Any Witches Here? Part 8.

[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.

Good morning everyone, this is such a lovely, nurturing thread.

Thank you for the interesting links, beehivemind and KissTheTeapot14.

YashmisCrone my feeling is that the roses are a message but I don't know what they say - I have in my mind the idea of St Theresa's "shower of roses" / "the grace is more important than the roses".

VioletCharlotte I meant to ask my dad what his mother's favourite flowers were but I bottled it. However, there is a rose on the headstone of a grave containing 4 relatives, so maybe it's one of them (or all of them!) saying "I'm around" which is a very comforting thought.
That would also tie in with KissTheTeapot14's link about roses being intertwined with love and death (also maybe why there's a rose on the headstone in the first place).
Meadowlight, self nurture is something I have slowly been trying to improve and certainly something I can do with having reminders of!

Torrential rain here too - and a leak! I’m glad for my plants who really needed a soaking, but also welcomed these little ‘solar magic’ suggestions from Molly Roberts..

FilledSoda a heated throw sounds amazing!

Today I drew the two of swords. And yes, strangely I am worrying endlessly over a difficult decision - I know what I should do and it’s not what someone else wants me to do. The blindfolded witch in the everyday witch tarot had a warning for me about that..

Good evening sisters. I'm looking forward to snuggling down round the fire with a peppermint tea. I'm getting rather fed up of this weather. We've had torrential rain here for what feels like the entire week. Im trying to be positive, my pots and hanging baskets are thriving, but I'm ready for some sunshine!

Yashmis interesting you mention masculine energy again. I was going to post about this the other day, but the thread moved on and the energy was so lovely, I didn't want to change it! I've been struggling with toxic masculinity at work. One particular team who I work closely with is heavily dominated by men who feel the need to 'mansplain', talk over you, dismiss your views and generally be sarcastic and unpleasant. I need to find a way of protecting myself from their energy as it does drag me down.

Speakout that story is timeless, definitely worth repeating.

Particularly unseasonal weather here too, I've had the central heating on for the last few nights and it's so far nowhere near hot enough in the daytime to even switch the aga off. The small leak I had is now a very large one, have had a builder to look at it, just waiting for a quote.

Ooooohhh, where's that wall with the inbuilt RQ Yashmis please?

Guess the next best thing's a mural www.muralswallpaper.co.uk/wall-murals/crystal-wallpaper-murals/

Meadowlight that is an inspiring Solar montage- I love Molly Roberts too, I haven't seen that one, thanks for posting.

YashmisCrone what an amazing day- your goddess energy is palpable, so very powerful. VioletCharlotte a cozy evening with peppermint tea, sounds lovely but so unseasonal isn't it. Not what we expect in June. I hear what you say about masculine energy, our world is so out of kilter. I find it hard to work with any masculine energy at all feminine power is spread so thinly that my focus remains with her.
BlankTimes so many people having leaks right now, what a pain that can be, I love the mural, I have been toying with the idea of a huge forest mural across one wall in my kitchen for a couple of months.

A busy day here, but good, not done as much work as I should have, but had a lovely Vinyasa yoga class this morning, busy picking up DD from the surgery to her work( had a great time packing wounds on real patients today apparently), cooking, making snacks and hot chocolate for unexpected church visitorsm taking DS to the gym, and DD back to her flat. and just aware I have not had my herbal tea- already in bed though and I can't be bothered to get up again.

I have felt very aligned today. Calm, although busy quite centred , which is a good feeling.
Tomorrow will be another busy day, more of the same, although I have to find time to do work!

I wish you all a peaceful night.

Hello ladies, after my complaints of feeling a bit meh, a couple of amazing things have presented themselves to me. I've been offered two wonderful job opportunities, but they are confirmed yet and are sometime away. I need some advice of putting something into the universe as way of offering so I can secure this jobs. Does this make sense? Have any of wise ladies some words of wisdom for me?

I too would be interested in ways to counter toxic masculinity - am struggling with a difficult issue on the home front and have a very ‘corporate’ broomcloseted job so am really in need of ways to protect myself and balance things out. All the talk of rose quartz and roses in general seems to correspond nicely and I may have recently bought a certain rose/sage smudge spray!

Salem this morning I had an idea for a working to help me process through a really difficult life transition and it might be useful / adaptable for your purpose. I borrowed from a previous poster’s (YashmisCrone? BlankTimes?) idea of collecting blossoms through the year and putting them in a jar to make into oil.

I’m going to collect a shell, stone or other object every time I visit the beach, until this tough period is over. I’m going to keep them in a jar, and bless each one when I place it inside. As I see the shell collection grow I hope I’ll feel my confidence returning and my fears ebbing with the tide. And hopefully, in a year or so when I’m out the ‘other side’, I’ll have a beautiful collection of shells to use as a protective boundary for my spaces, or I can give them to the goddess in a closing ritual.

I tend to find workings carried out over time are more effective for me.

speakout it is a joy to hear you talk about your daughter’s nursing career and dancing. It’s wonderful that you celebrate her and share her achievements with us. Thank you, and thanks everyone for making this such a nurturing space.

@Meadowlight that is a lovely idea! I already have some items that I can start doing that with. Thank you!

Thank you speakout I love the energy of flow in your post from last night as you describe your day. Goddess energy indeed! I hope today continues in a similar vein.

Wonderful news Salem, well done! Give an offering of thanks by all means, I think that’s a lovely thing to do. I also think it’s important to trust that you have manifested what is right for you- have faith in your power and achievements- celebrate yourself!

Meadowlight I love the sound of your shell jar and agree that work done over time is particularly powerful. Very inspiring. I love the way the work you describe morphs from gratitude and building your energy up to protection and an offering of thanks over time. A beautiful reflection of the way we manifest new circumstances over time with regular focus. Just lovely. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I think it’s Elphame’s flower jar that you’re referring to

I hope everyone is having a magical day 💫

(Ramble alert!!)

I’ve been thinking the divine feminine a lot, inspired by our discussions here. Such a vast subject that tbh I struggle to pin down and define- but to me that’s all part of the wild beauty of this powerful energy.

Toxic masculinity is bad for men and women. As a feminist I’ve always seen
femininity and masculinity as social constructs, designed and perpetuated to keep us all ‘in our place’; harmful to all yet so deeply ingrained.

Not that I think as women we should be expected to take on the burden of the harm this does to men. IMO empowering ourselves to transcend and defy such constructs is best use of our energy.

To me, like many others here, feminism and witchcraft are intertwined- inseparable. The concepts can be read slightly differently and in some ways I have struggled to find the language to describe the essence and experience of the divine feminine.

This is because when I talk about the divine feminine I do not mean harmful social constructs of masculinity and femininity in which masculinity is ascribed solely to men and is seen as advantageous, femininity to women and utterly devalued.

Witchcraft spans beyond these constructs and connects us to a time when the power of the woman, the divine feminine- was revered. It’s an essence we can embody and feel the power of if we can free ourselves of the damaging constructs we’ve had drummed into us. Ancient goddesses are rarely meek or submissive.

There is something deeply powerful about being a woman- the ability to create and give life, to stand strong, such resilience; a power that is deep and non violent yet warrior like in so many ways.

I read an article recently that suggested a pattern in women’s ability to create- that a 9 month gestation period is a pattern we will see in many of our workings- not just creating babies but ideas, projects etc. I recently noticed this pattern in my own life. I found it very empowering. Whether we are mothers or not we have the ability to powerfully create.

At our most powerful when flowing with our essence there’s nothing light and fluffy or stereotypically ‘feminine’ about us. Our energy is strong, gritty, real and fiercely protective; tribal and primal.

I’ve read that Western spiritual/religious theories say the masculine provides the structure, the feminine the energy. Eastern the reverse. A crude interpretation on my part but that’s the gist I get! I think we have both in us. To me the divine feminine transcends these ideas in many ways. We can be the structure of the thing and the energy needed to bring it to life- it’s all in us.

These women protesters illustrate so much of the essence of what I would see as the divine feminine.
www.boredpanda.com/powerful-women-protesters/

Saffiyah Khan, iconic image of our time really does it for me. She isn’t matching the aggressive hateful energy she’s met with despite being the subject of it. She meets it without fear, with a smile and a clear unwavering gaze. There’s so much power in that I think.

I have found that it is less important to know exactly what to say than to stand firm in the energy I want to project.

Words and actions fall into place once the framework of this energy is in place. Others feel it and respond to it. It’s open and loving and not to be messed with!

One of the problems with masculine power is it’s closed and defensive nature. An embodiment of fear of not being in control. The divine feminine knows that to seek to control is missing the point. Openness and authenticity can be such a powerful state to be in. It can be fierce and unshakable in a way that aggressive masculinity cannot.

I work on embodying the energy I want- I use images, symbols and I notice those who have the flavour of the magic I desire. As I notice it in others it rises in my own being.

Toxic masculinity’s power diminishes without a submissive subject. If we own the beauty of our divine feminine energy then we can outshine it, stand firm and grow. There’s some lovely practical ideas in this article I think.

www.elephantjournal.com/2015/06/5-steps-to-embody-divine-feminine-energy/

YashmisCrone thank you, I love that article so much I just printed it out. Useful stuff to journal with and work on for me there.

Yes, it was Elphame who had the flower jar! Thank you for such a wonderful idea!

Interesting discussion. Thank you for sharing that article Yashmis and taking the time to write such an insightful post. There's so much toxic masculinity in the world right now. It's so deeply ingrained in our society and it's so damaging, not just to women, but to men as well.

We've got to start honouring the divine feminine and the nurturing, intuitive, empathetic side of all of us, in order to be role models for young women and for our children.

When we come together with other women - on this thread, at women's circles - we allow the feminine to rise, within ourselves, and collectively as a group. We have to start making more time to gather as a group, as women once did, and make the divine feminine as important and valued as masculinity is.

I believe our role, as enlightened women, is to gently help other women understand this, finding ways to bring women together so we can support and honour one another. This thread is a perfect example of this. I'd like to thank all of my beautiful sisters for everything you bring to this special community we've created 🙏❤️

Violet

When we come together with other women - on this thread, at women's circles - we allow the feminine to rise, within ourselves, and collectively as a group. We have to start making more time to gather as a group, as women once did, and make the divine feminine as important and valued as masculinity is

Just beautiful. Completely agree. Thank you all 🙏 🧡 🕯 💫

YashmisCrone

Such a wonderfully written post, so inspiring, you coalesce these ideas so beautifully.

VioletCharlotte
Your words warm my heart.

Hello again

Yashmi I love what you said here:

Openness and authenticity can be such a powerful state to be in. It can be fierce and unshakable in a way that aggressive masculinity cannot.

As I grow older, openness, authenticity and integrity are the qualities I respect and admire the most in others.
I've never before thought of them as being feminine qualities.

Masculine energy is constantly on the defensive as it centres around the need to achieve, and then maintain status. Power is extrinsically defined, it is desired, it is taken and it is hoarded. Power is something outside of you, that you seek, rather than something inside of you, that you manifest. Masculine Power is created and verified through the adoration/subservience of others.

Feminine energy however is intrinsically defined as it comes within, from the power every individual has to create. It has nothing to prove and therefore no need to compete. In not competing it is instead free to seek cohesion and connection with others.

A little more feminine energy in the world would be a good thing!

Thank you.

openness, authenticity and integrity are the qualities I respect and admire the most in others

Me too Fitz, such powerful and admirable traits.

I love your observations on intrinsic/extrinsic power and their link to the masculine/feminine as defined by our society. So much food for thought there.

I love the feeling of my power being intrinsic and most definitely associate that with embodying the divine feminine.

Fascinating too what you say about the link between this and connection/cohesion. Rings so true to me and I think is what happens here in our community full of wonderful female energy as we grow and learn together.

I can’t remember if I’ve shared this article before but there are some similar ideas within it which may be of interest

www.awakeningpossibility.com/perspectives/2017/2/28/rediscover-the-strength-of-the-divine-feminine

Good morning everyone, hobbling back to the aga after a hard week. Dd2 got ill and has been fighting high temperatures with a viral rash and I've been so sore. The rain this morning is making my spirits soar and dd2 seems much better too. I had a really positive physio appointment yesterday too.

I find the rose energy fascinating, I've always been drawn to white roses since a child because of my love of history (as the nn suggests I'm a Yorkist) and now I find the energy extremely powerful, followed by yellow roses.

Filledsoda I would love a heated throw!!

Yesterday on the way home from the hospital we spotted a hare who really wasn't scared of us at all. I was delighted, Dh less so as it eats the crops

FitzsFool

You speak as a goddess. I am again bowled over by the goddess manifestation on this thread.
Loyaultemelie and there she is!!

Speakout yes! I think seeing this is responsible for the huge change in my mood

Loyaul how wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing the photo. Lovely how your mood shifted- hare medicine

As is often the case when we focus on a subject I was given another reminder of the power of female energy last night. I watched this documentary because I’m interested in people, what makes us tick etc.

It was a sociological experiment designed to trigger and study aggression in humans. Fascinating what happened with women at the helm..

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0005prp/storyville-the-raft

I’ve just been watching the family of blackbirds happily hopping around my unkempt lawn finding tasty treats, and the mother showing the young how to stretch out their wings to dry in the sun. Lovely to see.

Wishing everyone a magical day 💫

I’ve been enjoying this podcast on my travels today. I was delighted to learn that I share a birthday with such an inspirational woman as Starhawk.

There’s some lovely ideas for solstice work with our current astrological influences. I thought others might be interested to listen

kpfa.org/player/?audio=312906&fbclid=IwAR18slm98AcAUR2uQ7gFxGx1jDwMWTpgfLD3qlgmlNuRY6urzEoLZemnfqg

Good morning. Up early today, essential coffee, just stealing myself to jump in the shower.
Booked a holiday in Kos for DD and I, leaving in two weeks time, so that will be exciting. OH and DS are off to Budapest for a few days too separate holidays, but we like different things.
YashmisCrone thankyou for that podcast link, I love Starhawk, I have read several of her books, I think the first The Spiral Dance when I was 20.- many years ago!! She has shaped my thinking greatly.
Lovely to see blue sky here, feels like a laundry magic day. Washing clothes on a Sunday was taboo when I was a child, anyone daring to hang clothes outside on the Sabbath would be gossiped about for weeks!!
Have to take DD to work, little ones have ballet exams today, and mother to church. and I have a busy day of work.

I hope you all have a magical day.

Morning everyone- thank you all so much for the enriching discussion on feminism and the power of sisterhood. You’re so eloquent. I just bought ‘If women rose rooted’ - really looking forward to getting reading. I took this water lily photo recently and it makes me think about the nature of rootedness. Roots are there, even when it feels like we’re drifting and floating - we just need to look under the surface.

Starhawk is still a powerful influence on me too, thank you for the podcast. Also I noticed that the Dion Fortune books mentioned upthread are £3 ish on Kindle - just in case it’s useful for anyone to know! Does anyone know of any other great witchy podcasts? I sometimes listen to Druidcast, but I’d love some more women-centred listening for my commute.

Yesterday was a really tough day for me emotionally and physically. This morning my guides sent me the five of cups. Time to focus on the wonderful people and places in my life, to be grateful for the warmth of my family, my little cats, my supportive friends and this wonderful nurturing and empowering thread. Thank you sisters.