It is an incredibly cozy first day of December in my home. There’s a mix of rain + snow out my window, I’ve got my epic xmas playlist on, candles are lit, the tree is decorated, and I’m enjoying a never ending pot of hot coffee. And since the atmosphere is right, I thought I’d jump right into sharing with you my take on what the month of December has to offer our souls.
If you’re looking for a way to connect your spirit + your life, then I really hope that this new monthly series will be just the inspiration you are seeking. At the beginning of each month, for the next 12 months, I want to share a simple post with you with the medicine for the month ahead. And, by medicine I mean, soul medicine. Soul medicine means simply tapping into the energy around us. And, each month has a specific energy… based on the season of the year + the cycle of life. I want us to tap into that energy + see how it can be an inspiration for our daily lives.
Practically, what I hope to offer as my first post for each month is a way to consider how the energy + medicine of the month affects + applies to our daily life. It’s all about making our spirituality real. Or, if you don’t like the word spirituality, then it’s all about bringing meaning + purpose to our lives. And we all want that, right?
So, the questions that drive my Monthly Medicine series are these: How can we connect with our wild souls + find the magic sacredness out in the regular world? How can we embody what our souls seek? How can we make real the mystical, magical things of the spirit? How can we stop living a mundane life, just going through the motions, and, instead, create a life of deep meaning by connecting to our wild souls + discovering the sacredness of every single little moment?
Now, how did I choose the theme for each month?
Well, I pulled 13 oracle cards back on Samhain (Halloween), one or the over-arching theme for the month + 12 for each of the individual months. October 31 is the last day of the wheel of the year, so it is the perfect day for setting the intentions for the new wheel of the year ahead. As we move from October to November, we shift into the deep darkness that is the beginning of a new cycle of life. Life doesn’t begin with spring, it begins in the winter. With the seeds that have been planted + begin taking root. The first growth occurs in the dark, deep in the earth. So, if we are living in tune with the seasons, then we recognize that this is the beginning of the new year. The seemingly dead + barren earth is actually the start of it all. It’s the empty cup waiting to be refilled. The dark potential before the burst of light + life.
December is the month of transforming fire + balance.
The card I pulled for December from my Celtic Shaman’s deck is the Green and Burning Tree. It is an image of balance + transformation. The fire represents transformation + inspiration; but the fact that the tree is half burning + half green suggests a balance.
This turns out to be the perfect card for December. It is a month that literally leads us through the transformation + transition from darkness to light (or light to darkness in the southern hemisphere). At the time of the solstice mid-month, we move from one half of the year to another. The seasons are transformed and we begin a whole new journey toward light (or dark).
This is also the perfect example of how nature, how the cycle of life, is all about balance. What is dark becomes light, and what is light becomes dark once again. And so on. Life is an ever-changing, constant transforming dance of balance.
There is the potential to get all caught up in the holiday season’s festivities + feel burned out, thus losing our sense of balance + missing any opportunity for deep transformation. For some of us, we may also feel blue, depressed, lethargic, and heavy. This month’s medicine is the perfect antidote to remind us that all hope is not lost, that it is possible to rediscover balance, even in the dark. Now, that doesn’t mean that we just snap out of it. But, that, we try to honestly seek the deep meaning + hope that December offers us through the example given to us by nature. It truly is a continuous journey from life to death to life again. And, even though we all physically die as well, we are not lost; but transformed. From energy to energy. From body to spirit. It is always a constant balance of life-death-life.
As for living a wild + sacred life, December offers us a chance to sink into the magic of the season, the mystery of the spirit of the season; while at the same time maintaining one foot in the midst of everyday life. For that it the real balancing challenge: taking all of that magic, all of the meaning of the season, all of the traditions + rituals, and making them relevant for our everyday life.
There is no reason to perform empty rituals or simply show up at holidays because we “ought to”. Oh hell no. We have the power to choose our rituals + traditions. And what we choose will serve us best if it is meaningful to our souls + our lives.
I love coffee. I love early mornings. I love contemplation. So, my love bought me a coffee advent calendar for December. That means that I am taking 3 things I love + creating a daily, regular life ritual to nourish my soul. Each day, starting today, I brew the packet of coffee for the day, light candles, and sit down to write. A simple ritual that has deep meaning for my soul.
It’s not rocket science. It’s not complicated. But, it is a ritual that helps me soak in the medicine of fire + balance of December. It is a slow, intentional way to get perspective, to remember what’s important, and to discover new ways of experiencing my life. It is a way to connect my spirit with my everyday life.
So, don’t be a part of Secret Santa at work if all you feel is pressure to do what is expected. Don’t attend a party every weekend if you want to have a night in. Don’t feel guilty for not creating your own handmade Advent calendar or for having a magazine-instagram worthy decorated home. Do create space for the things that bring you joy. Do surround yourself with people + decorations that symbolize what you really believe + care about. Do create + take part in traditions that touch you + bring meaning to your December. Don’t do anything just because you’ve always done it.
Listen to your intuition. Allow yourself to try new things, let go of old ones, and keep whatever feels right. Find that balancing point that works for you. Trust that as the month presses onward, a transformation will be occurring not only in nature, but also in your own soul. This is the perfect way to bid 2018 farewell + prepare for a new year. And, by all means, let the fiery + balancing medicine of December guide you through this magical, transitional season.
Happy December, wild souls. xoxo. liz.
