In 2007 I had a nervous breakdown

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

1. Share your story in writing
   
2. Record the audio of your story to share with me
   
3. Let me know you’d like to set up a time to chat and we can record the story together. 
   

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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