TRANSITION WORK IN PANDEMIC TIME
Originally published on March 21, 2020.
The spread of Covid-19 brings with it the spread of fear, hoarding, uncertainty, and panic. It has also spread (and sprouted) compassion, thoughtfulness, community with sparks of creativity, new hopes, goals, and beautiful fits of daydreams. When an epidemic, a pandemic, or a crucial shift happens in our lives or the world, whether we live in a small town, a booming metropolitan city, a mountain sanctuary, or somewhere in the middle of all, we are cracked open whether we asked to be or not. For much of humanity, this is the first time in a long time we are all on some sort of a similar playing field. When I say this, I mean on the same frequency, experiencing this huge drastic change in life together in all parts of the world. It is an extremely important and powerful time where seemingly simple things like rest, reflection, contemplation, and a phone call from a loved one may mean a lot more than they used to. Death work is happening every day, literally, figuratively, and metaphorically. Our frequencies are changing and our cells are finally admitting what hasn’t been working for us individually and collectively.
This transition is helping us acknowledging our own shadow and the shadow of the collective and how they play jump rope together, each holding onto one side of the string. It is sitting with change, how we feel around this topic, as well as learning how we interact with facets of life currently shifting. It’s about looking into that space with curiosity, to see possibilities of how else we may interact, exist, be, and thrive within small victories. There is always a different way, a new perspective, or something one hadn’t noticed before ~ perhaps a fear, a celebratory aspect, a spiritual experience, a message, a guide, or new tour of life from a different position. Many of our senses are opening up to this and possibly now more than ever.
WHAT DOES ‘SHADOW SELF’ MEAN?
What does it mean exactly when we say ‘shadow side’ or ‘shadow self’? The shadow self is a part of ourselves that often emotionally, we may try to avoid. The shadow holds aspects of self we may be afraid to face or emotions and feelings that we just simply don’t let ourselves express. By pushing it away or deep into the ground, it causes us to become socially detached in many different ways, makes us afraid of ‘darkness’ causing us to believe that anything ‘dark’ is evil, bad, or wrong. Society, mainstream religion, media, and culture increasingly play along with this narrative and continue to instill harmful beliefs about what darkness truly is. It is the other half of the light, it helps make up the whole and it doesn’t have to be something that we find ourselves scared of. Darkness helps us see the whole picture, internally and externally.
In his book Dark Moon Mysteries, Timothy Roderick writes, “Confronting the shadow, contemplating its meaning, and assimilating its power is an initiatory journey into the earth-life of your spirit well worth taking. It is the shadow that calls for resolution so that your spirit can evolve. Each of us is called to master our old lessons so that we can effectively handle new ones. Working with the shadow in Western cultures is an acquired skill. We need to adapt to darkness just as we would to a new environment” (2015). We can’t expect ourselves to become masters in the area of our shadows in a short amount of time. In fact, this work is often life-long with daily, weekly, and monthly awareness and reflection, continuing to interact with and give our darker side love, compassion, and understanding. Below you will find a short ritual to create sacred space with your different sides and engage in so with reflection.
DEATH RITUAL: INVITING YOUR SHADOW TO THE TABLE
You Will Need:
A candle (Black preferably, however a tea-light or any you have on hand will work)
A note book or sheet of paper and a writing utensil (adapt this to computer, voice recording, or whatever form supports you and your needs)
An offering for your shadow self
This could be anything that feels right to you ~ chocolate, a strand of hair, flowers, a breath of fresh air, an intention, or even playing a favorite song in honor of yourself and your shadow self working together.
***(If you can get your hands on these supplies great and if not let’s ask our inner children to get creative while in quarantine).
I call this ritual a “death ritual” because really what we are doing is interacting with our shadow in a way that gives us opportunity to reflect on what we may be afraid of right now, give love and tender care to those fears, and open our senses to how we may nourish these rumbling waves inside. It’s looking into the keyhole and realizing we have had the key all along. It has always courageously been close to our hearts.
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I prefer to create sacred space before I do rituals or any kind of magical working. Cleansing the space with tools such as resins, incense, or a bundle of herbs can greatly support in getting the space ready. I am very intentional with my words as to ask what I wish to be cleared of the space and what I desire to come in, filling the void or blank space that exists after cleaning out the unwanted. After the space has been cultivated, I light candles and invite Great Spirit, my higher self, guides, ancestors, and deities into the space with me and ask them for safety, protection, and guidance during my work. I honor them with my words and let them know how important they all are to me. I honor them with a bow and a moment of silence, humming, or prayer.
When you feel content here, you may proceed into the ritual.
Call upon your shadow self. Hold the candle you brought in honor of you two meeting here in sacred space and hold it to your chest. Take a moment to feel yourself charging it and then set it between you and your shadow self. Light the candle. Speak to the offering(s) you have gathered and ask for shadow self to join you at the table, or altar, or wherever you are performing the ritual. Say hello. Tell them how your day has been, how the week has been for you, start a conversation about how you’ve been feeling this week, this month, this year so far.
Take the next moment to close your eyes and think about what is swirling inside of you.
Write on the piece of paper and leave space for your answers:
1) What might I be afraid to look at or acknowledge right now?
2) How might my life look if I did acknowledge these things?
3) How could these fears hold me back?
4) How may they be helping me?
5) What could I do to give these fears. worries, or feelings more space to relax in my life?
6) How could I show these things love and compassion?
7) What is one thing I could do daily, weekly, or monthly to support this?
Journal. Let the thoughts, feelings, and words flow. Watch the flickering flame and take a deep breath in with a slow exhale out, for all the brave work you have done and are doing. Sit here as long as you would like, reflecting, journaling, or breathing. When you feel complete, thank your shadow self for coming in and supporting you. Thank whoever you asked to join you in your sacred space and thank yourself for showing up. Blow out the candle. You may keep it to light again when you want to sit with you shadow self again or in times when you may want to ask it for support. - (I like to keep mine on my altar to continue charging and honoring my shadow work). Leave the offerings to sit with the candle you lit for at least one night.
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Our shadow self often holds the things we do not want to engage with….feelings of shame, guilt, sadness, or fears and secrets we push down, sometimes in order to survive. This exercise is meant to open the gate to wholeness, at least just a little. There is always “light” and “dark” aspects of the self within us and we need both to be truly whole, to hold both in the left and right canals of our pumping hearts and know each have their place and their own healing attributes, qualities, and gifts. Sitting with ourselves isn’t always easy but when we do, it’s called Resiliency. Bravery. Self-Love, Care, and Compassion. By engaging with how one may interact and support the shadow self differently, old patterns can slowly be put to rest. With practice, we create new ways of being and existing.
Thank you for doing this work, gorgeous souls.
Mourning Light Divination, LLC always recommends working with a trained mental health professional, especially during times of transition, change, and turbulence. Mourning Light Divination, LLC only provides tools and is not the outcome.
May you be well and safe.