rest
Embracing The Dark Season With Isa And Jera
This time of year, when the air first sharpens and the trees begin to release their golden leaves, I feel a familiar stirring in my heart and soul.
Early fall has always been more than just a change of weather to me. It is a threshold, a sacred gateway that leads us from the brightness of summer into the deeper mystical wisdom of the dark season.
There’s a particular magic in this in-between time of the year…where light and shadow meet, and the veil between worlds begins to thin.
Fall is not merely an ending; it is an invitation inward. It asks us to reflect, to release, and to realign with the deeper currents that move through all things. Just as the trees surrender their leaves, we too are asked to let go of bad habits, limiting beliefs, or self-imposed burdens that no longer serve our highest path.
Our ancestors knew this well. They did not simply mark their calendars this time of year…to cover the pool or reorganize their closets, like we do. Instead, they were in deep sync with the rhythmic cycles of the year.
In the North, they honored the harvest with gratitude, they stored up sustenance for the long winter months ahead…and they carefully consulted the runes. The runes were for them living messages from the gods that spoke of fate, nature, and the mysteries of life.
As an spiritual advisor who works with the runes, I often remind my clients that these symbols are not relics of the past. They are very much alive, pulsing with energy, ready to guide us if we open ourselves to their voices.
Nurture Your Body To Boost Your Spirit
When we think of spiritual practices, we generally focus on activities like meditation, prayer, energy healing, or divination.
While these are all important, we sometimes overlook a crucial pillar of our spiritual groth and well-being: caring for our physical body.
The body that carries us through life is sacred. The familiar phrase, “My body is my temple,” contains a profound truth.
When we treat our body with love, intention, and reverence, it naturally supports the expansion of our spiritual awareness and soul evolution.
Our body is how we experience the world. It’s easy to overvalue the mind alone, but the brain is also part of the physical body.
Without nurturing our physical well-being, our cognitive and intuitive functions can falter. The clearer and more vital our physical state, the more clarity and depth we bring to every level of our consciousness.
At some point on our spiritual path, we are called to care deeply for our physical body. What this looks like varies from person to person. Of course, if you’re dealing with any health concerns, it’s essential to see a qualified healthcare provider.
However, you don’t need to overhaul your life to get started. You can start by attending to your physical wellness with simple changes like drinking more water, moving your body daily, limiting screen time, enjoying time in nature, and choosing nourishing foods.
Tarot Forecast May 2025: Four Of Swords
The Four of Swords forecasts a month of rest and recovery, reflection, and renewal. After the dynamics and challenges of the past few months, this card signals a turning point. It invites us to step back from the demands of the outside world and return to the sanctuary within.
This month is not a time for striving or pushing. Instead, we are invited to honor the vital need to recharge – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It is a month to slow down without guilt and to pause, not out of fear or avoidance, but out of reverence for the recovery process.
There is a silent power to this card’s energy of inner work and self-reflection. The universe offers a moment of stillness, a quiet space this month where we can recalibrate, gather our strength, and reconnect with what truly matters.
In this sanctuary of slowness, we can sort through our thoughts, release lingering tension, and make room for new clarity to emerge. It reminds us that slowing down is not stagnation, but a form of sacred progress.
The Four of Swords traditionally depicts a knight or pilgrim in a state of deep rest or meditation, lying on a slab of stone in what appears to be a tomb. This image is derived from medieval effigies — sculptures of knights carved into their final resting places, hands clasped in prayer, as if caught in an eternal moment of devotion and repose.
This imagery is rich in symbolism. It suggests a necessary retreat after hardship, a period of peace and quiet before the next phase of action. The surrounding stillness, lack of movement, and prayerful posture of the resting figure suggest a sacred inner space where healing, recovery, and clarity can occur.
End Your Day With A Restorative Evening Ritual
How we end our days is just as important as how we begin them. Yet this time of the day is often overlooked as an opportunity to promote our personal and spiritual well-being.
Especially when navigating stressful situations or busy schedules, being intentional about how we transition into rest can significantly improve the quality and restorative nature of our downtime.
Creating a simple, personalized nighttime routine allows us to check in with ourselves and make sure we’re taking care of our mind, body, and spirit. It helps relieve the stress of the day and sets the tone for a restful night’s sleep.
There are countless ways to create an evening ritual or routine that resonates with your spirit. The important thing is that your practice feels authentic and meets your needs. It only takes a few simple steps to create a daily practice that helps us release the stress of the day.
Whatever practice you choose, make sure it works with your schedule and is relaxing, rather than feeling like it creates more daily tasks to complete.
Choose activities that help you relax and that you look forward to. Whether it’s journaling, listening to soothing music, or lighting a candle, choose activities that help you intentionally transition from the busyness of the day to the calm of the night.
Many people complain that they don’t have enough time in their day. For them, a daily spiritual routine is a frivolous luxury they cannot afford to waste time on, yet these same people often spend hours each night binge-watching television or endlessly scrolling through their phones. This modern paradox highlights how easily we prioritize mindless distractions over meaningful self-care. By consciously reclaiming even a fraction of this time, we can nurture our spiritual well-being every evening in a way that renews our body, mind, and spirit far more effectively.
The Common Cold As A Spiritual Detox
It is quite common for people going through a period of spiritual growth or awakening to experience physical symptoms and illnesses such as colds, flu, or other infections.
Experiencing a nasty cold during your spiritual awakening is not only annoying, but also seems out of place and counterintuitive, especially when you’re supposed to be focusing on expanding your awareness, aligning your energy, and strengthening your connection to spirit and the divine.
However, it is important to know that the onset of physical symptoms, such as a cold or flu, usually has a profound spiritual significance. Although it may seem like an inconvenient interruption or a stroke of bad luck, this type of physical setback is often an essential part of our spiritual journey, as it is a sign that we are releasing old, toxic energies in order to heal and make room for new insights and energy.
I remember a pivotal moment in my own spiritual journey when I came down with a terrible cold. At the time, I was deeply immersed in exploring my Akashic Record and uncovering truths about certain past life traumas – particularly memories of being persecuted as a witch in a past life. This process brought up a flood of intense soul memories and ancient psychic wounds that had been waiting to be processed for several centuries!
One morning, after a particularly intense Akashic meditation the night before, I awoke with a scratchy throat, stuffy nose, body aches, and overwhelming fatigue. Frustrated, I wondered why I was getting sick now, just as I was breaking through to a deeper level of awareness and karmic healing. But as I surrendered to my body’s need for rest and recovery, I soon began to see the deeper purpose of my illness.