The Nudge - Dispatch 24 | Samhain
“Full circle from the tomb of the womb to the womb of the tomb we come, an ambiguous, enigmatical incursion into a world of solid matter that is soon to melt from us like the substance of a dream.”
- Joseph Campbell, Hero with a Thousand Faces
Welcome to The Nudge | Samhain 2024
This seasonal care package has been prepared by The Trailblazery team.
Dear Friends,
As we prepare our latest care package of The Nudge for you to mark the ancient festival of Samhain, we are keenly aware that we are experiencing a collective state of Samhain on our planet right now.
This is a crucible moment of fierce wintering. We are watching one world die as another waits to be midwifed and born. We are being called to bear witness to these global contractions and somehow alchemise our pain into purpose.
We are ancestors-in-training ~ what we meet, heal, own, integrate and metabolise now will impact many generations to come. May we find the pathways available to post-traumatic growth. May we claim our shared response ~ ability to step into a collective healing field, together. Our future and the future of generations yet to come depends on it.
And so we stand at the threshold of Samhain which marks the beginning of the New Year in the Irish tradition. We find ourselves at a crossroads where the veils between worlds are at their thinnest and we are invited to cross over into Giamos for the dark half of the year.
At this collective moment of Samhain many of us find ourselves bracing as we slip into darkness, but can we also embrace the potential for renewal that dwells within this darkness? This is a sacred portal that calls us to remember the creative cycle of birth, death, and rebirth - the great trifecta at the source of all existence.
In Ireland, our ancestors were rooted in the seasons of the Earth and aligned with the cycles of the Cosmos. They bequeathed their wisdom to us as a map in the shape of the Wheel of the Year. The cycle starts at Samhain - the festival of the Dead, a time of initiation into the darkness of the womb and tomb.
In this season, we heed the call of the Crone, beckoning us to cross over into the shadows, much like the wild world around us readies herself for winter slumber. In Ireland, the Cailleach is the mystical hag who guides us to descend into the underworld to incubate the seeds of potential.
Samhain offers us a moment of reflection, to review the gifts and challenges bestowed upon us throughout the year, and an opportunity to discern what we must shed and release. We stand on the precipice of transformation, ready to step into the womb-tomb of the Great Unknown.
Some journal prompts to inspire you:
What signs of the thinning veil do you sense around you?
What is your relationship like to the darkness?
Track and identify the recurring cycles and patterns in your life. What wisdom do they hold?
Reflect on a specific moment of transformation or rebirth in your life. How did this experience shape your current path?
How do you embrace both darkness and light within yourself and in the world around you?
How can you bear witness in this time of collective wintering?
How can you contribute to this moment of personal and collective liberation?
What practices and allies can support you to enter into the season of Samhain consciously this year?
How can you create a sacred space for rest and receptivity, allowing yourself to be replenished at this time?
What's happening at The Trailblazery
As the Great Wheel turns yet again, we are invited to pause and remember what we have travelled through together. We are excited to let you know what we have coming up for you here at The Trailblazery:
Join us for Beyond The Veil
An online trilogy of Samhain-inspired immersive experiences
Sundays, Oct 27 | Nov 3 | Nov 10
With all recordings available
7pm Irish | 3pm ET | 12pm PT
You can still join us for a deep journey of exploration through story, song, music and communal rituals in response to the season of Samhain. We have invited a host of powerful artists and activists to guide us through the fierce wintering we are experiencing on the planet today. Beyond The Veil is a call to gather at the place between worlds, where the Crone tends to her cauldron, stirring her sacred alchemical brew.
This three-part alchemical journey is led by three mná feasa (wise-women): Eimear Burke (Chosen Chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, Celebrant, Seanchaí/Traditional Storyteller), Diana Beresford-Kroeger (world renowned Author, Medical Biochemist, Botanist, Climate Change Visionary and Polymath) and Alixía García (Colombian-born Multidisciplinary Artist, Award-winning Poet, Climate Organiser, Filmmaker). We will also receive the musical gifts of Imelda May (Irish Singer, Songwriter Multi-instrumentalist), Jenny Ní Ruiséil (Yoga Teacher, Musician, Mentor, Coach) and Rawan Roshni (Palestinian/Balkan Singer-songwriter, Whirling Dancer, Sound Practitioner).
For more information and tickets, visit our website here.
Recommended Resources
Here are a few reading, watching and listening pieces to nourish and inspire you in the days ahead:
✯ Listen: For your ears
As the Great Wheel turns and Samhain is upon us, we are gifting you a special guided meditation.
The great activist Tricia Hersey says that to rest is a radical act. Our intention is for you to rest and regulate your nervous system. This is an opportunity to co-create the collective healing field that our planet needs right now.
Samhain marks the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new one: may we cross this threshold with conscious compassion together. Find a tranquil and comfortable space to lie down, enabling you to fully embrace the sounds and insights that await you. Let go of stress and worries as you become one with the harmonious flow of this immersive sound journey.
✮ Smell: For your nose
These are the essential oils that are commonly used to create ritual anointing oils for the Celebration of Samhain:
Angelica, Anise, Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Clove, Myrrh, Pine, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Thyme, Vetiver.
❤ Read: For your heart
To Speak for the Trees by Diana Beresford-Kroeger
Canadian botanist, biochemist and visionary Diana Beresford-Kroeger’s startling insights into the hidden life of trees have already sparked a quiet revolution in how we understand our relationship to forests. Now, in a captivating account of how her life led her to these illuminating and crucial ideas, she shows us how forests can not only heal us but save the planet.
You can also listen to some Samhain wisdom from Eimear Burke, who will also be joining us for Beyond The Veil.
❤ Connect: For your soul
We are over the moon to announce that Kathy has become a matron of Brigid’s Way, an ancient path also known as the Irish ‘Camino’. This pilgrimage in honour of the saint and goddess Brigid was revived 13 years ago by Dr Karen Ward and Dolores Wheelan. She is in good company with fellow matrons Deirdre Ní Chinneide, Laura Murphy and Melanie Lynch. They are all, like Brigid, visionary, creative and offer much healing through their immense work.
This special and beautiful pilgrimage currently takes place only once a year. There is a need to highlight Brigid’s Way, the only one to honour a female saint and goddess, so we ask that you please sign this petition. This will help us to demonstrate to the powers that be how many people are interested in this pilgrimage path worldwide. It is a true honour to be in such company and champion this iconic pilgrimage route. Beir Bua - with victory
✮ Watch: For your eyes
As Samhain approaches, we are entering the season of the Yew in the Ogham tree calendar. The Yew tree is deeply connected to themes of death, rebirth, and transformation. For centuries, it has been associated with sacred sites, and is found in both ancient places and churchyards.
In this spirit, we are sharing an episode on the Yew from Crainn na hÉireann (The Secret Life of Trees), a documentary series on native Irish trees by Manchán Magan.
Finally, we wanted to share this special interview of Diana Beresford-Kroeger with Jane Fonda.
May this Samhain season serve you in alchemising your pain into purpose. May all beings know peace.
Thank you for walking this path with us,
Beannachtaí,
Kathy and all at The Trailblazery