I've been a little tired and a lot reflective this past week

Sonoma County has been getting hammered by storms, and to be honest, as grateful as I am for the rain, I am admittedly out of practice about living in it. So after three weeks of grey days and very little sun, I was starting to feel a bit blue. 
As the temps dropped and the skies cleared and the sun rose yesterday I was thankful and energized by the soft Winter warmth and glow. Just enough, so that as the skies grey up once more today I actually find, I’m not blue at all.

How are you wintering where you are Wise One?
 This colder time of year invites us deeper within. It reminds us that there is value in the quiet and the dark. The spaces where we dream and imagine are sacred. The listening we do to our inner realms is the foundation for all the actions we take. 
This is the groundwork in preparation for lengthening days and the quickening of earth. 
 What is germinating in you? 
How can you tend this? 
 This is a really lovely time of year to begin a meditation practice. (If you already have one this is a fabulous time for deepening into it). 
Meditation is one of the most central tools in my own spiritual (and wellness) practice. 

This intentional focus and/or quieting, invites inner expansion, rest, and clarity. 
 If you already practice meditation, you might try lengthening your current practice by a few minutes, or trying a new method of mediation to stretch your edges. 

 If you are new to meditation, you might try setting a timer for 3 minutes, closing your eyes and focusing on your breath. Breath in and out through your nose at your own pace and just notice the experience if this. 
If you are like me and need a little extra palace to focus, you can count your breaths in groups of 10- Inhale 1, Exhale 1, Inhale 2, exhale 1, Inhale 3, exhale 1…when you reach Inhale 10 exhale 1, take one big clearing uncounted breath and then begin again with “2”, Inhale 1, Exhale 2, Inhale 2, exhale 2, Inhale 3, exhale 2…and so on until your timer runs out. 

 You can also download the app Insight Timer, which is free and offers many meditations/visualizations for you to explore. 
 Looking for a little more? You might play with visualizing different items using all your imaginal senses. A lemon for example. Set a timer for a couple of minutes and let yourself visualize the texture, color, smell and taste of a lemon. Explore it fully. 
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 I am also sharing a little video meditation I made a year or so ago about calling your energy back to yourself. You can watch it here
 Exercising our vision, allows us so much more access to the imaginal and visioning realms and as such enhances our magical practices. 


New Episode of the Witch Next Door Podcast!This week Veronica and I chatted about a couple of the many sects/traditions of Wicca. If you are curious about origins and paths like we are take a listen in. 
 You can find it here.