Spark The Fire Within

Fall, Leaves, Fall
Emily Brontë
Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
Lengthen night and shorten day;
Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Fluttering from the autumn tree.
I shall smile when wreaths of snow
Blossom where the rose should grow;
I shall sing when night’s decay
Ushers in a drearier day.

You know it is that time of year to embrace change when the gold, ruby, amber, and emerald leaves fill us with wonder, gently nudging us to say goodbye to the bright summer days that we love. The brisk breeze is an inviting welcome and refreshing change but also a reminder of the long, shadowy winter months ahead. 

The Shadow is the Greatest Teacher

Whether you are a summer person, a fall person, or an equal seasonal lover,  we can all learn a lot from the energies of the equinoxes when dark gives way to light, and light gives way to darkness as it is now. Some people refer to the time from the Spring Equinox to the Autumn Equinox as the light of half the year, whereas the time from Autumn to Spring is the shadow months (in the northern hemisphere). 

The shadow months teach us the necessity of slowing down, letting go, and going inward. Interestingly, as we head indoors to escape the cold, we also tend to go within ourselves for a break from the demands of the world around us. And, just as Mother Nature and all her creation need a chance to rest and renew, we can also benefit from the slower pace of autumn and winter to focus on our family, organize our lives, and let go of unneeded, excessive, and nonessential items, tasks, relationships, beliefs, and energies. 

Listen Anew to The Ancestors’ Wisdom

In many ways, this practice of letting go as the leaves fall reconnects us with our ancestors. During the fall, they often turned their minds to survival during winter, letting go of everything but the essential food and supplies in their stocks. They did this because they had no room or energy to waste preparing for winter. As such, this is a meaningful time to ask ourselves what we are holding on to that takes up space, time, and energy in our lives but doesn’t serve to sustain our souls or nourish our hearts.

Whether it is the falling leaves that remind us of the passion of time or the holidays like Yom Kippur, Eid al-Adha, Thanksgiving, Diwali, Día De Los Muertos, or Samhain, the shadow months are often a time when we often think of our ancestors. Many memories are warm and fuzzy.  However, some may evoke sadness, regret, or anger, and I’m here to tell you that’s okay. Life is not all about happiness and high spirits. It sometimes involves the hard work of healing.

Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes

As the flower petals fall and the leaves tumble to the ground, the beginning of the shadow season is a meaningful time to ask yourself:

  • What ancestral trauma am I holding on to?
  • What wounds keep repeating themselves every generation?
  • What unresolved emotions do I have regarding my family or individual members, here or departed?

And most importantly:

  • Am I ready to heal and let go?

Remember, generational healing takes love and patience. Your healing journey isn’t likely to be done by the first dusting of snow (which always comes too soon, doesn’t it?). This is a process, but what better time to begin it than when we are surrounded by nature's scenic reminders of how beautiful, refreshing, and inspiring change and release can be?

Gazing into the Past, Present & Future

It isn’t always easy to know what needs to be healed and released because it has been a part of us and our family’s lineage for so long. To do so, we need to access the higher consciousness, bypassing the protective walls of the ego. Fire scrying is one practice that is particularly seasonal and lights the spark of illumination and for me, passion.

Scrying is a spiritual practice of gazing meditatively into an object or an element to gain wisdom and understanding. It can be done with water, blowing clouds, dripping wax, incense smoke, mirrors, and fire. It works as a mindfulness tool that focuses the conscious mind by quieting the chatter, allowing us to access our subconscious mind. 

We often associate fire with destruction when it is also an element of passion, inspiration, creativity, healing, motivation, and cleansing. To practice fire scrying, all you need is a candle of any colour or size, a peaceful space, and an open mind.

Spark The Fire Within – Fire Gazing Ritual

  • You may wish to say a prayer or set an intention for clarity, wisdom & understanding
  • Light your candle
  • Gaze at, into, through, and around the flame
  • Observe the fire and the space around and between it
  • Clear your mind 
  • You may wish to meditate on the following questions
    • What generational wounds are ready to be released?
    • How can I be a better ancestor for past generations?
    • How can I be a better ancestor for future generations?

Or:

  • What energies, beliefs, or relationships no longer serve me?
  • What repressed or painful emotions should I release into the light?
  • What intentions am I ready to set for a better tomorrow?

Let’s enter the cycle of darkness together, bringing in light to heal our ancestral lineage. Let’s break old generational moulds. Let's make way on our healing journey setting the path a blaze for our children and future generations to come. 

You are the bright light your future self needs.

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Until next time fireflies,

Helena