A wisp of wind, less warm than usual, snatches your attention. A trailing leaf catches a glint of dying sunlight. The quiet is setting in. In my last blog, I explored how the fall season asks us to let go of the outer world and turn to the inner realm. The spring and summer nudge us to wake up to the world around us, to allow our inner child to play and feel the magic in nature. As nature begins it’s slow and colorful death, we are asked to find the magic within.
As a witch, my senses come alive in the most amazing way in October. It is the shift of energy from outer to inner. The whisper of the soul beckoning us to explore our imaginations, our bodies, and what we own. Our thoughts unconsciously look to the coming winter and what preparation is needed. Our souls look to our spirituality.
Why are witches famously associated with Halloween? There are many history accounts of the mysterious and violent history of witches. But their story starts much before Salem. Animistic cultures felt the change of the seasons strongly. They knew that as the fall set in, they , like nature were going through a transformation.
Protection
As this season approaches, we feel the need for protection. Though our ancestors worried about wolves, famine, and the cold, we have horror movies, debt, and crime. The cold is still a concern for those who have lost the fight to the corporate jungle or who have been the victim of racism, poverty, or the rising demands of the cost of living. For those in touch with the spiritual realm, there is also an increase in spirit communication or contact during this time. The veil is indeed thinning, allowing us a clearer and deeper vision into the dark. Grounding, shielding, visualization, or any other preferred protection techniques can help us to feel protected. Witch bottles are another protection tool that witches have relied on for hundreds of years. I create hand-made witch bottles for this purpose.
Ancestors
This is also a time when ancestor work or ancestor communication is encouraged. Ancestors can hold more power of the physical realm during this time and may even manifest themselves if compelled to do so. This is a wonderful time to pray to them or request their aid with something important to you or for protection. Altars can contain any objects but objects that are important to that person are recommended. Food offerings are usually accepted well but offerings can be of incense, wine, coffee, pictures, flowers, etc.
Becoming attuned to the season
Allow the colors, scents, and textures of the fall to fill your life! By accepting the change of the season, we accept transition and respect all of life’s great phases and turnings. We change our thoughts, feelings, and appearance to correspond with nature. Let intuition speak to you on what feels right for you at this time. We transition our closets, pantries, and decor. Do your thoughts and feelings need some clearing?
Divination
Having fortunes read at Halloween is another time-honored tradition. Some would bob for apples to tell the future, attend seances to communicate with the dead, and young girls would look into a mirror to see their future husband. The thinning of the veil was especially honored in Ireland, Scotland, Britain and America where the seasons feel more pronounced.
Even today, psychic readings with tarot and runes are very popular this turn of the wheel. Year ahead readings, love, mediumship and career are prominent. Deeper readings which require more energy like past life regressions are also common in the fall. Click to see my Etsy shop for my psychic readings and services.
Shadow Work
Shadow work is quite at home with this season because our psyche is more easily drawn to it at this time. As the earth exhales, our mind softens and looks inward as well. Shadow work allows us to find our triggers, bring them to light, and heal the deep wounds which caused them. Shadow work is serious healing that will allow us to love ourselves more deeply despite our flaws. Spiritual bypassing and positive thinking tends to occur when we are afraid to look at our wounds and fears but never allows us to heal as a result. Shadow work readings should only be performed with deep healing as the goal and with an experienced practitioner. I offer a shadow work reading in my Etsy shop
Knowledge and Reading
Reading is wonderful no matter the season, but I love to satiate my intellectual appetite with spooky tales during this season! The imagination tends to fire up in Libra season allowing our minds to wander and mix with our intuition to create haunted atmospheres in our thoughts. We delight in scaring ourselves or just by suspending our disbelief in a good book! We step through the threshold of the magical summer into the mysterious autumn.
As we transition to this wondrous season, I hope you find some interests to explore and allow your imagination to wander and your intuition to rise. Most of all, I hope you see the magic within this fall.
Blessings,
Ambyr
Tarot and Torch: A heart on fire 