Figuring out your spiritual needs

 

 One of the things I've always loved about Paganism is how much of it is very much 'choose your own.'  Sure, if you join a group or pursue degrees in an organization, there may be structure, but in our personal practice, there are no hard and fast rules or really anyone to tell us that we should (or should not) be practicing a particular way.

And in fact, this can be a struggle for a lot of people, both new and more experienced.  It's hard, because you kind of have to figure it out yourself, there is no guidebook to turn to when you have a question about how often to do a thing or whether one method is 'better' than another.  It definitely takes some getting used to, that every part of your practice is ultimately up to you.

I also think it complicates things that many resources out there suggest a way of doing things, but don't make it clear that it is JUST a suggestion!  I've read so many books that will introduce a practice, like meditation or reading tarot, and they will give suggestions on how often to do something, but not give a lot of options for if that one way doesn't quite work for you.

Meditation is a great example.  A ton of sources recommend meditating daily, often for between 10-30 minutes.  And for some people, that works great!  For others, it's too long, or too frequent.  Maybe you just don't have that much free time (and you don't want to spend what time you do have meditating!), or maybe you tried it and sitting for 30 minutes a day was just too much for your body.  

 

One saying I absolutely adore suggests that doing a thing at all is better than not doing it (often applied to difficult tasks, where we may not be able to do them perfectly or even completely, but doing a little is still better than not doing it at all).  In the case of meditation, if 30 minutes a day doesn't work for you, but you enjoy doing 30 minutes once a week on the weekend...do that!

Many people like to have a framework to start from, and books are great for that.  It used to be that Pagan books told you how to do things (as in they explained how to cast spells, how rituals were structured, how to ground), but didn't often suggest a plan for actually doing all the stuff.  However, in recent years, more books have come out with a plan, whether it is a way to build up practices or a full year of daily activities.

If those kind of things appeal to you, find one that seems enticing and give it a try!  I haven't seen a suggested plan yet that I feel I would be worse off for having tried it, even if it didn't work for my life.  So you really aren't out anything by giving things a go, and you might find that even if the whole plan doesn't work for you, bits of it do (and you can always keep the parts that work for you and let go of the rest!).

I think that having a rough idea of what you want your path to look like can help, so it may be useful to sit down and brainstorm about what spirituality means to you.  Are you looking for something with more structure, or do you need freedom to follow your whims?  Do you want daily practices that you can build on, or would you rather stick to bigger observations throughout the year (or both!)  How close of a relationship do you want with deities...or do you even want to work with any?  Do you want to work alone, with others or a combination?

These are a few, broad questions to start with, but anytime you learn something new, you can ask yourself how you see that fitting into your practice.  It might be that you want to start off learning a little bit about a bunch of different topics, just to see what interests you the most, or maybe you already have something you really want to dive deep into, and you can start planning out how you want to approach that study.

I feel like one thing to always keep in mind is that you are absolutely free to change your mind (and your practice!) at any given time.  You may have tried some things out, and realize that it's too much or not enough for your needs.  Adjusting how much time and energy you devote to this aspect of your practice can make it fit better with your life.  And remember, we are constantly changing, so our needs might change too...a practice that fits you now, might need adjusting in a few months, or even after decades of doing things a particular way.

 

Wherever you are on your path, spending some time to check in and see if your spiritual needs are being met (and are meshing with the rest of your life), can be a very helpful way to make sure you are living the best Pagan/witchy life you can.  And just taking a moment to think about whether you are doing enough, or too much, of anything can be a helpful starting point in figuring out just where that sweet spot is for you.  You may be surprised to find out that things that you thought were 'just fine' could actually use a little tweaking!

Brainstorming work

 

One of the things that I think takes the longest to get comfortable with is creating your own spells and rituals (or any practice really).  As much as I feel like Paganism embraces individualized and personalized practice, most books only go into the bare bones on how to build a working from the ground up, and many 101 books don't really talk about doing your own thing at all.  They just include a handful of premade spells and rituals, and often those don't really fit (because we are all individual, and we might live in a different country or time period from where the spell originated, which also makes things complicated).

 

I've always been a big fan of making your own spells (and for ease of wording, I'm going to say spells for the rest of this post, even though the same process can be used to build any spiritual working, from rituals to protections to Sabbats!), or at the very least tweaking the bits that don't work in spells you find out in the wild.  In my very early days I did work with spells straight out of books, and while it has a certain comfort level (because it's very easy to doubt your own capabilities), it was always like wearing hand-me-down clothes....they feel like they don't quite fit most of the time.

 

But writing your own spells can feel daunting, and for many people even figuring out where to start is an issue.  It's one of those weird things that feels like it should be talked about everywhere, and yet it's not, and when it is talked about, it's in a very bare bones kinda way (I mean even this blog post won't be as complete an explanation as might be wanted, but it's more extensive than a lot of the 'how to write your own spells' sections we see in books). 

The start is always the why...why are you doing a spell.  Note, I don't start with what you want to seek, because I feel like the why is always more important than the what.  The why will lead to the what (and sometimes, as you explore the why, you discover that you are actually needing to work towards a different what than you thought you did!)

So start by asking yourself why, and really dig in here.  If you wanted to make a spell to get a job, why are you looking for a job (do you want money, more excitement in your life, a chance to do something creative, or are you just bored).  Notice, that all of those things could be reasons to find a job...but many of them lead to very different types of jobs.  Knowing the why of your spell will help inform every step of the process!

Sometimes the why will be straightforward, like if you have a friend who is sick and you want to do something to help them heal.  You care about your friend and you want them better, that is your why.  But sometimes the why is more elusive, like if you want to loose weight, your why might be that you want to be healthier, but it might also include wanting to look better (and feel sexier or more confidant) and that you want to be able to play soccer without feeling winded immediately.  You don't have to pick just one why, in fact exploring the many reasons behind your spell can help you create a much more inclusive working!

If you are struggling with understanding your why, it can be helpful to get outside advice.  This might mean turning to your favorite divination method, and spending some time journaling out your whys, or it might mean asking a trusted friend or loved one for their input.  Just remember, if you are talking to other people, that you want to not only ask someone who you trust (and who knows you), but also someone who isn't going to try to talk you out of doing your work (sometimes you can get advice on your why without explaining what specifically you are planning on doing, so take our job example, you might ask a friend what type of job they think you would enjoy without telling them you are planning on doing a spell for it).

Once you have your why, you can start to think about the main shape your spell will take.  There are tons of types of spells out there, from candle spells to jar spells to bag spells or simple fire and forget spells.  This is one place where reading examples (especially examples that are similar to what you are planning, so if you are wanting to heal a friend, looking at a selection of healing spells can give you a sense of what other people have found works, and that is a great place to start!).  You might also just like one method over another, and prefer to use it, and that's perfectly fine too!

Almost every spell includes correspondences of some sort, whether they are physical items, representations or simply words to be called upon.  This is where your whys really come into play.  You will want something to represent all of your whys, so if I am wanting to loose weight (to be healthy, to look sexy and to be able to enjoy soccer more), then I should have at least one thing to represent each of my whys.

I sometimes think of deities as a way to include more correspondences.  I have a pretty wide group of deities I work with, so I have a lot of choices for deities that will fit my spell.  And sometimes you can work with multiple deities for the same spell, though this can often require more planning (and some deities just don't work well together, so understanding how they interrelate is important too).  You don't have to call on a deity for your spells, and some people have a patron deity that functions like a catch-all for them, when it comes to calling on deities in a spell.

I also want to note that spell creation isn't necessarily something that needs to be done all at once, in one sitting or quickly.  It can be, and learning to create on the fly is somewhat of a different skill, but for the purposes of this blog post, don't feel like you need to rush the process.  Sometimes, I will let an idea stew in my head, and that helps me come up with connections and ideas that I might have otherwise missed.  If you are planning your spell like this, having a notebook or some spot to jot down your ideas and thoughts as they come can be really helpful!

And, your actual 'spell work' doesn't have to be done in one setting either.  Sometimes, we ritualize the prep, especially if you are making any kind of herbal blend, poppet, totem or amulet/talisman (which might need to be prepared ahead of time).  Your spell might also extend into the future (like when you burn a 7 day candle for a spell), or have reactivation activities (like shaking a jar spell when it needs a boost or charging a ward every full moon).  

With any spell work, I think it's important to not pressure yourself too much over the results.  You aren't a bad witch/Pagan if you do a spell and it doesn't work out.  It's not even necessarily that the spell didn't work...sometimes our spells are like trying to hold back the push of the ocean with just your hands....you might not have enough force to create the change you are working towards.  But every spell you do (especially those you create) help you become better at them in the future!

One thing that I think can be important (but often overlooked) when talking about spell creation is reflecting on, and adjusting, the spell after the fact.  Especially for something (like a healing spell) that you might want to use again in the future, taking the time to think about (and make some notes on) what went well and what didn't go as well as you would have liked, along with how the spell felt as you did it and the results afterward...these all help to let you refine the spell for future use.

 

Creating your own spells isn't as hard as it first seems, and the benefits are countless.  Not only does it give you the ability to tailor your spells to your exact needs, but it also gives you complete control over what you use to do your spell, what deities (if any) you choose to work with, and how complicated or simple you prefer your work to be.  I highly recommend anyone who hasn't made their own spells give it a try...it's not as scary as it sounds!

Magical play

 

 Paganism definitely has a history of needing to defend itself as a serious practice.  Many people look at witchcraft as some form of make-believe, as if we all think that everything works like it does in movies and stories, where we can cast a spell and make something appear out of thin air or control people.  And I understand the desire to want to show that this is something deeply personal, highly meaningful and important to us.

But I don't feel that play detracts from the impact our faith has in our life.  And play is a great way to not only learn better, but to find joy in things that already have deep impact on our lives.  It can be a way to access that sense of childhood wonder that we often loose in adulthood.  Plus play is simply fun!  And there is no rule that says that important, meaningful things can't also be fun.

A lot of the practices and tools we use can also be used for play.  Something I've been doing as long as I can remember, far longer than I have been Pagan is daydreaming.  Now I might call it visualization, but sometimes it is literally just sitting and letting my brain play with fun ideas.  It's like playing a game of what if with yourself:  what if I was a cat, what if I could fly, what if I was three inches tall.  But daydreaming is also a great way to practice visualization in a simple and stress-free way.  Because if you can't quite picture it clearly, that is okay, there are no consequences (whereas if you are working to visualize something as part of a ritual, your goal might be harder to reach if you can't visualize what you want clearly enough).

I also think of reading (fiction) and watching shows as a form of play, and often this gives me ideas of things that I later incorporate into my practice.  Especially because I love watching/reading magical content, so if it has witches or magic in it, I am probably going to want to experience it.  Even stuff that doesn't specifically focus on magic can create connections between things that I can use in my practice, like when people have an in joke and it becomes a symbol for them...but now I can also use that symbol to represent something that I might not have connected it to before.  It's a bit like learning from old teaching stories....you might just love hearing the stories, but you still learn stuff.

Arts and crafts are another big play practice for me.  There is a reason why art therapy is such a big thing.  Simply making something, out of your own creativity, even if no one else understands the meaning you put into it...there is something magical about it.  The process of creation is one that many people don't have enough of in their lives, and taking time to embrace the creative process can be hugely empowering!  For me, art play is all about letting my inner child out, so I really lean into that idea, and I love breaking out crayons or simple kids paints and just picking whatever colors I feel and not worrying about whether or not it looks like what it is supposed to.  Coloring books can be a great place to start, especially for anyone worried about their artistic ability (but remember, it's play, so it's not about making the perfect thing, it's about having fun making something).

I personally find writing a super fun thing to do, and it is one of my favorite creative outlets.  With writing, I can create anything I want, and it can be a powerful way to explore things that I am unsure of.  It can also be a great way to vent about things that are upsetting me!  When I think of writing, in terms of play, it's definitely about putting words on the page, and not about finding the perfect words.  Often, when I write for fun, I'll give myself a limit (either time or word count), and that helps me let go of the idea of perfect.  And if you struggle to get ideas, there are tons of fun writing prompts out there, that will give you a little nudge and help you get started.  

And then there are tarot games!  These range from more traditional card games (either takes on solitaire or a trump taking kind of game) to more creative games (which might mimic RPG style games).  There are also lots of ways to gamify reading tarot cards, from pulling cards about your stuffed animals to trying to predict what will come next in a show you are watching.  You can draw cards as art/writing prompts, or simply have a conversation with a deck (drawing cards for it's response).

I think the biggest thing to keep in mind about magical play is that the play comes first.  Though I firmly believe that all of these activities can benefit our lives and our practice, the whole point is to have fun...the other benefits are icing on the play cake.  So when you engage in magical play, really let yourself play.  It's fine if you want to reflect after, but in the moment, try to just enjoy what you are doing.

I absolutely believe that play is necessary for happiness.  And we all have different definitions of what play is and how we find our fun.  So you might have to try a bunch of things, to find what really clicks for you, but it is SO worth it.  I encourage everyone to find ways to work play into their practice, and I think you will find that not only is it a lot of fun (which can help our mental health!), but I think you will be surprised to find that it deepens your practice without much effort...because it's play after all!

Modern spell ingredients

 

 There is this concept, in many magical circles, that man-made stuff isn't suitable for magic.  If you consider most correspondence lists, or spells/rituals that have been published, the stuff you need is almost always natural.  And personally, I find this to be a silly restriction to limit yourself with!

I think that when we consider the history of witchcraft, we are talking about a practice that flourished among the common people...in that it wasn't something that required fancy schooling, expensive stuff or anything like that.  And I think that's why so many magical workings use natural ingredients (and if you look into it, they used local ingredients)...because they were there, relatively easy for anyone to get...and free.

Today, we are in the almost opposite situation.  Many witchy folks don't live near large natural places, where they can harvest whatever they may want or need.  In fact, many of us probably didn't know that much about different plants and animals...until we became Pagan and started learning.  It's just not an everyday thing for us now.

Instead, what we have familiarity with is man-made things.  We know what they are used for, and sometimes we understand how they function better than we understand the natural world.  But we still turn our nose up at using modern and man-made things, as if they can't hold magic.  

What makes this extra strange, is there are some things that have managed to escape being put into the 'non-magical' box.  We embrace the magical nature of candles, of bottles/boxes, of blades and chalices, of mass printed tarot cards or machine tooled stones.  And if you think about it, these are all things that were the 'technology' of our ancestors.  They embraced new things that people made, and they used what they had at hand.

So what does this mean for us?  Well, my personal opinion is that we should do the same...we should look at the world around us, at the stuff we already use every day, and take inspiration for our magic from there!

First, let's think about some of the man-made stuff we already accept as magical.  Let's talk candles.  While we often use candles as a representation of fire, they were also a light source.  Using a candle for a spell meant you could see (especially when you remember that a lot of old magic suggests doing things at night...and without modern lighting, that would make it pretty dark, especially if the moon wasn't present.  Using modern lighting, instead of candles, isn't that far of a leap to make, and we have so many really cool lighting options now that make it even more of a customizable tool for magic!

Keys are another thing that we have accepted as magical, but again, when you talk about keys (in magical terms), the mental image is almost always of the old, skeleton key style.  And while those have their charm, modern keys give us a lot of different options.  We can use car keys for things involving movement, house keys for protection, padlock keys (or padlocks!) for security or secrecy.  We could use a key blank as a universal opener.  We can even get a bit creative with non-physical 'keys'....with our passwords!  Give them a magical twist to enhance your personal security...or to enchant whatever the password unlocks (want your bank account to be more prosperous....work that into your password!)  A nice side-effect of this is often our magical words are not easy to guess (so harder to hack)!

A lot of spells include paper, and we often see specific types of paper requested, whether it is handmade or brown paper.  But we have paper all around us!  We could use magazine pages (pick the page based on your intent), old bills (for work associated with the bill), printed pages (the sky is the limit, find pictures that fit or type out some train of thought about the topic...you can also print over stuff, so you can layer multiple things on the same page).  These are especially great for doing dream boards or wish work...collect images that feed your goals!

I personally find toys to be a wonderful source of inspiration.  Often they come in a huge range of shapes and sizes, many times they move (so you can position them in the way that works best for you).  And many toys come built in with meaning (correspondences!) that may reach back into our childhood.  Think about it...we weren't raised on fairy tales or legends, we were raised on cartoons and tv shows...so those characters are going to have deep rooted meaning for us.  Why not tap into that, and use symbols that resonate with your inner child.

I know that many people love having their magic stuff feel magical, and that it being a bit anachronistic makes it feel more special (because it's NOT stuff we use everyday).  There is absolutely nothing wrong with building your practice like this....IF it's what speaks to you.  But if you struggle with finding herbs or stones, why not try looking towards modern stuff?  See if it will also work for you.  Because sometimes, working with what is always at hand makes things feel more magical...since now everything in your life can be infused with magic!

Books of shadows

 

 Welcome to my library...or at least part of it.  I am a book lover and a writer, and of course I have a million books that make up my 'book of shadows' (honestly, this isn't even all of them).  When we talk about a Book of Shadows, it is often described as being a huge tome, handmade with an ornate cover, with illustrated and beautiful pages, holding all the information one has collected as they walk their path.

But as you can see, for some of us, one book just won't do!  Not only is it simply not big enough, but it may not have the organization you want (or need!).  And a fancy book of shadows probably isn't something that the average person would have had (even the big coven BOS' were probably quite plain on the outside).  Of course, we live in a time now where we are free to have beautiful and fancy books to write whatever we want in, so if you like that kinda thing, have at it!  I have a few really lovely and unique books in my selection...though as you can see, quite a lot are very simple or basic.

My first BOS was a three ring binder.  This binder....which was really just my favorite binder from school.  It has pockets (which is really handy for all those odd shaped papers that I like to keep in them).  But most importantly, it has tabs and three rings!  It let me move stuff around as often as I wanted, and in the beginning, that was priceless.  It also let me easily remove and add pages...at any point!

In my early days, I remember reading all about the Book of Shadows, and how it had a counterpoint, the Book of Light.  If the BOS was dedicated to the nitty gritty "stuff you do" then the BOL was all about inspiration:  poetry and stories that delighted you.  I think of it as something to turn to when you need a bit of spiritual uplifting.  I have a few books where I keep particularly moving poetry (one for poems I write myself, and one for others I find).  I even have a wishes book, which is basically a paper version of a pinterest dream board!  I have a bunch of pictures I cut out of magazines or printed out, and it's just all pretty witchy stuff that makes me happy to look at.

From there, my books just started expanding.  I made a little one (so it was portable!) for a Correspondence book, and I also made a travel BOS (which is a cute little leather bound book that I kept my most basic and most well used stuff in..for when I was away from home, but still wanted something!).

I have a dream book, though I struggle to use that.  I used to dream every night, but only remembered my dreams for a short time upon waking.  The problem was, that I really hated the process of writing it down.  As soon as I started, it was like the process of writing made the fragments of dream flee even further.  I think this is part of the process of figuring out which kinds of books you might want for your practice...sometimes they just don't work out!

Another type of book I kept early on (but don't use as much now) is a working record book.  I would record the spells and rituals I did, how they went and how things turned out (okay I almost always forgot that last bit...).  I have several of them now, though today I am more likely to use my witchy log than directly recording my work.

Speaking of the witchy log, that is a very recent book I started a few years ago.  I really struggle with keeping up with tasks (in all realms of my life), and a planner has helped my everyday life so much, I thought having a book specifically dedicated to my witchy life would help.  It gives me a place to check in everyday, do moon work, journal about the sabbats, record random witchy facts or ideas....and it's really working for me.

 

This kind of replaced my old Sabbat book, which was dedicated to my own reflections after Sabbat rituals.  This one sort of fell in a funny place for me.  It felt like a cross between reflective journaling and record keeping, but when I started keeping the Witchy Log, I just stopped using this one.

I also started some topic specific books (because my brain likes organization).  I have books dedicated to runes, to tarot, to astrology, to moon work...pretty much any subject you are interested enough in to want a separate book for!

Art books are another whole category for me.  I have the one that started it all, which is a smashbook I did for an intentional art retreat.  It holds art that was done with specific purposes, so some of the pictures are about exploring archetypes or grounding or transforming.  I ended up with another book (that holds hole punched pages) for loose leaf art, and what I call my healing art book (which is blank pages that I draw pictures/symbols in for healing).  Sometimes my magic isn't about words, sometimes it's about images or color or emotions and these help me tap into that.

I also keep a small book for future ideas.  I heard someone toss this out as concept, and it's so perfect for my brain!  The idea is that you write down stuff you might want to work on...but that you don't have time/energy/motivation to do right now.  It's a future log for magic!  Mine is broken into problems and dreams..so problems are often more outward focused (like when a situation in the world is just bugging you), while dreams tend to be more personal (though of course you could just keep all your future ideas together!)

 

Now, you can probably see that most of my books are pretty spartan.  I don't really decorate them (minus the art books, but those aren't technically decorated either...just full of art lol), because for me that honestly just feels like work.  It's also a bit like that feeling of having a blank (expensive) book and not wanting to use it (because you are afraid of 'messing it up'...though I find just deliberately making a mistake early helps in this...I'm not perfect, my books don't need to be either).  But many people really get into making their books into amazing art works, doing collage and making every word beautiful.  So if that's your thing, go for it!

And if physical books aren't your thing....there are always digital options!  I keep a ton of files on my computer, from books to stuff I've written to things I've clipped from websites.  I've been playing around with OneNote as a way to organize digital stuff, though I've heard great things about Notion as well (and seen some amazing digital books there!)  There are advantages to digital, it's easy to keep a ton of information organized and handy (and with smart phones, portable!)  Personally, I'm more analog than digital, I sometimes struggle to read online text (books are easier for me), so I doubt I will ever be fully digital...but it's so nice for stuff that I am not sure I want/need for the long term.

When it comes to your Book(s) of Shadows, the sky is the limit.  There is no right or wrong way to keep one, just ways that work better for you.  And there is nothing wrong with trying out a few!  Find the books you like to use (bound, spiral, 3ring, digital), figure out how you prefer to keep things (do you like one big book, lots of little ones, write as you go, dedicated sections) and then see which ones stick with you (because sometimes the one you are most excited about just doesn't click).

Making your home magical

 

 Often when we talk about a 'magical home' we have this picture in our head, of a big gothic mansion, with herbs and potion bottles scattered about, a cat or two roaming the halls and candles enough to be a fire hazard.  But there are many ways to make your home more magical, and ideally your home should reflect not only the aesthetic of everyone who lives there, but also be functional as well.

I adore a lot of witchy aesthetics, but many of them simply don't work for my life.  Candles are a perfect example.  I adore them, have loved them since I was a child.  But I am all over the house, and there is never really a good time or place to just have candles burning (especially because we have kitties who have zero sense of fire safety lol).  When I do burn candles, I feel like I have to carry them everywhere with me (including the bathroom...which can be tricky), and even when I use big pillar candles (with the fire sunk deep down) or jar candles (which are similarly protected) I am very mindful of remembering to put them out (which means part of my brain is constantly aware of the candles...not relaxing nor is it good for working on projects).

I still use candles, and candles are not only a part of my witchy practice, but also sometimes tools I use (especially scented candles) for writing (ritualize everything!) but they really can't be part of my home aesthetic (at least not lit ones...I have candles sprinkled throughout the house)  Also, with my eyesight, I need decent (white) light sources or it increases my eye strain, so while I can watch tv or just chill in a candlelit room, I can't read or do anything that requires reading well.

Of course aesthetics isn't the only way to add magic to your home.  A very common way is to add altar spaces, which may be in one room or multiple rooms, they may be working altars or devotional, and they might be obvious or camouflaged.  Camouflaged altars might just look like a collection or even just a decorative space.  The top of my desk is an altar, but I bet to most people it just looks like I collect a bunch of stuff.

This is something that I adore about personalized witchcraft...my sacred objects might not look like what you expect.  I have sacred dice, sacred coins, sacred cards (like trading cards), sacred toys...alongside the more traditional statuary, crystals and tools.  But having that flexibility to have dice dedicated to my deities allows me to fold magic into other aspects of my life, places that might not traditionally be associated.

 

We can also add blessings, wards and other workings around our house!  One of my favorite ways to do this is to tuck them behind, under or inside other things.  Draw or write out a blessing for every picture you hang in your house (especially for people, but you can bless things that other pictures remind you of as well).  Inscribe wards on the edges of doors (you can tuck them on the top of doors where no one can see, or even by the hinges, so that the two parts of the symbol meet when the door is closed).  I have tucked working papers in between the mattress and box springs of my bed, in the back of the laundry cupboard and in books (bonus points for matching the working to the book).

And some things are a mix of form and function.  I love picking out furniture, and making choices based on the correspondences of the item.  Browns remind me of nature and the earth, blues are restful to the mind, yellow is buzzed up on energy.  I pick things for the energy I want for everything I can, from clothes to my toothbrush to the jewelry I wear.

Speaking of making things work, take some time to think about the tools of your craft...what items do you need to have at hand to practice your path.  When I was first starting, I was at home and not 'out', so I kept all my magical stuff in one place (a wooden box meant to hold a chess set, and then after that a toolbox).  Not only did this keep my stuff safe from prying eyes, but it also made it easy to grab my 'magic kit' anytime I wanted to do anything...and pretty much I'd have what I needed.

Now, I have the luxury of being able to keep a lot of things out in the open, which is really helpful for my brain.  Especially when it comes to things (like tarot/oracle decks) where I have quite a few and would typically only use one at a time.  But I know that tucking them away in a drawer would mean I would forget (I'm very much out of sight, out of mind), so I found ways to have them out, so I can see them all when I am searching for a deck.  It's massively helpful for me!

And if you can't keep things fully out, there are ways to handle that too!  I used to keep all my obviously witchy books in one small bookshelf, that has glass doors on the front.  Simple solution:  I taped some pictures on the inside of the glass, so the doors looked decorative (and of course they were fantasy/witchy/magical pictures!) but they also hid the books inside.  Another great thing to use for this is tension rods and curtains.  (and bonus, tension rods are great for displaying jewelry so it's visible!)

Finally, you can consider your regular activities (you know, the stuff you do in your home), and how you might twine your path with them.  Cleaning is the obvious one for me, and I try to cleanse whenever I clean (in fact, I keep bells tied to my broom to help me remember).  Laundry could be a time to release any old emotions/energy (before the wash) and bless your clothes for the future (folding/putting it away).  Showering is a good time to do an energetic scan of your body.  And of course, we have cooking, which is pretty much magic already.

There are a million ways to make your home more magical, and I hope I gave you some ideas for a few.  But don't limit yourself to what I have mentioned, look for stuff that makes YOU think of magic, your path, your deities, your guides or any other part of your personal practice, and then think of how you could infuse those concepts in your home.  Don't be afraid to try things out and see if you like them...and "I just like it" is always a perfect response to anyone asking "Why do you have/do that?"

Offerings

 

Many people include offerings as a part of their practice.  These could be offered up to the divine, to spirits, to ancestors or even simply to the earth.  The type of things that are offered up vary as widely as the people doing the offering...and those receiving it. Offerings range from simple and quick to elaborate and extravagant.

So, what is the purpose of an offering...what role does it play in your practice?  There are lots of reasons why people make offerings, and your path may influence how you think about offerings, but there is often still lots of room to have your own relationship with the idea of offering.  Some consider offerings to be a way of 'feeding the gods' and see it as a way to give back for all of the lovely influence our deities have in our life.  Others see them as tokens of affection, similar to how you might give a friend or loved one a gift just to let them know you are thinking about them.  Another perspective is that offerings are part of the relationship between you, sort of the social construct of witchy work (I work with this being, so they expect offerings).

As you can see, there is a lot of variance in how people think about offerings.  And each one has it's own nuances about what types of offerings might be expected.  As I mentioned before, there are lots of traditional offerings, and many deities have commonly accepted offerings that are strongly associated with them.  However, many people also find their own offerings...through their personal interactions with a particular being.  Especially for ancestor work, if you had a special thing that you shared with someone, that would make a beautiful offering!

A less often talked about thing, when it comes to offerings, is your personal circumstances.  Many people would love to make fancy offerings, but may not be able to afford them.  There is a bit of a misconception out there, that the more elaborate the offering, the 'better' it is.  But offerings come in SO many shapes and sizes and I personally feel that something offered up from the heart, with pure intent, has more spiritual 'weight' than a fancy offering that has no thought or emotion behind it.  

Ethics can also come into play, when we talk about offerings.  Perhaps a traditional offering is something we no longer find acceptable (like animal sacrifices).  Or it may be a personal thing, like not wanting to use alcohol as an offering because you have issues with alcohol.  I struggle with leaving out food offerings because of a combination of issues about leaving food out and food wastage.

And I think that if you have reservations about a particular offering, that will flavor the offering.  It's like giving a gift that you don't really want to give...sometimes the other person can tell.  If you are conflicted about your offering, think about what that says about the relationship.  The tricky bit is that sometimes, we are called to give offerings that we may have thoughts about, and part of the offering is making that personal sacrifice (like when you know your friend isn't as into a particular activity as you are, but they offer to come with you because they love you and know you want someone to do it with).  You are the only person who can decide if an offering is something you are willing to make, and how much out of your comfort zone you are willing to go.

Don't be afraid to try different offerings!  Most of the time, when we are making offerings, it is with a being we are wanting to work with.  If we offer something that isn't idea, we might get feedback that will let us know that something else is desired.  Or we may just get a feeling that the thing we offered wasn't as well received as we might have liked.  If you feel that way, it's a good time to check in and what might be a better fit.  Use whatever means you prefer to communicate, this might be a good time for divination or visualization!

I think it's important to remember that offerings are part of a relationship...they are a way of building it up and reinforcing the connection between you.  Which means that your personal boundaries are important!  If you feel like you need to offer something you simply are not comfortable with, then be vocal about it.  Be clear about why you can not offer the thing desired, and try different options to find something that might be acceptable instead.  If there can be no compromising, then you really have to ask yourself if you want to be in this relationship.

Offerings can be a wonderful part of your practice, and can be a great tool for deepening the relationships you have built within your path.  But we still need to make sure that all aspects of our practice fit with our lives (and our personal moral compass).  So don't be afraid to try new things, to negotiate your personal boundaries, and to ask what other things might be favorable options for an offering.

Spells: fire and forget versus ongoing

 

 There are two major approaches that one can take when casting a spell:  fire and forget versus ongoing.  With fire and forget, you do the spell, and then you walk away, and you let the spell work without further influence (and often thought) from you.  With an ongoing spell, you keep coming back to it, feeding it your attention and energy.  Both styles have strengths and weaknesses, and you can use both at different times and for different purposes.

Many people have a preferred method for casting their spells, and I feel like this is often dependent on how you learned to cast.  You may have seen mostly ongoing spells described in books, things that spread the spellwork out over days (or more!), and you might love the way that you can devote more time to a working, but don't have to do it all at once.  Or, maybe you like being able to build up a lot of energy, pour it into something, and then walk away, trusting that your will be done.

 

Let's talk about ongoing magic for a bit.  With this type of magic, timing is often important, and you may need to do different things at different points in time.  This may mean spreading out your spellwork over the course of a full moon cycle, doing different actions at different phases.  It might mean preparing a candle, and then lighting it for a specified time every day for a week.  It might mean creating the initial spell, and then returning to it every month to recharge it.

 

The biggest benefit of an ongoing spell is that it is spread out over time.  This allows you to build up to bigger energy without having to handle it all at once.  It maintains a more constant flow of energy, and gives you the opportunity to adjust as you go (if you feel things aren't moving in the way you want them to). 

The biggest downside is that these types of spells need the continued attention.  You have to devote yourself to the same working over many days, and if you miss a day you may feel like you need to start over or at least make up time.  It's a commitment to the spell work, and if you can't meet that commitment you may feel like you can't do this type of work.

On the other hand, fire and forget spells can feel more spontaneous.  You can gather up your stuff, and do the thing, and then you move on.  No big buildup, no need to continue to dedicate time to it, just one and done.  This can be especially appealing to people who may not know if they can maintain an ongoing spell, or who's life just doesn't work well with that level of regular practice.

But fire and forget spells can require more upfront energy (because you are doing it all in one go instead of spreading it out), and it may be hard for you to forget the work (some people feel like continued thought on the spell muddies it, as you may start unintentionally become unfocused in your intentions).  Also, many people just don't like the idea of deliberately forgetting their spell work, and not being able to check in and see how your work is progressing can feel frustrating.

For me personally, I think they both fulfill different roles in my practice.  I like ongoing spells for things like protection, stuff that is, by it's nature, ongoing.  I find that being able to set up the spell and then just boost it from time to time works very well.  I tend to go for fire and forget for more temporary things, like finding a job, where you may want to do it again in the future, but it will be a separate working. 

I also factor in that, for my brain, fire and forget is a natural thing.  It's much harder for me to remember to refresh (or come back to) ongoing spells, especially if there are large time gaps.  Plus, I find it daunting to have too many ongoing things at the same time, it feels like I have to juggle and remember too much, like I am spread too thin.

Whether you are just starting out or have walked this path for many years already, it's always good to try different ways.  If you normally work with fire and forget spells, it can be very rewarding to devote yourself to an ongoing spell, and to see your continued work bearing fruit.  But if you mostly do ongoing spells, mixing in a few fire and forget spells can feel spontaneous and fun.  You may find, as I did, that you like doing both, but that each method works better for you for specific things.  So give both ways a try, and see how you feel about the way you approach spell crafting.

Creating for your soul

One of the things I associate with Ostara is crafting or creating.  And I think this is something that we, as humans, have an innate need to do.  It is also something that we are often told is frivolous or not important.  Or worse, that you should only create things that are 'good' (and by good most people mean 'will bring you profit and fame').  

First, I think we need to talk a bit about what creating means.  Originally, I had the focus on crafting, but it's so much more than that, just like creating is so much more than just art.  Creating can be those things, because of course crafting and doing art is a form of creation, but so is sanding wood or drawing up a design (which you might not make...the act of design is your creation!) or cooking dinner.  

 

Creating is simply turning an idea into something tangible, making it something that can be shared in some way.  It speaks to the part of us that needs to leave some kind of mark in the world, to feel like we were here and we made a difference.  Sometimes it doesn't matter if any one knows about what you have created, or that you created it, it's the making of the thing that is important.

Along the same lines, creation isn't necessarily about making something useful or even 'good'.  It can be fun to just play with creation, tossing paint on a page or stacking rocks until they tumble and fall.  It can be building a sandcastle and watching the ocean wash it away or drawing little doodles on a card you are giving to a friend.  

I think modern life has pulled us away from a lot of the crafting we used to do.  Many people don't cook regularly or have creative hobbies (maybe they were discouraged from pursuing them as an adult or maybe they simply don't feel like they have time), and for the most part we don't make our own clothes or household products...a lot of things that our ancestors would have crafted themselves (or they might have crafted one thing very well and then traded that for other things crafted by other people).

Creating like this lets us play with imagination.  There is something truly magical about having an idea in your head and turning it into something.  It's especially fun when you can share what you have created with other people and hearing that positive feedback.  Honestly, it's one reason why I always try to react or comment when someone shares something they have made online....especially if it's maybe not perfect or if they are feeling subconscious about sharing it.  

For me, creating something is always emotional.  In that I tap into my feelings and part of my intention is for people to feel something when they see/experience my creation.  This is true for my writing, but also for things I make as gifts (where at the very least I want people who receive them to feel loved).  I always think of the way little children present their art to people.  "Here is this thing, I made it and therefore it's special, but I want you to have it because I think you are special too!"

Making something always makes me feel more energized.  It's sort of addicting...when I make something, I often want to make more stuff.  And when I haven't made anything in a while, I definitely feel more unenthusiastic...about everything.  My mood is very much dependent on creating stuff, and I think more people are like that than might be aware of it.

And especially if you feel like you don't have time to create stuff, I challenge you to find little ways to create.  Doodle in your planner, fold that receipt into a bird, make up a silly song and sign it to your pet (or your empty house!), write a poem (make it a haiku if you want to keep it short!), but there is always something you can do to add a bit of creation into your life.  And I bet that you will feel better after you create something, especially if you can let go of any expectations about what you are creating.

And that's the real beauty of creation, in my book at least...that it's not about the end result, it's about the process.  And the process of creating is often equal parts wonder and discovery, trial and error, and adjusting when things don't work out the way you initially envisioned.  And all of these things are tools we can apply to other parts of our life!

If you aren't sure how to get started, there are a million resources online!  Think about something that you maybe have always wanted to try or that you think looks fun.  Then see if you can find a tutorial online...or if you prefer a social route, see if you can take a class on it.  Whether you are more comfortable learning with a group or on your own, there are so many ways to start new projects, and so many ways to get help when we get stuck in our creations.

And maybe you can try something new (or pick up an old favorite), as part of your Ostara celebrations, or simply as a way to shake up that stagnant energy after the slowness of winter.  Just remember, there is no wrong way to create, and there is no benchmark for 'good'....it's all about enjoying the process and giving a form to your own imagination!

Informal notes...aka Pagan Prayer Journaling

 Okay, so a bit ago I was thinking about stuff to write about, and I stumbled across this blog post:  65 Prompts for Pagan Prayer Journaling.  Now, this is a fabulous list of things to write about, but what especially caught my eye was the reframe it had on studying, notes, daily practice and journaling!  

As someone who is a big fan of taking personal notes (I definitely remember more when I have to write it out by hand, but also information sinks in better if I need to reword it into my own words), I still think of 'notetaking' as a formal process.  I have organized Books of Shadows, as well as a whole collection of notebooks that hold other notes and information I've written down.  And in my head, the goal is always to keep information tidy, so that when I want to find it again, I can.

But the idea of just writing stuff down everyday, whatever comes up or seems to want to be written down is such an enticing one.  I used to keep an 'internet notebook' just for copying over stuff I found online that I wanted to have..but didn't really fit in my BOS or maybe I wasn't sure where I wanted to put it just yet.  I sadly fell out of the habit as I got more used to just bookmarking sites (to be read later....my tbr bookmark selection is like my book tbr list....it's longer than I expect my lifetime to be, and I expect to live for quite a long time!)

I also feel this practice of keeping your daily writing in one place would be very helpful if you are one of those people who (like me) struggles with remembering to work in books that are put away (sometimes, the act of pulling out the specific book I want to write in is too much and I don't end up doing anything at all).  It would also be great if you spend a lot of time outside your home, as you would only need a single notebook to carry with you!)  You could even do this on a journaling app (which makes it even more travel friendly, and you could find one that lets you tag or organize your notes in a way that works for you).

One of the things I really like about this idea is that it lets you vary your daily spiritual writing practice.  Especially when you use a prompt list like this, you have lots of ideas of stuff to write about, when you want to do something spiritual but maybe don't have anything specific in mind (please tell me I'm not the only one who wants to do something but then kinda gets hung up on what to do).

It's kind of like a combination of a commonplace book (which is basically your personal journal of helpful tips and information to remember....made popular back in the days before published books were a reasonable price for the average person), a bullet journal (where you note down important stuff from your day) and BOS (specifically the style of BOS that is like a personal magic diary).

I definitely see aspects of this when I look for examples of witchy/Pagan bullet journals or calendar work.  And I used to see these pretty (or functional, depending on your style) pages of notes and think "wow, that would never work for me, I wouldn't ever be able to find anything", but I think that's really not the point of this type of practice.

Sure, you may end up with notes on things you are interested in and studying, and of course you could go back through your journals and compile the notes into something more cohesive...but you could also just keep making new notes (especially if you are like me, and your brain remembers best through small bits of repetition over the years...it's okay if this is my millionth time writing about astrology because I still don't remember what all the signs mean!!!)

Looking over the list, I think a lot of it could be distilled down to:  "Find a thing that interests you today.  Read about it, or do it...then write about it."  It's an action and then a reaction, and that's where the beauty lies!  It's funny, while I always hated reflections when I had to write them in school (especially reflecting on papers I had written..I hadn't yet figured out that teachers weren't just there to give me grades, but to help me learn, and that honest reflection on what went good, what went bad and how you felt about it is such a major part of learning).

In some ways, I think that is something that can be missing from solitary practice:  the feedback.  This style of journaling allows you to give your own feedback, both immediately and also later, when you go back and read what you wrote previously.  In fact, that would be my own addition to the list:  read a previous journal entry and then write your current thoughts on what you wrote before.

I also really like that they include brainstorming and planning as part of it.  Brainstorming or just coming up with ideas is such a great task, and it's something that we sometimes forget we can do in an unfocused way.  Sure, we can plan out that next ritual or gathering we are attending, but we can also just keep a running list of:  things we'd like to research, ideas we read that we want to try (someday), ritual ideas that would be fun, books to read, tools to buy....anything that you may want to do in the future (but have no definite plans for right now).  The best thing about playing with brainstorming like this is you end up with things you can turn to later (when you are actually looking for stuff to do).

But the absolute best thing (in my opinion) about informal notes like this is that there are no rules.  You don't have to format it in a specific way, you don't have to list your sources (but you can if you want!), you don't have to have all the answers or even know really what you are going to do.  Just pick a thing, and let your thoughts flow onto paper.

Things don't always age well

 The world is constantly changing, and we are living in a time where we see ideas become obsolete in our own lifetime, and sometimes things that were socially acceptable when we were little are definitely not now.  It can be hard to adjust, and to reconcile our feelings with our thoughts.  But we also don't want to toss the baby out with the bathwater, and just because some things are outdated and didn't age well doesn't mean that they should be completely set aside.

This is one place where I feel like we have to engage both our critical thinking and our ability to see things from another perspective.  Just because we don't agree with an idea today, doesn't mean we can't see how our ancestors might have viewed something (and how it could have been something good for them while simultaneously being not good for us).  

One of my favorite examples of this is with mythology.  Many modern practitioners accept myths as a version of teaching stories.  They were a way that our ancestors tried to make sense of the world around them, especially when they lacked the understanding to explain things in a way that made sense to them, and so creating a story to explain what was going on helped them accept changes and situations that would otherwise create anxiety and stress for them.

A lot of myths talk about how things came to be.  Perhaps they are explaining the universe or why humans are different from other life on the planet, or they might be explaining unusual natural phenomenon (like eclipses or earthquakes).  Our ancestors would see a thing, and it wouldn't match with the rest of the world, and they would try to figure out why this thing was different.

Of course, today we often know the reasons why the earth shakes or how humans evolved to develop speech and use tools.  And this may cause us to question our love of myth, because we have two conflicting sources of information (or more, especially if you follow multiple pantheons and now have multiple creation stories for different things).  

But we also have more levels of understanding on how our own brains work.  We have the left brain, the thinking brain, the ego, and that part is the one that likes knowing the why.  In our modern lives, this is the part that often turns to science and logic.  We also have the right brain, the child self, the id, and this part of us loves whimsy and play and symbols.  (yes, these different parts don't quite line up, and then there is the superego/higher self....but you get the idea)

And that is where we can love a thing and also understand why it's not Truth (with a capital T).  Things don't have to be 'real' to be real....a story can be completely made up and still carry weight.  It can move us, in ways that logic and science don't always.  It can bring us to a place of magic.

With outdated ideas, this can sometimes bring real conflict.  Thinking about some of the earliest books on Paganism that I read, there were a lot of really inappropriate ideas about how people interact with each other (being skyclad, sexual initiations, power dynamic, gender duality, cultural appropriation).  Even at the time, I knew some of the things I was reading didn't 'work' for me, I just kind of assumed I was the odd duck out, I must have been just not ready to be that open or that connected to other people.

But even the parts I was conflicted about imprinted in my brain as examples of 'how magic works' (especially magic with multiple people).  I think I will always have romantic ideology about dancing naked in the woods or a working partner, and I kind of tuck those thoughts away in the fantasy part of my brain (you know, the part that idly dreams about movie stars and being rich...yeah that part).

The thing is...I can enjoy those thoughts in my brain, even though if I were to be in that situation in realty I'd definitely be freaking out and highly anxious.  Things aren't black and white, and there are a lot of places where we can live in the grey area.

We may be absolutely opposed to any kind of nakedness with other people, and still enjoy reading a novel where a coven holds those kinds of meetings.  We can watch a movie that embraces very sketchy magical practices....and like the movie, but still condone real world work in those areas.  We can examine a historical document and recognize that we have methods available to us today that simply weren't there before (and thus our ancestors had to take a very different approach when put in a bad situation).

Everyone has to decide their own levels of comfort with things that haven't aged well.  For some, it may make them uncomfortable enough they want to avoid it altogether, and that's fine.  For others, they may be okay with sifting through the troubling bits and pulling out the parts that are okay.  Or enjoying something in a purely entertainment fashion and recognizing that the things we may enjoy in a bit of fiction aren't things that we actually support.  The important thing is to know that there are different ways to approach this, and you don't have to completely avoid things that haven't aged well, if you don't want to.

Your path is private

 We live in an age of sharing and public announcements about...everything.  So many people are posting their entire life online, and this has spilled over into our spiritual lives as well.  It's quite fashionable to post your altar pics, spells/workings, tarot spreads and everything else online for everyone to read.

And while I'm okay with anyone who wants to and chooses to do this, what I'm not okay with is any kind of pressure to share things that someone isn't comfortable sharing.  Whether someone is bugging you for details about a spell you cast or asking you to read their cards or wanting to hear about your interactions with any deities or other beings you work with...your path is private!

This means that you get to decide what and how you share anything regarding your path.  If you are out and want to post pictures of everything you do, go for it!  I adore seeing pictures or reading about other people's paths and practices.  It's super inspiring to see how people do stuff, and I've learned a ton from just being exposed to a million ideas that I might have never known about if people hadn't shared what they did.

But I also fully support everyone who chooses to not share specific things...or anything at all.  Some people aren't in a safe place to share stuff (especially in a public forum like social media).  Some parts of our practice are intensely personal and not the kind of thing for public sharing (and some things are so private you may never tell anyone about it, and that's fine too!)  And sometimes, things are just embarrassing, and maybe we don't want the whole world knowing that we spilled candle wax all over our carpet or how spectacularly wrong our prosperity spell went.  

I do want to speak a tiny bit about social perception though.  Sometimes, we may want to share something (like an altar picture or some spellwork we've done), but we stop ourselves because we have seen all the gorgeous pictures or perfect descriptions online and we don't feel worthy.  If the only thing that is holding you back is a feeling of being 'not good enough', then that is an opportunity to do some inner work and to remember that many people only post the absolutely perfect stuff online (and spend hours to set everything up), and we are all walking our own path, and if yours works for you, then it is perfect and if you want to share you should!

But, if you are only sharing something because other people are demanding that you do, and you don't really feel comfortable putting that part of you online, for any reason (even the above mentioned feelings of self-worth...only you know if sharing something will hurt more than it will help), then don't let other people pressure you into doing it!

I'm a pretty open person.  I'm blessed to have supportive family and friends and to be in a position where I'm not overly worried about my personal business effecting my life in a negative way.  And there are still things I don't share.  There are parts of my practice that I consider secret...they are between me and my gods and it's just something I don't talk about.  And honestly, some of the things I don't share are definitely due to self-esteem issues (video is my kryptonite, it has to be very important or the only way to share something for me to put myself on video lol), despite me knowing that no one else will ever judge me as harshly as I judge myself.

One thing to remember is that sharing doesn't have to be complete.  It is perfectly fine to draw your lines wherever you need to.  It's okay to explain the gist of a practice...while leaving out all the specifics which make it personal or private.  It's okay to edit things off your altar (or blur them out of a picture) before you share it.  Kind of like the concept of 'no is a complete sentence' comes the idea that 'private is all I have to say about that'.  You don't need to justify why it's private or explain why you don't want to talk about something...just say it's private.

A final note:  I am talking mostly about private practice.  If you are doing group work or working with a coven, you may be expected to share some things within that group...and likewise expected to keep some information secret within that group.  Make sure you are aware and comfortable with all levels of sharing and secrecy when you join a group...and if you ever get uncomfortable with what you are required to share (or keep secret), that group might not be the best on for you.

We can feel a lot of pressure to share things, either from specific people who are asking very personal questions or just the general culture of posting everything online that makes you feel like you aren't a 'real' whatever because you aren't posting a log of everything you do in your practice.  But setting boundaries on what you share publicly and what you keep private is a very healthy thing to do.  It may take some work to get those boundaries in place, but just remember...your path is private, and you don't owe anyone access to it!

Indoor summer

 Summer is traditionally an outdoor time.  In days past, the heat of summer time made inside quite warm, and it made sense to spend more time outside, enjoying the fresh air and nice weather.  In our modern times, with air conditioning and less natural spaces (for many people living in cities), it can be a struggle to embrace that outdoor energy of summer.

Not only have we made inside more comfortable, but in many ways outside is less accessible for many people.  We have work that needs done, and often isn't compatible with being outside (whether you just have too much stuff to work outside, can't find good outlets/wifi, or there isn't a good place for you to go).  We may live in a place where there aren't good outside spaces, or those spaces are crowded or dirty (with human trash, not actual dirt LOL).

I'm definitely an indoor person.  My personal bane is insects.  I get bit...a lot...and I react poorly to many bites (nothing serious thankfully, I don't need an epi-pen or anything, but I definitely get welts and they bother me for days).  Plus, almost everything I do is on my computer, which is not portable (yep, I'm on a desktop....not something to lug around).

And sometimes that makes it hard to really feel in tune with what is going on outside my windows.  Inside, everything tends to be homogeneous....it's pretty much the same all year round.  Which actually makes it strange to step outside and realize that it's hotter than I thought it would be.

But just because you can't be outside a lot during the summer, doesn't mean you can't embrace that summer energy.  A lot of people decorate their houses for holidays, but adding in some seasonal (as in the seasons) decorations can go a long way to bringing that outdoor energy inside.

One of the simple options is flowers, whether you are going outside and wild gathering whatever is growing nearby, buying flowers from the shop (many grocery stores sell flowers now, so you don't even always have to make a special trip), or if you invest in some nice fake flowers (especially if you suffer from allergies..or have pets that like to eat them, like our kitties).  But those bright pops of color really remind you of the blossoming of nature outside.

Along those same lines, you can also use fresh produce to bring that summertime energy inside.  A lot of produce is in it's prime during the summer, and you can double up on your usage of it by creating a simple display (find a nice bowl or big clear jar to store things in on your table).  Many produce items store best at room temperature, so check to see what you can leave out (it's great for when you buy things that are a little under ripe), and then make it look nice!

Even just trying to work in more fresh and light foods can be a way to absorb the summer energy.  You don't have to eat only salads, but you might find that some sliced veggies or fruit feel more refreshing than cooked (or frozen or fresh), especially if you do have to go outside in the heat at some point.

Of course, you will want to make sure you are drinking plenty of water, and a fun way to spruce up your water is to infuse it with fresh herbs (like mint), or add in some berries or cucumber.  Play around with it, and see what combinations you enjoy!  Even if you are staying indoors, fancying up your water like this makes it feel like a vacation (which many of us associate with summer).

I love window clings as another way to change the energy in your home.  Finding some with bright flowers or butterflies or other summer images can really brighten up your space.  Along those same lines, if you spend a lot of time on your electronic devices (like I do), changing your backdrops (and lock screens) to something bright and summery gives you that little boost every time you look at your device.

Whether or not you spend a lot of time outside in the summer, you can bring that summer energy inside with you.  You may find, as I do, that when you do, you feel more energized and more in tune with the season...even if you rarely go outside.

Moderation in wild harvesting

 As human beings evolved from being hunter-gatherers to cultivating land and crops, we shifted our mindset when it comes to harvest.  With a planted field, it makes sense to harvest all that is available, especially as we became more specialized as a society and not everyone has a garden, so those who plant crops provide for many people, not just themselves.

But as Pagans, we often go out into nature and wild harvest, gathering plants, nuts fruits (and other bits and bobs) for our practice, and we need to make sure we are being responsible and mindful when we harvest from nature.

On a purely physical level, if we take everything we find, especially if we clear an area out of a particular plant or resource, we deplete the area.  This can not only make it harder for us to find the same things at a later date, but it can deprive the wild critters who live in that area from the things we have harvested as well.

On a spiritual level, we should always seek to give something back when we take, even if that something is a pour of fresh water, an expression of our gratitude and a blessing on the land so that it can provide for us in the future.

But I think it goes deeper than that as well.  When we wild harvest, we aren't devoting our time and energy to growing what we want to harvest, we typically are wandering about, hunting for what we seek.  And spending the time to consider what else may benefit from the things we are harvesting helps us build that connection to both the land and the other beings who dwell there.

Many of the things we wish to gather are plentiful, but when they are not, we need to be extra mindful of what we take.  If it's been a dry year, and the fruits are not in abundance, we may decide it best to take only a few things and to leave the majority for the native residents who might be relying on those foods to survive.

You may find that you also pick which things to harvest differently, in sparse years, depending on what you plan to do with your harvest.  If you are looking for edible things, then of course you want to find ones that are ripe and not damaged, but if you are looking for spell ingredients you might leave some of the best options for others who are searching for food, choosing to take damage or overripe options instead (especially if you are planning on transforming them in some way or if you are making use of the seeds and don't need your harvest to be pristine).

And if you are taking other materials, like stones or wood, it is always good to keep in mind where you are harvesting from.  If I am picking a branch from a tree, I can look for a branch that is growing in a difficult place or that perhaps has taken some damage already.  Don't just think about what you need, but consider what would help the tree (or at least what would cause the least harm).

I should also note that it is best if you do your research for any animal related things.  If you are wanting anything that might be part of an animal's home (like a bird nest or such), you may want to learn how to tell when a nest has been abandoned, so you aren't displacing someone.  Sometimes even spending too much time around an animal's home can disturb them (especially if they have young), so being aware of your environment and trying to disturb the natural world as little as possible is a great goal to keep in mind.

Nature has a lot to offer us, and in most cases more than we would need.  But that doesn't mean we should take it for granted, and we should always strive to work in harmony with the world around us, to share what is available, and to leave the world in a better state than we found it.  This will do so much more for our practice than that extra herb or stone.

Journaling as practice

 While it has become quite common for many people to have or use a journal as part of their practice, the act of journaling is often seen as an auxiliary thing.  You write things down as a secondary part of a primary practice.  But the journaling itself isn't seen as spiritual (with the exception of a practice like morning pages, which does embrace journaling as a daily practice).

I have a sort of funny relationship with journals.  I have a TON of them, and I do use them.  I tend to like themed journals, so I have tarot journals, magical journals, book journals, rune journals, study journals and activity journals (like for challenges and what not).  But I also often journal in phases.  I much prefer to journal by hand, but hand writing doesn't work well for me (my handwriting is atrocious, and it hurts me to write for any length of time by hand).

But there is something so very satisfying about grabbing a pen (or a handful, I tend to write in rainbows!) and filling a blank page with words.  I adore looking back through my journals and reading what I was about at different times in my life.  Even reading notes I took while researching a subject tells me a lot about my mindset at the time.

With Art and Junk Journals being quite popular right now, a lot of people are finding that creating beautiful artistic pages in their journals brings them a lot of joy.  I've seen fabulous spreads dedicated to a wide variety of topics, and there are definitely people who turn making these works of art into a spiritual practice.  Finding the right way to decorate a page to represent the information on it is a wonderful way to deepen your understanding (and experience) of a subject, whether it is one you are studying about or something you are reflecting on.

On the other side of the spectrum, Bullet Journals offer a lot of great organizational options, helping you keep all your writings neat and tidy.  And they are highly customizable, so if something doesn't quite work for you, simply change it!

But even if you aren't artistically inclined (or maybe you don't want/have the time to devote to this level of journaling), or you don't want to fuss with all the organization of a proper journal system, you can still use journaling as part of your personal practice.

I've been working with moon cycle journaling for just over eight months now.  The bones of my moon cycle journal practice are simple:  note the moon phase for the day, write an intention, and do one more thing for each phase (typically a card draw or more writing).  For me, taking the time to look up the phase (I use an app on my phone for this), and then think of an intention for each day helps me tune into both my daily life and the larger, natural cycles (that I often struggle to tap into, being very much an indoor person).

This moon cycle journaling led me to Sabbat journaling, and using my journal as a vehicle for observing and honoring the Sabbats.  I've journaled Sabbats (as record keeping) on and off for a few years, but I'll be honest, my actual observance of Sabbats isn't regular.  I try to keep my altar set for the current Sabbat, and to do other little things around my house to honor the shifting of the seasons, but I don't always have big work to do, so doing a full ritual (on my own), often feels off.  Instead, I find that spending some time writing about what the Sabbat means to me is helpful and allows me to honor the thoughts and feelings the Sabbat brings up for me.

Another journal practice I've started is an ancestor journal.  The idea is to have a place where I can write to my ancestors (blood, spirit or otherwise...pretty much anyone who isn't alive anymore).  This sort of encompasses themes from Samhain, Memorial day, Veteran's day, Mother Night and the many other times where we honor our dead.  But I like the idea of a journal that is kind of like letters to the dead, where I can talk to my beloved dead whenever I feel the urge.

And of course we have tarot journals!  I'm one of those people who thinks better in writing, so for me, journaling out a reading is an important part of the reading.  I also find that reading my notes on readings helps me to refine my understanding of specific cards.  I can see how I interpret the same card in different ways depending on the style of reading, the other cards involved, the deck and any other influences I may have experienced.

One thing I'm looking forward to is expanding my tarot journaling to include tarot journaling games, which I've recently become aware of.  I have a couple now that I've picked up, that include prompts that you then answer by drawing cards, but you weave a story in your journal, which I find absolutely fascinating.  And while it may seem to be a bit frivolous, I'm one of those people who learns best through play, so any way to play with my cards is a way to get to know them better.

I feel like one of the best things about journaling as a practice is it is something that you can do pretty much anywhere, with no one the wiser about what you are doing.  Which makes it great for travel or doing work when around non-witchy folks.  You can use your journal as a visualization tool, writing out what you are visualizing as you 'do' it (which means you don't need to have your tools or supplies with you, you can simply write out what you are doing and with what).  The brilliant thing about this is you can easily dip into guided meditations as well, where you note down the prompts, but then write out your responses.

In this digital age, of course you could also do some or all of your journaling online.  And you could absolutely make parts of it public (especially if you have other witchy friends who might want to journal along with you!), but I think there is something special about having words that are only for yourself, and journaling often fits that need.

So no matter how you do it, journaling can be a main part of your practice, not simply a way you make note of the other things you do.  Find new ways to entwine your practice and your journal, and you might be surprised at how robust a journaling practice feels!