Any witches here?

[speakout]

Or Wiccans. or Pagans?

I was raised as a witch- my grandmother was born in 1890 and taught me how to scry, knotwork, many magical activities. She was a dresser of the dead and a lay midwife ( before the NHS).
I now practice my craft with enthusiasm.
A little tricky as my extended family are not supportive.

Fitz how old are your children if you don’t mind me asking? Mine are 4 and almost 2. Just sounds like we might be in a similar stage :)

I'm interested to learn their are different stages. My DD is 9 months old, so I'm guessing this is me entering the mother stage. I'm off to research how I can make the most of this.

Today I have cleaned using my own cleaning sprays made with different essential oils for each area of the house. I made time today to observe the magic of the sun drying the washing on the line, it made me feel calm and relaxed.

FitzsFool

This is your card the- Hermit and perhaps no surprise with a young family it suggests you are in need of solitude, some time out and space to be alone.
Nurturing that aspect and yourself will allow you best to nurture others.
Hard to do with young kids- I have been there too- but just a bath or a 10 minute coffee in the garden for a breather will help you and everyone.

Thank you Speakout. I think that reaffirms what I already know but I feel guilty to admit. I have so much more to give if I can just have some time alone, in my own thoughts. I love that feminised version of the Hermit, what great images in that deck. The more I look at that image, the more I like it.

Funnily enough I'm currently sitting in a little space I've been carving out for myself at home looking at the image I drew on the newly painted blackboard. Tried to attach a photo but Mumsnet won't let me as I'm a new user. It's an image known as 'The Hermit' as fellow Led Zeppelin fans might recognise 😁)

Guess the universe is trying to tell me something. 😉

ThatsNotEvenAWord mine are 5 and 3. Sounds like we are at a similar place!

@MidnightVelvetthe7th are you me? I could have written your first post

First ring covered :)

@speakout thanks for starting this thread. Like others I am feeling drawn to witchcraft. My grandmother used to read the tarot, she was pretty accurate. She's stopped now (since she saw in the cards that my mother was terminally ill) and last year she gave all her decks to my DS who expressed an interest. She was delighted! It's a fabulous collection.

Anyway I tried doing a reading for someone I know well and I surprised myself with how accurate it was, but then I do know the person well! Still it's made me want to try again.

I've also long been making my own lotions and body butters infused with herbs I grow and I'd like to take this further. Someone mention they were making essential oil, is that easy to do? Do you need special equipment?

I'm not sure I believe in spells, I'm willing to give that a go though! Only I don't know where to start!

Hi Vallar, sounds like we are both stepping over the threshold

Just reading through the thread, it's fascinating. I've never felt a thunderstorm in the way some of you have but I can smell the ice on the air way before the snow comes and can smell changes in weather and also when someone is sick, their smell changes.

What's everyone doing today, I'm going to work in an air conditioned office 7 floors up so no nature for me until I get home. I work in adult social care but am starting a new job at the end of the month. It's fulfilling though, I like my job, hope I like the new one as much!

Have a lovely day x

MidnightVelvetthe7th

Good morning- just about to get up and throw myself in the shower.

I will be working today- but that's fine, I love what I do, I work from home, so a quick trip downstairs to start work.
Have to take my DD to work- she has a summer job, about to start University next month, she teaches dance, running summer schools for little ones over the holidays.
Cooking, more work, a little pottering about in the garden. So quite a nice day.

We head to Dorset today for our holiday.

The advice to take breather with a coffee in the garden is great. I made this one of my rituals, I have a special mug and a selection of herbal teas (Pukka's Love is a favourite) and I wander round the garden really focusing on the plants, the clouds, tree bark etc. It's a really purposeful 5 or 10 min connection with nature and a reminder that I am still 'me' somewhere in the demands of motherhood.
I do this at least once a day, whatever the weather.

Hello allarMorghulis and welcome!

Yes I do make some of my own essential oils. It is easy enough but you do really need some special equipment. I have a small copper alembic still which was a gift from my OH a few years ago. It takes a huge amount of herb to get even a few drops of essential oil and to be honest I find the hydrosols ( the water from the condensed steam) it also produces much more useful.

Rose produces only a drop or two of oil from a litre of flowers (which is why the essential oil is so expensive) but you also get quite a lot of rosewater which makes it worth doing.

It is possible though to do it with a DIY set up for small amounts - you need a small stand which you can put a tea light under (I use a stand from a Yankee candle oil diffuser), a flameproof jar, a shot glass and a curved piece of glass or ceramic to cover. Basically you place the shot glass in your jar, surround it with your herb ( but don't pack higher than your glass), add some water to cover the herb and place the jar on the stand. Light the candle and cover the jar.

As the water boils the steam rises, condenses on the cover and then runs back and drips into your shot glass. It won't produce very much but it's fun and a nice mood enhancer to do in the evening.

Wow Elphame, impressed that you make your own essential oils!!

I'm loving hearing about the home made oils, toiletries, cleaning products etc.

Also looking forward to seeing the dream catcher as it is made

Very much enjoyed seeing the synchronicity of The Hermit- a strong message indeed!

I'm off work today, I'm going to take myself off for a walk through the woods and along the river. I think the grounding will do me good.

Good afternoon, I'm currently looking for a job as my maternity leave comes to an end. Does anyone have any methods to help me secure some employment? Thank you

Zaphold synchronicity indeed! I believe that meaningful coincidences are always insightful on some level. I drew this a little while ago now.

Ooo, Mumsnet is letting me post pics now. I was just testing that out. The photo is The Hermit drawing I was talking about in my earlier post. I drew it a while back on without really considering it's symbolic implications so it's fitting that Speakout drew The Hermit card for me.

Queen Rollo your ritual of drinking tea and wandering round the garden sounds lovely. So glad you can make that space in your day.

I started my day with a run and and then a cup of tea in the garden, watching a woodpecker jumping about in the Rowan tree. That bit of time alone before the chaos of the day really sets the day on a more positive foot.

Love seeing the dream catcher in progress and hearing what everyone is up to.

FitzsFool that drawing is lovely, very powerful.

That's fabulous Fitz! Yes, definitely an important message for you, take heed!

sockportal Do you know what you'd like to do for a job? I don't have a specific spell to recommend- I tend to work on themes and develop some sort of ritual that fits if that makes sense. I always wear blue underwear for a job interview or important work meeting blue feels productive to me. If I'm not sure I like to ask for signs and sychroncities to guide me. I also quite like to put together a little pouch of symbols to carry with me for focus on a certain area, for me work would include a blue stone, rosemary for mental alertness, a coin for income and a key for security for example. I find visualisation really helpful too- really seeing myself in the position I'd like to be in, imagining how that feels etc. The new moon will be a perfect time to start manifesting new circumstances/ putting out intentions. Just a few thoughts, I'm not as advanced with spell work as many of the others here. I'm sure they'll have some more focused ideas!

Inspired by speakout's readings here, I drew myself 3 cards today. The Empress in the past position symbolic of the transition away from the 'mother' stage as discussed yesterday, 10 of swords in the current position (ouch) and knight of cups for the future- so hopefully some gentler, more harmonious energy to come...

Thank you @Zapholdbeeblebrox this is a bit outing, but hey ho - my past employment has been in the charity sector and museums. I want to work with people and manage projects.

I'm going to put together a little pouch with the things that you have mentioned.

Sockportal I'd do some road opening work to bring new job opportunities into your life. Zaphod has some really good ideas there for you to build on. I'd work around keys, both man made and natural (there are big bunches on all the ash trees and sycamores for example) to unlock the opportunities that are waiting for you.

Maybe dress a candle, light it and visualise the job you want and yourself already there doing it and doing it brilliantly? Let the candle burn out somewhere safe.

Perhaps a sigil for job hunting success?

I'm pretty much housebound this week. I can cope with taking one dog around with me but two is proving to be much harder!

It's a catch up on little jobs week I think. I've cut some wormwood to dry for a local apothecary and I need to bag up the belladonna for them too as I want it safely out of the way asap.

I've decanted the walnut brandy into a clean jar and put it to mature for the next year. One thing I have learned is that herb and fruit alcohol infusions improve dramatically the longer you keep them. My nettle vodka liqueur was not terribly pleasant either in taste and colour last year but it was absolutely delicious when I tried a glass at Lammas. My sloe gin I keep for at least 5 years before drinking and 10 is even better!

Thank you @Elphame I will try some of your ideas too. The more I try the more positivity I can surround myself with.

MidnightVelvetthe7th would you mind pm'ing me the details of who you did your online course with please? I was just about to sign up for one and would be interested to know if it's with the same people. TIA.

Good evening everyone.

Freaky I'm on my phone so can't pm, it's by The Centre of Excellence and it's called Hedgewitchery

Also someone mentioned moon water up thread, how do I make this please?