We are in the dark season that is slowly, very slowly turning to light. Even though my new magickal cottage is in Southern California, the seasons are noticable. In Texas when it snowed the world was suddenly muffled in a silent sea of the white stuff. People felt as thought they needed to hibernate into their warmly lit nests and pray there was no power outage. I have quickly gotten spoiled back in California. The freezing winds we have had the past few days have made me resentful at not being able to comfortably work outside. I should count my blessings!
With the family gatherings and celebrations I have become aware of something this year that should have been obvious to me before. Every year at this time amidst all the “yuletide cheer” I always am suddenly overcome with a feeling of what I call “sentimentality” or “nostalgia”. I will feel this wave come over me and I get a sense of both love and longing. For years I would be confused by these feelings which usually turned to depression. I think I now understand what may be causing these feelings in me. Sure, shorter daylight hours may be to blame, but I think it could have something to do with the time of year when we turn inward and are able to hear and see across the veil more clearly.
Samhain or All Hallows Eve is a time of the thinning of the veil where we can more clearly communicate with those who have crossed over. I have noticed, however, that the whole winter season up until the warmer weather just past Beltaine, we are more in touch with “the ancestors” and the spirit world. It makes sense when you think about it. During the dark, cold times we are turned inward and are quiet enough to hear the voices and feel the presence of those in spirit. When I was growing up, the holidays were a time of joy and closeness for my family. This year when I felt that wave of emotion come over me I suddenly knew it was the presence of my dad and grandmother that I was sensing. I was feeling their love. It’s almost like on the other side they are aware that we are doing some celebrating and that the family will be gathered together and they want to join in and send us their love. And, yes, I know, some of you are going to think this sounds pretty sappy. Oh, well…..
I am a trained and natural medium who does mediumship readings in my professional practice. Doing this type of reading is not scary and I don’t call my readings “seances”. Communicating with those in spirit (I don’t think of them as dead) seems very natural. Having a relative in spirit draw near and feeling their energy is a lovely experience. With practice anyone can pick up on this spirit energy. If I am picking up on the energy of a client’s dearly departed, I don’t feel the love directed at me but I sense a vibration that tells me they are there. Not until I stopped and thought about it did I realized that my holiday feelings of sentimentality were a LOT like the feelings I get when communicating with my family on the other side. Once when I was in a very discouraging situation and seated in an office waiting in despair to speak with an official, I suddenly felt myself engulfed by what felt like total comfort and peace. I hadn’t expected this to happen; hadn’t asked for it to happen; it just happened. I realized it must have been my dad wrapping me in his “spirit love” and just telling me he was sorry I had to go through that situation. It helped a lot, by the way.
Occasionally when I am doing a mediumship reading I will bring in a person in spirit that my client “doesn’t want to talk to”. They want to talk to Mom and Dad shows up! I had a gentleman come to me at least twice for a reading. Dad came through and he refused to talk to him. He wanted to talk to Mom. Suggesting that a little forgiveness on his part towards his dad might be in order made no difference. The man went away disappointed that Mom wouldn’t talk to him. I’m sure you see where I’m going with this. Do you have not so fond memories of certain family members who are now in spirit? Guess what? If they were a “so and so” or even an “f-ing so and so” they are now quite aware of the fact and would like to make peace and even apologize for the way they acted. When we cross over we get a whole new perspective, and I’m not talking about fire and brimstone. We are able in spirit to experience a state of pure love; and that, my magickal friend, ….love, is a real perspective changer!
Let’s use these times of solitude and silence to focus on being open to messages from Spirit. Like the Hermit tarot card let’s focus inward and beyond to the depths of the mysteries of our magickal lives. And should you decide to accept an apology and dole out a share of forgiveness to someone in spirit, I can’t think of a better way to start a new year.
New Year’s Blessings,
Sarina
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