Any Witches Here?- Part 19

[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 18th 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

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/4717929-any-witches-here-part-18?page=1

Speakout* thank you so much 🙏 What a beautiful card and very worse words. Thank you too Blanktimes* for the links about Brigit. I am so grateful for you wonderful women and the powerful, supportive connection we've created on this thread 💫
The therapy appointment went well and I feel very comfortable with the therapist and her approach. Again, thank you Speakout for sharing your experiences, as it was reading about how Gestalt has helped you that drew me to her.

Overwhelmedandhelpless I'm so sorry to hear about your losses and trauma. You're very welcome to join our cosy witches community 🧙 I'm a member of lots of witchy Facebook groups, but they're all very similar to the ones your describe. I haven't found any where there is any sense of community. I think the anonymity of Mumsnet means that we all feel able to share a lot more here than people do on Facebook, which means we can have really in-depth discussions and be honest about how we really feel.

*wise words, not worse! I really should proofread before posting!

Oh sisters, I am disheartened this evening - have been working so, so hard on getting ready for events and markets alongside the unexpected studio move - and every event so far this year including the summer ones has been a bust. Tomorrow is the final day of the biggest event, which is embedded into my home town and where my studio now is, and while I have enjoyed it I have sold absolutely fuck all - not a single print :( I know I make my art photos primarily for my own joy, but it is so dispiriting to keep spending time and money and effort for no return. And on a purely practical level I was relying on some cashflow because due to the move I hadn't booked any client work for October or November.

Sorry to be so quiet and then dive in being a mood hoover but the gentle support and strong spirit of this thread always helps when I'm feeling lost.

I've had a bath and am going to coax a kitten or two to join me for an early night, but if any of you know of anything I can do - spells, herbs, meditations, reading, anything!! - to lift my mood to get through tomorrow and the teardown on Monday, and the inevitable questions from my new local studio community about how I found it and how I did and what I sold, it would be forever appreciated!

Sending lots of love in the meantime and sorry, the second half of this year has been a more struggly one than I expected and I've not been very good at keeping up with the conversation here. Though I do think of you often!

@Hedjwitch I bloody love that book, have it in hardback and am going to get it out and reread as a soothing thing, thank you! Hope you enjoy all of it 😁

@speakout my favourites are the everyday witch and also the wild unknown by Kim Krans - I have full size and pocket versions of both of them and they're beautiful, although the wild unknown has more of a tendency to shout at me when I'm not listening to it!

Thank you so much for the welcome @VioletCharlotte. This does feel like a really warm nurturing space 😊🙏🏻

@hilariousnamehere I'm so sorry you had little success at the market. It must be very disheartening. I know it's easy to say, but try not to take it too personally. Money is tight for a lot of people right now, and everyone I know is cutting back on non essentials. Even with Christmas shopping, people have less to spend and are reducing the number of people they buy for. I know that doesn't help your cash flow situation though :( Have you thought of doing an abundance spell? Ive found them helpful in the past and money has came my way to pay an unexpected bill.

In the meantime, treat yourself with kindness and talk to yourself in the way you would to a friend in the same positon xx

@hilariousnamehere
Do you have a FB page that shows your prints? Would be happy to share. What kind of work do you do? I wish I was arty but am not blessed in that department ,to put it mildly!

Just catching up with this thread. Ignoring chat about remembrance so I don’t burst a blood vessel.

I think I’m ready to re-ritualise my life a little. Looking at little things that I can do to bring calm. Night time tea. Meditation. A bit of quiet in my day.

On another subject, has anyone here ever looked into reiki training? I have a wonderful lady who does it near me, but am shortly moving. I looked into the new area and couldn’t find anything so thought it might be a nice thing to do.

@Hedjwitch thank you for the book recommendation, it does look good! On my list.

@hilariousnamehere I'm sorry it's not been great - hope today brings a few shoppers your way.

@speakout this is my deck - I only have one but I feel close to it even though I've only had it a few weeks.

Catching up after another intense week, I had been away for work for a few days and it didn't really go to plan - the travel was next to pointless and left me exhausted and down with stinking cold and sinus infection. In the meantime I left DH with a full diary in my absence so now the house is a mess and it's DH's bday today so I'm trying to push myself to create the atmosphere with every bout of energy between naps on the sofa - still need to finish the cake and walk the dog 😫

Voltefarce Reiki is a great item to have in your toolbox, it introduces you to energy work without depleting your own levels. The energy flows through you, not from you which is a massive difference to other forms of energy work. With Reiki, the more you give, the more you receive.

Do read up about the different forms to find one that suits you, then have a level 1 attunement if you want to.

It's a gentle yet at the same time powerful form of energy work which is fine on its own or depending on the practitioner's beliefs, in combination with other systems.

Thank you. I had no idea that there were different forms, so that’s something for me to look into.

Always so much to catch up with here..

hilariousnamehere I hear your concern. Running a small business is hard, and often lonely.
Lonely in terms of making business decisions, trying new paths, developing new products, new selling platforms. Even when we have a lot of ideas it can be hard to know where to place our energies.
Sometimes I think I am on to a sure fire idea and it flops. Sometimes a half hearted turn takes off.
We can never be certain which is the right thing to do, and with no colleagues we are on our own.
Most of the time being a solo worker is good. Flexibility, no rules, comfort of home.
But we still have to meet targets and deadlines, and it is a big responsibility having to carry the load of one's income.

When things are not going great for me I tend to catastrophise. Although I have been self employed for 20 years I jump to panic when sales are slow or I have some challenging stuff to deal with.

What works for me is turning away from the problem,taking some down time, and seeking the goddess for balm- in whatever form that takes.

A forest walk, bath, meditation.
Often when I turn my attentions to helping others and giving time then my business takes an upturn.

This year has been different for me too in terms of sales.
Usually at this time I am struggling to cope with tons of orders, and usually stop selling at the very beginning of December to close up until after christmas.
But that hasn't happened so far, and this weekend has been quiet.

I do think many people are worried right now, finances are tight, things are hard.
Could you spend time researching new products? New selling platforms?

Something I plan to do in the new year.

I hope something positive comes from your day.

Thank you all, you are magic in all senses! Yesterday was much better, made some sales but more importantly had some really good conversations, including one with a long established artist who's been doing this trail since it started, and it does seem to be more about viewing and exploring than selling for a lot of people. Which helped.

@speakout thank you for your as always wise words, I'm sorry it's also a strange environment for you this year but it helps to know I'm not alone!

@Hedjwitch I am terrible at social media and while I do have a page it's probably not the best advert but this has served as a good nudge to check and update it!

@VioletCharlotte @VioletCharlottte
I will see if I can find an abundance spell, that would be good for new studio space too I think!

@Voltefarce loving the idea of re-ritualising too.

hope Monday is beautiful for you all, I'm off to pack down and then have a friend over from the US with her baby so heading to soft play for the afternoon!

Can I join you please? I feel like I mostly connect with Druidism but take bits and pieces from lots of branches of paganism in my practice. It’s nice to see there’s likeminded people here.

I am SO tired. So bloody tired.

Hi Watchyourfriends and welcome, we're* *a group of all paths and none so grab a beanbag, a cup of your favourite beverage from our magic kettle and come and sit by the fire, for a chat or peaceful contemplation.

Hedj, are you looking after yourself? If you don't already, find a multivitamin and mineral supplement, make sure your vitD and B12 are optimised and eat as much good gut bacteria as you can like live sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and miso. Drink water.

See your GP and ask for blood tests to check everything's working as it should be.

Take a long hard look at yourself, are you setting yourself impossibly high targets for both your time and energy, it's so easy to overload yourself and think you have to do so much, when in reality that means you are neglecting yourself with some notion that you need to put everyone else far in front of you when it comes to needs.

If you are cruising at high altitude and your cabin is losing pressure, you can't help anyone else unless you put your own oxygen mask on first.

Make time every day for self care, it goes against all our upbringing, but it's essential.

Hi @Hedjwitch is it the fibro? I suffer too.

No tips - I'm sure you know about pacing- but sending you my sympathies and good wishes 💐

watchyourfriends a warm welcome. I am glad you have joined us.
I don't know much about Druidism, but would love to know more.
SeaEssence I like your Tarot deck, is is more abstract in design? Maybe a deck for more intuitive interpretations?

Hedjwitch I am sorry you are feeling so tired. Do you know why you are feeling like this? Is it lack of sleep or overwhelm?
Blanktimes is right, we need to feed our own selves first. We can't run on empty, and if that means we have to step back then that needs to be done.

This might have already been mentioned, but Sharon Blackie's The Enchanted Life is on Kindle unlimited at the moment. Not read it yet, but it has good reviews.

Thank you for the kind words. I think it is partly fibro but also I feel I am just running on empty.
Care of elderly mother and family arguments over care home options is draining. Work at the moment is frustrating and demoralising. I'm working from home today and still in bed. Just cancelled a noon meeting because,to be honest,I just cant be arsed. Thats shocking,and not like me. House is a tip with stuff everywhere despite my best efforts. Ach,I'm just moaning.....
I will get some multivits to boost the energy. Taking elderberry syrup to boost the Vit C but probably need D and B12 as suggested.

Hi, has anyone tried this before? I thought it might be a nice thing to have on an altar, if it works.

Sorry you’re feeling so low and poorly @Hedjwitch Sounds like you’ve done the right thing in cancelling that meeting. Your body was clearly telling you that it would have been too much today.

@Hedjwitch if your pain levels are flaring with the fibro there has been some interesting research on the amino acid L-arginine and what it is broken into (arginate? = check me on this my brain is noping atm) by the body for helping to down regulate chronically stimulated pain neurons. Just started this week myself but can't attest to its affects as also threw in potassium supplements and antibiotics for a nasty infection so it is hard to know what is doing what. But i am definitely noticing that my pain levels are more manageable without pain killers. I am planning on reviewing in at least a month. But something that might be worth looking into as an easy help and kinder on the body than pain killers.

It is surprisingly easy to ignore pain levels when you are used to it, until it gets to far and affects mode and function.
Hope you feel better soon.

Lovely bright waxing moon tonight here in the south west! I'm enjoying it from bed 😄

BlankTimes thank you for your kind welcome!.

speakout Thank you for the welcome. 🤗
Druidry is really similar to Wicca and other Pagan paths in that there’s a strong focus on nature and honouring our ancestors. Druids celebrate the wheel of the year too. The main differences I’ve encountered are in Druidry there’s less of a focus on the Lunar cycle or the Goddess, but more on tree’s.
For me I connect more with Druidry as I’m not sure how much I believe in an actual Goddess or Horned God but I believe in the Sacredness of nature.
However, I do celebrate the Lunar cycle and I also feel a very strong connection to the idea of a Mother Goddess who I do pray to/honour in my practice.
What I love about paganism is that although there are so many branches and pathways all forms are accepted and celebrated which you don’t see as much in other religions.