Tag: witchcraft

Imbolc Wisdom & Oracle Reading!

Welcome to the season of Imbolc!

This year we have quite a transformational Imbolc season, as it encompasses some important astrological shifts in year. There is a Full Moon on Imbolc itself, on Feb 1st and then Eclipse season (Solar Eclipse on February 17th, Lunar Eclipse on March 3rd), as well as a Saturn Neptune conjunction in Aries on February 20th and of course the Lunar New Year on February 17th.

What does this mean?

While Imbolc is often a season of patience and slow, gentle awakening and inner shifts, this year it might feel more emotionally intense and coincide with bigger collective events. We will evolve and grow more quickly through this season and may see things quite differently by the end of it.

This is not something to worry about or fear- that is the last thing we need to do with the energies of this beautiful season of renewal and inspiration! It simply means instead of just sipping tea by the fireplace, patiently, we may also do some tobogganing that takes a few turns and surprises. And who doesn’t love tobogganing? Ok well maybe not everyone, but it may be more active or adventurous than usual. This season will likely bring awakening, awareness and clarity that we perhaps did not expect, and it will help us to move forward and bring us exactly where we need to be!

Brigid carries us through with Her Flame

Brigid is traditionally the Goddess who begins to reign in this season. She is the Celtic goddess of inspiration, the hearth, light, youth, renewal, fertility, smithcraft and poetry. She brings hope, renewal, and a spark of inspiration, passion and creativity back into our being.

Imbolc is a fire festival and the element of fire is an important ally for us now. It can cleanse away debris we are carrying in our energy field, old habits, thought patterns and other baggage we no longer need to carry with us. It helps to transform us, as well as enliven and awaken us with light and magick.

Fire dances within us in our desires, as well as our impatience with the status quo- it can warm and melt where we have frozen, it can ignite our passion, sacred rage and motivation to make a change. The sunlight is more noticeably increasing now and in the weeks to come- signaling our conscious mind to become more active as we begin to become more clear on what’s been hidden in our depths and what feels most aligned to pursue in terms of our dreams and visions for this year.

Water is also a potent elemental ally for us this season. As a season of cleansing, we may be drawn to salt baths, a spa day, long ritual showers or drinking more water to help cleanse our emotional and physical body of toxins.

Tender Nurturance and Self-Care

In some ways, Imbolc is like ‘pre-spring’- it helps us prepare for making bigger changes ahead and moving forward. Imbolc season is excellent for clearing what no longer feels authentic to us, aligning our daily habits with who we really are, and beginning to nurture and protect the emerging self and the hopes and dreams we wish to bring forth into the world. it’s a great time to get rid of objects, subscriptions or other leaks or drains on our energy, so we can focus on tending to the new life slowly awakening inside of us.

This year may carry a bit more of that bold spring energy due to the eclipses as they tend to quickly move us forward towards our destiny. This Imbolc, especially because it includes an eclipse season, it is important to be gentle and tender with ourselves, to keep ourselves grounded as best as we can into daily activities that nurture us. This helps us have a supportive container for our transformation and rebirth.

Slowing ourselves down to process our feelings and cultivating patience is necessary to build our dreams, no matter how urgently they burn in our belly.

Imbolc means ‘in the belly’, and it often feels like we are not quite who we were, not quite who we’re going to be. During these moments of change, we can feel overwhelmed, and so finding those anchors for you can be helpful, whether they are talks with a good friend or loved one, pet cuddles, nourishing meals, salt baths, walks, meditation, yoga or prayer- let those daily rituals keep you grounded.

Spiritual Renewal:

Imbolc season is wonderful to reconnecting us to our ‘why’ in life, and the faith, hope and inspiration that draws us forwards. This is a great time to reflect on our ideals, values and our beliefs and see if our daily life is aligned with them. It’s traditionally a time to cleanse and renew our altars, perhaps perform a ritual of dedication or re-dedication to a deity or spiritual practice, and check in with our actions to see if they reflect what we are devoted to in our hearts and make any adjustments. Our spiritual practice changes as we change, and we can sometimes get stuck in old habits that hold us back.

This is a great season to review what we believe in, what we hope and vision for ourselves and others in the future, and to make small changes that align our spiritual practice or daily living with this.

A Goddess Oracle Reading for Imbolc!

This is one of my favorite oracle decks I’ve been using for many years- The Goddess Oracle by Amy Sophia Marashinsky, illustrated by Hrana Janto.

Take a moment to relax and center yourself with 3 deep breaths. Then ask ‘What do I need to know right now’? and choose a card. Scroll down for it’s meaning. The italics are from the author and the rest are my words.

The Goddess Oracle by Marashinsky & Janto

Now remember that number and scroll down to find your card!

  1. Lillith- Power

“I dance for myself. I am whole. I am complete. I say what I mean and mean what I say. I dance the dark and the light, the conscious and unconscious, the sane and the insane. I speak from myself, authentically, with total conviction, without regard for how I might look. All the parts of myself flow into the whole. All my divergent selves unite as one. I listen to what needs to be heard. I never make excuses. I feel my feelings, deeply and profoundly. I never hide my sexuality to please myself and pleasure others. I express it as it needs to be expressed, from the core of myself, from the wholeness of my dance. I am female. I am sexual. I am power. I was greatly feared.” – Lillith

When Lillith shows up, it is time to reclaim your power. We all have had times in our life where we gave away our power or had it taken from us. This can happen through betrayal, abuse, oppressive systems and more. We are often left with a wound or a part of ourself that we no longer accept or love and this can get triggered over and over until we face this power loss and reclaim this part of ourselves. Sometimes we feel broken or like we’ll never be our full self again. However, Lillith reminds us that we do indeed have the ability to take our power back and that we are always whole. Our power is a part of us- it can show up as our confidence, our creativity, our inner sovereignty, our inner child, our ability to love or feel worthy of love, our spirituality, our magick and much more.

There currently is a part of yourself wanting to rise up and be reclaimed. What might this be? Where have you felt ‘not enough’ or like you’re wounded beyond repair? Is there a situation in your life asking you to be more than you’ve allowed yourself to be? A more authentic expression of who you are?

Lillith brings you the courage to remember your wholeness and be who you are unapologetically. Take up space. Be who you know yourself to be. Stand in your fullness, stand in your power. You are always whole and beautiful just as you are, and you have been strengthened by your challenges. All of you is worthy, and your wholeness- light and dark makes you powerful. Sometimes we just need to remember this.

2. Hecate- Crossroads

“I sit in the blackness of the dark moon night with my hounds at the crossroads, where three roads converge. At the crossroads, a place of choice. All paths lead to the crossroads and all are desirable, but only one can you travel. Only one can you choose. Choice creates endings and all beginnings come from endings at the crossroads. Which one will you choose? Which way will you go? Though the choice is yours, here’s a secret I’ll share: The way to choose is to enter the void. The way to choose is to let die. The way to choose is to fly free.”- Hecate

There are times in life where we must makes a choice. This can be something small or big in your life. Perhaps it’s between choosing an old way of doing something and a new way that is a bit uncomfortable or unfamiliar but more beneficial. It could be choosing a new attitude, way of seeing things, a spiritual path or it could be something more tangible like a job, a place to live or a relationship. Decisions can often bring up our fears of the unknown, or cause us to over-analyze or feel pulled between our head and heart. Be gentle and kind to yourself during these times of change- you don’t need to fear making the wrong choice. Just simply give yourself time to stand at the crossroads. Imagine standing there with Hecate, the wise Goddess holding a staff of light. Just rest in this space and allow yourself to imagine the different possibilities before you without any pressure. Ask her for guidance and clarity. Deep down, you’ve already chosen. Trust what you feel.

3. Sphinx- Challenge

“If I ask the question that provokes, will you stretch to find the answer? Will you take up the gauntlet flung boldly and defiantly answer the call? Will you meet my challenge with tingling in your blood, with your hair blowing electric in the wind, with all your being? Knowing that every challenge is an opportunity, every challenge presents a gift. Every challenge is there to serve you, or not, it’s your choice.”- Sphinx

This is a time calling upon your inner courage to meet a challenge. This may be a part of yourself you are challenged by, or it could be a person or situation outside of you. Sometimes we know that the only way forward is through. We cannot avoid facing life’s obstacles and challenges that force us to summon our inner resources to meet. Every challenge we face sharpens, strengthens and deepens us, helping us to become more of who we want to be. It can be hard to see the gift in a challenge when we are in it. It is often in hindsight that we see where our path was taking us and what we needed to learn or experience. But the Sphinx knows she was made for this. The challenge has presented itself because you are ready, you have what it takes, and you will succeed. Trust your instincts, all the experiences that brought you here and wield your sword in full confidence of who you are what you are capable of! You’ve got this, fierce one.

4. Kuan Yin- Compassion

“I made the vow and kept my word. I reached enlightenment but rather than pass over to the state of eternal bliss, I retained human form till all beings attain enlightenment. Keeping human form enabled me to know more deeply the pain others experience. Because of my deep feelings, because of my understanding of misery and suffering, because of my decision, I am called The compassionate One. She Whose Name Alleviates All Sufferings. But wouldn’t you prefer to wait, feeling what others feel, suffering what others suffer, knowing their pain as your own. Wait till the end of all suffering and pain till all beings reach enlightenment? For me there was no other choice.”- Kuan Yin

Kuan Yin comes to remind you to have compassion for both yourself and others. You cannot really have one without the other. One of the most challenging paths of spiritual growth is to continually deepen and expand our hearts and be humbled by this human experience. In order to expand our hearts, we must come to terms with our own suffering, our own wounds and hold compassion for ourselves first. Otherwise, we can’t do the same for others. So take a moment to feel into your heart- what are you carrying? What are you feeling? Can you hold compassion for yourself in this moment? Can you see yourself reflected in another? Compassion includes all parts of ourself- including the parts we don’t like so much or that feel a lot of pain. There is an opportunity right now to take a softer approach. Be gentle and remember that we are all on this earth path as spiritual beings having a human experience- and being human includes many states of feeling, including suffering. We don’t need to glorify it, nor dwell in it- but we need to allow ourselves to hold space for it in ourselves and others, and offer grace and compassion when we can.

5. Aphrodite- Love

“When I open my heart, I am filled with delight so profound, with ecstasy so sweet, with pleasure so deep, the connecting with my beloved takes me to all the places and the union plays rhapsodies in my soul. I can achieve union when I achieve oneness with myself. I can dance in partnership when I can dance alone. I can love another when I can love myself.“- Aphrodite

Aphrodite comes to remind you how exquisite and loveable you are. Do you treat yourself like someone you really love? Does your self-talk reflect loving kindness and respect or self-criticism or self-deprecation? How can you bring a bit more loving kindness towards yourself these days? If you are in a relationship, what is the quality of feeling between you? Are you treating yourself and each other with love? Love is an action word, so listen to your heart’s call to share that love in tangible ways- whether it is towards yourself or another. Maybe offer yourself a break, a gift, kind words, or tell someone you care about just how much they mean to you. Cultivate the love within and then share it with the world in any way you feel called! Love heals and connects us, so let it flow and remember that we are always loved unconditionally by the Universe and can access this at any time.

6. Morgan Le Faye- Rhythms

“When I dance with life, I dance my own rhythm. I keep my own time. My soul’s tides are aligned and flow with my beat: My own unique expression. By honoring myself I honor all. When you dance with life, what’s you rhythm? Is it quick or slow, lively or liturgical, repetitious or ever-changing? Do you let the tempo serve you or unnerve you? Soothe you or seethe you, mettle you or unsettle you, do you know?“- Morgan Le Faye

Our culture operates on a very rigid and specific rhythm that does not follow nature, nor does it serve our natural physiology much of the time. We evolved to follow nature’s patterns of light and dark, and the seasons. However our culture runs on a scheme of constant productivity and electricity that can affect our hormones, sleep and sense of well-being.

This card is a reminder to honor your own rhythms at this time. It may mean attuning yourself more to the cycles of nature, or simply following your own timing when it comes to processing stimulation, honoring your creative flow, or taking care of your emotional and physical needs. Create some space in your schedule that serves your well-being. You may feel called to simplify meal-prep, your morning routine, or take a day off for your mental health. Maybe your creative drive comes at night and want to make space for that, or you need to get up earlier on weekends and go to bed earlier for better energy.

If you have a drum, it can be soothing to play a regular beat that matches your own internal rhythm. If you don’t have a drum, what music feels soothing or uplifting and matches your rhythm? It’s ok to go slow, no matter how fast the world around you is going. It’s ok to pick the pace up if you are feeling sluggish. Experiment and find a beat that feels right for you right now.

Did your card resonate? I hope it did. Wishing you a beautiful Imbolc season, full of inspiration, healing and renewal!

If you are in the Toronto area and would like to celebrate Imbolc in a small, cozy community, please consider coming to my Imbolc Circle: Awakening the Inner Hearth on Friday, Feb 6th, 2026!

You may also wish to try my guided meditation to Brigid for cleansing and renewing our Inner Hearth: https://youtu.be/IRI6q8iqZPk

Blessings,

Serena

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Summer Solstice Wisdom & Oracle Reading!

We have arrived at the moment of the Sun’s peak power- the most illuminating point in the Wheel of the Year. With the Sun’s light at its zenith, much is brought forth out from the shadows, and this portends a gateway of healing and transformation.

The Solstices & Equinoxes are turning points in the season and in our lives. We are part of nature, interconnected with our human and non-human kin. As above, so below. In this very tumultuous year of change and rebirth, old power structures are crumbling, and we are collectively experiencing this on a large scale as well as personal level.

The brightest light casts the darkest shadow, and so this point of the year can magnify contrasts and imbalances, as well as shadow within and without. It can become painfully clear what isn’t serving us anymore, and where we want to be in the future. It is a time where great strides in healing and renewal are possible, if we harness the energies towards strengthening our inner power and letting ourselves receive the abundance of light and life that surrounds us. We may also need to let go of structures or habits that are no longer serving who we are becoming and shed those layers of burden. We can imagine old ways being dissolved in sunlight, transmuted and released.

Summer Solstice stands opposite the Winter Solstice, a time of darkness and traveling inward. Now, the hidden, inner world comes out into the open to be seen- which can manifest as buried truths being spoken, oppressed feelings being expressed, declarations, proclamations, decisions, directions and life choices being made. Like the energy of a Full Moon, Summer Solstice can bring things to a head, a culmination of the past 6 months’ efforts.

You may wish to think back on the Winter Solstice and what you were dealing with then, and what has been revealed or changed now. The seeds we’ve been planting may start to show their true colors, helping us to decide how to move forward. There is no rush to this process, however. It may take time for new awareness to be integrated. We can let the Earth Mother’s bounty nourish us as we make steps forward.

What is being illuminated or revealed? Where are we out of balance? What clearly needs to change or be healed? What new strengths are growing and blossoming within?

I find this time of year always carries an intensity to it-which can be positive, challenging, or both. Often both! The sun can burn as easily as it can illuminate, and we may need to remind ourselves not to over-do, which can lead to burnout. Just like wearing eye and skin protection, we may need to find ways to filter the powerful energies of this time, so they can illuminate without causing harm. This may come in the form of slowing down, enjoying the little things and doing what nurtures you rather than going full force towards your desire to the point of excess frustration, tension, or burnout. Offering yourself and others gentleness can help channel the light in more productive ways.

Summer Solstice is where the Sun enters the sensitive sign of Cancer the Crab. The crab knows how to protect their vulnerable inner core and trusts their instincts. They carry their home- their shell- with them everywhere they go, which can be a teaching for us to learn to have healthy boundaries and ensure we feel safe enough to venture onto the path illuminated for us.

The crab can also help us to fortify our emotional and physical foundations, our sense of being at home within ourselves. This season can support our efforts in healing our emotional life, our past, family issues, as well as create a more supportive home space or sanctuary within.

This nurturing sign offers us a balm to the heart, as we learn to forgive our mistakes, honor our vulnerability and open to love and compassion in greater ways.

What does it feel like to ‘come home’? What does it feel like to ‘come home to yourself’? What nourishes and fortifies your inner sanctum?

Ways to celebrate the Summer Solstice:

  • Spend time soaking up the sun’s light in gratitude and renewal. Allow the sunlight to cleanse your aura, and transmute the shadows into light. Breathe the sunlight into every chakra, or any area of your body that feel it needs healing. Be mindful of sun protection as well, of course. You can also absorb the sunlight through a canopy of green leaves, beneath a tree if needed.

  • Gather flowers, herbs, rocks, sand, shells, a vial of water or other gifts of the land that have absorbed the sun’s power and keep them as protection for you or your home. Be sure to ask the being first and connect with it! Give the land an offering in gratitude, such as herbs, a song, a prayer, or an animal safe food offering.

  • Charge your crystals, jewelry, or any other sacred items you wish to energize under the light of the sun! They will have extra cleansing and protective energies after at least a few hours of the brightest light.

Summer Solstice Oracle Reading:

The light of summer solstice not only reaches us through the sun, but through the healing magic of color! Each color carries a frequency that can harmonize our mind, body and spirit. Choose a card below from the Secret Language of Color Oracle by Inna Segal. You may wish to wear this color, use a candle this color in a ritual, or connect with a crystal, flower or other aspect of nature that carries this frequency.

Take a deep breath in, and exhale. Ask, what color frequency can most benefit me now? Choose a card. Remember that number and scroll down for its meaning!

Remember that number and scroll down to find it! Words are from the deck’s author.

  1. White- Lighten Up!

White heals your body as a whole, clearing toxicity and assisting with purification. White also enhances clarity and understanding, and can be helpful in healing skin problems. Bringing peace and comfort at the highest level. White represents integrity, light, holiness and surrender. Lighten up with White.

The feeling of lightness is a magnificent experience; it encompasses innocence, purity, and joy. White brings this faith that you are completely loved, taken care of and supported.

Close your eyes and imagine that you are standing on the biggest, most magnificent white crystal mountain. Inhale deeply, allowing the clear white light emanating from this mountain to purify, energize and enlighten you. Visualize yourself letting go of all the unnecessary baggage that you dragged up the mountain with you. How does it feel to be free of this baggage? Experience the ease in your body and soul as you look out from the mountain. Focus on circulating white light from the tips of your toes through your whole body. Feel your body softening and lightening up even more. You are getting ready to soar. Give yourself permission to soar!

Say “I give myself permission to lighten up and experience ease in my body and soul.”

2. Cyan- Build Your Confidence

Cyan strengthens your confidence and belief in yourself, balancing the systems of your body and giving you clarity in times when you need to make choices. It also helps release stress to attain peace and relaxation, and can help fine-tune your communication abilities. Build your confidence with the help of a cyan circle.

Close your eyes and take a slow deep breath in. As you breathe out, allow yourself to completely let go of all the stress and tension in your body. Take in another slow breath and visualize a deep cyan color filling your whole body. Then, as you breathe out, relax.

Imagine a big cyan circle in front of you, focusing on the different qualities that make a person feel confident. They might be things like knowing what you are doing, feeling good about yourself, feeling happy, getting what you want, and so on. Place all these qualities into the cyan circle, and then visualize stepping into the circle yourself. Breathe in all of those qualities, allowing yourself to become more confident and empowered. When you feel completely confident, clap your hands three times and say: “I now embrace my confidence, happiness and clarity” and walk out of the circle.

From now on, every time you need an extra boost, clap your hands three times and breathe in confidence from your cyan circle.

3. Coral- Allow synchronicity and flow into your life

Coral restores physical vitality with its grounding properties, releasing stress, worry and anxiety. See things from a different point of view with coral and heal a broken heart and unrequited love. Coral also helps bring synchronicity and flow into your life.

Imagine coral rays shining out of your heart, allowing more flow and synchronicity into your life. See or sense yourself stepping onto a coral road that leads you onto the right path. In this vibration, things happen easily in synchronistic ways.

Say “My life is easy and full of synchronicity. I follow the most divine path for me.”

Any time you have to make a new decision and need some extra help, visualize stepping on the coral path.

4 . Purple- Develop mental clarity

Purple helps with eyesight, hearing and bringing back a sense of smell; clears mental complexes, negativity and inflammation; and aids with rheumatism, pain and the healing of bones. Creating a connection between your mind, body and soul, purple also brings positivity and success. Use purple to clear your mind and let go of negativity.

Light a purple candle and focus your attention on it. Become aware of any negative thoughts or feelings you are experiencing, saying each aloud as you burn the candle. Imagine the negativity being consumed by the flame of the candle, then say “Divine Intelligence, please delete this negative thought from my mind, body and energy field.”

Now focus on creating a positive state of mind. Say positive affirmations that can help you feel more inspired and peaceful in your life. Say “Divine Spirit, please install thoughts and feelings of clarity, peace and gratitude.” Keep practicing this exercise until your mind is purified of all negativity.

5. Black- Find richness from the dark night

Black is a color of protection, strength and retreat- a gateway to new experience and a test of strength and resolve. Many people experience the dark night of the soul in order to gain wisdom and emerge for the better on the other side. Black dissolves the old so you can welcome the new. Receive divine wisdom and the gifts that have been buried deep inside you with the help of the black ray.

At some point in life, everybody experiences a dark night of the soul. Give yourself permission to connect with the black ray so it can guide you to the gifts which lie in shadow. Visualize yourself in darkness and ask for divine wisdom to show you what you need to learn from the shadow. Receive its gifts to strengthen your faith. Say “Divine Spirit, infuse me with the strength, wisdom and courage to learn from the shadow aspect of myself.”

6. Azure- Protect Yourself

Azure purifies your aura and strengthens your connection to the Divine, leading you to discover your truth and empowering you to make important life choices. Immerse yourself with azure rays to protect yourself from negative, dense energies and to find your center.

Breathe in azure rays of light to feel safe and secure, imagining an azure bubble of light that surrounds and protects you. Say “I ask Divine Healing Light to surround me with love, peace and healing. Please bar any dense energy from entering my space and affecting me. Thank you.” Do this for yourself and your loved ones whenever you would like some added protection.

7. Rose- Attract a relationship

Rose is a color of romance, deep love, and affection that assists with opening the heart and attracting a healthy relationship into your life. It can help you if you have low self-esteem, loneliness, and sadness, and Rose is also great for releasing worry and stress.

The color rose helps to attract love into one’s life. Today, wear a rose-colored top, or hat, focusing on this ray and allowing yourself to be playful and have fun. Different shades of pink, especially rose, awaken your heart and allow you to be open to other people.

Use a pink pen to write down all the things you love about yourself. As you become aware of your value. so will other people. Write down all the people you love in your life, and let that love energy build. Allow yourself to feel grateful for all of these wonderful people. The more love you feel, the easier it is to attract more of it. If you are looking for a relationship, write down all the qualities you would like in a person. Then close your eyes and imagine placing your list into a rose bubble Observe it as it floats out into the universe, looking for your perfect mate. Now all you have to do is be open for this wonderful new person to come into your life. Say “Divine intelligence, I am open to attracting wonderful people with open minds and loving hearts into my life.”

8. Pearl- Connect to the Divine

Pearl is a special shade of white that calms, purifies, and promotes faith. It allows you to flow with life and connect to your Divine nature. The color of personal integrity, truth and loyalty, pearl brings clarity, peace and harmony into your life. To strengthen your connection to the Divine, visualize pearly light.

Imagine a ladder made of pearly light, and begin climbing this ladder in your mind’s eye. With every step, allow yourself to breathe in more pearly light, clearing your mind and releasing all the density and heaviness in your body. Allow yourself to focus on purity, clarity, and the divine connection between your body, mind, emotions and soul. When you feel like you are close to the divine light, open your arms wide to receive it.

Did your card resonate? I hope it did! May this Summer Solstice bring you so much beauty, color, abundance and healing!

xo

Serena

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Beltane Wisdom + Oracle Reading!

Welcome to the burgeoning season of Beltane (aka Bealtaine, meaning ‘Bright Fire’), the ancient Gaelic festival of fertility, protection and growth rooted in Ireland and throughout the UK.

This celebration stands opposite Samhain, the festival of the dead, where the ancestors are venerated.

At both Beltane and Samhain, the veil between this world and the Otherworld is thin, which can bring feelings of vulnerability, as change and magic swirl in the air.

At Beltane, it is said the fairies are out causing mischief, hence the many protection rituals traditionally practiced at this time, as well as leaving offerings of milk and bread out to appease them. It was also customary not to give your bounty away at Beltane, as it could signify a loss for you and a yield for others. Protection not only from fairies but from sneaky neighbors was a concern. Walking the boundaries of one’s land and performing rituals of protection at the four directions was one way of taking care of this.

It was also customary to hold celebratory bonfires for cleansing and renewal of the crops and cattle. Cattle were run between the fires, cleansed by the smoke and the bonfire ashes were strewn on the crops for blessing and protection, as well as used for divination.

These rituals are a great reminder that protection is an act of nurturing what we value and wish to grow.

May Day, celebrated in England and across Europe, holds similar celebrations and include dancing around a Maypole and decorating with flowers.

Astrologically, at Beltane the Sun is in the Earth sign Taurus, which emphasizes security, abundance, sensuality and wealth. It is a time to celebrate new growth and fertility as well as grounding into what sustains and nourishes us.

The season of Beltane may have us reflecting on questions such as:

What supports my sense of security? What is worth protecting?

What does wealth and abundance look like/feel like to me?

What nourishes my senses and helps me feel good in my body?

What do I wish to nurture and grow within myself or my life?

This season is a beautiful time to grow plants, manifest our creative visions, spend more time outside in nature, and take care of our body in tangible, loving ways. With the increasing sunlight, we are blessed with more opportunities to tap into our inner sovereignty, and creative manifesting power. The time is ripe for nurturing our passions and birthing them into the world.

Beltane Oracle Reading:

Want some insight for your Beltane season? Let’s do a little reading! We will be using the beautiful Seasons of the Witch Beltane Oracle by Lorraine Anderson & Juliet Diaz.

Take a moment to ground and center yourself. Take 3 deep relaxing breaths.

Ask the cards: What energy do I need now? You may also ask a specific question about your situation if you wish. When you feel ready, choose one of the cards below:

Remember that number! Now, scroll down to find the same number and description, which is by the deck’s authors.

  1. Goddess- Discernment: Make sure to feel it in your bones for you are what you believe.

A goddess is not available to everyone. Sure, she may receive prayers and offerings, but only a lucky few will ever have the privilege of seeing her true form. A goddess must evaluate a person’s true desires to determine whether or not they are pure of heart and will appreciate her gifts. You too, are a goddess with the ability to limit access to your energy; do not feel pressured to say ‘Yes’ to every opportunity requesting your attention. The situation you are enquiring about requires additional evaluation before you can proceed. Does this situation truly align with what you’d like to have in your life right now? Is it something you truly enjoy or are you settling out of fear or worry that you won’t get another chance like this. A goddess never settles because she knows the universe provides unlimited opportunities for her to share her gifts with the world. You too, will be blessed over an dover again. Give yourself the time and space to consider all of your options before deciding which one will be lucky enough to be a part of your life. If something slips away while you do this, trust that it wasn’t worthy of your attention to begin with.

2. Sun God- Authority: Come all, come now; expand into the skies and into the shadows below.

The Sun god is the ultimate expression of masculine energy, representing structure, authority, respect and status. This is the card of the leader and represents all of the qualities that make someone a force to be reckoned with. Your situation requires a strong hand and systemic approach. The Sun god does not allow his emotions to cloud his judgement and neither should you. Communicate with clear logic and reason, and demonstrate your mastery and intellect. Any others involved in your situation will respect you for your ability to get right down to the heart of the matter. Additionally, this card reminds you that a leader rules with a strong hand but is not a tyrant. Be mindful of arrogance and allow others their moment in the sun. The Sun god is at his best when he uses his strengths to bring out the best in others.

3. Green Man-Abundance: All that I desire comes to me easily and effortlessly. I know this to be true for I am abundant in all that I do.

Everything the green man touches turns to gold…or rather green, that is! He is the ultimate expression of abundance mindset. When the green man invites you to his earthy lair it is to infuse you with the spirit of wealth. Money will flow to you with ease, opportunities will suddenly come knocking or you will find the fulfillment of a goal is just within reach. This is also a sign that you are on the right path and what you’re doing now is working, so keep at it. This card shows that you are living life and enjoying all of the fruits of your labor. You feel more confident and sure of yourself and other people have taken notice of this and seek your advice, knowing you have much to share. The green man is also a giver and provider of wealth. Be generous with your abundance both financially and spiritually; share your knowledge and invite others to partake in your good fortune.

4. Boundaries- Self-Respect: Sewn into the parts of who you are for they are not to be crossed.

Self-love can be expressed in many different ways: sometimes it needs to manifest in a spa day with girlfriends, getting up to exercise or sleeping in later than usual, while at other times it manifests in a need to set and enforce boundaries so that no one person completely drains you of your energy. No one is allowed or even needs to take all of you; no one has the right to demand all of your time, energy or resources or any parts of who you are. It isn’t selfish to want to keep some things for yourself, as doing so is a show of self-respect and an understanding that you cannot give what you don’t have. Imagine trying to give more of your time when you don’t have enough in the day to do what’s already on your plate. Imagine spending more money when you’re already in debt or giving more of your energy to make someone else happy when you’ve been depressed for a very long time. You have pulled Boundaries because you are giving too much of yourself away without recharging your batteries. You are encouraged to say ‘NO’ more often or at the very least ‘Not right now’. Know that this is for the good of everyone in your personal orbit, that you will have so much more to give once you are in a proper place of balance. Additionally, make sure to follow through with any boundaries you’ve set, as other people will push your limits to see how much you are willing to bend to their desires. Stay committed to yourself and stand your ground.

5. Rowan- Protection: There is no need to fear, dear one; protected you are and protected you will always be.

With success also comes envy and, sad as it may be, there are those who will seek to possess what you have. This is true even if you do not feel particularly successful. There are those around you who believe you are better and smarter and have something they do not. The good news about pulling Rowan is that you are protected and safe from any forces wishing to move against you. Those who are seeking to bring you harm do not have what it takes to defeat you. Yes, you may need to defend yourself, but you have worked hard for what you have and you are more than capable of standing your ground. Push back against any adversity, knowing that you are supported by the universe in your fight. All will be well, and while it may be challenging you will emerge from this struggle unharmed. The Rowan card can also mean a new challenge is upon you if you are not currently facing any obstacles. There might be a delay in a project or an unexpected problem, or new competition may suddenly emerge.

6. Honey- Sweetness: The sweetness of you swells in the grace of your pull, oh so beautifully lethal.

You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar’, which easily applies to manifestation, magick and even healing. Your soul attracts more positivity, love and compassion than it does anger, frustration and sadness, so if you have found yourself in a period of unrest, jealousy, heartache or fear know that the path to healing yourself is through allowing sweetness to swell within your being. Rejoice in the success and good fortune of others. Celebrate the good in your life rather than focusing on what’s wrong or broken. Find compassion and forgiveness for those who have brought you pain. Each act of sweetness repairs the breaks in your heart, leading you on the journey towards restoration. Your abundance will be tenfold when you walk the path of sweetness, even if you have not felt much heartache and are currently experiencing a period of good fortune. The more you lean into kindness of heart the more increase you shall see in return to you: an increase in love, wealth, health or joy or all of the above.

7. Primal-Acceptance: There is no other way around but through the very truth that lives within you.

There is a primal force flowing through each of us. You feel it when your tummy rumbles and you feel the urge to eat, or when sexual desires overcome you while sharing a kiss with your beloved. These urges guide you to seek shelter when it rains, to cover up when you are cold and to run when you are afraid, and while these urges are seen as necessary for survival, other urges such as honoring your wild, uninhibited self and raw nature are not always welcome in modern society. However, they are equally essential to living. The Primal card is here to challenge you to let go of who you think you’re supposed to be so you can become who you really are. If you have felt confused, stagnant or lacking in motivation or have a general sense you are going nowhere it may be because you are trying to follow a path that isn’t truly meant for you. Consider whether you are living to please others, doing what is expected of you rather than what brings you joy and fulfillment. Alternatively, if you find that you are in alignment with your current goals, consider whether you have been trying to emulate others rather than expressing your true self. You may have similar goals as another person but you do not have to go about achieving them in the same ways. Trust that who you are is more than enough without having to change your core nature or adapt to fit in.

8. Indulgence- Self-worth: You are worth every desire, every dream. Demand what is yours, demand what you need.

Beltane is a natural time of indulgence when the earth offers a feast for both eyes and stomachs as spring comes alive and expands in bursts of colours and blooms. Like Mother Earth, you too will come alive when you indulge yourself. Indulgence doesn’t necessarily mean eating a box of chocolates, though sometimes this may be required. The most productive way to indulge yourself is to acknowledge your worth and needs. Demand what is yours by giving to yourself first. Do you always put others before yourself? Are you working hard to fulfill someone else’s dreams rather than your own? Do you stifle your own desires in favor of someone else’s? Your dreams, needs and desires matter just as much as anyone else’s- even more so because they are waiting patiently within your heart, waiting for you to find the time and space to bring them to life.

Did your card resonate? I hope it did.

Join our upcoming Beltane Circle!

Are you interested in celebrating Beltane with other like-minded souls? Come and join us on Zoom on Friday, May 10th at 7pm Eastern Time for our Beltane Circle: Earth Wisdom and Crystal Healing. We will discuss the themes of the season, do some grounding and relaxation practices and go on a guided meditation journey to discover a crystal ally to support you on your path. Learn more here.

Beltane blessings of growth, health and abundance to you!

XO

Serena

Healing Perfectionism- You Do Not Have To Be Good

Nature is perfect in her own way- and you are too.

Like each tree, plant and flower, you belong here and carry your unique medicine and gifts. You have an important part to play in the universal story and believe it or not, your existence is enough. All of your flaws, vulnerabilities, wounds and insecurities- they are part of your medicine. You are perfect in this moment, right here and now.

Our Environmental Stresses

Our culture is steeped in image-obsession and perfectionism. It seems every day there is a new level of pressure to adhere to impossible standards- not only of beauty and youth, but parenting, career, social media behaviour, in every aspect of life.

I am a recovering perfectionist. Like most women, I grew up in a culture that expects girls to always behave like a young lady, please others and put others’ needs first. As I became a teen and young woman, I realised how impossible it was becoming to meet the expectations placed on me by society. It always felt I was ‘too’ something or not enough of something. My goodness wasn’t inherent. It was to be earned.

Some of us may have had childhoods where being ‘good’ was internalised as a matter of survival, and later as adults, it manifests as the need to please our bosses, clients, partners and the public at large. Rather than feeling good, we feel we must act or look a certain way to be considered good.

We all have an internalised authority figure- an inner judge or critic, or some almighty spiritual being or God that we feel is watching our every move. We may serve this judge on a daily basis and not even realise it. Guilt and shame are used in our society to control us and have been for a long time.

We may have idealised in our mind about what our ‘perfect’ self looks like, acts like and strive to meet that. This may be part of a spiritual ideal, or a social ideal. We may succumb to social media’s pressure to romanticise or glamorise our lives, to perform activism or do whatever is necessary to look good and be good in the eyes of the inner judge.

Social media makes it so we no longer have privacy. Our words, photos and videos are available for the masses to consume and criticise, so we curate them appropriately. The widespread use of Zoom forced us to see ourselves on video far more than we normally would, inviting excessive self-consciousness and self-criticism.

I know I sound old, but I miss the days of simply BEing ourselves, in 3D, finding friends and sharing our interests without the unnecessary public scrutiny.

The religious underpinnings of our society mixed with capitalism create an environment where our desire to be loved and accepted is constantly used and manipulated with guilt, shame and image-consciousness to keep us buying things and doing things that are not authentic to our true, whole selves.

Beauty Standards

My 15 yr old daughter is really into makeup and loves Sephora. I recently read an article about ‘Sephora Kids’, who are often age 10 or younger, insisting they use products designed for middle-aged women lest they wither and lose their youthful glow. But they haven’t even been hit by teen acne yet. These girls are inundated with Tik Tok influencers selling anti-aging products they don’t need, which can actually be harmful to young skin. It is becoming more normalised than ever for teen girls and young women to get botox and cosmetic surgery as well.

Thankfully, my daughter has enough sense to do her research and see the BS behind a lot of social media pressures, but she is not immune to it and neither am I. I think today’s youth have it harder than I did at that age. Sure, they have better makeup and acne products, more access to information on anything, and can text their friends instead of writing notes. But they’ve got way more pressure to look good and act a certain way. More ways to be bullied and publicly shamed on a larger scale. More risk of internalising beauty standards that are completely unrealistic.

As I embrace middle age and walk with my daughter through her teen years, I see how deeply we’ve both been conditioned to dwell on our appearance, our behaviour, our need to be ‘good’ as girls and women. How our bodies will never fit into the box and neither will our spirits. I hope my own process of liberation supports hers, and we can embrace the wholeness of who we are as we grow older.

We are Spiritual Beings Having a Human Experience

So, how do we live authentically, without falling into these traps of idealisation, perfectionism, guilt and ‘not-enoughness’?

How do we invite our wounded, flawed, wrinkled, imperfect selves into a dance of wholeness with all that noise in the background?

How do we embrace the limitations of our earthly existence- the body, our survival needs, our desire to simply be loved and belong- amidst the pressures to constantly prove our worthiness?

Perhaps the most healing poem I’ve ever come across that acts as a balm to my perfectionism is Wild Geese by Mary Oliver:

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

Let the Soft Animal of Your Body Love What it Loves

I was introduced to this poem over 20 years ago when I first became a Yoga instructor. It has been a great support to my embodiment practice over the years. When I find myself getting rigid about my diet or body image, I often have to remind myself to simply ‘let the soft animal of my body love what it loves’. Every day I do an authentic/free movement practice to help me ground into the sensations, pleasures, and limitations of the body. This helps me reclaim my body as my own, as an organic process, as a living being- rather than an object for others to look at.

Having lived with a painful chronic disease, I have had to overcome a lot of inner perfectionism and embrace new levels of acceptance. Daily, I must come to terms with this body and its form, its limits and embrace what is, in the moment.

Unlike choreographed dance forms, authentic movement (and ecstatic dance) help me to embody and feel my beauty, rather than just try to see it. When I feel the satisfaction of a deep stretch, the powerful pulse of my heartbeat, the shivers of excitement when I shake my hair out- I am whole. I am happy. I am ecstatic.  I feel beautiful, and this helps me see that in the mirror.

Through movement, I shapeshift into many forms. My body mirrors the movements of animals, birds, trees, fish and otherworldly creatures of all kinds.

When I put on music, I am transported to the sky realms, the sea, the mountains. I travel and flow with it, with my body, letting it move however it wants to. Some days, I just want to lie still. Others, I want to shake, jump or sway. I don’t have to look good while moving. I also activate my voice with sounding, which doesn’t have to sound good.

Movement helps me remember that my body is a channel of energy, that it is part of everything, that it is both finite and connected to the infinite universe at the same time. Movement is magick.

Free, authentic movement is a balm to our wounds of body objectification and separation from our animal instincts. By being fully in our body, the sensations coming from within it, we can transcend it at the same time, and feel the wholeness of our Spirit.

How do you let the soft animal of your body love what it loves?

Tell Me About Your Despair, Yours, And I Will Tell You Mine. Meanwhile, the World Goes On

Our journey through this life eventually etches itself on our body, and in our psyche. We become a collection of experiences- of love, pain, anguish, grief and joy.

I am ok with my laugh lines and crow’s feet. But the furrowed stress lines between my eyebrows, less so.

It’s easier to embrace the good parts of life, harder to embrace the pain. I don’t want to remember painful parts of my past. But embracing and remembering doesn’t mean I have to dwell in it.

The poem Wild Geese reminds us that while our pain is real and must be felt and processed, it is a small part of the big picture. For every moment of pain and sorrow there is a multitude of joyful moments to join in on, if we choose to.

No matter what dramas befall us, the natural world keeps going. The instinct of animals is to keep living their life as best as they can. They don’t waste time trying to fit into anyone’s expectations or worrying about the past. They remind us to live fully in the here and now. They continue to generate life, no matter what else is dying or falling away.

The sun always rises again the next day. We’re given another chance to begin again. To breathe new life into ourselves.

Nature asks us to merge with her rhythms and trust they will bring us into a new place all on their own.

When I’m in emotional overwhelm, I go for a walk in the ravine, cuddle my cat or tend my houseplants. Other times I just stare at the moon outside my window. All I know is that these small acts immediately bring me into a deeper calm when I’m frazzled or caught up in life’s dramas. I know I’m held and supported, that there’s a bigger rhythm and cycle I’m part of. These cycles are a reminder that we cannot control everything. That there is a divine wisdom unfolding in its own timing.

What rituals do you have that help you feel part of nature and its cycles?

Announcing Your Place in The Family of Things

We have a collective wound around belonging. This creates a deep insecurity within ourselves, that can rear its head and make us feel we have to ‘earn our keep’ or prove our worthiness to exist here. But we all belong here.

You belong here. Right here on earth, right where you are now. You’re part of the Earth family. You are exactly where you’re meant to be. Imperfections and all. You are deeply loved and supported by all your kin- your fellow humans, trees, animals, ancestors, the little flowers on that windowsill, and the big beautiful full moon in the sky.

The human experience can feel super lonely. Even though I have a strong animistic spiritual practice, I still feel loneliness sometimes. I have often become overwhelmed by this world and felt like I must be from some other place. While perhaps our spirit may be from another dimension or the stars, we were born on this earth, for a reason and purpose. We are meant to be here, and we belong here now.

My animistic practice is what has healed the deeper loneliness I used to feel, and it is what I turn to whenever loneliness comes up, because it heals me every time.

Animism is the belief that everything has a spirit. No matter what form we are in, we all have a spirit, and maybe that spirit is from here and maybe it isn’t, but we’re all here nonetheless. We’re all spirit in a physical form on Earth.

When I hear the croak of my neighbourhood raven, or touch the trunk of a nearby tree, I feel their kinship. When I sit on the beach, I listen to the waters and speak my pain to them. When I pick up a rock I listen to its wisdom. Everything has a soul, an intelligence. This is what I believe, and how I live. It takes away the loneliness.

I know that while I have human family, my family extends far beyond that. I have the nature beings, ancestors and spirit guides. This is my family and my home. It is yours too.

Do you have a favourite spot in nature that helps you feel at home? What helps you feel a sense of belonging on this earth?

As I recover from my own perfectionism, I hope to share these little nuggets of healing, in the hopes that we all feel a little better in our bodies, on this planet, just as we are.

Do you struggle with perfectionism? What helps you heal and feel whole?

May any perfectionism you struggle with soften into a deep knowing of your innate worthiness. Your existence is enough. You belong here. You do not have to be good.

Xo

Serena

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What’s Your Power Season? Your Birthday Through a Witchy Lens

We all carry the essence of the time we are born in. I believe this and have seen proof of these patterns, as a lifelong enthusiast and practitioner of astrology. As a Witch, I also see how we express the energies of the seasonal festival closest to our birthday. This is what I call our ‘Power Season’ because it relates to our vitality, creativity, and inner power. It is a time of year where we operate from a place of greater strength and energy, potentially making big strides forward in our lives. This is when our unique light shines bright.

Likewise, we have an opposing season, or what I call a ‘Balancing Season’- when our creative energy is lowered. During this low season, it can be a good time to recharge and refuel our creative cauldron. It is also a great time to integrate that season’s balancing energy to help us achieve greater wholeness. I invite you to read the description of your balancing season as well, as it is often our best teacher!

Remember- this is simply an added lens through which to get to know yourself, one that compliments astrology, not replaces it.

Find Your Power Season

In the modern witch’s calendar, the year is divided into 8 seasonal festivals. These 8 festivals take place at the Equinoxes, Solstices and the points between each of those.

Your birthday season is your Power Season. Find where your birthday falls in the list below. Your Power Season is the seasonal festival that is closest to your birthday. You may need to look at your calendar to see which one that is. Your birthday may fall right in the middle of two seasons, and thus you may carry some of the energy of both, as one season fades into the other. You can consider both festivals good times for using your creative power, and both balancing seasons good times for recharging your energies.

Winter Solstice- Approx Dec 21st

Imbolc-  Feb 1st or early Feb

Spring Equinox- Approx March 21st

Beltane- May 1st or early May

Summer Solstice- Approx June 21st

Lammas-  Aug 1st or early Aug

Fall Equinox- Approx Sept 21st

Samhain- Nov 1st or early Nov

Now, let us explore these seasonal festivals and how they resonate with your inner gifts and power..

Winter Solstice Approx Dec 21st – The Wise Witch

If Winter Solstice is your power season, you are the Wise One, Old Soul, carrier of elder energy. You are attuned to the ancestors, and value the wisdom held in traditions and the old ways. Perhaps you feel you’ve had many lives on earth and have knowledge you wish to pass onto others. Your life is one of collecting experiences that teach you to become stronger and wiser. You may choose to teach others as well. The darkness of this time of year doesn’t faze you as much as it does for others, because you have a strong core of self-reliance that holds you steady as you surrender to the Mystery. You can see in the dark with your intuitive senses. You can hold space for the unknown while your feet stay planted on the earth.

The festival of Winter Solstice is one of honoring endings and beginnings- processing all that the year has brought, and rekindling the hope of renewal as the light begins to slowly increase once again. It is a deep moment of stillness, reflection, rest and retreat, before the dawn.

You carry this essence of depth and of hope- the ability to straddle moments of death and rebirth in life for others. You may find yourself called to be in those moments of transition, loss, or challenge for other people. You enjoy the company of elders and feel a kinship with the ancient ones.

Your power lies in your internal strength, an inner light that blazes even when everything around you is in darkness. You are the solid rock others lean on when in need. You sometimes may feel you need to carry the world on your shoulders and have trouble asking for what you need. You feel like you must be always the responsible one or the authority. It may be too easy sometimes to get swallowed in darkness, grief, or pragmatism. Your focus may be past-oriented, as you glean wisdom from your past experiences or the wisdom of others who have tread the path before. You follow what has worked over time, and you are patient.  

At the Winter Solstice, embrace solitude and really tap into the increased wisdom the year has brought you. Stand in your power gained through experience. Consider how you can share this wisdom and be a source of strength for others in the year to come. 

Your Balancing Season:

Your balancing season is the Summer Solstice. Let this time be an invitation to step out of your usual role of authority and let yourself receive the earth’s gifts and replenish your deep reserves. Open up to the love, bounty and beauty around you.  

The melting, softening, opening and blossoming energy of solstice may feel uncomfortable, dripping with excess, drama, or just too much sunlight! But the light, playful and expressive energy of summer solstice can help you remember that you can have fun, be silly and enjoy life! Receive the light into your being, so you can shine it for others in the dark. Read the description of Summer Solstice season for added insight.

Reflection: How do you embody wisdom? How do you integrate your playful, youthful side?

Imbolc- (Feb 1/Early Feb) The Visionary Witch

If Imbolc is your power season, you are the sparkling magic of sunlight on the snow, the gentle stirrings of new life deep in the belly of the Earth Mother. The cold may be harsh and unrelenting, yet the light has noticeably increased. Like a deer in a silent winter forest, your spiritual antennae are attuned to higher frequencies and your sensitivities are heightened to the energies around you. This attunement to subtle energies gives you an allure of mystery, as not everyone can hear what you hear or see what you see. Your sensitivity may also require added care and protection. Inspiration is what you seek to channel, as it fuels your visions of a brighter future and motivates your creativity.

The festival of Imbolc venerates the goddess Brigid, healer, poet, smith, and hearth-tender. It is a season of cleansing and preparing for new life, dedication to our spiritual path, and stoking our inner hearth of inspiration and creativity. It is a time where we envision the year ahead, and gently incubate the new life stirring within us.

Like the season, you may straddle the world of harsh reality with one of hope and possibility. You may find your sensitivity, spiritual orientation or unique perspective misunderstood by others or seen as impractical, but these are your gifts. You can see much farther ahead than most, feel collective energies stirring beneath the surface and can intuit things very accurately. The job of a visionary is to dream. To see possibilities, where others don’t. You embrace multiple perspectives, and make connections. The world needs your inspiring visions and goals. You are here to inspire hope, help others believe in magic, and create new ways of doing things.

During your power season, re-commit to your spiritual path and ideals. Tap into your creative visioning power! Dream a new dream and map out the way there. Trust your instincts and sensitivities. Your gentle nurturance is a gift for all life- you may wish to share it with young children, animals, plants, or ideas. Honour the preciousness of new life and tend to its needs.

Your Balancing season:

Your balancing season is Lammas. Let this time be an invitation to take a break from future-minding and get present to the earthly bounty around you. Soak up those warm rays on the beach, get deeply interested in the sand between your toes and nothing more. You may find this season uncomfortably physical or pragmatic. The land asks that we reap our harvest and contend with the results. Enjoy your harvest! The practical energy of this season helps you bring your dreams down to earth. Drying herbs, canning, pickling, crafting, and making bread are all good activities that help ground your expansive spirit into the here and now. Read about Lammas season for further insight.

Reflection: How do you embody the Visionary energy? How do you integrate your grounded, practical side?

Spring Equinox- (approx. Mar 21st) The Brave Witch

If Spring Equinox is your power season, you are the bright flame of rebirth, regeneration, and new life! As an early spring witch, you carry the essence of new beginnings, optimism, and brave action. Like the baby ram leaping about, or the relentless green shoots pushing through the soil, you are motivated to break new ground and enjoy doing it. The old ways of doing things don’t interest you. You seek to innovate, initiate, and move things forward. No matter how old you are, you carry a youthful, fresh, and innocent energy. Children are likely drawn to you, sensing a deep kinship. Life is your adventure, and the world is your oyster. You are sensitive to energy and can channel a large amount of it. Your motivation and optimism are contagious, like a flame that lights others’ awaiting wicks.

The festival of Spring Equinox is a celebration of new life and inspires taking tangible action. This is the time of year when we can begin to implement the creative visions we had in Imbolc season, bringing them into the material world and taking risks or bigger steps forward.

Like your power season, you love to start new things. Others may find your optimism childish or that you lack follow-through, but new beginnings are the job of the brave witch that you are! You know that you can’t manifest a dream if you don’t try. You are more likely to succeed in your endeavors than most, simply because you’re willing to act where others let fear prevent them from taking the first step. You may feel called to be that helping hand or voice that urges others to be brave, stand up for what they believe in or take a step towards their dreams. You may be an advocate for the vulnerable, or champion of the underdog, willing to put yourself in the line of fire if needed.

During your power season, take a stand, start something new, share your innovative energy in some way. It will have far-reaching effects. The world needs your brave warrior witch energy!

Your Balancing Season:

The Fall Equinox is your balancing season. This is where we begin our descent into the underworld and draw inward. You may find this season depressing or difficult, as the leaves fall, reminding you of what has been lost or ended. Let this be an invitation to take off your armor and give yourself a break from being the warrior. You deserve rest and recuperation too. Make a warm pot of your favourite tea, get cozy with a good book or pull out your journal. Let your heart melt and the tears flow. Your own inner child deserves the love, care and protection you give to everyone else. Read about Fall Equinox season for further insight.

Reflection: How do you embody bravery? How do you integrate your softer, reflective side?

Beltane- (May 1st/Early May) The Sensual Witch

If Beltane is your power season, you vibrate with the green earth, which is alive and beginning to show buds, leaves and flowers. The energy of growth is your magic, with a passion for manifesting tangible creations. You’re a very sensual being, in touch with your body and sexuality, trusting your physical instincts more than most. The vibrant spring energy you carry exudes strength, confidence, optimism, and beauty. You may have a green thumb or a talent for healing, cooking or art. There’s lots to do during this season- gardens and projects to plant, tend and cultivate. Likewise, you may find you are often busy and juggling many tasks at once. Like the butterfly, you may find yourself flitting from one thing to the next, sampling nectar from different flowers and bringing together different flavors or notes to create something new.

The festival of Beltane is a time to celebrate fertility and growth. We do rituals in celebration of the body, love, dancing and feasting. It is also a time for cleansing and protection from mischievous fairies as well.

The warmer weather brings people out and about, ready to mingle and socialise, and you may find you are often drawn out to connect with others, or simply enjoy nature. Beltane is a time of movement and growth, so you do not like to stagnate or stand still too long. There is too much to experience! You may find you have a knack for connecting people to one another and learning new things. Some may think you’re a bit scattered or lacking depth, but you are here to enjoy life and all it has to offer! Your diverse, tangible experiences enrich your life and enhance your skills. You always have a good story to bring to the table, or something beautiful to bestow upon the world.

During your power season, indulge in a new sensual experience, buy yourself new adornment, travel or learn a new skill! Share your fertile, sensual energy with others in creative and loving ways.

Balancing Season:

Your balancing season is Samhain. Your spirit may feel a bit low around the dark, death-embracing energies of Samhain. However, your power must be replenished with a period of dormancy and rest. Samhain invites you to slow down, draw inward, and connect with your deep emotional roots. What ancestral gifts or wounds do you carry? Is there something you need to grieve? Embracing solitude and allowing yourself to feel your depths- especially pain-helps you to transmute it so you can bloom even brighter next year. Healthy roots are necessary for growth. Read about Samhain season for further insight.

Reflection: How do you embody playful sensuality? How do you integrate your inner darkness and pain?

Summer Solstice- (Approx June 21st) The Shining Witch

If Summer Solstice is your power season, you shine with the colours of the rainbow! The flowers are in full bloom, and medicinal herbs are ready to be harvested. Everything is blooming and expressing their full potential. You too, like to bring your full potential to everything you do, and expression is very important to you. You are very generous, and like to go big or go home. Authenticity is a motivating force in your life. Why pretend to be somebody you’re not? You are unabashedly you. Highly attuned to the Earth Mother’s energies, you love to bask in the sun, swim in the water and play as much as possible. You feel life is to be enjoyed and celebrated.

The Summer Solstice is a time where we celebrate the longest day and acknowledge the sun’s protective and energizing gifts. Again, like at Beltane, fairies are out causing mischief and many believe this to be one of the most powerful times for magic in the year. It is a peak of energy that reverberates and energizes us for long into the future, so it is best to use it wisely rather than let it go to waste.

Like your festival, and like the sun, you carry a strong energizing force that can powerfully protect, bless, or burn. You decide how you wish to use your energy. Be careful of burning out, as some may take advantage of your warm rays. Some may feel blinded or jealous of the light you carry, but don’t let them dim your light. Trust that you are meant to wield potent energies, and have the capacity to create big, beautiful things!

During Summer Solstice, find productive, creative channels for your power, and use your abundant energy to make the world a better place. You are a nurturing, giving and generous soul, meant to share the Earth Mother’s love with all.

Balancing Season:

Your balancing season is the Winter Solstice. With all the giving you do, this season invites you to rest and recuperate. You may find it depressing or exhausting when winter descends but think of it as a soft blanket wrapping you in love and giving you permission to simply be. This season teaches you that you do not need to be at your best all the time! You can feel tired, lazy, and anti-social and that’s ok. You can let someone else host the holiday dinner and be the first to leave. Just do the basics and hold space for the unknown. It is in the dark void that we grow truly wise. Spend time with the elders in your life. Invite the wisdom of darkness to help you understand how to wield the light. Read about Winter Solstice season for further insight.

Reflection: How do you embody the life-giving energies of the sun? How do you integrate rest and embrace darkness?

Lammas (Aug 1st/Early Aug)- The Abundant Witch

You straddle the bright shiny energy of summer solstice as well as the beautiful harvest season, here at Lammas. You carry the soft, warm glow of sunset on a wheat field, the wind rustling through the trees, and crickets singing through the night. There is a sense of peaceful fulfillment during this season, an inner satisfaction that no other season carries. It fills us with gratitude. Like the Summer Solstice Witches, you love to play outside- basking in the sun, picking flowers, swimming in the water.  You carry the energy of abundance, like a balm to the collective scarcity wound. Gratitude is a theme in your life and its essence is the highest expression of your spirit. Naturally skilled and creative, you do not waste anything, and often make beautiful things- whether cooking, crafting, gardening or any sort of art! You use your time, energy and resources wisely. You carry the wisdom of reciprocity in regards to relating with the Earth as a living being. You understand the give and take, the importance of showing gratitude in physical ways. You love giving gifts to others and like to receive appreciation as well.

Lammas, or First Harvest festival is the festival of the grain, and making bread is one of its main activities. It is at this time we have a sense of which of our planted seeds have done well and which haven’t. We reap what we’ve sown and accept the outcome. We separate the wheat from the chaff and begin our preparations for autumn. It is a festival that celebrates artisans and farmers with food and craft markets, feasting and gratitude.

You like to upcycle, to create something beautiful from humble beginnings. Where others see rags, you see a potential quilt! During your power season, use your craftiness to make incense or medicines from herbs, jams or preserves from fruits, or create beautiful clothing, jewelry, décor or other items that enhance people’s lives.

Some may say you get hung up on the details or focus too much on issues of scarcity and abundance, but you are a true artisan of life- you know that life is in the details, for nothing of quality can be made haphazardly. You prefer DIY projects because you trust your own magical ability to weave thread into gold!

Your Balancing Season:

Imbolc is your balancing season. Sometimes you may get bogged down by the mundane details and limitations of the physical world. The season of Imbolc invites you to reconnect with your ‘why’- the higher principles and motivation behind your actions. Imbolc takes place at the coldest, harshest time of year and you may find scarcity thoughts take hold at this time. Remember that you are the earth and you are magic. You don’t need to get your energy from the outside world, the flame of creation lies within you. Reconnect to the awe and wonder you had as a child, rekindle your belief in magic, possibility, and new sources of inspiration. Connect with your Spirit and dream new dreams for the future. Read about Imbolc season for further insight.

Reflection: How do you embody abundance? How do you integrate your spiritual, idealistic, dreamy side?

Fall Equinox- (Approx. Sept 21st) The Balanced Witch

If Fall Equinox is your power season, you are one lucky witch! Often called the ‘season of the witch’, this time holds the beauty of a feast shared with loved ones, the brilliant reds, oranges and yellows of the trees, the gentle cool breeze and a warm cup of tea. Something about fall equinox is extra witchy- perhaps because it is that point of balance between light and dark, marking our descent into the darker half of the year. You are drawn to the inner journey, sensing the magical treasures to be found there. You carry the ability to both live in this world and the spirit world. You can just as easily craft a beautiful besom or herbal tincture as you can dance with your demons. You enjoy a bit of socializing as well as curling up alone with a good book. You are not afraid to dip your toes into the darker realms of human nature, and yet you also delight in the sensual aspects of life, feeling the leaves crunch beneath your feet as you sip your pumpkin latte, or soaking in an essential oil bath. Your path is one of integrating different aspects of yourself, your inner light and dark.

The Fall Equinox festival is another harvest festival, this time focusing on fruits and veggies rather than grain. It is a time of gratitude, celebrating what has manifested and worked well, and grieving or letting of what hasn’t. We may let go of physical things we no longer need, or habits that have been holding us back. It is a time of transmutation, release, and opening to the mystery that awaits us as we begin the journey inward.

You may feel you walk a line between worlds at times. Perhaps you feel the call of the darkness more strongly, and other times, you wish to feel your feet on the ground. Some may find it hard to know where you stand, or demand you pick a side. But, like your festival, you carry an inner sense of balance within that you like to maintain. This also aligns with a sense of personal integrity, understanding, ethics and justice. You live by an inner code that reflects your need for balance. Reflection is very important to you, and you may find your mind venturing into the past to integrate its lessons.

During your power season, take the time you need to digest the year’s energies and consciously begin an inner journey- spiritually and/or emotionally. Honor your inner Witch in gentle, loving ways.  Stand in your power as an edge-walker, a balancer of light and dark.

Balancing Season:

Perhaps you are more willing than most to learn from your balancing season? Spring Equinox is your balancing season, as it invites you to embrace innovation and break new ground. Your natural essence is integration and reflection, which can make the impulsive verve of Spring Equinox feel unsettling and forceful. Spring asks you to take off the cozy sweater and try new things, which can feel scary. It asks you to jump in feet-first and be willing to fail. Can you trust your ability to land on your feet? You won’t know what you’re capable of until you try. Let spring show you new aspects of yourself to fuel your quest for integration. Read about Spring Equinox season for further insight.

Reflection: How do you embody Balance? How do you integrate your brave and impulsive side?

Samhain- (Nov 1st-Early November) The Healing Witch

Your power season is Samhain, also known as the Witches’ New Year. The winds have grown colder and many of the leaves have fallen by this time, leaving their stark, twisted, craggy naked beauty to behold. You do not shy away from the grittier, darker aspects of life, as you have an x-ray vision that shows you the deeper essence of everything. You are not fooled by appearances and can smell a rat a mile away.

This is the season of death and increased darkness. You carry the wisdom of knowing that death is simply a part of nature’s cycles and always leads to rebirth. Life never ends, it only changes. Your healing power stems from this wisdom, and your simple presence can offer comfort to someone who is grieving, struggling, or experiencing deep pain. It is said the veil between this world and the spirit world is thin this time of year, giving you a heightened sensitivity to the spirit world. You may be unusually attuned to your ancestors or helper spirits from other realms. You may be gifted at mediumship, oracles, channeling, or of course, healing.

The festival of Samhain is one in which we honour our beloved dead and tend to our roots which contain our ancestral gifts and wounds. We may feast the dead, talk about our favourite memories, or do some deeper shadow work.

During your power season, take the opportunity to do some of your deepest healing. Tackle those ghosts in the attic or delve into that ancestral wound. The work you do now will reverberate not only for the rest of your life, but generations forward and back all through your lineage. You are a powerful healer.

Others may find you intimidating, intense or dramatic. But this is because your path puts you through more intensity than most. Life, death, and rebirth will always feature prominently in your life, and others will likely seek you out for guidance when they are in transition. In order to heal, we must understand illness, in order to cultivate life, we must learn to embrace death. One cannot happen without the other. You know this.

Balancing Season:

Your balancing season is Beltane. The sensual delights of the earth blossoming invite you to embrace life and be nourished. The darkness of Samhain can diminish your trust and ability to appreciate life’s simple pleasures. Place your feet on the soft morning grass, smell a flower and appreciate the bounty that surrounds you! Care for your body, be kind to yourself and allow yourself to thrive, connect and create! Enjoy the life aspect of the cycle, remembering this is the thriving, healing energy that moving through loss eventually brings. Read about Beltane season for further insight.

Reflection: How do you embody deep change and healing ? How do you integrate your lighter, sensual side?

I invite you to take some time to delve more deeply into awareness of these seasonal points. How can you use this knowledge to enhance your birthday season or recharge during your balancing season?

If you’d like to experience the seasonal energies in a deeper, more meaningful way, join us for the Hearthfire Circles! We celebrate the seasonal festivals online and in-person with guided meditation journeys, art-making, ritual and warm community vibes.

If you have questions, don’t hesitate to comment below!

In love and balance,

Serena

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Winter Solstice Wisdom + Oracle Reading!

Winter Solstice is a point of peak darkness. The longest night whispers to us to draw deep within, to go quiet so we can hear the call of our soul song.

The hushed blanket of night reminds us that in the dark there is much we cannot see or understand with our conscious mind- But we can feel, sense and ‘know’ what we need to, by tapping into our wise instincts and intuition.

Seeing in the dark requires different faculties than in the daylight. Instead of relying on surface appearances, logic and analysis, we must awaken to the wisdom of our body, heart and intuition to help us navigate the moment. We must honour and integrate our inner needs into our decisions about the future.

With Mercury retrograde, the end of a challenging year and Pluto nearing its end of a 15-year cycle in Capricorn, we are in a place of deep transition and reflection over these next few weeks. We are closing a chapter in preparation for a new cycle.

The past may now rear its head in many ways, reminding us of lessons we’ve already learned, things we’ve accomplished, what worked and what didn’t. Unfinished business may come up to be tended and released. Some things may naturally dissove or end, clearing space for a new chapter. The events of this time may serve to remind us of who we really are and how we’ve changed over time.

Acceptance is a word that keeps coming to my mind. This is a season for accepting the choices we’ve made, learning from the mistakes and painful experiences. We are urged to take responsibility for our lives and create the one we want to live, one small step at a time.

We’re in Crone/Elder season, and the Wise Old Ones remind us to be patient with ourselves as we process all of this. Take it slow, no need to rush, they say. Your healing and renewal are a necessary step towards growth. Sometimes we need to stop moving and simply be still or even take a detour to the past in order to move forward again.  

Crones from the Wisdom of the Cailleach Oracle by Jane Brideson

The Old Ones may gaze sternly into our eyes, reminding us of our potential and urge us to stop habits that are holding us back- whether it’s letting negative self-talk, fears, old trauma or boundary issues control us.

They may gaze at us with lightheartedness and childlike joy, reminding us of the simple pleasures we may take for granted in our busy lives.

The Old Ones see deeply into our soul- our pain, longings, fears and insecurities. They take our hand in theirs and remind us that we are never alone. We are loved, and we too are Wise Old Ones in the making.

They ask us: How is this moment helping you to become wiser? What has this past year taught you?

If you wish for some inspiration/support to help you integrate the year’s lessons, read on for some oracle guidance…

Winter Solstice Oracle Reading:

In the spirit of the Old Ones, and Wise Crone energy, I’d like to offer you a reading from the ‘Wisdom of the Cailleach’ Oracle by Jane Brideson.

The Cailleach, also known as An Cailleach, An Cailleach Beara or Beira, is the Irish and Scottish Hag of Winter and Old Woman who shapes the land. She is responsible for storms and nasty weather, making mountains and preventing thaw. Her name means ‘veiled one’. She is associated with the cold, barren months of the year, while the goddess Brigid or Brìghde, is associated with the fertile, warm months.

Cailleach’s energy is strong this time of year, so let’s take heed of her wisdom.

Choose one card as your message of inspiration for this season…

You may wish to take a moment to ground and centre yourself first and ask “What do I need to embrace this Solstice?” Then Choose.

Wisdom of the Cailleach Oracle by Jane Brideson

Once you’ve chosen a card, remember its number and then see below for the description! Descriptions in italic are from the author, Jane Brideson, followed by my own words.

  1. Fire Pit: Passion-Sacrifice-Creativity
  • Passion, anger or strong emotions
  • A sacrifice or an opportunity to release the past
  • The spark of creativity, increase in enthusiasm and vigour.
  • A time of power and intensity

Imagine you are sitting outside at a sacred fire pit on a cold winter’s night. As the flames dance and sparks fly, what do you feel? What ignites your own sacred flames within? The fire calls us to be brave, courageous, authentic. There’s no more denying how you really feel, or who you really are. It’s time to express yourself and channel your energy into productive, yet authentic actions. Time to do things that feed your passions and your physical energy. Feel yourself warming up from the inside out, your inner flame burning away false pretense and old selves. It is time to rise, to transform, to create anew!

2. Possibilities: Trust-Hope-Potential

  • Hopes, dreams and plans for the future.
  • Trust that all will be well in this moment.
  • An opportunity to explore your potential.
  • Time of optimism and freedom.

Imagine yourself bundled up nice and warm, standing in a peaceful forest under a starry winter sky. Gaze up at the beautiful vastness above you and allow yourself to feel the wonder and awe of a child. This is a big, wild universe, and sometimes we forget how much we have yet to experience and explore! Ask yourself ‘what if-?’ and let your imagination wander. It is easy to get stuck in limited thinking patterns as we grow older .This card asks you to open up to more. Let the perceived limitations fall for a moment and seek new possibilities for growth and expansion! What does your curious self wish to explore? Where can you expand your view of the world?

3. Ancestors: Origins-Forgiveness-The Past

  • Your roots, your ancestors, your heritage.
  • Lessons learned, time to move on.
  • Understanding and forgiving your former self.
  • Time to leave behind your past, old patterns and beliefs.

You come from a long lineage, which has brought you here today. What sings in the memory held in your blood and bones? We carry both trauma and gifts from our ancestors. Sometimes it can feel like a heavy weight, as we carry the past into the present. What inherited patterns are not serving you in this lifetime? What is it time to transmute and heal? What gifts have you been given that are asking to be expressed more in your life? Perhaps a little journey into the past is called for in order to move into your bright future. You hold the power to change the story and make a brighter path forward for your descendants and the generations to come. What legacy do you wish to leave behind? Your ancestors surround you in love and support you now on your path.

4. Harvest Hag

I am rowan berries on a thread, fleet footed hare beneath the moon, the keen-eyed, reaping blade.

I am the seed, sickle and the sheaf, ebb and flow of land and sun, life’s waxing and decrease.

I am your call to roam across the land, to fill your arms with grain and fruit, to reap your golden harvest, laughter, love and tears.

Gaze into the wise eyes of the Harvest Hag and be reminded of your own resourcefulness and abundance. You hold all that you need to create the life you desire. The sickle represents discernment and respect for that which you are reaping. Only take what is needed, and leave the rest to flourish on the Earth Mother’s body. Life is cyclical, and there are times to reap and times to sow. What abundance exists in your life? What bounty do you hold but have not yet put to use? What latent talents or abilities can you cultivate to help you move forward? Like the hare, you are fertile and can create abundance wherever you put your energy. Harvest your gifts and weave new magic!

5. Tribe: Community-Celebration-Support

  • Family, chosen family or community
  • The mutual support, comfort and help of friends
  • Undertaking responsibility and assisting others.
  • Time to celebrate and share with others.

You are not alone in how you are feeling. There are others who share your struggles and longings, who resonate with your energy, and await you in their circle. It may be time to let go of certain beliefs about yourself that hold you back from connecting with others. Perhaps you are afraid of an old pattern repeating or a wound re-opening. Perhaps you don’t feel you have anything to offer. Put these ideas to rest and remember your worthiness. It is safe to take the first step in re-connecting with your soul family. Join a class, a community event, or reach out to a friend for a phone call or cup of coffee. Join an online community if there is nothing local. Find others who share your values. We are stronger together!

6. Sun: Joy-Energy-Prosperity

  • Happiness, warmth and good health.
  • Good luck, success, a positive outcome
  • A time to enjoy sunlit days, a holiday.
  • Time for pleasure, fun and play.

Has life gotten to heavy or serious lately? While there will always be some heaviness in life, it doesn’t mean you need to carry it all the time. This card wants you to lighten up and create space for more light-heartedness and joy! If the lack of sunlight is affecting your mood, try using a full-spectrum lightbulb or visiting an indoor garden. Light candles, string up some extra holiday lights or add some fresh colours into your home. Perhaps it’s time for a sunny getaway or some more leisure time to do what nourishes you. Pleasure is our birthright and a certain amount is necessary in order to help you reach your long-term or serious goals. Time to release the burdens you no longer need to carry and make space for fun, lightness and laughter! Your body, heart and mind will thank you.

7. Mound: Solitude-Withdrawl-Inner Focus

  • Need for solitude and privacy
  • Meditation, an inner journey.
  • Withdrawl into your inner world.
  • Time for contemplation and assessment.

The sacred journey inward beckons. You have given your energy to the outside world plenty, and now it’s time to focus on your inner self and your spiritual path. There are times in life where we cannot go forward or grow until we stop and take the time to do our own healing. Most spiritual practices involve a time of withdrawl or solitude away from the bustle of the outside world in order to hear the inner voice and come to a greater self-understanding. It is in these journeys that we can process our past, accept our present and contemplate the future, gaining a fresh perspective on life itself. The wise know when to turn inward to find the satisfaction they may have been seeking outside themselves. Create a sanctuary for your soul, protect your boundaries and delve into the mysteries of your inner world.

Wisdom of the Cailleach Oracle by Jane Brideson

May you be held in the loving embrace of the Elders and Wise Ones this Solstice.

May you find comfort, hope and peace as the longest night births the light again.

May your inner wisdom grow!

xo

Serena

Heeding the Call Inward at Equinox

Autumn calls us inward, urging us to release that which we no longer need, and gather what sustains and nourishes us for winter.  Autumn is not only a season outside of us, but an inner season as well- one that favors deep spiritual renewal and growth.

As we descend from the lighter half of the year into the darker half, we are invited to tend to aspects of ourselves we may have neglected over the summer months. We can integrate shadow parts that may have cropped up into our awareness, as well as discover hidden seeds of wisdom and new creative beginnings within our soul.

Like the acorns that fall from the oak to the ground now, creative ‘seeds’ are planted in our energetic womb for incubation, growth and birth in the light half of the year.

This is where it’s important to slow down so we can hear our inner voice, sense the deep longings of our soul, and allow for these seeds to find fertile ground within.

What has been whispering for your attention lately?  Is there a part of you that perhaps has been neglected, forgotten, or simply not given a voice?

As we prepare for the inner journey, we must pack light.  We don’t want to carry any burdensome energy drains with us into winter. This is the season to lighten our load, simplify and release. Let our emotions bubble up and into our consciousness to be transformed. Let any excess be composted into the soil. Create space.

What are you carrying on with that is draining your energy? What can you let go of to lighten your load? Can you simply sit and be with your feelings?

We are invited to be open, embrace change, cry, grieve, to feel it all and let it move through us; To enter the realm of mystery, shadow, longing, and hidden gems of passion that we’ve forgotten.

A cool breeze can awaken new inspiration or a jolt of clarity on your daily walk. The falling leaves may bring up an old grief or a reminder of the fleeting nature of life.

Rather than trying to cling onto the familiar or hold rigid to ideals and old habits, autumn teaches us to simply allow things to shift and flow into their new form.

Surrender is our superpower. Gratitude is our anchor.  

Gratitude & Grief- They Go Hand in Hand

Autumn Equinox is also called ‘Witches’ Thanksgiving’, as it is the harvest season. It is a time of gratitude for the abundance of the Earth Mother, for the support we have in our lives, for all the good things, big and small.

The harvest season can be a time where we reap what we have sown in our own lives- projects, relationships, personal growth etc. We can reflect on our efforts of the last several months, notice what has bloomed and produced, as well as what didn’t.

We may have grief to process, and an awareness of what we need to accept or let go of, existing alongside gratitude for what we have lost, as well as what we still have. While seemingly odd bedfellows, grief and gratitude go hand in hand.

Gratitude often helps us flow through grief. Gratitude can act as an anchor for us during times of change, reminding us that we are taken care of and loved even when things feel chaotic or challenging.

After a very hot, chaotic summer, I am even more grateful than usual to be at this point in the Seasonal Wheel. It’s been a busy time of obstacles and setbacks in most areas of my life- work, home, relationships and personally. It’s been a year of disappointments, frustrations and waves of burnout for me, accompanied by lots of shadow work. To be honest, I’m pretty exhausted. Yet, each day, taking time to feel gratitude is helping my energy come back. Focusing on the love and abundance in my life shifts me out of negative thinking patterns around what didn’t work out and what is naturally ending.

I’ve been making a point of walking more and simply taking in the beauty around me. The cooler air has been a harbinger of clarity and renewal. A reminder that new seeds are awaiting, and my spirit is calling me on an inner journey.

What do you feel grateful for?

The Power of Pause

Over the summer, I was keenly aware of my need for darkness, coolness and quiet. As is typical for me in summer, I slept terribly, didn’t have much alone time, and operated mostly in survival mode, as I don’t do well in hot weather and excessive sunlight. (I’m more of a night plant or winter-bloomer!)

I knew I needed to have that quiet space to hear my spirit speaking. But as I often do, I let life’s busy-ness override that need. I kept putting it on the backburner- knowing I’d have more time later.

Now that it is later, I have the time, but I’ve really had to coax myself to slow down and allow for the necessary pause. It’s been a practice working on letting go of the need to fill free moments and instead hold space for my spiritual renewal.  

Energy seeks to fill empty space, so it is important to open to receiving what you need, while having an intention. In my case, I wanted to hear what my spiritual life was asking of me. So, I opened to that, and almost immediately, my spirit whispered to me my next steps, which was to take an upcoming course on Welsh Goddesses and to continue learning on my path of Welsh Witchcraft.

What has your soul been calling for? What can you shift in your daily life to honor that?

Nurturing Boundaries for Energetic Health & Integrity

Over the last two years with The Cauldron Goddess, I have found it challenging to balance creating spiritual content and offerings while also tending to my own spiritual needs.

My spiritual path is very personal and dear to me, and there is pressure these days to share everything all the time, with the public, constantly, which I feel is unnatural and invasive. Also, as an introvert, I don’t get the dopamine hits extroverts do off social media. I find it exhaustingly inauthentic, and irritatingly manipulative of people’s desires for validation and attention.

Leading an online existence is draining for me. So, I have paused posting online and drastically lowered my social media scrolling for several weeks now and I am much better for it! Reclaiming my spiritual need for privacy, living in the moment and experiencing life in 3D has been a positive shift. These boundaries have helped me feel more nourished by my spiritual practice, and more relaxed in general.

I will still post online and share in my blog, but only on my own terms, rather than in service of an algorithm or social pressure to be a content-machine. I will decide what and when to post based on how authentic it feels to me.

Are there boundaries you’d like to create to support your energy or personal integrity at this time?

Letting our Harvest Ripen in its Natural Timing

When it comes to spirituality, I like to take my time, years in fact, to fully digest what I learn and experience before sharing it with others, especially if it’s in any type of ‘teaching’ capacity.

Over the last few years, I have been learning Welsh, studying The Mabinogi and learning from Welsh Witches, Druids and scholars in the ways accessible to me. I went on pilgrimage to Wales, am learning about Celtic history and have been keeping a consistent practice in devotion to the Goddess Cerridwen. There has been a lot of inner growth and change related to this, however, I rarely share my experiences in these matters publicly, despite the name of my blog and social media pages!

This is because my sense of spiritual integrity demands time for integration and ripening. Boundaries and privacy are necessary to allow that ripening of creativity and wisdom. Sharing unripe fruit with others not only tastes bad but can cause indigestion.

I’ll only share something when it’s ripe and ready. Everything I share is something I have been working with for some time already, (years), and feel confident about.

My recent reflections have made it clear that I need to focus more on my own path for a bit so I can bring new insight and offerings to The Cauldron Goddess. If you hear from me a bit less, that is why. But I encourage you to stay tuned, as I will bring any ripe fruit to the table from my harvest!

In the meantime, I continue to trust in life’s natural cycles, and urge you to do the same, even when in a difficult season or phase. The wheel only keeps turning and each turn brings us new experiences, wisdom and inspiration. Every plant has its own timing in which it flowers or bears fruit. Some plants bloom only at night, and some only produce colourful berries in winter.

There is no such thing as a barren season. Every phase has its fruit- whether on an inner level or an outer one. You only need to tune into your unique cycles.

What is ripening in your life? What still needs some time before harvesting? What is going to seed? Can you patiently embrace this phase for what it is?

I wish you much love, healing and gratitude during this harvest season. May whatever phase you find yourself in bring you into deeper wisdom and inner sovereignty. May you enjoy your unique bounty to its fullest!

*If you’d like to read my post from last year’s Fall Equinox on Dancing with Our Shadow in Relationships, please read it here.

Thankyou for reading,

Xo

Serena

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Being Present & Embracing our Inner Seasons

I talk alot about cycles- seasonal cycles, astrological cycles, moon cycles, and the menstrual cycle.

I’ve always found it fascinating how our own psyches and bodies are mirrored through these cycles around us. Knowing that whatever we are struggling with is temporary and part of a natural cycle, is deeply comforting. Understanding the nature of the energy we are dealing with and how to work with it rather than against it can be so empowering.

Aligning with the cycles of nature can be a healing act of resistance, too. When we remember we are nature, we tap into a power that our capitalistic cultural conditioning seeks to suppress.

But, we are complex beings. Sometimes how we feel doesn’t match the season or phase we are in.  Just because it is summertime outside doesn’t necessarily mean we are feeling happy, expressive and social and aren’t experiencing grief, loss, or death (so-called ‘winter’ feelings). Just because it is the waxing moon doesn’t necessarily mean we feel energised and creative. We can have our bleeding time at any moon phase, even if bleeding resonates with the dark/new moon. We can experience a relatively chill and relaxing Mercury Retrograde or chaos and delays when it is direct!

This is partly because there are several cycles happening within us and around us at the same time- for instance, we could be going through a long Saturn transit (planet of restriction & loss) that goes on for years, and it overlaps with a season of abundance, or a transit of benevolent Jupiter.

It’s also partly because we are not meant to always look for explanations and answers outside of us- in theories, systems and patterns. Sometimes, we’re just meant to experience life in the moment and not overthink it! Sometimes, we just need to embrace whatever our current feelings and needs are and listen to them, and trust they are part of our growth.

Embracing our Inner Seasons and Cycles

None of these cyclical systems- astrology, the seasons, or the moon- is a perfect template for our life, nor is our understanding of them meant to be rigid, or fully understood so we can control our lives and make them foolproof.

After studying and living with this awareness for so long I feel that it is impossible to fully understand how cycles overlap and play into our lives. Leaving life to the Great Mystery is part of the fun, as well as a key spiritual ingredient to our growth and wisdom.

Increasingly, I’ve been feeling our human analysis of ‘how this cycle is supposed to go’ can be a trap that prevents us from flowing through our own phases more organically, in a more honest, authentic way.

Oftentimes in life, simply knowing ‘this is a temporary phase’ is enough. Remembering that death and rebirth happen simultaneously, and that energy is always changing is enough.

It’s ok to be in whatever phase you are in, for however long you need to be. It’s ok to flow back and forth between phases. There is no right way or wrong way. It doesn’t have to match up with anything outside of yourself. Your experience may resonate with a seasonal or lunar energy, or it may not, and it can happen any time, and its all good. It’s part of your path. You are not doing life wrong or misaligned somehow if your plans don’t match up with the moon or you’re not feeling the effects of Mercury retrograde!

Information vs Wisdom Gained from Experience

I’ve been thinking about this whole thing more lately because there’s been a huge increase in astrologers, psychics and witches- and all kinds of random people without any astrological knowledge or study behind them- talking about astrology, the moon and sharing information online. Some of it is parroted info, lacking in any substance or actual knowledge of its complexity or delineation.

I see lots of superficial cookbook associations such as ‘Venus retrograde means it’s the season of the ex!’ ‘Leo season means it’s time to sparkle!’, ‘Plant your intentions, it’s a fabulous new moon!’ (even if it’s under conflicting aspects). I know that friendly bite-size bits of info are all folks want to consume these days, so I get why this is a trend. However, it bothers me that this is where it usually stops.

I started studying astrology formally with a mentor with the Canadian Association for Astrological Education in 2001. Social Media wasn’t a thing back then. We were fringe-y weirdos into hidden knowledge. Ever since, I have been continuing to learn and live the knowledge, which gives a more nuanced perspective than when you simply read an article and parrot things other astrologers say for your own online content. When you study the cycles in-depth, you realise you have to actually live the knowledge and experience it yourself before you can say you know it or understand it. And even then, you still can’t truly know the secrets of the universe or even fully ever understand any of it.

The more I live it, the more I realise I don’t know. I also realise how spiritual systems of understanding are quite limited and can hinder our spiritual growth by encouraging us to continually measure our experience with external patterns, or gaze towards the future instead of fully being in the present. Especially since so much of our existence is online now, I feel it is more important than ever to instead gaze within and live more in the present 3D moment.

Being Present & Leaving Space for the Mystery

What makes life what it is, is its mystery. We’re not always meant to understand it or feel we can control it.

In witchcraft and astrological communities online, I repeatedly see the message that when the season is ripe, we should grab the bull by the horns and go for it! Every new moon, we are reminded to plant those seeds of intention. Every full moon, we’re told to release, let go, or watch what we say to avoid drama. I’ve repeated this narrative too, of course.

But, my practice has been shifting away from harnessing energy to create a desired outcome and instead just flowing with the energy and experiencing it within myself with no agenda.

This idea that we need to harness the energy around us at all times- do something with it, create with it, use it, feels kinda capitalist and colonial to me. I get that it can also be empowering sometimes, so I don’t mean to diminish that, but the messaging often feels steeped in our cultural shortcomings- The fear of being rather than doing, the fear of resting and not producing- and perhaps our biggest fear- being fully present within ourselves.

I feel it is too easy in today’s witchcraft to fall into this trap of needing to be in control, to overly focus on manifesting, to keep ‘using’ nature’s cycles to get what you want, and to spend more time creating online witchy content than living your actual witchy life.

What if we live fully in the moment? Without analysing, or striving to understand its context or place in the whole. What if we spend less time doing and more time being? What if we stop looking outside for validation and listen to the whisperings within?

My practice has steadily been shifting away from manifestation towards surrender over the years. It’s more about connecting with myself and my environment more deeply, rather than spellwork or ‘harnessing the energy’ all the time. I’ve been spending less time online in favor of staying present within my body and self.

I have been outgrowing practices I used to do and making shifts to honour where I am at now.

Midlife Weirdness and my Inner Fall-Winter

I feel I have been in a ‘fall-winter’ phase within for the last few years. My creative and social drive is low, my sensitivity, introversion and spiritual antennae is high.

My solace is the cave of the Dark Goddess, merging with the fertile darkness of Her womb, where all life begins. Cerridwen has been my companion through this. I have been in a process of simplifying, clearing and turning inwards.

I am in a particularly challenging phase of parenting, as my daughter nears her 15th birthday. I have hit middle age, and my role as mother, as partner, as healer and all the things I identified with is changing.

I am aware of my current astrological, hormonal and life cycles. However, this awareness hasn’t really helped me navigate the path as much as I would expect. My mind wants to analyse and understand but it is being quieted by my heart and soul who just want to experience. I am making space for this transition and doing my best to simply be present rather than grasp at activities that distract me away from it.

I can’t see more than this very moment in time right now, so I am embracing this call inward, this call to self, to letting what needs to fall away go.

I am letting go of my need to know and trusting the mystery before me no matter how strange and uncomfortable it is.

I trust that this process will help me on the next step of my journey.

Being called to the Cauldron of Change and Rebirth

There are times when the metaphorical cauldron calls me to deepen my spiritual lessons. I envision this cauldron as much larger than me, sitting in the earth, tended by Cerridwen.  I sit on the edge and dangle my feet in for a while, testing the waters. I may stay there for days, weeks or months, just slowly dipping in, one part at a time, like entering cold water, gathering the courage to let go of the rim and drop all in. Cerridwen is patient with me, most of the time.

I try to go voluntarily or else I know I may just get pushed in. I currently feel I’m headed in for another journey. I’m already quite immersed, I just need to let go of the rim. I don’t know how long it will be, or where it will take me, of course. Not knowing is key to its purpose.

Letting go is a practice. It takes practice to really tune into our internal creative rhythms and listen to the call of our soul- especially if it doesn’t align with our idea of where we ‘should be’ or with our environment.

Change is the only thing we can rely on. This is always a bit uncomfortable for me to accept.

What season are you in?

The seasonal energy I feel within is on the dark side- it resonates with the Last Quarter Moon, the Fall, Midlife, The Enchantress and the planet Pluto. Yet, it is none of those, exactly. This is my own unique experience, my own personal ‘season’- the spiritual phase I embody, as I type this under the high noon July sun and waxing moon. My season is my own.

I am on a journey of renewing my creative energies. Composting the past and incubating new seeds of growth for the future.

Following our creative rhythms takes courage, as it can go against well-worn patterns we’ve become stuck in, or the outside world’s demands- to constantly and consistenly produce and share all the time.

But as a creative soul, I know the importance of doing what is necessary to renew my energy, to keep my creative waters flowing without stagnating. To regain inspiration and motivation requires change and many journeys inward and down to the deep.

Is there a particular aspect of your life, where you feel in a reflective winter phase? A blooming summer phase? A change-filled spring or release of fall?

How do you feel when the focus of your energies is quite different from the energy around you?

What spiritual practices ground you into this moment?

If you are interested in learning practices for renewing your creative energy, as well as celebrating the season of First Harvest, please join me for my online circle on Tuesday, August 1st for First Harvest Circle- The Cauldron of Creativity! This will be my last seasonal circle before I take a pause to renew my creative energies. More on my journey to come, I recommend you sign up for my newsletter below for details.

Wishing you acceptance and love as you move through whatever phase you are in!

Xo Serena

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Healing the Witch Wound

What is the Witch Wound?

Healing the Witch Wound is a bit of a hot topic these days, which I feel is a good thing, because it means folks are waking up to a call deep within to heal ancestral pain and reclaim their power.

The Witch Wound is a layered, collective wound rooted in our ancestral memory and our DNA from persecution and death related to colonisation, the burning times, patriarchy, capitalism and religious extremism. It is a deep and collective ancestral wound we all may carry to varying degrees, and for many, it is still carrying a traumatic charge.

The Witch Wound can manifest in our current life as several fears, including fears of:

  • Speaking up or speaking our truth
  • Persecution
  • Being different or an outcast
  • Standing in our own power
  • Success or being in the limelight
  • Trusting our intuition
  • Our body and it’s natural functions
  • Being feminine, female or gender non-conforming
  • The wild/nature
  • The unseen and spirit world
  • Pursuing a spiritual or alternative lifestyle or profession
  • Calling yourself a Witch, Pagan, Priestess, or other similar identification publicly

As a result of these fears, we may resort to excessive people pleasing, dismissing our intuition, dissociating from the body or present moment, distrust of the body or fear nature, and more. There are many avenues and layers to the healing process, and I feel that each generation and everyone is drawn to their own way of healing it for themselves.

Having some of those listed fears may not be connected to the Witch Wound specifically. Many traumas can create these. However, having a lot of that list activated in your life along with a sense of being persecuted for your spiritual gifts in the past (a past life or ancestrally) may mean you carry the Witch Wound. You do not need to have literally been persecuted for Witchcraft in a past life to feel the Witch Wound active within you.

One interesting exercise is to simply notice what thoughts and feelings come to you when you hear the word ‘witch’?

Witch!

What comes to mind?

A warty, ugly hag with a crooked hat riding a broom?

A powerful, sexual, but immoral or ‘evil’ woman?

A woman speaking her mind bluntly or exerting her will?

A strange healer or non-conformist who lives in the woods, mumbling to plants?

Our negative associations with the word Witch are often rooted in the Witch Wound. For hundreds of years those that lived on the fringe, had spiritual abilities, utilized plant medicine, were women or gender non-conforming, or who held Indigenous perspectives and traditions, have been ostracized, oppressed or targeted through violence or even genocide.

Witch is a charged word, one that I choose to identify myself with, because I feel it is an act of reclaiming of its power to do so. It’s a way of bringing the word back into it’s true meaning of a Wise Woman, Healer and Magickal Person. Calling myself a Witch means I’m someone who lives in tune with the spirits of nature, lives by their intuition, who creates and transforms at will- and proud of it.

Even to this day, however, I sometimes struggle in being openly a Witch. While there is much more acceptance than a generation or two ago, it’s still sometimes scary to identify.

Even if you would never identify as a Witch, you still may carry the Witch Wound, which would show up in the list of fears above.

Persecution & Practical Magic

Practical Magic- My fave witchy movie with Sandra Bullock & Nicole Kidman

One of my most recurring fears is that of persecution. I feel a familiarity with the scene in my favorite witch movie, Practical Magic where the mob of children yell at the young Owens sisters ‘Witch, Witch, you’re a Bitch!” repeatedly, pointing their accusing fingers at them. Even at a tender young age, the girls were tormented for being descendants of Witches, making them immediate outcasts who had to find their magic within to empower themselves.

The girls’ Witch ancestor, Maria Owens was persecuted and set to be executed in the Salem Witch Trials. She used her magic to escape, but eventually died of a broken heart, and cursed her entire line of descendants that any man who falls in love with an Owens woman will die.

This, of course, sets the plot around the adult Owens sisters, Sally and Gilly, who are struggling with their love lives, losing the men they love. They attempt use magic to fix things, only to make them messier.

My favourite part of the movie is at the end, when Sally and Gilly need a full coven of 13 women to complete a ritual to de-possess Gilly from her abusive dead ex-boyfriend. They are forced to call upon the local, judge-y townswomen to come over to help. The women could empathize with wanting to banish an abusive ex, so they managed to put aside their supposed differences, and reconnected with their own power in a circle to heal Gilly. The women found and accessed their own Witch-Power within, through sisterhood and empathy- and made some magick happen! From then on, the Owens family could walk through town being themselves, torment-free, perhaps for the first time in generations.

Circle of women banishing the ex

I love this movie so much because it illustrates how we carry biases, curses and shame for generations, and how it only takes one person making a new, bold decision to end the chain of suffering. Sometimes the only action we need to take is to be ourselves, authentically and openly.  It also illustrates how we all have a little ‘witch’ within us, and when we become more comfortable with that part of ourselves, we can love it in others too.

“There’s a little witch in all of us”

Aunt Jet Owens

I feel the ancestors are smiling upon those who dare come out of the broom closet, who dare be themselves and live a magical life in this very uncertain world. To all those who are doing this work, take a deep breath, and remember that you are very brave.

The Healing Spiral

Healing the Witch Wound is a lifelong process. I naively thought a few times that I had healed this wound within myself over the years as I started getting more comfortable with who I am, committing to this path and moving away from conditioning. However, it’s been more like a healing spiral that comes around again and again for new layers of deeper work to do. I have come a long way but am nowhere near ‘completely healed’ if that’s a thing.

I still fear persecution. I still feel insecure in myself. I still make myself small, so others feel safer. The world keeps changing and it’s sometimes hard to know when to stand my ground and when to adapt. When to be visible and when to be invisible. When to share my spiritual gifts and when to have boundaries. Like Sally Owens from Practical Magic, I sometimes just long to feel normal and fit in. But life often teaches me that I’m not meant to fit in, and that’s ok!

“My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage!” 

Aunt Frances Owens

When we are doing this work reclaiming our authenticity, being bold and brave and ‘out’- I feel we still need to be discerning and it’s ok to have boundaries that keep us safe. What feels safe for me here in Toronto, may not feel safe for a Witch living in a small town in the US Bible Belt. The cost of being oneself is different for every individual.

While it takes courage, bravery and a willingness to start a fire here and there, it can be wise to remember that ‘You don’t need set yourself on fire just to keep others warm’. Self-sacrifice isn’t necessarily the way to help or create change. Courage to be yourself in the capacity that you can handle is a powerful act. In being yourself, you give others permission to do the same. While we may not always fit in, we are never as alone as we think we are.

Gentle Reconnection with your Inner Witch

The first step of healing the Witch Wound is connecting to your Inner Witch. Your Inner Witch may have many facets, and it’s ok if you’re not ready to explore them all yet. She may have been persecuted, exploited, oppressed, or hidden for survival over generations, and you carry that memory in your nervous system and DNA. Some parts may feel more comfortable to connect with than others. For instance, connecting with plants more intimately may feel safer than ritual, spells or doing shadow work.

I am a fan of gentle reconnection to one’s Inner Witch. This is a tender, yet very powerful part of yourself that cannot be rushed or forced out. And even when the Witch IS out, it may be a long journey of fully accepting and embracing her.

If you are interested in healing your Inner Witch, here are a few suggestions that have helped me:

  • Intentionally commune with nature as often as you can. Whether it is tending an indoor plant, spending more time outside, or talking to a neighbourhood tree, remember that you ARE nature, and it is YOU. You don’t need to have a green thumb or extensive herbal knowledge to be a Witch. You don’t necessarily need an intermediary to teach you. You have a right to a relationship with the earth. Cultivate your own connection with nature. Choose a tree to have a relationship with. When the sun shines on your face or when you dip your toes into water, acknowledge the elements as beings in their own right, that offer themselves to you and wish to get to know you in return. Even if you are sitting in a fluorescent-lit office in a downtown high rise, you can take a deep breath, close your eyes and connect with your favourite place outdoors in your mind. Surround yourself with reminders of the natural world on your desk or whenever you can’t be outside.
  • Practice Gratitude. As cliché as it may sound, taking a few minutes every morning and evening to connect with what you are grateful for opens you to the abundance that supports you, and this is essential when doing brave work of healing. It reminds you that you are loved and supported, you are not alone. It may be interesting to note who you are giving thanks to. What higher power do you believe in? When you cultivate gratitude, you grow your spiritual support system and strengthen your trust in yourself, in others and in the unseen, which is a trust that the Witch Wound often erodes.
  • Tap into your intuition. It’s easy to bypass this wisdom as we are conditioned to dismiss intuition for logic in every situation. Take some time to regularly practice re-connecting to your innate knowing. You may feel intuition as a flash of insight, a gut instinct or a tug in your body somewhere. Next time you need to make a decision, even as small as deciding what to eat or where to park you car, check in with your sixth sense. Discerning intuition from other parts of ourselves may be tricky at times. To navigate this process, you may wish to read my blog ‘Is it my intuition? 5 Ways to Tell.’
  • Explore different beliefs and paths. There are many different Pagan paths, so it can take some time and experimentation to find what resonates with you. If your chosen path deviates from how you were raised or the dominant belief system in your environment, this can be where the Witch Wound fears show up. Know that you are not alone. We often rely on the trailblazing of others, so seek out elders who have paved the path before you. Perhaps YOU are the Trailblazer of your generation, making it easier for the younger generations to be themselves, OR you may be a Bridge-Maker who facilitates movement between different belief systems and ways of thinking.
  • Explore your fears. When you are more comfortable with the above suggestions, you may wish to look at the list of Witch Wound fears from the top of this blog and choose one to work on. Perhaps the one that stands out strongly or comes up most regularly for you. Take some time to reflect on where this fear stems from. Childhood memories or trauma? Social conditioning growing up? A deep memory in your bones, in your DNA, or a past life? It may be something worth exploring through journaling, reflection or a therapist.
  • Connect with community. The digital age has made it much easier for Witches to find each other! Whether it is through social media, a local gathering, or just emailing a Witch blogger like me to say hello or ask a question- connecting with like-minded souls is very healing! I know how intimidating it can be to reach out or meet new people. You are welcome to email me any time with your questions or comments!

Your Inner Witch is beautiful, wise and powerful. Your journey is unique and sacred. May you thrive and grow as you break generational curses and stand tall in your power!

If you are looking for witchy community, you may with to check out my Hearthfire Circles– which are both online and in-person.

Xo

Serena

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Healing Allies for Transitions, Grief & Sensitive Souls

I am one of those people who feels grief in the spring, like many do in the fall. My introverted, sensitive soul likes her winter cave of darkness, reflection and inner work. The call of spring to sprout, grow, move upward and outward sometimes blares overwhelmingly like a morning alarm clock, bringing up resistance, grief and also hope within me, all blending into an overwhelmingly emotional breakfast smoothie.

This year’s 28 C weather in mid April (normal high 10 C), has been a tad jarring, thrusting us from a thundering snow storm into full-on summer mode. The city heat came in pounding with traffic, noise and chaos whilst new leaves bud on the trees and birds sang their sweet praises to the awakening Earth. The city has been a cacophony of new life in both lovely and stressful forms.

Although we are soon to get cold weather again, the process of changing seasons can be volatile and challenging to our body and mind.

On the first hot day, I instinctively went for a walk in the nearby cemetery to soothe my dark witchy soul amongst all the new light, heat and noise. I traded my black boots for light walking shoes and went out to greet the sun in one of the only reliable anchors of peace in an urban landscape.

Cemeteries are those rare places reserved for sanctuary, reflection and rest.  A place where we can tap into the inward season of Samhain any time of year, giving space to our grief for what’s passing away while new life begins.

Growth and grief always flow together, and yet our patriarchal, capitalistic culture only values the ‘growth’ aspect of life.

The spring season sometimes triggers the feminine wound within me, around the cultural binary that associates growth, light, extroversion, productivity, logic, masculine and yang energy as preferable and superior; Whilst release, darkness, introversion, rest, receptivity, feminine, intuitive and yin energy are considered bad or inferior. Yet one always lies within the other, and beauty is found within both.

I tend to lean towards the Dark Goddess as a Witch, as I work with Cerridwen and resonate with Crone/Wise Woman energy. I was born in deep winter during a waning moon, and a heavy dose of Scorpio energy in my astrology chart. We carry the energies of the moon phase and season we were born in. For me, transformation, release, and darkness feel like home, even though they can also be difficult and painful.

While transition and loss are painful, when I speak of darkness, it is not equated with evil in my mind. To me, darkness is equated with the Great Mystery, the Sacred Womb, the Source of Life. It is peace, surrender, the quiet void of death and the nascent beginning of life. It is the metaphorical Cauldron that holds us safe as we shed old skins and grow into new ways of being. It holds great beauty, power and solace. It’s essence, to me, is the Dark Goddess. The unknowable void of darkness brings up fear, which is why we don’t like it. But it’s only through moving through our fears that we grow. Like spring seeds sprouting through the ground to greet the sun for the first time, our growth processes may have us feeling tender, exposed and vulnerable.

Even if the old reality we are letting go of was toxic, stunting our growth, or holding us back from our potential- it likely still comes with grief- which is simply a reflection of our capacity to love and live with passion.  So this dance we feel during seasons of transition can be emotional and complex, as growth and grief dance together.

As anyone who’s had a baby knows, you can feel intense loss and overwhelm along with the excitement new life. You may also feel a sense of pride, excitement and intense grief as they grow up and become adults.

It’s ok to grieve as you sprout, or sprout as you grieve!

As we are now entering eclipse season, it may feel we are crossing a threshold. Emotions may be close to the surface as we feel something is ending as something else begins. We are in a ‘Cauldron Time’, as I call it, a crucible of death and rebirth.

Perhaps some new beginnings are emerging in your life that ask for you to let go of an old way of being in order to grow. Are you ready to take the plunge? Or are you overwhelmed and paralysed with fear? A bit of both?

We can navigate these times of transition without losing our soul in the process. We can nourish our resilience and support our sensitivity, too. In times like these, we call upon the healing allies in the natural world- trees, elements, herbs and crystals that can help. Simply by being with them in nature, connecting with them through medicines we can move through change with greater ease.

Here are some healing allies I have worked with over the years that can help us navigate times of change, vulnerability and loss. Let me know your experiences with them or feel free to share some of your own!

Trees: Black Willow, Weeping Willow, Pine, Cedar

Trees are beings dear to my heart. I think of each and every one of them as a friend, with their unique personality and energy. You can connect with a tree ally by visiting one in person and giving it an offering, such as an herb, animal-safe food, cleaning up any garbage around it, or simply your loving words and energy. Ask it for permission to be with it, sit against it or lean against it. Become open and receptive to its energy. Ask it for it’s advice.

  • Willows are my favourite allies for helping us to feel our emotions. Ruled by the moon and most often growing near water, the Willow reminds us that it’s ok to feel what we feel. They hold us in a gentle embrace of unconditional acceptance and love.
  • Weeping willow is an especially tender ally that can bring tears out to release what we’ve been holding back in our hearts, bringing lightness and clarity. They comfort us in their embrace and soften the rough edges that developed from holding our armor on too tight for too long.
  • Black Willow looks a bit different- they have very textured, darker bark, more gnarly branches and they do not droop quite like the Weeping variety. They hold more of a Crone/Grandmother energy that offers us a soft shoulder to cry on, along with a bit of extra strength, honesty and down to earth wisdom to keep us grounded. These are native to this land and I hold a special place in my heart for this wise ally.
  • Pine is thankfully abundant and native here as well, offering us a strong yet soft, cleansing energy to support us through dark times. The refreshing smell of Pine sap offers a new perspective and breath of fresh air. Burning Pine needles is a powerful smoke cleanser. Leaning against a Pine tree and asking it to help transmute heavy energies we are carrying can bring strength and help us to clear old baggage. The Bach Flower Remedy Pine is helpful for releasing guilt, which can come with loss.
  • Cedar is of course native to this land as well and is one of the 4 sacred medicines of Indigenous communities. Cedar to me, feels like ‘home’, more than any other tree. Perhaps, because this is where I call home. It also harkens to my ancestors who relied on this tree for medicine and shelter. When we are feeling uprooted, out of touch with our body, or our sense of home, this can be a helpful ally. It also has strong protective and cleansing properties. Cedar tea is supportive to the immune system, and its leaves are very protective. Cedar wood is extremely resilient and repels bugs. Sitting, leaning against or hugging a Cedar can bring grounding and protection to the sensitive soul.

Bach Flower Remedies: Walnut, Olive, Rescue Remedy, Olive, Rock Water, Water Violet

I am a huge fan of the Bach Flower Remedies! These are excellent for sensitive souls. They are vibrational medicines created from plants in the tradition of Dr Edward Bach, a British physician and homeopath who developed them in the 1930s.

Each remedy carries the energy of the plant it is made with, which is associated with healing a specific emotional state. They are designed to bring us into balance. I’ve been using them for about 15 years and took a Bach Flower course to understand them better. They are available at many herbal shops and health food stores.

  • Walnut is my number 1 go-to for sensitive souls in times of transition, such as moving, pregnancy, menopause, relationship breakups, seasonal changes, new job or lifestyle situation. It brings a protective shield of safety when we are feeling vulnerable, when we are sensitive to the energies in the environment and opinions of other people.
  • Rescue Remedy is a combo of remedies that supports us through trauma and shock. This is a remedy for when the change is too much for our nervous system to process and we are struggling to cope. It is great for sudden accidents, illness/diagnosis of serious illness, sudden loss, coping with changes that have us rattled and shaken, or any situation that has us stressed or anxious. It brings comfort and stability.
  • Olive is for exhaustion. Whether we’ve been caregiving for others or ill ourself, this is the remedy for the weary soul who can’t seem to get the rest and restoration needed to bring one’s energy level back up. Olive feels energising and protective, bringing more resilience.
  • Rock Water is made from water flowing over rocks. It is a remedy for those of us who deal with stress by getting overly rigid and perfectionistic. Rock Water helps us to soften our need for a certain state of perfection and embrace the messy processes of life. It smooths our rough, idealistic edges, and lets us relax into the flow.
  • Water Violet is one of the remedies that help those who get very withdrawn and pull away from other people. It helps to open us up to connecting with others and allows grief to process.
  • Willow helps when we are feeling vicitmised by our circumstances, having suffered bad luck or problems, making us feel bitter or resentful. It helps us to forgive ourselves and others, and take responsibility for what is ours.

Crystals: Black Tourmaline, Jet, Smokey Quartz, Selenite

Crystals hold powerful vibrations that can help transform and/or protect our energy when placed on the body, worn, placed under our pillow or in our environment.

  • Black Tourmaline is a strong grounding and protective black crystal, excellent for empaths and spongy-sensitive types who pick up other’s emotions and environmental energies. It’s a good one to wear on one’s person if you are out and about a lot or in contact with people regularly.
  • Jet is also a black crystal but with a very different energy. It is a type of coal, derived from wood that was changed under extreme pressure. It is soft and can easily absorb excess negative energies such as anger, grief, sadness or fear. It was historically worn as jewelry to funerals. I have often used it to help alleviate physical pain such as headaches and menstrual cramps as well. It requires regular cleansing because of its absorbant nature- you can bury it in the earth, run it under water or smoke cleanse it.
  • Smokey Quartz is one of my favourite protectors for sensitive souls! Like clear quartz, but a smokey grey-black colour, it helps us to focus and organise our thoughts while warding off negativity beautifully. It is great to wear on your person or carry or have in the environment, like in windowsills or other places you wish to ward off outside vibes.
  • Selenite is a type of gypsum. It is soft, white and looks like moonlight, named after the Greek moon goddess, Selene. Selenite is one of those crystals that cleanses other crystals that are near it. Unlike Jet, it doesn’t hold onto the energy, but helps it flow, like a stream of cleansing moonlight.  When your life or energy feels stagnant, stuck or heavy, place a piece of Selenite on your heart centre, under your pillow or beside your bed. I find it helps protect against heavy and negative energies by transmuting them.

The Elements: Water, Earth, Fire and Air

The beautiful thing about the elements is that they are always around us! All we need to do is pay attention and connect! Whether we take a moment in our busy day to just lean against a tree, splash water on our face, or breathe the air more consciously, the gifts of the Earth Mother are here for us, waiting to connect. Once we begin a relationship with an element, we start to notice it everywhere. Like with trees, you can give thanks by leaving an offering of your energy and gratitude, an herbal offering or animal safe food.

Water helps our emotions to flow and release. Drinking more water, taking baths/showers or simply stepping into a stream or lake can help us flow through the changes upon us with great ease and acceptance.

Earth grounds us and calms the nervous system, helping us to feel safe while things are changing. Anxiety pulls our energy upward, which requires a downward flow for balance. Walking barefoot, massaging our feet or holding a squatting position helps to pull energy downward again. You may also find increasing your protein and iron intake helpful as well.

Fire warms and energises. If the changes we’ve been undergoing have depleted our hope, our spirit or lust for life, the simple act of lighting a candle and receiving its light into your heart can bring a shift in how you feel.

Air brings lightness and can help clear our mind. Using a bird feather to sweep away the negative thoughts or herbal smoke to cleanse your energy and space can bring some peace when chaos is swirling around you.

What remedies or healing allies do you find support you during times of transition? Please share in the comments!

The Earth Mother offers Her healing abundance to us as we navigate stressful times. We simply need to take the first step and connect, remembering we are worthy of support, and that acts of self-care are not selfish, but necessary.

Thank-you for reading,

Xo

Serena

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The Cauldron- Sacred Symbol & Tool of the Witch

What comes to mind when you see a cauldron? Witches casting spells, a bubbling potion, or perhaps a hearty stew cooking over a fire? The cauldron is historically both a very mundane and mystical object that continues to be a powerful symbol of many things. It is one of my favourite tools as a Witch and a representation of my practice and path.

In celebration of The Cauldron Goddess’ birthday month (we are one year old!), I thought I’d share a bit about my own reflections and experiences with the cauldron- as a symbol and sacred tool of the Witch.

The Hearth & Cooking

At its most mundane, the cauldron is a cooking pot. A staple of our ancestors far and wide, this portable and durable vessel has served humanity for generations, providing nourishment, and sustaining life.

The pot cooking over the fire conjures deep memories of comfort, warmth, family, and home. It is for this reason that the cauldron is a strong symbol of the hearth. For nomadic peoples, I imagine the cauldron felt like an anchor of home while on the move. For those rooted to place, the cauldron held a central position to the home and served as faithful provider of nourishment and comfort.

The cauldron is the container where raw, unintegrated ingredients come together to create something delicious and sustaining for our work and growth. Cooking may seem very mundane yet cooking always involves a transformation of energy and materials. There is creative energy and magick weaved into the process.

Cooking has historically been deemed ‘women’s work’ because of its nurturing and domestic properties. Patriarchy has devalued these qualities and therefore the healing or magickal aspects of cooking are less valued than its artistic or competitive forms. There are currently so many competitive cooking shows taking centre stage, that it almost seems that for this ‘woman’s work’ to be valued, it must fit into the capitalistic/patriarchal paradigm, along with other art forms that have become more about competition than soul-nourishment and love.

There’s nothing wrong with refining one’s skills, of course. But, I suppose I think of cooking as something soulful, as our original magick, the mother of all rituals and witchcraft. It is where one thing becomes another and serves to heal and nourish us. We can add intentions, prayers, healing herbs and energy medicine into our culinary creations. There is power in the cauldron. It is here where we can connect the cauldron to the Witch.

The Witch

The Witch is the one who nourishes and sustains life, who heals and transforms, who makes magick and serves their family and community.

Healing and Witchcraft are deeply intertwined. Through history, the village Wise Woman was the healer and midwife everyone would call on when ill or in labor. With the influence of patriarchy, colonization and modern medicine, folks who followed the old ways, the Wise Woman ways were punished, ostracized or even killed. They twisted the healing, life sustaining Wise Woman into something evil, a repulsive and fearful death-bringer or spirit of chaos- a ‘Witch’ in the negative sense of the word. Yet the Witch is and always was simply a Healer. The word Witch is connected to ‘wit’ and wisdom, implying that witches were also sacred knowledge keepers.

Women’s power as healers and community leaders has been diminished over centuries and we are still in the process of reclaiming this power within ourselves. For me, using the cauldron is one way that I reclaim my power as Witch and Healer.

The cauldron remains a powerful symbol of healing and witchcraft to the modern psyche. Since we don’t use cauldrons much anymore, it also represents something ancient and mysterious from the past. We associate it with spells, potions, witches and some other mysterious things related to the sacred feminine…

The Womb & Creativity

The cauldron can be seen as representing the Mother energy. It contains, nourishes, sustains, and protects the creation within it. The pagan chant ‘one thing becomes another, in the mother, in the mother’ is one of my favourites to chant over my cauldron as I make a brew or do a spell. The cauldron is resonant with the womb, as a vessel of nourishment and protection of new life.

Within our womb space, in our pelvic bowl lies the energy of creation. Our sensual, sexual energy and our creative ‘flow’ stem from here, whether or not we have a physical womb. Those of us with wombs can also physically carry life here.

The pelvic bowl is very much like our own physical cauldron which holds our creative power.

An Embodied Cauldron Practice

In the Irish bardic poem, ‘The Cauldron of Poesy’, three internal cauldrons found within the body are referenced. The Cauldron of Warming, the Cauldron of Motion, and the Cauldron of Wisdom. I created my own personal grounding practice with these 3 cauldrons, even before I had heard of this poem, so I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered it.

The Cauldron of Warming sits within our pelvic bowl, where our creative ‘fuel’ resides. I like to think of this cauldron sitting within my pelvic bowl with its 3 legs energetically reaching to the earth like roots from my sitz bones and coccyx. I meditate on this cauldron, imagining its contents as fluid creative energies within me. I notice if they are stagnant, clouded, toxic or flowing, vibrant and well. I feel my connection the Earth Mother and imagine that healing energy flowing through my cauldron. I chant ‘oooohhh’ here, while connecting to the energies of the land. Chanting helps to transmute any negative energies.

The Cauldron of Motion sits in the heart centre. Here, we experience what ‘moves’ us, such as art, poetry, music, love, relationships, sorrow, and grief. I imagine this cauldron’s legs energetically connected to the cauldron below it, and its contents fluid again. Ideally, the energies flow clearly and vibrate with love. Chanting helps to transmute the energy. I chant ‘eeeeee’ here while connecting to the energies of water and sea. The combination of ‘ooohhh’, ‘eeee’ and ‘oooo’ sounds are one way to connect with the Awen- the Divine inspiration that flows through all life.

The Cauldron of Wisdom sits within or atop the head, and I imagine it open, facing upward to the skies above as a direct link to Spirit and the Awen- the divine inspiration that flows through all life. I imagine it receiving inspiration from above and its contents are the energy of flowing light. I imagine my thoughts cleared and stagnant energy released. Through this meditation I become a channel for the Awen, for divine inspiration, for the healing energy of the goddess Cerridwen- my matron goddess to come through. I chant ‘oooo’ here to transmute the energies.

Doing this practice helps me to become a channel for creative energies on the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels.

Cerridwen- The Cauldron Goddess Herself

Cerridwen is one of the main goddesses I work with, and she is the classic Witch from Welsh myth. I share her story and some of my thoughts on it here. Cerridwen is famous for her cauldron in which she brews a potion of Awen- divine inspiration and knowledge for her ugly son, Afagddu, for whom she wants a better life. The potion takes a year and a day to complete. After all this hard work it accidentally ends up going to a servant boy, Gwion, who through a process of initiation and transformation becomes the most inspirational of bards, Taliesin.

Cerridwen’s cauldron is important because her role is that of Wise Woman, Witch, Healer and Mother. Her cauldron is like an extension of herself.

When her potion went to the wrong boy, Cerridwen was quite angry her spell went awry. The cauldron cracked and broke, turning the potion to poison. Its breaking could symbolise Cerridwen’s emotions, or a forced breaking of her old self and initiation to a new level of spiritual growth. It could represent the laws of magick being broken, or the appearance of fate taking over.

Cerridwen is also an initiatrix of change and transformation. Not only does she push Gwyion to become more than he ever thought he could be, but she too, is transformed in the process.

There is much symbolism in Cerridwen’s story- about power, fate, the wise use of magick and the emotional intensity of motherhood. The cauldron can represent any of this as well.

Transformation & Rebirth

I think of the cauldron as symbolic of the transformational events in our lives. Those challenging times where we must change or be changed. Those times where we must surrender to a power greater than us to carry us forward. When we must let go of who we are to become who we are meant to be. The cauldron is like a crucible- an agent of change, transformation and rebirth. What goes in comes out as something new.

Can you think of a time in your life where you underwent deep internal changes that left you feeling like you died and were reborn? That’s a cauldron experience. I think these can also be felt as smaller and less dramatic as well, like when we are pushed out of our comfort zone and make changes to adapt.

I feel like I am undergoing some kind cauldron experience most of the time, in at least one area of my life. Some cauldron experiences are slow boiling and take time, like Cerridwen’s brew, for a year or several. Others are more fast-acting and short term.

Some cauldron life experience examples are: Undergoing an intense course or learning program where you learn new skills and change as a person; Becoming a mother or a parent; Losing a loved one and your sense of self being changed from the loss; Divorce or separation; Becoming ill; Healing from illness; Being in a relationship that tests you; Moving to a new place; Changing Careers, etc.

One thing about the cauldron is that what goes in comes out differently, in a new form. Our transformational experiences remake us anew. We are not meant to stagnate or stay the same forever.

The cauldron is the mother that pushes us to grow and become who we have the potential to be. She is also that safe container who enables us to be vulnerable while the change is happening.

I explore the relationship between the cauldron and holding safe space for healing & transformation in this post.

How to use the Cauldron as a Witch’s tool

The cauldron may not be used in everyday cooking anymore, but we can use it as a magickal tool to enhance our own personal healing and transformation. Cauldrons come in every size, from large dinner-size cauldrons to tiny purse-size cauldrons. I love them all. Here are a few ways I like to use them:

Smoke cleansing: The cauldron makes an excellent holder for herbs and resins. You can place a piece of charcoal within it and burns your smoke cleansing herbs on it or, you can place the herbs directly into the cauldron and light them. The smaller cauldrons are great for this.

Grounding practice: The cauldron is usually made of iron and therefore an excellent grounding tool. You can use it like I do in the above grounding ritual or make up your own!

Burning spells: The cauldron is a safe container to burn pieces of paper with words written on it or other objects that are part of your spells.

Scrying: The black cauldron is a perfect backdrop for scrying. Fill the cauldron with water and take your time to ground and centre before gazing into the cauldron to see visions. This works best with a medium to large cauldron.

Potions & Cooking: Use a larger cauldron to hold your potions or healing soups, the old-fashioned way. I purchased a couple of beautiful large cauldrons from Bristow Iron Works, including the stand and hooks for this purpose.

An altar in itself: The cauldron can make a wonderful keeper of sacred energy. A large cauldron can be filled with crystals, herbs, beautiful images, and objects to anchor the sacred into your space. A small cauldron makes a great travel altar- fill it with herbs and crystals to uplift your energy while away.

Salt Bowl or Centrepiece: I have used a cauldron as a salt bowl and centrepiece for my dining room table. I filled it with salt to absorb negative energies, and with herbs and crystals to help bring harmony to my dinner table.

Symbol: You can use the cauldron as a symbol on your altar, your desk or bedside table for anything we discussed in this blog- symbol of your inner Witch or Wise Woman, the womb, the sacred feminine or Mother energy, transformation & rebirth, etc. Keep it as a reminder of your magick!

Dining Table Centrepiece Cauldron

If you are interested in the symbolism of the cauldron and its connections to myths, I highly recommend the book The Witch’s Cauldron, by Laura Tempest Zakroff.

What does the cauldron symbolise for you? Do you use one in your practice?

May the cauldron bring you the warmth and soul-nourishment you need in these transformational times.

xo

Serena

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Healing Our Lineage, Healing Ourselves

It took a lot for us to be here. Our existence is due to the choices and sacrifices of those who came before us. Those who birthed us, nurtured us, taught us- however imperfectly- are the reason we are here.

Ancestry and lineage healing are hot topics these days, often frought with mixed feelings. Ancestors are often idealised or demonised. Family is complicated. We may have adopted family, step-family, blood family or soul family. Ways that our roots entangle with others can take many shapes and forms. They can be sources of comfort, love, deep pain or longing.

Something that we can probably agree on, is that tending our roots is deep inner work and part of feeling nourished and secure on this planet. It is also a major part of being a good ancestor for the generations to come. Whether or not you have biological children, we are all future ancestors of this planet. By living here, we make a mark.   

Making a connection with our Ancestors

Card from Wisdom of the Cailleach Oracle by Jane Brideson

Beliefs about our ancestors and the dead vary in different cultures and belief systems. Many believe that our ancestors watch over us, guide us and have hopes and wishes for us in our lifetime.  Ancestor reverence is common in many cultures, often including an altar with photos, candles and offerings to show respect. Some believe in reincarnation, some don’t. Some believe they will be reunited in death with their loved ones. Some believe that this life is all we’ve got and wish to leave the world a better place for future generations.

Since I can’t speak to the experience of being dead (that I can remember, anyway!) I am open to the variety of ways of looking at death, the afterlife and ancestors. I feel like I want to be a good ancestor for my descendants and future generations. I would also love the job of helping others on earth as a spirit guide one day. I have always been comfortable with the idea of reincarnation too, but with the way humanity is going, I am not sure if I want to back again anytime soon.

I have always felt very spiritually connected to my ancestors. I didn’t grow up with spiritual traditions of ancestor reverence, but I always had this feeling that I was being watched over and protected by ‘family’ beyond the veil. Especially when I was outside, I felt like my ancestors were with me, giving me a deep sense of home and belonging. I truly felt that my family extended beyond my living relatives and were very much in the unseen world. I still feel this today.

I also have been lucky to have access to my family tree and history, which is very well documented and recorded, on both sides. Thanks to the thorough recordkeeping of the Catholic Church and many living relatives on my mom’s side who had a lot of babies to keep track of, I have access to family trees, books and albums that go back hundreds of years. Thanks to the internet, the painstaking efforts of genealogists and genealogically-inclined relatives, I’ve found a lot with little effort and connected with family I haven’t met in person and have lots of info on both sides of my family.

Having access to all this information has made me feel that it is my duty in a way, to remember my ancestors, to read their names and wonder about their lives. To imagine their hardships and what the times they lived in demanded of them.

I know not everyone has access to this info. It can be hard to obtain records, especially if you are adopted or are far away from your birthplace. But I feel you don’t really need documented information to connect with your ancestors or to heal your lineage. Essentially, you ARE the record. Your ancestors live and breathe through you. You carry their gifts and wounds as you live your earthly life, walking the path they gave you.

Being a Good Ancestor

My paternal great-grandparents, Charles Oakley & Sarah McGillivray. Sarah was a descendant of Scottish highlanders who came to Glengarry, ON during the highland clearances. She died of the Spanish flu in 1918, a young mother leaving behind her 2 boys, who were then sent to an orphanage.

In doing my own healing and researching my ancestors, I thought I would feel a greater sense of belonging, but it has actually given me more of a sense of responsibility. A responsibility to use the freedom I have that my ancestors didn’t. To live a good life, to enjoy what I have and to let myself be happy. To be a good parent to my daughter and to be a good ancestor for the future. 

For me, ancestral healing is about identifying patterns that were passed down to me- ways of thinking, behaving, wounds and gifts- and create new patterns that are healthier and more life-affirming for my descendants and the next generation.

Some believe that by healing ourselves, we heal not only those who come after us, but those who came before us as well. I like to believe this too.

Whatever healing work you do on yourself– going to therapy, healing and caring for your body, shifting unhealthy inherited patterns of thinking or behaving that your parents modeled- are all ways of healing your lineage. You break the chain and give new freedom to your descendants.

Those of us who are parents often don’t realise we are repeating a pattern until we finally hear ourselves and see the effects we have on our kids. I am mostly proud of myself as a mom for being conscious of my patterns and trying not to repeat them. However, I’m nowhere near perfect and know that my daughter will still have her share of lineage stuff to work through. We all make our own little contribution to the path and hope that it provides more opportunity for those to come.

Healing my Lineage- In my Bones and Blood

Collage of some of my family

My experience living with endometriosis felt like a direct energetic line to my foremothers. I felt that I held all their grief and pain from lost babies, lost dreams and hardship in my own uterus. I can’t prove such a connection, but I feel deep in my bones and blood, that this was true and that I carry a lot of ancestral patterns in my body and energy field. I believe that healing myself is healing my line- before me and after me.

My mother’s lineage holds a strong faith, an ability to be humble and believe in magic and the Divine. We are a lineage of spiritual, hard-working, nurturing mothers and healers. These are gifts passed down to us. But with the gifts, come wounds. Hard-working humility and over-reliance on faith can also become toxic. We can get into a pattern of putting ourselves last, a pattern of feeling guilty or sinful, a pattern of martyrdom that weakens our own creative power and agency. Part of my work is to notice this in myself and shift into new ways.

Learning From the Past, Looking to the Future

Creating new pathways forward

Another part of my lineage healing is to take back my own creative power and co-create with the Divine, rather than being subservient to a religion or church. Being a Witch is a major part of this for me. While I respect the beliefs of my ancestors and family members, I feel my healing work comes from breaking away from that institution and following a path that is authentic and free.

I realised at a young age that I didn’t like the formalities of religion and just wanted to be outside where I could hear the whispers of the spirits of nature. I know many of my ancestors resonated with this, too.

My mother eventually broke the mold and veered off her Catholic path to find her authentic way forward, which made it easier for me to go my own way too. At thirteen, I refused my Confirmation and got into Tarot, astrology, Yoga, energy healing, Paganism and never looked back. Sometimes, I feel as though my ancestors are applauding me for this, (maybe not all of them, but some of them, haha) as I am living out their subconscious desires.  My older ancestors from times before they were Christianised whisper me encouragement in reviving the old ways.

As a Witch, I reclaim the inner Wild Woman, Creatrix and Wise Woman that my foremothers could not- because of the limitations of the times they lived in. I am still a hard-working, nurturing mother, just one who is trying to balance that with self-care, magick and engaging her creative power.

When the voice of guilt and shame comes up, I gently remind her that by taking care of myself and doing what I love, I am healing my lineage. By following my own path and trusting the Divine as it flows through me, I am healing my lineage.

What gifts and wounds does your lineage carry?

Oaks at Llyn Tegid, Wales

We all have baggage and skeletons in our family closets. We all have victims and perpetrators in our families. We all have those archetypes within us as well. Idealising and demonising doesn’t really do us any good. It is important to remember that no matter who our ancestors were, or who we are, they were human, we are human, and we decide what aspects of ourselves we nurture and which we discontinue.

If you wish, take a moment to reflect on your own family:

What natural gifts or strengths do your parents or grandparents possess?

How are you like them? How are you different?

Do you know the stories of your ancestors?

If you believe your ancestors are watching over you now, what do you think they would say about you? What would they wish for you in this life?

What wounds or challenges run through your family? What did you inherit?

Are you consciously or unconsciously trying to heal this wound?

How are you changing the patterns passed down to you to make a better world for the next generation?

As we enter the time of Samhain, the veil between the worlds is thin, and we can connect more easily to those on the other side. It is a ripe time for ancestral connection and lineage healing. I’d like to invite you to join me for our upcoming Online Samhain Circle on Friday Nov 4th, 2022! We will do a guided meditation journey to connect with our ancestors, discover more about our inherited wounds, gifts and how to get the healing process going. First timers are free! Hope to see you there.

Xo

Serena

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Dancing with our Shadow in Relationships

At the Fall Equinox, the sun enters Libra- the sign of relationships and balance. This season initiates our journey of descent into our own personal underworld, where we meet with our shadow self.

There is no better way to meet our shadow than in the world of relationships. People we connect with in life, whether friends, co-workers or intimate partners mirror to us aspects of ourselves. Some of these qualities we are delighted to encounter, while others not so much.

Generally, the qualities we despise or are irritated by in others point to aspects of ourselves that we’ve repressed, rejected or denied, which then become part of our shadow. The shadow self follows us around, asking for attention and acceptance. If we do not heed its call for attention, it may actually start to drive us through life unconsciously. When this happens, we may end up in situations we regret, living life in a way that creates more pain and anguish for ourselves (and others) rather than healing and opportunity.

The shadow requires that we meet it. Acknowledge it. Embrace it. Dance with it from time to time. They are our forever companion, after all. We can’t simply get rid of our shadow. Denying its existence only makes life harder. Over time, the shadow can become our friend and ally.

The Goddess Oracle by Marashinsky & Janto

We all carry human traits that we don’t like. If we like to think of ourselves as a selfless, hardworking person, we may relegate our inner self-centered, lazy tendencies to the shadow. When we do this, we encounter these qualities in others until we accept them within ourselves. If we accept our own human tendency to be selfish or lazy, we are less likely to be bothered by these traits in others.

We may repress positive traits as well, which can become part of our shadow. For example, we may deny or repress our confidence, out of fear of not acting humble enough. Then we may find we are attracted to confidence or repulsed by it in others we meet.

If you are single and find you are constantly attracting people with certain traits into your life and they keep triggering the same issues within you, there is likely some shadow work to do.

If you are partnered and get stuck in loops of the same old arguments, or collect resentments over time for the same behaviours, there is shadow work to do.

Basically, if you are human living in the world with other humans, there is shadow work to do!

Relationships as a path of Spiritual Growth

If you are interested in your own spiritual growth, I highly recommend being in an intimate relationship. All relationships can push our buttons, but the closer they are, the deeper the healing can go.

I have been with the same partner for over 19 years now, and I feel my marriage and being a mom has probably brought me the most spiritual growth than anything else in my life. A day doesn’t go by when I am not encountering my shadow. Every day I am asked to look in the mirror and tolerate/accept/dance with what I see.

The snarky sarcastic rebuttals my teen throws my way often cause a reaction in me. Then a split second later, I see my own reflection in her. She’s so much like me. I was a snarky sarcastic teen and still am now! I must take my own medicine and remember that this is how she asserts her independence. This is one of the ways I still do, too.

My husband’s frustrating absentmindedness is another mirror. When he has forgotten yet another important detail or isn’t paying attention to the present moment, I curse his blissfully unaware existence. I feel burdened taking on the responsibility for all the mundane details. Then, I realise how much of a daydreamer I can be too. I can easily avoid the world in front of me, and often prefer to. Maybe I could let myself daydream a bit more.

I am not a Jungian expert nor have any sort of formal training in shadow work, so obviously I would first suggest you see a pro for doing deeper shadow work, especially when it is rooted in past trauma.

Alongside seeing a therapist, or when that option isn’t available to us, we can use Tarot and journaling to help shine a light on our darkness. These self-healing tools can help us become better people, cultivate stronger relationships and create a happier life.

Journaling Questions

First, here are some reflection questions you can journal with to get a sense of what aspect(s) of yourself you repress, deny or relegate to the shadows. These traits can actually be positive or negative.

  • What positive traits do the folks I am attracted to usually carry?

Positive traits we desire in others can also be parts of our shadow. We can access these parts of us if we choose. Often a partner will bring these traits out in us as well.

  • What traits about the people I get into relationships with do I find hard to deal with or unacceptable?

These are traits that we may be denying or repressing within us that unconsciously take the driver’s seat sometimes- especially when we are upset or stressed.

  • Who do I sooo NOT want to be like? Why?

This person may be a more extreme example of your own shadow. Yes, its scary to fathom this. But, be open to there being something there to work with.

  • How do I behave towards others when I get really stressed or triggered?

Often, we express our shadow when we are in a highly charged state.

  • What’s the positive side of these shadow qualities?

For example, selfishness transmuted into its positive form can be self-love, self-confidence or self-respect. Are these traits you could cultivate?

Tarot Spread for Relationship Shadow Work

Here is an example of a Tarot spread you can use with your own deck to support you in navigating a current relationship. You can do this spread for an intimate partnership or for friends/coworkers/roommates or anyone who is pushing your buttons!

Shadow in Relationships Spread by me using the Gentle Tarot.

Card #1: Self- Aspect of self we need to be aware of in current situation. 

This card shows the part of ourselves that is active within the current situation. How does this card make you feel?

Card #2: Shadow- Aspect of self we project onto the other and need to accept within ourselves.

This is an important card. It shows the issue we are grappling with, the energy we are avoiding within ourselves or what is blocking us from relating with ease. How does this card make you feel? How does it show up in your relationship? Is it something you feel ready to accept and integrate within yourself?

Card #3: Support- Cultivate this to support Card #1.

This is an energy within you that you can access now to support the current situation or your role within it. How would taking a step in this direction affect how you feel?

Card #4: Integration- Energy to help us dance with and integrate our shadow.

Cultivate this energy to help you deal with card #2. It is the key to integrating its energy within you and your life. How would it feel to bring more of this energy into your situation? How would it change your relationship with yourself? How could it change your relationship?

For me, my spiritual path is not about always trying to attain a lofty ideal of being or behaviour. It’s about wholeness, acceptance and finding peace with being human. Dancing with our shadow is an integral part of accepting the harsher realities of earthly life. Even if our spirit is made of complete love and compassion, we are living a human life. On earth, the laws of spirit don’t always translate.

As the ever-useful quote by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin states:

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings having a human experience.”  

Are you interested in shadow work? How does your shadow show up in relationships? Do you consciously seek to meet and accept it?

May Libra season bless you with self-love and understanding, grace and flow.

Xo

Serena

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Is It My Intuition? 5 Ways To Tell

One of the most challenging and important lessons I’ve had on my path as a Witch is deciphering whether messages are coming from my intuition vs something else- like my emotions, ego, or personal bias. In my early days of exploration, it was hard to find any information on this, but thankfully now more folks are sharing what has worked and what hasn’t from their experiences. I don’t feel there are hard and fast rules on this, so no matter what it will take some practice and learning about yourself. But I can share some things I’ve learned for myself along the way that may help you on your journey!

  1. Know Yourself

This is probably the most important, but it takes time. We are all unique in our experiences, personal history and socio-cultural conditioning. What works for one person, won’t necessarily work for another. We can learn from others, but we ultimately need to put our learning into practice and figure out what is true for us.

Some folks are more visual, others physical, others auditory. Intuition can come through different channels. Also, how we process information can help us understand how we might experience our intuition. Some folks are quick to sense information through instinct and shoot from the hip with confidence. Some folks distrust their emotional and intuitive instincts and try to keep a more logical point of view. Some folks are sensitive and sponge-like, easily overwhelmed by the impressions they get and may have a hard time verbally expressing themselves or discerning what’s what.

The confident person may jump too quickly to assume the message they are getting is intuition rather than emotion or ego. They are quick to trust their instincts but may not notice where the instinct is coming from. They may need to slow down and get more curious- where did this message come from?  Does it sound tinted with my own personal feelings, biases or desires? Or does it sound like a different voice than my own? Taking a step back to sense the bigger picture can be helpful.

Someone who prefers to take an objective point of view may be too much in their head and override their intuition for fear of sounding too subjective or emotional. They may question or analyse their intuitive feelings to the point where it becomes diluted or they lose their grasp on it altogether. They need to practice getting out of their head and trusting their ability to feel and sense a message knowing that feeling something doesn’t necessarily mean it is emotional.

Someone who is quite sensitive and sponge-like may get overwhelmed by all the information they are receiving- intuition, emotion, the energy of others, etc. They may get lost in all they are feeling and need to work on grounding themselves in their body and the tangible world in order to decipher what’s what. Boundaries are key.

We can experience all of these scenarios at some point. I have!

Some questions for self-reflection:

  • Remember being a child. Did you receive any premonitions or a sense of what was really going on with someone or something? Remember how that felt or showed up for you.   
  • Think of a past experience as an adult of receiving an intuitive hunch about something or someone that turned out to be true- One of those ‘I knew it!’ times. What state were you in when you received the hunch? How/where did you feel it in your body?
  • Think about a time when you kicked yourself because you felt an intuitive hunch about something but instead followed the logical choice or someone else’s opinion and regretted it.  What happened between the intuitive feeling and the regretted action?

The more you understand how your intuition speaks to you, and what tends to stand in its way, the more you’ll be able to tell if what you’re feeling is your intuition or not.

2. Create a Grounding & Centering Ritual

Our intuition does not tend to come through clearly when we are in a heightened emotional state.

This is one thing I have found to be true for me and others on this path.

When I’ve been feeling really down, angry, or anxious, I’ve wanted to figure out what my intuition was saying about the situation. However, when I tried to do this, it always felt like my intuition was garbled or simply not available, because my emotions were in the foreground.  My messages felt like they were what I wanted to hear and the ‘voice’ I was listening to sounded too much like my own thoughts and feelings in that moment.

In a heightened emotional state, it is better to simply be with our feelings and let them flow. Cry, talk to a friend, clean, write, paint, exercise, or cuddle with a pet. Our feelings are always valid. They need to be heard and expressed. However, they aren’t necessarily the best drivers of action. I don’t feel this means we can’t seek solace in our Tarot cards or other intuitive tools, it just means that our ability to interpret their messages may be off, so it may be best to follow the meanings from a book or let a friend read them for us, which only works if we are open to what they have to say.   

When we are in a less emotional state- still feeling and thinking things, but not overwhelmed, it can be a great time to practice a ritual that grounds and centers us. We can go back to this ritual when our emotions are heightened to help calm us down. If we practice it regularly, it can become the foundation for getting us into a deeper, more receptive state for accessing our intuition.

Here are some suggestions for creating a grounding & centering ritual:

  • Doing some yoga and/or breathing exercises
  • A nature walk
  • Meditation
  • Burning some herbs while saying a prayer or invocation to the divine
  • Playing an instrument, singing, dancing, writing or other form of expression
  • Making a cup of tea and sitting in your favourite chair while gazing out the window
  • Taking a salt bath
  • Lighting a candle while setting an intention

Repeating an action like the above examples becomes a ritual when you do it regularly. It becomes a practice when you use the ritual to deepen your ability to be in a clear, receptive state in which your mind, body and emotions are in harmony. If you practice asking your intuition for insight while in this state, it is more trustworthy and can come through more clearly.

You may feel messages coming through without an emotional reaction or attachment. It might come ‘out of the blue’ or feel like it is coming from outside of you, even if it is felt in your body. This can be a sign that it is intuition.

3. Listen to the Body

The body never lies, as they say. However, the body can give us messages from different parts of ourselves. Bodies are complex beings that hold past trauma, ancestral wounds, cultural conditioning, our emotions and more. Deciphering its messages takes time and practice.

The body however, is a valuable tool in understanding how our intuition speaks through us by knowing what our intuition vs emotions feel like. This is why grounding and centering rituals as discussed above are so important. Being in our body helps us feel the difference between our intuition, hunger, desire, or emotions.

Next time you are hungry, tired, in pain or low energy, notice what these states feel like in your body. Where do you feel it? Does your beathing change? How do your muscles react? How does this sensation affect your thoughts and feelings?

I have noticed that when my intuition speaks, there is a feeling of ‘rightness’ and ‘yes’ experienced in my body as expansion and lightness in my heart and sometimes a little flutter in my solar plexus or sacral centre. My breathing slows and I feel at peace and in tune with the universe. This feeling tells me I am on the right track.

When I am in an emotionally anxious state, my solar plexus tightens, my shoulders rise and my breathing shortens. My thoughts start to race and I feel alone. This feeling tells me there is a personal issue to sort through.

When I am feeling hungry, my stomach growls and I become mentally fixated on food. If I try to ignore it for too long, I can become agitated and tense. Everything feels tainted with irritability. This is getting hangry, and it is purely physically driven.

Your intuition will probably not feel the same as a bodily need or emotion. But it takes time to decipher the difference and how that feels for you in your unique body.

4. Trust Yourself!

This has been the hardest one for me. I am one of those people who second guesses herself, who kicks herself later for listening to logic or popular opinion instead of what I felt was right.

With time and practice, I discovered that when I followed what I thought I ‘should’ do, things turned out badly and when I followed what I intuitively felt was right, even when it went against the grain, things ultimately turned out well.

I always thought that others must know better than me and my own feelings couldn’t be trusted. But over time, my experience showed me otherwise.

Countless times in life, when it came to the little things such as taking a certain route somewhere, eating a certain food or finding a gift for someone- my inner guidance led me in the right direction. Every time I failed to listen, I would experience a negative consequence. Every time I listened, I experienced a positive one.

In life’s bigger decisions, like deciding on the best ways to parent my daughter, buying a house, continuing or ending a relationship- I listened deeply to my intuition. I took the time to ground and centre, listen to my body, and followed the same feeling I had with the smaller decisions. No regrets so far. (Except the times I didn’t listen!)

If you’re a self-doubter or second-guesser like me, it can be helpful to go back into your memory to figure out when or how you started to doubt yourself. What did peers or authorities tell you that left you feeling inadequate? Are these things true or relevant now?

Trusting ourselves is takes practice, like working a muscle over and over.

The more you practice trusting yourself instead of doubting yourself, the easier it will be to make intuitive decisions.

5. Practice, practice, practice.

As stated above, hearing our intuition is a bit like working a muscle. We need to practice. It is not an overnight feat. Sometimes it works instantly, in a flash. But being able to rely on it takes time.

So, start small. Take time to reflect on each of these 5 suggestions. Do some self-reflection. Get a grounding and centering practice going. Notice what gets you into a receptive, intuitive state. Start becoming more aware of your body’s signals and what they mean. If you have already done those things, then begin to practice with smaller, less consequential decisions- finding a parking spot, choosing a gift for someone, finding an approach for a situation at work, then try it out.

Over time it will get more obvious.

It is also helpful to value your intuition more. We are conditioned to devalue the less logical aspects of ourselves. Remember your dreams and write them down. Let yourself play and wonder like you did as a child. Entertain the idea that mermaids and unicorns might exist. What possibilities lie just outside of our usual frame of reality? How can we open more to all life is offering us?

We are more than our physical reality. We are connected by the web of life. The more we practice sensing and experiencing our interconnectedness with all life, the easier it is to tap into the wisdom of our intuition.

Do you practice listening to your intuition? Do you trust it? What helps you get into a calm and receptive state in order to hear it?

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Why Lammas is Important + 5 Ways to Celebrate!

What is Lammas?

Lammas (called Lughnasadh in Gaelic and Gwyl Awst in Welsh) is the season of First Harvest, where we take stock of our achievements and growth that has transpired this season. It asks us to cultivate gratitude, appreciation and share our gifts.

This Pagan celebration is rooted in historic agricultural communities throughout the UK and Europe. It begins the time of harvesting grains- such as wheat, oats and barley as well as vegetables and fruits.

The Irish God Lugh (akin to the Welsh Llew & Gaulish Lugos) is commonly celebrated at this time as he is a sun God associated with the grain harvest and smithcraft. He is the original Jack-of-all-trades who can be called upon for support in skill and crafts of all kinds. This time of year historically held markets for artisans to share their wares and the food harvest with the community. This tradition continues to this day through farmer’s and artisan’s markets.

This season of Lammas spans the sun’s journey through the signs of bright, sunny Leo and crafty, earthy Virgo. Both these signs fit perfectly with the energy of Lugh. When creative energy flows into practical channels, it becomes a perfect formula for abundance of all kinds- if we harness it!

Discernment & Sacrifice

From the Wisdom of the Cailleach Oracle
by Jane Brideson

As this season progresses, a bittersweet note arrives, as the nights grow longer and cooler, and we are reminded that fall is coming. We must discern what will support and sustain us into the months ahead and what no longer serves us on our journey.

The abundant Mother of summer hands us the sickle to collect our harvest. We must decide what we are taking with us into the future to sustain us and acknowledge what needs to be left behind.

We may find ourselves at some sort of crossroads in our lives during the next six weeks as we realise that the current abundance is limited and we must plan for future scarcity. What is sustainable? What cannot be carried into leaner months? Is there something we need to let go of? It is a time to reflect on what we’ve learned from the year and prepare for the next.

Moving between the Physical & Spiritual Realms

I admit that for a long time, I found Lammas to be the most ‘boring’ of the sabbats and soon discovered some other witches felt the same. Sometimes I didn’t even celebrate it, but I reveled in the more mystical or playful sabbats of Samhain, Beltane and the Solstices.

I feel part of the reason for this may be that Lammas is the most earthy, practical and humble of the sabbats but we tend to celebrate Lammas in early August, while the sun is still in dramatic, playful Leo. We just might find it a bit too serious or boring when the sun is shining bright and we’re in the mood for fun! But by mid-late August, the sun enters pragmatic, humble, Virgo and Lammas’ energy begins to resonate more. We’re able to get on board with organising our lives and facing the reality of reaping what we’ve sown.

I’ve also noticed that a lot of us drawn to Witchcraft are not always the most practical folks and so seek the craft to ground us. Perhaps the earthy, pragmatic energy of Lammas is a medicine many of us need for balance?

Our magickal practice after all, is supposed to be rooted equally in the earth and unseen realms. Our role is that of midwifing creation between the two. We need to understand the gifts and limitations of both.

The Importance of Lammas on our Magickal path

What helps me see Lammas through a more magickal lens is in seeing it as part of the full cycle of life-death and rebirth.

In the Wheel of the Year, Lammas’ polar opposite is Imbolc, in early February. At that time we are celebrating the hope of new life and feeling the first creative stirrings and visions for the year ahead. Imbolc is a very spiritual, visionary time where we prepare a path of physical manifestation for our dreams. It involves spiritual cleansing and resourcing as we harvest inspiration from our dreams and prepare to manifest them into the physical world.

In this way, Imbolc is very much like Lammas. We are clearing what no longer serves us and harvesting our energy to help prepare for the path ahead. We must discern, envision and plan.

Now, at Lammas, we harken back to Imbolc and ask ourselves: Has our vision manifested how we wanted it to? What have we learned from our experience? What can we share or create from it?

Imbolc paves the way from the spirit realm to the physical. Lammas paves the way from the physical realm towards the spiritual again. We take what we’ve learned and derive meaning from it. We compost our physical harvest into new gems of wisdom that fuel our dreams and creations for next year.

How do we want to enter our dreaming time? What beautiful resources do we want to take with us to prepare our mind, body and spirit for the journey?

From the Wisdom of the Cailleach Oracle
by Jane Brideson

I think of Lammas as a time to gather, collect, harvest and create all that inspires us of this physical world to take with us on our spiritual journey into autumn. It’s like packing for an adventure. But the trip we are about to undertake is an inner one, towards the Source of Life within, where new dreams are born.

When framed in this way, I see the importance of Lammas- how this is about more than just grains and gratitude. It’s about preparing for our dreaming journey, collecting the physical resources we will need to sustain our spirit on its way into the mystery. Packing for a trip can be tedious at times, but it is also filled with the excitement for the journey!

What do you wish to pack for your journey into the unknown?

How can we celebrate Lammas?

Lammas loaves- plain and gluten-free + harvest bottles 2019

There are many ways to celebrate Lammas/Lughnasadh and here I will suggest a few simple ideas that can be done on their own or incorporated into a bigger ritual:

  • Visit a farmer’s market or artisan market: Support your local artists and farmers! Work done at the hands of skilled folks is what makes the world go round. Knowing the source of our food and wares keeps us connected and in relationship with the earth and each other. Acknowledge the circle of life, the interdependence we have with one another and the earth.
  • Create something! If you are crafty, find a little project that inspires you! If you are not really a hands-on crafty person, perhaps you are inclined to sing, write, dance or do some other form of self expression that channels the energy that’s manifested for you in the last few weeks. Share your gifts with the world!
  • Cultivate gratitude and show appreciation: Take a moment to reflect on what you feel grateful for in your life- The people, places and things that support you. Then, think of a way to physically show thanks. This can be through an offering to the earth, a note of appreciation to a friend or loved one, a special gift or spending time with someone you haven’t made time for in a while.
  • Bake bread or cook a meal with local ingredients: The tradition of baking bread with the first harvest of wheat has been a common way to celebrate Lammas (which is derived from ‘Loaf-Mass’ in old English). Make some homemade bread (there are some great gluten-free recipes out there), or a meal with some local veggies or bake something delicious to share with friends and family!
  • Reflect on your journey over the last 6 months. Think about what you’ve manifested, what you want to bring forward in the months ahead, what to leave behind. Use the following questions to journal:

What am I grateful for?

What have I been working on/investing my energy into?

 What have I accomplished in the last 6 months?

What have I learned from my toils?

What is no longer feeling sustainable?

What sustains me?

What type of abundance do I desire to cultivate more of in my life?

What is one step I can take towards cultivating that abundance in the coming weeks?

What do I wish to pack with me on my upcoming spiritual journey?

You may also wish to celebrate this season in a small witchy gathering, like my Hearthfire Circles! In our upcoming First Harvest Circle, we will discuss the themes of the season and craft some abundance spell bottles filled with herbs, crystals and intentions to support our journey forward! Contact me if you are interested!

Wishing you abundance in health, creativity, love and all that nurtures and sustains you in this beautiful season.

Blessed Lammas/Lughnasadh!

xo

Serena

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