So in the week before Samhain, there was a New Moon Eclipse in Scorpio. This felt like a time of transformation on so many levels. Eclipses, whether solar or lunar, are times of change and transformation. While there are two eclipse seasons per year, they don't occur all through the year so the transformation and change is rather special each time it happens. There is also a difference between the two eclipses, as New Moon ones act as portals to another life while Full Moon ones tend to be about endings. With this in mind, this is the time to really make some huge changes in life. There's always an element of uncertainty about eclipses.
This New Moon Eclipse in Scorpio was also affected by being close to the planet of love and abundance, Venus, so this was the perfect time to work on my relationships, which I have been trying to do. I really felt called to take care of myself and work on my self-care routine. One thing I did on the day of the eclipse was to make myself a cake-in-a-mug using a Spicy Chai drink powder. The drink always tastes like a hug in a mug so a cake is even more of a hug. I have a tendency to forget about caring for myself so this is one of my new actions.
But something happened the day before this ritual that really expanded my love for others: a close friend mentioned to me that a storm would potentially be blowing across the country from the south and suggested that I put some water out to collect Storm Water. I then forgot about it but as soon as I realised it was still outside, I chose to make some New Moon Eclipse Storm Water so there are three complementary energies held within the water. I've never had anyone do this before but what made it particularly special is that the friend who mentioned the storm does not practice witchcraft so to have them consciously think of my Craft and do this just filled me with so much love and gratitude for them.
Every month, Emily at Wise Woman Witchery hosts lunar rituals at the New and Full Moons and for this particular New Moon, we did a meditation and a reading. The meditation was the beginning of the reading, where I travelled to meet an aspect of my Shadow Self. This was really interesting because for the first time, I wasn't afraid of meeting whichever aspect showed itself to me. I felt like my Shadow was a friend to be embraced, someone I could finally show some love to. I finally feel like this particular aspect of my Shadow Self is no longer unloved and unsupported.
This feeling was almost immediately confirmed by the reading that followed the meditation. Like the majority of this year, there's been a lot of Shadow Work but this reading has given me some relief. It's also interesting that in the week before the New Moon Eclipse, I noticed that a thread I have tied around my left wrist has started to naturally break. I did this spell as part of the Priestess Path and I did write a post about it ("Spells") so that I could cut an energetic cord between myself and a family member and at the same time call my power back to me.
This was supposed to be a 5 question card reading but I ended up with 6 cards total - something that usually happens for me. I've done Shadow Work spreads before but this was the first time I felt like it was a reading full of peace. I'll go through the spread and the card(s) I got for each question - if anyone is interested, I used the Game of Thrones tarot deck for this.
What does the Shadow aspect of me that is stepping forward at this time have to say?
I got the Ten of Cups and with this card, I feel like the message is that I'm at the end of this cycle of Shadow Work (thank the gods!). The reason I say this is that this Ten symbolises the end of an emotional cycle, with the circular archway meaning that I've come full circle with this phase of my Shadow Work. I feel like this card is saying that I've shone enough light on my Shadow Self that this aspect of it is illuminated and brought into the light, that this Shadow no longer holds anything that I should fear. I've come to accept this Shadow aspect as a friend, as a part of me that no longer instils fear in me.
How has this Shadow helped me in the past?
I got the Six of Spears and with this card, I feel like the message is that this Shadow has helped me to move forward. I feel like this Shadow has helped me to leave behind the murky cloudiness of uncomfortable uncertainty. I feel like this Shadow has also helped me to start this journey as since doing Shadow Work, I feel like my self-confidence has built up to levels that I've never known before, and all because I wanted to work on this part of me that I've previously kept hidden and unheard. I feel like this Shadow has helped me to set up some boundaries and defend those boundaries when necessary, to repsect my own self so that I'm not asking others to do things that I'm not prepared to do myself.
How does this Shadow block me or cause challenges in the present?
I got two cards for this: The Hierophant and The Moon.
With the Hierophant, I feel like I can sometimes stand in the way of my own learning. I can be too unwilling to learn or be teachable when it might actually serve me best to stop being so stubborn. I also feel like the Hierophant is saying that I can be too aloof, or too distanced from situations that happen within my life. I can be too distant with people, possibly due to how I was brought up and how little I was allowed to socialise with others who were my own age.
With the Moon, I feel like I was being told that sometimes I can be closed off to the messages that I'm being given by Spirit. I have previously struggled to trust my intuition and the messages that I was receiving. I haven't always lived in tune with the Moon and her phases but I always felt a connection with the Moon, a pull that I couldn't ignore. I was always filled with a peaceful calm when I saw the Full Moon but I didn' understand why.
What transformation is this Shadow ready to undergo?
I got the Page of Swords and at first this card really confused me and I didn't understand it. This is partly why it's taken me a while to write this post. This Page feels really defensive and ready to do battle, and this describes how I was until a couple of years ago. I feel like the message of this Page is that I need to know when I can walk away from battles that I don't have to be a part of. But after I sat with this card for a while, the mask being worn by this Page started to jump out at me and I feel like this is saying that it may be time for me to remove the mask that I have worn for so long. I also feel like the mask if inviting me to answer whether I really need to hide away from the world anymore.
What tools do I have to spark my courage during this process?
I got the Magician and I feel like its message is that I have knowledge that I can make use of. I have learned how to integrate the lessons I face as I walk my path. While the Magician is shown as being rather dark, the tools behind him that are at my disposal are lit, and this implies that I'm no longer in the dark and wandering without any form of guidance. I also feel like this card is empowering me because I know more than I think I do - I just have to trust and stop second-guessing myself. I also feel like this card is saying that it's time for me to show the world what it is that I can do, share the knowledge that I have and teach others.
After pulling these cards, Emily invited me to create a mantra that I can use until the Full Moon or even until the next New Moon if I wanted to. I wasn't sure what my mantra would be because I felt I needed to sit with the Page of Swords for a little while and then see what came to mind. Even now, after sitting with these cards, I'm not sure what my mantra could be narrowed down to.
So even though I didn't manage to get a mantra from these cards, this was a really interesting reading and one that brought a lot of relief after everything that this year has shown me. This year has really held a huge theme of Shadow Work for me and it's been a lot of deep work. Yes, it got to a point where I was pleading with the Universe to put an end to this cycle of Shadow Work which has seemed to have no end until this reading.
I hope this gives you hope that Shadow Work, just like a lot of things in life, comes in cycles and that there will be moments of relief where the Shadow lessons can be integrated. I also hope this inspires you to do something similar for future Eclipses.
Peace and love to all!!!!
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