Holidays are not my thing. If you come to my house, you won’t see cute fall leaves (unless they are on the ground) or other holiday decorations. It has never been my thing. It seems like a lot of effort for little meaning or return.
Halloween has a lot of mischief, candy, horror movies, and bad images for witches. Even as a child I didn’t like this holiday. As an adult and a Pagan, I’ve found other ways to honor the season.
This is a time of year (at least in the northern hemisphere) of endings. Harvest is nearly done in the fields and gardens. Preparations for the cold winter are being made with a gathering of wood for the fireplace, swapping out the mower for the snow blower. Whatever the routine, it is an ending.
This is the time of the year, I look back to see what I’ve accomplished and can let go of. It is a time for me to honor those projects or paths which are done that I no longer need to worry about. It is a time to release and let go.
At the beginning of this calendar year, I set goals and promised myself I would publish at least two books. I’ve now published ten, which blows my mind every time I think about it. As the leaves fall off the trees, I think about what I need to let go of like the trees are dropping their leaves.
Fall is my favorite season. I find it beautiful and calming. The energy is peaceful. Samhain is about the thinning of the veil between worlds and connecting with the other side. For me, I think this is something that helps me come back to center and be grounded.
If we listen, the ancestors share their wisdom or their folly depending on the ancestor. This is the time of year I feel closest to my ancestors. I hold them in my heart all year but I find myself thinking about them more at this time of the year. If I’m crocheting, I think of my Grandma Stone who made intricate doilies. If I’m watching something humorous, I think of my Grandpa Mesmer, because he always made me giggle with hugs and tickles. Every time I touch a stone, I think of my father. The family stories seem to linger in my mind at this time of year.
I come from a long line of strong women and strong men. To honor those people, the strength and love they put into building my foundation, I carry them with me in my crocheting, my writing, my life. I hope I’ve passed that foundation down to my daughters.
I don’t know what my grandparents or my father would have thought of my beliefs. I do know they are proud of the woman I’ve become. I feel this in everything around me at this time of the year.
In the time between now and Yule, my energy will be focusing on letting go and grieving (if necessary) for the things that are done and gone. I’m going to look within to see how well I’ve met my goals. I’m going to look at my habits and beliefs and see which ones need to fade away like the light is fading away. I’ll be looking within to find out what I need most.
So no pictures of ghosts or goblins on my door. No witches on brooms (though I’d love to fly to work on a broom rather than drive). No trick or treating. Just me, honoring those who have passed with thoughts and love, letting go of the chaff from the year, and looking within to find what comes next.