Samhain - Rules for Winter Living

Welcome to my Samhain Newsletter! In this Newsletter I’ll be sharing an interesting tip I learned from the book “The Power of Ritual”, some well-wishes for Samhain, and a bit of an update of what I’ve been up to (scroll to the bottom for photos!)

This month I replaced the Facebook app on my phone with the Libby app. The Libby app connects with your local library and you can download an amazing selection of books and audiobooks for free! This week I read The Power of Ritual by Casper Ter Kuile and it inspired me and enlightened me beyond measure!

There were lots of take aways from the book, but it was something towards the end that really claimed me…creating your own “Rules” for life. He emphasised that the word rules originates from the meaning “to regulate”, so it’s not a way of bullying yourself but a way of guiding yourself towards being your best.

This Monday we celebrated Samhain, often known as Halloween. This Celtic festival marks the end and the beginning of the Celtic New Year. It’s the celebration where we honour our ancestors and acknowledge the descent into the darkest and coldest part of the year. There are many ways to mark this festival. And I thought, inspired by this book I read it might be a good time to create my own “Rules for Winter Living” which I will share below. There are lots of other ways that you could mark this special festival. I recommend reading Glennie Kindred’s Sacred Earth Celebrations for inspiration in how to mark the turning year.

When designing my Rules for Winter living I tried to be SMART about it. Making sure that my intentions were Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Bound. I’ve also thought about the Why for each one, so there’s more motivation to stick to it.

1. 10 minutes minimum of movement every morning - A belly dance workout, African dance workout, gentle yoga or some dancing to happy music. Why? To get the heart beating and blood pumping first thing, to release endorphins.

2. Leave Facebook and Insta Deleted - I have deleted the two social media apps from my phone, and will stay that way until the Winter Solstice (I will download them when I need to post something and then re-delete). Why? To calm and clarify my distracted mind.

3. Take Probiotics - I’ve recently been reading about the health benefits of Probiotics. I intend to take them every day until Winter Solstice. After experiencing some bugs and illness this autumn I want to take preventative measured to strengthen myself. Why? To nourish my gut, and therefore my mind.

4. Use my Checklist before making Commitments and Decisions - I am notoriously bad at saying yes to things, just because I like the idea. Now, I have a toddler I need to think through everyone’s needs before agreeing to things. I have made a checklist with a few questions, I’ll put them at the bottom. Why? To protect our energy

5. Experiment with a Phone Sabbath - In Casper’s book he recommends a Sabbath day where you switch off from the world and/or technology. I thought it might work to try turning my phone off from lunch time on Saturday to lunchtime on Sunday. I will experiment with this over the month of November.

6. 10 Minutes of Unwind Time - At the end of the day take 10 minutes to calm the nervous system. I do this by practicing Hypopressives, listening to a relaxing meditation song or drum journey beat, or listening to a guided hypnotherapy session. Why? To calm my nerves so that I am a nice person

7. Make a Spreadsheet and Check off every day to hold myself accountable! Starting on 31st October!

Do you like the idea of making Winter rules? What would you add to your list?

Decision Checklist
Will this cause stress to me or the Bobbys?
Will this cause peace for me or the Bobbys?
What’s the cost?
What’s the reward?

Other News and Updates...

We've started recording something very exciting! More news coming soon

Me and Bobby made an Autumn raft. See more pictures on Instagram

We treated ourselves to some Barefoot Boots for comfy feet this winter :-) Mine are from Vivo Barefoot and Bobby's are from Stampede in Tunbridge Wells. I really noticed these shoes improve his walk....a very good investment!

We went to appreciate the abundance and variation of Pumpkins in Kent...

I made a Witches Broom to celebrate Samhain, inspired by Glennie Kindred's book. The twigs are Birch and the handle is Lime wood.

And we dressed up as clowns on the day to go to Singing Mamas.

That's all the news, now a little prayer for Samhain...

May you take a moment to remember your ancestors and thank them for their gifts.
May you offer compassion to their trauma, and make efforts to transmute and heal in this lifetime.
May you allow yourself to slow down as we turn towards the darkest and coldest part of the year.
May you take your gifts from the previous year and nurture them as seeds in the cold dark earth, which will emerge next year as bright flowers.
May you let go of behaviour, thoughts and actions which no longer serve you or those around you.