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"Who Has Seen A Shadow Separated From The Light?"~ RUMI

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The time of the Sun...for awakening, the bursting forth of life, has passed once again. And Autumn, with its crisp air and bare branches, is signaling the coming of Winter, the time of the shadows...the souls' season for turning inward; a time for reflection and to explore our own shadow. This is a wonderfully sacred time of peering into our darkness in search of the light; facing those pieces of ourselves we like to forget, that we tuck away into the darkened corners of our hearts like dusty, unloved books. Keeping them hidden from the world, and from ourselves. Autumn is the season for shedding what is not needed...a symbolic death that allows for rebirth.

With the movement from sunlight to shadows, this time can feel heavy and cold, not unlike the snowfall of winter blanketing delicate, withering flower petals. Soul work is not cozy and comfortable. Lifetimes are spent dodging these shadows; and they can shatter us, leave us feeling broken, battered and bruised. Our wounds, our weaknesses...facing those fears can be a lonely and vulnerable space. But within that space is healing, expansion and peace for our hearts. Your heart is your home. Your shadow and light are pieces of you. You are safe to embrace your WHOLENESS; for there is wisdom in the wound and beauty in the unraveling.

There is perhaps nothing more loving, no greater act of self-love, than to embrace that wholeness. When we gather the courage to plunge into the depths of our heart and soul, and hold the mirror to ourselves, we shatter illusions. Freeing ourselves to step into the shadowy and sunlit wilderness of the soul; showing our kindreds that it is safe for them to explore and embrace their own. Let us shine a light that allows us to guide each other, to witness each other...in all the
beauty...
the mess...
the rise and the fall...
and the healing, as we come home to ourselves.
When we share our souls bare naked to the world, we get to live authentically in all our beautiful mess. Our wholeness...we break away from the cage of shame and lonliness and become truly FREE.

In the fall, the earth surrenders. Releasing the leaves that no longer give it depth and life. The old drifts away with the wind, to make space for all that is to come soon. We are nature; a continual evolution of our soul. This is a sacred journey that restores and renews our spirits, awakening us to grow into what we will become. Allow nature to be your mirror; flow with ease through your seasons, balancing your sunlight and darkness. Plant the seeds that you will nourish over the cold, winter months and ready them to burst forth into the light of a new season.

Allow your heart to be a beacon that illuminates what needs to be brought into the light this season. Let it be your guide in the darkness.

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