|
I attended my first public ritual.
Although I had been flirting with organized Wicca and Witchcraft for a time, this particular ritual was one I attended for a project for a comparative religion class. I didn’t know it would change my life. Literally. In that ritual I saw my beloved dead, I felt the power of collective intention and directed energy and my path became very clear. It was a beginning. One of many along this Path of the Craft. Yesterday I went to the community center where that ritual was held. I was with a friend and fellow witch. We went to explore a craft fair. I’ve been back to that building for many rituals and events since that first one all those years ago, but it’s been at least 6 years since I had tread those floors. Yesterday as my friend shared her memories of this place and all the magic she had been a part of there, I too had my own feelings arise, A longing for those big community rituals stirred within. A desire to feel that energy of group intention and directed energy sparked in my breast. My feet remembered the dance of the spiral and itched to walk those steps once more. I love holding space for collective magic. In my heart I know this is a big piece of the work I am called to create. Hold. Offer. Over the last few years I have done most of this work virtually and I will continue to do so. There are so many people who do not have access to local witchery and ritual and the internet has filled a void. With this in mind I am inviting you to join me in the Winter Circle. There will be ritual. There will be visioning. Creating. Movement. Sharing. And of these things our co-created magic is born. Spend your Winter months in sacred spaces with me. This small group begins with the Winter Solstice ritual on December 21st. We then gather for 6 virtual circles moving through the themes of Deep Rest and Self Love and celebrating the coming of Spring with an equinox ritual. In additional participants in the Winter Circle will be enrolled in the Become the Seer- Prophecy 2025 workshop on December 28th. Come make magick in community and discover the power of community! Want to hang out in real life? The Summer Solstice Outdoor Retreat is open for registration. I know that as the seasons turn toward the beginning of Winter, Summer seems a long way off. Yet I wanted to give folks ample time for making their travel plans. I have also created several options for paying over time and opening registration now allows you to take advantage of these. You can learn more and register here. As always my friends if you have questions, please reply to this email. Finally, last week I sent out a call for you all to share your personal Winter rituals and traditions with me. These might be holiday focused or seasonally focused. I have received several emails with delightful traditions inside. As I begin to put together the podcast episode I’ll be using these for, i wanted to put the call out once more in case you have a tradition or ritual you’d like to share.
0 Comments
As I am writing this the waning moon is still heavy and bright, the energy of the fall is waning too. We are over halfway through the season. As we move away from Samhain the days are getting shorter and shorter and the nights stretch so much longer.
How do you feel during this time of year? Do you lean into the longer nights as a way to rest more? To reflect more? To craft more? Do you start to get the blues as the sun wanes? I love the way this time of year pulls me inward. The sweaters, the boots, the stars that spend so much more time sparkling, it all brings a sense of cozy peace to me. During this season I start digging into practices in my craft that feel like fall to me. Simmer pots on the stove, candles burning on the altar. Time beneath the starry sky connecting with the constellations and the energy of the cosmos. Last night I sat in my yard and listened to hooting of a great horned owl and pondered this great bird and the power they hold, and the messages they bring. What are your autumnal practices? With the coming shift in the Season it is also time to get to crafting up the Winter Digest. If you would like to contribute an article, a recipe, a spell or instructions for a ritual or craft, the deadline for submissions is Friday November 22nd. You can email them to [email protected] I can’t wait to see what magick you are ready to share with the world! I’ve been cooking up some enchantment in the Wise Woman Witchery Cauldron and we’ve got some amazing things coming soon! If you are looking for some community to carry you through the Winter Season, I have just the space for you. The Winter Circle is a 6 session, 2 ritual offering that begins at the Winter Solstice and ends at the Spring Equinox. This circle is limited to 8 participants to foster trust and connection. During our 6 sessions we will be using embodiment practices, ceremony, expressive arts and the power of sharing our experiences to honor and support our journey through the Winter months. Join the Waitlist and be the first to know when registration opens! Want to gather in person? The Summer Solstice Outdoor Retreat is happening here in Northern California June of 2025. Mark your calendars for June 19th through the 22nd. Then make your travel plans and come camp with me and spend four days making magick together. Registration is opening soon. Get on the waitlist to be notified first I’m a sucker for both.
The ways in which we celebrate (or don’t celebrate), the gatherings of family and friends. When I was a kid my mom would often try to get us to deviate from the gift giving traditions of Christmas, to do an activity or take a trip or volunteer our time. And my Sister and Dad and I would say no, we like our tradition. We like our stuff. Yet as I’ve gotten older I see the value in these suggestions and the beauty in being able to pivot, to change traditions, to let go of rituals and stories that might not actually be benefiting anyone. Traditions and Rituals are touchstones in our lives, they evoke certain feelings and energies and often we repeat these ways of being and doing in order to evoke those feelings again and again. But what happens when the feeling that bubbles up isn;t the one you were trying for? What happens when rituals and traditions become burdensome or uncomfortable? In our human life we change and grow and change some more. It is inevitable that like with anything, some traditions and rituals will grow and deepen with us, while others will begin to lose their meaning or no longer serve their purpose. Reflections: What traditions do you have during the holidays? What rituals do you come back to each year? How do these make you feel? How are they supported (or not) by those around you? What is one new tradition or ritual you might try out this year? Need some ideas? The countdown to 2025 calendar is here This free printable invites you to do one intentional act a day, to cultivate a little more magick throughout the month. If you aren’t already in the Facebook group, join us as we move through this calendar together. Holiday Sale is still on! I am offering my overstock of journals, planners and guidebooks at a discount to you. Curious what's available? (For those that asked I've added pictures and a link to the video I made about the planner) Check out this link. All items are limited and once these sell out at this price I won't have any more. (You will still be able to find them online at their regular prices) I will be personally shipping these so if you bundle items together shipping will be for the full package. Once you complete your request I'll send you a paypal link for payment (venmo available too). Orders will ship within 48 hours. Witch Crafting I LOVE making handmade gifts. Give me some potions or crafts to concoct and I'm all in! Last year I bundled together several crafting classes for you. These can be used to create things as gifts or just add a little more to your personal practice. The classes include:
Winter Circle Creating community and spaces for connecting and making magick together is my heart work. Last year I created a Winter Circle, a 6 session two ritual space, that used embodiment practices, creative arts, ceremony and the sacredness of Circle to nourish ourselves and keep our magic burning through the Winter months. I am offering this again this year. We begin at the winter Solstice and end at the Spring Equinox. In addition to these two seasonal rituals and the 6 Circles, you will also have access to the Become the Seer-Prophecy 2025 class I am teaching live on December 28th. This is a small group closed circle to foster connection and trust. Sign up before Monday and get 10% off your registration. (Diving Deeper Members be sure to check our group for your special discount code) Want access to more ritual, classes, community and discounts on offerings? Join the Diving Deeper Membership Circle. Learn more and sign up here to get your first month FREE! This last week has been full of rain and wind. My yard is blanketed in colorful leaves and the grey skies have been amplifying the autumnal hues of trees.
Here in America we are about to celebrate Thanksgiving. What are you grateful for? Every year as I practice my gratitude birthday countdown I rediscover how many things I am truly grateful for. And I recognize that this in turn shifts the lens through which I am seeing the world. I feel softer and more compassionate. The ever present allies of awe and wonder become more vibrant. My heart feels a little more tender (but in that good way). What are you grateful for? During a time of year that can be festive and fun, or loaded with family drama and baggage, or lonely and isolating, or….well it can be a lot of things, I find it helpful to dig my roots into the earth and tap into that energy of gratitude. Even in my darkest moments I can always find at least one thing I feel grateful for. And that one thing often leads to another and another. So I ask one more time, what is it you are grateful for? (it’s ok to start small) Over the last couple of weeks I have been hosting the Sacred Self Care as Sanctuary class and through this I am reminded again about daily intentional magic and the power this has. Whether it’s a gratitude practice or divination, altar magic or journaling, a daily practice becomes a centering force in our bodies, our psyche and our craft. I have been reminded about how important staying connected to my center is. And how this can be the guiding light in the decisions I make, in evaluating my sense of obligation vs. desire and in staying true to myself. I invite you to choose one simple intentional practice and let this be a daily touchstone in the hustle and bustle. A daily reminder of your magic. A calling back to center. Flooded inboxes In the coming days your inbox will be flooded with emails, for black Friday and Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. And yes, I will in fact have an email or two in the mix. And yes, I will be opening registration and offering discounts on a couple of programs/offerings as well as a discount on some planners, books and journals. But also tucked into those emails will be a link to download your annual December magical countdown to the new year calendar. This is a free calendar that offers daily suggestions to bring a little magic into everyday of December. I will also be posting in the Facebook group daily with reminders of the suggestions and invitations to share about your experience with them. I look forward to exploring this practice with you! Did you get your 2025 Lunar Calendar? This free download outlines the lunar cycles for the next year and gives you a list of the dates and signs of all the new and full moons. Grab yours here Finally a big thank you to those of you who have filled out the Witch Next Door Survey. If you listen to the podcast I would be so grateful if you could take a minute to complete this short survey to help guide the future of this offering. Take the survey here Likely most of you are having some big feels. Whether you are happy or sad, yesterday was a big day here in the US.
Personally, I’m feeling the weight of the decision that was made. I feel surprised, sad and honestly scared. So today I’m hanging in the grief and surprise and recognizing the importance of connecting with friends and family, nourishing and moving my body and remembering the value of joy. I grew up in a house with a Dad who was very conservative and a Mom who was pretty liberal. It led to a lot of “discussions”, (my Dad loved to debate), but it also taught me that you can have a different view point than someone and still love them with your whole self. That differing opinions does not always make enemies. And that being curious about where someone is coming from instead of trying to change their mind can actually give way to common ground or at least create an understanding and compassion. . This all sounds very evolved as I type it, yet I can also own that I’m having A LOT of feelings right now and having a discussion about anything remotely conflictual in the political realm feels hard in this moment. I also know that’s ok. There will be time for those discussion later For now, I’m listening to the wild and powerful winds blowing outside, I’m watching the way the birds are catching the currents and how the leaves are being stripped from the trees, a swirling dance of color. And I am grateful to be a part of this ecosystem, to feel the threads of the natural world that weave themselves through the very fabric of my being. The Air that is my breath, the Earth that is my body, the Water that is my blood and my tears, the Fire that is the fierce love burning in my breast. However your tender heart is feeling today, take good care of you. Simple Practice November is my Birthday month and several years ago I started a gratitude birthday countdown. Each day I make a note of what I am grateful for . Most years I go all the way to the end of November even though my birthday is the 24th. Did you know that there have been studies on gratitude and brain chemistry? When we practice gratitude we actually feel better. So what about a little gratitude practice? You might do this on your own, writing down 1 to 5 things each day you feel grateful for. Or you might do what I do and post each day on your social media about what you are feeling gratitude for . No matter how you approach this practice I promise it can lift your spirits and give you a little different filter through which to see the world! Waitlist for the Winter Circle is open. Last year I offered a 6 session small group circle that met every other week through the Winter months and used the tools of embodiment, divination, journey work, and community to keep our inner fires burning through the darkness. The waitlist for this years Circle is open. Be the first to have access to registration when you add your name here A Brief History of Halloween
With its origins rooted in Celtic culture, Samhain is last harvest and beginning of the much darker and colder parts of the year. During this time there was said to be an overlap in the worlds of the living and the dead. A time when the thinning of veils between worlds allowed spirits to roam freely. The Halloween traditions we see in the popular culture here in America have origins embedded in this holiday. Although we have gotten farther and farther away from the origins of the traditions and Halloween has morphed into something completely new. This holiday now is a time to dress up and be someone else, as well as a time to dance with our fears. Masks did have origins in the festival of long ago. These were worn when out after dark during this time to keep away the spirits and/or to blend in with them and thus remain safe. The classic ghost costume which used a bed sheet as a drape finds its origins in the burial shroud. It has been suggested that ghost impersonation was taken up by criminals as early as the 16th century Trick or treating might have begun with the tradition of offerings of food that were left outside the home to appease spirits and keep those indoors safe. Or perhaps the origins of this are found in the church’s celebration of all saints day on November 1st, when soul cakes were made to commemorate the dead and door to door visits for food were made primarily by the young and the poor. In 1st century AD Samhain celebrations were enfolded into some Roman celebrations like the festival of Pomona a Goddess of fruit and trees. This may be the origins of the the bobbing for apples game. Later the Church created All Saints Day nov 1 and All HallowsDay to All Hallows eve or as we now know it, Halloween The pumpkins we carve into jack o’ lanterns were originally carved from a turnip. The story was: Jack was so bad he got kicked out of hell He was given a coal to take with him’ He put it into a turnip to create a lantern Children then began to carve these in homage to jack Later pumpkins took over the turnip phase, whether this came from the abundance of this squash this time of year or the ease with which they were carved is unknown. Scots and Irish brought Samhain/All Hallows lore to the US in the 1840’s and Halloween began to become a night of mischief and trouble making which actually turned into mayhem. By 1920’s Halloween pranks in the US were becoming out of control; this was primarily adolescent boys and there was even talk of canceling halloween. Some work was done by different communities to make this night safer and more controlled and thus the more organized event of trick or treating was born. According to a Smithsonian article “The effort to restrain and recast the holiday continued after World War II, as adults moved Halloween celebrations indoors and away from destructive tricks, and gave the holiday over to younger and younger children. The Senate Judiciary Committee under President Truman recommended Halloween be repurposed as “Youth Honor Day” in 1950, hoping that communities would celebrate and cultivate the moral fiber of children. “ Divination was often practiced at this time of year as a means to discover one’s future husband Apple peels, burning hazelnuts and eating sugary walnut goodness that created dreams were all forms of love divination practiced during this time In 1998 when I spent Halloween in London, my American roommates and I were shocked that there were so few celebrations occurring to mark this holiday. There was very little in the shops by way of decoration or costume. In the early 2000’s however changes occurred around this celebration in the UK shifting to a more Americanized version of this holiday. In addition to Samahin, there are other celebrations of the dead during this time. Perhaps the most popular and well known is the Day of the Dead- this celebration corresponding with the same dates as Halloween and All Souls Day is said to have origins with the Aztecs who would use skulls to honor the dead. In the 16th century when the Spanairds conquered the Aztec empire they brought with them All Souls day and these traditions merged. There are many cultures that celebrate and honor their dead but not all do it during this time of year. How do you celebrate Samhain? What traditions do you hold for this time? Simple ideas for celebrating
I’ve been visiting with the ghosts of the women I have been. The many incarnations of Self. They all have their wisdom.
And their folly. I’ve discarded many of them over time, leaving a shell behind like a hermit crab and moving into a new roomier shinier version of me. Each change a metamorphosis. . Each shift an initiation. This year has been one of those in between places. The place where I’ve left one shell and have yet to land in my new one. On Friday my therapist reminded me that I’ve been hanging in The Void. The Void is never a terribly comfortable place to reside. Especially for someone who likes to “do” and doesn’t like to wait. (And I am both). Every step forward this year has been met with resistance. The places of ease have been in the stillness. In the presence. And reminder after reminder that this is where I supposed to be right now have arisen. But I am stubborn. I want to make things happen. I feel impatient. We can not force growth. We cannot force development. We cannot force things into being that are not yet ready to be born. ‘ (and trust me, I’ve tried.) So I’ve been hanging with the ghosts of the women I’ve been. Borrowing their wisdom, rediscovering things I left behind that perhaps are ready for a polish and shine. Discovering new truths. New ideas. Certainty of what comes next. Fidgeting in my impatience to begin. Now! What has become so clear to me in the past couple of weeks is that the heart of Wise Woman Witchery has always been about helping women step into their power., Their magic. And of all the things I have taught and shared and offered, the magic of ceremony held in community is where the deepest transformations lie. I’m not entirely certain of the shape and form but I am feeling the call and I know for certain in the future I’ll be bringing more of these offerings. For now, as the season deepens and Samhain nears, I will be sending out my annual invitation to connect with your ancestors. Faster perhaps than a song.
A taste. A photo. A word. The scent of raw gasoline on my morning walk, sent me from the streets of my neighborhood in the predawn gloom, to the shed where our gas powered lawnmower was kept as a child, to the familiar exhaust fumes of my Dad’s old pick up and straight to my Dad himself. In that darkness, with one of my dogs pulling me along, that scent brought my Dad into clear focus for me. And I missed him. He has been gone now for 13 years. And that in and of itself feels impossible. Yet just as impossible was the simple smell of raw gas emanating from an old car, carrying me across time and space to childhood moments where my Dad was alive, and well and doing the everyday Dad things he did. Maybe you’ve had this experience. A scent drifts into your nose and the memories play across the screen of your mind’s eye. Or perhaps you feel someone with you. Someone who has been gone for a time. Someone who is brought back to life from the power of smell. It sounds kind of funny. And perhaps even impossible. Until you have it happen to you. During this time of year as the veils thin, we might find ourselves having a few more of these experiences than we normally do. Perhaps we glimpse someone in a crowd that we know to be long dead. Or a song that reminds us of them arrives at the perfect moment, or your dreams bring visitations from beyond. We all have the ability to connect with our beloved dead. And we may find certain times of year (like now, or birthdays or anniversaries) increase this ability. We also might find that different practices enhance our psychic skills or support our connection to the other side. During the 5th Annual Season of the Witch Virtual Conference we will have several opportunities to discover more about facilitating these connections.
These are just 4 of the Witchy Workshops that will be filling our time together. We begin in just 5 days on the evening of October 10th. I’ll be kicking things off with the class Hecate-Goddess of the Crossroads. You can find the whole line up and registration details here See you there! My mom and I took a little overnight excursion to get a change of scenery.
It's been a bit of a Hanged Man journey (surrender, changing perspective), yet in that, has also been a layer of calm. The Ocean is a place of deep soothing for me. It’s a funny thing to live 30 minutes from the Sonoma Coast but to frequent it so rarely (to be fair this has been the Summer and Autumn of staying home). 15 minutes of staring at waves and my body let’s go. The longer I breathe the salt and watch the water the more I sink into a place calm. My go, go, go retreats into the background and I’m just present. The water heals me. Maybe it’s all the fire in my chart, or maybe it’s just the way the waves move in and out like my breath, reminding me to breathe and re-regulate with every movement. It is true that nature is a place of connection and healing for me in whatever form I am blessed to be with her in, but the Ocean holds something different. Deeper. Older. There are mysteries in the depths of her body, secrets that we may never know and treasures too. No, not the pirate kind (although I understand there is plenty of gold in the depths of the sea), but the treasures of the natural world. Ecosystems that support this planet and our bodies. I know I’m waxing a bit philosophical, but it is 4:50 am in a dark hotel room and I haven’t yet had my coffee. Simple Practice Do a body scan. Notice what you are feeling and experiencing in this moment. Set a timer for 7 minutes Now visualize a natural place that speaks to you, One that you go to for sanctuary and rejuvenation. This is a real place. As you imagine it, let yourself fill in all the details and drink in the sensations of sight, sound, smell and touch. In your mind's eye discover the tiniest details about this place. When the timer goes off return to your current space, releasing the visualization. Recheck with another body scan. Has anything changed? The Autumn Digest is now available! This sweet 40 page color digest, calls us into Autumn with information and offerings about the season not only from me but from our community as well! We even have a couple articles from some of our Season of the Witch Contributors. You can get your copy of the digest here Two weeks from now we will be preparing for day two of the 5th Annual Season of the Witch Virtual Conference. I’ve been getting some questions from folks about the event and I wanted to respond here. 🌟How do we watch? The event is live streamed via Zoom and you can join in real time with us. Once registered you will receive the link to the livestreams. 🌟Is participation required? Only as you are comfortable. Cameras on or off. Adding commentary or questions in the chat or just watching. Totally ok. A couple presentations will offer you an opportunity to practice some of what you are learning in a breakout room, but if this is out of your comfort zone that is ok too. Show up as yourself, in whatever capacity meets your learning style and desire. 🌟What if I can’t attend live? I’ve got you covered! All the livestreams are recorded and registrants have access to the replays beginning at the end of each day. These are yours to come back and watch whenever you’d like to. 🌟I’ve heard you mention giveaways. What are these? During the conference we have giveaways for each of the presentations. Some of these are from our presenters and some are from me. These range from readings, to books, to gift bags and more. These drawings are entered through attendance of the conference. However even if you can’t attend live, I have three drawings for some witchy goodies that are done after the conference is done and include the names of all the attendees. 🌟What are the bonuses included in the conference this year?
Check out the full lineup and schedule and register here. I can’t wait to Witch with you! Today we experience equal parts day and night.
It is a balance point. A pause if you will. We so often strive for balance in our lives, our inner pendulum swinging between action and rest, work and home, self care and tending to others needs. Balance is not something we live in. Instead we are always playing with and seeking balance. We find ourselves balanced for a moment here or there. A day, a week, a month. But inevitably we find our pendulum swinging once more. Nature does this too. These points of perfect balance come at the equinoxes, during the first and last quarter moons and those halfway points between seasons. There are moments where nature’s pendulum swings too. Full and New moons, the Solstices and the pivoting moment when a season changes. I invite you on this day to play with balance. Explore the following questions. What does balance mean to me? Where does my inner pendulum tend to swing? When I feel into the energy of balance, where do I long for this in my life? Are there action steps I can take to bring my inner pendulum a little closer to my center. The equinox is also the second harvest festival. This is a time for gratitude for all we are harvesting, have harvested and will harvest. Ask yourself, what am I grateful for? Who am I grateful for? And if there are people in your life you are feeling grateful for, let them know. The more we share our gratitude the more it grows. Blessed Autumn, the Season of the Witch has officially arrived. Let the sweaters, boots, pumpkins and colorful leaves begin their reign! And speaking of the Season of the Witch… Our fifth annual virtual conference is just weeks away. This event is offered via Zoom so you can tune in from anywhere! Gather your friends, your notebooks, lots of snacks and join me the evening of October 10th to kick off this exploration of all kinds of Witchery. You can find the full schedule, line up and register here I have extended the early bird discount on the conference until tomorrow at 8 am PT. Use code BROOM20 at checkout for 20% off. I can’t wait to share these 11 classes with you! We have some truly exceptional presenters coming your way. Let’s make some magick Wise Ones! And finally, the fourth installment of The Cauldron digest is availabel now! This AUtumn Equinox edition is packed with articles and recipes from our community as well as some seasonal offerings from me. You can get your copy here |
Emily Morrison MA, MFTArchives
December 2024
Categories |
RSS Feed