Somehow, astonishingly, it is the time to passage between months again. I’m not sure how that happened.
I am taking a deep breath and invoking all the superpowers of easy transitions.
Okay! Exit and entry. Passaging out and passaging in.
Let’s see where we’re at.
Worst case scenario? I’ll have more information about what I don’t want.
Passaging out of October. What worked?
Oh wow.
I took care of myself. I mean, I really truly deeply took care of myself.
This kind of came as a surprise. But it was great.
It meant that I didn’t do most of the things I’d been looking forward to in October. I didn’t do the Portland Zombie walk and I didn’t dance Zombie Thriller (though we totally practiced it at the Crossing).
I didn’t do anything related to Halloween. Except hide in the dark!
And I didn’t even go to any of the pre-season exhibition roller derby bouts, even though I normally live and breathe derby like oxygen. Didn’t watch the World Series. Didn’t go out. Didn’t do much of anything, really.
All I did was take care of myself. Yoga. Sleep. Massage. Resting in various not-sleep ways that involved reclining. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
It was exactly what was needed.
So long, October. Things I might try differently next time?
Even MORE taking care of myself.
Especially after the rollercoaster of a traumatic summer, and knowing I was going to run an unbelievably intense eight day retreat.
Or really, I don’t know if that is true. I think I did an outrageously great job of taking care of myself.
What I would want if I got a do-over is to not second-guess these choices as much. To recognize that this is needed and vital, and not fight it or question it.
Anything else?
More walking outdoors and watching the colors change. Yes.
Passaging into November. Hello, November!
Hi. Hi.
You feel new and exciting. I feel a thrill of anticipation, and just the teeniest bit apprehensive. But mostly intrigued. What do you know? What are we going to do together?
Like that.
What qualities do I want from the experience of November-ing?
Quiet. Simplicity. Presence.
Calm. Steadiness. Sweetness.
Delight. Pleasure. Lightness and Luminosity. Excitement. Spaciousness.
November superpowers?
Focused puttering.
The current knows what to do. Use the trade winds!
Just look up. No, really. Look up.
Remembering what is true. And what is also true.
The superpower of Nothing Is Wrong.
Things I’m working on and playing with in November.
The new calendar we’re producing.
Marvelous changes at Stompopolis.
Conducting and being a conductor.
Playing with Marisa.
Mapping out the upcoming year.
Beach days that happen indoors.
Many wonderful naps please.
Things I’m looking forward to in November.
Crunching leaves.
Walking in the rain.
Watching roller derby championships quietly from far away instead of being there this year. I’ll be rooting — and yes, this feels weird, for team sparkle-butt (come on, Denver Roller Dolls! Take second place!).
Rethinking things. Reconfiguring.
All the secret flowers.
Not doing Thanksgiving. And instead of the Great Ducking Out, doing a small, quiet, personal ducking out.
I’m asking for and wishing for….
Perfect simple solutions. And not just that these exist but that they emerge and make themselves known please.
Warmth and coziness.
Time to reflect.
When it is time to do a thing, doing the thing. Without drama. With loving attentive focus. Swift and clear action that is also gentle.
Right timing. Miraculous little things that help with this.
I’m ready for…
The compass. The bell.
Being filled with appreciation. Experiencing appreciation in many different forms.
Extra. Overflow.
Going to the Department of Marvelous Voyages (shhhh it’s the DMV) and having that be okay.
More playtime.
Flowers everywhere. This is important.
And?
I want to be here now.
Goodbye, October. Thank you for everything. Goodbye everything that is done. Thank you for being done. Mmhmm.
Hello, November. I am touching you on the cheek.
Come in, come in. Let’s cross. Over and through.
Play with me…
I mess around with entry and exit each month, going with whatever shows up.
For other versions, peek at: last July / August / September / October / November / December / January / February / March / April / May. A love letter to June. This year’s July and August and September and last month too..
Feel welcome to deposit notes for your entry into November here, if you like. Or drop off some wishes. Or leave flowers.
As always, we make this a safe space by not telling each other what to do, how to be or how to feel. We make room for each other.
Wishing you a November that is pleasurable, supportive, and full of unexpectedly good things. And love. All the love.
Follow
Experimenting with a ritual. And setting an intention. Yes.
Passaging out of October. What worked?
Facing up to the truth. Speaking the truth. Honouring the truth.
Holding on to the thin red thread that anchors me while riptides of emotion swirl around. Knowing it is there for me always. I am held.
Ritual. Allowing physical “paraphernalia” to hold the intention, the energy, the quality. Multisensory involvement.
Connecting from the heart.
Remembering that everything I want from outside of me, exists inside of me. I am my source.
Naps.
Carabosse. Archetypes and metaphors. Angels. Arjuna.
Things I might try differently next time?
Remember that it’s not about me. It’s not about me!
Passaging into November. Hello, November!
Hello. November. Month of capricious rain and sun, wrapping up, entering the exit.
What qualities do I want from the experience of November-ing?
Energy. Purpose. Faith.
Courage. Hope.
Release.
November superpowers?
Inviolability.
Grounded radiance.
Intuition.
Things I’m working on and playing with in November.
Dreaming the next chapter. Stepping through the doors.
Forcefielding. Staying grounded and present.
Rhythms. Finding them.
Support…. seeking it. Whoo! Untangling the issues around that baby will be liberating!! Oh yay another opportunity for growth…. *ironic sparklers*
Things I’m looking forward to in November.
Silence. Solitude. Sleep.
Support.
I’m asking for and wishing for…
The right place to show up at the right time.
The words to say it.
To be surprised how uncomplicated being supported can actually be.
I’m ready for…
The golden goblet.
And?
For things to be surprisingly easy.
May it be so.
xoxoxo
Hello, November. When I ask myself which qualities I would like you to contain, which qualities you yourself might like to contain, which qualities I would like to contain while I am with you — well, that sounds like an awful lot of qualities, but really, I keep coming back to these two:
Peace and Plenty.
Peace and Plenty. I like that. It sounds simple, but there’s a lot to play with there.
Entering now…
October, you were beautiful and colorful and full of magic. You had magic and connection and theatre! You were full of the silence and rest of being Fallow! It was sweet.
You also brought a lot of drama and hectic and panic and unwelcome news and undesired knowledge. You brought in whole new level of feeling disrespected and man you ratcheted up my work-load by an order of magnitude. You threw a Klieg light onto the dysfucntion in my family.
You showed me I’m tougher than I think, more capable, stronger. You showed me a lot of hidden treasure. You showed me the strength of love and support I have with my altar-sisters and indeed all my sister-women. You showed me lots of lil bits of love and kindness and you helped me unearth ddeeper levels of compassion.
You also gave me a beautiful Samhain and a beautiful full moon.
November, you begin in warmth and beauty, with peace and gentleness. I am so grateful for you.
I wnat to see what qulaities u bring. For my own part, I want November to be the month where I discover what makes me radiant, what makes me shine, and to be radiant and shine and to avoid what makes me dim and dull.
Peace and plnety are good. So is a loving surrender to the dark. Reconnecting. Sensing. I am happy to see what else you bring.
Goodbye October. The good: Learning, processing, finding ways to make life better, easier to handle. Becoming more healthy (congratulations to me, on doing so well in the eating and exercise department!). The bad: Things just being crazy and stressful at work due to a bunch of people quitting. That ugly persistent feeling that there is never enough time and nothing ever works. But I remember the good, and remember I am in the process of positive changes.
Hello November! First is Samhain, time for reflection and transition. Hello Samhain! I got you a cookie! November is also the month when snow might stick, when it rains here in Idaho. Normally I would look forward to Thanksgiving with family, and it makes me a little sad that’s not happening. But I can look forward to doing something similar with friends here. November is also things gearing up for the craziness of Christmas with all the good and bad that entails.
November, what I’d like to have with you: Trust. Ease. Flow. Grounding. Presence.
Wishing all the internal, cozy warmth I feel in response to this lovely touching of November on the cheek!
Just wanted to say that the bell reminded me of the captain’s bell on the front (prow?) of a ship. Apparently, even when a ship ends up on the bottom of the ocean, divers who like to explore the wreck — yes, this is a hobby — value the bell the most. Only one person can get it.
Morbid enough image for Halloween?
Gratitude flowers for the wonderful lists of qualities and superpowers, which may be shared and borrowed!
October: oh, we had transitions and false starts and first impressions. It’s a lump in throat of getting what wanted and not being sure.
November: I see clarity coming to us like the crisp air surrounding leaves between fogs. The Joy of Doing pops up (maybe because of that excellent Julia Childs costume). Thinking is a kind of doing. I worry that I am not good at either. I will continue to listen. Superpower: feats of balancing, always in deep water.
Hi November! It has taken me a while to know what you’re all about, and what I want to do with you, but it was my birthday, dammit, so even most of the monsters are ok with me claiming amnesty on this.
Things I am playing with:
Mirrors, physical and metaphorical
Clarity, and future me, and all the blue
Trust, conviction, faith
Superpowers:
Nothing Is Wrong, and its sister, Everything Will Be OK
Ignoring Christmas Creep
Courage
Picking The Perfect Songs
Things I enjoyed/am looking forward to:
Birthday bacchanalia
Many cups of tea
Puddles!
Planning and having my own Ducking Out
Crunching leaves