The recent partial lunar eclipse, when the full moon passed through earth’s shadow, called our attention to our own inner shadows. Many of us have dark corners in our psyches or underlying patterns that repeat or repressed energies that are stopping us from manifesting our dreams. Emotions and experiences that we are scared to look at honestly, ranging from problematic family dynamics, or traumatic events in our past, maybe a harsh inner critic or concern about the myriad implications of the catastrophic damage that humanity has wrought upon our beautiful planet.
During shadow work we can bring these issues out in the open, purge what has invaded our systems and clarify unhelpful emotional behaviour. With true release or integration into our inner lives they can become or reveal beautiful parts of ourselves – gifts and strengths that help us develop kindness and compassion for ourselves and others. That encourage us to reclaim power that has been blocked and take positive action for the greater good of ourselves, for others and for our Mother Earth.
Holly, with its masculine energy, known as the Warrior of the Woods is brilliant at helping us with this shadow work. There is great healing in wildness and nature and even now holly berries and fresh leaves are taking shape ready to shine forth in winter – a beacon in the dark times in more ways than one. We can find a place to sit in Holly’s dark green temple and lean against his smooth straight trunk, anchor in his strong tranquility as we recover our inner calm and clarity and return to the light.
We are now in the last quarter of the Holly & Mead Moon cycle, the perfect time for letting go as the moon wanes into darkness. Allow things to settle without pressure, feel gratitude for what has been revealed, strive less and take time to retreat, rest and heal. It can be a good time to literally let go of your clutter mindfully and make space for the new to come. Now is the time to savour your uniqueness and richness and prepare for future shining!
