Any Witches Here? Part 15

[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.

Thekormachameleon

Welcome, and I am sorry things have been so tough for you. You may find better support on the relationships board- unless it is a spiritual or pagan path you are seeking.

Sorry, yes it is a spiritual path/support I'm seeking specifically

Welcome Thekormachameleon Swanhilde and BerthaFlapjack

Thank you for the flapjack- just the thing with a tea- perfect!

Bertha I’m so sorry to hear what you’ve been through, you must be in shock. Please take good care of yourself in any way that soothes right now, a day, hour, minute at a time. I’ve been there and I promise it won’t always feel this awful. Please also talk to you GP if you are worried about your mental health. There’s lots of lovely self care ideas throughout the previous threads which are wonderfully soothing to read. When I’ve felt really bad it helps me to have a list of ideas- from tiny things to bigger that I can use to remind myself of how to do self care.

BlankTimes, like speakout, I love the information and food for thought you share with us. I hope things settle for you soon. Sending love.

As for many of us in the current climate, I’ve just had a change of Christmas plans. I wasn’t really doing it until afterwards and will be working but now DS will be here so we’ll have a simple midwinter celebration- what will be will be I guess!

Wishing everyone some peace and calm amongst it all, not long until the light returns

Sorry I meant Thekormachameleon not BerthaFlapjack

That's ok! Just back from a walk in the woods, they are so peaceful in midwinter, a good place to unwind.

Thekormachameleon I am sorry you are in such pain. I would echo Aerwyna's wise words.
Such early days and this will take time to process, self care is paramount and self case so important, but please try to reach out for professional help if you are struggling to cope. NHS resources are limited, but there are many charities reating to mental health, realtionships that will be able to support you during this difficult time.
By all means use spiritual/magical support, but often these pratices- shadow work, divination, shadow work, etc are best done from a place of experience rather than diving in when you feel most vulnerable.
Certainly using crystals to support, essential oils to calm and help you sleep are all great, but I would gently suggest finding a place of greater stabity before launching into a deep spiritual practice.
Real life support will help you get on an even keel soon hopefully.

Is anyone preparing for the Solstice? Today I made pentagrams with willow twigs and rosemary, sage and mistletoe. I have frankincense, juniper and pine to add to the Yule log fire in the firepit. ( This will happen at a friends house as DH thinks Im batshit crazy). I have a gift for friend of a beeswax candle, wildflower bombs and a pentagram as above. Am very excited.

ementedma oh that sounds amazing!! I had wanted a forest walk today to forage, but my DD didn't leave until dusk and we were enjoying cuddless under the blanket- resting as she faces a 13 hour nightshift tonight.
I may get my forest walk tomorrow!

I am going to echo what Speakout said dementama, that sounds amazing. I have no plans for solstice. I may figure something out last minute but things here are insanely busy and there is a lot of sucking up and just getting things done so I am expecting a crash afterwards. However, between now and the 24th the kitchen will be full of amazing smells due to the Christmas baking that is going on.

Welcome kormachamelon

I would love to be out walking atm berthaflapjack but I had to conceed I am not super human and can't physically do the necessary seasonal prep and walk. So after christmas all bets are off and I intend to disappear out into the hills as much as I am able for as long as I am able and come home tired, muddy and totally and utterly content.

Goodness, our witches kitchen is a huge of activity today! So good to see so many of you, both familiar faces and new comers 😊

Bertha yes please to the flapjack! I love flapjacks, although mine either seem to be too dry or too hard! Any tips on how to be a better flapjack baker would be very welcome.

Speakout you've got a nice week planned. Im working up until 23rd, so somehow I need to find a sense of balance and calm and not let it consume me! I've got a yoga class Monday and the solstice celebration on Tuesday (hopefully!) I think I'm going to do my big food shop early on Thursday morning before the supermarket gets too busy.

Thekormachameleon I'm so sorry, that must have been such a shock for you. Awful at anytime, but particularly hard at this time of year. As Aerwyna says, do speak to your GP if you think you might need some help with your mental health. Otherwise, I would suggest nurturing yourself in the same way you would nurture a young child who has had an awful shock. Take care of yourself by taking warm baths or showers every day with some essential oils, dress in warm, soft comfortable clothes, eat nourishing food that's easy to prepare ( bowl of soup is always nice and comforting). Listen to your body and don't try and push yourself. Do you have much support in real life? Do stick with us and just let the energy envelope you, it'll help you feel less alone xx

Thank you all for the beautiful cards, I love all the imagery. DS is rather perplexed by all the user names in brackets though. I told him it was a secret club for witches!

A very warm welcome to all of our new people, I see you're already comfy around the fire with a tasty brew.

Please do peruse all our previous threads, there is so much in there that you may like to try or investigate further.

Thekormachameleon so sorry to hear you've had such an awful shock, but do heed the words of wisdom from our Crones, your priority now should be self-care, until your equilibrium is restored.

I have a non-witchy friend in a similar situation and I've sent her a self-care-package, with instructions firstly to use the things she knows about, secondly to investigate the things she's not sure about and thirdly to try some self-help energy-work like EFT when she feels ready.
Himalayan salt for long luxurious soaks in the bath.
Himalayan salt-lamp t-light holders with t lights as their glow makes you feel good.
Lavender Essential Oil to relax
Frankincense Essential Oil for when the blackness of despair descends.
Piece of natural Rose Quartz to hold and meditate or just zone out with.
Instructions for relaxation breathing.
Suggestions to explore the concept of Mindfulness.
Suggestion to explore EFT to help shift emotional baggage . This is a nice EFT exercise to start with
Then speaking of exercise, when she's ready, Yoga or Pilates and maybe QiGong.
it's all about a slow natural progression from a state of unease to one of harmony.

Violet Charlotte (sorry, how do I make names bold?) you need about 4 parts oats and one part wholemeal self raising flour. Also two or three tablespoons of golden syrup. Hope that helps!

Bertha

Bold is * before and after a word or phrase.

Underline is _

Italics is ^

Strikethrough is __

You ok BlankTimes I thought I was the only daft person up. I'm waiting for bread to cook and washing machine to finish for another load to go in. Teenager who is night shift gaming so no fire risk whilst sleeping concerns.

I forgot to switch the washing machine on so I'll do it tomorrow. I'm trying to avoid being awake for most of the night Hills and failing dismally because it's such a peaceful time, the silence is profound and I like to float around in it.

I was also thinking about Newgrange, this video is a different perspective and the narrator Jim Fitzpatrick (no doubt inspired by Mucha) had an experience when he was young in the chamber at Newgrange which inspired him to paint scenes from many of the ancient legends of Ireland. He features many ancient sites in his work.

Jim's Irish legends art jimfitzpatrick.com/product-category/celtic-irish-fantasy-art/

This year the winter solstice occurs on Tuesday, December 21, at 3:58pm GMT in the Northern Hemisphere.

Ahh night owl sisters, I too am floating around enjoying the peace but really do need to go to sleep soon... I am unsure how it got to be 5am

Good morning night fliers- I am a dawn flier- a 5.30 or 6am wakener, no matter the day.
Still quiiet and dark to savor some of that time when most people are asleep, but I get very tired in he evening soprefer my alone secret time to be at the start of the day.
I am feeling a bit more organised and much calmer than last week, things unravelled for me for a few days which was a challenge.
I am more on track now- situations havenlt changed but my internal locus is stronger.
And will find time to do do some forest foraging today!
And maybe some cranberry or popcorn garlands for the birds, but I want to make sure that is safe. I don't wan't little wings getting tangled up with thread, so I am thinking cotton string, and maybe just hanging 6" lengths rather than metres of twists. I know to use unsalted popcorn. Any advice or thoughts?
As usual I slept like a sovereign goddess under the full moon- the deepest sleep on the month..
Off for a quick shower and yoga.
Have an enchanted one magical sisters.

BlankTimes Thank you.

speakout we have a book called Cooking for Birds with lots of lovely ideas.

Hello all, what an intense few weeks its been. It sounds like it has been for many of us. I felt the urge to take a bit of time to sit by our fire and find some peace. I always feel a massive relief when this time of year is over. I just aim to get through it and things start to improve on boxing day. I try to keep everything low-key and relaxed but its hard not to pick up on the stress that seems to emanate off everyone!
I'm taking the kids to a pantomime this afternoon, via a Christmas Market. I've got a feeling a nice crystal or two, or candle might come home with me!
Solstice love and peace to everyone ❤

Thekormachameleon, I hope you are feeling more at peace. I echo others advice to focus on self care. Try to eat, sleep and drink water every day, if nothing else. Its easy to forget when you're hurting x

Berthaflapjack that sounds a wonderful book.
Although feeding wild birds seems like a good nurturing thing to do I feel I never know enough to do the right thing!
I am aware that anything I do will disturb the ecological balance, it is so out of kilter anyway because of humans that the situation is so messed up anyway it is hard to know what to do that is right!!
I try to feed only the little birds, gulls, crows and magpies have the right to be fed too, but they scare away the little birds, so my feeding station is geared to the tiny shy birds.

Also wanted to share this quick 10 minute guided meditation.
I have been practicing almost daily, or really when I am feeling things a bit overwhelming- I did this one today.

It is a good channel, all very short, but very effective, always puts me into the zone!

Thank you so much sisters for the the invaluable tools you’re sharing to keep all of our self care tool boxes well stocked. There is true sisterhood here- I can feel the strength of our collective energy.

This talk of taking care of wild birds has reminded me again of this documentary about a woman who devoted her life to herbalism for animals. I may have shared it before but I think it’s a lovely, grounding watch, which is what I find myself craving at this time of year

speakout that's so lovely! My Gran does that too, she has a sort of wigwam thing from the RSPB which goes over her ground feeding tray. It has a small enough grid for the little birds to get in, it keeps the bigger birds and squirrels out but the mesh is big enough that they won't get trapped if they try, and she loves watching them on the patio :)

I'm worrying about my cats again today, they're happy in themselves but eating about a quarter of what they should be the last week or two :( can't work out if it's seasonal, stress (theirs or picking up on mine), the new microchip feeders (which I've introduced over 3 months, and they're also not bothered about food from their old bowls so don't think it's that), or whether I should be worrying about another underlying condition. They have a full checkup and jabs on 11 Jan so just hoping we can get through till then with a random mix of cat food - would rather not stress them with a vet visit unless they need it. Have a stupid selection of expensive food from their summer issues so whatever they'll eat, I'll let them have - but at the moment none of it is working and it's making me sad.

It's so hard when you love them so much and they can't talk - behaviour says everything is fine but I've never had to throw out over half their food every day before :(

Had planned for this week to be full of little magical treats. Work + cats is not really allowing for that, but covid permitting I'll see friends for solstice on Tuesday night and Wednesday day, and booster Thursday, and should be able to finish the big projects in time for a proper break by Christmas Eve.

Sorry, tired post cards are being addressed as we speak (well, when I get off MN) so they will be winging their way out into the world later today!

Have a magical afternoon loves x