Here’s Why the Universe Wants You To Let Go of Something This Halloween—Even if It’s Scary

Astrology aside, Halloween is associated with its fair share of mystical, otherworldly energy. “It’s the Pagan new year, Samhain, a time when the veil between the spirit world and living world is [said to be] thin,” says psychic medium and intuitive astrologer Rachel Lang, author of Modern Day Magic. The occasion marks the start of the darker half of the year, making it a powerful time for divination practices, like astrological or tarot-card readings, to summon guidance for next steps you might take in your life. This year, the astrology forecast for Halloween supports letting go of the old in order to clear space for new intentions—and there’s a certain fire behind that energy that’ll give the spooky holiday some extra spark.

In the lead-up to Halloween, the cosmos recently unveiled the full blood moon in Aries on October 20, which is perhaps the most intense of the fire signs—known for its active cardinal energy. In light of this recent transit, the scene is already set for out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new vibes, with the upcoming shift of Mars, Aries’s fiery planetary ruler, into Scorpio just stoking the flames.

“We start the holiday with a little extra fire and motivation to release the old and embrace change.” —psychic medium and intuitive astrologer Rachel Lang

“Mars is the planet of passion, assertiveness, and motivation,” says Lang, describing how these themes will be potent as the planet moves into Scorpio on Halloween, specifically because this is the sign over which it traditionally ruled (before the discovery of Pluto). “So, we start the holiday with a little extra fire and motivation to release the old and embrace change,” she says.

That energy is further supported by the sun’s interactions with this year’s challenging Saturn-Uranus square, a 90-degree angle between the two planets that’s known for creating tension. In this case, there’s push-pull energy between the traditions and beliefs of the past (coming from rigid taskmaster Saturn) and the innovations and progress of the future (coming from inventive Uranus). As the sun shifts away from its own tough square with Saturn on Halloween, we’ll be all the more encouraged to move past stuck-ness and drop old fears, says Lang.

What exactly you may be pushed to let go of will, of course, depend on what’s happening in your life at the moment, but some introspection about whatever isn’t serving you can help uncover it. For the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius), which tend to struggle the most with change, this practice could be a bit tougher.

To that end, Lang suggests Taureans and Leos look toward physical gifts or items in the home that might be taking up unnecessary space or that are perhaps reflective of a previous emotional wound, and to focus on letting those go. For Scorpios and Aquarians, alternatively, she recommends turning inward and homing in on any doubtful or self-critical thoughts, and actively dropping those all the same.

But again, for any of the signs, whatever the astrology of this Halloween pushes you to let go of will be entirely personal, destined to show up in the area of your life in which you could benefit the most from something new.

To use the mystical energy of Halloween to your advantage, consider practicing a letting-go ritual, like the one Lang shares below.

Here’s a ritual you can use to help you let go of the old—and make space for the new—this Halloween:

Because Halloween falls on a Sunday, which is recognized in astrology as the sun’s day, Lang suggests lighting a gold candle, if you have one (or any other candle, if not). “You can also burn incense like cinnamon, frankincense, or myrrh,” she says. Then, hold a stone or crystal in your palms, and focus on symbolically sending anything you’ve decided to let go of through your palms and into the object.

Your next step is to soak the stone in a bowl of salt water, says Lang, and as you do, focus your attention on whatever it is you’re releasing from your life. After a few minutes have passed, place or bury the stone somewhere outside. Then, pour the saltwater into the ground, and envision something new sprouting in your life in the open space you’ve created through releasing the old. Finally, blow out the candle, and offer a few words of gratitude to the universal powers at play.

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