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Kali’s Sword and the Energy of a 9 Year in the Snake Year

This year, I’ve been feeling the push — the quiet but insistent energy to release, to drop, to clear space for what’s next. Collectively we are all in a 9 year, combined with the Snake year, it’s impossible to ignore. Both energies are whispering — no, demanding — that we finish what no longer serves us, so we can step into the new with clarity, strength, and freedom.

Kali’s sword reminds us that she doesn’t hold back. She severs attachments that keep us stuck in fear, guilt, or obligation. She clears the path so the heart can move forward, even when the ego screams “don’t let go!”

The sword is a teacher. It shows us where we are clinging, where we have invested in people, places, or situations that once served but now hold us back. And it doesn’t just cut for the sake of cutting — it frees. It makes space. It reminds us that letting go is not failure; it is liberation.

Sometimes we fool ourselves. We hold tight because we believe if we just try harder, change ourselves, or heal the other person, everything will be okay. But that’s illusion. That’s attachment. And the sword, whether literally or in meditation, waits patiently, ready to cut us free from the patterns that no longer serve.

The Snake year amplifies this. Snakes shed their skin. They release what no longer fits so they can grow. This is exactly the energy we’re moving through now: endings, closures, finishing cycles, making way for the next chapter. And if your personal year is 9 — the number of completion — it’s a double reminder: now is the time to release the old, not tomorrow, not when it “feels right.” The old must fall to make room for the new.

Kali’s sword also reminds me that surrender is part of the process. Some things we cannot fix, force, or hold. We hand them over to a higher power. If it’s meant to stay, it will. If it must go, it leaves — and we survive, stronger and lighter. The energy of this year supports that process. Pain may arise, but it’s temporary. The freedom that comes after release is profound.

So here’s my reminder to anyone reading this: look at what you’re holding onto that isn’t yours to keep. Feel the attachment. Name it. And then, if you can, release it. Let Kali’s sword do the work for you. Trust that the doors that close are just as sacred as the ones opening. Trust that endings are blessings, not punishments.

This is a year for endings. For dropping. For finishing cycles. For making space. And in the spirit of the Snake year and the energy of a 9 year: trust that letting go is exactly how you step into what’s next.

Invocation Ritual

Say this prayer: Divine Mother Kali, Khadgahastha, you who wield the sword of protection — cut away what holds me back. Free my heart to let go and find fulfillment in love and truth. May the process of release bring me peace, and may your blessings move through me for the good of all beings.

Then, lie down in Śavāsana (corpse pose). Arms and legs a little apart, palms up. If you can, make the room dim.

Breathe. Let your body sink. Feel yourself grow heavy, safe, relaxed. Whatever arises — stillness, pain, tension — just notice it, without judgment. Each breath is her sword, slicing through fear and illusion, clearing space for freedom.

As you rest, Kali’s grace does the work. If you can’t let go yet, that’s okay. She’s patient. She knows when you’ve had enough pain, you’ll be ready. Until then, you’re learning.
Stay as long as you need.

When you’re ready, sit up slowly. Bring your hands to your heart, bow your head, and honour Kali’s temple within.

Your ritual is complete.

I found this tarot card spread that you may like to do? 

Or ask yourself these questions

What am I holding onto out of fear, guilt, or obligation?
Where in my life am I clinging to something that has already served its purpose?
How does it feel in my body when I imagine releasing what no longer serves me?
What illusions or attachments am I ready to surrender to Kali’s sword?
What new space could open in my life if I allowed myself to let go?
How can I honour endings as sacred, instead of fearing them?
What would freedom look and feel like for me right now?

Affirmation: “I trust the power of release. With Kali’s grace, I cut away what no longer serves me and open to new beginnings with courage, love, and freedom.”