Communing with your ancestors, honoring the dead, seeking insight through divination—at its heart, Samhain is a time for discovering your shadow side.
Get to know the unknowable, or rather, get comfortable with it.
Without darkness, there can be no light. Darkness provides contrast and depth to the soul.
This Samhain, take some time to get to know your shadow side.
What is your shadow side?
Your shadow side is difficult to define because it manifests in everyone differently. And yet, you instinctively know it.
Not to be confused with black magic or “evil,” your shadow side is no more “good” or “bad” than that which makes you light.
It is merely the parts of you that are shrouded in darkness and mystery.
Your unconscious mind, your irrational fears, and your dream life are all examples of your shadow side.
During the month of Samhain, as the Veil of Between Worlds begins to drop, this mysterious part of you tends to rise to the surface, making it an ideal time to glean its wisdom.
Here are a few ways to connect with your shadow self during the season of Samhain.
Confront your fears.
What are you afraid of? Spiders? Heights? Your mother-in-law?
Confronting that which makes you afraid is an extremely powerful way to push past your perceived limitations and facilitate personal growth.
Make a list of the things that you fear most.
Nothing beats actually facing them directly—for example, bungie jumping to overcome a fear of heights, or arranging to (safely) handle an animal that freaks you out.
But some fears aren’t concrete or even explainable within the limitations of language.
In that case, try stream-of-consciousness writing or meditations that focus on overcoming fear.
However you choose to confront your fears, you’ll discover that facing them fosters confidence that spills over into other areas of your life.
Experiment with dream magic.
Dreams are the ultimate borderland between this world and the next.
If you’ve never experimented with dream magic, Samhain is an optimal time to try it out.
Keep a dream journal for 1 full moon cycle during the season of Samhain and begin to unlock the secrets of your unconscious mind.
Hone your divination skills.
If you’ve been meaning to learn the tarot or another divination skill, this is the time to give it a whirl.
Divination is an exploration of the spirit world and the unconscious mind, both of which are wide open at this time of year.
Choose a medium and add divination to your repertoire of witchy skills.
Connect with your ancestors.
Building a relationship with your ancestors connects you directly to the origin of life—yours, and everyone else’s.
Particularly if you lost a loved one in the last year or are still grieving someone deeply, honoring the dead is an important spiritual exercise to heal old wounds and gain a deeper, richer understanding of death.
Use the energy of Samhain to develop a relationship with the souls of your people.
Here’s 5 ways to reach beyond the Veil and connect with those who came before you.
