As the days grow shorter and the nights extend their reach, we find ourselves entering a time often referred to as the 'dark season.' It’s a period that invites us to slow down, turn inward, and explore the deeper, often unseen aspects of ourselves.
Like all things, earth and her cycles hold significant mirrors for us to understand our own cycles of evolution: life, death, and rebirth. Similarly, relationships also hold mirrors to help us understand various aspects within our own consciousness: our desires, wounds, potential and capacity for love.
I recently started teaching a class called, Thinning of the Veil, which I share each year to explore the symbolism of autumn in spiritual development, the art of seeing intuitively, and the lessons we can learn from the energies of Libra and Scorpio seasons. Whether you're in class with me or not, there's quite a bit I'd love to share for your own self-reflection.
The Symbolism of Autumn in Spiritual Development
Autumn is a season rich with symbols of transformation and release. As the foliage of trees change colors before gracefully falling away, we're also are called to let go of what no longer serves us, making room for new growth. It does sound cliche in this realm, but it's a true experience of life...the ongoing cycles of life within the larger cycle of life. Mother Earth reveals a lot about how to allow harmonization with natural rhythms and shows us how to accept paths of renewal.
The dark season is not about loss, but rather time of reflection, noting how we relate to all we're in connection with and what we learn in relationship to all. It's a time to slow down, prepare and witness the gifts of transformation. It's one part of paving the way for a spiritual awakening in the cycles of nature and life.
Imagine yourself as the tree, rooted into earth and nourished by the elements. In the winter, all is bare - nothing to cling to and nothing to surrender to. There's just the chill, longer nights and silence that you've prepared for, knowing this is a time of restoration. Then spring comes back with new light and new life, where the warmth of the sun activates the earth and allows you to receive new waves of nourishment and inspiration. Soon after, you will be in full bloom, radiant, and enjoying the extension of light. Life is full and active. And then, it will be time to slow back down and transition, reflecting on all you've grown through...what you've experienced and what no longer serves the way forward. You extract the wisdom, pulling life deeply into your being for self-reflection. This is the start of the dark season.
Night Vision: Seeing Intuitively
This season is about seeing yourself. Again, you can see yourself in the mirrors of earth cycles and your relationships, but the internal viewing is key. Most people reflect from the lens of the analytical mind, trying to make sense of everything and adding to their already existing stories and assumptions. Actually, these stories and patterns of the analyzer are in part what needs to be viewed and understood differently, which requires a different lens to see clearly. Analytical thinking serves as a reliable guide through daily decisions, but there exists a profound depth and higher level of understanding that can only be accessed through intuition.
One way to enhance intuitive perception is by first becoming consciously aware of how you "see" through the lens of the analytical. You have to become aware of what your own stories are, how you come (or jump) to conclusions, and how your thoughts are attached to (and often motivated by) very specific emotions.
Then you have to start training yourself to acknowledge insights and feelings that are NOT attached to your emotions and stories. Those thought-forms that seem to come out of nowhere, and you can't make sense of them...you just have a feeling or knowing that you're on to something. The more you become familiar with your intuitive lens, the more you'll start to understand and trust it. This is also supported by daily meditation, training yourself to move beyond the analytical and become a conscious observer. The practice of presence is key.
Many people believe intuition is just about sensing the unseen or prediction, but it’s about cultivating relationship with higher aspects of your consciousness, trusting yourself and recognizing your connection to a greater collective consciousness. While intuitive recognition is inherent in all of us, it does take some development. And for those who tap in naturally, there's usually opportunity to refine and become more clear in translations. You can learn more in my Intuitive Mastery course, starting in November.
Harnessing Relationship Energy in Libra Season
We enter the start of the dark season in the energy of Libra. This cardinal air sign offers an energy of focus and balance within relationships. This is a time to observe and understand how we are in relationship with people and all things. It's an opportunity to improve connections and cultivate the inner equilibrium necessary for spiritual insight. While Libra provides a drive for harmony, it encourages us to explore how connections are mirrors, and what they teach us about being in relationship to ourselves and all there is. As we navigate these arenas, we might find that establishing boundaries, making kind gestures, compromise, and appreciating what others teach us are actions that support our ultimate spiritual journey.
Ultimately, the energy of Libra directs us to seek fairness and symmetry in our interactions, creating an environment where relationships can flourish. This balance isn't merely interpersonal; it involves striking a harmonious chord within ourselves, aligning our inner relationship with the outer - realizing oneness with all there is. By working to understand others’ perspectives, we nurture empathy and compassion, which are vital in achieving equilibrium in the realm of duality.
Exploring Emotions in Scorpio Season
Scorpio season invites us to dive deep into our emotional waters. It’s a period for exploration of the subconscious and embracing the intensity of our feelings, which can lead to profound personal insights and transformation. As we settle into Scorpio's depths, a time characterized by its intensity and passion, we learn to embrace emotions often shied away from, to work on reclaiming personal power. Emotional growth stems from courageously facing these internal storms, uncovering hidden truths and resources within ourselves, all for the sake of self-acceptance and empowerment.
The mysteries that Scorpio reveals are not always comfortable yet offer essential lessons in self-awareness and truth. By confronting our deepest fears and distortions, we become more resilient. It’s in the rawness of vulnerability that we gain insight into our joys, our shadows, and ultimately, our potential for transformation. Embracing this darkness isn’t about dwelling in it. It’s about recognizing it as a catalyst for energetic alchemy.
Learning from the Energy of the Dark Goddess
The archetype of the dark goddess embodies wisdom through the unseen and the unknown. Learning from her energy, we discover strength in embracing our shadows and the courage to face the mysteries within ourselves. The dark goddess doesn’t symbolize despair; she embodies the kind of nurturing force needed for profound transformation. She's strength. By inviting her presence, we draw upon ancient reservoirs of wisdom that challenge us to grow beyond our perceived limitations.
In mythology, the dark goddess manifests as a protector of the psyche’s dark recesses. Her energy helps us confront our hidden fears and latent potential, urging transformation through honest introspection, and again, compassion and understanding that allows self-acceptance. By engaging with her essence, we learn to appreciate the cyclical nature of life and its inherent need for balance. Exploring the dark goddess’s lessons reminds us that where there’s darkness, there’s an opportunity for renewal and enlightenment. The insights gained from this engagement with the dark aspects of the goddess mirror the necessary embrace of the unknown pathway through our spiritual alchemy.
Illuminating the Path: Cultivating Clarity in Darkness
Embracing the dark season is not about dwelling in the shadow, but rather about developing our night vision to see and understand the wisdom held in shadow. By harmonizing with the energies of autumn and learning to trust our intuition, we allow a personal journey of healing and deep transformation. As the dark goddess teaches us, there is light even in the shadows, wisdom in silence, and strength in vulnerability.
Thinning of the Veil registration has already closed, but you can still join more for a year of energetic alchemy. Activate your membership in The Alchemy Circle now, and receive access to the upcoming course, Intuitive Mastery, which begins November 5th. Let's get your night vision clear, and journey through the next cycles of life with clarity!
In gassho and gratitude,
Yolanda