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.
Read MoreAll articles filed in Trust
Layers Through Time
This blog completes the recent series I have been posting for you. While the first two pieces, “Giving Voice”, and “For Those Who Have Gone Before Us”, offered the history of the Brattleboro Retreat Tower, this article documents my hike up to the top of the hill. It may seem out of sequence, but it felt right this way. I hope it inspires you to explore your local history. Hopefully, we can dispel the fiction from reality to heal the scars that stretch across our communities together.
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 MoreListening to the Still, Small Voice
There is a stillness growing within me. It is a gift that I am happy to embrace. The last few weeks have been quite difficult for a lot of us. Whether it is written in the stars and planets or the bristling energies of our wonderfully human lives, it hasn’t been easy. I am constantly reminding myself that this is the process of discovery – of myself, my relationships, and my magick. I chose to walk this path of self-exploration and sometimes I just need to stop my routine and take a break. The breaks aren’t just are for self-care. They are a chance for me to stop and listen to what my heart, body, and soul have to say.
Read MoreLife Always Finds A Way
The darkness covers like a blanket as the small stirrings of light begin to make their way towards the horizon. Lulled by the falling rain, we walk the borderlands between night and day, drifting in and out of sleep. Something calls out of the mist and shadow. A voice faintly familiar whispers on the edge of a dream. “In a maze where we cannot always see where we are going, nothing is guaranteed. Life however, will always find a way even if it is not what you expect. How then, will you find yours?”
Read MoreThe Growing Sun and the Energy of Rebirth
As we continue to slough off our confining shells, what are you experiencing? What do you need? What are you ready to let go of? Sometimes we are so excited to break free from the bitter cold and seclusion of winter, we can lose track of what we wish to see in the world. With the anticipation to shed our winter layers, we forget that we are still tender and sensitive beneath them. It is important to offer ourselves gentleness and care as we rebirth ourselves into this big, wild world.
Read MoreLearning to Trust Ourselves
Learning to trust yourself is about learning who you are. Each experience helps us expand our boundary line when it is time to grow. When we cross the line of our comfort zone, we are treading into the unknown and uncomfortable. That is how we transform our routine into new life and dreams. By working with our fears and using them as fuel, we can finally break free from what holds us back.
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 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 More
The Whispering Crow 