October Ritual Guide: Shadow Work, Stillness & Seasonal Release
As the golden abundance of early autumn begins to soften into longer shadows and cooler nights, we’re invited into a different kind of harvest—one of inner knowing, quiet release, and intentional rest. The wheel turns toward winter, and nature offers us a sacred invitation: to pause, to reflect, and to shed what no longer serves. Autumn is, indeed, a season of abundance and harvest, but it is also a threshold—a sacred turning from the outer work of summer to the inner work of winter. It’s a time for slowing down, integrating what we’ve gathered, and consciously letting go. As leaves fall and daylight wanes, we’re reminded that rest, stillness, and release are vital parts of the cycle.
This guide offers you an intentional ritual for self-reflection and seasonal transition, with suggestions for your altar, tools for deeper insight, and seasonal rites for reflection, release, and realignment. Together, we’ll explore the art of release through a guided cord-cutting ceremony and a simple yet potent shadow scrying practice. These rituals are designed to help you gently clear lingering attachments, clarify your spiritual direction, and open space for what’s next—all in alignment with the sacred pace of the season.
Create a quiet shore
Create a quiet shore for this ritual — the liminal edge between one season and the next, where you can pause, reflect, and begin to release. Choose a time and place where you will not be interrupted. Early dusk is especially potent. Light a single candle. Let its flickering shadow set the tone for your inward gaze. Allow silence to gather around you like mist. If you like, anoint your wrists or heart center with grounding botanicals. Rosemary, sage, or cedar are excellent choices for autumn.
🍂 Stillness on the Altar: Symbols of Autumnal Shedding
Build a simple altar that honors this seasonal threshold. Include elements that reflect both the harvest and the gentle art of letting go:
A small bowl of acorns, seeds, or dried corn to represent quiet abundance
Fallen leaves or bare twigs to echo release and change
A pair of scissors or ritual blade as a symbol of sacred separation
A black or white candle to hold the energy of shadow and insight
A journal and pen for anything that needs voice or closure
Optional: a seasonal rune or symbol — such as Isa (stillness - for those working with Elder Futhark) or the scythe (release - for those working with witch runes)
Let your altar become a place of remembrance and renewal — a sacred mirror of nature’s own shedding.
📓 Journal Prompts for Autumnal Stillness
Use these reflective prompts in your journal or grimoire to align with the season:
What am I still carrying that feels heavier than it used to?
Where in my life am I ready to slow down and listen more deeply?
What am I afraid to let go of, and what might grow in its absence?
What does stillness mean to me—and how can I cultivate it now?
✂️ Ritual: Cord Cutting & Shadow Integration
This ritual supports clarity, energetic separation, and closure. You’ll need:
A piece of natural cord, string, or twine
A pair of scissors or ritual knife
A sheet of paper
A candle and fire-safe bowl
Step 1: Reflect
In the paper, write about something — or someone — you feel ready to release. This could be an outdated identity, a fear, a commitment that no longer fits, or emotional ties to another person. Let your words be honest, unfiltered, and kind.
Step 2: Symbolic Severing
Hold the cord in both hands and visualize this tie. As you breathe deeply, imagine the energy flowing through the cord — your thoughts, your feelings, your experiences. When you feel ready, cut the cord in half.
Step 3: Transformation
Tear your page in half. Wrap each half of the severed cord in one piece of the paper. Light each bundle in your fire-safe dish, one at a time, and allow them to burn down completely.
Dispose of the ashes separately — one in your compost or garden, the other off-property, or carried away by a stream or wind. This symbolizes that the tie is no longer yours to carry. Let the elements witness your choice.
🔮 Shadow Scrying: A Meditative Visioning Practice
This gentle ritual draws from the ancient art of scrying—but instead of a crystal or bowl of water, you’ll use the shadows cast by candlelight to receive images, symbols, or insights.
You’ll need:
A quiet space and a single candle
A blank wall or light-colored surface
Steps:
Light your candle and dim all other lights.
Sit comfortably and soften your gaze.
Take three deep, cleansing breaths.
Start by gazing into the candle flame.
Let the candle flicker cast shadows across the wall.
After a few moments of watching the flame dance, move your focus through the flame and past it to the shadows beyond.
Relax into a meditative state and observe. Let the images come to you.
Note what you see: animals, symbols, landscapes? Don’t overthink—trust your intuition.
Journal your impressions and what they might symbolize.
This practice helps bypass the thinking mind and opens a channel to your deeper knowing.
Ritual Tools to Support the Season
At La Lumière Verte, we craft sacred tools designed to honor each season’s unique energy. For the quieting rhythms of late autumn, we suggest:
Spirit Boards — for intuitive communication and shadow work
Botanical Soaps — especially those with lavender, patchouli, or sage for grounding
Herbal Smoke Cleansing Bundles — for gentle energy cleansing before ritual
Rune Sets — to work with Isa and other winter-aligned symbols
Every item is slow-crafted with intention to support your spiritual rhythm.
🕯 Ready to Go Deeper?
This ritual guide is just the beginning. Explore more in our three companion blogs:
Reflection and Release Ritual for the Waning Season →
Altar-Building for Autumn Reflection →
Choosing the Right Tools for Shadow Season →
Honor the slowing of the season. Return to your inner rhythm. Illuminate your path.
🌙 Invite Clarity
This season, clarity doesn’t come from chasing answers — it comes from becoming quiet enough to hear the whisper beneath the noise. By creating space for stillness, for softness, and for shadow, you allow your inner light to return on its own terms.
Want more support for this season’s journey inward? Explore our handcrafted spirit boards, botanical supports, and symbolic altar tools — each designed to honor cycles of transformation.
