Any Witches here? Part 20

[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

Thank you @speakout, I can understand why it could be difficult with that many presents especially if they aren’t presents you’ll use. I’m not a big birthday fan myself, I have a family member who is quite toxic and usually my birthday ends in tears because they’ve started some sort of drama to divert the attention to themself. I’m not bothered about being the centre of attention or anything like that, but I deal with their toxic behaviour almost daily so it can be draining to have to deal with it on my birthday too!.

@Stepbreathesweep that’s very good advice to follow. Interestingly I was recommended Ronald Hutton books and discovered that a few of them had already ‘found’ me. Glad to hear you are feeling more settled, I think sometimes it can be strange coming back after a holiday as your house hasn’t been lived in for a while so the energy feels a bit off.

Thank you @Craftycorvid I hope you had a good day mooching.

My birthday turned out quite lovely actually, DM came over to give me my presents then I did some shopping. DH took me for a meal but surprised me by inviting family for it, so I managed to spend my birthday with my family which was lovely!. I probably won’t see them again now until I have the baby which is quite a scary thought. We’re chilling at home tonight watching reading festival on the tv, it wasn’t long ago that DH and I were going there as teens and now my little sister is there for her first festival so we’re trying to see if we can spot her on the tv.

Greetings sisters. A slow day as I feel the beginnings of a cold. I had some elderberry glycerite in hot water and made a gargle of sage,honey, and apple cider vinegar.
I made a tincture of rosemary and strained two jars of plantain oil.
Horrible weather prevented me doing much more in the garden.

Desperate call: anyone able to remotely help find stuff? We went out for a walk and lost the car key...

A belated happy birthday to @kfellover and @queenrollo - and hello, long time lurker here to one of my favourite corners of MN.

My mother in law also does the same with the bin bags @speakout it intrigued me that someone else does this too. I’ve never been able to quite fathom it and sadly most things go straight back out to my local charity shop.

Feeling the stirrings of Autumn in the air and I feel excited for the change of season even though things feel trying in several areas of my life right now. I am trying to loosen control and let things flow. Easier said than done!

@SeaEssence my feeling is that it’s close by.

@DarlingCoffee it definitely does feel like the season is turning. I am feeling very transitional and a bit overwhelmed about going back to work and the kids returning to school. I am hoping that we will all settle back into our routines soon enough.

@SeaEssence I hope you found your keys!?!?

Big day for me + I pottered down to a spooky shop near me and spent a lovely time admiring everything and talking to the staff. I ended up getting a smudge stick and a tarot deck. Very exciting! I pulled 'lovers' this afternoon which is fitting as it's my 19th wedding anniversary tomorrow!!

I was a bit apprehensive telling my DH about the cards (he is quite cynical about witchy things) but he was really interested in them! Phew!

I haven't visited here much for the last two weeks, apologies for the impromptu post - it was out of sheer desperation. Promise to catch up in the next few days!

We've just finished building a new porch, been away last weekend, I managed to sell my son's wardrobe on ebay without having a new one in place yet, and my parents delivered my son from holiday and are staying for a few days - all resulting in boxes, bags and suitcases absolutely everywhere. And today we took the parents out for a walk, and while sitting in the cafe DS took the car key to go get his water bottle - he either locked the key in or lost it. We spent hours looking, the wardens helped, searched through rubbish bins in case we accidentally threw it away, called the breakdown service who eventually managed to create a small gap in the window and retrieve the house key from the car, but no more - so we got home by other means but the car is still stranded and we can't locate the spare key either - it's somewhere in all the mess around. I tried using my hagstone as a pendulum but I've never had that Gift. @Stepbreathesweep thank you for the thoughts @DarlingCoffee I hope you're right and at least the spare one emerges tomorrow.

@SeaEssence , my father lost the key to our rental car when we were on holiday. It had fallen into our cloth grocery bags. Could yours have done something similar?

Yesterday was hard work but enjoyable work. DH got out the ladder and picked all the ripe apples from our apple tree; then we sorted them into use today, can wait, and ones to give away. I then spent the day peeling and coring and making various apple things. The best part was everyone came and helped a little. It was such a nice way to spend time together. It made me understand more about harvest festivals, I think. There is something about food you grow yourself that is different, I think.

I made a spiced apple cake today with the last of the stewed apples from the freezer from last autumn!. Not ours,but donated by a friend who has a small orchard.
Soon be time to raid kindly neighbour's plum tree( with his permission) and make plum brandy and plum cake. I always feel so grateful to the trees for this bounty!

Ooh that sounds delicious @Hedjwitch ! Do you have a recipe to share? I have a bowl full of apples and was looking for something to make.

I made the honey cake from the recipe further up the post. I made it on Sunday and had to make it again today as it was demolished by my teenagers!

Had a glorious walk in the sunshine today and found an acorn. It made me think of this which I saw the other day.... 🌰

I am loving all this talk of autumnal food.
I may attempt a cake soon, although I don't have a lot of confidence in my baking abilities, I may try somethjing simple,and i love all fruits, the apple cake sound amazing.

I did make some rhubarb honey yesterday, it is so good. I make a berry honey recently and enjoyed that, but this rhubarb one is amazong.
It's been a tough week, but I am managing to stay afloat- only just!
My therapist helped me dive into my immediate discomfort- and I felt a lot lighter afterwards.
This story caught my interest - ancient oaks in Brtain, some that are very old, and one only 2 miles from my home- a 1000 year old tree, growing in an oak grove.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgjy97kz2zoat we have lost so much ancient forest, but some still exists, I will definitely visit soon.

Just about to do some morning meditation, I can feel some anxiety brewing, and I want to deal with it before it gets a foothold.
Have a magical day sisters.

Talking about oaks, I have an oak tree in a tub. Around ten years ago one of my Ad Ed art students gave me a little acorn seedling in a pot. I never thought it would survive, but it thrived, and is now about seven feet tall, with a trunk as thick as my wrist. I'm very attached it, but keep wondering if I should 'set it free'. I have a largish garden, and I'm in the country, so I could plant it, but I"m getting on now and would hate to think of the next resident chopping it down.

Thank you @DarlingCoffee

I’m enjoying hearing about all of your autumn recipes. I do love autumn and winter for the food, it’s such hearty comfort food that you don’t really get in the summer. The season is definitely turning, we went for a drive today and most of the trees by us are getting that lovely yellow colour to them. It’s beautiful to watch.

My due date is today (the 29th) and I’m finding that I can’t stop worrying. It feels like such a monumental change is happening in my life and I’m obviously excited but also really anxious for the unknown. I’ve been trying to calm myself through meditating, but I’ve spent almost all evening with my earphones in doing my meditation and am still struggling to sleep!.

👋Hello everyone, are New Age pagans welcome here?

I've been a solo practitioner for over 10 years and am now feeling drawn to find like-minded people after so long of this feeling like a deeply private, virtually unspoken thing (I think partly for fear of being judged by those who don't understand, and partly for fear that others in the community would think I was doing it 'wrong'!) - having read through some of the previous posts on the first thread it looks like that's not an uncommon story.

Welcome FrostedSunrise- glad you have joined us.
We are a mixed bunch here- mainly solo practitioners, with a diverse array of pagan beliefs and practices. We are a tolerant group, respectful of each other's journey,and a huge resource of knowledge and support.

I tend to keep my practice private, a few family members know, but others would be horrified- it's often not worth the drama of explanations.

I am a witch, a scientist, and an atheist who works with the divine.

@FrostedSunrise welcome 🤗. I really understand the want to talk to like minded people. I’m quite open with my practice, despite some ridicule, but I don’t have anyone who is also pagan or anything similar and I want to change that.

I went for a walk today which was lovely, I’m dealing with lots of intense feelings at the minute but I find being out in nature is really healing.

Thanks for the welcome both! I've reached out to a local pagan group to see what kind of events they have available and will be attending my first in-person event in three weeks' time. Both exciting and daunting in equal measure! Hopefully I'll meet some nice people

I've also been going through an intense time emotionally - I'm normally a happy person but for the past few weeks I've been in something of a depression and some intense nostalgia, all of which I now seem to be coming out of, thankfully! All trying to bring some things to my attention for processing, it seems. I hope you too start to feel better soon ✨

A bit about me - I'm mid-20s, no children yet (would love them but doesn't quite feel like the right time yet!) and my practice includes Gods and Goddesses from a variety of pantheons. I also love working with angels and Ascended Masters. Like @speakout I also run a spiritual business although mine is part-time alongside my full-time job. Nice to know I'm not alone!

How exciting @FrostedSunrise, I hope it goes well for you!.

I also feel similarly to you, I’m glad to hear that you seem to be coming out of it. I’m just riding the waves at the minute and hoping to be feeling better soon.

It’s lovely to get to know you😊, I’m early 20’s (just about!) and expecting my first baby any day now. I follow the wheel of the year and my practice generally includes honouring the seasons, the moon and Mother Goddesses. Your business sounds interesting! I also run my own business but it’s not spiritual, although it informs much of what I do.

Thank you, I will certainly update here once I’ve been!

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I hope everything goes smoothly for you with the birth and settling in once your little one is here. I’m sure you’ll have people here sending you positive energy! Do you know if you’ll be having a boy or girl?

I hope you feel better soon, I met up with a friend today who mentioned she’d been going through something similar so we’re definitely not alone!

I also follow the Wheel of the Year although I haven’t always done much to “mark” it (because of the reasons I mentioned earlier!) but I recently made a commitment to honour them as naturally as I would with any other holiday, and I’m really looking forward to starting with Mabon! Do you honour mother Goddesses from various pantheons?

So lovely to see so many entrepreneurs here!

@FrostedSunrise I look forward to hearing how you get on😊.
We don’t know what we’re having, we wanted to keep it a surprise, there have been quite a few times I’ve been tempted to find out though😂.
I also struggle sometimes to really acknowledge the Sabbats, in previous years I’ve done feasts and really gone all out and then some years it’s nothing more than lighting a candle. I do hope to be more conscious about how I celebrate though, as I always feel better when I really go all out.
I do honour all different mother Goddesses, I see them as different interpretations of the Goddess and enjoy honouring as many as possible.

Morning sisters, if anyone is lighting a candle today, would you mind sending a little healing energy my way please?

I've been feeling unwell for the last week, with stiff and painful joints. I saw the Dr yesterday and they think I may have reactive arthritis, which is an immune reaction to a virus or infection. I've had some blood tests which will hopefully rule out anything more serious, but in the meantime I'm feeling pretty sorry for myself. Can't help feeling as if is this is the universe's way of telling me I don't deserve the happiness I've been enjoying since meeting my new partner. Ridiculous, I know, but it does feel that as soon life seems to be on the up, something else comes along 😢

Long tome no drop in, lovely to see and read some new people on here. Its a lovely thread. I do wish we could all meet in person! I'm struggling with postpartum loneliness rather a lot lately. Trying to sort it out and organise friend dates solo (DH very supportive of this) but even mustering the energy to do so is sometimes too much (along with job hunting). Congrats @kfellover on the pregnancy. I am 15 months out the gate, so if you've got any questions or worries do ask, I'd love to help. I remember those early days with crystal clarity.

@MaculataO & @VioletCharlotte I'm so sorry to hear that you are both feeling down.

@MaculataO I suffered from PND after my 3rd and have had depression off and on for years. It is horrible. I have only in the last year come off medication, but it took a long time and a lot of self care. I still sometimes have wobbles but try to steer myself into journalling, being open with DH about how I feel (I have a habit of internalising everything) and making sure I am taking time for myself.

@VioletCharlotte I hope the test results come back all clear. Perhaps someone on here wiser than me might have some ideas for healing?

I am continuing on my unfolding path and went to an amazing yoga class last night. It is in the most idyllic setting and there were only 5 of us. I felt so floaty afterwards and it felt like such a treat.

I also bought myself this lovely autumnal pumpkin decoration for the house this morning which I am really happy with! Even though it is boiling here today, I am looking forward to the shorter days and a chill in the air.

Bit of a hectic day today! Went for a nice lunch with DP in a cafe we both like and then came back to do the big changeover of seasonal decorations from summer to autumn. I always do a deep clean of the flat beforehand in the days leading up to this so we're not carrying forward any stagnant/negative/unwanted energy into the new season. Usually try to change the decorations over at the start of the month in March/June/September/December and then add different bits for the different holidays as I go. This is all lovely but deeply time-consuming as it always takes me so much longer than expected - I think I'm nearly done and then I turn round and there's more to do 😂Very happy with the final result though!

I work a lot with fragrance so I'm also pleased to have some autumnal wax melts burning. Very hot and sunny where I am today but the evenings are already getting darker and I'm ready to welcome in some cosy energy.

@kfellover wow, you're much more laidback than me as I really don't think I could bear the suspense!! I also feel better when I've properly marked the sabbats so I'm really looking forward to what these next 12 months will bring. Hopefully some of the things I try will turn into natural traditions

@VioletCharlotte I'm so sorry to hear you're feeling so unwell! Please don't fall into the trap of negative thinking, it's so easy to go into a downward spiral when those thoughts start to creep in

Not sure if it's your thing, but I've always found distance reiki on YouTube to be really beneficial when I'm feeling low, and I've had some relief from aches and pains with it too, so it could perhaps offer you a little comfort? My favourite channels are Sunna Friðjónsdóttir (Icelandic), Sarah Louise Tilsley (British) and Holistic Mystic Ysania (I believe Spanish/Nicaraguan). They all provide content in English but I think their different backgrounds inform each of their practices and means they all offer something unique. I hope you feel better soon!

@MaculataO sorry to hear you've been struggling too! I think you've got the right idea with organising one-on-ones with friends but completely understand what you mean with regards to how tiring it can all be.

@Stepbreathesweep love the pumpkin! Your yoga class sounds great

Good morning sister witches, thought I'd come and park the broomstick here awhile.

Violet I'm so sorry to hear you're in pain. Arthritis is awful, there are many different types and one remedy suits one person but not another, even though they have the same type. My late partner had both RA and OA, so from experience.
Comfrey salve or oil is good for sore and achy joints, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Comfrey-Knitbone-Ointment-Balm-60ml/dp/B07SSLLFSP/ref=asc_df_B07SSLLFSP/?

Medi do some great supports, the NHS use them for some items
https://www.mediuk.co.uk/products/orthopaedics/

Try different salt soaks, himalayan, magnesium flakes etc, I get mine from Westlabs.

Massage oils, Boswellia aka Frankincense is good to add to your usual ones.

Keep a food diary, some foods trigger RA in some people.

Exercise, you need to balance enough for mobility but dont cause any strain. Pilates and Yoga work differently on the body, dont over stretch, I like them both as well as Qigong which has 3 energy centres.

Pain management, see a physio, be careful if taking NSAIDS, they can cause stomach ulcers.

Absent Reiki, drop me a pm, candle lit already for you. 😍

I don't have social media, but if you do, it's worth at least reading some support groups' posts to see how they tackle it.

There is no right and wrong, just do what works for you.

Speakout I've been meaning to post for ages, you are doing a sterling job of setting boundaries to vastly reduce the things that drain your energy, while also doing some massive therapy for self help. I'm in awe at your organisational skills to get such a massive project off the ground and your motivation to keep it going.

Waving hello to all of our regular posters and a warm welcome to all our new posters who are at the beginning of finding their Path, may their journeys be all they dreamed of and more.

Hey everyone, NC since I last posted here, but am looking for some advice.

In 2 weeks I'm moving countries, to a whole new part of the world, and starting a new life with (unbelievably) my first love, who I reconnected with at the start of this year.

We want to mark the occasion and entry into a newly shared space with respect and good energy, and have been toying with ideas for rituals and ceremonies to start our new chapter together in a special way.

The house will be smudged, we'll ask our guides for advice in a reading, and we're going to mark the moment with a photo of us and our respective familiars (canine and feline) – but what other ideas do you have for how we can usher in this new era with joy and love?

I'm aware there's a new moon on the 2nd October, which feels relevant, and will come a few days after I land.

Would love your thoughts and suggestions, wise and delightful women that I know you to be....