Embracing the Darkness and Moving Into the New
We can't repress the darkness right now, but we can see, hear, feel, and acknowledge that it's here—both inside and outside of ourselves—and create as much light as possible by working toward positive change.
To do this, we need to draw on both new and old wisdom. Right now, we're close to Vetrnaetr (Winternights), when ancient Norse peoples marked the coming of winter's darkness. Hel, the goddess of the underworld (and healing!), was also celebrated at this time.
According to ancient folklore, All Hallows’ Eve was the night when the forces of darkness, ghosts, and witches were at play. Many cultures have rites of passage and stories to help us cope with darkness and move safely into the next phase of life, development, or season.
The Three Phases of Transition
Rituals and most crises have clear stages, identified by anthropologists and folklorists: Separation, Liminality, and Reintegration.
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Separation: We are removed from the reality we have known—our world or ourselves are no longer as we know them.
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Liminality: We are in flux, out of category, not belonging. This is the dark phase of crisis. We may feel insecure, afraid, alone, grieving, and lost. Chaos reigns, and the path forward is unclear.
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Reintegration: We return to life, family, and society, recognizing that a new status or order is emerging. We have learned to live with what we have lost or our limitations and can now see new opportunities.
Creating Space for Transformation
For transformation to happen, we must make space for creativity and reflection. Images and expressions are crucial—they pave the way for change through the unconscious. Images can emerge through rhythms, symbols, metaphors, stories, and myths.
Meeting others in similar situations, co-creating, and sharing these images fosters collective cohesion and a meaningful sense of oneness. I have witnessed this repeatedly in my work with art therapy in Ukraine: even in the darkest darkness, beauty, unity, and life can emerge.
A New Course and a Ritual for the New Year
I will soon be launching a new online course that takes you deeper into The Art of Self-Healing cards, showing how to work with them in groups and through a deeper self-healing process that guides you safely and lovingly through the three phases of transition.
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If you already have the cards, the course is available at a discount.
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If you don’t have them, you can find them at your local bookstore, health food store, or directly through me.
Here is a ritual you can do right now to enter the new year and your next chapter with hope and creativity intact—a practice we need more than ever.
Much love and creative sparks,
Karin
Art and words by Karin von Daler ©
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