It’s Not Over Yet
This Samhain season has had more than its share of sturm und drang, and I attribute much of it to the general sense of fatigue shared by everyone I meet. We are tired of war, tired of hearing of young people killed or injured in these endless struggles. We are sick and weary from corruption, pollution, environmental disaster.
We are working too hard, paying too much, bearing up as best we can under difficult times. With a stalled economy and soaring fuel prices, there are very few people who are not feeling in some way stretched to the limit. We are managing, but winter is coming and who knows what that will bring?
Samhain gives us a chance to mourn our losses, remember our dead, and by sinking deep into the bones of our ancestry, remember who we are. Down there in the marrow, spirit mixes with matter and makes fire, the blood that keeps us warm and alive. If we are lucky, our descent brings us finally to that place where the spark of life is re-kindled within us for another year.
Everyone I know has been diving deep this year, facing Death in its many aspects, pulling the life support from memories, dreams and habits that no longer serve us. This is bloody, painful work, not for the faint of heart. And it’s not over yet.
The moon is still waning, the Samhain energy is still winding down, and will continue to do so until Friday afternoon. At that time, the new moon in Scorpio will be the perfect time to lay these inner dead to rest.
So all of you who have feted the ancestors, cooked their food and sung their songs, take some time now to listen for the things within you that are ready to go, too. Find a box, fill it with symbols of what needs to cross over, and give it a proper burial on the 9th. Dig a hole in that fertile loam or rocky soil, and really let it go. Give it up, send it down, let it find its own way to the Underworld.
And then, we shall see what arises in the Spring.
November 8th, 2007 at 12:11 am
I love the idea of burying items in the ground to see what goes into the Earth Mother and what grows anew in the spring. Almost all of my spellwork, and my greenwork, involves placing ritual items in the ground. I figure that I should do my part and then let Earth Mama do the rest.
November 8th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
What a lovely suggestion. Thank you :-) I will do just that.
Friday is also the start of Diwali, one of my favorite festivals, especially the bit where they celebrate Dog.
Here’s to Lakshmi as we celebrate prosperity and beauty, and to Ganesh as we travel and write, and to Crow and Cow, as well for the lessons they hold.
as always,
Sia
November 8th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
I agree, Earth magic is potent and always surprising. I love gardening as a magical act. Thanks for your post, Sia. Always good to hear from you.
November 9th, 2007 at 10:06 am
Anne-
Yes, everyone I know has been diving deep this year, too. I had one hell of a year.
Gardening, composting, and walking the dog are my primary magical acts. I love this idea of burying the crap.
I admire how you are so honest about what is happening in your community. I don’t know the specifics, but I am saddened to say that we here in the Midwest have seen our share of serious dysfunction, too.
Thank you.
November 10th, 2007 at 2:31 am
Hello everyone, and happy Diwali -
This is not a complaint, but an observation about Reclaiming: Even in the Netherlands and other parts of Northern Europe, where the community is relatively new, these issues are occuring. The SCL model referred to seems to be – well, the model. One that is resented. One that can at this point, pretty much tip over the organisation of European Witch Camps…
Yes, it’s disheartening to see the community struggle. To see loss and pain and hurt feelings and lack of transparency.
But I think those things happen to people in any community, right? And sadly, one person – the Single Leader – tends to be the one investing enormous amounts of time and energy into creating the community. Often imperfectly, because we are human after all – with our own personality and ego structures, which would be driving each other crazy if it was just a cocktail party we were attending, and not a manifestation of magic and belief.
This stuff is just not easy. And I cannot imagine how ‘dissed’ an elder – someone who has devoted decades, often, to building this communal spiritual/practical space – might feel.
Makes me want to be a semi-solitary, non-political Witch…and that doesn’t help anybody, does it?
With my 2 euro cents worth, which should be approaching something like 3 cents U.S. today,
And much hope and love,
Fortuna
November 10th, 2007 at 2:33 am
dear moderator -
I realise my comments would be much more pertinent on the previous post (if at all!).
Blessings,
Fortuna