Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Ailynn Halvorson, author of the new Tarot Apothecary.
Autumn is my favorite time of year. I love the cooler temperatures; the rain; a fireplace; sweaters; and comfy moments sitting on the couch with hot tea, a book, and a blanket. As the days grow shorter, we start to send our energies inward, both mentally and physically. Twilight is especially magical this time of year with the darker evenings that allow you to step into a kind of mystical world, where the trees look like large shadow guardians and the evening feels like you could just reach through the air into another coexisting realm. It is as if your ancestors are within reach—all you have to do is to reach out, connect with them, have a good talk and receive their sound advice. There is a shifting going on. The shift between summer and winter. A gap in time that gives the opportunity to remember what has gone and to envision what is yet to come. We have moved out of the masculine, expansive, energy of summer into the feminine, internal energy of fall. We move from fire element to water element.
Autumn and twilight have a commonality in that they are both gaps in time. The fall is the gap between the two extremes of summer and winter. Twilight is the gap between the two extremes of day and night. Both fall and twilight have that magical, mystical feeling of the in-between state of being. Fall also relates to the water element as a feminine energy and a time of purification. Fall is the time to let go and surrender to what is, so that new growth can spring forth in early April, when spring arrives and all is born again. Now, in this fall season, it is time to let go of that which no longer serves you, to take a step into that mystical gap and allow what is dying to die. Purify yourself with the energy of water and relax into the shifting energies. Release your leaves and allow them to compost for new growth.
I often think of autumn as the Hanged Man season. A suspended state, a ritual of purification, a time of letting go, releasing and surrendering to what is. The Hanged Man is in a suspended state of being, and like twilight and autumn, he is in the gap. He is in the present, yet time stands still during this magical suspended state of being. Every fall, I step into my Hanged Man role and create rituals around purification, such as hot salt baths, tea rituals, and I pull out my water-element essential oils and herbs. How about a lovely cup of Chamomile tea? I also spend time stepping into and meditating with the water elemental tarot archetypes of the major arcana.
In my book The Tarot Apothecary: Shifting Personal Energies Using Tarot, Aromatherapy and Simple Everyday Rituals, I talk about imaginative meditation. This is the state of allowing your imagination to lead you in meditation to a predetermined place, with possible pre-determined archetypes to meet up with. It is about stepping into that pre-determined scene and allowing your imagination to take the lead. During this imaginative meditation, I spend time with each of the five-water element major arcana tarot archetypes: The High Priestess, The Chariot, The Hanged Man, Death, and The Moon. During the fall’s three months, I will spend time with each water archetype individually. Sometimes I spend more time with one than others, depending on what is currently going on in my life. Why do I do this? Because each archetype will have a message for me. They help me to release what needs to go, and to create open space to receive. As you let go, life becomes a bit lighter and clarity can set in. You begin to develop more awareness, which helps you to create, plan, and navigate your movement forward.
I will start my fall journey with The Hanged Man. This is because I feel The Hanged Man is the perfect symbol for autumn. I step into meditation hanging upside down with The Hanged Man, allowing myself to feel what he feels and to see things the way he sees things. The Hanged Man helps you to see what needs to go, what is truly important to you and what is hanging you up. I will often spend the first month of the season with The Hanged Man, just allowing myself to let go, purify and get a new perspective on my life. This allows for ideas of where to go next, what needs to be taken care of and what energies I wish to call into my life. Maybe I want to replace the old with the new or maybe I just want that open space for a while.
Sitting in meditation with The High Priestess can help you to get in touch with your intuition and to be quiet for a while, to sit and to listen to your own internal knowing. She will help you to gain the clarity and knowledge you require to move forward.
The Chariot will help to find focus for moving forward, as well as to help release emotions prior to any movement, so that these emotions do not stop you dead in your tracks, even before you get started. Emotions such as fear and self-doubt can surely sabotage the whole thing, if you let them take hold.
The Death card is also a great card for Autumn. Death is the space to let those leaves die and to bury what needs to be composted for new growth to take root.
The Moon helps you to face your fears and to be ready to walk in the dark, trusting your intuition to lead the way forward.
Spending time in imaginative meditation with each card is the perfect way to release and be prepared for the next season. Allow yourself to flow like water, to purify your body, mind, and spirit. Be open to receive the healing and loving energy of the water element. Allow your cup to overflow and be grateful for the tarot archetypes that can assist you in reaching your dreams and creating your kingdom. Embrace the season of The Hanged Man. Step into the mystery and allow the water element to purify your soul.
Our thanks to Ailynn for her guest post! For more from Ailynn Halvorson, read her article, “The Four Main Ingredients in a Magical Potion.”
