Any Witches Here Part 5.

[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.

Thank you Sokere x

Elphame I love your posts, your life sounds fabulous and so full of witchiness!

Pawnee I've worked with people like your colleague. They drain you if you're not careful. Not surprised the cards revealed her to be rather sad and lonely. These kind of problem often are. Protect yourself from her the best you can.

Yashmis so sorry you're feeling sad. Snuggle up warm and take good care of yourself. We're all here for you if you need us

Thank you Violet. I’m definitely feeling a bit better for snuggling under the blanket- chocolate pudding with custard has also helped! Sometimes you just have to go with it to get through it don’t you. Hopefully I’ll sleep it off

Hello all! Thanks for the new thread speakout.

Wish I could post more often, but I love reading from all of you.

Welcome to all the newcomers, @Sarassin what an interesting path you have chosen. Looking forward to reading more of your posts.

Morning everyone, I'm still in bed, wondering if I should have a second coffee.

Pawnee I have been thinking about your situation, it's so difficult.
It is good to help others, but we can't fix everyone, and ultimately we have to protect ourselves.
There is only so much of us to share around, and we need to preserve our energies for ourselves and those close to us.

I have acute experience of a very similar situation.

I had a lovely evening last night OH and I drank some wine, we chatted while I made my candles in the kitchen,he kept me supplied with snacks.
DD is back at University ( only 9 miles away) but has texted me this morning, she needs a lift to the dance studio to cover for a sick teacher.

And she has announced that she will be coming home to live next year.
I am secretly delighted, and pleased she is coming for solid reasons.
She has coped emotionally and practically really well, but far flung placements means she needs a car. No room for parking in the city and financially difficult to pay for a car, parking and rent. I also live near the dance studio where she teaches part time.
So she will be coming home so she can have the freedom of a car.

YashmisCrone

I hope your spirits are a little brighter this morning.

@geelneverthought of that - thank you. I think I will use a version of the bear hugs one.

Elphame - my Christmas craft outing gave me lots of ideas for self care presents to myself! Not quite the idea but perhaps a kind of message that my energy levels and regard for others are important too.

Generally I notice many posters with long term, energy related health issues, whether these be spiritual, emotion and social or physical. I wonder how many of you are good at advising self-care for others but have a more developing journey towards this for yourself. I know I do and I think that is why I am here.

Morning everyone,

I can't believe it's Sunday again. Why does time go so fast as you age. Does anyone know? I feel my life is racing by so much lately.

@Teaslate Yes, you're correct in your observations - for me at least. Although, I'm better at taking time out for myself than I used to be, which is my particular form of self care.

I have a busy day but will catch up with the thread tonight. Still so many posts I haven't even read yet.

Hope you all have a lovely day.

Morning all. Sokere I totally agree! Feel like I'm on a tread mill at the moment and the weeks are flying by!

I'm going to make the most of a dry (at the money anyway!) day and get out into the forest this morning with my dog. I'm feeling the pull of needing to be close to nature and amongst the trees.

Speakout lovely news for you to what your daughter has decided to live at home for her next two years. I'm sure you'll both benefit hugely from this. Nursing is tough, she'll need some nurturing 😊

Hope you all enjoy your Sunday.

Thank you speakout

Yes it’s lifted a bit. I’ve been making paper snowflakes! It’s the little things isn’t it?!

I think you were right when you said before that a lower mood is almost natural through the winter months (I know that’s not exactly what you said- that’s what I took from what you said!)

It slows us down, which without all the pressure would be a more natural, introspective place to be. It’s only what this season has become that goes against the grain.

I think that’s why what we were all saying about reframing/reclaiming/managing our energies is so important.

Tealslate I think it goes with the territory to an extent. Those of us with more of an empathic disposition are probably more likely to be drawn to a way of life that involves tuning in to/feeling/ working with energies. It’s a double edged sword sometimes and managing it is an ongoing process IMO

YashmisCrone

I think you were right when you said before that a lower mood is almost natural through the winter months (I know that’s not exactly what you said- that’s what I took from what you said!)

That's exactly what I meant.

I don't under estimate the effects of depression- it is a serious and debilitating thing, but if we can try to reframe the way we feel during the winter months it can be helpful.

We are meant to feel a little "closed down" when it is cold and dark, perhaps natures way of conserving energy in past times when food was scarce.

We want to sleep longer. less inclined to socialise, less inclined to be active.

Giving ourselves permission to feel that way and accepting that this is natural can help in dealing with our feelings.

YashmisCrone

I love paper snowflakes- I do that too.

When my kids were young we attended a playgroup , one of the other mothers was Norwegian, and taught us all how to make them.
It's a big tradition in the Scandic countries apparently.
We pin them to the windows, I love the way they cast shadows on the walls on a sunny day, the whole room comes alive with snowflakes.

speakout

Giving ourselves permission to feel that way and accepting that this is natural can help in dealing with our feelings.

Yes! I felt better once I ‘gave into it’ and snuggled under the blanket. Of course we can’t do that all the time, but it feels really important to carve out time to do so. And yes, depression is a different thing altogether. I wouldn’t trivialise that (like many us, I’ve been there) by comparing it to the lower mood I’ve been feeling. I think it’s really important to allow ourselves to feel. It’s when we try and push the less desirable feelings to one side that they ‘stack up’ and eventually end up all toppling over at the slightest push. Often feeling it is dealing with it I think.

I put the snowflakes on the windows too. No dc at home any more but I enjoy it in a similar way to what you describe so I’m still doing them!

Hope everyone has a good day

I was up early with smallest so we got ready and drove over to another town to a craft market. There was one particular stall I wanted to go to, I bought myself a Yule present.
The lady who runs it is the partner of someone I was at school with. I haven't seen him for about 20 years. He was there with her and it turns out he is a healer now, and we had the most amazing hug. I feel really energised by just 15 mins catching up with him.
This was an unexpected Sunday morning for me. I also was out with close friends yesterday for a meal. I have a feeling this December is going to be a magical one for me.

Morning all!

Well the weather was awful here yesterday - very wet and very windy - so I swapped my days over and had a lovely afternoon wrapping presents and listening to music with a ☕️.

I then went to a Christmas meal with a group of friends that I hadn’t seen in ages. We went to a cozy pub that is easy for everyone to get to. We all wore everyday casual clothes and we had a pub type main course only. Lovely people that I genuinely wish to spend time with. The ease of getting there, the not needing to dress up and / or eat masses of very rich food was bliss. Had a very simple and wonderful evening.

I find socialising hard going at Christmas because there’s generally too much of it, for too long, and it’s at a time when energies are already low. Once I stopped trying to do everything and see everyone it was a huge relief. I probably still overdo it (I’m an introvert) but see fewer people and spread it out more (well into January). We go to pubs or cafes for simple meals and actually enjoy seeing each other. 😊

Hoping everyone has a lovely day. 🌟

Sounds like a good weekend for many of us

You must be so glad your daughter is coming home to live speakout.

The dog is still shattered from yesterday and refused a morning walk so I've taken advantage of his sleeping to continue the clear out - this time the craft room.

I have loads of pagan/witchy bits and pieces that I've been given over the years that tbh I really don't want or need - funny smelling incense cones etc etc and how many novelty incense burners does a witch really need? I'm filling a bag with them and they'll go down to the pub moot on Tuesday in the hope that they can be re-homed.

I'm also going to be taking a load of other things that are likely to appeal to pagans!. Zero waste and plastic free is very fashionable at the moment so I'll take my beeswax wraps (never ever found a use for those!) and a load of pretty tins etc that again I have no use for. They were kept because they were too nice to throw out but I know I will never use them.

I'm really working hard on simplifying my life as I feel too many possessions around me really drags me down. I've always tried to only get what I need but even so there is simply too much in the house and a lot needs to go.

Hi @speakout

Thank you for thinking of me, it is still playing on my mind. Though I glossed over it with her and made it more palatable, I saw definite signs of a possible breakdown to come

In some ways it confirmed all my suspicions, the role she does is one in which people who are very vulnerable and indeed of help, receive support and actually she is looking to those people to satisfy her own desire for people to need her and bolster her ego.

She has told me she's here til retirement which is 20 years off for her, but she's in completely the wrong job because her clients need support, enthusiasm, ego boosting and confidence and validation. They aren't there to provide that for her.

But I don't have any say in her employment and even if I did could hardly base it off an ill feeling on the cards

A quiet Sunday here just finishing a box set on Netflix - sometimes I miss organised religion on Sundays

PawneeParksDep

I would be tempted to dabble..... for the sake of everyone.

Yes....

But the best way

In that she gets as good an outcome as anyone else

Is elusive

Morning all.

The waning crescent Moon 🌙 & Venus were extremely bright in the dark sky earlier, an amazing sight. Looking ahead to the New Moon on Thursday.

Enjoying listening to the self-care chat here. Never underestimate the importance of this. I sadly did & am paying for it with ongoing ill health now. Nurture yourselves whenever you can. You can't pour from an empty jug

Ain't no truer word spoken.

I crashed and burnt yesterday. Suffered a night of insomnia that I am going to pay for later as a result. But did use the time productively to make headway on a project that I have been avoiding that was weighing on my mind. Jug is empty but I still need to find something to finish what is needed. No idea how and suspect it will take the consequence of being very ill over Christmas.

I hope you all have lovely magical weeks.

So tricky to get the balance right. Sorry to hear your jug is empty HillsBesideTheSea

I ended up learning the lesson eventually the hard way Put everyone else above my needs & didn't listen to what my body & soul needed, until I crashed with a low immune system & multiple infections. I am now very disabled & learning how to live life -in my bed- in a very different way.

To you & anyone else here around the Aga who's peering with a little despair into their jug Be kind & gentle with yourself & absorb the calmness here.

Morning all,

I can totally relate to that need to slow down in winter. It’s definitely the season when I feel less inclined to socialise - Close friends and family are the exception. Over the years, I’ve learnt to go along with those feelings. No longer go to work Xmas party for example as it’s just too much.

About to pull some cards for myself and then thinking about a new moon ritual for myself.

speakout, how lovely that your daughter is coming back.

HillsBesideTheSea, sorry to hear you’re finding it tough. Is there anything you can do for yourself today?

Morning all!

Well even though I planned to slow down yesterday I didn’t and so I’m suffering today on my day off - feeling tired and out of sorts.

I’ve therefore allowed myself a ☕️ and a rest around the Aga here.

Lovely to see you Enchanters and your calming words about peering desperately into the jug really struck a note with me today. I’m an overpourer! 😊