November. The month when we slip off the masks of revelry we share in October and dissolve into the liminal space and dying light. Kissed by the chilling winds that kick up, we begin to pull a little closer into ourselves. Perhaps we breathe a little slower, a little calmer. Opening the door to a place for rest, we find ourselves curling up within the comforts of our home. However, for many of us upon this crooked path, we know that there is much to do, much to explore. Yes, we will rest. We will also begin our long trek into our vast wildness within, seeking the parts of our soul that are still undiscovered or have been pushed aside. If we choose this path, we do not need to walk alone. As the cold winds of change blow, there is a presence that waits. She will make herself known when we are ready for her. However, it is up to us to answer that call.
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For Those Who Have Gone Before Us
I recently visited the Brattleboro Retreat Tower. It is a place that holds a long history and such a presence. While it was intended to be a groundbreaking facility, and it certainly was in many respects, there are chapters in its past that range from disturbing to heartbreaking, just like all psychiatric facilities of their time. I wanted to take a moment and offer the history of the location for a few reasons. First, this hospital continues to treat patients today. There is a stigma with mental illness and I do not want to sully the good work and compassionate care that The Retreat offers today. Secondly, to overcome the horrors of the past, we must look at what was true and weed out what is false. Rumors run rampant in places like these.
Read MoreGiving Voice
I have been trying to finish a blog about a particular location in Vermont that we went to recently. It is a place that holds a certain kind of history that quickly conjures images and emotions long before you arrive and captivates you once you enter its grounds. As I was writing, I realized it was becoming quite long, and I have been trying to figure out how to fix it for about a week now. I am not sure what can be cut. It is a place with many layers and stories to tell. This location deserves respect and I don’t want to just give it a few paragraphs and move on. Quick blurbs and soundbites flood our media. As a result, much of the story is lost or shrugged away, reduced to broad stroke summaries and assumptions charged with fear.
Read MoreBetween the Darkest Depths and Sunniest Skies
Over the last few months, I have been feeling a push and a pull within me. For a time, I am offered space to feel the sun upon my face and the ocean’s spray upon my skin. Joy and excitement flow through me as long held dreams materialize before my eyes. It is like I am living a dream come true. I feel weightless and free. Everything within me rises to the surface to mingle with the sea and sky as my dreams take flight. It is beautiful and surreal all rolled into one gift that has no strings attached. As I smile with my eyes closed and face to the sun, the ocean waves consume me, dragging me down into the ocean’s dark depths. I am instantly carried down below my own waterline. Into the darkness I go; acceptance and silence my only guide.
Read MoreLayers of Lifetimes
There are moments when we dream of far-off places and of a time that has been long forgotten. Hazy pictures within our minds are painted. They create landscapes, uncover memories, and perhaps even pieces of ourselves are revealed as the mist dissipates. The fuzzy images become clearer as we emerge from the shadows, gathering strength through understanding. For some, this is the work of our journey. This is the work of our soul. This is the work of connecting the dots between our longing and with our unexpected de-ja-vu experiences. When we take the time to listen to what our body is telling us, what our soul is craving, we can give ourselves permission to take the step forward to feed ourselves with what we need. However, this can only happen if we choose to walk into the unknown and into that strange place of liminality between today, yesterday, and tomorrow. Like frosted breath on a window pane, we touch the boundaries between ourselves and what is calling to us.
Read MoreThe Living Lands
There are places we explore in this world that can stand out in our mind. A beach, forest or mountain can easily take our breath away as we soak in its beauty. We understand the power Nature holds and its ability to wipe away stress and tension, bringing ourselves back into balance. If we feel upset or lost, we can gently close our eyes and allow ourselves to slowly drift back into this peaceful place to refocus and find our footing once again. These spaces paint a picture in our minds and hearts where we can pause and open the doorway to the sacred. It is an act of looking outward to reconstruct our balance and beauty within.
Read MoreOasis
We all have experiences every day of our lives. Sometimes, we keep them superficial. Other times, they weave their way into us, deeper than we expect. This spiritual alchemy can change how we think and perceive other experiences in our future, if we allow it. The exchanges can become little oases in our lives. They give us the sacred space to drink in the wisdom, healing, and nourishment that we never knew we needed, much like the lush, watery pools in the desert. Maybe the swan’s message was to remind me that magick is everywhere. Maybe she was there to show me that the magick was happening and I couldn’t feel it because the path that I was walking on reminded me of my own scars that I transferred onto the land and the spirits of that place. Maybe part of the message from the Swan was the simple reminder that magick and divinity are seen and unseen. I am here today, telling you this story to share the experience I was given. Magick is everywhere. It is in the hidden places and sometimes in plain sight. Divinity is woven right along side of it too. It is there for those with eyes to see and ears to hear – whether we think we have it or not. And sometimes, it is as simple as a single swan appearing on an overcast day in a place where many may have forgotten such magick. The same can be said for the magick and divinity within ourselves. I think this was nature’s way of saying what can be an oasis to us, may be a mirage to another. However, it is up to us to decipher what we deem to be an oasis for ourselves.
Read MoreInto the Liminal Part Seven Deep Within the Earth
Deep within the earth, we have been wrapped in the silent stillness. We have been shedding. We have been growing. We have been dreaming. The Lady of Winter, The Cailleach, who sheltered us under her mantle as we walked our path through the liminal lands, brought us here to rest. It has been a long journey together and at times, difficult. The act of unwinding from what no longer serves us can leave us feeling wounded and raw. It is an arduous process, yet, we understand the importance of it. We must unravel slowly and purposefully in order to find our hidden and splintered pieces. This is how we heal. This is how we grow. This is how we come a little closer to embrace our true heart and hopefully, a little wiser too.
Read MoreInto the Liminal Part Six ~ Exploring the Shifts of Change
Over the last five weeks, we have talked about liminal spaces as physical locations. Places like river beds, swamps, forest edges, and the ocean’s shoreline hold a special meaning and energy. They are the transition points between two types of land. Just like dawn and twilight, they stand between night and day, light and dark. A describable location with a sometimes-indescribable feeling, a borderland holds a special energy and can often feel unsettling. If you were to walk through a once bustling town that has become abandoned, you can feel that the land holds something different. That place can heighten your senses and demand that you pay attention to the electricity in the air.
Read MoreInto the Liminal Part Five ~ To See In the Dark
As we walk though this life exploring our light, dark, and mysterious borderlands, we quickly discover that one meditation, one epiphany, does not clear everything. No. It simply allows us to scratch the surface to explore a myriad of other pieces, waiting to be seen through the lens of Love. Although it can feel overwhelming at first, we quickly realize that there really is an endless number of possibilities with many paths to walk.
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The Whispering Crow 