Any Witches Here? Part 21

[speakout]

Just settling into the new place, plumping the cushions and opening the windows. Welcome to n everyone, newcomers, old friends, the curious.
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..

A quick check in to see how everyone is. Life is so busy for me now compared to a few years ago, and while sometimes I miss the slower times, I enjoy the challenge of my work now. I really must make sure I nurture myself an equal amount this winter, and refocus my priorities.

Hello everyone, I dip in and out of these threads. I am in Orkney at the moment, first time I have been and absolutely loving it. Went to see Maeshowe today and as I looked around, the stones had a purple glow around them. I convinced myself that it must be the electric light, but none of them were blue or any other colour than white. The energy around the sites is incredible. Has anyone else got any thoughts on what they felt whilst around the standing stones or some of the sites for those who have been?

I'm reading a book about the fokelore of the place and there is a lot about witches! They all seem to have been up to no good according to the legends!

The Ring of Brodgar blows my mind. The energy thrums in the stones,you can feel it. I lost all sense of time there once and could hear singing,even though there was no one else around. A magical place. I spent the summer solstice there last year.

Wow! Thanks for this Hedjwitch. I found it a very powerful place. Going back tomorrow.

I am another one who thinks the monuments in Orkney are incredible, I felt the hum from the ancient stones, a similar feeling surrounds Gijantia in Gozo too.
A great thing about these sites in Orkney is that they are generally quiet, they are so far from highly populated areas, so not unusual to have these places to oneself

I've never been to any standing stones, but I'd really like to start visiting more spiritual places like these.

I'm enjoying the power of the wind here today, it's a beautiful day, mostly sunny with some heavy showers. The energy behind it all feels really invigorating. I also found mini mushrooms/fungi in the plant pots beside my front door, and somehow that made me feel very witchy - daft I know!

@CailleachGhlas I love your mushroom! I saw quite a few today, walking back from the city centre. I went foraging for chestnuts the other day, it reminded me of being a child.

I would love to visit Orkney, it looks amazing. I have been to Stonehenge, a long time ago. I grew up in the South, so it was reasonably near. I absolutely love Ancient History. I'm sure it's some kind of primal need to connect with ancestors.

Great mushrooms @CailleachGhlas We’ve been on a fungi foray today - amazing to see the amazing diversity of life the natural world puts forth.

Orkney’s standing stones are impressive. We were up there about 13 years ago now and by chance witnessed a lovely handfasting at the ring of Brodgar.

On the subject of ancient monuments, I'm going to West Kennet tomorrow. It's one of my very favourite places and I always feel a connection with it when I'm there. I'm sure it has a connection with me too - a few years ago I had to do an exam that I was very anxious about. I opened the exam paper and the first question was a scenario involving West Kennet. I knew I was going to do ok.

I hope you enjoyed your trip MissMarplesNiece

I have lots of fungi growing in my garden at the moment, and this sunny but crisp autumn weather is so amazing. I met a friend yesterday at an amazing place overlooking the whole of the Forth estuary, from the Mountains in the West, the city landscape and out to the Coast and Fife. Just so spectacular. And it is medicine. Trips like these nurture the soul.. As is meeting with friends. I am finishing an outfit for a wedding in two weeks time, it's turning out so well, I have been sewing beads, applying applique,and now crocheting little ribbon flowers. I am so over spanx and heels for such events. My outfit will be flowing,hopefully elegant, and flat boots. The bride is my daughter's best friend, and over the years come to feel like a second daughter. It will be a small wedding, but I am so delighted to be invited.

DS has had a bad stomach bug for over a week, very messy, and not quite well yet. So it's been a week of rubber gloves,bleach and piles of laundry. Hopefully will be feeling better soon. He has just started eating small amounts of plain food again having survived on electrolyte drinks. Toast and bagels, today I am making a plain rice dish, with just a little soy sauce and a tiny amount of chicken.
He orders a lot of delivered food- Indian and takeaways, and I don't think we always know where the food is coming from. Some of it made in dark kitchens, so possibly not as clean as they should be.

That sounds amazing @MissMarplesNiece ! As does your view over the Forth Estuary @speakout . I've taken the train near the Forth Estuary - it's stunning! These connections with nature and the land are indeed medicine.

I've had a day off today and have made an autumn wreath with the leaves from my climbing jasmine, which are turning shades of red. I've seen a lot of autumn wreaths on autumn doors, but didn't want fake leaves.

That's really lovely @quirkychick the leaves turning red are beautiful

Thank you @CailleachGhlas. I see a lot of autumn/fall decorations around at the moment, but I really love using pieces from nature. Both the collecting and making, is a ritual in itself.

quirkychick I love your wreath too, and a lovely contrast to your blue door.

I have spent all of my adult life considering myself a useless baker. My mother and much older sister drummed that into me as a child, and I was banned from the kitchen. Even as an adult I would regurgitate that idea as truth. I became a proficient cook, but still stayed away from baking. I would tell others that I am hopeless at making cakes, and of course as long as I believed that it would be true.

How we limit ouurselves.

But now I am in my deep healing years I am revisiting all those self limiting ideas. I have found skills in woodwork, in leatherwork, in room design, painting, and now baking.

In the past few months I have been researching and learning about baking and produced some good results., and reeally pleased with myself.
So today I am making a chocolate cake to take to my daughter tomorrow. She is a live in nanny, and she has the little ones alone all week as the parents are away. They have employed a babysitter to allow my daughter to get to her second job- she is also a dance teacher, but otherwise with the little ones. So I will be visiting tomorrow for dinner- very fancy huge georgian property in the city centre- and want to bring a chocolate cake. I am shopping for the ingredients today and baking the sponge. Wish me luck!!

@speakout I'm sure your cake will be delicious! I didn't really manage baking until I had my own dcs. It's so important to keep learning. I only learnt wreath making last winter and always thought I was useless at any kind of flower arranging. I was also useless at PE at school, but now I'm a yoga teacher. We need to challenge our own limitations.

Hello sisters! I hope you are all well! I had a turbulent time of it over the harvest moon. Wow, is all i will say. I was a bit bananas lol!

I am a married woman now! The connection has brought me a lot of comfort and happiness, and losing the name I felt brought negativity to me - has been a big deal for me. Taking on the name of my person, and best friend feels transformative for me. And I am blessed to be in a wee family of 3 - all holding love and sharing our name. Is that a bit cheesy? A dont care lol!

I am still just finding my feet and trying to carve my path in the craft. And carve out what suits me as a witch. I am starting to use that title with a bit more confidence. I think it will mean different things, to different women, but for me - its about taking some power and having spirituality in a way thay works for me, makes me happy and connects me to other women, the moon, goddesses and nature.

Today I have done my 2nd spell - and it actually made me quite emotional. I know she wouldn't mind me sharing - and ask you all to send vibes of flow and love to my sister who is in early labour. I used shells for the flow and tide of the sea and to represent her womb, rock salt to bring them protection and used a note of intention and a candle. And I was crying. It felt really powerful actually.

I think i'd like to start a grimoire. So im looking for one online that has the triple moon or moon goddess on it. Anyone have any recommendations?

My husband also bought me a wee sign for my kitchen yesterday - which I love!

Blessings to you all xx

Sorry for the double posting!

Hope you are all relaxing and having a lovely Sunday so far! Took me a while to catch up with the thread. Thanks to everyone for your well wishes for my wedding!

Sounds like we all have a million things going on.

I had a bit of an odd experience yesterday. I was feeling quite chuffed about my blessing for my sister. I went on to do 2 more intention knot blessings/spells for a friend.

I went out with my wee boy and we went down to woods to collect sticks and leaves. We were walking down the path, and there wasn't anyone else there. And I was, what I can only describe as, whipped, by a stick on the back of the neck. It really hurt so I screamed and it gave my boy a fright. I will attach the pic of the mark it left.

I personally have absolutely no idea what happened. It was bizarre. But my husband... (who believes in nothing, and would generally call himself an athiest) and my sister - both said it was god punishing me for witchcraft 🤣🤣🤣

My pal who is into witchy things too... said it was the old witches, letting me know theyre there. Sort of like a 'you rang?' Situation.

Either way - I'd prefer neither god nor witch, whipped me with sticks 🤣

Anyone ever had anything like that?

Thanks for that quirkychick. Challenging everything - including internal self imposed limitations is so important isn't it. I will be attending a wedding next week, the best friend of my daughter, she is a wonderful young woman, she calls me her "second mother". So sweet. I wanted to buy a sumptious embroidered velvet duster coat, but all so expensive. but I have never considered myself a seamstress, but I bought myself a plain coat and almost finished the embellishment. I have sewn on metres of applique, flower ribbons, beads, rough aubergine pearls, and really excited to watch it unfold, all in nuances shades of dark chocolate, raisin. A skill I had never attempted before. So chuffed with myself.

I am glad you are settling well into married life Arcati85, and your magical journey too. My magical path is fiercely feminist, we are in such need of female energy on this planet, the pendulum has swung far too far in favour of male power. Your neck looks sore. Interesting to hear that both your husband and sister told you that god was punishing you. I understand it was in jest. but an example of how egregores and ideas take root within us- even when we choose to walk a different path, they are tenacious.

I had to scrape my car yesterday morning, first time this year, the thought of being able to witness so many sunrises over the winter is exciting.
I am off to yoga this morning, but really busy with work.

Spooky season is almost upon us !

Good morning sisters. Just checking in. Working from home today so cosy in bed with coffee,a cat and my emails.
I must get the last of the bulbs into the garden this weekend. That is one of the nicer tasks on my to do list. Your coat sounds fab @speakout . Do post a pic.