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You may have heard me mention this in a podcast or a class but I don’t talk about it often. It feels far away. And I guess by now it kind of is.
In August of 2007 I quit drinking. I had started the habit when I was 12 and had continued to use alcohol recreationally (read this as “to get drunk”) until that day. Mostly I was a weekend binge drinker, but that Summer my drinking had gone from a couple of times a week to almost everyday. After a particularly regrettable drunken escapade, of which I remember little but whose blanks were filled in for me later, I realized I had to stop. It was my last semester of graduate school. I was actively seeing clients as a trainee therapist and I knew that if I kept going I was going to throw all that hard work and my career goals away. So I stopped. And my nervous system went into a perpetual state of fight or flight for the next 8 weeks. I would wake up feeling ok but by 10 am I would be in a panic, dysregulated and terrified. I still went to school (it was a miracle I passed my classes), I still managed to see clients and to do the basics of everyday life. Yet all of it was in a haze. I started extra therapy, I had friends check on me, I took supplements and when those failed I saw a psychiatrist and took valium (which I hated). And I prayed. Alot. A friend in my Circle recommended a book at that time called Mysteries of the Dark Moon- the healing power of the dark goddess. It was a little bit of a dense book for the time I was in, but it did remind me of the ways my practice could hold me, it reminded me that I could be supported and cradled by the goddess and I remembered that there is medicine in the arms of the dark goddesses. I brought in ritual to connect with these energies and made and found talismans to carry with me through my days. Today as I was doing my reading of Witch Crafting for our Summer book club, the words in the chapter on the Goddess brought this memory of that other book and other time into focus. I don’t often work with deities. From time to time they creep into my practice or make an appearance for a ritual, yet something in my body is asking me to revisit the energy of the goddess. Something inside of me was lit up by the this reading and this memory. Do you work with deities in your practice? What is your relationship to the Goddess (or Goddesses?) Is the divine feminine an entity? An energy? A culmination of all the facets of the archetype of “the mother”? As Summer gives the gifts of her bounty and the slow dying away begins, I find myself reflecting on all of these things and more. (and yes, for those of you wondering, I am still sober all these years later). Upcoming events in the Diving Deeper Membership Circle! If you are not yet a part of Diving Deeper, now is a great time to join! Not only will you get all the usual benefits of this group (monthly calendars guiding you through the library and lunar rituals, live seasonal ceremonies, deep discounts and more), but for September I’ll be bringing back live Moon ceremonies for both the New and Full Moon and will be going live via zoom each week day in the wee hours (5:30 am PT), to meditate with those who’d like to join and pull a card for myself and one for the community. In addition the 5th annual Season of the Witch Virtual Conference is coming up and members get a deep discount on registration. You can join the circle and get your first month free here use code FREEMONTH25 at checkout. Ghost Stories Have you had a spirit encounter? I’m beginning the collection of ghost stories for the spirit encounter episodes for the Witch Next Door podcast. If you would like to share your story you can reply to this email in one of three ways
Readings I’ve been having such a lovely time doing intuitive card readings that I am opening up more time in my schedule to offer these. I have simplified the offerings and you can choose from a recorded reading or a 30 minute zoom meeting. Reply to this email for details. Birthday Gifts Finally, I want to share with you all that Wise Woman Witchery turns 6 this year! It was September first 2018 when I decided to begin this journey officially. Pay attention to your inbox in the coming days as there will be some celebratory gifts headed your way.
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The pull of this moontime has been strong for me. My dreams the last few nights have been exceptionally loud and my intuition has been cranked way up!
This full moon is called a super moon due to its closeness to the earth at this time. And perhaps the super moon vibes are what have my psyche making louder and more prominent connections. The season is shifting and in this shift, I can feel the veils beginning to thin. With harvest season underway I often discover my connection to other realms feeling stronger, but with the Full moon this seems even more amplified. What are you noticing under this Lunar energy? To honor this Aquarian Full Moon, consider taking some time beneath its glow to open yourself to the messages and wisdom that live within you. You might imagine the rays of the moon washing through you and clearing out any of the background noise of the day to day. Then sit quietly for ten minutes. Notice what thoughts, stories, messages come through. If your mind wanders, bring yourself back to your breath. When you feel complete you can take a few minutes to journal about your experience. You may choose to follow this practice up with a Tarot or Oracle card pull, using the following questions for guidance.
Coming Soon- As we get ever closer to the Season of the Witch, there is a lot of behind the scenes action happening at Wise Woman Witchery. The Autumn Circle- a 6 Circle seasonal celebration begins at the end of September. The Autumn edition of the Cauldron digest is in production and will be available soon The 5th Annual Season of the Witch Virtual Conference is scheduled for October 11th and 12th And the Witch Next Door Podcast is going to be shifting gears as we move into the last part of the year. Stay tuned for updates. If you are not already a part of the Diving Deeper Membership Circle, now is a great time to join! In addition to monthly calendars with suggestions for exploring the library of classes, rituals, meditations and workshops, you will also get to join us live for Wheel of the year rituals and get deep discounts on all upcoming offerings. You can learn more about membership and sign up here (Membership is month to month and you can cancel at any time) The New Moon in Leo was this morning in the predawn hours. New Moon, new possibilities, new ideas, new paths.
In the cycles of the moon, the seasons, the calendar and our lives, there is always an opportunity to begin anew. The energy of Leo brings a vibration of self expression and confidence to this time. When you ask yourself what parts of you have been hiding or shoved into the back of the closet of your psyche, what do you discover? In what ways have you shrunk or been small? What would happen if you let yourself take up some room? What would it be like to stretch out your wings and be seen? Scary? Liberating? Empowering? When you watch a lion move through the world, you do not ever question the strength and confidence of that being. They are powerful, watchful, stealthy and they know it. They don’t apologize for their power. They just live it. I invite you take some of this Leo energy and try it on. Dust off those parts of you that haven’t been getting enough sun, and shine your beauty into the world. Weave this into your new moon intention and let this lunar cycle bring your authentic self forward! Like I said, there is always an opportunity for a new beginning. Speaking of new beginnings…there have been so many time over the last 2 plus decades that I have found myself so entrenched in the responsibilities and happenings of everyday life, that I have set my practice down. Not intentionally. But simple by accident. By not having enough space or support to carry on the actions associated with my witchery. There are gifts with having practiced my craft for so long. One is that I know I will eventually make my way back to my cards, creating ceremony, casting spells and tidying my altar. The other is that my craft isn’t just these actions. My witchery is part of the fabric through which I see the world. The way I connect with each day and the energies in it, the way I know where the moon is at in its cycle, the way I hear the messages that arrive on the wind or on the earth, in the form of knowings and synchronicities, feathers and stones (and sometimes bones too). The way the elements guide, fuel inspire and inform me. And the magic that pulses beneath the surface of everything. This is what it feels like to embody your craft. You are invited to step across the threshold and onto the Priestess Path with me. Where you will deepen into your connection with your magic. Learning and practicing skills both new and familiar, being both witness and witnessed in this circle of women. Stepping into your gifts and your power and letting your inner Priestess shine! Early Bird registration is open! Take advantage of 20% off when you use the code PMW20 at checkout Want to learn more about what we will be exploring? I’ve been offering mini lessons Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 am PT and you can find the first 8 replays here. We have two more weeks of these bite sized classes. Reminders are sent out 90 minutes before we gather. As always reply to this email with any questions you might have. |
Emily Morrison MA, MFTArchives
August 2024
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