Midweek Message November 6, 2025

Now that the candles have burned low, the bonfires have turned to embers, and the last days of October have quietly passed, many of us—pagans, spiritual seekers, and people of many paths—find ourselves in a space of reflection.

Samhain, celebrated on the evening of October 31st, marks more than the end of harvest. It’s a sacred threshold—a moment that transcends time, culture, and tradition. Often known as the “Witch’s New Year,” Samhain is a time to honor death not as an end, but as a teacher. A sacred pause. A deep breath between what was and what will be.

And whether or not you celebrated Samhain, Halloween, Día de los Muertos, All Saints’ Day, or simply felt the seasonal shift in your bones, the invitation remains: Reflect. Remember. Recenter.

In nature, this is the time of release. Leaves surrender to the wind. Plants retreat into their roots. The Earth itself begins to rest.

This turning inward is not something to resist—it’s something to honor. The spiritual impulse to reflect, grieve, and slow down is woven into so many faiths and traditions.

In this season of letting go, ask yourself:

What have I outgrown?

What part of me is ready to be laid to rest?

What am I being invited to make peace with?

You don’t have to follow any particular tradition to recognize that endings are sacred. They clear space for the new, the unexpected, the true.

For many, this time of year also brings a heightened awareness of ancestors—those we’ve lost, and those we never knew. Whether you light candles on an altar, speak names aloud in prayer, or simply feel their presence in the quiet, Samhain reminds us that we are not alone.

Across cultures, this season has always been a time to remember the dead:

In Mexican tradition, Día de los Muertos celebrates the lives of ancestors with joy and color.

All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days in Christian communities offer prayers for the departed.

In pagan and earth-based paths, the thinning veil invites us to commune with those who came before.

You don’t need to believe in spirits to feel the sacredness of memory. To remember a loved one is to keep a flame alive.

Many of us mark our new beginnings on January 1st. But Samhain offers a different kind of New Year—one that doesn’t rush toward the light, but sits bravely in the dark.

In a world that constantly asks us to go, achieve, produce—what if you permitted yourself to pause?

What if this in-between time is not emptiness, but gestation?

Let this season invite you to:

Rest without guilt.

Reflect without pressure.

Dream without deadlines.

The seeds of transformation take root in darkness. Now is the time to plant them.

You don’t have to identify as a witch or a pagan to feel the sacredness of this season. The turning of the wheel speaks in many languages. Stillness is a teacher in many faiths. Honoring what’s been lost is a universal act of love.

Wherever you are on your spiritual path—whether grounded in tradition, exploring, or somewhere in between—this moment after Samhain is a powerful one.

A threshold.

A choice.

A call to live more honestly, more soulfully, more aligned with the rhythms of the Earth and the whispers of your spirit.

So as the days grow shorter and the nights deepen, take heart.

You are not behind. You are not broken. You are in the sacred in-between.

You are becoming.

May this season bring you clarity, peace, and the courage to let go of what no longer serves.

Blessings of the season to you, in all the names you call the sacred.

-Jolyn Emrys

Communication & Membership Manager