With the river running swiftly over the rocks I sunk deep into the energy to wash away limiting beliefs allowing fresh thoughts, ideas and inspiration to flow through into my space. Time spent in nature it something that I cherish Listening to bird song Sitting amongst tall trees on a blanket of the softest grass Watching the water run slowly along the river moving towards the rapids Allowing everything in the mundane world melt away while strengthening the connection to my magick Walking within the river, the freezing waters awakening every cell within my body and letting my feet sink deep into the riverbed sand to ground my intention. Connecting to the primal aspect of self. Recognising that all I need is that deep connection of self to wield powerful magick. At night with the full moon shining down from above and the creatures of the night singing their song I sat for hours watching the fire dance the dance of inspiration and creativity. An enriching few days to rejuvenate my spirit and connect with my magick. Blessed Be Niki )O(
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Let me share with you 6 ways you can incorporate your magick to reduce your anxiety.
And of course seeking therapy with a qualified counsellor or psychologist is a proactive way when suffering from anxiety. Combining all of the above can assist you in living a joyous life authentic to your own journey. Blessed Be Niki xx If you would like more information regarding counselling combining magick click here for more information - Work with me Can you feel it? I feel the transition to autumn has come quite swiftly. It has been so hot and humid I’ve been waiting for autumn with bated breath. This week I’ve felt it. I absolutely love this time of year. Perhaps because it is my birth season, I don't know but I feel deeply connected to myself and my magick in autumn. I love that it is still dark when I rise at 6am. That the evenings are cooling as the temperature drops and with that beautiful breeze flowing through my open bedroom window allows me to snuggle under my ever so soft covers having a restful sleep. As autumn settles upon us I turn inward. Reflecting. I question what is it time to let go of and what is not working. I wonder what do I need to release to sustain myself for growth. How can you deepen your connection to autumn and work your magick? Grab a notepad and pen and journal about the following. Where you are now? Where you are heading? Is the direction you want to go in? With either a Yes or No answer to that question determine Is there anything you can let go of that is slowing or hindering your growth? Spend this beautiful time of autumn reflecting and releasing what is no longer needed. Delve deep into your shadow self and do the work that will sustain you. As deciduous tree releases its leaves in autumn to sustain itself for future growth, so must you. If you'd like prompting and assistance in working your Autumn Magick I have a worksheet available to purchase, instant download. Click here for more details
Let's practice self-love this Valentines DaySome historians believe that Valentine’s Day stems from Lupercalia, an ancient pagan festival which was held each year in Rome on 15th February in honour of the god Lupercus. This festival however was not all the love, roses, and chocolates that we experience today, Lupercalia was a festival that was sexually charged with animal slaughter thrown in. The exact origin is not known however the festival can be traced back to the 6th century BC. The festival began with sacrificing goats and a dog in honour of Lupercus, then moving onto feasting, as with most pagan festivals feasting is important. After the feast the men would run around nearly naked whipping women with strips of the hide from the sacrificed goats. Men and women were coupled for the duration of the festival with some falling in love and staying together afterwards. Quite intense… This celebration is certainly different in this modern world which focus on giving gifts of flowers, chocolates and declarations of love however, with that said we can still link it back to our pagans roots. Animal sacrifice is such frightening concept to comprehend, and I am not encouraging you to do so but, unless you are a vegetarian, you will be consuming meat that has ‘sacrificed’ to sustain your life. As you prepare your meal honour the life that was given and to nourishing you. About the whipping, well that’s a person thing between you and your partner. Lupercalia is about ensuring fertility of all that surrounds us and, if you were lucky enough to be partnered with someone you connected with, you may find love which is more in line with the celebration of today’s Valentines Day. This valentine let’s look at the love we have for self, we do not have to wait for others to show us love and shower us with gifts, we can absolutely do that ourselves. * Buy yourself some flowers * Take yourself out for lunch or dinner * Buy yourself a gift * Go get a massage Weave in the energy and magick of self-care and self-love this valentines. Attached is a ritual you may use to enhance your magick. Blessed Be Niki xx
This is a question I recently received on Instagram and I thought it appropriate to share my response in a blog post. What is a quick way to shift from a dark funk to stay positive? To be brutally honest with you, there really isn't a quick way to achieve anything that will be long lasting, it takes creating new habits within your life to sustain change. Let me share with you some small tasks you can begin to include within your day, to work into your daily routine which will begin to limit the 'funks' you fall into and help you in creating a more positive and balanced life. Grounding Spend some time with your feet on the earth, even if it’s just a few minutes a day to begin with. I like to do this of an evening feeling the cool temperature on my feet, especially in the summer months. Let this time on the earth anchor and ground you. On the Full Moon you could lay upon the earth while gazing up at the moon. In the cooler months I like to go on hikes in the forest and sit for a while soaking up the surroundings. Listening to the birds, the running water from the waterfall within the forest and the trees rustling in the wind. Touching the earth, the moss on the ground and the beautiful forest flora. If it is a beautiful cool day I will pack some snacks, take a book and spend as much time there as I can. The longer you spend grounding your energy the better you will feel. Cleansing yourself and your space Lets start with your space. Having a clean and aesthetically pleasing environment can effect your mind in positive ways reducing anxiety and encouraging a peaceful relaxed mood. Tidying your space can create a sense of pride, fulfilment and also increases productivity in keeping your space in this state to continue to encourage these positive feelings. When you have completed tidying your space create and light an incense blend to cleanse and clear it also setting an intention for each room, for example, in your bedroom after creating a sleepy and relaxing environment burn your incense in that space setting the intention of deep relaxing and restful sleep. In your office after tidying and organising the space burn your incense set intentions of concentration, inspiration, productivity etc. Moving onto cleansing of self you could simply stand out in the breeze letting the wind caress your skin and cleanse your energy. When you shower hold the intention that the water is moving down over your body washing away that which does not serve you and is filling your cup with beautiful gentle supportive energy. You could incorporate the cleansing of self into your daily life, and the cleansing of you space could be incorporate within your weekly routine. Journaling If you have things on your mind write them down, get it out and release it onto the page. We know how cathartic it can be to discuss our concerns with a trusted friend or counsellor but we do not always have access to do this or, you may not feel comfortable to do so therefore a great opportunity to release these feelings is by journaling. Incorporating your magick into this is a wonderful way to release what is on your mind to lesson the weight you feel. When you are journaling you may wish to light a candle to inspire and stir up the fire within to assist in releasing what is on your mind out onto the paper. Burn some incense to assist your connection with the element of air enhancing clarity and cleansing through the journaling process. You may wish to journal on loose paper and when you've finished move the paper through the incense smoke then burn the paper using the flame from the candle. There we have a few simple ways to start with releasing the funk that sneaks upon us from time to time but know that it takes time and energy to implement change within your life so try to incorporate these changes within your usual daily or weekly routine. If you feel you need more assistance you may consider booking a counselling / consult appointment with me. Click here for more details on working with me. Blessed Be Niki xx I have received a question for my podcast about how to start your journey into creating a magickal life. As I am still working on all the technical stuff to start my podcast I thought I would write a blog post to start to answer this question. It can be so overwhelming with all the magickal things that you can include within your life, especially if you are scrolling through Instagram seeing all the aesthetically pleasing photos of people working their magick. I am not saying that in a negative way towards the people that share their practice, I like the aesthetic vibe, I keep my Instagram page the same but know, it does not always look like that, is not always elaborate. So what can you do to begin? I would suggest to start with simply acknowledging the moons phases, I will address recognising and connecting to the movement of the seasons in another blog post. Lets start with the moon phases* On the Full Moon just step outside for a moment and let the moonbeams shine down on you and fill your body. Just let the magick flow, you will feel it. If you have any worries or concerns voice them or think of them and release them into the night asking the moons energy to support you and think of 5 things you are grateful for. I love to sit outside on my front veranda of an evening and let the ambience of the night fill me working my simple yet powerful magick.
* On the Dark Moon pull some tarot / oracle asking your Ancestors for guidance. Analyse what you've been dreaming lately to divine and guidance. You may also want to add some tea leaf readings or use the pendulum, whatever you feel comfortable in doing. * On the New Moon spend some time journaling on what you would like to achieve. Don't think about the how, just note down what it is you want to achieve. Include as much detail as you want. I have a special notebook for this that sits upon my altar that I add things to. Last new moon I added 'a veranda with a roof' so I could sit out when it is raining. I love to watch the rain and on a summer night it is magickal to be outside watching it. I also added 'a bath that I can lay in'. Being tall, that is always an obstacle for me. Side note: In saying these, I do not want to move house right now, I love where I live but I have dreams of owning a property and building a home so I am beginning my wish list for that time. These are simple tasks that are totally doable within each of the moons phases and may take only 20 mins each time. That's 1 hour a month, you can totally do that right! If you are wanting to create a magickal routine, it is important to make time for these simple magickal practices and as you move through the phases you may begin to add more and more to your magick throughout the moons phase such as burning incense blends, creating bath blends, creating rituals and working with the energy in between with the waxing and waning phases. I encourage you to start today, start now. Figure out the dates for the moons phases and add them to your calendar. If you are busy and do not often check your calendar, set reminders within your phone, we've always got that with us. You've really no excuse not to do this. To know when the dates of the moons phases, I shared a free downloadable poster in my last blog post. Click here for easy access. If you are interested I have worksheets available to assist you working magick throughout the moons phases, click here to view. If you do feel you would like assistance in creating magick within your life or would like advise on how to work through a specific subject click here for more information about working with me. When I have my podcast up and running I will answer this question in more details. I am a better talker than I am a writer. lol Blessed Be Niki )O( Moving into 2024, as well as other changes you've probably decided to weave into your life I do hope you've also committed to weaving magick within your life while also working on your mental health. It is an important yet often forgotten tool to assist us in moving forward within our life with confidence, strength and passion. A simple way to begin working your magick is to connect with the phases of the moon and using the energy of the time. I have a free e-book available when you sign up to my mailing list. Click here to do so. When planning my magick, workshops and general work and life events I like to have a quick reference for the dates on the moons phases hanging within my office. Creating pretty things is a passion of mine, so I spent some time creating a beautiful Moon Calendar for the coming year as well as the sabbat dates. I through I would gift it to you so you may print it and hang within on your office, altar space, kitchen etc so you may also have a quick reference for the dates to weave magick into your life.
I sincerely hope you will be able to make time to see the magick within your life. To tap into it, weave it through your everyday to create change.
May your 2024 be wonderful and magickal I have a feeling this will be a wonderful year for many. Niki xx For those of us that live in the southern hemisphere summer solstice, also known as Litha, is just around the corner. Summer solstice signifies the longest day of the year where the sun is in the height of its power and from this point on will be within its waning phase as the days grow shorter. The wheel turning, moving towards the dark half of the year. At this time of year many of us can get so distracted with the Christmas preparations (for those that celebrate), work and family commitments that solstice sometimes is forgotten within the chaos and passes without recognition. Here I would like to share with you some wonderful and simple ways to celebrate summer solstice and weave its magick within your life. For those of you that wish to deepen your connect I’ve created a Summer Solstice Grimoire / Worksheet that may assist your magick. It is under $10 and is an instant download of 40 pages of magick. Click here for more details - www.etsy.com/au/listing/1611207880/ Relaxing Bath This beautiful Sunflower and Lavender happiness bath is a wonderful way to relax, rejuvenate and cool down on a hot summers day. Sunflowers are just like a ray of sunshine, you can purchase yourself some and place them upon your altar. When they begin to wilt collect the petals and place them within a bath along with lavender flowers to promote relaxation and happiness. If it is a hot day make a tepid bath to cool yourself and your mind. Connection to the earth Spend time connecting to the earth. Get your shoes off and plant your feet upon the ground. Feel the earths energy beneath you. Visualise roots growing from your feet moving down deep into our Mother Earth connecting to her grounding energy, that which stabilises and sustains us. Protective Boundary Summer Solstice is the perfect time to capture and work with the strong energy of fire. Carry a lit candle around the boundary of your property visualising a sphere of light forming, its power emanating from the candles flame. This will create a barrier of protection for all that dwell within your home. Gratitude Spend ten minutes each evening before you go to sleep to think of your day and write a list of a few things you are grateful for that happened throughout that day. Really feel the gratitude and joy that you have experienced, allow it to fill every cell within your body. What a beautiful way to end your day before you drift off to sleep. I hope you are able to schedule some time to celebrate the summer solstice.
If I can leave you with any words of wisdom it is that it is so very important to carve out time within your busy life to connect to our seasonal celebrations, our moons phases, to the ebb and flow of our mother goddesses energy. Her cycles reflects those within us. You will absolutely notice the difference within your magick and also mental health when you take this time to stop, ground, centre and connect. Blessed Be Niki Homemade Washing Liquid with a little bit of magick. (Which is also better for the environment and very low cost) Here I will share with you a little magick within the mundane. Know that when it is noted to stir the mixture, I’m stirring in a banishing direction (clockwise in the southern hemisphere and opposite in the northern) while holding the intention of infusing the potion with the power to cleanse and clear both the mundane dirt and grime as well as the magickal icky energy that may have weaved itself within the cloth. Ingredients to make approx. 10 litres - 1.5 litres water. - Half a cup washing soda. - Half a cup grated washing soap or soap flakes - Half cup of borax (I usually don’t add this this) Into a medium sized saucepan add the water and the soap on low to medium heat. Stir until the soap is completely dissolved then add the washing soda and the borax if you are using it. Stir until thickened and remove from heat. I then pour a bit of this mixture into each of the bottles (5 old 2 litre milk container bottles) then fill them to just over 3/4 full with warm water. I place the lids on and leave on the bench to cool. The laundry liquid will thicken up as it cools and often separates so I shake the bottles quite a few times during the cooling process. I use about a quarter to half a cup of the mixture per load, depending on how dirty the clothing is. And there you are. A little bit of magick in the mundane. Weaving magick into making your own washing liquid which, as mentioned, is also better for the environment and very low cost. Blessed Be Niki )O( For as long as I can remember I have kept the shells from the eggs that I use throughout the year and each spring I create a boundary around my home. Note: please ensure you wash the shell immediately after use and let them dry before putting them into a jar otherwise you will have a smelly disgusting mess that cannot be used for your magick. I do not recall where I first heard or read this simple protection method, it would have been many many moons ago, however over the years I've come to appreciate its simplicity and what I believe is a wonderful simple reasoning that sits well within me. I use these eggshells to create a boundary around my property. This is a boundary of protection not only against negativity but also protection from things that are not of my best interest. That could be circumstances, opportunities or people that would not be beneficial within my life, and may prevent me moving towards my full potential. Now those circumstances, opportunities or people may not necessarily be 'negative' but by simply entering my life may cause distraction and hinder me from achieving my full potential. Now to understand 'how' it may work I will share with you why it sits so well with me, this little hedge witch.
Think of plant. Some plants you will sprinkle a circle of eggshells around to stop slugs and snails accessing the plant. Now slugs and snails are not negative creatures, they have their purpose within the world, but they are just not beneficial for that particular plant and its growth therefore, the barrier is protecting the plant so it may reach its full potential. Does that make sense? So that is what I do by sprinkling eggshells around my property each year. I am ensuring that I, and everyone under this roof, has the opportunity to reach their full potential protected from possible distractions or obstacles. A time of fullness and abundance Of wonder and gratitude This will be a longer blog post today as before I delve into my topic today, I wanted to share with you something wonderful I experienced yesterday that has meant so much to me. I was sitting outside in my little reading nook amongst my jasmine, and I see something move to my left. As I look, I see something emerging from a cocoon. Something curiously strange. I had no idea what it was emerging but I was so close to it to be able to see every little detail. I immediately grabbed my phone and started recording some of the experience. Click here to be directed to the Instagram reel I shared of it. The creature eventually went back inside of its cocoon, and I was concerned for its safety (we’ve a lot of myna birds that hang around the front of my home that yell at my cats) so I moved it further into the jasmine bush to provide some safety. I came inside and sat within my library space and began to reflect on what I’ve witnessed. Watching a creature emerge from its cocoon, so close to Lughnasadh and also leading up to the full moon, I felt it held great symbology for me at this time and I decided to delve a little deeper into this, which may be guidance from my ancestors, as I’ve seen those types of cocoons before but never known what it was brewing inside. It turns out it’s the Saunders case moth. Their larvae stage can last up to 2 years emerging as a magnificent moth. Also, while in this stage within their cocoon they move about, poking their head out to find food, to move about etc so that’s what the little guy was doing. I had a bit of a laugh to myself as I feel I am reflected within that story and I am sure it was a message from the ancestors. I have been in a similar transition stage for couple of years now. I have been studying to enhance my skills for the business I dream of creating, to assist people to deepen their understand of self, to help create a deeper connection with the earth and its cycles. My studies have been to strengthen my ability to counsel clients through any grief or trauma that may emerge within their work. I have been in a cocoon for years, still moving about the do what I need to do, continue my studies, working full time, adulting, all things like that but I am transforming at the same time. I am soon to emerge from my cocoon, still a little more cooking to do but I am not far off and I am grateful for the process. Let me circle back to what I originally wanted to talk about in this blog post, the Full Moon. On the Full Moon I believe that this is a wonderful time for gratitude, reflection and of course power. I will reflect on what my transformation has taught me to date and what I am yet to achieve making powerful adjustments to move forward. So what will you do this Full Moon? I do have worksheets that are available to help you through working your magick (click here) however, lets go over something simple but powerful you can work on your magick on. Now let’s set the atmosphere. This is no way something you have to do, but to build ambience try sit on the night of the full moon near a window by candlelight letting the soft energy help shift you into altered states to tap into your magick. Reflection, a powerful tool in your magickal tool kit. Reflect on what has happen since the last Full Moon. What are some things that stand out that had happened and reflect on what played has out. How does it affect what you are working on? Did it play out as expected? Would you change anything about the situation (that was in your control)? Would you change your behaviour or reactions? By doing an honest reflection on your magick, achievements, failures and any thing that happen day to day can help to bring light to situations so you may learn from these experiences therefore making changes within your life to help you move forward and align with your purpose or goals. The next thing I will suggest is gratitude. Now this is something that would benefit us to do often however, if you make it a part of your Full Moon magick combing it with the powerful energy within this moons phase, you are communicating to the ancestors your deeply felt gratitude, sending that energy out to align with more and, at the very least, you will begin to recognise more and more things within your life that you can be grateful for filling you will an abundant mindset rather than that of lack. I hope these simple, yet powerful suggestions will help you this Full Moon to connect to its powerful energy and the gentle flow of the phases of the moon. Blessed Be Niki Lughnasadh - 2nd February We are weaving our way through the summer months and although it has been quite a cool and wet summer we are yet to feel its intense heat. As I've mentioned a million times before I am not a fan of summer and the heat that it brings so when Lughnasadh arrives I am reminded that we are in the decent into the cooler months of the year. Lughnasadh is traditionally known as the first of three harvests, a time where we begin to reap all that will sustain us throughout the winter months, both a physical and metaphysical harvest. It is wonderful time to acknowledge what you have achieved since the initial thoughts of your intentions at Winter Solstice and initiated or sewn at the Lammas through to Spring Equinox. I have taken the time to look through my intentions and I have achieved a few things but if I am to be honest, not as much as what I had hoped, it’s been quite a tricky time. But that's OK. I will continue to work towards my goals, maybe tweak some the intentions that I'd previously thought of and with this first harvest I will also create some magick to keep the abundant energy flowing to help sustain me over the winter months. I will be creating a corn husk dolly for protection and to ensure the fertile energy stays with me to assist in my creations and I will also be baking a harvest sheaf decoration as an offering to the ancestors to place upon my altar. I don’t grow corn... Yet !! (note to self - grow some for next year), so this morning I have purchase some to use the husks to create this dolly. I hadn’t thought about it before, however I will make a video when I create my corn husk dolly to show you how to do but in the interim, there are plenty on YouTube to show you. You will see from the photos above, I have taken the husks off my corn, cut each end and flattened them out as much as I can. I will leave them to dry for a couple days before I begin. The other materials I will be using is some string I already have aswell as a little bit of scrap material that I will roll up to create the shape of a head when placing a husk over it. Side note: my magick is becoming more and more simplistic. When I am thinking about my magick and what I will be working on I am reminded of the amount of waste that is created within our everyday lives, even in ritual and magick. So, I always take note of what I will be working with to ensure it is simplistic and produces the least amount of waste. I encourage you to do the same and just work magick with what you have and what you accumulate over the years of your practice. When I complete my corn husk dolly, on the day of Lughnasadh I will place it upon my altar with the intention of assisting me in my life by keeping the creative energy flowing towards my intentions and to protect against what may stand in my way. Finally I will be making a decorative harvest sheaf. I create these each year and I absolutely adore the process. It takes quite some time, it is extremely fiddly but I find it very meditative and gives me time to slow down and infuse the sheaf with gratitude for all that I have and for what I am yet to achieve. After all, this is an offering I leave to the ancestors so what wonderful energy to give them. I have a wonderful baking book that I purchased when I was younger and I came across this recipe. I would say that was about 15 years ago and I have been making it for Lughnasadh since. It is wonderful and as I mentioned very time consuming so I feel such a sense of achievement when it is completed. I usually make a large one as per the recipe however, last year I divided the dough into 3 to create little ones for friends. (the first photo on the left is a little one) I encourage you to try it and if you cannot save the photo from here shoot me an email and I will send you a larger photo or I am sure there will be a recipe on the internet somewhere. (Note to self : create a recipe section within me website). I would also like to add that I do bake it at a lower temperature and for a longer time as I use it for decoration it has to be hard as a rock and have all the moisture cooked out of it so it will not mould. (noted in the 'cook's tips' on the recipe.)
If you choose to create either a corn husk dolly or a decorative sheaf share it on your social media and tag me so I can see your creation. Wishing you a blessed Lughnasadh. Niki Leading up to the stroke of midnight on the 31st December a lot of you may have decided to create change within their lives. Some simple changes that will fit nicely into your life and some major changes that will take some time to manifest. It’s been a couple of weeks now and if you find that those simple changes are not fitting so nicely into your life or those major changes may now see too big from where you are sitting at the moment, it may be beneficial to obtain some guidance from your ancestors for some direction and support. Being the first Dark Moon within the calendar year is this Sunday (22nd January), it is a great time to slip between the worlds to connect with your ancestors, your guides, the gods, whom ever you connect too, to obtain guidance to become clear on how to move forward. So this blog post, I thought I would share with you what I usually on the Dark Moon to tap into the shadows and connect. As I begin to set up my space, which is usually at the dining table or coffee table, I will think on the changes I want to make within my life, visualise how I think that will happen and connect with my ancestors asking them to step forward to share guidance with me. While I am putting the kettle on to boil some water, I choose an oracle or tarot deck I wish to work with and place it on the table and also gather other items which include my tea cup, candles, a pendulum, an incense blend, my worksheet and diary/grimoire. With the kettle boiled I make a pot of tea so I may tap into the art of tasseography, obtaining guidance from the symbols left in my tea cup from the tea leaves. I am very lucky to have a few of my late grandmother’s tea sets so I always use one of those to aid the connection to my ancestors. I place the pot of tea on my table and sit for a moment looking to ensure I have everything I need on hand so I may begin and concentrate on my Dark Moon Magick. With everything in check I pour a cup while thinking of the connection I have with my ancestors again asking them to step forward to share guidance. I place the cup on the saucer to cool and begin to shuffle my cards again, thinking of the connection to my ancestors and what I would like guidance on. I let three cards fall from the deck as I shuffle and as I sip my tea, I look upon the cards as I turn them over one by one letting the image sink in and come alive within my mind to discover and receive guidance. The messages I then note them down on my worksheet, all while sipping my cup of tea. When the card reading is complete, and the tea is all but gone, I transition my concentration over to tasseography. I prepare my cup and while I stare into the cup, almost like in a trance with my eye changing focus, I let the symbology within the leaves tell a story again writing what I have seen within my worksheet. I spend quite some time on the Dark Moon to connect with and obtain guidance from my ancestors as it is so beneficial to my life. When time permits I also sink into meditation to seek guidance and, as it will this month falling on a weekend, I will have that extra time to spend in nature to seek guidance from the nature spirits that are also between the veils at this time. You may not have the time to do it all each Dark Moon, but I do encourage you to do something to connect with your ancestors, they are there waiting for you. You've heard me make reference to worksheetsWithin each of the moons phases I use the worksheets I created to prompt me to be aware of where to focus my energy and to document what I do and achieve throughout the phases. If you would like to utilise these worksheets click here to be directed to my etsy shop.
The wonderful thing is that you purchase once and reprint each Dark Moon to complete and add to your grimoire. It is important to keep notes so you may reflect on the guidance from time to time when you are working your magick so you may track your progress. I sincerely hope you are able to obtain some guidance this Dark Moon to help you on your path. If you do need some assistance click here to jump on over to my website, perhaps a personal session will help you along your way. Beautiful Chamomile A wonderful and gentle herb. I would say that I mostly use Chamomile as a tea to help me wind down just before I go to bed. Sleep is so very important for mental health and I can tell you that if I do not get a good nights sleep my mental health suffers terribly so many moons ago I created a ritual for getting ready for a good nights sleep. Part of that ritual is, after having a lovely warm shower, sitting all comfortable in my my bed reading a book while sipping a lovely cup of chamomile tea. This ritual allows my body relax and slip into a wonderful and rejuvenating sleep. Perhaps if you have not already, you could create a ritual that promotes restful sleep. Working with the Moon It is Dark moon on Thursday. A time to delve into the unknown, the shadows to gain insight and guidance. As we are moving towards the Summer Solstice, a time of significant growth and abundance, I will be consulting with my Ancestors for guidance around how to move forward with my counselling / consulting business and support with creating the changes I would like to make to create a simpler life. What guidance will you be seeking? Sacred Spaces within your home Creating sacred spaces within your home is so important to feel connected to yourself and your magick. I have many sacred areas within my home, I realise I am lucky practically living on my own, that you could almost say that my whole house is a sacred area with little sections within. These sacred areas are always morphing and changing as we move through the seasons, but they are always there. If you are interested, I will share many of the sacred spaces within my home, but today I will share with you photo, it is a corner of my kitchen bench. Within this space I have my kitchen mortar and pestle, my tea strainer, herbs, spices and beautiful plants. When I am cooking I light the candle to inspire and energise. When I am cleaning up after a meal I also light incense to cleanse the space. It is functional and also very aesthetically pleasing to look upon it. It is an absolutely beautiful area to gaze upon and work my magick. Do you have a sacred area within your kitchen space? Spring gently flowed into my home this year. The warmth and light seeped in through the cracks of the windows and doors that had been closed so tightly throughout winter. I spent this equinox gently moving through my home cleansing, clearing and making plans for the changes I wish to make. I filled my altar with wonderful flowers and new candles to welcome and honour spring. This wonderful and gentle spring energy filled me with inspiration and it is a welcomed change for many. This winter has certainly been a dark, cold and wet one both physically and mentally and with spring coming forth there is a new energy of inspiration, acceptance and contentment. To celebrate this spring I decided to work with the beautiful, powerful yet gentle energy of lavender. I created some beautiful lavender lemonade and it was absolutely delicious. I will say though that perhaps next time I may not add the water at the end. I may keep it as the initial syrup and add that to sparling water instead. However, following is the recipe so you may create it yourself to use the power of lavender in your equinox magick. What a wonderful beverage for the coming Beltane. Note: It is important to obtain food grade lavender that may be used for culinary purposes, I purchased mine from Mudbrick Herb Cottage. When you have finished the initial syrup you may also want to taste a little to determine if you have to adjust the sugar or lemon juice content to seek the perfect balance of sweet to compliment the sharp taste of the lemon. To make the syrup you will need:
Within a heat proof container place the lavender and sugar. Rub the lavender into the sugar to gently release the scent. Do this for a few minutes. Pour the two cups of boiling water over the mixture of lavender and sugar stirring until all the sugar has melted. Cover and let the mixture infuse for at least 30 minutes. When ready strain the syrup and pour into a pitcher adding the lemon juice. At this point, you may keep as is and add to sparkling water to taste for a refreshing sparking drink or you may continue on by adding the 2 cups of cold water. Either way place the mixture in a jug in the fridge to cool. It is absolutely delicious and refreshing and I will continue to create this over the warmer months, perhaps even adding a dash of Vodka when it calls for it. I also created some beautiful lavender sugar, it is so simple to make. All you need is 1 tablespoon culinary dried lavender and 2 cups of sugar. Place the dried lavender in a food processor and blend it for approx 20 seconds to chop it into smaller pieces then place 1 cup of the sugar to the processor and do the same until the lavender is finely ground and mixed with the sugar. Pour the blended ingredients into a bowl and mix in the remaining sugar, ensuring that the lavender is thoroughly dispersed. Now all you need to do is transfer the sugar into air tight containers. That's it! So wonderfully simple. Use this beautiful mixture in your tea, when cooking etc. Lately I have been adding a little of this magickal sugar into my bread mixture to add some of the beautiful magick of lavender to my cooking. You do not taste it in the bread but I believe that the energy is there. Hmmm.... I may try lavender bread next.... with honey!! Click here for to watch my Instagram Reel making the sugar I do hope this has inspired you, if you haven't used made these before, to create something new to connect with the flow and newness of spring. My equinox was simple, gentle and inspiring. I am feeling very content with this fresh energy wafting through my home and I hope you are feeling the same. Wishing you a belated and amazing spring equinox and that you continue to work you magick over the coming weeks to welcome the energy. Much Love Niki As the weeks inch away from Winter Solstice you may notice that the sun is staying out that little bit more each day, showing us it’s strength and resilience throughout the dark time of the year. This is notion is what I connect with at this time of the year. Strength and ResilienceAt winter solstice I work my magick on releasing what I no longer need within my life. This is usually releasing limiting thoughts and self sabotaging behaviours that creates blockages and stops me achieving what I want to achieve. I work my magick on leaving it behind within the darkness, letting it die off and decay. Allowing that decay to fertilise and nourishing what I want to bring my life. When releasing the past I find it is very important to acknowledge what I have learned and give thanks for those lessons. Doing this can certainly be a hard task, but it is an important part of the process as I wouldn't be who I am today without those lessons. So with my list written and acknowledgements given I burn the list within the solstice fire. For a week or so after solstice I keep a note book close and write down what I want to attract into my life. It is nothing too detailed, just jotting down what I wish to achieve when the thought enters my mind. After that time, still between solstice and Imbolc, I allocate time to myself so I may focus on that list without distraction and begin to discover what it is I really want to achieve. I let the increasing energy of the sun shine its light and energy on this and begin to make plans on how I will in fact achieve this. We are now very close to Imbolc and although I do not have all my plans figured out I begin to take action. Both physically and magically so let me share this with you to inspire you to do the same. At this time of year, I will plant my seeds to encourage growth. What do I mean by planting my seeds? I will visualise what it may look like when I have achieved my goals and begin to make plans on how I can work towards achieving them by creating an action plan. This can be as simple as a daily, weekly or monthly to do list. I must express the importance of when creating plans for change, please make sure that when you begin these actions and changes of habits are achievable steps. You do not want to sabotage yourself or your progress before you have even started. These small actionable steps are 'seeds' that I am planting to grow my future. I will begin making those little changes one by one, creating new habits. Now, to correspond with that I will also be planting actual seeds to grow plants that I want within my garden. When planted, these little seeds will wake from their slumber and begin to germinate beneath the soil. With love and nourishment they will grow in strength with their roots growing deep within the soil. Here, I would like to point out that this magickal transformation of the seed beneath the soil is hidden from me. I do not actually see, I just know that it is happening and may not see any results of this transformation for weeks. These seedlings are a psychical representation of the changes I am wanting to work within my life. I will move through and make the small actionable changes within my life to achieve what I want and within the first few weeks, I may not recognise anything manifesting from these changes. Why? Because it is all happening within myself, in the depths of my being, in my mind and also in the realm of my magick that is not always visible. When you are making little changes within yourself and your life and when those changes become a habit, make another change. After a few weeks or months of taking those actionable steps, you will begin to see results, however small they are just as the growth of the seed breaking through the top of the soil reaching towards the energy of the sun. So as we move towards Imbolc I encourage you to connect with the energy, to work your magick and put plans into place to make those changes that you have wanted. Your magick will be enhanced at this time as we are moving in the flow of the waxing time of the year as the suns energy increases. You may also want to choose seeds for plants that have energetic correspondences with the changes you wish to make. For example: If you are wanting to make changes to bring harmony and health into your life, you may wish to plant seeds for lavender or chamomile. If you are wanting to take a leap and make create some long term goals, you may want to plant seeds for courage such as Yarrow, or Sage for wisdom when making decisions. Or if you just wish to slow down and connect deeper with nature you could simply plant seeds for plants that call to you and that you could use within your life, ones that have beautiful flowers or aromas that you can sit and appreciate while watching the bees collect its pollen. I encourage you to take some time, plant your seeds and attend to your magick. Niki xx Sometimes it can be so hard to really understand the guidance you are receiving from your Ancestors. It can seem so cryptic, as if it has come out of nowhere. But has it? My question to you is Do you keep a record of the guidance you receive over previous dark moon periods? When you do a reading for yourself the cards usually tell a story but, have you ever thought that over the many Dark Moons that you have connected with your Ancestors that they may be telling an even bigger story? For example, this coming Dark Moon you may receive some guidance that seems to come out of nowhere and is quite cryptic, but perhaps it's just the next paragraph in a bigger story from previous guidance and your Ancestors have just picked up the story where they left off, rather than repeating themselves with what they have already told you. This is the exact reason I recommend that you write down all of the guidance received by your Ancestors so you may refer back to it for clarity when you receive guidance that does not seem to make any sense, to see where it fits into the bigger story. The Dark Moon will be upon us soon and with so many of us struggling with the current state of affairs within the world, not knowing what to do with our lives, how to make the changes we need to make, where to start or how to move forward it is a great opportunity to connect and receive the much needed guidance. So begin your Ancestor story Seek guidance from them, and if needed do some more research on what is being shown to you, write it all down so you can refer to it in the future if needed. For the next two weeks (until 17th Sept) I have created a discount code for 15% off my worksheets to assist you with your magick. Code is: SEPTANCESTERS Or simply click here - photos below of the different worksheets for the moon phases I hope you are all well at this time and are making self care a priority within your life. Blessed Be Niki xx We are in such difficult times at the moment with the lockdowns and restrictions due to the current pandemic. Many of us are struggling with our mental health and how to cope through this lockdown, how to cope with the unrest within our community with people who agree with vaccination and those that do not agree fighting with each other all while we are worrying about what the world will look like when this is all over, however long that takes. It is quite a weight on our minds. We are all struggling in one way or another with limited ability to be able to do what we would usually do to help ourselves navigate through this time. With the shops locked down we are unable to purchase supplies on the spare of the moment for creative projects or books to read. This all have to be purchased online and we wait the delivery which is also being held up. We are unable to go and sit in a café watching the world go by. Some of us are unable to even travel more than 5km's from our home. So here are time magick and mundane things that you can do to create to help. Soak in a beautiful cleansing bathRun yourself a bath and create these bath salts. Blend some two parts Epsom salts with one part bicarb soda Mental and Physical Clearing One cup of the Epson salt and bicarb salt mixture One teaspoon of Lavender One few drops of Frankincense Oil One teaspoon of Sandalwood One teaspoon of Jasmine To aid in removing your mind of negative thoughts and feelings. One cup of the Epson salt and bicarb salt mixture 1 drops of Frankincense 1 drops of Sandalwood 1 drops of Jasmine 1 teaspoon of Jasmine Flowers 1 drops of Neroli 1 drops of Ylang Ylang 1 drops of Ginger 1 drops of Rose 1 teaspoon of Rose Petals Release your worries with fireGet a pen and paper and sit in quiet place. Have a candle ready and a heat proof container Light your candle Ground yourself and take a deep breath Now write down on the piece of paper all the worries that are floating around in your mind. Write down what is troubling you, your fears and your concerns. Feel the energy of those thoughts moving into the words that are on the paper. Now hold the paper to the flame and feel them leaving you are the paper ignites. Place the burning paper within the heatproof bowl watching it turn to ash. Now, on another piece of paper write down your hopes and dreams. Write down how you can use this time in a positive manner. What can you do to work towards your dreams, for example learning a craft, reading and investigating an interest you’ve had, delve into your ancestry, start growing your own herbs etc. Almost like a to do list. Hold onto this piece of paper and when you are feeling hopeless and worried about the future, look to the paper you have created and do something to work towards what you hace written. Have a picnic in your backyardMy favourite café is down the road from my house and you can phone in an order and pick it up. Maybe your café is even offered on a delivery service. Why not set up a picnic area in your backyard. This was me all set up waiting for my food to arrive. Grab a picnic rug or blanket, some beautiful pillows, incense burning, your favourite book, a journal, your grimoire, some relaxing music or whatever else makes you feel relaxed. Get your favourite takeaway lunch and spend some time soaking up the vitamin D and warmth from the sun. Let it fill you. You could even set this up at a certain time with friends and they could create the picnic within their yards and you could video call together. These are some simple things that you can do to bring about some magick and some kind of normality into your life. Giveaway I have made some of the Mental and Physical Healing bath salts for myself and I have some left over, I would love to gift some to two of you. If you would like some, share this blog post on your social media and tag me. I will contact the lucky two for your postal address to send some magick your way. Blessed Be Niki New Moon is the perfect time to begin to make changes within your life. It is the beginning of the new lunar cycle. A time of fresh starts, new opportunities and renewed energy. We are experiencing such a trying time at the moment with the pandemic and many of us are are being forced to make changes in our life with the loss of jobs, lockdown etc. Some of these changes are welcomed and some no so. I lost my job a few months ago, and now studying full time and building my business. A forced change, a hard one financially but one I am thankful for. I continue to work through the phases of the moon to anchor my dreams and increase the energy of my magick. You may also harness the strength of the moons phases to take some control and make the changes you would like to make within your life. Here, I would like to remind you to keep in mind that when you are working magick, it may not manifest immediately. These things can certainly take time to manifest and it is also important to take action. There is really no use working your magick and and then just sitting back and wait for it to happen. It you want it to manifest you have to put in the work. It is about the energy you put into your magick, the work you do within the mundane and of course I believe timing contributes as well. So how can you work your magick this New Moon. Firstly, find a space where you will not be interrupted, light a candle, burn some incense while grounding yourself to begin. Sit and take a moment to think of the changes that you wish to make within your life whatever it may be. Whether it be creating a new business, becoming healthier in your body and mind to change your diet and exercise, creating new healthy routines etc. Sink into a meditative state and focus on what you are wanting to bring into your life, visualising the steps you could take and the outcome. Take note of what it feels like when manifested. See yourself living as if you have already made the changes. Ask your ancestors to share some guidance with you on steps you may take to get there. When you are ready, open your eyes and write down what you saw, the outcome, any ideas that popped into your mind, the steps you may have taken. Write the big picture and also note the feelings experienced. Once you have written down what you have seen, create an action plan by breaking your vision down into smaller pieces, into steps that are needed to get to that stage. You may need to repeat this stage with each step, as you need to get an action plan that has 'doable' steps. You want these steps to be easily woven into your daily life to avoid feeling overwhelmed. This is important to be able to maintain the changes to works towards your dreams and to avoid things to feel overwhelming and unattainable. For example, a) My dream is to have a counselling office/shop showroom/ritual space/workshop area all rolled into one to run my business from. Now this would be a huge outlay to lease a commercial premises and I know that I cannot do that at this time, however I have created that within my home by being imaginative with room arrangements. And, to add to that we are in lockdown at the moment so one on one is impossible therefore I am taking my time to create the space so it is perfect. I am currently waiting on a delivery of jars so I may reorganise my herb collection (I am so excited for this). I am making changes to keep the flow and energy fresh for when I am able to take one on one appointments again, hold workshops etc. b) I need to create more of a presence on social media to get the word out on the work I am doing, the services I am offering and the products I create to sell. So I am creating lists of content I can create, mostly for educational purposes through pictures, videos etc. I cannot click my fingers and have it all done now but I have a list that I can go down making them when time permits. My suggestion is to start with small steps from your action plan, and as they meld into your everyday life, add more steps. Continue this through to waxing phase of the moon as the energy builds. Keep note of how the changes are working and how you feel. Again, your magick may take time, especially if it is altering habits that you have had over a long period of time and as we all know, habits do not change overnight. I would love you to share with me what magick you are working this new moon. Don't forget to tag me in your social media posts so I can see. If you need help on how to work your magick, I do have worksheets available in my shop that are certainly a great way to keep track of your magick, and I also offer consults if you would prefer one on one support. Blessed Be Niki XX The Dark Moon is the time within the moons cycle when it is not visible in the sky above us. This is a time of transition, the completion of the waning moons cycle into the darkness moving towards its rebirth. It is a time between life and death or more appropriate, death and rebirth. A time within the shadows allowing you to also walk within the shadows, between the veils to connect with your ancestors and the gods. It is a time to go within, to retreat from the world. To uncover secrets that lie within ourselves, of delving into your shadow self to find what needs rebirthing. It is a time that you can spend using your divination tools to obtain guidance from your Ancestors for support to move forward. Here are some ways in which you can create your magick at the dark moon and deepen your connection with your ancestors. * If you have a family recipe that has been passed down through the generations cook that meal for your family in honour of your ancestors and if not, simply cook one of your ancestors favourite meals in their honour, don't forget to leave a plate for them. * Create an altar in honour of your ancestors. * Burn some dark moon incense to prepare your space for divination. * Use your Tarot or Oracle cards to obtain guidance from your ancestors. * Make yourself a lovely cup of tea then divine the leaves left within the cup. * Meditate asking for your ancestors to visit you to share their wisdom with you. Be sure to write down the guidance you received from your ancestors so you do not forget and you may keep track of the guidance when planning your movements for your magick. You may write those in a note book, your book of shadows or I also have worksheets available that will help and prompt you for your dark moon magick. As always, I would love to hear about your experiences with your dark moon magick. Tag be in your photos on Instagram & Facebook. #nikiwyld Niki XX Imbolc in the southern hemisphere is celebrated on the 1st August. Winter solstice has passed yet we are still within its grips. It is cold, wet and windy and we are dreaming of warmer weather as we catch as many moments as possible in the warmth of the sun. It seems so long ago that we felt that hint of warmth within the breeze but as the sun is growing in strength we hold the hope of the spring to come. In times past this is the time when the winter stores were running low so there was an element of anticipation of the coming spring with also a protective energy to hold safe what you had left to feed your family / community. Imbolc is a beautiful celebration of the anticipation of spring and is usually attributed to the Celtic goddess Brigid. Amongst many of the energies attributed to Brigid healing is one of them and at this time, with the pandemic still surrounding us with the energy of fear and I, living in an area that is in lockdown, certainly welcome Brigid’s healing energies at this time. As usual in the winter months I move my lounge room around so that my lounge is by the northern window that has the sun shining through all day, the perfect space to soak up the sun in winter and at this time work my magick and sink into the suns healing rays to seek guidance from Brigid on what I must heal move forward and grow from strength to strength this spring. I can already hear her whispers…. Foundations…. I must heal to build my foundations strong. There has been major shift for me this year, and having recently lost my job and being forced to immediately shift my study from part time to full time (which I welcomed) for financial support while I look for part time work has been quite a worrying time to know how I will survive financially (as I write this I recognise the connection to the times past when there was attention on the winter stores lasting until the spring, the thought of surviving). I have to acknowledge that I am so lucky that my son is still living at home so he can contribute more to the household in the interim. However at this time with lockdowns etc, job vacancies are very low and those positions that are available are receiving literally over one hundred applications so the chances are very slim at present. So I must throw myself into my Diploma and also concentrate on building my business creating content, making items for my etsy store and working on my way through the Diploma so I may offer counselling aswell as consults for weaving magick into your life. So Brigid whispering that I must heal to build my foundations makes total sense to me. We will be in lockdown at Imbolc, therefore there will not be any coven celebrations. I am missing them terribly however I will not be completely solitary with my son and his girlfriend also here in lockdown with me. This is how I will be spending my Imbolc Garden Preparations I will be beginning with my spring planting preparations. I will be getting my greenhouse ready and going through my seeds to see what I will be planting. This year I will also be planting a small vegetable garden as at the moment I have the time to maintain it. Soup and Bread I will be making some Pumpkin Soup (a staple since Samhain) and I also will be trying my hand at baking some braided bread in honour of Brigid on Lammas Night. Not sure that they will turn out like this, but it is the magick and intention held while making it that counts. Healing Bath I will be sinking into a beautiful bath with Epsom salts with the herbs Rosemary, Chamomile and Lavender. This healing blend will relax and purify my body and mind of the winter blues that seem to hang around at this time of year. Brigid’s Cross / Corn Dolly I would usually make a corn dolly or a Brigid’s cross however everything is closed where I would usually purchase my supplies however, I do have an idea of soaking some sticks and twigs in water to see how far they will bend, I will let you know how that goes. The photo shown is from the National Museum of Ireland. Click on here to be directed to their page. Note: Within that website Brigid is referred to St Brigid. Imbolc is also know as St Brigid's day. As we know many of the pagan traditions were morphed and melded with the Christian traditions and saints. I know that we are in hard times with what is happening within the the world, but I hope that this Imbolc Brigid can bring you some healing energy to move forward with strength and protection.
Much Love Niki xx I have been reading this book, Initiated, A memoir of a Witch by Amanda Yates Garcia I've had this one on my wish list for while and last week I finally purchased it and I am so glad I did as I am absolutely loving it so far and I am only about a quarter of the way through. The mixture of reality and fantasy, interwoven together to form the story of her life. Some parts devastating and sad, it's an honest look into her life, and some parts I am really connecting with. Within the opening pages of the book a part had already rang true to me and I knew that I would connect with this book and recognise many truths. The part of the book that I have connected with so far is when Amanda was explaining when we are in school we are trying to figure out what path we will follow in our life towards choosing a profession. Amanda writes: It never occurred to me that I could be a witch. That witchcraft could be my profession. And in our world, unless you had a trust fund, you have to have a profession. You have to work. It’s a moral imperative. And by the accounts of virtually every adult in my life, that meant you had to be miserable. Eight hours a day, sometimes more, five days a week, sometimes more, until you retire, sick and exhausted. That was what my elementary school education was training me to do and what the world expected of me. And by the time I’d skidded into my thirties, I’d tried almost every job a young woman could think of, and each one was miserable in its own special way. Yet, through it all, I resisted the imperatives of capitalist patriarchy. My goal was to avoid playing by the rules of a status quo that had actively sought to disempower me, keep me small, and utilize my labour to amass ungoddessly resources for itself. You might say that I wanted to witch the system. But every time I thought I’d found a way to escape, I always seemed to find myself back in the same place: the underworld. It hit a chord close to my heart. I was comforted that I am not the only one who had thought this way. Who believed that their craft can be their career, their profession. I have for many years had my 'side gig' of holding workshops, selling incense etc online while working full time at jobs that make me miserable but now, it is time that I push past my fears and make this my profession. I have big dreams and within the last few months talking to friends I have now recognised how I can move forward with them. Building my profession from my craft, from my knowledge of the Witch's craft. And putting all my fears aside this is what I am doing. I will be creating a membership program packed full of magick that will include access to a Private Facebook group to create a community where you feel comfortable to share your magick and your dreams. I will also be doing live videos weekly within that group to answer your questions to assist with working your magick and to aid you with working through the phases of the moons and sabbats. You will have access to a members only page on my website where you may download new worksheets, booklets, whatever digital products I create for members that will help you to work through and achieve your goals. You could think of it as an online coven. Working your magick within a group to manifest your future. This all will be available as soon as I can figure out the technology of it and set it up. Lol I will also be giving everyone a free trial period so you can dip your feet into the membership and see how it feels. I am beyond excited about this. Also, when the restrictions ease with covid I will be commencing workshops again which I am really looking forward to doing as I do miss them I will be offering consults to help you create your magickal life and after finishing my degree I will also be offering counselling sessions aswell. So these are my plans, and I will be working my magick to manifest, to transform my passion, my side gig into my profession. Witch, Artist and Creator. Lots of Love Niki xox 2020 has closed and it is time to jump into this new year with hope and determination to manifest your dreams I know that things still seem crazy I know shit is weird But you have to do this. You have to take steps to move towards your goals I realise that we are still amidst a pandemic I realise that things are strange at the moment with so many changes and restrictions that are in place around the country But don't let that stop you We must continue to work towards our future, even if it is a little goal to keep your sanity in check, to help you feel like you are doing something productive and are more in control of your surroundings. You cannot allow this strange and uncertain time to dim your light and stop you from taking steps forward towards your goal, achieving your dreams and working your magick. Here I will share with you three things I have done to shift the energy and to help me move into the year with a positive attitude and they could work for you aswell. Cleanse and purify your space I created a lovely incense blend today so I could cleanse and purify my house. As Summer Solstice has passed we have entered the waning part the year, a time to let go and release. I will cleanse my home a few times this month with this blend to get stuff moving and to ensure my space is clear to hold my new intentions. So grab whatever you have on hand be it stick incense or loose incense and move around your home concentrating on cleansing and purifying your space Letting any old and stagnant energy leave the home through your opened windows and doors Write some short term goals Most of us have long term goals, which I believe is an important thing to keep us motivated to move forward rather than sit still and stagnate however, speaking from experience sometimes it can seem that you aren’t getting any closer to achieving those goals, especially when they are goals that may take 5 or 10 year to achieve. So, what do I do? I get my long term goals and break them down into doable short term goals. And, if when I break it down and the doable pieces still seems a little big, I break that down again into smaller actionable goals. By completing smaller goals it is easier to see your progress which in turn adds to the flow and the energy of what you are working towards. Create a new schedule / plan When I am making changes in my life, or when I think I am in need of a change of energy I look to how I spend my time. Much like when you are looking at your diet you may keep a food diary to review, I do something similar with my time. I note down exactly how I am sending my time so I can reflect on the hours that I may waste or the time that I spend procrastinating so I may make the necessary changes to ensure my time is spent productively. Then I create a plan... Let me give you an example of my goal setting and scheduling a plan I have a goal (12 - 24 month plan) on where I want to be turning this side gig of mentoring into my full time income. Now to achieve that, I have broken my long term actionable list up into monthly goals. And, to achieve my monthly goals I have broken it up into weekly actionable lists. Now let me make it clear, I did not sit down and create a weekly plan for the entire 52 weeks of the year. That is way too intense and I think would be inflexible. I created four varied plans. Week A, Week B, Week C & Week D and I will rotate them for what would suit that week. This week, I am on Week A and move onto Week B on Monday and so on for the week after. By doing that, I am not having to waste any time thinking about or figuring out what I have to do. Is all done for me, I just have to work my way through the to-do list using my time productively. This year, I found the perfect diary from Typo and each week it has space where I can set goals noting what is most important to achieve, how I am feeling and a space to share gratitude. So every Sunday evening I sit down for about an hour to go through what I have achieved that week and to plan my next week, to confirm appointments, to determine the best weekly schedule that would suit the time I have available (Week A, B C or D) and of course to make sure that I have time for me aswell. By doing this, creating lists and schedules it helps me to feel relaxed, in control, on track and less anxious of what I need to do next because I don't have to remember (or forget lol) as it is written down, I need only look. It helps to keep my magick surrounding my goals in check, as it is smooth, calm, inspired, excited and in the flow. It is a reminder that there is magick within the mundane. I hope these suggestions help you feel more productive and inspired to reach your goals this year. Much Love Niki What an absolutely lovely time of year. Today is Spring Equinox and the weather has been absolutely beautiful. The sun was out, the birds were singing and now that I am sitting in my studio space to write this it is dark outside and the crickets are singing. As with all of the solstice celebrations, I had taken a few days off my day job to create an extra long weekend off work to take in the energy and celebrate and what a beautiful weekend it has been. I have been able to immerse myself in what is the energy of new beginnings and the reminder of finding the balance within our lives. I will share with you my weekend of magick I went for another hike on Saturday back into the Strickland State Forest with my son. It had rained overnight so although the falls are quite small, there was more water falling than the last time I visited. It was absolutely beautiful and invigorating being immersed in the energy of that place, and an extra cleansing was received when it rained ever so slightly falling through the trees. I was also mesmerized with a tree that is growing out of the top of the waterfall. Its root system literally weaving its way into the cracks and crevices to keep it sturdy. How magnificent nature is. On the way back we walked another path back to the carpark and found ourselves on a cliff face that looked out above the treetops. It was absolutely stunning and I could not get a photo that did the view any justice. That Saturday evening I met with friends at the beach for some equinox magick. A simple little ritual created by a friend to connect with the magick of the sabbat and put our energies and minds within the flow of this fresh spring energy of new beginnings and growth. On Sunday it was a rainy and windy day but I wanted to get out of the house so I packed up everything into my van and went down the beach, set myself up all cosy in the back and studied for a few hours. It was lovely being in my own little world studying with just the sound of the ocean in the background. I am so excited to be able to incorporate what I am learning into my Magickal Consults to assist you in working your magick to manifest your dream life. And of course, once my Diploma is complete, to be able to offer counselling services. On Monday a friend and I went for a drive to find a spring garden to have a picnic, and we didn’t find one.... I had planned to drive to the other side of Sydney to visit a botanical garden with their spring flowers in bloom, but I wasn’t prepared early enough to be able to do so. Disappointed at the garden we did visit (more rainforest and non flowering plants) we drove to a local art gallery to spend time immersed in creations. After doing the covid-19 sign in stuff, we entered the building only to see a sign that read the gallery was closed due to an exhibition change which lead me to think why they didn't mention that before we walked in. But anyway it wasn't a waste, there was a lovely short nature walk next to it we took. So off we went, back into the van and then visited a few nursery’s to get our fill of flowers, spring and bees. That afternoon, I went out into my garden, cut some rosemary and lavender and placed them upon my altar as an offering to the Ancestors and honouring the equinox. I also added the cutest little sunflower I had been given on Saturday evening that was apart of the equinox magick. Then today, the day of the equinox I realxed. Up early as I usually am I sat in my lounge room to read listening to the birds outside and feeling the warm breeze coming in through my windows. It was an absolutely beautiful day. I walked outside, sat in my garden and watched the bees move through the flowers. My lavender has gone crazy. It is big and soooo beautiful. I adore it. I also filled my day by crushing all of my eggshells, I did do a tiny bit of study, attended a lecture for my uni course this evening and then worked my equinox magick. What magick you ask? Well it is very simple and has worked its way into my many little traditions for the sabbat magick I weave. It is something that I have done for many years, longer than I can remember. Throughout the year, I wash and collect all the eggshells that I use within my kitchen. I wash the eggshells, leave them on the windowsill to dry them place them within a big glass jar upon my bench. On the day of the spring equinox, I use my mortar and pestle and bit by bit I crush and grind the eggshells until they are smaller pieces, not quite powder, just tiny little pieces and while doing so I concentrate on my thoughts and energy of the protection that they will create. When it is done, I walk the perimeter of my property scattering the crushed shells along the boundary envisaging the protective barrier that already exists in that space being re-energised, growing brighter and feeling more powerful protecting all within from any shenanigans that may come our way to disrupt our growth and momentum with our plans to manifest what we are working on. And that is it. My simple yet very effective little Spring Equinox tradition. Apart from ensuring that today I took time out to pay attention to the bees within my herb garden, listening to the bird etc that was the magick that I weaved today. Simple, but a hole year in the making with the collection the eggshells knowing that they will be used on the Spring Equinox to work my magick. I hope you all had a beautiful Spring Equinox and I would love you to share with me the magick that you have weaved. Lots of Love Niki xx As I have mentioned before, I am making some big changes within my life to move toward my dreams. A big change that I have made is enrolling into University to complete a Diploma in Counselling to aid and strengthen my consults, workshops etc. I am beyond excited about commencing my studies and OMG they start tomorrow. Things are definitely falling into place. For the last few months I have been on the lookout for a new pendant to wear to honour the changes that I am making within my life, to empower the pendant with my magick and that of my Ancestors to aid me on my journey. On Friday when I was out and about I found the pendant I have been looking for. A simple clear quartz crystal pendant It is beautiful and of the three that I looked at this one called out to me. I sat the pendant on a bed of sage upon my altar not wanting to wear it as yet. This morning, I woke up and decided to go for a hike and immediately knew where I would go knowing that it was the perfect place to cleanse my crystal pendant to empower and wear. It was absolutely beautiful. Divine.... Walking through the forest was so calming and magickal.
Could you imagine living in a little cottage within a forest. Apart from my fear of snakes (which I will definitely have to work on) it is my dream. So walking through to forest, only passing one or two people on my journey I listened to everything that was happening around me. The sound of the birds The waterfall in the distance The rustling within the bushes It was beautiful The energy quite overwhelming Arriving at the waterfall I walked up to a rock beneath it and placed the crystal pendant upon it speaking to my Ancestors and empowering the pendant with our combined magick while the gentle mist from the waterfall fell upon me also. Leaving the pendant on the rock I found a space to sit. Taking in the energy Looking around I swear I saw faces within the trunks of some of the trees. The spirits of the area checking out what I was doing. I sat in the space for about 30 mins until I heard voices in the distance approaching. I returned to the rock and put on my newly energised pendant on my necklace. I left the crystal pendant that I had been wearing for a few years on the rock as an offering of thanks. I cannot tell you the immense magick that I felt. The beauty within the moment. As I was joined by other hikers finding their way to the waterfall I decided it was time to leave the space. Walking along the path, being on my own again I chanted and sang. Weaving my magick Connecting to my Ancestors and the energies that surrounded the space. This will always be a special space for me. Niki xx |
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