The Alchemy School

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The Thinning of the Veil

We have officially reached the midpoint between Fall Equinox and Winter Solstice. It’s time to welcome the season of the dark and the time when life turns inward.

The veil between dimensions is a kind of boundary. It’s more porous now because of the unique qualities of the zodiac sign of Scorpio. Energies go deep when the Sun is in Scorpio, dissolving barriers, helping us connect beyond ourselves, and enabling healing and transformation at the core of our being.

Many indigenous and traditional cultures recognize the power of this time of year, by marking it as their new year and (in the northern hemisphere) the beginning of the winter.

The Thinning of the Veil

The thinning of the borders between worlds is why celebrations at the beginning of November are associated with those who live in other realms, including our ancestors. Our holidays include Samhain (Sow’en), meaning ‘together’ the Day of the Dead, and All Soul’s Day. Halloween is named for the “Hallowed Ones,” celebrated on the Eve of their feast day, thus All Hollow’s Eve, or Hallowe’en.

You can connect now with the wisdom of the Ancestral realm to support all of your efforts, including what you will carry forward, what you will release, and new insights around the fears that hold you back. Ancestral wisdom will offer strength and support.

When to Celebrate? Our modern holidays are celebrated on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, and the actual energy activation occurs on Nov. 7th when the Sun is at 15º degrees Scorpio. We call this the “cross-quarter” point, exactly halfway between equinox and solstice. You can celebrate now and anytime through the coming week, leading up to November 7th. When the Sun crosses 15º Scorpio the full power of emotional connection is released.

What the Ancestors Want You to Know

Although the ancestors live beyond us in other worlds, they are also present. This is a time to connect especially with those whom you experience as allies. These may be parents or grandparents, an aunt or uncle, or even a great-great grandparent whom you never met. An ancestor may also be someone from another lineage to whom you feel connected.

Here’s what the ancestors want you to know:

  • That you are Seen and loved, forever and unconditionally.
  • That you are known and appreciated for all of your gifts and for who you are in your life.
  • How proud they are of you for your work of showing up.
  • How they understand the lineage issues that you carry. They understand the difficulties (since they were once in your shoes), and now they offer an expanded perspective of support.
  • They honor and affirm the importance of your life. The spiritual work and healing you do in your life is never lost. It moves out in waves, benefiting your lineage forward and backward through time.

Above all, the ancestors want us to know that we are never truly separated. When we feel their love, we can know that they are with us.

Create an Ancestral Altar

One of the simplest and most powerful ways to celebrate this holiday is to make an ancestor altar. This is an image of the altar that I created this afternoon. Each object and symbol here holds some meaning for me.

This doesn’t have to be complicated or elaborate. The most simple ancestral altar involves a photograph and a candle.

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

First, gather a photo or photos.

  • Choose a photograph of your loved one(s) or another image that symbolizes your connection to the ancestral realm. This doesn’t need to be someone whom you have actually met.  Sometimes we feel a deep connection with someone who passed before we were born.
  • If you don’t have an ancestor within your direct lineage to whom you feel connected, then you can choose another image or symbol of another person from whom you feel support.
  • If you don’t have a photo, then you can use any symbol or object that helps you connect to that person or those people.

Make your altar.

  • Choose a place in your home, a shelf, table, or dresser top. You can use a special cloth to designate the altar.
  • Bring the photo(s).
  • Use an candle or candles. (Tea lights are great for altars since you can leave them lit when you’re not in the room.)
  • Incense is another traditional way to connect beyond the veil.
  • Make offerings. Offerings of fruit, chocolate, flowers, or other special foods unique to your family are common objects on ancestral offerings. Place these offerings on a small saucer (perhaps on a plate from your grandmother). These offerings create a physical and energetic link between the realms.
  • You can gather any other special objects or symbols that you’d like to use to decorate your altar.

Activate your altar.

The final step is to light the candle(s) and or incense. Most of all, it is your intentions that will activate this altar and make it more than just a collection of physical objects. Your feelings of love and appreciation, your requests for support, and your intentions to connect will open a portal or doorway to the support that is available from the ancestral realm.

Use the altar in your home for the next few days. You may find that you want to keep it through the coming holiday season. Light your candle whenever you want to activate the intentions. Send loving appreciation and know that it is received. The Ancestors are loving you in return.

May you experience the healing blessings and love of the ancestors and all those helpers who live beyond us in the realms of light.

Best Wishes,

Beth

PS: If you’re curious to learn more about the potency of this time of year, this week’s earlier New Moon article explains a bit more about the unique energies of this month. Scorpio New Moon: The Power to Embrace Change.

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