Any Witches Here ? Part 3

[speakout]

Or Wiccans. or Pagans? Or anyone who is interested in a magical path or feels some magical stirrings.

A place for support, learning, swapping ideas and magical inspiration

All welcome.

RayRay, glad the reading went well. It’s great when the message is pertinent and you just ‘get it’.

For an offering, I’ve found that something quite natural and food related works well. A homemade biscuit or honey cake or good local mead/cider. I crumble it up/pour out by the roots of what looks like a suitable tree. Often you get the sense that one tree acts as a type of ‘guardian’ - usually the oldest.

Once I have got the kids off to school on Monday I am going to go into the forest and look around.

RayRay There are a lot of ancient sites in Germany, many similar to the ones we have here. I haven't a clue about German geography so don't want to five you a list of must-sees only to find they're miles away from you.
Are any of the museums listed here nearby?
www.megalithic.co.uk/search.php?query=Germany&country=&category=0&county=&sitetype=38&days=0&condition=&ambience=&access=
If you click on the link next to any museum, then scroll down the page, there's a list of nearby sites in that area, so you may find something that draws you where you may make a connection.

Cards, you'll find one can leap out of the pack at you, sometimes literally landing across the room. It's like books literally falling into your hands. they always seem to be the ones you need to see right at that moment.

BillyDessert It's not a case of how much practise you do in a day, it's more of it being just your lifestyle. After a while it just becomes part of who you are, or you become part of it, hard to define which is which.

For everyone this weekend, care-givers and nurturers all, enjoy the time you spend with your loved ones, whether that's people, animals, places or in other planes. Sometimes we get so entangled in the organising and doing for everyone else, we can forget that we need to join in the fun as well.

Well how interesting, especially as I'd explained how to try and post without bits getting lost the bit above was only the second half of my post, here's the first half.

Fitzs Uluru is the original name for what settlers called Ayers Rock. Uluru is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara, the Aboriginal people of the area. It has many springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru is listed as a World Heritage Site.

Yashima You are not alone, posts vapourising into the ether happens to me too. Try typing them in Word or into an email, then copy and paste, when it's safely posted, you can delete from wherever you wrote your draft.

@TooManyPaws Please read all of the posts that make up this special circle online, then read my words again, then you may understand why I was moved to say what I did and you may wish to stay. I hope you do.

Part 1 www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3241689-Any-witches-here?msgid=80274725

Part 2 www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3338025-Any-Witches-Here-Part-2?msgid=81035965

Speakout Thank-you, it's definitely worth safeguarding what we have here, it's unique.

@BlankTimes
Aw thanks but they are all pretty far away up north for me.
However I have just googled and found some stone circles not too far away so maybe I need to go and have a look.
I love stone circles, I went to one in Northumberland earlier this year when I was back for a visit it was beautiful and peaceful

Yes, it is unique. I always feel it's private, but of course it isn't. I have to remind myself constantly because it feels like a little oasis for me. A refuge from ordinary life.

Thank you BlankTimes and everyone else for sharing so much knowledge.

Hello Sister Witches! I have been under the weather the past few days as has my youngest daughter. I did manage to light some beautiful apple scented candles and say a prayer on Equinox. I didn’t feel able to do a full circle.

RayRayBidet, I think those lovely bits are gifts from the sea to you. I collect sea glass. Each piece is cherished by me. I usually say a little prayer of thanksgiving when I find one.

TooManyPaws, please don’t leave. I too, was very troubled by posts on another thread. Unfortunately, some of the unpleasantness spilled over to this thread. The energy change was real. I think we do need a safe place to discuss anti pagan/witch rhetoric but perhaps in more general form? I don’t know the exact answer. I do know, that I hope you will choose to stay. The voice of every witch is meaningful here.

Wishing everyone a bright and beautiful day...

@speakout, so happy for your son!

@Billydessert, I have been reveling in the snap of the air this morning. It feels very clean and cleansing to me, as I have been ill and in bed for the past day. Love fall so much!

I generally try to attend to my spiritual side once daily, even if it’s only for a five minute candle lighting and prayer. This helps me feel connected to the Goddess. I try to go outside and sit ( I am disabled, so can’t go trekking around) and just listen to the world. Keeping my eye on the sky and the moon also helps me feel connected to my witch side.

I tend to save casting circles for major celebrations and full moons. Many other witches do them more frequently, I think. I feel the need to really have a good amount of energy to do circles as that is time I usually cast spells.

Bright blessings...

Mabon blessings everyone!

Glad you have your DD back speakout

Don't go Paws, your contributions are valued, I hope you stay

RayRay it may be a different land but its still the same earth, the earth in Northumberland and the earth in Germany don't care about the names humans put on them or humans' idea of ownership of them. They are the same. I love the idea of deep dark German forests, I read once there was a Black Forest & it sounds romantically sinister & mysterious. I would think historically that the tribes of Britain & Germania aren't that far removed from each other, both forest based & similar climate & plants. Maybe go into your new forest & make its acquaintance. Have a jar of Northumberland sand or earth then have another jar where you mix some with the new earth, symbolic of your having a foot in each place.

I've been baking all day today, going to have a Mabon feast later. I've made a carrot cake, an apple crumble, sausage rolls and mini cheddar biscuits. Then we have cold meats and cheeses with chutney, fresh bread & proper butter. I've been outside just now gathering things to make a new autumn altar, its vair discreet & I call it a display in front of the DC.

I also feel like sharing my cup of cider with the fruit tree in my back garden, I know its not the wassailing season but I might go & give the tree a sip. Never done it before, does anyone else offer their fruit trees a drink? :)

Hello witchy people,
I am getting ready to celebrate the Equinox with my coven and have also been doing lots of Autumnal cooking and clearing out.
The wind has been something hasn’t it? At least my roof tiles stayed on this year... but my (two) apples have been blown off my new tree!
And yes, it got an offering, MidnightVelvet.

Just want to add my voice and say please don't leave, TooManyPaws. We get enough shit and misunderstandings from outside our community and I think we are able to get through stuff between ourselves without losing valuable voices.

Giggorata

Absolutely.

MidnightVelvetthe7th

Your food sounds amazing- I'll put on a fresh brew- or maybe something stronger as it's Saturday?

Maybe Elphame has a bottle of rosehip gin or similar to bring to the tea party?

Thanks @Blanktimes I like the idea of it all becoming part of my lifestyle. I'm a baker and hesitate to bake magic into my work but I suppose if my intentions are good it can't hurt, even if the people buying my bakes aren't that way inclined.

@Secretwitch Hope you're feeling better now and the fresh air is doing you lots of good.

@paws what Griggorata said.

Billydessert

How can you not put magic into your baking though?

You must have days when your mood is good, you are in the "zone" feeling happy- that will be reflected and imbued in your work. And if you are having a bad day.

Food and magic are so intertwined, I couldn't imagine a separation, even if I wanted to.

Images of intention
www.masaru-emoto.net/english/water-crystal.html

OK - back down south! Well until tomorrow when it's back to Wales for a few days. And there was me thinking giving up the day job would give me plenty of "me" time!

RayRayBidet Take a look at this website. It's run by a very good water witch and she has a facebook group too if you're interested. You don't need to take her classes but should you want to there are worse ones you could do

www.waterwitchcraft.com

You've had some great ideas on the other thread for making connections. I'd be tempted to make a little shrine to your favourite bit of coast. Maybe a framed photo or poster of the beach and a few bits and pieces you've collected from there. If you have no salt water available you can cheat and use a bit of seasalt in spring or rain water until you get the real thing. It's not quite as good but needs must at times and it's better to do something than try to aim for perfect and end up doing nothing,

Welcome Rayraybidet, I hope you find a way to connect to your current location, there have been some great suggestions. And yes, you and Boldlygoing are right, my name is a nod to the Farseer books, a Mumsnet tip off led me to Robin Hobb and the rest, as they say, is history!

bellecose and elphame thanks for your thoughts regarding sigils. I’m going to try and discover more.

blanktimes I wasn’t familiar with Uluru being the original name for Ayers Rock, I don’t know very much about Australia at all so thank you for explaining, what a special place for your son to visit.

midnightvelvet your Mabon feast sounds delicious! My magical leanings are still in their infancy but celebrating the sabbats through the creation and sharing of good food seems such a natural act, the magic is effortless. As speakout says:

Food and magic are so intertwined, I couldn't imagine a separation, even if I wanted to.

Paws just to echo everyone else and say you are valued here and I hope you will stay.

@TooManyPaws - yes please stay. Don't let the poison distributed by Vit and her like affect you being here.

Hope you are feeling better Secretwitch

Sorry speakout I don't have any rosehip gin. I could bring either lemon or nettle vodka, hawthorn brandy, sloe gin or a gorgeous blackcurrant mead?

Billydessert I find it hard to split witch from non witch now so the craft permeates most of what I do. As far as formal practice goes, I have a daily ancestral rite. Otherwise it varies from feast to famine. From full formal rituals with all the bells and whistles to just a small offering to the spirit of a place and everything in between.

elphame now that’s what I call bringing a bottle!

Does the blackcurrant mead taste as good as it sounds?

I am hoping to make sloe gin this year, I have done before but not in recent years. Any advice?

@Elphame
Thank you for the link, I will have a look. I love the idea of the little shrine, I have taken hundreds of pictures of the special place and have collected lots of bits and pieces.
@FitzsFool ❤️

*@TooManyPaws Please read all of the posts that make up this special circle online, then read my words again, then you may understand why I was moved to say what I did and you may wish to stay. I hope you do. *

There is a commonly known axiom that when you are in a hole, stop digging. A more colourful military phrase refers to reaching rock bottom and continuing to dig. Think on that.

If you read the threads yourself that you post, you will note that I first post on page 8 of the first thread. Do you regularly post in threads that you don't read? I don't. I find it arrogant in the extreme to assume (think also on the well-known phrase around that word) that I have not read them and thus do not understand this little community.

I have read your words again, several times while in tears at them. Have you? I still find it insulting and extremely hurtful that you think think that a salt circle is required in this thread - presumably banishing as you refer to widdershins and it is not yet Samhain - following my post in which I shared anger, hurt, asking for and giving support as well as praise of the community here in this thread. Should you not have meant such an insult, you should read your actual words again. The careful choice of words is of overarching importance in conveying intent, in conversation as well as spellwork, and should not be ignored.

Hi, 👋, just a quick pop in here again from the other thread which I see has been mentioned again.

Don't let the poison distributed by Vit and her like affect you being here.

Really, hope my words are not regarded as 'poison'. My aim is ultimately to be a blessing to others. Something I have been thinking a lot about lately, especially after seeing this.

It's not actually a particularly religious thing, if that might put you off.

The careful choice of words is of overarching importance in conveying intent, in conversation as well as spellwork, and should not be ignored.

I totally agree with this, although, obviously, I don't always get it right, myself. This is the crux of where the concerns I voiced in this and the other thread lies. Discussions of concerns regarding intent can become highly charged, especially coming from outsiders, because they can be perceived as accusatory from people who do not share a particular expertise. That was not my aim. As human beings I do believe, we all have the potential power to bless and curse (part of my beliefs as a Christian in fact) and I just wanted to get some wider perspective on some things people close to me have talked about.

Anyway, please don't be offended by discussion of a concern which is simply a concern not an accusation of anyone in particular.

Paws, I feel and understand your hurt. I’m not a witch, probably shouldn’t be on this thread and maybe my thoughts are irrelevant but I hope others will come forward and recognise your feelings too. It's important.

Speaking personally, I’ve been taken by surprise on a couple of occasions by how strongly I’ve responded to online comments directed at me. Words on a screen have the power to uplift or cause distress.

I can see that many posters value your contributions here, you write well and I don’t think you should give up on sharing your thoughts and experiences or benefiting from the friendship of likeminded people.

hihello

I'm not sure this is the right thread for you.

This is a place for pagans and witches to support each other.

There are similar places for christians on these boards and their places are respected.

If you wish to start a thread to discuss dogma then feel free to start one rather than hi jacking.

We all give respect to threads such as " A christian Prayer thread for winter"

You may find a warmer welcome there.