As the light outside finally reaches a point where I can see outside the window, I think about the night that just ended. Another restless one, but this day has the potential for great things. And that started the whirl of thoughts of when things end and how the next thing begins.
Not long ago an era came to an end in my life. The era of actively raising children. My youngest tested out her wings and discovered that the strength she has is more than enough to carry herself forward in her life. And my nest became an empty one. And yet… the next era began at that same moment. The painful stretching and growing and, in a sense, breaking free of the new egg. The beginning of Morrigan’s Nest, the beginning of turning my dreams of traveling into the reality of planning and honing and shaping. Also the beginnings of finding my footing as a single woman who cherishes her singularity, learning to care for myself as I’ve always cared for others, and finding peace within.
As some of you know, the upcoming holiday that most call Halloween, is the New Year for many Pagans and we call it Samhain (pronounced saʊ.wɛn). For those who do not know of this, let me give a brief explanation: the Pagan calendar is filled with celebrations of the seasons. There are eight main sacred days that fall on the Solstices, Equinoxes, and the cross-quarter days in between. Samhain is the celebration that honors those who have died over the year preceding and many believe that the veil, or boundary, between the living and the dead is the thinnest. There are a variety of ways to celebrate this sacred day and I encourage you to use your favorite search engine to find out more about it.
I like the idea that this is a new year simply because most of the harvesting has been finished and it’s a time when winter begins to really make its way to the northern hemisphere which, for me, is when quiet reflection and inner thoughts are more prevalent. I have a tendency to reevaluate my life and where I’ve been as well as look toward the path ahead and decide if there are changes I must make to get to where I want to go. This year is no exception.
As I sit in my room and look at the fabrics to be embroidered, the crystals that need to be placed on a grid, and the sheets of wax that need to be rolled into ritual candles I am reminded of the small adjustments to my course that need to be charted very soon. I also think about the new people in my life and how they have helped draw me out of the walls I tend to stay safely behind. New friends who, without a doubt, bring a smile to my day.
Whatever way you celebrate Samhain/Halloween, my sincere hope is that your days are filled with joy and your nights are filled with peace.
