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I was in my early twenties and it scared me really badly. I couldn’t remember ever having been that angry, let alone wanting to actually hurt someone because of my anger. Sure I’d been mad and I’d thrown things and I’d probably punched my sister a few times in the heat of a sibling fight when we were kids too. But this was the first time as an adult where my rage was so intense I felt like I was being devoured by it. When I shared this with my therapist, certain she was going to tell me there was something seriously wrong with me, she simply and calmly said “Oh you were having murderous rage.” She said this as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Turns out it is. In the massive repertoire of feelings we are capable of in these human forms, rage is just one. It’s a big one. It takes up lots of space. It can flood us. And it can make us feel out of control. My very patient therapist explained that I was not abnormal or some soon to become violent young woman. She explained that anger is just energy and what we do with that energy is what matters. I’ve learned to use my anger to fuel action. Whether it’s movement or to scream or sing or dance or punch a punching bag or even get creative and work toward change. Anger can be moved and transformed. Sometimes our anger is completely warranted. Sometimes it is the cover under which our true feelings lie. Regardless, it is always real. Anger scares people. Because it is big and powerful it can be triggering for others, it can also be threatening. And not just because anger can create impulsive and unpredictable actions, but because it can fuel movements and create change. It can create leaders, and it can also bring them down. How does your anger live in you? Does it explode like a volcano or blow like hurricane force winds? Does it shake like an earthquake or forcefully sweep through like a tidal wave? When we embody our anger and learn to move the energy it brings we can utilize the power within. We can harness that power to change the world around us. To be empowered by embracing all the facets of ourselves, even the ones we might have been taught were not acceptable. (Maybe especially those ones). And my friends, if creating change isn’t magic, I’m not sure what is! Simple Practice Create an anger altar Add objects that represent your anger and rage Choose colors that symbolize these energies for you Come to this altar and speak or write about your rage and anger Come to this altar and scream Or hit a pillow or clay Come to this altar and move into child’s pose with your forehead to the floor and your palms up in offering Give your rage to the earth, to the air, to the fire and water. Let the elements play with it and transform it. Surrender your anger and discover what happens when it moves through you instead of becoming stuck within you. Do not contract Flow Want more? Bring your rage and let’s give it a space to move and be witnessed. Karena of The Witch’s Inn and I are hosting a Circle “Honoring Our Sacred Rage” on August 12th at 4pm PT. Using the Tarot, movement and meditation we are creating and holding a space to bring our rage to the surface, to let it be witnessed, worked with and perhaps even transmuted. This is a closed live circle and will not be recorded to facilitate a strong and safe container. We are offering this on a sliding scale with a base rate of $33 Canadian. 10% of all the proceeds will be donated to Planned Parenthood. Your rage is sacred. We want you to bring it!
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The wheel turns again and we find ourselves days from Lammas/Lughnasad. This is our first Harvest festival. It is a time of gratitude and celebration of this gratitude. If you are new to the Wheel of Year you may not yet have traditions for this holiday. If you have been celebrating the turn of the wheel for some time, you may have your go to rituals and ways to celebrate. For me this harvest marks the shift of movement toward the fall (my favorite season). It is the hottest time of year here in the northern hemisphere and it is also Leo season (think roaring gorgeous sunkissed lions), yet the first apples have been harvested and the scent of Fall is creeping in around the edges of the sunniest season. Summer is still with us yet as she wanes, the hot and languid, lazy days of this season become more precious. As with all things the more scarce the more precious. Lammas or Lughnasadh is the first harvest festival (and means specifically “loaf mass”) and one of the 4 Fire Festivals that make up the wheel of the year. Lammas is the Christian counterpart to Lughnasaadh. This festival falls between Summer Solstice and Fall Equinox. Lughnasadh is named after the god Lugh. (This means Lugh’s assembly). There are several stories that explain Lugh’s correlation to this harvest. Lugh is a Sun god and it has been said he originated this celebration. I have read accounts of Lughnasadh being the funeral feast Lugh held for his foster mother, Tailtiu who died from exhaustion after clearing a forest to create farmland in Ireland, thus tying Lugh to the harvest through the work of his mother and the honoring of what she made possible. There are also stories that suggest that on her deathbed, Lugh’s foster mother requested that competitive games be held each year at this time to ensure an abundant harvest. This is a time for gathering, coming together and deepening community. What better way to build connection than through feasting and outdoor games? Many fairs are still held during this time of year and we often find contests for produce, preserves, livestock and handicrafts at these. This is a celebration of gratitude for the crops and the fertile abundant earth. It is a time for us to pause to examine what we have planted (both physically and through the use of our intentions) and begin to harvest that which has grown. So in celebration of Summer, our first harvest and that turn of the wheel I encourage you to plan yourself a Lughnasadh/Lammas ritual. Ideas for Celebrating Share Fruits and Seeds- As you begin your harvest you may also find some of your early garden has bolted and turned to seed. In celebration of the harvest and to symbolize the fruits of your labors, why not have a seed exchange. You can label your seeds and mail them to friends to share. Get several friends involved and have everyone mail their favorite seeds to each other (this is a lovely thing to do in the Spring as well). Share your surplus veggies with neighbors and friends. I have a neighbor who is frequently picking their surplus and leaving it in a box in front of their house with a free sign. This is a great way to share with your community. Want to connect with the spirits of the land? Bake some bread to leave as an offering. Lammas means loaf mass and baking bread is not only a traditional way to celebrate this holiday but also a fun and nourishing activity (time to feed those sourdough starters). Bake up some bread for yourself and some for a gratitude offering to the earth. If you are feeling particularly abundant right now in time, food or money, you can share this too.
A tradition I have adopted is to make a “corn dolly” annually for blessings and protection in my home. These are traditionally made with corn husks, but I tend to gather that which is growing in my yard and make a “dolly” with these plants. This is a symbol of abundance and I imbue my creation with protective energy then find a place for her to “guard” over my home for the next year. Once I have created this I burn the one from the year before to release the work it has done and invite in the protection of the new “dolly”. This can be a really fun way to celebrate with kiddos too! As I mentioned earlier this is Leo season and Leo is a fire sign, which, coupled with the sun energy of this time of year, can be a powerful time for transformation. Just as our gardens are transforming from growth to harvest, you may find that you have something within you that is ready to be harvested or transformed. A simple ritual with this idea at is core, might be to light a candle, and ask the question, “What have I been cultivating within that I am ready to harvest or transform?” Then pull a tarot or oracle card and spend some time journaling about how this connects for you. Follow up this fist question by asking “What action can I take right now to support this harvest or transformation?” (Remember that fire energy is not only transformative but also action oriented) You might choose to pull another card and reflect on this or just journal and let your inner wisdom take its own direction here. Close your ritual by creating a clear intention statement about what action you will take. Say it aloud and blow out your candle. Want to celebrate with community? The Diving Deeper Membership Circle is open for registration. In this community we gather for all the Wheel of the Year festivals and so much more. Join todaywise-woman-witchery.teachable.com/p/divingdeeper1, and join us for our Community Lughnasadh ritual  That confident, enthusiastic and sometimes cocky energy, invites us toward our own self expression. Wear that outfit that you love no matter how wild, say the thing you have been holding back, love with abandon and fierceness and let yourself embody all the pieces of you fueled by Leo and the Sun! When we allow our true selves to be seen in the world we invite others to do the same. When we live authentically we vibrate at a higher frequency, we are more open to receive, energetically, spiritually and relationally. Simple Practice Express Yourself If you could share your true self with the world, how would you do it? Are you artistic? A wordsmith? Do you beautify the spaces you inhabit? Do you express yourself through acts of kindness or service? Do you dream big and create bigger? Are you someone who likes to express themselves quietly but clearly? Choose 3 ways that you might let your self expression shine and then do them! This could be as simple as doing your makeup a new way or adorning yourself in way that feels exactly “you”, or it can be as visible as karaoke or sharing a creation publicly (or even just with someone new). Let your gorgeous self be seen! With Leo Season comes the Leo New Moon. Each month I host New and Full Moon rituals for the Diving Deeper community. This Thursday July 28th at 9 am PT you are invited to join in our New Moon ritual. I am offering this on a pay what you can donation basis. (suggested donation $10-$20 but no one will be turned away for lack of funds) If you have been curious about community ritual and would like to check it out, now is you chance. You can sign up here. Be sure to include your preferred email address, if different than your PayPal address so I know where to send the link. The First Harvest Lughnasadh and Lammas are Monday August first. Although their origins are different these are both celebrations of the first harvest. I will be sending out more information this week about these festivals along with some ideas for celebration, so keep your eyes on your inbox! Now Wise Ones, seize the day and get out there and Express your Sacred Selves!  How often to do you shrink your energy, your voice, your power?
Being the not small human that I am,, I have spent too many years of my life trying to take up less space, to stop being too loud, too emotional, too big. I tried to avoid the vulnerability that came with being seen, because vulnerability leads to shame, right? So I got small, or I jumped right over my fears and let myself be big. But not acknowledging my fear brought anxiety to the forefront, making this a poor plan as well. The thing is, shrinking myself down never served me. It didn’t stop shame from sneaking in or quiet my inner critic. In fact in some ways it made those things worse. When I began to live my life more in tune with the seasons, when I intentionally began to listen to my intuition, when I began to tap into the energies in the world around me, I started living more authentically, I started feeling more comfortable in my skin. It became easier to listen to my body, to my inner wisdom and to the voices of the energies all around. I started to let myself be more seen. We all have gifts and wisdom to share. We all have feelings too. When we make space for these things, when we find our courage and allow them to be seen, we bring medicine into the world. What are your gifts? What inspires you? Lights up your soul? How often do you shine these into the world? How often do you stand in your power and feel the connection you have to yourself, to the planet, the cosmos and to every being on the earth? I want this for you. When I designed the Priestess Path it was to empower women to use magical tools and practices to tap into their inner wisdom, to be witnessed in their power and to discover the confidence and strength within themselves. Through this journey together, you are invited to gaze within your sacred self and deepen the relationship you have with her. You are given tools and practices to grow the relationships you have with the energies around you. Some are familiar and some will be new to you, but all are offered with the intention of helping you shine! On this path you will be accompanied by other women, and although each of your experiences are unique to you, you will have community and support on your quest. Registration closes for this cohort on July 19th. We begin July 23rd. (Thats only a week away!) Do you have questions? Reply to this email, I’m happy to respond via writing or we can schedule a15 min chat. Have a friend you’d like to invite in? Feel free to share this email with them. Wise Ones, How are you bringing your gifts into the world? When are you feeling most connected to Source? When do you feel you are doing your hearts work? Do you find empowerment in the crafting of a ritual? In the sharing of knowledge? In the caring and tending to others? Where does your magic shine the brightest? The answers to these questions might change based on your mood, where you are in your life, your own spiritual journey, or even the season. We are changeable creatures, surrounded by variables and influenced by these as well as the stories we are constantly reshaping within. I love asking myself these questions and through the answers learning just where I am at in this moment. Noting the way I have grown or pressed up against my edges. Where are you at today? Tomorrow, Sunday July 10th at 1 pm PDT I am hosting, Priestessing in the Modern World, a one hour class where we explore the meaning of the word Priestess and how one can Priestess in today’s world. Priestessing takes many forms. Do you know what way you embody this energy? During our time together we will also move through a journey to meet your Priestess Self. Whether you have done this journey with me before, or are new to the experience, there is always new wisdom to be gained from the connection you make with this part of yourself. In addition I will share with you the building blocks of the Priestess Path the 13 moon 12 month exploration, I have cultivated to guide you into a deeper relationship with your own inner Priestess and encourage you to fully embrace your Magic. Zoom Link to join the class tomorrow https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84093409759 The next cohort begins July 23rd. Curious? You can read more about the program here. I look forward to spending this time with you on Sunday and I will be sure to leave space for any questions you might have.  it was an 80's glam band sing along. And it was SO FUN!!!! This was almost six years ago, and the invitation asked my girlfriends to dress in their favorite 80's glam get up. So here we are in all our rebellious glory. My preteen and teen years were spent in rebellious rage. I pushed every boundary I could, often to my own detriment. I wore black eyeliner and smoked cigarettes, dressed in trashed jeans and band shirts. My glam and metal phase eventually morphed into grunge and yet another version of my rebel self emerged. The thing I loved about these versions of me, was the way I felt powerful and wild and sometimes out of control. I was angry at the system, at my parents, at the world really, and the choice to push back and be all the things these structures were not, felt really good. When I first learned about Witchcraft it resonated for me deeply, and it also spoke to that rebel part of myself. That piece of me that feels like I'm bucking the system or pushing back against what I'm "supposed" to be doing. I felt like I was breaking some sort of mold. Over time my relationship with Witchcraft and specifically my own witchery has become the most natural thing in the world. It is the place I feel most at home. Now there is no pushing back, no doing something for the sake of going against the grain. Yet I notice my inner rebel peeking out when I wear something witchy and get an odd or inquiring look, or when someone asks about what online business I have and they seem surprised or awkward when I say I teach witchery. This week on the Witch Next Door Podcast Veronica and I talk a bit about being a rebel Witch and even Witchcraft as rebellion. (by the way that is Veronica the second from the left and me on the mic) Listen in! ****************************************************************************************** Just a reminder that the Priestess Path is open for registration. This 12 lesson, 13 moon journey begins July 23rd. It is a path to discover a deeper relationship with magic, both within, through inner exploration and without, through ritual and practice. During our time together we meet twice a month via zoom, once for a lesson and once for a ritual. You are given curriculum to work with on your own time and a community to share your experience with. You are also included in the Diving Deeper membership where you are invited to monthly moon rituals and seasonal magic classes, including astrology, plants, deities and more! You can learn more and sign up for this Path here! Register before July 11th for 10% off your registration. Feel like this path might be for you, but have questions? Reply to this email to schedule a 15 minute video or phone chat with me to determine if this is the right fit for you. With Love and Blessings, Emily PS This Sunday at 1 pm PT I am hosting Prietsessing in the Modern World. This free class explores what it means to Priestess (yes it is a verb) and invites you on a guided journey to meet your inner Priestess.  It was part of the tapestry of my life for several years. Long runs, short runs, trail runs, runs with friends, solo runs and a few races thrown in.
I’m not fast. I’m steady. I ran intervals and stuck to them, and that strategy allowed me to run farther than I ever thought I could. I ran through grief and joy, I ran through rain and sun, I ran in the pitch black pre dawn hours and I ran in the heat of the day. I ran and found inspiration and awakening in each footfall. Then I quit. I had injuries that weren’t healing. My patterns and discipline required a lot of extra training I didn’t feel like I had time for. I just wanted to run. But bodies need variety. So I stopped. I took HIIT classes and found new ways to move. Enter the pandemic, and I shifted to online classes. Then I injured myself, again. I’ve been working with this injury since October. Finding new ways to move. And sometimes getting frustrated and not moving at all. Recently my physical therapy seemed to be working and inspired by a friend I started running again. Or at least jogging. My heart sang, my body remembered. All the miles of pavement and dirt came back in a rush. This time it’s different. This time I know I need variety. This time I know I need rest and stretching and to not push too hard (even when I want to). Running is like Witchcraft. We can get stuck in a rut. We can find ourselves doing the same things over and over until they no longer hold the energy they once did, or perhaps these practices begin to crumble and fall away. Maybe they get replaced by some other practice. Or maybe our Witchery just gets stale and neglected. Just as your body does with running (or any exercise) you spirit needs variety too! What can you add to your practice right now? What new thing are you curious about learning or practicing? You do not have to become an expert at it, you need only begin the journey. You might find that bringing in something new actually inspires you to revisit something you used to love too. Perhaps you dust off your Tarot cards, or your spell book and begin again. Want some more inspiration? The Priestess Path begins July 23rd and early bird pricing ends today! Over 13 moons, this cohort will work through 12 lessons, and will come together twice a month via zoom to explore the material and move through a ritual together. We begin with Foundational practices like grounding and clearing, creating sacred space and working with the elements. Then delve into the inner realms, with exploration of the Maiden Mother and Crone archetypes, Sacred Sensuality and Shadow work. The third part of our journey is a gathering of tools. We explore dream work, our relationships with our guides and allies, divination practices and creating spells. We end together with an initiation ritual to celebrate the journey you have taken and to step into your role and power as the Priestess that you are! Questions reply to this email. If you’re not sure if this is the path for you, lets chat. I’m happy to schedule a 15 min phone or video call. See you in the Circle. Hello Wise Ones, How are you? Staying well? I’ve been hearing from a lot of people lately who are just plain burnt out. If I'm honest, myself included. It wasn't until I created some space for downtime in the last two weeks that I realized just how exhausted I've been. Between the onslaught of news, the continuing pandemic and the energy of the sun spurring forward motion, there is a lot that can make our inner fire a little too strong. So what can we do? How do we find hope? How do we refuel? How do we balance our flame without dowsing it or burning ourselves to a crisp? A few simple suggestions: *Come back to yourself. Come back to the earth. No matter where you live, step outside at least once a day. Breathe the air, feel the warmth of the sun, the sensation of the air on your skin, find the stillness within you. *Take moments outdoors, let your eyes reach toward the horizon and then intensely focus on things that are right up close. Discover the beauty in the world around you. *Take a class. Is there something magical you have been wanting to learn more about? I bet there is a class to support this. There are many offerings out there catering to all the levels of learning and interests, as well as price points. (You’d be surprised how many free quality classes exist on the internet). This is a great time to deepen your practice by learning new skills. Having a place to focus your energy and mind on can really help to beat those winter blues. (I have several free classes available HERE for those who haven’t seen these yet) *Do some divination. Perhaps using the question “What would nourish me the most right now?” as your focus, spend some time with your cards or runes or scrying tools or pendulum and charts and dive into your inner wisdom. *How about some kitchen witchin? Make some medicine. Summer offers abundance, go to the farmers market or grocery store (or if you have a green thumb, your own garden), gather produce that speaks to you with its colors and textures and make something absolutely delicious. Stir your intention into the ingredients, sing to your food as you prepare it. Gather herbs and make yourself some tea. Nourishing your body nourishes your soul. Announcements! The Priestess Path is begins July 23rd. This year long journey has space for 12 wise ones, in this cohort. We come together 2 times per month over 13 moons, learning foundational practices, then building on these with explorations into our inner realms, so we can harness that inner wisdom as we learn about magical tools and allies. The entire voyage concludes with an initiation ceremony, that invites you to fully step into and embody your Priestess Self. Curious about what being a Priestess is all about? Join me for the FREE class Priestessing in the Modern World, where we will explore the ways Priestessing is appearing in the world around us and I will lead you on a journey to meet your Priestess Self. We gather this Sunday, July 10th at 1 pm PT. I’ll send out a reminder and link as we get closer. If you are interested in learning more about the Priestess Path you can check out more details and sign up HERE Interested, but have questions? Reply to this email and schedule a 15 minute chat with me. Discover if this is the path for you! In this season of fire be gentle with yourselves Wise Ones, balance your flame.  In the Rider Waite Tarot system the High Priestess signifies "Intuition, sacred knowledge, divine feminine, the subconscious mind" This energy lives in each of us yet so often between the responsibilities that weave through our lives and the to do lists that fill our minds, it is easy to lose connection to these more magical realms. It is easy to lose connection to the pieces of ourselves that shine. Where do you make space for gifts of the High Priestess Wise One. When do you feel those gifts emerge? The Priestess Path registration opens TODAY! (with early bird discount no less) This 13 moon 12 lesson journey invites you deeper into your connection with your magic. Through foundational practices, exploration of inner realms, honing of tools and initiation you will discover more confidence, empowerment, and invite magic into each and every day! We Begin July 23rd 1. Anchoring yourself. How many times have you wanted to try this spell or that ritual and found yourself doing something else entirely? How many books have you bought with the intention of learning new skills only to leave them sitting on the shelf unopened or with just the first few pages read? I've been guilty of both on many occasions! The Priestess Path offers an anchor to keep you connected to lessons and practices. Not only is material released each lesson to make it more manageable, but I host two live meetings a month, one a lesson. The other is a ceremony or ritual that we will do together. Both gathering offer chances to connect and share your experience with your cohort. All sessions will occur via zoom. In addition you will also be added to the Diving Deeper monthly membership (a $636 value on it's own), which offers a new and full moon ceremony each month, seasonal classes on working with the energy of the earth, deities, plant magic, astrology, and more. These regular opportunities for connection and practice create anchors to your practice and invitations to open to your magic. 2. Learning new skills and revisiting some old. Foundational practices are at the core of the Priestess Path. Some may be familiar to you while others may be new. Either way these foundational pieces create the sacred space that we will use as we deepen our practice into more self exploration and awakening of our intuition and magic. Even when practices seem familiar we can experience them in new ways. Having a foundation will enable us to delve into divination, dream work, shadow work and more. 3. Community. So many people I talk to are solitary in their practice. They don't have friends to share their magical exploration and growth with. The Priestess Path holds several circles for you to be a part of. Your cohort will be the smallest group and these will be the people you share your lessons and rituals with as you move through the journey. These are the women you will circle with twice a month and you will also have an online community (outside of Facebook) to connect through. The Diving Deeper community is a bit larger and offers yet another layer of community, through our off Facebook membership group and live chats, you can connect with the other members of the group and learn from each other. Finally the free Wise Woman Witchery Facebook group is the biggest community and the circle that surrounds these two inner circles. I created that group so that a larger community would have a place to share information and ask questions about all things Witchy. Are you ready to embrace your inner Priestess? You can sign up and take advantage of early bird pricing HERE.  The spell began with the molting of crows and the turning of flowers to seed. Every Summer Solstice my Coven gathers at the Coast and walks a labyrinth for our ritual. The center of this labyrinth holds an altar decades in the making. Some years we bring offerings, others we each just take a moment at the center before making our way back out. Yesterday’s ritual required an offering. The morning brought me crow feathers and the spell began. Hours before I gathered these feathers I could feel something within starting to spin and weave. In the heat of the noon hour I sought the feathers for my offering. Each one standing like a flag from grass from soil, from stone. And on this path the dried heads of flowers, now bulbous and heavy with seed, called to me and made their way into the bundle forming in my hand. Seeds are story, story is everywhere. As we create release old story, we are creating new ones. In the ever churning tides of life, we are in constant motion of releasing and creating story. As I walked the labyrinth on the longest day of the year, my feet naked and warmed by the earth, I took in all the offerings all the stories left behind by those that traversed this path before me, I took in the glimpse of my own stories left in stones and shells over the years buried beneath time and growth, and I began to cast out seed stories. Ones I was releasing, ones I am growing. In the center I left the feathers, an acknowledgement and offering in honor of my own molting, my own growth, my own ever unfolding story. And the sun watched, and warmed and ignited. And the spell was cast. As I walked the unwinding path of the Labyrinth, my Circle Sisters began their drumming and my body danced its way back to join them beneath that fiery Solstice Sun and add my own rhythm to the song we were writing. This Solstice the theme we all seemed to be carrying was one of release and opening to renewal. What did this Solstice carry for you? What is the echo it is bringing into today? Are you looking for your Circle? I want to help you find it! Working magic in community offers us endless gifts of knowledge, growth and connection. It can also bring challenges. Using my own experience of working in a Coven for 18 years, I have created Coven Crafting, a class designed to help take out some of the challenges of creating and maintaining a magical community. In this two hour class you will discover:
(Replay will be available for all registrants) Not sure you're ready to craft your own coven, but looking for a community to learn and practice magic with? The Priestess Path 13 moon, 12 lesson journey begins with a new cohort July 23rd. Get on the waitlist to not only learn more but have access to early registration!  |
Emily Morrison MA, MFTArchives
December 2024
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