Reframing slowing down for the modern mystic
I suppose many of you approach November with unease, a bit of dread and melancholy. It’s gray, dreary, dark, blah, uncertain, and so very dark. In fact November is often described as a void, an in-between time of transformational, otherworldly space. It is not by chance that so many traditions mingle with the spirit world in November. It is easy in November to give in to the first blues of the cold season. But you can countact those with a few simple but powerful rituals. And of course taking the time to pause and reflect on the cycle of life, the Earth’s natural need for a break, Mother Nature herself, taking a rest and surrendering to the dark, shedding the old layers so new seeds are being planted.November is a month when we people are invited to do the same thing, aligning with the cycle of nature, spending time to explore the depths of our own souls, our shadows, and the mystery of the otherworld. That means learning to love and accept the darkness, without fearing it, without running away or avoiding it. If you want to be reborn when spring returns, then take this time to anchor and ground yourself. Accept with humility, grace and grattitude that this is time to root.To rest and renew.
But I know what you are thinking right now: how is it possible to slow down and embrace the void in modern work life.The deeper truth is that slowing down isn’t about quitting motion; it’s about changing the quality of it. Reframing “Slowing Down” “Slow down” doesn’t mean stop — it means come into rhythm. The soul doesn’t need you to cancel your meetings; it needs you to move through them with awareness and at the speed of presence. Even in an office, you can breathe before you speak. You can look out the window between emails. You can sip water like it’s a ritual. Practical cue: “Slowness is an internal tempo. You can move fast outside, but stay slow inside.”
Reflection isn’t a retreat — it’s a recalibrationNovember’s energy asks for reflection not as an escape, but as a way of realignment. In the same way that trees shed leaves to conserve energy for spring, you’re being invited to redirect your energy. Here is how:Practical cue: Ask: “What deserves my full energy — and what am I ready to release?” Even the busiest worker can pause for 60 seconds, breathe, and reflect on whether the next task serves their deeper values. That’s reflection in motion.The November void isn’t emptiness, it’s the creative pause before clarityWhen we hear “void,” we often think of loss or nothingness. But in cosmic law, the void is the womb — the fertile space before creation. It’s the inhale before the idea, the silence before the next chapter. The void isn’t your enemy — it’s your most honest mirror. Practical cue: “Next time you feel lost or uninspired, don’t fill the gap — listen to it. That silence is where guidance forms.”
The rhythm of nature applies to all of us — even indoorsWhether you’re in an office or under an oak tree, you’re still part of Earth’s pulse. As daylight shortens and the air cools, your nervous system naturally wants gentler rhythms. Respecting that is not weakness — it’s harmony. Practical cue: “Use the season’s energy: shorter focus sessions, longer exhalations, softer lighting when you work.” Try to set your daily routine in alignment with the darker season.
Morning Stillness Practice: Sit in silence with a warm drink before sunrise (cacao, herbal water or lemon water). If you choose lemon water, remember that as simple it may be, it is a powerful way to start your day because its citric acid stimulates the liver to produce bile, which is essential for breaking down fats and absorbing nutrients. It also supplements the stomach's own digestive juices, promotes bowel regularity by stimulating intestinal muscles. I often add to my lemon water some ginger to add warmth and additionally fire up my digestion. Ginger may not be for everyone, especially if you aer a Pitta type according to Ayurveda. Cinnamon is another spice I use to balance my blood sugar and prevent sugar cravings during the day. Other Herbal Allies: Tulsi, Ashwaganda, Rose tea or Drops
Evening Unwind Ritual: Release and reset by creating a signal of safety to the body. Turn off the screens one hour before bed and dim teh lights. Light candles and if you feel unsettled from the day, smudge your space with Palo Santo. Go to bed earlier than summertime. Brew a calming tea, such as chamomile or lavender. If you need something more grounding, drink a hot chocolate, adding some spice like cinnamon and cardamon, journal and reflect on your day!
Journal: One thing you are letting go of, one thing you feel grateful for.
Mantra: My body knows how to rest.
Herbal allies: Chamomile, Lavender, Mugwort.These are simple but powerful practices. You don’t need some complex rituals to align with nature’s rhythm which is your body rhythm too. Small adjustments tune your body back into cosmic time.During the week: Have some hot baths during the week, massage your feet and shoulders with sesame oil.Try Coherence Breathing for 2 minutes (5 seconds in, five seconds out).Mantra:Each breath brings me home.
Eat Root vegetables, broths and herbal infusions.
Weekly Void Time: What embracing emptiness means is for example scheduling 1-2 hours of doing nothing. This is unstructured time - no phone, no agenda. Sit, walk, or daydream. If discomfort arises, remind yourself: I am becoming through stillness.
Herbal Allies: Frankincense, blue lotus, vetiver.
The invitation isn’t to slow your schedule — it’s to soften your spiritThe world doesn’t need you to drop everything; it needs you to carry your light differently. November’s call is: Be here, even as you move. Breathe between keystrokes. Listen between conversations. Find sacred space in the everyday.
Practical cue: “You don’t need a mountain to meditate — you need a moment.” “November doesn’t ask you to escape the world; it asks you to inhabit it more fully.
The soul’s version of slowing down is simply this: presence over pace.
Even in motion, you can move like moonlight — soft, steady, aware.”
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