Any Witches Here? Part 14.

[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.

barn owls are amazing creatures to see out in the natural world. Was treated to seeing grouse and all sorts of other criters.
Tomorrow is a new day.

May you all have peaceful nights that allow you to awake refreshened and ready to face what the new day brings.

Owls are lovely creatures aren't they.
I have tawny owls roosting in the trees outsie my bedroom window.
Their call lulls me to sleep, it's quite hypnotic.

We have little owls locally and sometimes you will come around the corner to find them sat in the middle of the road. We also have tawny owls that i can hear from my bed room sometimes.
I am really rather fond of owls.

Thanks everyone for asking, I'm just spinning more plates than I have sticks for, you know how it is

Someone was struggling with moonphases?
Apart from go outside every night and observe which is the easiest way, this is a good guide until you get used to it moonphases.co.uk/moon-calendar

I love owls too, there are barnowls nearby here, I hear them but haven't seen any in the garden. Sundown in winter, I hear too-whit from one area and a faint too-whoo from another a fair few fields away. My favourite are the Little Owls, such fun personalities. For presence, when they open their eyes and look into yours directly, a long-eared owl, that's breathtaking.

Think I have a resident pheasant in our garden, he's there every morning beside the water-bowl when I look out of the kitchen window.

BlankTimes I hope you are taking time for yourself too within your busy schedule.
Far too easy to let our own plate to be the one that slips when we have lots of demands.
We are always here to support you.

Thank you @BlankTimes, it was me asking me about the moon phases.

@speakout

Owls are lovely creatures aren't they. I have tawny owls roosting in the trees outsie my bedroom window. Their call lulls me to sleep, it's quite hypnotic.

Lucky you! I think I heard an owl about two years ago and was beside myself with excitement. I was mum and she thinks I imagined it.

LunaHeather there are a good number of owls in the UK, any wooded area is likely to have at least a few. Did your Mum hear the bird call? Did she think it was another trype of bird?
Wildlife is so sacred, all types.
A rich golden sunrise here, glistening frost reminding me it is still too early to plant out the annuals I have raised from seed.
I am eager for lockdown to ease, really hankering for a rummage in a charity shop, if they have survived.
My niece was asking me about the tooth fairy and how to do that delightful little ritual, now that her son has his first wobbly tooth. Her own mother didn't do a lot of stuff like that ( born again) and she wants to make sure he own child can feel the magic.
Such a wonderful little ceremony, how a tooth can magically turn into a coin overnight.
Children are such magical creatures, their world is one of fantasy, and mystery, a place stuffed full of possibilities.
We lose that as we grow don't we, we put limitations on ourselves, decide that many things are not possible, define and box ourselves. It is too easy to find ourselves in a cage of our own making.
Often it is a cage we build to protect ourselves.
Finding courage means we can break the bars. Defining our boundaries and bravely grasping that 3 of swords understanding means we can break out and explore.
Life is such an ongoing process the destination is never fixed.
Today the sun is sextile jupiter, bringing opportunity, hope and an energy of cooperation in our endeavours.

Starting my day with a sweet orange spa shower and a yoga session . Also tending to a lump on my forehead- the door of my linen cupboard jumped out at me yesterday as I was putting some towels away!

Sending some magic to my sisters.

Such wise words speakout, I love what you say about courage, it has inspired me today to find my own. I also love this 3 of swords perspective- holding the key to our power.

And ouch! I hope your head is not too sore, always a shock when something like that happens.

I enjoyed hearing about everyone’s owl connections, I agree they have such magical energy. I was delighted to see bats flying past my window at dusk last night, lucky for me it seems to be on their feeding path.

I hope everyone has a peaceful evening

More static for me today from a duvet and a light switch - very odd.

This week has been even more crazy than usual so am looking forward to some friend time and some naps with the cats, and some quality time with my journal which has been much neglected the last few days.

And possibly a pit stop past my mum's for some magnolia petals before they all go.

What magical or mundane things do your weekends hold?

Thanks @speakout !!! I was in nature all last week and it was so grounding. I could see the same peace in my DDs.

Blessed be to you keeping us going on this lovely thread...

@BlankTimes I too feel off (and guilty) when I miss moontimes...but then I remember how I'd walk the house windows with my DDs as babies, trying to lull them to sleep, pointing it out whenever we could find the moon from the windows. That's all the time I had for it back then...and that's ok. With all your plates spinning, maybe just an intentional look out the window at night.

Delphinium20

You just transported me back to some magical moon times!
I remember when my babies were tiny, sitting up breastfeeding in the still of the night, I would sit by the window and bathe in the moonlight as they fed.
I remember thinking of those moments- of absolute and pure love- as being the most precious times of my life.

@BlankTimes I hope you don't have to spin too many plates for too long. Have you read the rubber/glass ball analogy? I'm all about dropping rubber balls at the moment!

@speakout How's your forehead? I enjoyed reading your words on courage. I agree we are often our own jailors, trading excitement/growth/fun for perceived security. It's madness and it's catching and it's an ongoing effort to remind ourselves of this (at least in my experience). I also enjoyed your words on breastfeeding in the depths of the night, thankfully DD sleeps through now (oh blessed sleep, how for granted I previously took you!) but I spent a great deal of last year up in the night with her, seemingly endlessly feeding her. I remember one time in the early morning she wouldn't go back to sleep in her cot, so she slept on my chest in bed while I listened to the dawn chorus. It was totally magic and despite being exhausted I thought to myself that I'd never been happier.

@hilariousnamehere I had some more static today too - what is going on?! Your weekend plans sound delightful - do you usually journal daily? And what are your plans for the magnolia petals?

@Delphinium20 I'm pleased to hear you're feeling grounded after a week in nature. More and more I think it's the salve for our busy, modern lives.

I have returned to the sea this week (it was too cold for me last week!), more than anything I love how it transports me back to childhood. For those brief moments I feel totally carefree and at one with nature.

This sounds perhaps a little bit 'formal' for this lovely thread, but I was wondering how much you plan/organise your witchy rituals (for want of a better word). So often things pass me by and I kick myself.

Have a peaceful day wise ones! x

moregarlic glad you enjoyed the seaside!
Still have a bump on my forehead- but no one has noticed thank goodness.
Just having lots of little accidents this morning, feeling a little out of focus.
Spilled my tea, cut my finger twice, let something boil dry which cracked a bowl. I need to keep my eye on the ball!

You ask about "witchy ritualsa" and planning, do you mean spellwork or sabbat rituals, rituals with a capital R?

Good evening sisters, just catching up in all the posts. This threads moves so quickly!

Loved hearing about all the owls. I've never actually seen one (apart from at country parks, etc) but I've heard them when I've been away on holiday, their hoot is gentle and comforting come how. You've reminded me of the book 'Owl Babies', I used to love reading that to my boys when they were little.

I think where we live is a bit urban for owls, however DS was lucky enough to see a fox one evening this week - strolling across the football pitch of all places! I was very envious as I adore foxes!

Aerwyna you were lucky too to see bats. I often see them on summer evenings when I'm dog walking. It's so lovely to be able to get outside now the evenings are a bit lighter isn't it? (Hopefully they'll soon be warmer too!)

Speakout I hope your head's not too sore. I find I have little accidents when I need to slow down...are you doing too much? I enjoyed your post about the tooth fairy, I love these little ways we can bring magic to life for children. My grandmother used to tell me that the little black seeds in the centre of nettle flowers were fairy slippers, it always makes me smile to see them.

Moregarlic I smiled at your post about your DD falling asleep on your chest. DS1 is 21 now, but I can still remember how he would only fall asleep on me for the first few months, such precious memories.

I took first tentative steps back in to the world today. Everything's been closed for so long, I've got used to just being at home and going for walks. However I went swimming this evening which felt great, and I'm psyching myself up for the gym to tomorrow! I'm off work now for a week which feels wonderful!

@speakout oh I’m sorry to hear that, it all sounds very frustrating! Maybe some grounding in nature? That’s often the tonic for me when I’m feeling frazzled. When I have particularly clumsy days I find I’m whizzing by and need to slow right down. I meant in relation to Sabbat and things like moon cycles....though I’m now very curious about rituals with a capital R!!

@VioletCharlotte cross post! That’s so sweet that you cherish those memories of your DS. I’m already shook by how quick time moves with a little one, I keep trying to take moments to soak it all up. I don’t love all aspects of technology, but I do love how easy it is to capture photos and video these days. Oh and we also have the owl babies book! Your day sounds lovely - I hope the gym brings you joy tomorrow.

VioletCharlotte Oh I used to read that book "Owl Babies" to my children too. Sweet memories. I love that story about the fairy slippers.
You are right I was trying to do too many things, and became clumsy. As soon as I posted into this source I had a gentle word with myself and slowed down.
moregarlic I mean rituals ( with a capital R) as in spellwork, ceremonies.
I try to have lots of little rituals every day- sorry for the confusion.

Sometimes I really go to town on festivals and sabbats, other times it is a gentle passing. Same with the moon phase. I don't pressure myself to celebrate if the feeling is not there.
Winding down tonight with a pot of peppermint.
Have an enchanted evening dear sisters.

Been a long time since I posted here - it's nice to catch up with the thread.

Nature around me is really in blossom, but I feel like I'm just coming out of hibernation. I'm hoping to find a little energy this weekend to do some proper spring cleaning. Now the charity shops are open, I've no reason not to get rid of dead weight in the form of old clothes and other bits and bobs, and make some space in my drawers and cupboards.

These threads are always so wonderful - I don't post but avidly read these threads. So comforting and warm. I currently reading The Green Witch book and enjoying watching Spring change everything outside. Thank you for your fantastic community on here.

Speakout and Moregarlic owl babies is lovely isn't it? Some of my most previous memories are of reading to my sons. I uses to curl up with both of them on the bed every night for stories, right up until they were around 10 or 11. I read the whole of the Harry Potter series to them!

Thinking about rituals/Rituals, I'm similar to Speakout in that I have little magical 'everyday' rituals. For Sabbats/ moons, etc, I love doing something as part of a group (I'm a member of a couple of women's circles). For the moons we would come together and meditate, practise yoga, chant, etc. On a couple of occasions we made bath salts as group, all adding essential oils, flower petals, etc, as well as out own energy, then took them home to bathe in. Also fire ceremonies, cacao ceremonies...the pandemic put a stop to all this of course, I'm so looking forward to when we can meet again!

Ogress I understand that feeling of coming out of hibernation, I'm the same! Having a good clear out of the cupboards always seems to help doesn't it? Makes some room for the energy to flow!

Eyeoresancerre I'm so glad you enjoy reading the posts, plenty of room by the fire 🔥

Ogress lovely to see you again, I am envious of your charity shops open, still in lockdown here.
eyeoresancerre hi, glad you have posted, welcome to our magical corner.
VioletCharlotte you have inspired me to look out for some new groups when lockdown ends. I do usually attend a yoga class, and have met some amazing women there.

A glorious spring day here, DD is coming over with a picnic later today,hopefully it will be warm enough to sit in the garden.

A picnic sounds lovely speakout, I hope the weather stays nice for you, so good to be outside in the spring air and in good company

Good to see you Ogress, I’m also trying to muster some spring clean energy! I know what you mean about coming out of hibernation too.

Violet, what a gorgeous image of you reading to your boys. In turn, it brings up fond story time memories for me too. So glad to hear you’ve got some time off, I hope you can get to the coast and take in a bit of sea energy

moregarlic, I love hearing about your dips in the sea! I’m another one who goes with how I feel regarding rituals etc. Sometimes I enjoy planning food or flowers etc for the house coming up to a sabbat, tapping into the themes of whichever particular turn of the wheel, other times I’ll just notice it’s happening and reflect on the energy it brings. Same with moon phases really, awareness of the cycles helps me tune into building and releasing things in my own life. If I’m drawn to do a ritual or spell I’ll harness whatever energy is available in this way. It’s both fascinating and fun to learn about herbal, colour, deity, astrological etc influences and then weave them all together with your intuition I think. In my experience, the more of your own energy poured in the better.

hilarious I’m curious as to how you use the magnolia petals. Such beautiful trees, I love them. I’ve seen a lot of posts on foraging groups I follow about people making various uses of them. Pickling seems popular!

Delphinium20 nature really is powerful medicine isn’t it. Good to hear of your grounding week and wonderful moon memories, you’ve conjured magical memories for many of us

Lovely to have you here eyeoresancerre, I agree about the warmth and comfort here. It’s an oasis for me too.

A bright day here for now, good to get outside and feel the spring air A garden visit with friends a little later, the spring cleaning can wait a little longer!

I have been enjoying nature the last few days. I sat on a hill with a bunch of books to study and watched an amazing sun set, take hold, and then driving home i passed a field with a herd of deer. I am truely spoilt where I live.

I do not plan magical stuff atm. I would like to but right now it is very much a matter of how many plates do i have in the air and what can i do that won't disrupt them. The opportunity to take a more deliberate path in my magic would be nice. But it is not the right time it would seem. Too much mundane change to handle first.

It has been a beautiful day here. A birthday picnic organised by my daughter and a trip up to visit the old house of Beatrix, a woman murdered by the church.
I laid some flowers and had a little talk with her, sitting in her garden.
The land has been claimed by badgers, dozens of entrances to large mounds, piles of earth near the burrow doors , and lots of little paw prints in the soft sandy soil. It is good to know she has life nearby and company.