The In-Between
Happy Halloween, All Hallows Eve, All Souls Day, and Samhain
For many religions or spiritual orientations, this is a venerated and "hallowed" time.
You may already know that this is a sacred time of the year, where the energy veil separating the physical and the spirit world is the thinnest; thus, it is easier to gain access to loved ones and spirits that have crossed over from the physical realm.
In Samhain (pronounced Sow-in), ancient Celts, Wiccans, and Pagans celebrated a festival halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. Thus, Samhain marks the transition between the year's lighter and darker halves and is considered by many to be the precursor to our modern-day Halloween.
We have this "in-between" time whenever the seasons change. In Ayurveda, it is called the Ritu Sandhi, which lasts 14 days where one season ends, and another begins. It is a time of great flux, both in the natural world and within our bodies' microcosm. It is said to be a time of vulnerability.
During the in-between time in great Nature, where the veil is thin, and we can more easily access spirit, we can receive guidance as to our life's path. Yet, paradoxically, it is a time to celebrate life and reflect on the past year. How have you grown through challenges, trials, and tribulations?
This liminal time marks the end of harvest and the coming of winter. It is a time of reflection and preparation. You may feel a strong pull to turn inwards and face whatever "requests" transformation and renewal in your life.
The concept of liminality, or the "in-between," was an essential part of ancient spirituality, marking the transitions in Nature and life. Many milestones in modern-day religions have to do with marking these symbolic life transitions.
What does that mean—to be in-between? At the base level, it means to be somewhere unfixed, straddling two places and holding qualities of both.
A life transition is an autobiographical occasion where we get to write our own story. It is the ending of one chapter and the start of a brand new one. "Endings" can be challenging. Yet, they are necessary for new "beginnings."
The best way to prepare for any significant transition is to pause and reflect. Great Nature is calling you to do that. Go inward. Hit Pause. Trust and know that transitions are tricky but that they usher in TRANSFORMATIONS. Hence, if we mindfully enter them and embrace a sometimes painful level of honesty with ourselves, transitions are unique opportunities for personal growth. Transitions can thus be notable inflection points, and "liminality" can accelerate into a new development stage.
Where are you on your life's journey?
Are you reflecting on coming through a big transition?
Are you, perhaps, straddling two places, not quite in either, and holding space in between?
Maybe you have one coming soon. Prepare.
Join me live or on the streaming platform for unique practices designed for the "in-between" time--the liminality.
And see below for an exciting new beginning……
With so much love,
Kari