Blessed Samhain to you all,

Samhain means "summer’s end" and it is the end of the old and the beginning of a new year in the Celtic tradition. The time period, between Oct. 31st and Nov. 2nd is one of the most widely celebrated ancient traditions honoring death. The harvest is complete and the land will lie fallow for the winter months.

Samhain is the time of descent into darkness and going within. It is believed to be the time when the veil between the physical world and the spirit world is most transparent and you can converse with your ancestors and guides, gaining valuable advice for the coming year. Surely our forbearers felt the loss of loved ones when they died, yet they also knew they could have access to their wisdom through the connection of love, much like the beliefs and practices of Spiritualists to this day.

So much has changed since those early rites which included gathering at the great mounds and long barrows, where families could feel close to their loved ones who were buried there. When patriarchal cultures replaced the earlier Earth Honoring traditions, somewhere in the last seven to nine thousand years, fear of death became more and more prevalent. So the ghoulish costumes we see today is a reflection of this fear and the disconnection from knowing ancestors as beloved and trusted guides.

What wisdom will you open to? Photo by JBP

How did we disconnect so completely from the spirit world that we would depict anything so terrible as zombies, devils, vampires, mummies and walking skeletons that are all out to hurt us? Some folks believe that watching horror movies and laughing at scary images is a form of inoculation against the fears generated by these images, but I am not so sure. As I talk with clients, I realize they often have these images stored in memory and it contributes to an underlying distrust in the world that belies their general experience. Demons could come from anywhere, so even home is not safe.

We live in a fear based culture; it fuels much of commerce and most of the news. It’s important to look at methods that would actually allow us to live with calm and peace as our natural position, with occasional moments of facing something that engenders fear. I believe the groundswell of interest in methodologies such as Yoga, Mindfulness, special breathing patterns, EFT tapping, and many other calming modalities are a direct reflection of the need to find inner peace.

How do we cope with the moments when we must face fear? I’m not talking about a moment when there is an immediate physical threat, but the fear of something we feel will threaten our life (a diagnosis), our finances (job loss, taxes) or other things we hold dear. Even though we are not running away from a tiger at that moment, our fear causes the adrenalin pumping, heart racing, and sometimes frozen feeling that we all know. The first thing is to make room for the emotions; breathe slowly and deeply as possible. And before the mind generates worst-case scenarios, repeat the affirmation from Louise Hay: "All is well. Everything is working out for my highest good. Out of this situation only good will come. I am safe." This is the principle of going general from the Abraham-Hicks wisdom.

Most of what we imagine is anticipatory fear, as we generate catastrophes and perceive a dire future, which is far worse then the real outcome. So here’s my go to list of self-care during the time it takes to work through the situation.

1. Get helpful information from professionals
2. Receive counsel from healing practitioners you trust
3. Ask for support and prayer from special friends who bring you a feeling of calm
4. Whatever you believe about Spirit, communicate with it, affirming help and creating a relational connection with symbolic acts such as gathering altar items and doing a ceremony representing your highest good.

Everyday, repeat your affirmation and move your focus away from mind-generated images that do not serve you. Avoid talking to those who would focus on such images and keep going general to allow for the best possible miracles to work.

Allow your beloved ancestors to bring blessings into your life.

My love to you, Linda

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Womb Wisdom – guided imagery with original soundtrack by Peter Girard