EarthLove

Sacred Earth And Sky

The In-Between – Samhain

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Originally published in November2016.

There are special in-between times in life that are filled with power.  Twilight is such a time, as is dawn. Those magical moments in each day when it is neither day nor night…  Birth is also an in-between time, as is death. Each of these in-between times marks a border, a space of transition. They are special times when the ancients believed magic is likely to occur.

Here in the northern hemisphere, we find ourselves on the boundary between autumn and winter. This is yet another potent in-between time. As the sunlight fades away and our nights begin to lengthen, the ancient Celtic people celebrated Samhain (Sow-in).  Some tribes celebrated Samhain at the 1st new moon after late harvest (October 25th this year). Other tribes chose to celebrate at the 1st full moon after harvest (November 8th this year).

The Celtic celebration of Samhain was a way to acknowledge and honor the transition out of the light half of the year and into the dark half.  The Celtic people believed that the veils between this world and the next are very thin at Samhain. Those that have departed this Earth are close at Samhain. This made it the perfect time to celebrate the gifts of the ancestors, and to celebrate the endless cycles of birth – growth – death – rebirth that are an integral part of Nature.

In this sacred and magical in-between time, spend a few moments acknowledging and honoring all that has happened in the past year.

Honor everything you have “harvested” this year.

Consider what you hope to “birth” and “grow” in the year ahead.

Bow to your ancestors and thank them for giving you this life.

Offer love and prayers to loved ones who have transitioned.

Thank the light of summer and embrace the dark of winter.

Celebrate the Magic of Samhain.

Winter’s Cloak

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“This year I do not want
the dark to leave me.
I need its wrap
of silent stillness,
its cloak
of long lasting embrace.
Too much light
has pulled me away
from the chamber
of gestation.

Let the dawns
come late,
let the sunsets
arrive early,
let the evenings
extend themselves
while I lean into
the abyss of my being.

Let me lie in the cave
of my soul,
for too much light
blinds me,
steals the source
of revelation.

Let me seek solace
in the empty places
of winter’s passage,
those vast dark nights
that never fail to shelter me.”

~Joyce Rupp

❄️

#dark
#still
#inward
#winter

Photograph: Lonely Tree
by Renate Wasinger

Samhain; Betwixt and Between

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Originally published November 1, 2017


Certain times in our lives are filled with potency and magic. Twilight is such a time, as is dawn. These are magical moments when it is neither day nor night. Birth is another potent in-between time, along with death. These special times mark borders and transition zones. The in-between is a sacred time when magic is afoot.

Here in the northern hemisphere, we find ourselves on the boundary between autumn and winter. The light is slowly fading away as our Sun drops lower and lower in the sky and our nights grow longer. This is another potent in-between time. The ancient Celtic people would celebrate Samhain (Sow-in) at this time.  Some tribes chose to celebrate at the 1st new moon after late harvest. Other tribes celebrated at the 1st full moon after harvest. The celebration of Samhain was a beautiful way to honor the seasonal  transition out of the light and into the dark.

The veils between the worlds grow very thin during this sacred in-between time.  Loved ones who have departed this Earth are believed to be nearby. Many people in Mexico honor this by celebrating Dia de los Muertos  (Day of the Dead) at this time.

Samhain is the perfect time to acknowledge and celebrate the sacred cycles of birth – growth – death – rebirth that are an integral part of Nature.

♾

Some suggestions for acknowledging and honoring the magical in-between time of Samhain:

Take a few moments to honor everything you have “harvested” this year.

Bow to your ancestors and thank them for giving you this life.

Offer love and prayers to loved ones who have transitioned.

Thank the brilliant light of summer and embrace the deep dark of winter.

Listen for spiritual guidance to help you in the coming year.

♾

Celebrate the Magic of Samhain.

Split Boulder Photo by Nancy Lankston

Awaken to the Dark

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“To connect with God, we first have to connect with nature, and to connect with nature, we have to awaken to the dark. That is why he (Rebbe Nachman) advised his disciples to follow a solitary path into the darkness outside the city, and to enlist the aid of plants and flowers once they got there. To follow nature and return to nature—that itself was the path to God.”

~Clark Strand, Waking Up to the Dark,
Ancient Wisdom for a Sleepless Age