 Our relationship with darkness The darkness of winter, and darkness in general, can be challenging. For some it can seem daunting, disorientating or bring up thoughts and feelings of fear, of lack or perhaps loss. It can highlight that which feels dark or scary within us, places we don't care to see, parts that we want to ignore, things we don't want to remember, or how we feel about ourselves. Or sometimes it is more about how we feel within the darkness. We might wonder and fear what is outside us in the dark, what lurks and waits? But what if this is all a part of ourselves, waiting to be seen and acknowledged; coming into our awareness for loving attention, compassion and care. Take a breath Take a breath... and another... Now let the breath be a little fuller and breathe or sigh all the way out... Allow the next breath in to be slower, gentler, quieter... really filling you up... When you are ready, exhale gently out... all the way to empty... and for a moment, simply wait... Soften... Sense... Sense deeper... Relax further... This beautiful emptiness is at the heart of winter, the out breath, the pause and the emptiness, not yet ready to move and be filled. Nature's pause Looking to nature we feel and see a pause, this wintering much more clearly. Bare trees like skeletons against a winter sky. Cold, hard ground in a state of stasis; everything held in suspended animation without any rush, without any agenda or push to move forward. This, in my opinion, is so exquisite and inviting when we take time to stop and notice. Inviting us into a surrendering, a quieting... being received, exactly as we are, in the moment. How often do we rush through this pause? This delicate, delicious and necessary time of deeper rest, contemplation, prayer or inward listening? The richness of the emptiness and darkness? Such a necessary and valuable part of the flow of life and within the creative process of inspiration, seeding, growth, evaluation and then release and renewal. We need the perspective of rest, of the pause. What if we take time to rest and listen within, what would we notice? If you haven't already, let your breathing return to its own steady rhythm as you sense and read on. I invite you to be curious, to wonder, to let your own experience unfold as it will in its own perfect way. I invite you on a journey into the sacred heart of darkness. Re-imagining the darkness Take a moment to image yourself in a really comfortable warm place, feeling truly held, supported and nourished, completely safe and at ease. Let your breathing be steady. Anchor yourself within your seat, your body connected to the earth... affirm and reassure yourself how loved and safe you are. And, if you are willing, let yourself relax and be held there, really connected to yourself and the essence of who you are. Sink deeper, find the steadiness at your heart. Go deeper still, really noticing... From that core, that heart, when you are ready, imagine that the light around you begins to gently lessen and fade, like the setting of the sun; sounds diminishing as you become ever so gently and gradually immersed in darkness, Notice... can the darkness and the exquisite silence add layers of comfort; wrapping you, holding you, bringing greater contentment and an all encompassing embrace to your already safe, nurturing space? Like being cocooned in a beautiful, rich, deep velvet luxurious blanket. Feel grounded, even safer and more present within yourself and within this experience. If you are comfortable to linger there, explore... be curious. What else do you notice? How does this deepen? Expand? If not, let the sun rise once again whenever you wish. The sacred heart of darkness You can move in and out of the darkness at will and sense increasing subtlety of sensation, thought and awareness within the practice. You are in charge of this experience, there is absolutely no rush or forcing, just possibility and playfulness. As you stay closer, listening, witnessing... what shifts? Changes? What stays the same? What did you notice? Silence? Stillness? Steadiness? Nothingness? If there is uncertainty, or fear... go deeper, what is beyond and beneath? Is there something within the silence? Or simply the expanse of silence itself? If you sense more, go deeper... right to the centre, the sacred heart... The absolute, unequivocal, steady, silent now with its cradling and expansive allowing... Deeply tender holding... All encompassing love Bathing you Can you allow yourself to be bathed and emptied by this timeless pause, only to find yourself filled by this same quality of existence. Being embraced by winter Find yourself embraced by 'winter' both utterly empty and completely full. Without the mind stuff, just the space, the womb like cavern of pure potential, pure nothing and yet... everything. Enveloped with such strength and tenderness... When we are in darkness, where do we turn to orientate? Can we reach in? Trust the power within... trust yourself? Can you allow yourself to be fulfilled by this darkness? Is there a slowing? More time... do you sense more within the less? Can you let yourself be embraced by all that winter has to offer? Taking yourself into the darkness with your own heart, strength and essence as your guide? Welcoming any thoughts, feelings, sensations, fragments and parts of you that naturally come into awareness to be included in the embrace, in the holding? Only to dissolve again into the emptiness of the pause... How will you embrace winter? What can you do today that will add layers of this holding and embrace in your own life? To enhance these supportive qualities within and around you so that you feel more relaxed and in the present? Blanketed with tender care so that it is increasingly possible to be comfortable in the slowing and in the pause? Notice that which warms you and how you can make small changes to really care for yourself, giving time to notice, to linger and to sink within the comfort of the body and the mind. As we do so we may notice that we can flow in and out of this pause more regularly. That winter isn't just the season, but an invitation to turn inwards and refuel again and again as we take time to rest and to receive from within. My winter's journey Embracing winter in this way has been completely and utterly magical to me. It took me time to really trust and develop ease within the process but it has come to support me with such inner strength, it has transformed my relationship with myself and with life itself. As I took time to fully listen, to witness and to gently inquire, I found a deep inner peace, a true strength and also a lightness of heart with a joy that carries me through my life. I continue to make peace with life as it is, less fixing or trying to change that which is in front of me. I sense a deeper belonging within my own life and within my own heart which allows my heart to remain more open. I've learnt to lean in, to soften, to stay and to listen. A listening with the whole body and whole of my being. When stillness arises I can bathe and be in the stillness, become the stillness and the peace. In that moment there is no doing, I can simply melt into the tender sensing and awareness of now. During this winter season I do things to nurture myself, to be more comfortable and cosy. This allows me to soften and rest more readily. Maybe these examples will inspire you too...
All of these allow me to take that exhale, that sigh, the out breath that naturally lead me/us into the pause. May you begin to truly trust the darkness, make peace with the shadows and slowly, over time, turn to face the unknown and find yourself there. May you be there with yourself, for yourself, in love. And perhaps to be embraced by winter is to be embraced by life itself? This is the thread and knowing that weaves through my own life and through my holistic work. Going deeper If doing this practice alone was a challenge, which it absolutely can be if life experience has meant silence, stillness or darkness have become fundamentally unsafe, then we can journey safely together. Get in touch to be guided with love in a way that reassures and builds your own deep self trust. Look out for group events online that allow us to journey together into the heart of ourselves and support one another to explore the wholeness of who we are. This labyrinth like spiralling between dark and light is accentuated in life cycles, transitions and particularly through the menstrual cycle and into the journey of menopause. Check out the Womb Wisdom page for more details of how we can support all of these. I also have a video course entitled 'Navigating the Darkness: Harnessing the magic of the moon' at Doors to the Feminine.com that goes more into this inward journey with practices and guided meditations. Go deep with a new moon course And if you wish to journey deeply and more completely I highly recommend the path of the new moon. Having navigated this path consistently for 4 years it has given me the courage and strength to look at each area of my own life, and many different aspects of myself, through the eyes of kindness and curiosity, and with hearts intention to make empowering changes to transform my life from the inside out. New Moon Magic ~ A Path of Deep Transformation Beginning April 2024 online 13 moons - 1 year of self-acceptance, illumination, celebration, integration and healing into wholeness. Sharing the incredible learning and wisdom of my own journey to allow it to transform your life too.
Why the new moon? The previous blog post 'Why New Moon Circles?' explains more about how they came into being. This year long interactive course will support you to thrive and shine in a grounded, joyful way by moving out of old patterns and into your most honest and authentic self. Through sacred circles, wisdom teachings, contemplation, journaling, intention setting, therapeutic releasing techniques, mediation and the alchemy of ritual. Get to know yourself like never before and come to love who you are and the life that you are living. ** Applications open February 2024 **
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Jo PitcherHi, my name is Jo. I am a Holistic Practitioner & Facilitator based in the beautiful forest and coastal area of Lymington, New Forest. I am passionate about supporting and inspiring a grounded, integrated approach to life, health, well-being and embodied spirituality. By quietening the busyness and noise we can hear ourselves more easily and trust our own inner knowing above all else. Archives
November 2024
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