There is something about this time of year that invites us to slow down, listen more deeply and reconnect with what we already know within ourselves.
Halloween on an island
I live on a houseboat on an island in the Thames, and the 31st here is one of my favourite nights of the year.
The children go round the island in the dark. There is no road to cross and no traffic, just the path, the trees, the boats and the water on both sides of you the whole way round. Front doors open onto the river. Torches bob about. You can hear them 2 moorings away before you see them.
And the water does something to it. It is darker here than a street, and quieter, and the river carries sound differently once the light has gone. You feel the season rather than just dressing up for it.
So I do the sweets, and I do the costumes, and I love all of it. But I also do 10 minutes first, before any of it starts, and this is why.
What the thinning of the veil actually points at
Around Halloween and Samhain, many spiritual traditions speak of the veil between the physical world and the spirit world becoming thinner. It is seen as a time to honour our ancestors, deepen our intuition, reflect on what is shifting and become more intentional about what we are calling into our lives.
You can take that as literally as you like. The part I keep coming back to is the intention.
Because perhaps the most important piece is this. We have to get clear on what we are asking for.
The giving part is the easy part
For so long, we can give, give, give. We share our gifts, support others, create, facilitate, carry people and pour our energy into the world. We do it because it feels natural. It feels purposeful. It feels like our genius.
But how often do we stop and consciously consider what we want to receive in return?
Not from a place of expectation or entitlement. From a place of clarity, reciprocity and self worth.
I have been doing this a long time and I only properly understood it this month. Something comes back either way. You may as well be clear about what you would prefer.
Be specific
What do you want to invite into your life? More abundance? The right opportunities? Supportive people? Better health? A new home? Creative expansion? Greater freedom? The resources to fulfil your purpose?
Do not just ask for things to improve. Get clear on what improvement actually looks like for you.
In my own practice I am learning to be much more intentional about communicating these preferences to my spirit teams, my ancestors and the universe. To ask for the guidance, resources, protection, connections and opportunities that support my wellbeing and the work I am here to do.
And then to stay open to how those things might arrive.
Your body has wisdom too
Sometimes you know something because you have experienced it before. Sometimes you recognise your genius because an idea, a conversation or an action feels completely natural. You do not have to force it, overthink it or convince yourself.
It feels like flow. Like clarity. Like something clicking into place.
Learning to tell the difference between what you know, what you fear and what you are imagining takes practice.
Slow down. Breathe. Be. Observe. Give yourself enough space to listen before you act.
Give your energy, and let yourself receive
What if this is not only about wishing for something and waiting for it to arrive? What if it is also about getting clear on your intentions, taking aligned action, noticing opportunities and allowing yourself to receive support?
We can call in the right people, but we also have to show up where we might meet them. We can ask for abundance, but we also have to create, share our work and make it possible for opportunities to find us.
We can ask for clarity, and then give ourselves the stillness to recognise it when it comes.
The real magic of this season
A chance to pause, honour where we have come from, reconnect with what matters and become more conscious about what we are creating next.
Whether you understand your spirit teams as ancestors, guides, divine intelligence or your own deepest inner wisdom, make space for that connection in whatever way feels meaningful to you.
You do not have to force it. You do not have to chase it. You can begin with gratitude, clarity and an open mind.
What I actually do on the 31st
Before the first knock at the door, I take 10 minutes.
I say the names out loud. Whoever I am thinking of. In the kitchen, on my own, no ceremony. There is something about a name in the air of a room that is different from a name in your head.
I put something of theirs where I can see it. Not a shrine. A photograph propped against the kettle, or a ring I never wear, out on the side for the evening. Then it goes away again on the 1st.
I write down what I am calling in, and I read it out loud. Not what I would settle for. What I actually want, in plain words, with numbers and dates where there are numbers and dates.
And I say thank you before anything has arrived, rather than after.
Then I answer the door, admire the costumes and hand out the chocolate, and the children go off round the island in the dark.
And then
Slow down. Breathe. Be. Observe.
Get clear on what you want to give, what you want to receive and what you are ready to welcome into your life.
Set the intention. Take the action. Stay open to the possibilities.
And trust yourself enough to recognise when something feels right for you.
What are you calling in this season?
Let there be light, let there be more golden light, for the highest and greatest good with ease and grace.
The Reset Letters go out once a week, and they are where the quieter version of all this goes. resetletters.substack.com
If you want help hearing what your own body already knows, Signals is the session for it. 60 minutes, one to one and private, online or in person at The Hare and the Moon in Twickenham on a Tuesday between 10am and 1.30pm. Book a Tuesday.