The Sacred Spiral of Change

 The Sacred Spiral of Change: Understanding Pariṇāma

Namaste, Witchlings!

Welcome to another week of our journey together. This month, we're diving deep into the theme of Release and Letting Go, and this week, we’re focusing on how to honor the cycles of change. The universe has gifted us the perfect Sanskrit word for this exploration: Pariṇāma.

Introduction to Pariṇāma

In yogic philosophy, Pariṇāma is the concept of transformation, alteration, or change. It teaches us that everything in the universe, including ourselves, is in a constant state of flux. Nothing is static. But here’s the part that resonates so deeply with my own practice, and with the core of Sacred Spiral Flow: this change isn’t a straight line from point A to point B. It’s a spiral. We often circle back to similar lessons, similar feelings, and similar challenges, but we never face them from the same place. Each time we revisit a theme in our lives, we do so with more wisdom, more experience, and from a higher point on the spiral.

Why Resistance to Change Hurts

Think of a river. It flows, it meanders, it moves around obstacles. Resisting change is like trying to build a dam in that river with your bare hands. It’s exhausting, it’s futile, and eventually, the pressure will become too much. When we fight against the natural flow of Pariṇāma in our lives, we create our own suffering. We cling to what was, mourning a past that no longer exists, and fearing a future we can’t control. The magick happens when we learn to float, to trust the current, and to steer our little boat with intention rather than trying to stop the river itself.

Motherhood as Transformation

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. When my kids were little—Mike, Nix, and Derek (or Spawn, as we lovingly call him)—my identity was so wrapped up in being “Mom.” The hands-on, lunch-packing, boo-boo-kissing Mom. Now, they are incredible young adults, forging their own paths. My role hasn't ended; it has transformed. I’ve spiraled up. The core of being their mother is still there, but the expression of it has changed. I'm a sounding board, a safe harbor, not the day-to-day manager of their lives. Seeing my non-biological daughters become mothers themselves and watching my own grandbabies grow has been yet another turn of the spiral, showing me the same love from a completely new perspective. It’s all Pariṇāma. The love doesn't change, but its form does.

Ritual: A Letter to Your Old Self

To honor your own transformations, I invite you to perform this simple ritual of release.



1. Find a quiet space. Gather a piece of paper, a pen, a fire-safe bowl or cauldron, and a lighter or matches.
2. Write a letter to a version of yourself that you are ready to let go of. It could be the self from a year ago, from before a major life event, or from a time you no longer wish to be defined by. Thank this self for the lessons she/he/they taught you and for getting you to where you are now.
3. Acknowledge and Release. When you are finished, read the letter aloud. Then, with intention, safely burn the letter in your fire-safe container. As the smoke rises, visualize that old identity releasing its hold, spiraling up and away, creating space for the person you are becoming. (Please, be smart and safe with fire! A bowl of water nearby is always a good idea.)

Journaling Prompts:

• What identity or role in your life is currently undergoing Pariṇāma? How does it feel?
• Describe a time you revisited an old lesson, but from a higher, wiser point on your life’s spiral. What did you learn the second time around?
• Where in your life are you resisting change? What is one small step you can take to lean into the flow instead?

I hope this gives you some gentle food for thought as we move through the week.

Go out and spread love, spread joy, spread kindness. There's already enough darkness and hate, let's try to be beacons of hope and light for those lost in the dark.

Tell your loved ones — whether they walk on two legs, fly with wings, curl up with fur, glide with scales, or tiptoe on paws and claws — that they are precious. Moments slip away faster than we expect, and those last goodbyes often come too soon. Get out of the house, touch some grass and have a wonderful day filled with love, joy, and magick! And please, always, always, ALWAYS remember: You are loved. You are wanted. You are needed. And you genuinely DO have a purpose in this life, even if you haven't figured it out yet! I was in my 40s before I did. I love you all to bits!

DiLynn Stephens
https://yogawithdilynn.com
@yogawithdilynn