Late Autumn 2025

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In the Northern Hemisphere we’re moving through a season of gratitude for our Ancestors and all who came before, before we plunge into the darkness of winter and its promise of the returning light. How are you these days?

In my part of the world, we’ve begun moving between deep gray, wet days, warm fires, sun breaks, and the piercing cold of a clear night now and then. The sun sets early enough that it’s difficult to fit in a late afternoon walk, which for me is something I cherish when I can make it happen. 

As the leaves tell us, autumn is a time of letting go, and this year it feels to me as if the release into winter is consuming a lot of me—maybe only what is ready to be let go, but it feels like a lot. I’m hopeful that it’s also consuming more of that which pushes our world out of balance. 

We see more and more the ridiculousness of those who assert superiority and power at any cost, as they cling to their small untruths and the larger stories that have been proven false. They cling to the delusion that they are somehow in control. Yet, none of us is in control of anything but ourselves.

We desire control because we are afraid, ultimately of death, but also afraid of those things, like abandonment, that we haven’t yet healed for ourselves. The impulse of these powerful people to assert control lies rooted in fear, and they perpetuate fear as a way to control others. We can say that it is enough to not give into the fear, but is it really? Don’t we need to feel safe in order to be able to fulfill our potential as humans and partners of the Earth? 

What if we recognized that fear can also provoke reaction that can be creative, even inspirational? Sometimes fear can inspire people to create places of safety, or to help their fellow humans who are under more imminent threat. Sometimes fear can inspire creativity, where creators feel safe while immersed in their creative acts. When do you feel safe? Where do you find safety? 

I find it in my local woods, especially the more I walk the same trails. I get to know the mud, and it knows my footprints. The salal leaves brush against my leg, the lichen allows me to feel its papery texture, the red squirrel calls out to warn me away. I find safety in the warmth of a quiet, well-lit room, surrounded by books, and in the corner of a room in my house as I sit at my altar. I find safety in the shamanic journey, held by the helping spirits, and in ancient rhythms my bones know, no matter how modern the music.

Although I can find safety in a human’s voice or message, I do not often find safety in the company of humans—but I am not often around groups of humans who know me well. I do sometimes find safety in or with human creations (architecture, art, music, poetry), especially if they carry a resonance with something familiar and ancient. And when I'm in proximity to the mountain spirit of my region and the rivers it feeds, I feel held.

In what ways can we call out false fear (fear created by others in order to control) without denying that the fear we feel is real for us? In what ways can we expose the fear that drives those who attempt to control? In what ways can we allow our fear to inspire us to seek out or create pockets of safety? Perhaps those questions are the ones we can carry with us into the darkening days, so when the light begins again we have new ideas, new hope, new intentions, new places, and new activities in which we can find or create solace.

Spiritual processing

Some time ago I mentioned that “Spiritual Processing” would be added to my session offerings once I had a better idea of what it entailed. What I’m understanding now is that my regular sessions include spiritual processing. My client and I always begin with a discussion of their current troubles, and the act of releasing the words, combined with their intention to address the issues they describe, begins a processing of what needs to be healed or released or known. 

What follows is a first step towards counter-balancing what’s troubling the client. This step comes about through facilitation of healing past-present-future, connection with helping spirits, oracular guidance and inspiration, or energy balancing through Reiki. The processing continues after the appointment as shifts are integrated between physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and energetic bodies, and can also continue in subsequent appointments. 

For a long time, I attempted to have distinct offerings that are separate from one another, but I understand that we don’t always know what kind of appointment we need for our troubles. Forcing a choice before allowing clients to speak the issue out loud limited my gift of service. 

If you’re interested in exploring spiritual processing with me, I am open for remote appointments on most Fridays, as well as some Wednesdays and weekends.

Sending you the blessings of the deepening darkness and my gratitude for your curiosity and willingness to be on this journey together, here and now  🍂 ✨

Warmly,
Kathryn

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