Any Witches here? Part 13

[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.

Evening everyone what a beautiful day we have had here, a balmy 12 degrees such a change from last weekend with the ice and snow. Where we like to walk the river had burst its banks and flooded the walkway. The DCs were amazed at how fast the river was flowing and how it had engulfed everything. The power of Mother Nature.

Not relishing the working week at all though, deep breaths and positive thinking.

Little DD3 is 12 asked me if she could choose a card from my Tarot Deck today, I allowed her too, I think it was easy to interpret the card for her as I know her so well it was a good card for her telling her not not judge herself so hard. She’s became very self critical recently, on the verge of becoming a teenager eek! You would think I would know what I’m doing by now, I have four DC and I can see how much they are all struggling with lockdown now. I think coming into Spring will definitely help us all.

for everyone who has suffered a loss, far too cruel in lockdown when you can’t visit loved ones

@Queenrollo that sounds very difficult. Two lots of life limiting disease, and your poor parent to lose two siblings so quickly 😔 very, very difficult.
The third one was sudden? That again brings different difficulties.
Sigh. I am sorry. And that your parents are shielding is hard. How are they doing?
Lots of love. I am grieving and processing that. It is deep. Dark at times. Thank goodness for the lighter times.
Sending you love 🙏

Queenrollo sorry for you loss. I am glad that you found the time outside restorative.
Spiritwriter I hope your journey through grief becomes easier for you

Unlike Spiritwriter i do feel like I need books for my path, but then I find comfort in known. Also I am very good at walking my own path and have little problem with going what feels right. I also think that if you are walking your own path through borrowing from set paths you need to be very aware of the practises you undertake and the history behind the practise. Ceremonial magic is not something i learn towards, but I understand that aspects of ceremonial magic are very defined for good reason which is how my choice was made in part, and part by feel. I do not consider myself a kitchen witch but do find kitchen witchery easy to incorporate - it takes a moment to stir intention into my morning brew as I make it. For me it is the little moments of magic that I tend towards more.

I did not manage to get outside yesterday. I did, however, go through my seeds that I am starting this month. I also set some camomile to steep in olive oil. I also made bread and did some mundane cleaning.

I can't manage to change my name atm. I have been having problems with mn of late. It has been very crashy and freezing.

It was interesting to learn that I am not the only one who have these visions. And reassured that I am also not alone in finding them slightly terrifying. VioletCharlotte and Sonmi451 Thank you both for your insights. Yes, I did feel very much under scrutiny so the feeling under pressure and expectations to 'perform' does make sense. There was also a feeling of just get on with it so having the answers and I need to look inwards for them also makes sense. I do have the solutions to a number of things that have been causing me stress of late. I was just lacking the energy and motivation. I was lucky enough to have a required journey this weekend and the positive impact was very noticeable yesterday. So steps have started and sleep was much easier to find last night.

A day of mundane is beckoning me on this unusual for me earliness to rise. May you all have gentle days.

queenrollo and Spiritwriter I hope sleep has restored you.

Loss is so hard, we are here for you, many of us know that landscape well, and we can walk with you a while.
The moon is in Cancer today, an aspect that supports the home and also healing. A good time for self care- whatever form that may take.
I plan a week of self care, that incudes decorating a bathroom- paying a decorator, I am just doing all the fun parts, of choosing colours and planning the style.
It is long overdue.

That’s interesting about the moon in cancer speakout, an apt reminder for us to tend to our roots however we can. I’m so pleased you’re planning a week of self care, you know what your spirit needs. It’s very inspiring and I love the reminder that this can take many forms. Your bathroom project sounds perfect. I think shifting the energy of a space in this way can be transformative in many levels.

Interestingly, I’ll be away from home clearing out an old workspace much of this week and I’m drawn to create gifts for myself ahead of time at home. Simple things like meal plans and prep, a freshly made bed and a comforting bath salt blend to sink into when I get home.

Also thinking of those moving through grief at this difficult time and adding my energy to the supportive mix

It’s good to hear how everyone is weaving their way through these strange times, finding the magic anyway. As ever it’s a tonic to be amongst like minds.

Wishing everyone blessings and comfort today

H has

Aerwyna

Your tasks all sound very productive and nurturing in a way- even if only on a cathartic level!
I am always interested in how self care manifests for people.
Chocolate and movies have their place, but so can cleaning out cupboards, sorting out finances, putting to bed some niggly problem, making a phone call you have been putting off.

I also love the idea of future gifts- again that can come in so many forms. Meal prepping can really help lift the mental load can't it.
I bought a lot of planters and compost for tomatoes in my porch. It was a success last year, but a learning curve. I have a few unusual varieties to try out, I will be planting seeds as soon as I clear some work.
It is a beautiful spring day here, sunny with a brisk cold wind, it gladdened my heart to hang out some laundry today, just some heavy stuff, jackets and trousers which take ages to dry indoors. It feels so good to start the laundry magic again!

Just wanted to add- if anyone is interested in drawing up their natal astrology chart, this is a good page. It's free, takes seconds, no sign up. Even some basic explanation too.
Great if you want to know your rising sign, your moon sign etc.

astro.cafeastrology.com/natal.php

Hills I meant to say that I was also interested to hear about the eyes you are seeing. I once had a wise older woman in my life (she was 102 to when she died!) . Whilst she did not profess to be spiritual in any way she had razor sharp insight and was a wonderful teacher as far as I was concerned. She would tell me, in a matter of fact way that she would see faces, real as life, when she went to bed at night, while she was still awake.

I did a bit of research and learnt that this was more of a common experience than I realised. A scientific reason was given for it, I don’t remember what that is but it’s called Hypnagogia.

To me, scientific explanations and a ‘spiritual’ path are not mutually exclusive and I love working with dreams and symbolism. I’m quite ‘Jungian’ in that respect and tend to think that dreams/waking visions represent an aspect of the self. To me your vision speaks of your own heightened senses and intuitions, perhaps a reminder to use the tools you forged to manage these.

I thought this article gave some interesting ideas on working in the liminal between waking and sleeping for personal/spiritual growth

lonerwolf.com/hypnagogia/

speakout thank you for that, I find astrology fascinating, another tool to understand ourselves and our experiences.

I love future gifts too, and I think planting is a perfect example, along with meal prep etc. The mundane can be a gift if we view it that way. Spring is in the air here too and it’s been a joy to feel the sunshine, the breeze and listen to the birds singing in the garden.

And yes, absolutely cathartic! It’s really helping me see how it’s time to move on in so many ways, that a new chapter needs a clean slate. Surprising how little attachment I feel to the representation of what I once thought of as my life’s work. Like the idea of ‘soulmates’, I now view this differently. I think there are different experiences that are absolutely right for different stages of life. Whilst I feel some trepidation for stepping into the unknown I feel no desire to cling on to what was. Time to step out of that particular archetype for a while for me.

Curiously, I’ve just noticed that I have a new(?) very prominent line on my right palm. It seems to have developed as I’ve gone through this transitional time. I’m not skilled or knowledgeable about palm markings at all but I will look it up with interest.

Thank you @speakout and @Aerwyna
That is appreciated.
I feel awful at the moment as my dad has left earlier than usual as he feels 'choked' as he describes it. It's because I have the tumble drier running and the fire on, and turns out the heating had kicked in too.
He has been getting that a while, when we have the drier on etc. So I feel terrible I switched it on. We were also watching Boris and it may have made him feel funny. He is usually very calm. But my mum died of a dreadful respiratory disease and perhaps it is all too much.
I also have been invited for the vaccine, I told him at teatime and he knows I am nervous about it.
Perhaps all that with the stuffy air was too much 😢 I feel terrible. My mum used to feel stuffy and anxious, obviously because of her lung condition and everything.
Sigh. I know he will be okay, I might call him in a bit.
He said as he was going, I don't know how yiu go on with asthma. I think these things, and feeling so stuffy make you think about how others have felt in situations.
Thank you for walking with me a while.
I am glad I found this place x 🙏

Spirit so your dad had sensory overload?

I have major issues with that. I will walk out of anywhere, or tell people to please go chat somewhere that's not near my desk etc when in the office.

Maybe let him decompress a bit?

Aerwyna "Surprising how little attachment I feel to the representation of what I once thought of as my life’s work."

I used to write. I am chucking it out and deleting it. It's really cathartic. People who were in classes with me have been a bit horrified. I am not the person I was and that's fine, things move on. In fact, I really like that they move on!

@LunaHeather no, it was just so stuffy. The drier dries the air and combined with the bread baking it gets overpowering. Especially with fires and heating! Simple dry air leading to stuffy breathing conditions.
He is OK. I phoned him. He wasn't anxious. Just the bloody air. I need to keep windows open. I hate Central heating when it gets like that.
Anyway.... Goodnight for now. Sleep well.

Good evening everyone. How refreshing to have a dry, sunny day!

I'm sorry that so many are struggling with difficult times. I hope that support is at hand, and I wish strength and comfort to all who need it.

@speakout I like your plan for your bathroom! It will be lovely to have someone else do the work, too.

@Aerwyna That all sounds very productive and satisfying, I do love the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that comes with clearing out and tidying.

It's interesting to think of tasks as future gifts, I hadn't really thought of that in relation to housework before. As I mentioned a while back, I'm trying to shift my mindset about housework, so maybe doing something as a gift to myself, to save me a bigger job later on, might be a helpful approach.

Since reading this thread (and the first of these threads, which I've just finished, and started on thread two) I am looking for magic all around me. I changed all the bedding on Sunday evening - I like to do it on a Sunday, it just seems to make sense, although I never thought about why. Yesterday I thought as I did it that clean sheets and a lovely sleep must be the best possible start to a new week. So I changed the beds, thinking of my family all having a successful week ahead, in their various pursuits. I don't know if I forgot to include myself though, because I had a terrible night's sleep! Oh well. Tonight will be better.

I would like to get a couple of crystals to put around the house. Would there be a particular one that would be best placed by the front door? And if anyone can recommend a reputable website I could order from, that would be wonderful. What are the top three crystals that would be the most useful / versatile?

Thank you all.

Is it wrong of me to have a little giggle about this? I'm reading thread two of these, and the talk is of hares. It occurs to me that we actually have an original painting of hares, from a local artist, in the house. I have to admit, I don't love it, but I don't dislike it. It's not currently on the wall, but I'm thinking I'll find a spot for it

DH and I differ significantly on matters of home decor - in that, he doesn't "do" decor. For him, everything has to be functional first, and decorative second - if at all. I'm quite enjoying the idea of introducing tiny Witchy items, bit by bit. A hare here, a sprig of rosemary there, a crystal or two in the near future...

Hello sisters, I've been a bit absent celebrating a biggish birthday! With Mum, painting pebbles and cooking together - it was a lovely day.

Sending love and magic to all of you who need it. I've had a contrary day on the work and tech front, but also had a long chat with my best friend which never fails to lift my spirits.

@Spiritwriter I'm so sorry for your losses - I don't know if it's helpful, but after my Dad passed away, Mum kept feeling like she had similar symptoms to him. Our doctor and our funeral director both told us this is very normal and part of how we process losing a loved one, especially if we've been part of their care before they pass. So it could be a little of that as well as general stuffiness/heat? Mum is much better now but it was definitely a thing for a year or so after he went, and tests confirmed she didn't have any of the same conditions.

My question for today - how do I make laundry magical once it's back indoors and resolutely unfolded in piles?! I love hanging washing out in the fresh air but I seem to be completely incapable of putting it away 😂

Oh and thank you for the besom recommendations! I haven't yet found one which calls to me but it's on my list and I LOVE the idea of getting a functional one and turning it into something beautiful myself!

Wow, things are rocking on apace on the thread, I can hardly keep up. aforementioned 'stuff' is multiplying so I've not had time to do much but skim-read.

Before I forget BrightYellowDaffodil thank-you so much for the link to the oudh. Mmmmm

I didn't collect our post yesterday, only noticed it just now, one item was a handwritten envelope with a first class stamp addressed to 'The Occupier' with my correct address.
I mused for a while about what it could be, something lovely, or a nice surprise maybe, or an anonymous note filled with vitriol. I toyed with binning it, but not knowing what was in it overcame my common-sense.

It was from the JWs, started 'Dear Neighbour' and was worded politely , apologising that Covid prevents them from knocking on my door complete with bible quotes in capital letters telling me Man cannot answer questions but their God can.

I would photograph it and put it on here, but the sender's names and email address as well as the Kingdom Hall address ( in a town 20 miles away which is stretching the 'Neighbour' thing a bit, ) are all within the text, so I won't do that.

I also won't cover the envelope in red upside-down pentagrams with Goddess Bless written on it and mark it 'Return to Sender, not known at this address' although I must admit I was fleetingly tempted to do something like that. Or contact them to suggest they go on a marketing course, as success in business depends on knowing your customer's wants and needs and fulfilling those before your competitors do. Targeting me with that mailshot was always going to be a waste of their time and money.
Has anyone else received anything totally inappropriate ?

Sonmi451 crystals, have a browse, each stone on the listing has loads of info including a link to its metaphysical properties.
www.mineralminers.com/html/indxminf.htm

Judy Hall's Crystal Bible is a good clear reference book.

Melody's Love is in the Earth is fabulous, but has no pics, so you need to have quite a bit of knowledge before using it IMO.

I've never bought anything without holding it first, when these people are up and running again, there may be an event near you. You can talk direct to the dealers, the ones I've visited at those events really knew their stuff. www.rockngem.co.uk/

What do you want a crystal by the front door to do? Protection, dispel negativity, radiate love, terrify JW's if they knock on your door?

Quartz is very reasonably priced because there's so much of it around, so as something to get to know, you may like to start with a piece of that. It's also very likely to make rainbows when a bright light catches it.

Blank "I also won't cover the envelope in red upside-down pentagrams with Goddess Bless written on it and mark it 'Return to Sender, not known at this address' "

This did make me laugh. I worked with two JWs, lovely people and I learned some useful lessons from them. Unfortunately, one tried to preach at me when my father died and the other during lockdown. It was all going so well before that! I was becoming more open minded.

I received a similar letter to my place of work recently. I returned it with "please do not send any further unsolicited mail" written on it.

Coincidentally, I was raised as a JW. I left when I was 17, but even by then I had heard every possible variation of "I tell them I'm a Satanist and they run away screaming, ha ha!" (No, they just roll their eyes and move on.)

Good evening all

So lovely to catch up on all the updates on this thread.

queenrollo so sorry to hear of your recent sudden losses. Sending you strength to help in the coming days.

spiritwriter my condolences to you too. I know how tiring grief can be. Hopefully we can help to support you at this difficult time.

speakout thank you for the natal chart link. That is something I have always meant to look up but never got around to checking. 😊

Aerwyna I found the idea of future gifts really inspiring. I often find that I have too much to do and then often regard tasks as drudgery. I’ve only recently started to see some of those tasks as being time to care for myself and my environment. If I could go a step farther and see them as a gift (rather than a necessity!) then that would be truly magical.

I had a productive day yesterday clearing out old paperwork which was l no longer needed. I also baked some bread, something which I have barely done in the last 20 odd years. In honour of the New Moon I shaped my loaf into a crescent. 🌙

Thank you @hilariousnamehere and @GeeIneverthoughtofthat your support helps.
Yes, it may be... I have asthma and I think with covid, grief, losing my mum to pulmonary fibrosis, and my dog six weeks before her to a sudden lung condition, it all very much is about the breath. Or rather, the not breathing.
I am doing all I can and I know mum supports me too. I just find it so hard in those moments when it's like she's not there. The most time I'm aware of her strongly. Basically, we are carrying on our relationship.
But those times it feels she isn't there are hard. I know it doesn't mean suddenly that she's Gone once and for all and my belief wasn't true. But... That those times I need to work on stuff myself. And... I am maybe a little harder to reach too maybe sometimes.
But thank you for your support.
Some people can make grief feel so mu ch worse with their lack of empathy or big foot in it

*@hilariousnamehere * Happy Birthday, I am glad you enjoyed your day. Painting stones is a lovely thing to do, I love how animals and objects jump out of the stones letting you know how they would like to be painted!
Spiritwriter I hope you have a better day today, We are here for you.

Black clouds are rolling in here and the wind is whipping up, we have a storm approaching. I need to go out, hopefully I can get back before things get too wild!

We don't get communications from the JW anymore.
Last time they came around I had a very good conversation that took over 2hr discussing the 'gaps' and issues i had with their religion and the Christian religion as a whole. Wasn't rude. Was backed up by science examples and religious quotes. And it was concluded with being told that I had clearly put a lot of thought into the matter and it was clear they were unlikely to change my mind. We haven't seen them since. The two I were talking to almost looked disappointed to be concluded the conversation. I was just amused that they ended up agreeing on some of the points that there might be a huge leap of faith against the evidence. I have no problem with faith, I have a big problem with religion if that makes sense. It is the same reason why people are told to be cautious if they try to join a coven. It is that there is a level of power that is open to abuse and that people who lead forget that they are responsible for the people they are leading. And that those people are by definition in a potentially vulnerable position. Be mindful of who you give power over you.

Aerwyna thank you for the link i will persue that later. I am deep within you will thank yourself for this safety net later stuffs.

It is nice that it is warm enough to have the windows open. I need some lightness after the darkness i felt over the announcement yesterday.
I can't remember who asked (sorry) but my plan for the full moon is to go stand outside, potentially with a hot brew, and just bathing in the light and atmosphere. Nothing major. But it has been too long since i did that simple action that was so natural to do when i was younger. funny how life sometimes gets in the way of the little things.

We don't often get JWs here but they tend more towards putting literature through the door which goes straight in the recycling bin, bless 'em. They could put it straight in there themselves and save their fingers in the Arkwright's Till that is our letterbox

It's a lovely sunny, if blustery day and at least the blusteryness is drying out the ground (ENOUGH WITH THE MUD ALREADY). I have several jars of daffodils around the house and they, and the sunshine, are making everything seem a bit more cheerful after the dreariness of late.

I like standing bathing in a full moon (or indeed most clear skies, I do love looking up at the stars and trying to get my head around how old the light they eminate is, or picking out constellations - I bought the Night Sky Almanac this year in an effort to learn more than the Plough and Orion). Just standing alone in the middle of a field and gazing...and usually with a horse standing next to me wearing a "Well, are you feeding me or not?!" expression...