This fall ritual begins with a descent into our deeper selves. As we go in, we look at who we are, gain a deeper understanding, and move through a new layer of trust and illusion.

The Edge of the Well: Where Your Fall Ritual Begins

At the top of the well lie the edges of transformation. Here we are confronted by our shadows, triggers, and demons. It is the portal gate, and like all things, it is an opportunity to expand our understanding and, with it, our compassion.

It is here that we meet temptation. It shows up in life as triggers in the external world. Wherever our permission field is blocked, we see opposition that feeds the doubt.

In our desire to avoid it, we actually invite it in. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact, it is good. The shadows and demons are not here to torture us or make us feel bad. They point us to where we do not yet trust ourselves and our inner knowing. The temptation, it turns out, is to turn away from self.

As we get closer to going inward, the shadows get bigger. The doubts get bigger, the fears grow, and the uncertainty deepens. On some level, we love them. We love them because they serve as permission not to go in, to retreat on our journey.

If we don’t have the experience and tools to recognize permission blocks for what they are, we turn the other way. So we take another pass around the wheel and repeat the cycle until we come to the well again. Here we stand once more. Are you ready to pass through this time?

How Permission Blocks Show Up in the External World

I recently talked about how some of these permission blocks show up in the external world. In life, they can look like:

• Being shamed by others for making money or being healthy (I’m wrong for taking care of myself)
• Suddenly having to take care of someone else (I’m wrong for taking time for myself)
• Doubting the self (I’m wrong for being who I am)
• Questions around integrity (I’m wrong for having a desire)
• Money or health problems (I’m wrong for not suffering)
• Ridicule for being big (I’m wrong for being seen)

When we ask a question, we are given experiences that show us the wholeness of that question. This doesn’t mean we stop asking, and it doesn’t mean we suppress or cover up our doubt. It means that even in our questioning, we can trust our own knowing.

As we move forward, our job is to recognize these triggers for what they are, come back to our center, and reconnect to ourselves. Instead of getting swept up in what the external world is tempting us with, we are challenged to trust ourselves, and then trust ourselves again. And then trust ourselves some more.

A Fall Ritual of Going Deeper Into Yourself

Here are the questions I invite you to sit with this season:

• What would it be like to go deeper into yourself?
• What would it be like to trust yourself and show up in higher service?
• How would it feel to know yourself and live on purpose?

For many of us, these are edges. Being aligned, being on purpose, being successful, being fulfilled, and getting paid for what we love to do all hold some uncertainty. It feels safer to stay on the surface.

When we are called to our desires, we are actually being called into the well of our own soul. Our job is to gain the tools and the clarity to return to ourselves. In doing so, we become the permission field for others to do the same. We become evidence that it is safe.

Our descent is actually our rising.

When you begin facing deeper layers of doubt, shadow, and permission blocks, it is often a sign that your spiritual gifts are asking to be understood more consciously. Learning to trust your inner knowing, especially when old fears surface, is part of stepping fully into your path. Let this fall ritual be your invitation to begin.

When Your Practice Meets Its Permission Blocks

If you’re a practitioner, these blocks often show up in your work: doubting your gifts, feeling wrong for getting paid for what you love, or pulling back right when you’re ready to be seen.

The Way of the Hollow Bone Master Healer Certification is a nine-month path for healers ready to move through those edges, trust their inner knowing, and become living permission for their clients to do the same. Apply now if you’re ready to pass through the well this time.