Today is Samhain, the Celtic name for Halloween. It marks the transition point into the darkest three months of the year.
Paradoxically, the Celts believed that the New Year starts today. They also believed that each day starts at sunset, not sunrise.
Modern culture teaches us to be afraid of the dark and to yearn for light and brightness. The Hero’s Journey – the template for success in business and leadership – is all about the individual vanquishing obstacles and ascending to triumph and glory.
Before patriarchy was the norm the Heroine’s Journey held sway. This blueprint for life (beautifully articulated in the best selling memoir If Women Rose Rooted by Sharon Blackie) works on a totally different logic. It often starts with a Descent into the Underworld – a reversal of fortune that the Heroine has to navigate and integrate.
A descent might be depression, an illness, a relationship breakdown or a career setback. These events might seem like a disaster at the time, yet looking back you can see how you grew from them.
One resource you can draw on in tough times is connection with your ancestors. In our culture of individualism we’re taught to think that we’re each an island and have to generate everything ourselves. Yet many traditional cultures mark this time of year by remembering their ancestors.
This evening, amidst all the mayhem of Halloween, take a few moments to remember a beloved relative or mentor who has gone before you, light a candle and appreciate the gifts they brought to your life.