Wrapping up Halloween was different this year. Could be my imagination, but it seems like our fall temperatures have been warmer than usual. This gave me a chance to spend more time outside, enjoying fall, than in prior Octobers.
Walking a puppy in the late hours of the night, I appreciated the better weather and the opportunity to listen to the sounds of the world. What’s happening when most people are asleep? Well, there are the usual sounds like coyotes in the distance, animals moving through the woodsy area, or an occasional car going by.
One night I heard a sound that was different than usual. I looked around in the dark night air. It felt still, but there was a sound of movement higher up in the air. My guess is that it came from crispy leaves rustling in the wind, but not being sure the puppy and I listened quiet, intently. It was a little creepy but it was the night before Halloween. The sound in the darkness made me think of the ancient Celts who celebrated Samhain (pronounced Sow-in) this time of year.
Samhain – a festival that ends the summer growing season. The Celts would clean their gardens up for winter hibernation time and burn the debris. Thoughts of them cleaning and burning in the dark of night makes me chuckle. I imagine them living far away from a city on large parcels of land far from other homes, tired from a day of work and standing outside waiting for the fire to extinguish the burning debris into ash.
In the cooler night air, in the darkness of fall, you can think up all kinds of things. Your hearing is intent as you try to identify the sounds you hear; animals moving about, leaves rustling or a coyote in the distance.
It makes me wonder if this is how zombies, ghosts and scary things were thought up! Eeeeek, enough of the dark thoughts, I chose to switch my thinking from creepy to reality quickly! Halloween is here, summer is over, time to align with Mother Nature and seek the new that is coming.
Reality is that nature changes the Earth on its axis and has tilted it away from the sun. Now we are receiving more darkness and given more time to go within ourselves and be still. Things may look a little gloomier during this time but, we can get through it by keeping up with our spiritual teachings.
Time changes and good things can come from darkness if we are open to listening for them. Do not keep your thoughts on the darkness. Remember the light and reach with your thoughts up to it by affirming it’s coming again, and soon. Be focused on seeing what nature will give back to you during the transition of this time.
November is the month in between the closing of the growing season and the return of the light. The November darkness is an excellent time to reflect on the seasons that close in our lives. Using your spiritual teachings – they will help you understand how to experience life better.
When you identify with spiritual thinking and use it to help you grow your thoughts into something positive for you, your life becomes that much better.
Unity’s co-founder, Charles Fillmore, loved spending time in the stillness with God. It was his daily practice to spend time listening for God’s still small voice. This is how he came to realize the 12 Powers of Man. These 12 individual qualities are naturally, or innately, in the lives of all people.
In November, we recognize the Power of Elimination. During this month look at your life and see what you might want to eliminate. Contemplate in the stillness what it might look like if you eliminated something that upsets you. How would your life change if you eliminated some negative thoughts or actions and replaced them with positive ones?
November is not a month to waste as it sets you up for the power of December, which is Life. Yes, we experience creepy things and more darkness this time of year, but I assure you, something better is coming!
Know that what you eliminate now prepares you for the Christ light which arrives near the Winter Solstice. This is also the time of Jesus’ birth (which I believe is no coincidence.) Once that Christ light becomes active in your mind, you will feel uplifted and supercharged to go into 2023 being your greatest self. So make a life choice, a plan of action!
Begin working on yourself now and spend time in the stillness looking for those positive directions from God’s still small voice.
What you put your mind to in your life expands outwardly and creates your world. Create good thoughts!
Many blessings,
Linda La Croix
Linda La Croix is the Unity director at Unity of Lake Orion. Follow Linda on Facebook or visit her website, aspiritualwalk.com, for more uplifting thoughts.