I love spooky season! It’s finally October, and I’m basking in the witches, monsters, and haunted houses. I have always loved Halloween. I love the expression that Halloween brings. Literally becoming a character by putting on a costume. As a child, I loved playing dress-up and becoming someone new.
As an adult, I love that the outside world mirrors my inner world. The inner parts of me resonate with the dark and eerie themes found during this seaon.
Have you ever thought about what’s underneath your favorite spooky imagery? I’ve given it much thought, as I’ve always utilized what I see around me to mirror my internal world. I longed to feel validated and seen as a child. Being surrounded by the darker themes during this spooky season, something about it feels like home. We are all made up of the light and the dark, after all.
Haunted Houses
Enter at your own risk; my mind is a haunted house. Imagine walking up to a seemingly abandoned house; maybe the walkway is made of cobblestone. Perhaps an iron gate wraps around the house. What does it keep in, and what does the gate keep out? If you thought of your inner world like it was a house, what kind of house would it be? What do your different rooms look like and feel like? What does each room represent?
The basement might be where you hide, isolate, or where a part of you feels chained. Where are you stuck in life? The bedroom can be a place of rest, representing what calms you down and recharges your energy. Cathedral ceilings give space to expand, to breathe. A grand staircase takes us up or down to new levels, or to new clarity. Do the floors creak? Do you walk around your life or your house trying to be quiet? Trying not to take up space? Are there paintings on the wall that seem like they could see right through you? Are they your inner critics?
Is it haunted by ghosts or haunted by maladaptive behavior and thought patterns? Does fog cover the grounds? Do the stairs move in a spiral? I imagine my life as a spiral. I’m constantly evolving and growing. Meeting myself over and over again. Kinda cool to think about it that way. Is it just me?
Ooooo, the imagery and symbolism of a haunted house or eerie mansion spark curiosity and introspection. The aesthetics of Gothic decor and moody architecture do something for me that a palace adorned with gold doesn’t. Do I love ethereal castle vibes? Of course I do. There’s a time and a place for both.
Witches
The spooky season also brings us witches. Witches symbolize independence, nonconformity, and connection to nature. Who doesn’t enjoy a little rebellion? We’ve spent so much of our lives trying to fit in or be something we are not. We have lost our connection to nature in many ways. Some people spend time healing their witch wound. Healing the witch wound is a theory that we hold collective energy around being rejected, punished, or villianized for being a woman who might be seen as different, intuitive, independent, rebellious, or living in her power.
Healing the witch wound transcends spiritual or religious ideas. It’s about what it means to be a woman in today’s society and how we, as women, have been held back from thriving. Do you struggle with being seen, standing up for yourself, leaning into your intuition or creativity? Are you afraid of your own light, your gifts, or feel disconnected from your femininity? You obviously don’t have to identify with the words “witch wound” to relate to the experiences that a witch wound represents. How do you relate to witches? Are you curious, or do you feel resistance? Neither is good or bad; it’s just information.
Graveyard
A peaceful, haunting, eerie walk through the graveyard. Is it creepy? Is it peaceful? What could the gravestones represent? Past loved ones? Past identities? Old versions of yourself? Yes, gravestones can represent the grief of those no longer with us and also honor that they existed. What about a part of you that had to die to unveil who you are now? Goodbyes can also bring beginnings.
Graveyards can bring such dark beauty, and something in me loves walking through them, or seeing them in movies. It’s like a dark garden, and to me, that’s lovely. Some people go to graveyards wanting to see spirits. A part of me is scared that one would try to come home with me, so I only go to cemeteries looking to find a part of myself there. Whether that’s clarity, peace, or beauty. What do you go to cemeteries for? Or do you avoid them?
Pumpkin Patches
A sea of orange, all shapes and sizes. Finding sweetness and innocence surrounded by darkness. Pumpkins are very happy for me. First of all, they have a cool name. Pumpkins. It’s fun, isn’t it? They provide much joy all around. They are the flavor of the season. Decadent pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice latte, and beyond. Pumpkins transport us further into fall and into the holidays. Pumpkins have a safe and steady feel to them. You might not enjoy pumpkin-flavored items, but maybe you enjoy the sight of pumpkins along the side of the road as you drive by. Carving a jack-o’-lantern is a tradition that goes back many years and is one of my childhood favorites. What do pumpkins bring up for you?
Cauldrons
I love the aesthetics of a cauldron with overflowing smoke. I imagine creating a magical potion, allowing beauty to flow from my creations. Cauldrons bring up creation for me, and basking in the abundance that my creations will bring. I drink coffee from my cauldron mugs all year. Every time I see a cauldron out in the wild, I’m intrigued. Most of the time, I wonder if I need to purchase it. If I were a collector, I would be a collector of cauldrons. Notice what objects or imagery you are drawn to and why.
Lasting Thoughts
Does seeing the representation of certain items speak to something unnamed inside you? Do you soak up the imagery of the season? Do you run from your darkness, or do you run from your own light? I tend to live in the deep end most of the time, but I like to bring playfulness into the depths. I also just love the aesthetics of the spooky season.
Happy Halloween,
Stephanie
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