Any Witches Here?- Part 18

[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..
This is the 17th thread- anyone looking for a deep dive into juicy magical topics may like to browse previous threads.....
It is a long list!!
Part 1 //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3241689-Any-witches-here?pg=1
Part 2
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3338025-Any-Witches-Here-Part-2?pg=1
Part 3
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3366411-Any-Witches-Here-Part-3?pg=1
Part 4
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3404406-Any-Witches-Here-Part-4-Edited-by-MNHQ?pg=1
Part5
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3437092-Any-Witches-Here-Part-5?pg=1
Part 6 //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3482023-Any-Witches-Here-Part-6?pg=1
Part 7 //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3520269-Any-Witches-Here-Part-7?pg=1
Part 8 //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/a3568622-Any-Witches-Here-Part-8?pg=1
Part 9 //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3637696-Any-Witches-Here-Part-9?pg=1
Part 10
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3726266-Any-Witches-Here-Part-10
Part 11
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3850635-Any-Witches-Here-Part-11
Part 12
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3997761-Any-Witches-Here-Part-12
Part 13 //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/4116107-Any-Witches-here-Part-13
Part 14www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/4213962-Any-Witches-Here-Part-14
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/4328830-Any-Witches-Here-Part-15?msgid=113505801
www.mumsnet.com/talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/4435233-Any-Witches-Here-Part-16?page=40&reply=118807589

www.mumsnet.com/talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/4598225-any-witches-here-part-17?page=40&reply=122990208

Sorry I wasnt clear.

During AA I have strengthened my connection with this god/higher power, "The God of my understanding is loving, giving, forgiving and understanding, has a sense of humor and a lightness about him"

The christianity view has only been something that has entered my mind (in this capacity anyway..) for a couple of weeks now.

Welcome Brassbumblebee. You will find lots of help and chat in this lovely witchy corner.
I think you pray to which ever God or Goddess you feel comfotable with.
I was raised strictly in an organised religion - male dominated- and now i believe in the Goddess,in nature,in the Old Ways.
I feel much more comfortable.

Thank you @Hedjwitch

Did you stuggle with the transition due to your religious upbringing or did it come easy to you? Did you ever feel (an unnecessary) guilt about this in the early days?

Brassbumblebee welcome, there is always tea in the pot.

I am sorry you have turmoil in your spiritual path.
I have christians in my family, and one niece I am close to who has become atheist but struggles still with guilt and fear.
I have no direct experience of being a christian, apart from some wishy washy indotrination at shool, but I don't have a high regard for christianity or its doctrine- for many reasons. Like Hedjwitch I struggle with the male dominating ideas and patriarchy within these religions. I suspect most christians would baulk at the idea of witchraft, those two constructs being irreconcilable for christians and witches.

But each path is unique, and if you manage to steer a clear way then that's great. I have heard of christian witches, so some must have found a map through the turmoil. I hope you finf clarity.

An early start here, off to yoga, and have to scrape my car, very frosty morning.

Have an enchanted day sisters.

Brass,surprisingly perhaps I dont feel any guilt. I feel almost embarrassed that i believed in it all for so long,living in fear of retribution for "sin" etc.
It was a gradual disenchantment ( my children went through Holy Communion etc) but now my life is about healing herbs and a communion with nature. I feel the Gods in the sea and stones and trees and it just feels completely at ease now.
I read quite a lot about witches and the burnings at the instigation of the Church and it enrages me.

Hedjwitch I feel similar feelings.

The church has a great deal to answer to, and is the foundation stone which gives men authority over women. Our social fabric has been woven by the patriarchial dogma of the christian church.
You don't have to dig very far to see how christanity denigrates women.

She can never reach the godhead because she wanted knowledge and ate from the tree, bringing down humanity. And for that she must suffer.

Morning everyone.

Thank you for the replies. Well Im happy to say that I am feeling ALOT better today. I feel more relaxed and calm in that I'm on the right path for me and i dont need to worry about a God that i don't even believe in!

I'm the same @Hedjwitch in that my God is all around and in everything and NOT a God that I need to be frightened of.
He (and I keep using the word he but the god of my understanding is neither male or female..) loves and guides me and damnit he DOES have a sense of humor 🤣

I think there was some past trauma that was making me feel the way I was, my perfectionism and the need to be seen as a "good girl" in a parental figures eyes and somehow that had transferred to God(father)=bad girl= not wanted/good enough 🤨 I feel a little crazy looking back but it really did throw me through a loop! So I'm staying away from Christian theology and focusing on how I feel and what im drawn to, which is the natural world in all its beauty, spirituality and building a connection with the god of MY understanding. Not anyone elses.

I too have struggled with the internalised religous dogma long after I have intellectually rejected it. I still struggle sometimes with feelings of guilt and low self esteem, these didnt all come from the Christian upbringing I endured, but it certainly didnt help. I just keep reaching out to the Goddess for support and nurture.

On another note, what are peoples plans for marking imbolc?

Even in winter,such beauty in the garden. Strange stalacmite ice crystals growing through the soil!

Hedjwitch - beautiful pictures. I love the crystal formation of ice.
I was admiring the ice tracks on my windows yesterday and thinking how the swirls, straight lines and curves look like sigils.
I think the church is effective in indoctrinating children especially. It's much more difficult to overcome hard wiring, even if we can release from the intellectual aspect.
It saddens me that adherants see themselves as sinful, imperfect or broken, and then of course offers a solution. Gaslighting at a high level.
I have several ultra conservative christians in my family.
They are fond of telling me that "none of us are perfect" but what does that mean? And who would even want to be perfect if that were attainable.
I replied with a scenario of fifty elephants drinking at a watering hole, and pointing out none of those elephants are perfect.
It is a silly attribute to apply- if pushed I would suggest that all the elephants were "perfect", some may be dosy or impatient or bullish or slow at walking, all have traits, personalities, but none are imperfect in their "elephantness"
Same with homo sapien. I dislike the idea of even holding up the idea of perfection as a measure.
I am perfect at being human, and all that entails.
Same with sin, the church declares us all sinful just by being born.
Being sinful against a church made measure is one I don't accept.
Fornication, sex outside marriage, worshipping heathen gods, pride, envy, masturbation, homosexuality, wearing mixed fibres, all sound reasonable to me.

I reject those ideas - a church that tells me I am imperfect or sinful has no place in my life.

You're most welcome ! 😸 I'm still searching for a way to wave a finger or wand and it all does itself though !
for the longest time I wondered how others incorporated their magical practices into a " normal" life of trying to do a gazillion things revolving around work, looking after others etc, all the time looking like Stevie Nicks with the magical confidence of Morgana le Fey . Short answer, absolutely nobody does, if they claim they do, they lie ( or live on social media !)😸

Welcome, Brassbumblebee ! 👋😸
well done you for being sober 💐
I wanted to say that you are not the first person I've heard of having a faith crisis of sorts going through AA. I think it has a lot to.do with the emotional and mental states that people experience when they are vulnerable , coupled with a lot of subconscious and conscious baggage we collect as we bumble along in life. I don't know if you've come across the Pagan version of the Serenity prayer? I use it, and find it helpful and rather beautiful in dealing with life in general
Here it is :
Pagan Serenity Prayer

Goddess grant me:
The power of Water,
to accept with ease &
grace what I cannot change.
The power of Fire,
for the energy & courage
to change the things I can.
The power of Air,
for the ability to know the
difference.
And the power of Earth,
for the strength to
continue my path.

I hope I'm not sounding like a Pagan missionary !😸

Incorporating magic into everyday life can sound tricky, but needn't be any extra hassle.
I am a huge fan of everyday magic, and incorporate simple acts into things we do everyday.
I perform around 20 magical acts everyday- and I am a carer to two family members, I run a small business and work full time.
I know many of my friends here feel the same.
I use ritual in everyday acts, whether making food, drinking tea, cleaning the house, growing, washing laundry, taking a bath, glamour magic, exercise- all are opportunities for enchantment in my world.
Molly Roberts has a short youtube video about this subject- she even uses the act of brushing her teeth as a magial act.
Her video is called More Magick Every Day: Ideas for Daily Practice
I won't post a link- doesn't seem to work for me.

Can I join? I am really new to this and could use some guidance from more experienced people.

I garden and I have recently been introduced to the cycle of the year which is helping me get through winter but I am not completely sure how to incorporate things into my care for my house and family.

Oh thank you @WeeFreeLass I love that! 😊

@ISaySteadyOn depends on what you want to do, when I very first started I did things like protection spells and charms for my home. I'd go foraging and see what I could find out in the wild, if you live near a beach go looking for hagstones. I made a charm out of these that I've hung above my front door. (I'll post a picture when I get home later)
I made black salt that I sprinkled around my house, I make floor washes with herbs for a peaceful home, if you garden you can make your own smudge sticks, I made some out of lavender and rosemary from my garden and it smells lovely (although a little bit like cannabis but never mind 🤣) theres all sorts you can try really but I found working in my home and making it feel safe and protected a good start.

Thank you! I am actually growing rosemary this year so that's a good start.

Also foraging for wild herbs, berries etc.. it's a good idea to become accustomed with your local area and the wildlife so this is a good way finding out what grows and lives there. You could build a relationship with a tree you've always admired by spending time with it and leaving offerings.. this is good to do with trees you will later take berries or leaves from, like a Rowan tree to make Rowan berry charms or an elder for its flowers, berries or wood to make a wand etc

I mostly want to make home feel peaceful and safe especially for DD1 who is having a rough y7.

Smudging your home is a good place to start. You could grow lavender and make little sleep pillows or muslins with DD.
Grow chamomile and lemon balm to make tea to help with anxiety.
Choose a suitable crystal for DDs room? I have an amethyst worry stone which is very tactile and helps banish negativity.
Make a sun catcher out of crystals to catch the light.

Thank you! I have not yet tried growing chamomile but I will. We already have chamomile tea in the cupboard.

On a different note, I am looking forward to Imbolc and, like a pp, am wondering about people's plans.

ISaySteadyOn hello 👋
I like your user name, in my head you sound like the Earl of Grantham!

@speakout , thank you for the YouTube mention, it's given me a few good ideas for my toolkit 👍Welcome, @ISaySteadyOn ! Love the user name !

@Probablymagrat I don't do formal rituals , more a way of marking the turning of the wheel in my own way, however it takes me at the time. It usually involved items collected from the natural world and is spontaneous. Then again, I don't follow the dates given either. Other than the solstices and equinoxes , I go by what I see around me and when feels right. For example, snowdrops will appear here much later than in the South of the UK, in general the signs of spring are no where to be seen on the 1st of Feb ! But as soon as I "feel" it's right for me, I'll celebrate it 😊

Imbolc is one of my favourite festivals, the simplicity, quiet, gentle energy.. I will set a new altar to Bridie, take some time to plan any garden projects and plant some seeds indoors.
I am planning an Imbolc tree ( which will then become an Oestre Tree) and perhaps make a Tres Leche cake then a simple ceremony with candles to thank The Caillaich for her protection as the wheel turns to Brigid.
ISaySteadyOn you have had some good suggestions to help your daughter through this time. If there are issues at school, don't be afraid to go the muggles route and speak to staff. My DS was bullied at primary school but when I raised the issue with the head the school were amazing.
Make sure your own energy is protected ISaySteadyOn, I am sure you are concerned, but take time to feed your own flame.
Your DD will feel better by having your strong calm energy around.
Energies are felt in a subtle but powerful way, if you can keep your own centre balanced you will be a strong grounding force to make your DD feel safe. I hope her situation improves soon.
I would be inclined to do some spellwork, although I know we are not all spellcasters here. You could also sew some sigils into her school uniform for protection, just tiny ones, in an inside seam or hem of her clothes.
Today we celebrate a new Moon in Aquarius, bringing energy for fresh beginnings, new projects, especially those involving other people or group work. This is a strong energy supporting new starts and fresh ideas.

I am really glad I posted. I feel very welcome and supported already. I hope that I can do the same for all of you.

I don't know anything about sigils but I would like to as that idea sounds really good. A friend of mine already gave DD a crystal that she keeps in her pocket. She says it really helps. She is not being bullied, thank goodness. She's just finding the getting up early and the homework hard. I have spoken to her teachers and they are all, every single one, firmly on her side. But she feels a bit lonely.

It's one of those perfect winter days here - very cold and frosty, but sunshine and blue sky. I've just got back from my morning yoga class. There's housework to be done now, but I'm looking forward to a long walk this afternoon.

I'm enjoying the conversations about bringing magic into everyday life. I like to use essential oils when I clean... a little rosemary and lavender, or peppermint and lemon on the pad for the steam cleaner makes the house smell great. I always like to smudge at the weekend as I work from home and find it helps to shift any niggles or negative energy that's hanging around!

Also looking forward to Imbolc (and wishing I'd got round to planting bulbs in the autumn!) I'm in the south so we start to see the first signs of spring in February, although it's unpredictable as we often get snow in March too. I came across an article this morning all about Imbolc and some of the traditions and ideas for recipes, hers the link for anyone looking for suggestions

gathervictoria.com/2016/01/20/midwinter-feast-of-light-reviving-the-magical-foods-of-imbolc/

First new moon of 2023 tonight. My new moon circles haven't started up again yet, so I'm planning a simple ritual at home; a little meditation and revisiting and reflecting on the intentions I set at the solstice.

Blessings to you all for a peaceful and happy weekend.