Any Witches Here? Part 16

[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.

Sorry i do not have any sensible solutions for sleep issues. I find a stroll before bed helps me, but i know that exercise just before sleep is not really recommended. I know that i use some white noise type videos which are a gentle rain storm/river running/birds and woodland type thing. Atm i am falling asleep to knitting podcasts. Although if i am honest, covid appears to have improved my sleep quality massively. Definitely would not recommend that!

Sorry you are struggling QueenRollo

Welcome to all the new people.

I did not make garland day, dislocated a shoulder , thankfully have recovered enough from covid to celebrate the solstice and well dressing season. There is a rose queen event this weekend i might go to too. Pondering on how much people i feel the need to encounter. But mostly i want to go see the Chatsworth burning man art installation event that they have. It is a shame that petrol prices make all the adventuring harder to justify.

May your weeks treat you gently and there be magic in each day.

@VioletCharlotte yes I'm on HRT, but my GP surgery doesn't have a great understanding of it. I have a private appointment with a specialist soon to try and get a better combination. The GP keeps wanting me to have a form of progesterone that makes me very ill. Finally the nurse practitioner (who seems more clued in) gave me a different one and so far it seems much better. But she agrees that seeing a specialist is a good idea.

Well my morning took a bit of a turn. We have a neighbour over the road who has been causing long term issues with anti-social behaviour and I cannot understand why the Housing Association haven't moved him yet (I suspect because he was moved here for the same reasons). Anyway for the first time ever he acted up while I was there and I am afraid I did lose my temper with him a bit. I confronted him. He gave some excuse and I walked away. I have it on film but because it doesn't have the 20 mins prior to give context I just sound a bit unhinged!
Then I had to go straight to the dentist!

Am currently writing a long letter of complaint to the Housing Association. This is awful snobbery but my neighbours were told if a private homeowner complains we will probably be taken more seriously.

VioletCharlotte I feel a little wired today too, but meeting it head on, listening to my subconcious. Things are OK overall in my life, no major drama, I will do some hypnotherapy this afternoon to release my anxiety a little.
Like you I have dipped into some extra yoga, a lovely studio near me, but ££££, so I just take an extra class there as a little treat, the teaching is phenomenal there though. I hope the dentist trip went smoothly.
I hope the diabetes appointment also went well TurquoiseDreamCatcher, a rest in the garden sounds very relaxing and restorative.
I often give myself treats & rewards, especially after unpleasant tasks or if I have been working hard.
I don't have any remedies for menopause I'm afraid, I know many women are helped a lot through HRT. I don't know if symptoms or lack of them are genetic or just the luck of the draw. Diet- particularly foods high in phytoeostrogen especially soya and tofu are suggested, as is regular exercise.
I am sorry for those suffering, it must be debilatating.

HillsBesideTheSea I hope your shoulder is better soon, I hope it isnt too painful.
queenrollo sorry you are having to live with anti social neighbours. I dont blame you for confronting him, that was a brave thing to do, we need to stand our grounds sometimes. Bullies will often back off if they meet resistance.

Very much a novice witch here. Can I please join?

IRunbecauseILikeCake welcome, of course you can join us, glad you stopped by.
I look forward to getting to know you.
I see some parts of the UK are warm today, I hope no one is strugging.
I live in the North, so I think we may get 18 degrees if we are lucky. I love the sun and heat, but I appreciate it can be uncomfortable for those working or travelling, pregnant, especially in the city.
DD stayed over last night, which was lovely so I will be making pancakes and strawberries for breakfast.
I have eggs delivered from a local farm, organic, delicious, and free range, the farmer comes with a bicycle on a Saturday morning, I sellotape an envelope with money to my front door, and he leaves the eggs just inside the porch, picking up the empty box from last week. I love these local enveadours- I have seen the farm and hens, they are happy, lots of outdoor space, a meadow, woodland and large airy barns.
I so love living in a rural area. I enjoyed city living when I was younger, but here I have space to dig my roots deep.
Time to get up and ready for the day. OH has already gone to work and I have three family members who are still asleep- and I will be quiet to make sure it keeps that way for as long as possible!
I love my own space at any time, but particularly in the morning.
I don't know if anyone does shadow work- particularly on healing the inner child- I came across this guided meditation yesterday so powerful and healing it had me in tears. Good tears, the tears that need to fall and make you feel better afterwards.

Have a magical day sisters.

I am going to be honest, the physio to fix the shoulder is worse than the initial incident. I have a good physio, and the routine will fix it in the long run. But the muscles are a little reluctant to accept the exercises and are having to express their displeasure at being made to work hard and in the proper manner. I am just grateful i have many tools in my tool box to relieve the pain that are not just pain killers.

Does anyone have any plans they wish to share for the solstice? I am still trying to figure out "how" i want to celebrate it as a tradition. Sometimes building new traditions are hard and require refining. Especially if you are not sure if you want a detailed new tradition or a more relaxed go with the flow tradition. iyswim.

HillsBesideTheSea I am sorry to hear the physio was painful, sending healing energy, hope it feels better soon.
I don't have any set tradition for the Sostice or Litha.
How I celebrate changes every year, and I make sure it never becomes a burden or a duty.
Sometimes I do an invocation, meditation, or just simply light a candle and have a quiet moment.
I may do spell work or ritual, cook or bake, have some mead or wine.
I was thinking of making a honey cake this year- we have a lot of bees around here, and lots of local honey.
In short I do what feels good!

Afternoon sisters. Speakout perhaps we need to do a house swop! It's 28 here today in the south. Much too warm for me, I think Scotland's cooler climate would suit me well.

Hills like Speakout when it comes to the solstice I tend to see how I feel at the time. In previous years I've been to outdoor ceremonies, but the yoga teacher who organised them has moved away. Rather annoyingly, I've got a work meeting that I need to travel which won't finish til 8pm on the 21st, so I don't think I'll be getting up at 4am! I like the idea of honey cake. The celebrations at Stonehenge or Avebury (which are both fairly nearby) don't really appeal to me - too many people!

Speakout I love the way you described your day and the place that you live, your writing style is so calming. I think I'd like to live somewhere more rural. I live on a large housing estate in a big town. I'm really fortunate in that we're surrounded by beautiful Hampshire countryside, but I'd like to be somewhere with less neighbours, where I could walk to the fields and woods.
Thanks you for sharing that meditation. Inner child work is incredibly powerful isn't it?

IRunBecauseILikeCake lovely to meet you and great user name! It's good to have you with us.

Hiya I hope everyone’s good. It’s so hot today, I made the mistake of shaving my legs and now I’m itching everywhere😳

@speakout I love being with women and feeling that female energy, my favourite time is with my grandmother and mother and DD, 4 generations of women seems so special to me. We live rural too and it’s so magical. I will try that meditation later, I definitely need to do some inner child/shadow work

@TurquoiseDreamCatcher I hope the pregnancy insomnia eases soon, you’ve had some really good advice. I do make a sleepy tea that’s pregnancy safe, it’s just a chamomile tea but it’s good.

@VioletCharlotte I can cope with regular bacon, but something about vegetarian bacon just makes me feel sick, I don’t mind it when it’s cooked though!. I was shocked to hear it was the strawberry moon too, this year is flying by!. I’m a while away from menopause yet, but I think it’s wonderful it’s being discussed. Womens issues have been brushed over for so many years. If men menstruated/had babies/went through menopause they’d have so much help, it’s insane that women are expected to carry on as normal and keep quiet

@queenrollo sorry you’re struggling! And sorry about the nightmare neighbour, I had one when I lived with my mum and unfortunately HA did nothing about it. Well done you for standing up to them though!

@HillsBesideTheSea sorry about the dislocated shoulder that sounds sore! Hopefully the physio helps in the long run though.

@IRunbecauseILikeCake welcome! I love your name :)

I’m reading (to DD) ‘Let’s talk about Pagan Festivals’ and it’s got some brilliant suggestions for the solstice, mainly aimed at younger ones but if any would like me to share let me know!

We’re having a day in the garden and I snapped this beautiful picture, hopefully it will let me attach. Have a blessed day sisters!

VioletCharlotte I appreciate your kind words. In an ideal world I would love to have solstice ceremonies outdoors, feasting, ritual and the whole caboodle.
Life gets in the way doesn't it. But I think that is the nature of stuff sometimes. Remember that the sostice engery is high over several days not just an exact moment, so you may be able to find some way to celebrate.
PaintingClocks beautiful photo, what a view! Hope your legs feel better soon- I only shave my legs in emergency situations. I love your description of 4 generations of women coming together.
How lovely to have such family harmony! Not something I have experienced unfortunately. I am very close to my own daughter and my sister's daughter, and I enjoy the love we have.
I am planning an early night, already drinking my sleepytime tea. DD has left- she slept 12 hours last night in her "old bed" at home then we went out for lunch. It feels so good to still be an anchor and rock for my adult kids, to be able to support and fuel them up with care.
Have a peaceful night dear friends.

Thanks everyone!
Lovely to meet you all and thanks for having me
I've just bought my first house so I'm having a great time in my own space, and I can't wait to get to work on my garden. I've just finished a lot of DIY so I will smudge soon.

Happy Birthday Aerwyna ! XX

aww thank you speakout! For the birthday wishes and fabulous fae energy XX

Argh it's been another bonkers week or two and I've been itching to get back here and catch up!

speakout that's one of the nicest compliments I've ever had, thank you! I love your magic too! I've still got to get most of my stuff actually up on the website but will pm you when I do - and would love to see your new range if you have a moment to ping it over!

Just driven home from mum's through the most amazing storm - was a bit hairy in places but also exhilarating - I'm home safely and all my witchy senses are tingling! (Which is lovely, because between the car and money and house stuff and the plumber, it feels like my life has been necessarily very mundanely focused for some weeks now 😂)

Proper catch up probably tomorrow evening, but just wanted to share the storm energy with you all before flopping into bed. I hope we all sleep better tonight, I love the heat but last night was not a pleasant one for actually sleeping!

Ps happy belated birthday @Aerwyna!

I hope you enjoyed your special day Aerwyna, and the rest of your birthday weekend.
I love storms too hilariousnamehere, but not so much having to drive through them, hope you had a calm and restorative night.

It is a glorious summer morning here, the air is fresh, only 11 degrees the morning light is still golden, the life force powering through the trees outside is palpable. Each tree is a miracle, a manifestation of energy, each leaf carrying out such intricate and complex work of capturing photons produced in our nearest yellow dwarf star millions of miles away. That little delicate leaf is using the light energy to build carbohydrate from carbon in the atmosphere, atoms which have seen many lives since being forged five billion years ago. Each carbon atom will have had previous manifestations in the tusk of a whale, the foot of
a buffalo, a toadstool the hair of our ancestors, the brain of a brontosaurus.
We are all stardust.

Hiya! I’ve been spending the weekend updating my book of shadows. It isn’t very pretty or creative as I’m absolutely awful at that sort of stuff but I’m going through correspondences of elements/days/months/seasons etc so that I can start to plan my activities around them. I’m trying to be more conscious in what I do, instead of just doing things as and when.

@speakout thank you! We’re very lucky to live where we do. I usually only shave my legs when I feel like it, I stopped completely in lockdown and that was great😂. I’m really close to my mum and nan, we’ve all had very similar traumas in life (a cycle that I hope I have broken for my own DC), which made us very close. Nan is only 63, so there’s a chance we may have 5 generations of women if/when DD has a daughter❤️. I am happy to hear you share a close bond with your DD and sisters daughter, and how wonderful that they get to have that love with you.

@IRunbecauseILikeCake congratulations on your first home! I hope you have a great time decorating it

@Aerwyna happy belated birthday!🎉🎉

@hilariousnamehere we had some rain here which was very welcome after the heat of the last few days. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the storm!

@speakout they’re beautiful words! When I was going through a very difficult time in my life I used to sit outside and watch the trees and how the leaves moved. Since then I’ve really relied on nature to get me through difficult situations, it’s the one thing that will always be a constant to me and where I truly feel myself❤️.

I was awoken this morning by a lot of beautiful goslings outside my window☺️ Definitely one of the best ways to wake up🥰

Oops forgot to attach the pic

PaintingClocks I love your goslings- what a beautiful sight from your window.
No geese in my immediate area, but I often see deer from my window.
So interesting to read of your intergenerational relationships.
Something I have been deep diving into in recent years.
Callit motherwound or broken attachment, I was passed a hot potato of jagged pieces from my mother, passed to her by my gran. Neither were able to break negative cycles, so it has taken me a lot of work to unravel and mend. But thankfully I have, and managed to heal a lot of generational trauma.
But there have been casualties, and I don't have a good relationship with my mother.
My sister didn't manage to break the cycle, instead passed the potato to her daughters, the older daughter- my niece, like me has tackled the disfunction- like me she has battle scars , but has grasped the rose by the thorns.
A wonderfully quiet day here, will be a simple meal tonight, I am working, but at a slow pace with frequent breaks for tea and garden inspections!

@speakout I’m so sorry to hear about your experiences but I hope you realise how incredible you are for breaking the cycle, and how important that is for your DC’s❤️. And also a massive well done to your niece too, she’s also incredible. I do feel very lucky to still have a good relationship with my mum and nan, and for a while it wasn’t looking good but they always tried their best so that’s what mattered to me. It started many years ago in my family, a long history of much older men marrying younger girls and abusing them and the children they had together. There was just an expectation that we would marry young and do nothing with our lives other than being a housewife/mother. When I was about 11 I decided it would stop with me, I’ve always been extremely maternal and I think the love I had for my DC (at that point my future DC) really gave me the strength to get through. It is awful how much intergenerational trauma there is, especially for women, and it’s rarely talked about.

I love deer, as a child I had to drive down a country road to get to my home and there used to be a huge build up of traffic waiting for deers to cross. They’re such beautiful things.

good morning everyone. It’s months since I last posted but I have been checking in for a quick read when I can and finding inspiration and comfort from the lovely energies here . I hope I can still have a place by the fire ?
Things got very busy for me around October last when we suddenly, ( after 28 years ) embarked on a house move. It was all quite serendipitous and now , being here in the new place, I am sure this house was meant to be. I am in a totally new area , I don’t know anyone here and it’s more rural than where I was before. It’s an absolute joy to see nature from my window and walk my dog amongst trees and natural beauty. I am immensely grateful that my wishes have finally been heard and granted.

it’s a huge change. my son, that I have spent all my own adult life caring for ( he has Aspergers etc ) hasn’t moved with us. He now lives with his girlfriend. Things were very difficult for many years as he could be in a bad place at times and subsequently quite abusive to me. It has taken its toll on my health both physically and mentally which I am hoping to now heal. Things are looking up for us both now ! I have been feeling elated , confused , scared , sad and over the moon at my new home , all at the same time .

The new house had been unloved and unlived in for quite a while before myself and dh came here so we are in the process of fixing it up and giving it some attention and care. It’s strange but since we have been here and even though we are further away from friends and family we have had more visitors than ever before. I used to see my dad about 4 times a year and now we are seeing him every week. Dh said before we moved in that he had a feeling that it would be a sociable house, a haven for people and it seems he was right. It’s really odd how people just seem to want to be here so much !
i now have a large garden. There are some plants here already, white Heather, roses and rhododendrons. There’s a huge tree at the bottom of the garden too. I am really enjoying learning how to care for everything and planting new things aswell.

I spotted a deer running through the trees this morning and it gladdened my heart to see it .
I now need to try to fix my health and possibly find some work. Ideally I would work from home. If anyone has any ideas ?
dh works quite long hours, so it’s just me and my dog quietly pottering at the moment

i hope you don’t mind me sharing all of this and popping in infrequently, I do love this little corner where we can all park our broomsticks ! 🙂
wishing you all a successful day whatever you may be doing .

PaintingClocks thank you for your kind words- an I so admire you for also overcoming such family traumas- a warrior spirit! Interestingly it was the birth of my own children that also transormed me, I found sparks in my flint, a fiercely protective new mindset, realsing that if I wanted to protect and value my children I must firstly protect and value myself.
Elasticatedwaist good to see you again, glad you have dropped by, and it is wonderful to hear of your enthusiasm for your new home.
Some houses just click, don't they.
I am settling down for the shortest night - only six hours.
My usual tea, and planning a mini facial before bed- lots of nourishment and I will pay attention to my hands and feet too- such hardworking parts of our body.
I hope everyone has a restful night.

Peaceful solstice eve, everyone! I’m working tomorrow but I’ve a garden bonfire and some manifesting energy to unleash later on! 🌞

Litha Blessings sisters.
Sounds good craftycorvid- the exact moment of solstice is 10.15, I will be doing some quiet meditation outside if the rain breaks. The sun moves into Cancer as we mark the solstice- our attention turns to our nests–our families, homes, and anything that makes us feel safe and secure. Nurturing and caring for loved ones and pet projects become a sharper focus.
I slept long and deep last night, dreamt I was swimming in vast oceans, I feel restored today.
I hope everyone has a magical day.