Any Witches Here? Part 6

[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.

Good evening,

It’s been a busy day for me and it’s nice to curl up with a night time tea by the aga.

speakout I can’t believe we’re racing towards a thread number 7 at such a pace! I love that

Ive been taking in and acting on the valuable advice and ideas you’ve all given me. You’ve really helped me. I’d have been freaking out on my own with this. Thank you 🙏💖

All is still calm and I had a lovely moment of connection with my (late) dad earlier when I was mulling something over as I drove and was ‘answered’ by one of his favourite songs on the radio from the cd we always used to listen to when we drove together.

sockportal I loved reading about you reaping the rewards of your work. I admire what you’ve done, it’s not easy to change patterns like that and agree that the play dough is definitely magic! Bee loving is certainly an attractive quality in a man in my book!

Sok1ere thank you for that. Definitely useful and noted with gratitude x

Hills I hope things soon calm down for you, or at least that you can find some moments respite amongst it all. I don’t know, if horse whispering works on people then maybe toddler techniques aren’t that crazy an idea?!

queenrollo I sympathise. I did well for the large part with my DS father, like you managed to pick my battles and successfully co parent but once in a while he would have a strop and it would really push my buttons.. as you so wisely say, a reminder of why they are exes. I hope the energy dissapates as you soothe yourself with the candlelight. I used to do a lot of chord cutting when DS was younger!

Violet I’m sorry, I can’t seem to tap into/find any shadow work books.

I’ve always found shamanic journeying helpful for shadow work but I learnt with a teacher. I’ve found journeys to retrieve parts of my soul that have fractured very powerful.

I also really relate to Jungian perspectives on shadow work ( I realise as I write this that I do seem to come back to Jung a lot in my practice!)

Here’s a few articles I found that I thought were good and I’m hoping might spark some ideas about how your shadow work might progress.

I think there’s a really important point in the second one about not doing shadow work when you’re traumatised/grieving etc. By going through it you are doing it and to try and dig deeper at that time could be damaging.

A recurring theme is that these things will bubble to the surface when we’re in a safe place to deal with them, it feels to me like this is what’s happened with you having this dream.

scottjeffrey.com/shadow-work/

www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjl-J7g3tfgAhUPDxQKHZ1BC6wQzPwBegQIARAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcauldronandbrew.wordpress.com%2F2016%2F02%2F10%2Fshadow-work%2F&psig=AOvVaw2FJSsVcjUxibPGo-J26Lnh&ust=1551213503923542

www.wildwoodcircle.com/jungian-psychology-in-wiccan-study/what-is-the-shadow-in-jungian-psychology/

The advantage to teenager and elderly parents is generally you can shut the door and leave them to get on with it. Which I did in the end but it has been a very odd sort of day. I fear I was supposed to face the day in a different manner and I didn't understand the significance that they were trying to convey. The result being a lot of frustration and almost full use of my wide swearing vocabulary.

Yashmis glad things are calmer for you energy wise and that you have had a lovely connection with your dad.

There is calm here, it is a stunning morning and there is a pot of coffee on the aga for those who wish some.

May you all have quietly magic days.

Thank you HillsBesideTheSea. I will quietly join you for that Aga coffee. Being awoken by a stream of golden sunlight on my eyelids, peaking out from under the blackout blind, is always a magical start to the day. 💫

The birds are going crazy around here, constant chattering. Saw two sparrows gathering nesting material this week. Delightful.

Enjoying the momentum & sharing of this space & learning so much. Well done everyone

Good morning- it is a calm day here too. I am looking at the frozen dew on the grass outside my window.
The early sun is catching each crystal of ice, and the garden is glistening wih millions of jewels.

I am listening to some affirming music as I work.

This short video is one that helps me when things are tough.

Good morning,

I love finding nature descriptions here in the morning

Chilly here but not frosty. A cool haze over the hills, promising to bring more winter sunshine later.

Thank you for the coffee Hills, just the thing. I have a ‘conference’ to go to today. Really not my thing and I avoid if at all possible. Once in a while I can’t avoid it. I use colour, scent and a shiny things to deflect the ‘corporate’ energy that jars with me and set myself little ‘missions’ to get through the day. Like advocating for a group this ‘new greatest approach to..’ has missed etc. It helps me to find meaning in what I’m doing. I hope at least the coffee is good!

Thank you for sharing that video speakout, such lovely, soothing reflections on flowing with flux and change.

Wishing everyone some magic in their day

Morning everyone. It's a beautiful day here too. I'm working from home today so enjoying being by the window and listening to the birds singing.

Speakout
I loved your description of the frozen dew on the grass, I've said this before, but you write so beautifully. Thank you for the video link, I will watch that later.

Hills
Glad things are calmer for you and hope it lasts! It just be very trying dealing with elderly parents and teens.

Enchanters
I love listening to the birds too, it's so uplifting isn't it?

Yashmis
Thanks so much for going to the trouble of finding those links for me. I read through them all last night. I wasn't in a good place at all yesterday, but it helped me to understand why I was feeling like it. I also had a really upset stomach which I believe was my emotions coming out as physical symptoms.

I think that the gong bath I went to on Friday dragged a whole load of stuff to the surface. It wasn't as relaxing as ones I've been to before, but extremely powerful and I guess was what I needed!

I'm feeling much calmer today so hopefully I'm through the worst of it.

Good afternoon to all.
It's a beautiful day here too. Still a little chilly, but that blue sky! It always gives me such a boost when the sun appears, I'm a different person!

Sadly the little one is still poorly and we are waiting on a call from the Dr, so can't get out in it. I've popped her in the sling and we are about to cook up a nice nourishing stew for dinner to see if I can tempt her to eat.

Wishing you all a peaceful day.

Afternoon all

Longing Hope the LO is better soon. I used to worry myself sick over mine when they were little - and I'm even worse with the dog now!

Hoping you are enjoying the conference Yasmis . I am so glad I don't have to go to such things any more.

VioletCharlotte It's funny how such things can cause actual physical symptoms. Hope it's all settled down now

Speaking of dogs am I am awful dog mum to be delighted that he's out all day with DP? I've got so much done today without him helping!

I've just got out my "beginner" divination sticks for a play with a friend tomorrow. I may make her make her own! Nothing like drawing out the symbols and creating your own crib notes for really getting to know the system. Buying a set is just not the same. That's probably why I'm so poor at tarot, I need to be involved in creating something, to really make it mine

I like the idea of creating my own Divination tools. Yours look interesting, Elphame... how do they work as such in terms of selection? Face down after a bit of a shuffle?

VioletCharlotte

Thank you.

Elphame" those tools look amazing, I love seeing all the things you make- you are so industrious!!

So I cleaned and cleansed the upstairs space I mentioned the other day and it now feels wonderful. DS2 has given it the seal of approval: “the energies really flow nicely in here now”. I did say he was an old soul didn’t I? It has become a favourite reading spot.

Enchanters Bird song is truly magical isn't it? I love listening to the birds here – magpies, ravens, bower birds, budgies and of course the cockatoos and kookaburras. I try to spend time outside listening to them each day. The magpies are quite inquisitive and join me most days for a snack and a drink.

Yashmis I hope the conference was not too draining and your shielding worked well for you. As an introvert, I always found them exhausting. I wish I had known about such things then.

Elphame Your divination sticks look very interesting and a useful learning tool. I’m part way through a book on Australian druidry which outlines how to source & create Ogham sticks from native trees. I have realised I will need to be far better at identifying trees before I can even think of doing that! My old uni in Cork had Ogham stones in the quad. Despite finding them fascinating, I was never really comfortable about them being there and not in their original locations as so many ancient stones and monuments remain safely in situ in Ireland and beyond.

Longing Hope your little one is feeling a bit better. It is awful when our children are ill. Sending healing energies to you and your LO.

Wishing you all a wonderful day.

I fear that I might regret today being cook all the things day (temperature wise). But rice thingy gone with the boy for his lunch - he was pleased as he wanted to do it himself but over slept. Beef stock is gently simmering on the stove. Just taking 5 mins to regroup from the head out to work/school chaos and fix the technology issue for the mother before I go give the lounge a proper spring clean.

You probably all noticed it far sooner than I have, but I am really affected by the energy of others. I am slightly better than I was but I really need to work on that. A lot.

May your days be gentle on you!

Good morning. It's a lovely day here again. Have to keep reminding myself it's only February and winter could well come back with a vengeance.

I had a better nights sleep, but still some pretty vivid dreams and woke up once drenched in sweat. Definitely some processing going on!

Hills hope you have a good day cooking, I enjoy days like that, although it can be quite tiring!

Misty glad you got your room sorted, sounds like it's a great space now. I love reading your posts about where you live and the wildlife, it sounds beautiful. I've got relatives in Australia and would like to visit one day, but the thought of that long flight really puts me off!

I'm going to London tomorrow for a meeting and have some free time in the afternoon. I'm hoping to visit one or two witchy shops. I've had a look online and found a few that look interesting, but i'd love to know if there's one any of you have visited and can recommend 🙏

@Mistymount I've used really cheap pine sticks designed for crafters for this set. The cost is pennies but they are big enough to hold enough info to give a basic reading without the book. They would work really well for ogham too and get you started whilst you develop the skills to produce a fancy set.

Authentic they are not! But I discovered a long time ago that I am the queen of procrastination. If I had to wait to source the woods then it would simply never happen.

It must be really interesting though matching the ogham to native Australian woods. Quite a challenge. Have you studied the native Aboriginal divination methods?

Sok1ere - these are designed to be drawn from a bag. An old way apparently was to have the symbols on dice but I haven't found the order which is vitally important. I do actually wonder where it has survived.

I will have a go at re creating the dice at some point but it's going to take a lot of thinking about to get 4 dice with the correct 6 symbols on each one. I'm not there yet. This is actually more nuanced as I have 24 symbols that could come up rather than just 4. There again you could throw the dice multiple times for a reading so get 4 symbols for each part. The possibilities are endless.

This is right up my street as I love the experimental side of the craft, pushing boundaries and trying things that either haven't been done or not documented. It's a big part of my personal craft.

Elphame I love your attitude towards the "experimental side of the craft"- you describe that so well, and makes a lot of sense to me.

If it feels right then it is right. It's what things are all about.

I do a lot of things that feel right to me- leave little offerings, I say a blessing over leftovers as I feed them to the birds- to thank them for their song.
I pin coloured cotton ribbon or thread to my three sycamore sisters- who stand broad shouldered at the edge of the garden and protect me, I give them a tiny cup of wine to join with them in the sabbats.
I sometimes leave a small offering on the step of the ancient church in my village as a blessing for my sisters who were tried and tortured in that building duiring the burning times.

These things all make sense to me and feel right. No one has told me, no book instructed me, but my heart tells me so.

It’s another beautiful day here - more like April than February. My head knows that this is all wrong, that we wouldn’t be getting this weather if it weren’t for climate change and it’s a symptom our climate is badly damaged and getting worse. But at the same time all my bodily instincts are reacting with deep joy to the signs of spring. The scents in the air, the blossom, the sunshine just make me want to smile. I guess I just need to go with the flow for a while and we’ll be back to ‘normal’ in a day or two!

@VioletCharlotte the only shop I have visited in London is The Astrology Shop on Neal Street. It's in a very touristy area, but I do like it in there.

I have had a quiet day. I had such a strange night last night, I felt like I spent it in that strange place on the edge of dreams but not quite sleeping. I am really unsettled at the moment, and think I am struggling to recalibrate after the upheaval of my son's surgery.
I am solitary on this path but I feel like I need to connect in real life with someone to help me. And then....this afternoon I got a message asking me to attend a womens circle with a friend and organised by someone else who I know is a kindred spirit.
So the Universe is providing.

@Elphame... I'm beginning to despair of my common sense lately. Such a silly question. I blame the sun and the chilled wine.

Nevertheless, I feel inspired to make some. Like you, it feels just up my street. I love things like that.

@Sok1ere It wasn't a silly question at all. In fact we tried throwing some after reading your post! There is so little out there on the Coelbren that I'm up to try pretty much everything I can think of or anyone else thinks of with them. My friend is now equally smitten and went off with the rest of my wooden sticks to make her own set. She has a few ideas of her own linking in with them so I expect she'll come back with something quite exciting.

I do love my books but ultimately you need to treat them as a starting point. Learn the rules and how things work by all means ( actually can be quite important) but it doesn't mean you have to stop there....

Speakout following your heart is a lovely way to put it

Queenrollo thank you, that was one of the ones I was looking at online. It is touristy, but I still like that area 😊 Sorry you're not feeling great. Women's Circle sounds like the perfect remedy. I've really loved the ones I've been to, just being in the company and energy of other, likeminded women is so empowering.

Elphame and Speakout I love reading your posts about your craft, you're both so knowledgeable. I'm really grateful to you for sharing your wisdom with us 🙏

I'm off to my spiritual development group tonight. I love it, but always come home buzzing so have a feeling it'll be a late night!

VioletCharlotte I like Neal Street too, there are lots of lovely shops along there.

Good evening all.
Another absolutely beautiful day. I am feeling energised and uplifted by the sun, but like you @VioletCharlotte And @KizzyWayfarer keep reminding myself that we won't have seen the last of winter, it'll raise it's head again I'm sure!
Thank you for the kind wishes @Mistymount Loving hearing about your new space, it sounds as if it will be a well loved and used place now. LO is still unwell and ended up at the hospital last night as a precaution. DH went with her as she is very much a Daddy's girl and wouldn't be parted from him last night. I must admit I did find it hard not being with her but someone had to stay here with the others. It's nothing serious however, just a delayed bad reaction to her immunisations, on top of a nasty infection. She'll be back on form in a day or two I'm sure.

It has been a bit of a day if I'm honest. We witnessed an accident this morning on the way home from playgroup. A car reversed into an elderly lady who was crossing the road. I stopped to help and called the emergency services etc. It seemed like forever before they arrived although in reality it was only about 10 minutes. The lady wasn't seriously injured, although there seemed to be an awful lot of blood. I keep wondering how she is though...
Needless to say, the boys were a little unsettled having witnessed all of this so we went to the park for a play. It seemed to settle them. There was a beautiful patch of crocus surrounding a tree, I had to take a photo.
@Elphame I like your attitude. I too am prone to procrastination, I need to take a leaf out of your book and just get on with things!
Enjoy your day in London @VioletCharlotte Look forward to hearing about any witchy shops you visit!
Wishing a peaceful evening and a restful night to all.

Oops! Not sure what happened there, sorry all

LongingToBeByTheSea that sounds like an alarming experience. And I hope your DD gets better soon. Lovely crocuses!