The Season of Death, and Reflection

Last week I told you that I was going to tell you how to get all your desires in the coming year. As Witches, we understand that our lives are inextricably tied to the seasons. It’s only when we lose touch with that fact, that our lives begin to fall apart.

Most people have lost touch with their ties to the seasons, and you can see how that has caused them to lose touch with their lives as well. People are so busy with work, family, and other obligations, that the seasons pass them by without notice. They don’t take the time to notice what’s going on around them, then they wonder why their lives aren’t what they had hoped for.

Samhain marks the start of Winter. I’ve talked about this before. Forget what the calendar says, Winter is here. In fact, as I write this, the first real snow of the season is falling. It’s not much, but it is enough to cover the streets.

This is the season of Death. All the plants that made Summer so colorful, have gone, and the trees are bare of leaves. Our agrarian ancestors had just finished the Final Harvest of the year, and could now relax, and reflect on the year past, and plan for the year to come.

That is the situation I find myself in, though I’m not reflecting just on the last year. I’m looking back at the career I’ve had over the last 30 years. It too has now died. It was a slow, painful death, that took nearly five years to happen. It was about five years ago that we were told that our jobs would be going away “next year”.

Next year came, and went. Five times this happened. It was agonizing for some. I was not so stressed, as I’ve been out in the job market before, but most of the people I worked with, left as soon as they could. The few of us who stuck around, were well rewarded monetarily, but our jobs did eventually, finally, end.

I used the slow, agonizing death, to begin planning for my future. You already know that future is Witchcraft Academy. I already know what I want to do, and I have a pretty good idea how to do it. As our ancestors rested after the Final Harvest, I too am now resting. I think I’ve earned it. Our ancestors relied upon the grain they’d harvested, to get them through this part of the year, until they could plant again next year.

I have the bonuses I’ve received, and the severance package I have yet to get, to tide me through. They won’t last forever, but they will allow me time to plan for my future. While I relax, and take time off, I am running ideas through my head.

How can I best serve my knowledge and experience to those looking to learn? What will make a good course in Witchcraft, and make it a great course? What is the best way to take a complex subject, and break it down into digestible pieces? How can I make it so that you get the most from my course?

Some of the answers I already have. Others, I’m still working on. My point is, I’m using my connection to the season, to help me get the answers I need. That’s what this time of year is meant for. While my plans are longer range than just a single year, it’s this time of year that helps me slow down, and reflect on what I really want for my future.

You too can do this. You might already, to some extent. Your subconscious knows that this is the time of reflection and planning. We are biologically wired this way. People automatically plan at this time of the year, but if they aren’t conscious of it, their plans may go nowhere.

What do you want your life to become in the next year?

It can be hard to slow down. Your job makes demands, your family makes demands, your friends also demand. There are so many things placing demands on you, that taking the time required to slow down, may seem impossible. It’s not. You just have to make some time for yourself.

One of the best ways I’ve found to make a little time, is to go to bed about 30 minutes earlier than normal. You can do this once a week, or several times a week. I then use that time to take stock of where I’m at, and where I want to be. Once you know those two things, you can start working out how to get from where you are, to where you want to be.

Actively planning your future, in whatever form that takes, is the first step. Don’t let life take you where it will, take your life in both hands, and drive it where you want it to go! The process of doing that, is what most people call success. Anyone can be successful, you just have to do a little work. Most people aren’t willing to do that work, which places the bar so low, that anyone actively working on their success, is highly likely to achieve it.

Use this season to figure out where you are in life. Even if you’re happy with your life as it is, there are always things that aren’t perfect. Figure out what those things are. Take mental stock of your life as it is today. What are the things in it that you like, and what are the things you don’t.

It’s the things in your life that you don’t like, that need to be changed, so the next step is to figure out what you want instead. You can’t get rid of negative things in your life, without replacing them with something, so why not replace them with what you want?

What would you change in your life, and what would you change them to? Be creative. Be daring. Be grandiose. Aim for the stars, and seek the wildest and best dreams you can think of. What would your best life look like? Just by doing this, you’ll be better off than 90% of the population. They have no dreams, and don’t believe they are attainable, if they do.

Now that you’ve decided what you’ll change, and have formed a picture of your best life, what would you need to do, in order to get there? What are the steps between where you are, and where you want to be? You’re going to think the gulf is too big, and there’s no way to get there, but if you spend some time at it, ideas will start to occur to you.

They may be big steps that you don’t think you can take, but that’s ok. As you spend more time thinking about the steps, smaller steps that you can take, will also come to you. They won’t come all at once, and they probably won’t come in order, but they will come. Don’t give up on your dream just because it seems too far. It’s within reach, you just haven’t seen the whole road yet.

The larger the dream, the longer it will take to see the steps required, but that’s ok. As they appear, take them. Even if it doesn’t seem like you’re moving much closer to your dream, you are at least moving, and going in the right direction. Some steps can’t be seen until you take the step before it. The Christians call this a leap of faith.

The difference here, is that you are having faith in yourself, and sometimes that’s all that is needed, to get the process rolling. This is a scary journey you’re taking. Leaving the comfort of what is known, for the unknown ahead, is a scary thing. Growth is scary. Why do you think so many people are stuck in lives they don’t like? They are too scared to take that step toward what they really want, even when they can see it clearly. As bad as it is, what they’ve got now, is known. Taking a step into the unknown, literally petrifies them into inaction.

You are a Witch. The unknown may be scary, but it leads you to your goal. You will take that road. As you move farther along it, it will become known, and therefore comfortable.

I know, it’s easy for me to sit here, having taken this journey many times, to say that you can do this. I’ll let you in on a little secret, every person’s road to their dreams is frightening to them. My road scares the hell out of me! Will I be able to create the courses? Will I be able to get money coming in before I run out of severance? Will I be able to pay my mortgage? Will I have to go and get a real job?

These are the things that scare me along the road of my dreams. They may not seem frightening to you, but they are my worries, and they scare me. I know that if I do nothing, if I stay where I am, I will run out of money. I must move forward, to have any hope of being a successful entrepreneur. That is the dream I am stepping toward.

Only those who face their fears, can overcome them, and reach their dreams. Those who are stopped by their fears, will remain stuck where they are. They won’t be happy, but they will feel safe. This is a part of what is called Shadow Work. Facing that dark part of yourself, and shining a light on it. Only then, can you see that there is probably nothing there, and you can move on.

This Season of Death, is when Shadow Work is best done. You have to hurry, the Holiday Season is fast approaching, and most of us only get busier. Once you start taking a little time for self-reflection, it becomes easier to do, even when you get busy. Start now, and you will be amazed at how quickly it becomes habit.

I just took a look outside. The snow has stopped, the clouds have given way, and the sun is shining brightly. It’s early enough in the day that I may not even have to shovel. Magick happens all around us. You just have to see it. Once you see it, you can become part of it.

You’ve probably got questions, especially if you’ve decided to work for your better life. Feel free to ask them below, and I will do my best to give what answers I can…