October + the dark journey home

I had a dream in the dark, early morning hours of Saturday that a deer laid her head on my left shoulder.

I don’t recall my surroundings, whether I was in the woods or in a field, I just distinctly remember that a deer approached me from behind and the first time I knew that she was there was when she laid her chin on my left shoulder. Then she turned her head so that her fuzzy antlers were touching my neck as she rested her head on my shoulder.

I didn’t move. She didn’t move. It was so peaceful, gentle, and calm.

And then she walked away. And I woke up.

Later on in the morning, as I was working with my oracle cards, getting some inspiration for my October theme + challenge, I pulled a card with a deer.  It was actually a woman with a deer’s head. She was standing at the gateway of an arch, a symbol in Celtic spirituality/paganism for a gatekeeper. A calming, gentle, wise spiritual guide to help others follow their path.

I immediately knew what this meant. The stag, the deer, is my totem animal, my spirit animal, if not for good… at least for this month. She is meant to be my guide. To lead + comfort me through October. And to inspire me as I create an online journey to share with you.

Speaking of October… it is a very special, magical month. And, in keeping with a new tradition (I started it last year), I want to offer you a chance to make October a special, magical month just for you. Last year I created a vision quest + shared it with you. This year, being a lover of wild nature, spiritual awareness, slow living, wandering, words, and photography, I have created a journey into the darkness.

So, should you wish to join me, I will be sharing a little photo challenge on Instagram + writing some special October posts once a week on my blog.

October’s vibes are mysterious, mature, and mystical. The harvest is nearing it’s end + we are turning towards winter. And that means that we are sinking into the darkest months of the year. As we retreat into our homes and settle into the cozy warmth of candles, blankets, and fires; and as the weather turns colder, the leaves change colors + fall to the ground, we also surrender to endings and darkness.

Halloween is literally the ending of the sacred wheel of the year. With Halloween on the last day of October, the circle of seasons is complete. The cycle of life is done.

Symbolically, as things come to a close in the outside world, we also have the perfect opportunity to dive deep into our souls. To turn inward and settle into the mystical world of the soul.

So, what I’ve been working on for October is a little journey for us all.  An inward journey to prepare us for the darkness ahead. A journey that leads us into the darkness + home to our own souls.  A slow journey, deeper + deeper within, to close out this cycle of the seasons, leading us into the next season of cold, dark waiting.

Think of October as the journey inward + downward. And November/December (until the winter solstice/jul/yule/Christmas) as our time silent, still, and waiting in the dark. This month, culminating with Halloween, is the journey of preparation. Of slowly sinking + settling + surrendering to the unknown journey into the darkness.

I suppose you could be wondering why this journey even matters. Well, practically speaking, sometimes it’s hard to deal with the darkness as it settles in. It’s not always a welcome time of year. So, why not learn to embrace it? Why not live in the present moment + see what the darkness has to offer us? Why not find ways to see the dark as part of our spiritual, everyday life. A part of life that helps us to birth something new.

Also, since this is the season for turning inward, it is a beautiful opportunity to explore the depths of who we are. Life is meant to be wild + sacred. There is meaning to be found even in the most difficult, dark, and mundane moments + events. October gives us a chance to explore, to dig deep into our soul, to ground down into the earth, and to discover the power + magic that we all have within us.

So, if you’re up for it, follow along. You can be as engaged as you wish. Use my every other day prompts to guide you to take photos or write in your journal. Or simply sit back + read the posts I create on Instagram + my blog. It’s up to you how you wish to journey through October. 

I’ve created 4 different steps, for the 4 weeks of October, to draw us down deeper + deeper into the darkness. To prepare us for the cold + dark of winter. To allow us a chance to walk the path of the soul. Learning more about who we are, what gifts + powers we have, as we begin to embody who we are called to be.

Here’s a peek at what I’ve shared on Instagram to get us started on the journey. It’s 16 prompts for the month. One for every other day.  They are meant to be an every other day focus for each week’s mini-theme as we travel deeper into the dark forest + sink further down into our souls.

Now, back to my sweet messenger, the deer. She will be our guide on this journey. Our spirit animal, our companion, and our symbol for our dark journey through the forest + into our mystical souls. I’ve chose the forest as the symbol for our journey within. (more about that later this week).

So are you ready, my friend? Will you join me + make your own journey through October? If you are interested, be sure to follow me on Instagram. Or you can just read my blog, or wait for my October newsletters. However you decide to journey through October + toward the darkness, I wish you magic + mystery + coziness. Take your time, slow down, and search for the beauty that’s found even in the dark. Not easy, I know. But, so empowering + transforming. Besides… the darkness doesn’t last forever.