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

Hedjwitch I am glad your garden friend brought you some cheer.
This time of year it seems the winter drags on forever, I hope everyone feels the gentle warmth of Imbolc, reminding us this season will soon pass.
It helps me too to have some projects and planning for the months ahead, even is some are a little mundane like replacing the garage door.
SerafinasGoose I am glad you are coping through difficult times. Spending time with your friend and allowing nature to soothe you are wise things to do.
Sometimes in the middle of difficult times a change of scene is helpful, reminding us there is still normality and peace around. I have favourite places to visit locally, woodland, river and sea but even popping into a library or charity shop for a browse can ease the mind.
busyamber a warm welcome, glad you have joined us. The resource of virgin forests sounds intereresting- do you have a link to a map?
I live next to woodland, but probably not virgin forest. I have seen local maps dating to the 1600s, and was woodland then, and all maps since, so the woodland is at least 400 years old.
The village I live in has a Gaelic derived name- literal translation is "The Valley of Trees", and habitation has been here since the 11th century.
So I have no idea how old my Wolf Wood is.
Not a real wolf ( unfortunately) one I evoked to protect the woodland as I had found several abandoned supermarket trollies that I removed and some litter.
In my anger I placed a snarling she wolf as guardian a few years ago, and not found a single piece of litter since.
I bring offerings, natural objects, a stone, shell, feather or a little milk. I sit with mother tree and wolf and talk, sometimes sing, or just sit and meditate with the enormous bulk of trunk against my spine so we can share energy.

@speakout, thank you. The woodland resource was from books I read a few years ago. And then just scouring lots of maps! These are them,

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gossip-Forest-Tangled-Forests-Fairytales/dp/1847084303/ref=sr11_1?crid=2DRL9X8DPWR64&keywords=gossip+from+the+forest+by+sara+maitland&qid=1675009624&sprefix=Gossip+from+the+fores%2Caps%2C119&sr=8-1

And

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Woodlands-Oliver-Rackham/dp/0008156913/ref=sr11_1?crid=2UD5G3JVVPWJX&keywords=woodlands+oliver+rackham&qid=1675009811&sprefix=Woodlands+oli%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-1

Both fascinating reads! I think you would enjoy them especially as they give insight into the 'energy' of trees /forest and human relationships with them. 🙂

My current read is Entangled Life by the biologist, Merlin Sheldrake which I'm finding equally fascinating. I find his father, Rupert's ideas on morphic resonance intriguing too.

Here is one map

This page has a list of ancient woodlands:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listoffancientwoodssin_England

Article about ancient woodland

www.asmallworld.com/explorer/articles/england-best-ancient-woodlands

Ancient trees uk map:

ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk/tree-search/?v=2212434&ml=map&z=8&nwLat=54.84146429485513&nwLng=-5.281026150109922&seLat=53.09364592005376&seLng=0.6515910373900979

Oh,I absolutely loved Entangled Life! My favourite book of last year

Me too @Hedjwitch. 🙂

I do hope you made it to your wolf wood, @speakout. And so lovely to see the cheeky little robin! Their presence is always so comforting.

I’ve seen my first snowdrops of the year today - one of my favourite Imbolc sights. I’ve had my first jog (shuffle) round the park after being far too inactive, and I’ve cleared my head in the sauna.

Hope you’re all having a peaceful Sunday. The incense is on the go and we’re watching ‘Antiques Roadshow’. How rock and roll are we eh!? 😆

I am a fan of Rupert Sheldrake too- he serves to inform my personal ideas regarding the mechanisms of magic.
Thanks for the maps busyamber, very interesting.
Craftycorvid incense and the antiques roadshow sound perfect.
I watched Jonna Jinton's new video yesterday on youtube- " A Message That Will Change your Life" lots of very short clips from her viewers, packed full of wisdom. I had tears in my eyes at several moments.
It's almost an hour long, but you don't need 100% focus, would be a good video to play in the background while you fold laundry or do housework.
No yoga today, I have cancelled my class as I am too busy with work, I may pick up Adriene online this afternoon when I have come back from the post office.
I hope you all have a magical week.

Flying in to catch up after a busy few days. Thank you for the book recommendations, more to add to my ever growing list. There's so many books that I want to read but just never seem to get round to it. I have dreams about a week away in a remote cottage with no internet to distract me, a roaring fire and a pile of books. My attention span is atrocious these days, I need to make a conscious effort to spend less time scrolling online!
*
Speakout.* I remember you telling us a few years ago about the wolf wood and the success you had there. It's nice that you still visit and take offerings Forests and woodlands are such special places, I just can't get my head round why people would think it was ok to drop litter. It makes me furious!

SerafinasGoose I'm glad you're ok and finding some solace in nature. Sending positive energy your way for you and your DH.

Craftycorvid how lovely to see snowdrops - really early this year!

Blessed Be, Sisters.

Blessed be.

I felt a wind yesterday but it was different. It was not wintry. It brought a scent of earth and a feeling of coming warmth. I think I really understood the cycle of the year in a visceral way then. It's one thing to read about and another to feel it in yourself.

I am so glad and grateful to have found you all.

Blessed be.

And greetings from my sojourn at our local sacred well. I don't leave clooties here, but left a small crystal in the spring and grains as an offering.

The whole surrounding area was carpeted with snowdrops. I feel healed and rejuvenated.

Imbolc Blessings.

I just wanted to share something with you all... today I had a very pleasant hour pottering around in the garden, noting all the buds and new growth. I found a small pot of mint that I thought was dead. But I started to repot it, and underneath the surface were all the new shoots, desperate to find somewhere new to grow. The mint wasn't dead, just constricted. I've given it a larger pot and fresh compost. Hopefully in return it will give me leaves to make tea, for which I will be grateful. This seems so symbolic today.

Imbolc blessings from me too- may we all feel the hope and anticipation of new seeds sown.

So lovely to see everyone’s pictures, sacred places, symbolism and images. Also to hear of shifts felt and the turn of the wheel embodied. I think the resilience of the mint is symbolic too.

I planned my day with as much time as I could manage outside, magic in itself.

Wishing everyone bright new beginnings and the comfort that can be found in the turn of the wheel

Hello everyone - I'm sorry to intrude. I stop by every now and then, meaning to say Hello, but then I never quite do. I'd love to find out whether the right kind of witching for me exists, and to explore whatever it is I feel like I'm missing. Can anyone recommend a book or a website / similar to me? Many thanks.

Imbolc blessings to you all.

I agree about feeling a shift, when I was out waking my dog this evening. I suddenly realised it was after 5pm and still quite light. There were quite a few people and dogs out and about and just a general brighter energy around, despite it still being quite cold.

I too have felt the shift, situations changing, hopefully for some good, but left me feeling some trepidation moving forward. There is comfort in familiar situations when we feel the measure of them- even if they contain maladaptive coping mechanisms, but if the axis is tilted we can lose our bearings, I am feeling a little disorientated this evening.
I have put a hot water bottle in my bed and drinking some sleepy tea, I hope the comfort and familiarity of a cosy bed and an early night will help me find my bearings.

LandlubbingKraken a warm welcome, glad you have joined us.
One of the wonderful things about a magical path is that you are steering your own journey.
There are no definitive rules, no one can tell you if you are doing things correctly, or whether you meet the mark.
Listen to your heart, trust your instincts. If it feels OK, or is interesting to you, then move in that direction.
We are an eclectic bunch here, very varied interests and different ways of expressing and using our craft.
There is no one way to follow a magical path or be a witch, and if anyone tells you differently then be wary.
You may find inspiration in reading some of our old threads- pinned in the first post in this thread. If you find a subject that is interesting, then dive in.

Wishing you all a peaceful and blessed Imbolc. Some beautiful images here as well.

speakout, thank you for the welcome, and for the advice as well. I hope you feel more settled soon.

Imbolc 2023. Peckham Rye. The Blessed Goddess is everywhere.

Imbolc blessings, sisters - desperate to come back and catch up and life is manic again! Carving out some time this evening I hope xx

Walkinginthesand indeed she is! HazelTheGreenWitch I love the description of your hour in the garden- pottering is such a great way to spend time.
Aerwyna lovely to see you dear friend, your photography is so beautiful.

I am just back from a beach walk and brunch at a lovely seaside cafe with my daughter. The sea air and energy were exactly what I needed.
Like many seaside towns and villages one near me ( and there are several) have seen a renaissance in recent years.
Gone are the hamburger vans and in place lots of lovely little cafes ( the pea shoot and sourdough bread type), a few interesting shops selling local pottery and middle aged women wild swimming in the sea, which was a deep emerald green today.
We didn't walk for long, just enough for an ocean refresh.
I slept well last night too, so fell a good reset.
I love the energy of this thread- always restorative, but particularly at the moment.

I have a question. How would you all describe the way you dress (clothes, hair etc), would you say you look 'different'? I'm trying to find more confidence to look the way I want to look.