjugation, it is possible that she is not frightened, but rather kneeling in respect for the flow of life from the materials to the spiritual.
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Just One More Thing Before You Go
I’m so thankful for my connection to YOU!!! As I contemplate the seeds I’ve sown and what I’ve harvested this year, I believe the answer is connection – a deeper connection with YOU! As we move into the season of consciousness of gratitude – let me just say:
Thank you, !
