Introspection and Alignment
Coastal Rituals for November
Listen as you read on…
November is a deeply spiritual and mystical month.
We’re both coming out of a time of introspection, learning, and connecting with our passions: herbalism, healing with food, and personal alignment with equine teachers. And we are very much looking forward to reconnecting on horseback in the Marin Headlands later this week. Nika has been in the mountains of her motherland, Chiang Mai, Thailand, immersing in the study of herbal medicines and healing plants. Olivia has been taking the past weeks to turn inward, reflect, and engage in a deeply clarifying equine coaching workshop as she begins mentorship with Alyssa Aubrey, founder of Horse Medicine Ranch in Tomales, CA.
At our “HQ”, the dairy barn and ranch at Muir beach, we’ve been taking a big exhale, as the air turns crisp, the rains turn green our surroundings, and the long days begin to fade earlier and earlier into silent darkness.
November in Marin is a magical time. The mornings carry the scent of the earth’s whole heart. Oaks drop their acorns, mushrooms push through damp soil, and the tides grow higher with the pull of the autumn moon.
This time of year is also the thinning of the veil. It becomes easier to commune more deeply with ourselves, our ancestors, and our inner voice. A powerful number, 11 signifies the portal between the two worlds. November is a powerful month for manifestation, from the new moon on October 21st through the full moon on November 5th.
We are inviting in slow meals, gathering close, and letting the pace of the year wind down. In the spirit of gratitude, not only in celebration but as daily practice: noticing what brings us joy, what we want to pursue further, and what we can finally release.
What follows is a guide to November’s rhythms: the moons, markets, migrations, gatherings and rituals to help you walk with presence through the start of winter.
Symbolism of November
Darkness presents a time for introspection; discover ourselves more deeply.
Transformation and the preparation for new beginnings.
Gratitude for how we have grown and evolved over the past 11 months.
Celestial Markers
Harnessing the power of the moon is an act of radical self care.
🌕 Full Moon (Beaver), November 5th
The month’s full moon received its name from Native American observation of flora and fauna, observing that beavers begin to take shelter around this time of year, once they have foraged enough food for the winter ahead. The full moon, and the cycle leading up to it, is particularly important for reminding us to be more aware of our physical reactions to our experience of life, to listen to our gut instinct. As our dear friend Whitney (Wisdom Midwifery) reminded us, this is a powerful time for manifesting, so be sure to spend time getting really clear on what it is you want to call in, and then take time on the full moon to release and trust what is coming is aligned with what you’ve been focused on manifesting for your life.
🌑 New Moon, November 20th
As always, the New Moon is quieter time to draw into stillness. In the darkness, we connect deeply with who we are and what lights us up. And from those feelings we can allow ourselves to get very certain about what it is we’d like to bring into our life. At the same time, it’s truly important to also release the baggage or fear or doubt that comes with big idea thinking and dreaming. This is an especially important time to honor ritual, and so perhaps this is the time to make intention setting around the new moon part of your personal ritual and rhythm.
Ecology and Migration
In November the land feels rinsed clean.
November brings renewal to the land here in coastal Marin. The first rains awaken the hillsides and the rushing waters support the Coho salmon to begin their upstream migration in local creeks, returning from the Pacific to spawn. Along the coast, elephant seals haul out on protected beaches, and shorebirds gather in vast flocks along the Bolinas Lagoon. The land feels alive, rinsed clean, full of breath.
Marin County Events & Gatherings
A guide to shared experiences in rhythm with nature.
〰️ Headlands for the Arts Open House, November 2nd
https://www.headlands.org/event/fall-open-house-2025/
〰️ Fibershed Producers Market, November 8th in Point Reyes Station
https://fibershed.org/event/fibershed-producers-market-2/
〰️ Annual Stinson Beach Doc Film Fest, Nov 7th-9th
https://www.stinsondocfest.org/program
〰️ Solar Punk Farms Harvest Dinner, Nov 15th in Guerneville
https://partiful.com/e/FGaViOuF35gJKonrylzx
Farmers markets fill with persimmons, piles of squash, and dark leafy greens.
Larkspur - Marin Country Mart - Saturday: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Sausalito - Dunphy Park - Sunday: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
San Rafael - Peter Behr Drive - Sunday: 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Fairfax - 124 Bolinas Rd. - Wednesday: 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Mill Valley - 759 E. Blithedale Ave. - Friday: 9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Seasonal Harvest
Fruits: persimmons, pomegranates, apples, pears.
Vegetables: squash, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, kale, chard, mushrooms.
Herb Highlight
Sage is a very resonant herb this time of year. It adds richness to stews, aromas to roasted dishes, and is an all-around health remedy, especially important for the change in seasons, cooler days, and darker nights. Ancient cultures and Pagan practitioners revered this herb for it’s ability to cleanse negative energies.
Closing Ritual
Honoring Stillness and Intention
As darkness lengthens and silence deepens, we are called not to do, but to be. To listen. To the whisper of the quiet voice within, to what wants to emerge from the fertile darkness.
This is the time to draw inward. In this stillness, we discover what we truly want to call forward.
Journal Prompt: In the darkness and quiet of November, what is my inner voice telling me? What do I want to manifest as I move toward winter, and what fears or doubts am I ready to release so my intentions can take root?
Ritual: On the full moon (November 5th), light a candle at dusk and write down what you’re releasing: the baggage, the fear, the doubt that stands between you and your clearest vision. Burn it and let the smoke carry it away. Remember: the portal is open. What you focus on now, in the quiet, in the dark, is what will take shape in the light.
