Autumn is in full swing! As we prepare to reap the bounty of a year of celebrating in the light, healing past trauma and radiating unconditional love out into the world… I hope you’ll remember to take a look back to a year ago and see how far you’ve come and what lessons you’ve learned along the way.
I mention this because this is also a season of preparation for higher spiritual journeys, energetic soul adventures and embarking upon the pathway to the very best version of your life… for you and everyone around you.
For those of you who have followed my work for quite some time, you already know that the veil between life and death thins at this season, and possibilities for communication with those who have passed on expand.
Here lies an occasion for you to come close to your ancestors and loved ones who have passed to the other side and receive the love and the wisdom they offer.
At the start of this month, we honored the Christian celebration of All Saints’ Day on November 1. This day set aside by the early church to honor saints and martyrs merged over time with long-existing folk customs celebrating the harvest and the remembrance of ancestors who had gone before. A lively modern day example of this folk tradition is the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead, a holiday which honors the dead by celebrating their lives and the happy times that families spent together.
Day of the Dead celebrations have spread to cities across the U.S. because of the soulful appeal of the holiday. Customs include decorating special “altars” for deceased family members with bright flowers and candles, music, and the special food and drink that they enjoyed in life. It’s a celebration that encourages the belief that death is a natural part of the cycle of life, to be faced without fear. It also encourages the living to reinforce their connection to their ancestors and to the world of spirit, which their souls instinctively recognize as the source of strength and security, love and tranquility.
When you think about all aspects of the “All Hallows” tradition—the thinning of the veil between life and death, the welcoming of those who have gone before, the possibilities for communion between worlds—the spiritual usefulness of this celebration shines bright. It’s a good opportunity to examine what is really important to you. What really matters? How can reflecting on the transition between the worlds of life and death shed light on your present existence? How can life in the physical world be made better going forward? And what is the best way to prepare for the life to come on the other side?
Here are five ways to make the most of this transitional season with its emphasis on family and remembrance. Gather wisdom and knowledge and make yourself ready for your next step:
- Have your healing tools on hand. Consider all the resources available to you for becoming your best spiritual self and for healing yourself and others. What tools do you have at hand to enhance your growth—from journaling to meditation to prayer? Have you explored the use of a pendulum or the healing power of gems as part of your spiritual toolkit? (I’ve written recent blogs on both)
- Keep yourself strongly connected to Spirit. Your connection to your loved ones and ancestors who have crossed to the other side comes from your mutual bond in Spirit. Anything you do to strengthen your connection to Spirit, brings you closer to contacting and communicating with the ancestral guides who are waiting to help you. How do you connect with Spirit each day?
- Take care of yourself with gratitude and love. Believe in the loving connection you have with all of life and the continuum of life and death. By giving yourself the nourishment, movement, rest, and spiritual care you need, you honor the gift of life in the material world that is yours. Do you love yourself and express your gratitude for life each day.
- Remember our unity of soul; we are one. Although deceased family members have moved into another realm, they are present for you. All that you share with loved ones in the material world is a reflection of the unity that you share with all beings beyond time. Tune in to the spiritual connection between all living things for comfort and peace. Where and how do you find opportunities to feel your eternal connectedness?
- Help others enjoy this world. Just as the unity of souls makes one family in the spiritual realm, this connection is what bids you to be of service to others in the material world. In the celebration of the Day of the Dead, food and drink, light, beauty, and happy memories are the gifts the living offer to those who have passed. These universal ingredients of comfort and connection can be offered with joy to those who cross your path every day. How do you find opportunities to make the world a more joyful place for all?
You can choose any or all of these in a way that reflects your love and gratitude for a life filled with opportunities to heal, thrive and grow.
If you’re attracted to the special energy associated with this time of the year and you’re curious to discover more, I’m excited to announce that I’ll be livestreaming my December retreat, Sanctuary for the Mantle of Healing, December 1-4.