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

Fashiontatts lovely to see you again- and Happy Birthday! I hope you are enjoying your day.
Those who post regulary, sporadically, return after a while or simply just read are all welcome.
There are no rules to this magical corner of the internet, everyone is welcome.
I have lit a candle for you in celebration of the fact you were born, and no doubt bring love to others in the world.

I am glad you enjoyed Cornwall VioletCharlotte- it sounds a very magical space
I am drinking my sleepy time tea before tumbling upstairs for an early night.
My DDcame to visit so I made a Taco bar, with lots of toppings- spicy beef, shredded chicken, refried and black beans, home made guacamole, home made pico de gallo, cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, and a big tray of home made pata bravas. followed by strawberry and rose cake.
Everyone was stuffed full!.
I was at yoga this morning, and have just managed to squeese in a couple of hours of work before winding down. I am lucky to have a soux chef ( OH) who does all the shopping, chopping, clears away and washes up afterwards.
So just off to bed.

Sleep well friends.

Happy Moon-day, everyone. My working week has one less stressor in it today, so that’s a bonus! I’m slowly cutting back on some of the paid work I do in order to make space for other things. Hoping that stealth wins the day!

Hope your birthday was good, @Fashiontatts

Thank you @speakout , much appreciated!

Thank you @Craftycorvid I did have a nice day, despite having two little ones under 3 who are unfortunately dealing with scarlet fever!
But feel enormously grateful for all of my blessings in life and reaching another year older ✨🤍

Hello all

My life has been mad the last month with the universe offering odd things, but practical stuff going wrong. I won't ask if Mercury is retrograde!

I am hoping that's over soon, whatever it is, I really need some practical stuff to go right!

I meant to visit Cornwall for the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, and of course all the other things, but it always seems too long a trip especially with worrying about being away from elderly mother. But hopefully I will go in future.

Sorry to hear of your challenges EmmaEmerald . Mercury isn't retrograde right now, but does form a square to Saturn today, and we could feel blocked from expressing ourselves or preoccupied with serious or weighty issues. There can be difficulties getting our message across.
I love the sound of Cornwall, but not sure I will make it anytime in the near future- it's a 500 mile drive for me.
Could you get some respite care for your mother? I know our LA provides some short-term respite for a few weeks, and it isn't means tested. Or maybe you have a carers support organisation near you? They may be able to arrange respite, or even fund your trip?
Another glorious day of sunshine here, it's so good to pad around barefoot, all the grounding in my garden while I hang laundry and water plants feels so good.
Work is still quietish, but that often happens during warm weather, so I am making the most of my easy days.

Catch the magic sisters!

Morning all! Hope you get to Boscastle, @EmmaEmerald We went about ten years ago now (gulp!) A good friend donated an exhibit which belonged to their former coven, so we looked out for it. Boscastle is pretty out of the way, though, especially for non drivers like us. And, yes, best part of 4 or 500 miles, I’d say from where we are.

I’m off for a training weekend today - the training is by the sea so that has its advantages! I could do with a quiet time, to be fair. Interesting about the Saturn/Mercury square. I feel pretty weighed down about some work clients, so preoccupation certainly fits.

Saturn/Mercury square certainly made me raise my eyebrows this morning when I read that.
We are having quite a major issue with school and DH has set off with DS to tackle it this morning. It's a thing which is quite vital to DS future and is causing him considerable anxiety. It's hard because I don't want to be too specific, but I removed him from something for a little while and the teacher (who is not my DS class teacher) took it as a personal affront and has pointedly ignored me since. Last night there was a trigger point for this whole thing, it caused disharmony between me and DH (even though we are on the same page with it)

We head to Glastonbury festival next week and I NEED the break so very much. To disconnect from society, to be in a place with such amazing energy and recharge my spiritual energy.

Thank you speakout Slowly catching up with posts - your gathering sounds amazing!

Re mum, yes my sis can keep an eye on her no problem. I just don't feel happy being a 6 hour train ride away. I have moved so I live near mum now, I can walk there.

There's been a few near-deaths and emergencies etc over the years, I know it could go on for ages and I know I moan. But I'm trying to moan less! Because really she's a brilliant woman and I'm lucky to have her as my mum. But caring is awful, well I find it is anyway.

Interesting to hear re Mercury.

there's some great stuff in the online shop for the Museum of Witchcraft but I'd have nowhere to put it.

I never know what to make of the Cornish piskies, be interested to hear what others think.

Caring is very hard, and really can take a toll. It is ok to admit it is hard. Virtually everyone who does it finds it so in at least some moments/aspects.

This heat is making me really sick. So sick that if it doesn't improve by this evening i am going to have to conceed defeat and seek medical attention. I am trying to stay positive and plan something fun for the solstice but my heart isnt in it and i find myself wish for snow. I normally love the opportunities that the nice summer weather provides wrt escaping into the hills etc. But this year, for some reason, i have found the heat really bad and non of my normal coping with it strategies are helping.

I hope that you are all surviving the heat ok, that the things that need to be sorted are sorted without much trouble, that poorly kids recover and are back to their normal little selves quickly and that those who are caring have some moments for themselves mentally and physically.

I am sorry to hear the heat is making you so uncomfortable HillsBesideTheSea.
Temperatures are not so high in the north of the country, so bearable here.

I know how hard it is to leave loved one who relies on us for care.- especially if there is a chance of an emergency or crisis when we are miles away.
I have lived with this conundrum for several years, and forced myself to go abroad only to be fretting away the time and constantly worried about the situation back home.

But things have turned for me.
Being a carer is hard, but we need to be mindful of our own needs, and that includes taking time out, travelling a distance if we would like to, but balancing that with the possibility of potential crisis at home.

Many difficult things happen even when we are at home, accidents can happen at any time- we may get knocked over by a bus this afternoon.

I strive to make sure is not dominated by being a carer, and the past few holidays abroad have been pretty carefree for me.
I don't want to live a half life "just in case", and I am a lot more relaxed about taking time for myself, whether that's a few hours, a day or a holiday abroad.

Hills you probably have, but just in case, have you had a rehydration sachet?
I hope you feel better asap.

speakout I was like that but now mum's suffered two long stints on a trolley at A&E - 18 hours and 22 hours - I don't want her to be without me if that happens again.

EmmaEmerald I understand your concerns, and you are acting from a place of love.
Is this a long term situation with your mother?
It just seems very restrictive to curtail your own trips because of the chance of emergency and lying on a hospital trolley for hours.
Could your sister move in with your mother or stay in your house while you take a break?

speakout it's okay, I don't like going away. My last non work trip was 2017!
Now I've moved, I don't live among concrete and can go to nice woods and a river, which is grand.

Another practical thing went wrong today - touch wood, so far nothing major, but there's an accumulation of stuff which makes me wonder if there's a bureaucracy goddess to whom I can appeal!

I really seem to feel a pull of ...something....in the universe, much more than I used to.

Dropping in hotly - I am also not dealing excellently with the heat, which I think is at least partly due to meds - one set make me run hot and one set mean I burn incredibly quickly which given my usual olivey skin is a bit of a mindset shift. Never been so grateful for my enormous industrial fan 😂

Sending you all love and air hugs, it's too hot for proper hugs. @queenrollo I really hope Glastonbury is the healing reset you need, it sounds like you've had a really tough few months.

@HillsBesideTheSea hoping you feel better soon and / or can get some medical intervention - please look after yourself!

@EmmaEmerald goddess of bureaucracy really made me giggle - but sorry you're having hassle. However I missed that you'd moved and I'm so happy you can now get out into nature!

@speakout wise words as ever and ones I shall keep in mind. We've managed to get a sibling to stay with Gran when Mum and I go to Cornwall later this year but it has taken an insane amount of planning. But mum needs the break more than I do!

@VioletCharlotte yay for Cornwall and mermaids - do you know which ones? I know a few of the Cornish ones and am hoping to meet up with some of them when I'm there later in the year for a client and then for exploring and seeing family with Mum 💙 it's part of my heritage and I really don't get there enough since moving east - it's a lot further away than where I grew up. So glad you enjoyed your time away.

Had a really difficult week work wise as had to cut ties with a client for the first time ever and refuse to go ahead with their booking - it was the right decision as they queried and changed every part of my process at every step, asked to change my contract without reading it properly and let the paperwork expire twice without signing, but holding that boundary feels surprisingly stressful as we got on well in person. Blergh. I know in many ways it's a good thing (and certainly better than the alternative would have been) but it's still a loss of a booking and income close to when it was due to happen.

If anyone has any magical remedies for feeling exhausted and flat I would love to hear them - I am very fed up with only having glimpses of feeling like myself properly. Though I have started to use glimmers as a tool - writing down magical, contented, happy or beautiful moments each day rather than more general gratitude, and I'm so far finding focusing on noticing the small things is a very powerful everyday magic and mood lifter.

Hello all,

I'm one of those awful posters that dips in and out of the thread, always with you in the back ground but somehow not quite at commitment stage!

I wondered if any of you who are familiar with using herbs could help me. I have a boarder of lavender at home and two children who struggle to sleep. I have been buying them a lavender spray which helps. But I wondered if it were possible to make my own. I've searched the web a bit, and found recipes which just steep in water. But they recommend storing in the fridge for only a month. I was hoping to be able to make enough with my flowers this summer to last the year.

Does anyone have any tried and tested methods. I have seen some mention of alcohol as a preservative but not sure how its used.

I thought this friendly and welcoming corner of the internet might have the knowledge and would definitely have the generosity to help if you can.

Thank you.

When i do an alcohol infusion i just use a "strong" alcohol no water. I get better results from dried herbs. But there is an optimal proportion which i can't recall atm and unfortunately do not have the time to find atm.

You can also do an oil infusion and but this takes time. However, you can do a warm infusion with this method so it is possible to be done quicker than the cold process method. Personally i prefer the cold process but the warm is doable.

The problem with the internet is that there is so much miss-information floating about it can be scary. watch what crystals you put in water - some have toxic results if you want to work with herbs there are some good basic books that are worth the investment.

alternatively you can do an essential oil rather than herb. I have a little roller ball dispenser that i have with a mix of essential oils in an olive oil carrier that i can roll on my wrists when i am stressed.

There are actually quite a lot of options but unfortunately no short cuts really, all methods are going to take a smidge of research at minimum.

I managed to get to a point of feeling better by placing a lunch box cool pack on the back of my neck, a cold cloth on the forehead and chest. A tepid bath early evening was also a blessing. If you go for the cool pack approach please use a cloth around it to prevent cold damage to the skin.

Hello sisters, happy Friday! Welcome to new friends and old friends returning to the thread 😊

@HillsBesideTheSea its good to see you, I was just thinking about you last week and wondering how you were. I'm so sorry that you've been unwell and that you're struggling with the heat. It's been very hot where I am too. I've been staying inside most of the day to keep cool and using a fan at night.

@EmmaEmerald I hope you manage to get to Cornwall and visit Boscastle at some point. It sounds like now is not the right time, but I'm sure that will change in the future. I've never been to the Witch Museum either, despite costing Cornwall many times! I think I need a solo trip as it's not somewhere any of my friends would want to go to. I'm glad that you're feeling happier now that you have moved.

@queenrollo sorry to hear about the school issue. Dealing with schools can be very difficult. I found there was no negotiation and it was a bit like talking to a brick wall! I hope you have an amazing time at Glastonbury, I'll be watching on tv.

@hilariousnamehere the mermaids were called Mischief and Tinks! I've added a pic below. I'm so sad to have missed them! Sorry you're feeling exhausted. No magical remedies I'm afraid, other than sleep and food. Could it be hormone related?

@Hoolahoophop I make a spray using lavender and chamomile essential oil, distilled water and witch hazel. You could also dry the lavender and use it to make eye pillows to help them relax.

It's hard to believe that we've almost reached the summer solstice, the mid point of the year. Does anyone have any plans? I'm meeting up with two witchy friends and will mark it with a little ceremony. Not sure exactly what yet though.

You could pop lavender flowers into small muslin bags,enhance with a drop or two of lavender essential oil and then slip these under pillows or into pillowcases.
I use an alcohol based lavender spritz using vodka so it has a long shelf life and is very cooling.

Chamomile is also easy to grow and makes a mild tasting tea which helps with sleep.

I agree about the lavender, I would simply cut and dry and pop in a muslin bag.
Making a form of extract can be done, at home, but best to research methods.
Distillation is complex and equipment expensive.
An aqueous infusion would have a short shelf life, as sugars and starches will break down and provide nutrients for bacteria to grow in the fridge or room temperature. The aqueous infusion can be frozen though, in small quantities and brought out as needed.
Oil infusions are easy to make, or ointments which will require a little heat, but will make good product to rub on temples and wrists.
You could also use your lavender in food or drinks, it is edible so a few fresh or dried sprigs could be warmed with milk or other bedtime drink before being strained.
You can also make lavender honey, which will have a long shelf life too, and yummy on toast.
Have fun experimenting!

I also pop in and out but I am always reading.

The talk of mermaids has made me want to share something with you all. On Thursday, I took DS swimming and for the first time, he took his feet off the bottom of the pool. He treaded water, he doggy paddled, waved to me underwater and asked me to teach him the different ways you use your arms and legs in different strokes. All with an enthusiastic grin. I am so proud of him and filled with that happiness that I thought maybe I could share it here.
@Hedjwitch , is it too late to start growing chamomile? I have a couple extra pots left 😀

I would say not too late wrt growing camomile but the crop of flowers are likely to be less.
My poor camomile looks half dead i should fix it

@ISaySteadyOn aw that's lovely! It's such a proud mum moment when they swim for the first time, a bit like when they first ride a bike without stabilisers. That look of pure joy on their little face!

I'm having a yoga filled day, my usual 9am class, which I love. It's a fairly new class and there's usually only 2 or 3 of us. We spend more time breaking down the individual poses and feeling how things change in the body. This afternoon I'm going to a yoga and sound bath which I know will be amazing. Quick trip to town first though which will be somewhat less relaxing... it's all about balance!

Hoolahoophop I just wanted to say that popping into this thread only occasionally or posting intermittently is absolutely fine, no apology or self-depreciation is needed. I am sure we have members who read and never post, some who post infrequently, some who post daily- each way is totally fine, this cosy corner is open to all, and no judgement.

I loved reading about your DS ISaySteadyOn, what a wonderful moment, and thanks for sharing. These moments make our hearts feel very full, don't they.
Your day sounds lovely VioletCharlotte, yes it is all about balance, I like to check in with myself regularly through the day to make sure I am in a good place.
I was at body balance this morning, which I enjoyed, but the studio was warm and muggy, even with double doors wide open to the garden.
It is warm, the air is heavy and sky is overcast, I feel a thunderstorm would put things right, I know they are expected in some parts of the UK later today.
I find thunderstorms very thrilling, I hope one comes my way.

New Moon Blessings dear sisters. This New Moon in Gemini brings us fresh energy for learning, sharing and connection.
Cooler air has settled here with overnight rain 13 degrees this morning, and no need to water my bedding plants that are establishing.
I am going out to lunch with DD and OH for father's day, to a Thai restaurant in the city. DD and I have been a few times, the food is amazing. OH and I were discussing the outing yesterday, and I was surprised to know he has never eaten Thai food or been to a Thai restaurant. How have we never done that in the 26 years together?
Especially as I have been to Thailand 4 or 5 times, including living there for a year.
I hope he likes the meal!