Seasonal Wisdom: Springing Into Action

By Suzy Peltier

© 2010

Over the course of this year www.undergroundwriter.com is pleased to present “The Seasonal Wisdom Series.” This series of articles is written by Rev. and Third Degree Wiccan Priestess, Suzy Peltier, CMT, CHT and Reiki Master. These articles will offer readers a glimpse into her upcoming book entitled: “The Wisdom of the Seasons A Guide Wicca, the Chakras and the Tao.” This book presents the practice of Taoist Wicca, which is both, a practical coaching system for personal growth and an interfaith nature practice based on the ancient agricultural calendar. It can be blended with any religion or spiritual practice. I propose that the seasons are hardwired into our bodies and into our psyches. As the year unfolds I will be sharing some of theses tools and insights. This ongoing system has been used successfully by real people for over fifteen years.  Taoist Wicca is a process of applied introspection that uses the seasons and the sabbats as thematic and energetic connections between the body, mind and spirit: the Unseen, ourselves and our planet.

If these concepts are your first exposure to Wicca please see it as an interfaith nature practice that can be used as an art form as well as a coaching system. It need not conflict with or replace your current religion or spiritual practice. Also, please don’t think that this system or even this article needs to completely make sense or be digested right now. All of us are in different stages of spiritual growth, and very different life situations, so please take your time to let these concepts sink in. The gift I am giving you and what I am describing here is something I have been working on all of my life, so take your time to absorb, observe, think, and question.

In the system of Taoist Wicca the themes and introspective questions posed by each of the eight sabbats or holidays marking the Wheel of the Year actually dovetail with the next. If this is your first exposure to an interfaith nature practice then you can think of beginning this system like you were planning a trip. First you have to see where you are. Then you need a vision of where you want to go or what you want to experience. This will help you pick a direction and choose a route. Once you have found the right on-ramp, pick up speed as you are getting into the flow of traffic. Finding the flow of energy in your life is a lot like driving. Once you have picked a direction you are watching for signs to guide you and for the openings in the traffic of life. Your true path is the one that takes you into a sense of fulfillment and service to others as well as yourself. Sometimes, if you miss an important signpost, misinterpret it or choose to ignore it, than you can easily get lost. You may need at some point to get off and turn around in order to find your way back to your True Path. This article is about picking a direction and being flexible enough to change direction if the Universal signposts are guiding you to do so.

I am proposing that the agricultural holidays have a tidal influence that begins to build energy about three weeks before the sabbat. The energy peaks at the sabbat then ebbs until the energy of the next sabbat begins to rise. In the times between the sabbats recognize that the questions posed in the previous sabbat introspection are relevant and still working alongside the questions asked in preparation for the upcoming sabbat. So, rather than thinking in terms of checking in with yourself only at the eight sabbats of the year or checking in only at the seasonal sign posts (spring, summer, autumn and winter), I am proposing that the actual practice of Taoist Wicca is to develop the daily habit of watching for the Universal signposts and synchronicities that will help you to recognize the daily guidance that keeps you moving in the right direction. Learn to observe and question, develop your intuition, discernment and the compassion and courage to step into your power and Divine Purpose. Learn to develop a daily lens that doesn’t judge yourself or others harshly but looks for patterns and for solutions.

In this system we began the year a by setting an intention at Yule, (the Midwinter Solstice), which is a time of rebirth and begins a new growth cycle. To find out more about Yule and setting intentions see the article by my student and now Second Degree Priestess, Dee Kennedy.

In this article I intend to discuss the next two sabbats on the Wheel of the Year, which are Imbolc (Feb 2^nd ) and Ostara (Spring Equinox, Mar 21-22). When her article and mine are viewed sequentially you can recognize what intentions you started with and look at what commitments you have made. Now it is time to ask yourself: “How am I going to manifest my commitments? Now is also the time to renegotiate what is out of balance so that you can find and stay on your True Path.

At Yule we set an intention, which is a kind of title for an action outline. At Imbolc we made our commitments for the year, which would be the Roman numeral headings, such as; Prosperity,” or “Good Health.” Now as we are coming into Ostara we are looking at the actual actions, the abc’s of manifesting prosperity perhaps as a new job or manifesting good health as in seeing the dentist or getting a physical. If you didn’t actively make commitments at Imbolc then you could well find yourself forced into making difficult choices now. If this isn’t happening to you directly, then perhaps you are observing these situations facing others. This is because Ostara, Spring Equinox is both a call to take action toward those commitments as well as a call into spring cleaning and rebalance. If you are not fully committed, your actions and choices are unconsciously guided. Without conscious guidance from spirit we either make arbitrary choices or put our minds in charge instead of accepting guidance from the heart. By making arbitrary choices, or by choosing only from practical concerns we can easily miss the opportunities for magick and fail to see the Universal signposts that would guide and keep us on our True Path.

There are four components to adding magick into your life. The first is to learn to watch for what I call Universal signposts. These are synchronicities, such as a cluster of events that seem magickal or even “impossible.”  Another example is hearing the same information several times from several different sources in the same day without asking for it. In short, “magick,” assumes these synchronicities are speaking to us. The second and third components of magick are used together. They are the actions of discernment and interpretation. Often we can see the signs but not know how to interpret them. This is where the development of discernment and intuition come in. Society has taught us to look at difficult situations as punishment rather than as opportunities. We have also been taught to go along with the herd and to see ourselves without choices. Part of the practice of the Craft is to question this old programming and practice accessing your heart’s truth and developing the courage to step into the action that your truth demands. Keep questioning yourself and ask the Universe to show you the truth by showing you the appropriate perspective and interpretation. It takes courage and practice to watch for the magickal signposts, to question the established interpretations and to step out in faith to follow your path.

As you do your self-evaluation, look at some of your recent choices and ask yourself: “What percentage of my decision-making process is guided by the truth of my heart? “How much is dictated by fear or by practicality, and lastly, how much of my decision-making process is guided by compassion?”

Compassion is the fourth component of leading a magickal life. It is the recognition that our choices affect others as well as ourselves. Often we think of compassion as being able to walk a mile in another person’s shoes. While this is true there is more to it than that. Although we hear the word, compassion a lot, but it really means, “with suffering.” Compassion is not only an honoring of the pain and suffering of others but also and honoring of our own suffering as a process of spiritual growth. When we step out of our myopic view of the world we realize that we live in an interconnected, inter-dimensional world. At that point we can see that by consciously working on opening our hearts’ to compassion we are opening the lines of communication with Spirit. Developing compassion helps us to focus on accessing love, truth and the guidance of spirit. Compassion is not only the desire not to harm others but it is also the voice of our spirit. It is the truth of our heart. And as such, the active development of compassion helps us to develop our capacity to hear our heart and act in that truth.

As you evaluate your life, stay out of self-judgment and condemnation. Instead, look for your compassion. If your choices are not guided by compassion, your inner-truth, they may be guided by fear, in which case you are probably making poor choices that will take you into the trap of old patterns. These old patterns will dead-end sooner or later because the Universe wants a reversal, a shift, a revolution. This is because the old-pattern choices cause a lot of suffering for you and I as individuals, for humanity at large and for the planet. As you question the old patterns and go-along choices you can have faith that the Universe is guiding you into new choices and actions. When your choices and actions come from the heart they will be the right ones. The next challenge is to develop the courage and faith to step into action! Once you have taken that first step you will need to watch the signposts even closer. Be even more careful in using your discernment and making interpretations. Keep taking the guidance from your spirit, despite the doubts generated by your own mind or by others who still benefit from the status quo. By refining your abilities to watch for signposts and developing compassion and the ability to hear, speak and act in accordance with your intuition and truth you will receive the guidance, allies and help you need.

When we come from our minds or unconscious needs we often make choices to please others, or to fit in, which leaves our destiny in the hands of fate and our lives at the whims of others. Ostara is a Balance point. And as such, it is a kind of crossroads. In other words, you may find the Universe pushing you into situations that require you to make choices. Anytime you make a choice you are committing to an action. Even inaction -is a form of action. It is a choice that is a kind of suspended commitment, which is usually only a temporary solution. But since things are ever-changing and often out of sight, sometimes we can be guided to wait, listen and watch for the correct opening. Remember, what I am asking for here is a self-evaluation. Consciously choosing inaction is different from stalling or a pattern of avoidance or procrastination. The same would be true on the other side of the spectrum if there is a pattern of rushing in without direction. Just remember, the point of this practice is Balance and to have balance we must first learn to observe our patterns as well as the patterns of others. Dig deeper into what is motivating you and make strategies to change what isn’t working for you.

The choice of inaction does not remove the need to commit —it only delays it. Ultimately, the Universe will call you on it.  “You can run but you can’t hide.” Remember, what we choose to avoid seldom goes away. And even if that particular situation goes away it doesn’t mean that the lesson won’t reappear in another situation down the road. Often it is the lesson we are avoiding, not the situation and usually the things we avoid tend to become ten times more difficult and unwieldy. Granted, sometimes we don’t know the next step or don’t know how to handle a situation. In which case, it is ok to say to yourself or to others, “I don’t know.” At least by acknowledging it we are humble enough to begin to ask the right questions: “Am I taking an active role in my own healing and growth?” “What are my self-sabotaging patterns?” “Is it time for me to be a bit more proactive (dare I say, “committed”) in seeking out solutions and working with issues?” “Am I really willing to step though the door and seize the opportunities I need?”  “Am I secretly afraid or fighting success or fearing failure?” What if the door is already open? And last but not least, ask yourself:” Do I have the willingness to develop the courage, fortitude and faith, which are the components of commitment in order to step into the Unknown and embrace my Truth and Divine Purpose?” If you aren’t, don’t fret, that’s ok. Then just ask yourself: “Am I willing to work on developing some of these qualities?”  What I am describing is what could be considered a delicate and challenging life-process so just keep these things in mind and go at the pace you can.

If you made commitments consciously at Imbolc, now the question is:” How do I keep those commitments?” The short answer is that by developing a habit of closely observing your patterns. This includes your subtle reactions to situations. The point of this observation is so that you can develop your ability to monitor or begin to change your reactions, or at least seek perspectives that are more solution-oriented. The goal here is to come up with strategies for covering those areas where you seem to be sabotaging yourself. For example, if you run chronically late then when you agree on a meeting time, say 11am- then automatically change the meeting time in your mind to 10:30 and really work as if 10:30 was the real time. Maybe you are late because you have a habit of biting off more than you can chew or by trying to please people you make commitments you don’t want to keep. In which case, stop and think more about what is being asked of you and if you really want to commit to it. When presented with an invitation or situation I like to tune-in for a moment. I try to see myself doing it. If I can’t or if there is an inner hesitation –even if I don’t know why -then I ask for more time to consider it. If I still can’t quite see myself in that picture I beg off. Many times the reason it would not have worked out becomes clearer later.

Often self-sabotaging patterns are old defense mechanisms. Sometimes we want to avoid making commitments so we won’t be held accountable if we drop the ball. Sometimes our old fears of failure or success can block us from seeing our next step. I have come to realize that without developing compassion the heart and mind will probably always disagree. The way to bring the two together in harmony is to work on expanding your capacity for compassion, which ultimately brings wisdom: the marriage of heart and mind. The reunification with the body takes place when our thoughts, words and deeds are aligned with the truth of the heart. In unison we are Divine Beings, and the light within us is free to shine brilliantly in whatever situation we find ourselves in. If we let the mind rule then we live only in the material realm ruled by things rather than our truth. Our truth is found only in the heart: only by suspending disbelief and allowing magick, compassion, wisdom and love to rule our choices. However, the mind can generate a powerful wall of confusion. Once this confusion kicks in it can paralyze us. Sometimes our minds generate confusion as a way of keeping ourselves in a familiar place and blocking the urgings of the heart. But NOTHING is worse than a paralyzed spirit who longs to be free.

Often we refuse to take risks because we want to hide from our greatness. Sometimes we refuse our greatness and our Divine Purpose not only because it requires that we “rock the boat,” or “declare the Emperor naked,” but because committing to our Divine Purpose requires stepping into the Unknown. This step is beautifully symbolized by the Fool card in the Tarot deck. He represents the number zero, the blank slate. We see him as he takes his first step –right off a cliff. This cliff represents what is “known.” He is stepping by faith, into what appears to others, to be a deadly chasm. But, in reality he is taking his first step into an authentic experience of his life. This step leads into an archetypal and spiritual progression toward the World card: The fulfillment of his destiny.

Consider the time between Imbolc and Ostara, the season of spring as call to action and each choice is a seed. Even if you aren’t consciously working with the seasons as a coaching system I submit that the seasons are working on you—whether you like it or not. Each choice you make is actually a commitment to some kind of action. Words are hollow without deeds. Or, as the old saying goes: “Actions speak louder than words.” Your words are your magick. We live in an interconnected Universe and even what appears to be a simple, almost arbitrary choice can have far-reaching ramifications, not just for ourselves, but for all who are touched and therefore influenced by the direction we take in our lives. Now as we work toward Ostara, toward the balance of equal day and night we have a great opportunity to refine, review or renegotiate some of our choices, and if necessary, changing the very direction of our lives. Some years things can be pretty balanced and if we can keep up the good habits we have formed we need only to make a small tweak or two. But if what you have created is not a sanctuary, but actually a prison, then it is time to choose. A  Balance point can also be seen as a crossroads or the fulcrum. It is where commitment meets action, where “the rubber meets the road.”  What road you choose depends upon whether you have been paying attention to the sign posts and refining your ability to interpret them truthfully. One thing is certain, the Universe will never ask you to sacrifice your integrity. Loyalty is earned and only those things and people that honor your truth deserve your loyalty. Perhaps some of the commitments you have made have taken you as far as you can go. Some commitments are like doing a hitch in the army, and having done your best you can choose not to reenlist. Sometimes the Universe will show you that you have finished your tour of duty and are ready for your next assignment. Deep commitments can be hard to break but if your current situation does not allow you to stand in your truth, be yourself or express your heart then it is time to choose a new direction, even if it appears to others that the new direction will take you right off a cliff. Often this leap of faith is required if you are to find your authentic self and your Divine Purpose. If the Fool card is calling you, take his hand and let him teach you the art of magick, which is love, combined with compassion, wisdom and committed action.

Suzy Peltier has served the Goddess and the principle of wholism for over twenty years as a Third Degree Priestess, Reiki Master Teacher, Massage Therapist, and Hypnotherapist. With a background in medical anthropology, Suzy pursued a burning question: “How is ritual used for healing?” Over fifteen years ago she established a Wiccan Sabbat Circle, which continues today with practitioners and small circles across the U.S and as far away as Peru, Ireland and Rome. From this experience was born the vision and “new tradition” of Taoist Wicca and the upcoming book entitled: “The Wisdom of the Seasons: A Guide to Wicca, the Chakras and the Tao.“ www.suzypeltier.com , email: info@suzypeltier.com