I’m sitting in a friend’s living room in Seattle this morning, sipping tea and petting her dog. A long awaited break from my day to day washing over me like the coming rain I can smell in the air.
I’m weary. I knew this. But it wasn’t until I got here that it really hit me. I’ve been reflecting Alot On my flight here I was overwhelmed with memory of my grandmother. Of the many many times I boarded a flight to Seatac to see her. Of the way I would tell her I was planning a trip and she would excitedly get her calendar out and block off time for us. I miss her all the time, but this memory and missing of her was so visceral. Aloft in the clouds i felt as if I was back in time. Traveling once more toward my grandmother’s house and our long chats, and respite. The Pacific Northwest has always been a respite for me. I lived here for 5 years as a child and some of my most formative moments were born of that time. With my grandmother no longer here (first because she was living in California to be closer to us and then because she passed away), my friends here in this land of water and trees were my safe asylum. These friends are the ones that are easy. The ones I can settle into spaces of conversation or silence together, be authentic with. Stepping out of the responsibilities of my day to day only allows me to connect deeper. The salt smells of Puget Sound, the familiar bonds of friendship, the thread of magick that ties us, it has all made space for me not to fall apart but come back together. To rediscover myself. The women here are a part of my heart story. And these relationships are medicine for me. Medicine I really needed right now. These relationships are sacred. Revered. We are not meant to be solitary creatures. Not really. And our relationships are a mirror. What parts of yourself are you seeing in the people you surround yourself with? What is your Sanctuary? Where? Who? Sometimes looking into the mirrors of friendships that exist outside of your everyday allow you to remember who you are, who you were and who you are becoming. I invite you to ponder who your mirrors are. Where your sacred spaces live. How often you allow yourself to lay down responsibilities and those daily routines (even for a couple of hours), to rediscover the parts of yourself that might be tucked away or neglected through the mundane machinations of daily life? Perspective shifts create internal shifts and have potential to open whole new worlds inside of us (or show us ones we forgot existed).
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When I was small I thought my Mom had the most beautiful singing voice in the world. I honestly couldn’t understand why she wasn’t famous. But I also felt so grateful that her voice belonged to me. She was MY mom, and I didn't have to share her with anyone. (At least not until my sister came along).
As an adult, I know my mom’s singing voice is average and yet hearing her sing or even talk, still comforts me like nothing else. Here in America we celebrate Mother’s Day today. It’s a complicated day for many. The Mother archetype is a strong one and this day invokes that, yet it does so often in a way out of sync with our own relationship to the idea of Mother and often with the actual relationships we had with our mothers and ourselves in this role. ‘ The Mother is the nurturer, the boundary setter, the one who grows and creates. She is unconditional love and a fierce protector. Yet the Mother holds a shadow too. She can be overbearing, or passive, neglectful or hovering. She can hold the energy of a martyr or expect payback for her role. Mothering is messy. It is the hardest job on the planet and perhaps the most rewarding. I am not a Mother of children. I have not given birth or adopted kids. I will never know what it means to be a mother in this way. This holds grief for me, but the sting of that is far less than it once was. I chose to remain childless and in this choice opened other doors for myself. But there are many moments where I still long for that sense of family and being a “mom” I share this because it is only one prism in a many faceted stone that is the relationship to the Mother. When we explore this aspect of ourselves, the beliefs and expectations we hold of Mothering (both in the way we bring this into the world and in how we hold it for others), we begin to make space for all these facets. We expand the way we hold mothering, and our compassion grows and wounds begin to heal. We can also begin to see the ways we bring our Mother self into the world through our relationships with others, our creativity, our protectiveness, our boundaries and our love. Whatever your relationship is to the Mother, I wish you a blessed day of honoring the Mother within you. Priestessing in the Modern World Some of you may be familiar with the class I offer called Priestessing in the Modern World. In our time together we explore the energy of the word Priestess and what it means to Priestess in the world today. Then we will go on a journey to meet our Priestess Self and connect with her energy. I’m hosting this class tomorrow Monday, May 13th at 5 pm PT. If you’d like to join you can sign up here Speaking of Priestessing! The next cohort of the Priestess Path Awakening Journey, begins June 21st. I’ll share a bit about this at the end of our class tomorrow and will be offering a discount code to attendees. Let’s go Camping! If you’re still on the fence about the Wise Woman WItchery Outdoor retreat, there is still time to sign up! We gather June 7th through 9th (with an optional bonus day on the 6th), for time out of time, where we will create ceremony, spells, connect with the land and each other, and dip into our wells of magick! Details and sign up can be found here Have questions and want to chat about them? Reply to thai email to set up a call to get those questions answered. See you soon! Once Beltane hits the natural world around me always feels like it’s kicking everything up a notch. The last budding trees have finally begun to leaf out and my roses are exploding.
The pink jasmine is in full bloom and the white jasmine is starting to create little buds that come mid June will likely be fully awake. This is the time of year when I feel the Fae folk peeking out from their realm and into ours. This is the time opposite Samhain when the thin veils allow easier passage between worlds. The word fairy only dates back to the Middle ages, but the Fae folk and their ilk have been popping into folklore across cultures and time, under different names and manifestations. I have always been fascinated by the Fae. There is something so alluring about their mystical nature. Some believe the Fae are otherworldly or other dimensional beings, some believe they are the spirits of the land, and others believe they are another race of humanoid creatures that we share space with on this planet. Lore suggests that the Fae folk can be seen as both friend or foe. They are full of trickster and often playful energy. Leaving offerings for the Fae is said to be a helpful way of keeping in their good graces. Such offerings include cake, honey and cream. Tending the natural world is an offering too! So plant your gardens and amend your soil. Whether or not you believe fairies to be real, there is a certain magic and delight in delving into these stories. Spend some time outside and you might just spy these beings peeking out of the foliage just there in your peripheral vision. Beltane crafts This year to celebrate Beltane I tried something new. I harvested roses petals from my burgeoning bushes and make rose beads. The process was simple and it was wonderful way to honor the season in a way that will carry this energy through the year. You can check out the reel I made about the process on instagram or just follow the recipe here You will need: 2 lightly packed cups of rose petals (the more scented the better!) ¼ cup water A food processor A pot and stove and spoon wire/pins/paperclips Blitz the rose petals and water in the food processor until it reaches a gel like consistency Cook this mixture on medium heat storring almost constantly until it become clay like Roll mixture into beads (these will shrink by at least half when they dry) If crumbly-blot water out with cloth or paper towels And insert wire or pins to create hole and hold them until they dry Let air dry for a couple days rotating periodically to keep air flow even Use for jewelry projects. Gather the Witches By now you have likely read about the outdoor retreat I’m hosting here in Sonoma County in early June. If you’ve been thinking about joining but not sure if it’s for you, let me share a few of the sweet details about this event. We have our own private group campground complete with private bathrooms and showers as well as an ample fire ring. We have loads of space to spread out including areas for altars and our morning yoga (led by the fab Veronica Wade Lewis), a big fire pit and outdoor kitchen. I provide meals and snacks and can help with camping gear if needed. We will be stepping out of the day to day and into a sacred space, where we will connect with the earth and each other, through ceremony, spell work, divination and a little crafting too! Although the retreat is scheduled for June 7th-9th, I’ve rented the space a day early so you are welcome to come before we officially begin and take part in a new moon ceremony with me on the 6th. You can find all the details and sign up form here And finally my friends, I am once more offering Priestessing in the Modern World, a free 45 min workshop that invites you to explore the concept of Priestessing and takes you on a journey to meet your Priestess Self. This year I also have a companion guide for you all that includes journal prompts and a tarot spread. You can sign up of the first round of this class on May 13th is here Underwater
Adrift in a sea of music, magic and emotion It’s been angsty And beautiful too It’s been a really good weekend. Like really good. Confession…I like Taylor Swift. A lot. And Friday with the release of her latest album, I found myself listening on repeat and having all kinds of feelings. Then I went to a concert that night and had the pleasure of experiencing the magic of Ayla Nereo in person. The Spring Circle and 2 sessions of the Priestess Path brought all kinds of extra magick to Friday and Saturday . Sunday gifted time with a dear friend and an afternoon my Mom. Plus tons of time in the yard. Admittedly, the 80 degree sunshine filled days certainly added to the overall vibe. Is it Summer already? I’m a pretty scheduled person. I can pivot if needed, but I’ve scheduled my life quite snuggly and as a result my weekends are often filled with to do lists and catch up. This weekend, I got a reminder of the medicine of spaciousness. To daydream, to imagine, to create, our brains need some space to not “do”. I know this, And old habits still die hard. So I dreamed a bit this weekend. I pulled weeds and sat in the sun, and listened to music and an audio drama I had a chat with a crow and the Fae. I worked on some creative writing as stories whispered new chapters.. And I let myself hang out in the life I’ve created and the Self I am today (plus a few of my past selves who were conjured by previously mentioned music). Do you make space for your dreaming Self? Is there room for your creativity to unfurl and blossom? Are you listening to the music of artists and the earth? What Spring song is your soul singing? What are you planting in your inner garden? What buds within are ready to bloom? Need some inspiration? Turn on some of your favorite music Or check out some playlists on Spotify and discover something new Here are a couple of mine Wild Woman Playlist Feeling Fine Playlist I’m getting excited about the Awakening Intuition Symposium! I’ve been talking with our teachers and we are in for such a treat. This year the format is a little different. The sessions are a little longer. They all have experiential components to support the exploration of your Intuition. And the sessions will be offered on Zoom and recorded so registrants will have access to replays. There will be giveaways, ceremony, connection and of course magick! We only have 4 days until we gather. Have you signed up yet? Register and check out the full schedule here It happens to all of us.
We get burnt out. Caught up in the swells of the day to day tides. We step away from our craft. Maybe for a minute. Maybe for longer. There is a simple road back. When I need to weave myself back into the tapestry of connection, I lean into the elements. Sometimes intentionally. Sometimes it just happens. As most of you know, it’s been a hard winter for me. Loss and burnout have held court in my being and as Spring is bringing in the longer days there has been a shift within. One with a little more hope. A little more inspiration. And a little more drive to interact with these energies. During a two week break from work, a planned hike to a coastal waterfall was canceled due to very cold temps accompanied by rain and wind. A transformation of plans occurred and I found myself up in Calistoga where hot springs bubble beneath the surface. Submerged in mud under the guise of a “spa” treatment, I discovered the elements hard at work. Their alchemy seeping into my bones and reminding me of the way I am them and they are me. The clay and peat of earth, the heat of the geothermal energies beneath the soil, the mineral water bubbling up from below and the air that flooded my lungs and let me sink even deeper still, combined to create the most perfect moment of reconnection. We are elemental beings. When we connect with these elements, we re-discover the way these elements live within us and just how connected we are to the natural world. It is this connection that fuels our magic and can help bring us back to our craft. Later as I swam in a mineral pool with openings in the roof above, I was treated to one of those mutable weather days that brings sun, rain and the most gorgeous clouds and felt all the elements above. Below and all around once more. Whether it’s soaking in a mud bath, or mineral spring, standing out in the wind, letting the sun warm your face or hiking through forest, finding your connection to the natural world can bring us back into balance and inspire us back toward our magic. How are you connecting with the elements these days? How do they guide and inspire you? What element feels strongest for you? Connecting to the elements also invites us to connect more deploy with our bodies and this connection is a conduit for our intuition. Our intuition is that guiding light, that “knowing” that leads us, protects us and asks us to truly listen. There are many ways to connect to this inner knowing, and the Cauldron of Wisdom Awakening Intuition Symposium offers you seven opportunities through experiential workshops, to discover the way that works best for you. We gather in just under two weeks, around the virtual cauldron via Zoom. Explore the paths to your intuition with 7 different guides who have each carefully crafted an interactive experience for you. Awaken your Intuition and discover the inspiration that follows. Check out the schedule, line up and register here! With Love and Blessings, Emily PS We still have room at the Summer retreat and I would love the chance to make magic with you in person, on the land. You can find the details of this gathering here Please note that if you register for the symposium you will receive $60 off your retreat registration Well not here where I live. But the energy of the eclipse is certainly popping.
The New Moon today is in the sign of Aries and it brings with it a little something extra. New Moons are that time of possibility, of beginnings and inspirations. Add an eclipse and the new moon is all of these things amplified! In addition, 19 years ago in 2005, we had another solar eclipse on April 8th. This bridge of eclipses asks us to reach back to our past self and get curious about where we were in Spring of 2005. What patterns and themes were alive for you at that time that might be resurfacing now in new or familiar ways? Yesterday afternoon I hosted a New Moon Circle at my house, using the eclipse energy to fuel an unmasking. It was truly a beautiful and powerful ritual. There is such healing in ceremony and connection. So much potency in witnessing and being witnessed. If you want to explore this theme of unmasking you might ask yourself the question; What mask are you wearing? Is it so familiar and form fitting that you don’t even notice it? Or is it old and worn and cracked and uncomfortable? What does the world look like through this mask? Do you have the courage to take it off and lay it down? To see the world and be seen without this face? What might that feel like? What might the world look like? What has been seen can not be unseen. That includes the true you! Less than 3 weeks before we gather. Are you coming to the Cauldron of Wisdom Awakening Intuition Symposium? I believe with my whole self that when we listen to and follow our intuition we get to live a more authentic, more juicy life. Our intuition guides us on our path and also can divert us from danger or mishap. And we all hear the voice of our inner wisdom a little differently. And the Awakening Intuition Symposium offers you 7 experiential workshops offering you different ways to connect to your inner knowing. Learn new strategies and cement familiar ones too. Join us April 26th and 27th for this virtual gathering. Want to hang out in real life? Just a reminder that the Wise Woman Witchery Outdoor Retreat is happening June 7-9th in Sonoma County California. Converge on this beautiful land and delve into ceremony, community and magic. Make time for yourself and recharge your emotional, physical and spiritual body during our time together. Check out the details here I almost can’t believe we are already in the third month of this year. My timeline seems off.
Yet the energy of this land I live on is definitely giving off Spring vibes and the days are becoming noticeably more lengthy. Spring often brings me a sense of anxiety. A feeling of not being ready for things to go faster or be brighter ensues. Especially as my creativity often starts to pick up and feels out of alignment with my still Wintering body and psyche. But this year I am ready. I am craving sun on my face, and more time to connect with others outdoors. I’m enjoying the later sunsets and earlier sunrises. (I could do without the allergies though). Even as the rain and cold continues here and a late Winter storm has closed roads and parks and ski resorts in the Sierras, the transformation toward the quickening and awakening is in full swing, What does this transitional time awaken in you? What do you notice? Are ideas beginning to churn? Are you anxious to be rid of your sweaters and boots? I’ve been longing deep in my bones for ritual in person with other women. So last week I sent out an email to some friends and invited them to a new moon ritual at my house next weekend. I can hardly wait! It’s been some time since I have a part of an in person ceremony and I am so thrilled to be in circle once more. Do you practice in a circle or coven? Participate in public ceremonies? Create your own among friends? If you have been longing for this type of connection but aren’t quite sure where to start, I invite you to join me for Community Crafting for Circles and Covens. This class will give you the nuts and bolts of starting your own group. You will walk away from our time together with a template for crafting up the sacred space in community you have been longing for. We gather THIS FRIDAY March 8th at 4 pm PT Register Here As Spring rises up, so does The Cauldron-Spring Digest edition. You can get this 40 page digest full of articles on a variety of witchy topics, from working with some plant medicine to planting with the moon, cultivating a daily practice to the Welsh owl goddess. Grab your copy here Summer is coming! And so is our outdoor retreat. Come drop into ceremony with me, on the beautiful land of Sonoma County California June 7-9th. You can find all the details here One of our community members and teachers Yolanda Riley has recently become a travel agent, so if you are needing some help booking your trip and getting the best price possible on your travel arrangements feel free to reach out to her at [email protected] Magic beings get out there and sprinkle your stardust in the world! Check in: How are you feeling coming off that Full Moon and being immersed in Pisces season?
This month’s Full Moon is the smallest moon of the year as it is currently the farthest from the earth. Also known as the Snow moon, this moon reminds us that Winter is still here (even in the places where the sun is shining and temps are rising). Yet the solar Pisces energy is feeling expansive. It’s an interesting combo. So I ask again, How are you feeling? What are you noticing? I made a point this weekend to be outside with the welcome sunshine and hiked and ran local trails and did a bit of tidying in the yard (it still needs so much more tending). I noticed yesterday that I couldn’t even bring myself to turn on my computer and I barely touched my phone. My connection to the natural world felt so much more at the forefront and I’m walking into this week the better for it. When was the last time you took a break from your devices? The idea of disconnecting sounds amazing in theory. Yet when your phone has become your course for music, your camera and your map, turning it off can be a challenge (at least for me). This weekend I was reminded that when I’m really present I don’t always feel like I need to document everything (some things sure, but not everything), that the sounds of nature are preferable to a podcast or music (for me), and that even with a map you can still get lost (true story). So step outside, discover something new (or familiar) and find your wild. Community This moon and Pisces and time outdoors gave me some time for being, and dreaming. It also opened me to the deeper longing I’ve been feeling for in person ceremony. This magick has been greatly missing from my life for quite some time. So Friday I started a plan to host a new moon ceremony with a few friends and I’m grateful that it is coming together even if the date is a couple weeks off. Without the container of a coven it can be difficult to cultivate regular ritual in community. And without some structure and planning of the container, it can also lose its form over time. In 20 years of creating magick within a group I learned a lot of things. Including knowing when to hold on tight and when something has ended. As Veronica pointed out to me when we were reflecting about our history of working in a group together, there is always more to learn. Community Crafting for Covens and Circles, is a collection of the things I have learned (and am learning) about being in a magical group. In this hour and a half class, we will discuss the nuts and bolts of starting a coven or circle, as well as some considerations and common pitfalls. Join me March 8th and prepare to craft your own community. Learn more and register here I am tired.
Are you tired too? As Winter wears on and the rains continue I feel the pull (a need) to rest. Yet to be honest I’m not great at resting. I am full of the sense of responsibility and the need to “show up”. So even though I know and understand the sacred value of rest, I am not fully dropping in and letting myself have it. Even as I encourage clients, friends and all of you, to allow yourselves the gift of quiet and repose, I keep pushing forward. (“It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me”) Some of it is circumstantial (dealing with my mother in laws estate and the deadlines there, an unexpected vet visit or two), and some of it is self imposed (over-scheduling, trying to do just one more thing), some if it is because of a desire to do things (I want to teach that class or see that friend, or go for that hike). Yet when normal daily tasks start to feel like they take a herculean effort to complete, I begin to recognize the burn out I have been suppressing making its way back into the limelight. (Just keeping it real here, I too am just humaning through this life perfectly imperfect) It is in these periods of burn out that I feel the farthest from my magic and yet somehow(almost paradoxically) that little spark is making itself known through the simplest of things. The crow that I am suddenly having a conversation with on the street, the little tit mouse that seems to be chatting it up with my cat through the window, the most incredible breathtaking sunrise, the sound of the wind both alone and with the accompaniment of rain. Deep vivid dreams, prophetic visions, intuitive knowings loud as the sound of a voice in my ear. Messages from the dead popping in through symbol and sound and story. All of these energies have been swirling in tandem with my tired. . And I’m listening and feeling my way through the information. Rest will come. Of this I’m certain. But for now I’m letting the magic hold me and buoy me as I intentionally make a space for it to grow. A Book Recommendation Back in December a friend shared a book with me. I began listening to it at the time. I was taken by its beauty and wisdom and the story telling within. I was mesmerized. Then somehow halfway through I got distracted. This last week I’ve been listening again and am almost done (will likely finish it today on my rainy morning run). The book is called “Take Back the Magic-conversations with the unseen world by Perdita Finn” It weaves our connection with the dead into the day to day in a truly beautiful and inspiring way. Collective Comfort This week on Tuesday my new circle was gathering and I was exhausted. I was to lead the night and had my plan in hand (literally typed up and printed so I didn’t forget anything). We hadn’t been together for a time after some canceled groups and to be honest I didn’t want to go. (Because tired). But I did, I showed up and I am so happy that I was there. Being in community is such a powerful healing experience. Even after my last circle dissolved after 19 years, I knew I wouldn’t go long without finding a new one for this reason. I hear from women all the time who are looking for a group, a circle, a coven Women who are longing for connection. There are lots of groups and programs you can join online to find this, but I also think it’s really important to know how to make this for yourself. In my 20 years of working magic within a group, I have learned A LOT! I created ”Community Crafting for Covens and Circles” to share this knowledge with you, I’ll be teaching this hour and a half class on March 8th and you are invited to join me, and receive the tools to bring your vision of a circle or coven into being. You can learn more and register here Spring Circle This Winter I tried something new and offered a 6 session Circle to carry us through the coldest and darkest months. It has honestly been a delightful and really nourishing process offering participants magical practices and community. I’ll be continuing this connection with the Spring Circle. This, like the Winter Circle, will offer 6 circles plus invitations to two seasonal rituals. You can register here And finally, the Summer Retreat awaits. Come weave spells beneath the stars and the limbs of the Oak and Bay. Gather Witches around the fire and discover the messages of the land, the power of your voice and the wisdom of your inner knowing. June 7-9th (plus for those of you arriving in town early, I’ll be camping the 6th as well if you’d like to join me). More information can be found here The moon hung as a heavy crescent in the sky this morning. A large vessel suspended and holding the stars and planets and cosmos in her curve.
Even as the sun rose and the broken clouds became pale pink around their edges, she hung there, a reminder perhaps, that letting go, that releasing, makes space for the universe to inside to shine even brighter. It is not yet Spring. There are 6 more weeks more to go before the Equinox arrives, yet all around I feel a the quickening below the surface. Part of me wants to leap forward to dive into the possibility that Spring brings, but another part, a stronger part, wants to continue to rest into the gently warming Winter sun, the intermittent rains and winds and retreat into the still quiet of myself. I want to dream. Today as I ran through the mud and hopped over broken branches and toppled trees (not as graceful as it sounds) I felt that dreaming self inside. She imagined all sorts of things, snippets of story and song birthed into the incubator of body, ready to be acknowledged but not yet seen, spoken or shared. Today I spoke with the squirrels and woodpeckers, the hawks and vultures, and even to the random swan and they whispered back, reminding me that rest can come in so many ways and that being cradled in the arms of the wild is one of them. What are you dreaming beneath the waning moon Wise One? What are you feeling as the earth begins to stir? What possibilities are drifting in, perhaps not ready to be shared, but making themselves known? What is the vessel that is you holding through this second half of the Winter? In my muddy adventures this morning I ran through the campground we will be gathering at for our Summer Retreat. I could vision the space as it will be then, tents pitched, fire cracking, altar spread out and growing with each day. I could hear us singing together and eating together. I could imagine the rituals unfolding and the alchemy of our gathering shifting the very vibration of the air. The retreat is scheduled for June 7-9th here in Sonoma county California. I have also reserved the space for the 6th, so if you come early, you are welcome to camp the extra night with us. Learn more and register here There is so much growing now behind the scenes and waiting to be seen in the sun. Stay tuned. |
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Emily Morrison MA, MFTArchives
July 2024
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