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

Merry Christmas/Yuletide/Sol Invictus/Birth of Mithras - day to one and all! I wish you all the space and calm for yourselves you need. So often this is the time of year when we bend ourselves to fit the social expectations of others.

Merry Christmas to you all . Hope you all manage to find a little Christmas magic 🎄🤶✨

Merry Christmas, everybody 🎄

I hope everyone is enjoying this festive time.
I have already taken down the christmas decorations, everything is boxed and ready to be taken to the attic. Floors swept and hoovered.
I don't celebrate New Year at all.
It's always been a big thing in Scotland, primarily as Christmas was banned by the church for 300 years - Yule festivities were considered to have "no biblical justification, and a time of wasteful and immoral behaviour". Christmas was only delared a public holiday in te 1950s. They are right of course, most of the ways we celebrate christmas in the UK today have far more in common with old folk and pagan tradition than christianity

People could be and were arrested for any kind of merry making or feasting at christmas, so the focus was shifted to New Year, customs followed- "first footers" were welcome to the home only after midnight, and carried a lump of coal for the hearth and a bottle of whisky tucked in a pocket.
It was also a time for heavy drinking, and I didn't enjoy that time as a child, I still don't wait up for the bells and no nothing special on new years day.
It's a little early to be thinking about Imbolc, but I love that festival.

The time after christmas brings such quiet, the house stripped back to normal, the sun bringing a soft watery light, muted tones and subtle shades are an antidote to the loud bold energy of christmas.

I have a yoga and meditation workshop to attend today, I am so glad I booked it, it is exactly what I need right now.

Good morning @speakout and morning all! I, too, hope everyone is enjoying these interstices between calendar festivals. I tend to see Yule as a whole 12 days of rest and recuperation before January gets going. Also, we have some fascinating folk customs at this time of year, everything from wassailing the fruit orchards to the Mari Llywd and mumming plays. I haven’t done more than raise a cup of tea in a toast to the new calendar year in a long while. ‘Celebrations’ where I live are liable to get a bit feral, crowded places are not my thing and the actual new year for me is Samhain. I also love Imbolc; so full of hope with the first flowers coming through.

I am sick to death of fibro,of not sleeping,of being in pain. Still in bed,missed yoga.Not that I could have done it anyway.

@Hedjwitch love and healing to you, that sounds so hard.

@speakout that's really interesting about Christmas in Scotland, I had no idea it was banned for 300yrs! I thought Oliver Cromwell was bad enough. I do enjoy clearing everything after Christmas, but tend to put them up gradually and then put them away gradually, I leave the fairy lights, as they cheer up the dark nights.

It was the first Christmas without dcs, so I didn't know how it would go. Actually, apart from visiting dd2, we had a lovely, peaceful time and neither of us missed the rushing around of presents, food and dealing with dd2's ocd. I went for a Boxing Day walk by the river and came across a whole lot of snowdrops by the river.

Sorry to butt in. Might it be ok if I crept into your thread? I am increasingly drawn to nature, rituals, cycles and think maybe I have an inner witch which could bring me comfort and has things to teach me. I'm trying to listen to her and think posting here might help.

Hedjwitch I hope you are feeling better today- you have been in my thoughts. x Would some yoga nidra help? I have only had a few sessions, but the relaxation is like no other. There are lots of guided sessions on youtube that may help.

A warm welcome Wishitwasstraightforward glad you have joined us. Take a cosy seat by the fire.
Many of us here are nature lovers and find cycles of time very meaningful.

My DS and I have been having a lovely on off conversation for a few days now about quantum physics- we chat, each do some research, come back for another chat- We are both science geeks - we sat for an hour on the stairs yesterday discussing the bizarre nature of our universe and consciousness yesterday.

A place where science meets up with eastern philosophy and magic.
The universe is a far stranger place than we think.

New moon blessings to all, the moon in capricorn is a time for fresh beginnings and intentions, a time to firm up structure, rid ourselves of habits that no longer serve, and set intentions.

It has been stormy here for a couple of days, and no sign of let up, I know snow is forecast for some this week. A day for buffling up!

@speakout and @Hedjwitch I really recommend Ally Boothroyd on YouTube for Yoga Nidra. I really got into Yoga Nidra last year in the midst of all of the turmoil. She has some downloads on her website too, which I use.

Hello @Wishitwasstraightforward I'm also very interested in nature and cycles too. The lovely ladies on here are very knowledgeable.

Our weather is clear now, but we had three days of very thick fog. It was very atmospheric, but I'm glad it's cleared.

Thanks for the yoga nidra youtube videos suggestion quirkychick I will definitely look those out.
I had a couple of sessions recently and I found the yoga nidra very powerful.
The first lasted an hour in a very comfortable yoga studio, when it was over I checked the time- the session felt like 10 minutes and I can't even remember much of it- I wasn't asleep, but just taken to a place of absolute healing, calm and being in the moment.
For days afterwards I still felt calm and grounded. I imagine having a regular practice would be very beneficial.

Thank you for the warm welcome. I've seen the sun today after a long period of grey skies. I was excited to see daffodil foliage and a solitary bright yellow dandelion- the first signs of spring feel miraculous to me. Although, on reflection it seems extremely early which made me feel a bit guilty for celebrating something that perhaps a sign that things aren't as they should be 🤷🏻‍♀️.

I love yoga nidra, I find it so relaxing and calming and normally drift off somewhere. I find it easier to relax in a studio, but the some of the YouTube sessions are nice too (if you can avoid distractions from other family members.

So sorry that you're unwell @Hedjwitch. Fibro is a horrible illness, I've got a friend who has it. Sending healing your way.

I've had a few quiet days. I always find myself exhausted this time of year. It's like as soon as I stop, the whole year catches up on me and all I want to do is rest. I must have slept for 11 hours last night. I'm looking forward to January, which may sound strange to some, but I enjoy the quiet, having very few plans provides an opportunity to focus on self care. I look forward to Imbolc and seeing the snowdrops and first signs of spring starting to appear.

Thanks. I'll check out yoga nidra.

Just back from a routine eye examination, I know my vision ( shortsightedness) has been growing worse in the past few months.
Turns out I need cataract surgery in both eyes- the left one is particularly bad. So a bit of a bummer.

That must have been quite a shock @speakout. A couple of my friends have had cataract surgery both were blown away by the improvement to their sight afterwards. One said it was as if she'd been looking through a dirty window without realising it. Having said that my reflection and my house possibly both look more presentable through less than perfect sight!

Wishitwasstraightforward · yes it was a bit of a shock, Although I know a few people who have had the surgery and it has made a big difference. It's the thought of someone coming near my eye with a sharp instrument that gives me the heebie jeebies!

I would feel the same way. It is unsettling to think of one's eyes being operated on and I think you are absolutely justified in feeling funny about it.

It is incredible though that it is done routinely these days and I hope maybe that the thought of it is perhaps the worst bit.

Eeek, sorry to hear about your eyes. I used to teach painting in Ad Ed, and one of lovely old gentlemen did such dreary watercolours, until he had his cataracts done, and discovered colour!!
Anout five years ago we were on holiday, in Dorset, and I got a retinal tear, just woke up with it. I knew what it was as my mother had had one. Went to A&E and waited all day to have it repaired - I was terrified, as though I have a strong stomach I can't watch anything to do with eyes. The doctor put something in my eye to keep it open, and then used a laser to,do the repair, took about ten (long minutes). Thing is, as everything is happening so close up, you can't actually see what is going on, and it's not as bad as you imagine. the thought of it all is worse.
Hope you get your eyes sorted soon.

Happy new year sisters- although not a festival I celebrate.

I am planning a slow day, some work at a leisurely pace, reading, painting my nails, and generally being kind to myself.
Thanks for the kind words about my upcoming surgery, I am feeling fine about it. There is an 18 month waiting list on the NHS, but my OH has private health care through his work for us both, and has already submitted an application last night. If that is accepted then I may have to wait only a couple of weeks.

No yoga class today, so I will set up my mat downstairs- I was given a lovely scented candle set for christmas, I haven't used them, today feels a good time to burn one while I move through a grounding and nurturing practice.

I hope this year is filled with love, health and abundance for everyone.

Warmest wishes for 2025 to you all.

I hope the surgery comes through soon @speakout

Happy New Year, everyone. Hoping for a calmer, peaceful year for everyone.

@speakout Yoga with a scented candle sounds perfect. I have been doing this in the dark mornings. I hope your eye surgery comes soon. @FizzingAda the retinal tear sounds scary. I've had a scratched cornea a couple of times, I have dry eyes and had rubbed my eye in my sleep.

On the folklore thread someone mentioned The Dead of Winter, about winter/Christmas traditions, was on BBC Sounds Radio 4. It's in 15min chunks so easy to listen to and v interesting.

Happy new year, all.

Found a teeny weeny old wasps' nest in the attic today. Very fragile and crumbly,but how pretty. Made by an insect with such precision

@Hedjwitch that's so beautiful. They are so intricate. I remember a teacher bringing a wasp's nest in to put on the nature table.

A very beautiful moon and evening star the last couple of nights at sunset. Very cold and clear weather. I've been walking out at dusk and the sky has been quite dramatic.