Good morning, good afternoon, good evening. Today is snowy, a perfect day to curl up and do some magic. I set up a blanket on my desk so that my familiar-in-training Bela can hang out with me (he's very pleased with this arrangement, and he was enthralled with my selenite). The general energy of the world is a gentle push to slow and rest. I was reading a blog post on Astrology Café, and for my Sun, Moon, and Rising signs it was exactly in line with what I've been feeling; disjointed, emotional, tired. A little bit inspired, but nothing overly constructive.
I've been exercising kindness and compassion towards myself. Since university (about a decade ago), I've found the winter to be a difficult time. Then again, no wonder it is! No wonder so many of us struggle with the short days, and find ourselves exhausted. I saw this Instagram post recently, and I couldn't put it better myself. We are animals, and yet we're the only animals that try to take on more during winter, despite our bodies craving rest. I'm reminding myself of this daily. I'm tired, and I'm uninspired. I don't need to fight that. Yes, I still need to work. But maybe it's not a bad thing if I only work while it is light out. Maybe it's okay that I only work for three hours a day, and spend the rest of the time making our home into a cozy nest. I'm grateful to be in a position where I can choose how much I work, or where in my home I work. I still have deadlines, but I have flexibility.
If you're in a position where you have to leave the house to work, or you're on someone else's schedule, do what you can to reclaim your rest and what you can do to honour yourself. You are allowed to say NO. You are allowed to set boundaries. You are allowed to get home and go right to bed. The more responsibilities you have in your life, the more challenging this can become. But you do deserve rest. Why should you be the one carrying the world on your shoulders? Why should everything be your responsibility? Why can't you take an hour to yourself to get what you need?
Plus, getting rest doesn't mean being alone. Solitude can be a vital part of rest for some of us, but sometimes embracing rest can involve others. You don't need to completely separate yourself if you can't, or don't want to. A lot of self-care recommendations involve solitude, but self-care isn't synonymous with isolation or aloneness. We are social animals, as much as we are animals who need rest during these shorter days.
Today's card is the Page of Cups. Normally I would include a photo of said card here (ish) but I left my phone in the kitchen, and I'm not interested in just posting an image from the internet. I've been trying to use my phone less (other than playing this numbers game I enjoy, though I should just get a pencil and play through the Sudoku book I got at the dollar store). Boundaries, my darlings. Boundaries should be applied to our digital worlds, too.
Page of Cups isn't about boundaries, but it's really in line with what I was seeing on Astrology Cafe. The Moon is waxing in Capricorn, on the tail end of that New Moon energy. There's still some residual energy from the eclipse in Sagittarius (a.k.a. amped-up energy, that could certainly contribute to any tiredness or unsettled feelings). Page of Cups is here to remind us to slow down and relax. They're also here to encourage us to get spiritual, but not engage. This means that we should study, read, and learn about spiritual things that interest us, but we shouldn't necessarily practice them. Take this time to become a student, and soak up wisdom in gentle ways. Listen to podcasts about spiritual/witchy topics that speak to you. Watch movies and listen to music that connects with your spiritual soul. Get inspired, but soak up that inspiration. Imagine yourself as a reservoir. Now is a time to fill yourself up. Take notes, journal, sketch things out. But really focus on absorbing and gaining inspiration that you can use later when you have more energy. This Page of Cups is here to remind you that sometimes pushing through a block isn't the answer, because it might be draining you more than anything. So instead, get inspired, and get excited, so that on the days you're feeling energetic and rejuvenated, you can draw from this reservoir and tear through that block as if it's made of tissue paper. You might not be feeling blocked at all, which is great. But still, just use this as an opportunity to step back. Consider this: in the winter, animals start to store food for the winter so that they can survive, safe and sound in their homes. What do you need to store and preserve to help make your winter easier?
I've been in a bit of my own creative block, and again, I'm trying to be patient with myself. I'm choosing to do things that will benefit me for when I have inspiration again. I've been trying to push through my block, but it's feeling like a losing battle. I've been fighting against the things that just aren't working for me, instead of reframing and adjusting. I've made a conscious decision to put my Big Secret Project aside for a few days so that I can create a space and a mindset that works.
Some things I've been enjoying, that feel like the perfect things to engage with while snow falls outside:
-Head Above Water by Avril Lavigne (I've been listening to a shocking amount of Avril Lavigne. And you know what? It makes me happy)
-The film Legend, directed by Ridley Scott. My husband and I watched the theatrical version, and now we're really excited to watch the director's cut (which has an extra hour). Legend is so magical and so intense, and when it was over I just wanted to watch it again.
-I've been playing Skyrim. A lot. It's my favourite winter game. During the Winter I get really into fantasy. I find myself wanting to watch Lord of the Rings, read and watch Harry Potter books and movies, and get cozy watching people and creatures go on amazing adventures. I play Skyrim a lot, and my husband downloaded a lot (A LOT) of mods, which is new territory, and it feels like a brand new game. Plus, it looks incredible. It's fun to play a favourite game with these fan-made pieces that make it feel like something completely different.
-baking (including making vegan versions of favourite Christmas dainties)
-making mulled apple cider
-getting wrapped up in blankets
-starting my day by making Welsh cakes, or muffins
-burning candles
-listening to a terrible, but really fun, playlist I made. It's mostly early 2000s pop music. You know, the kind of stuff I'm embarrassed to like, but it's the exact kind of fun music I can dance and sing to, and I feel like it increases my serotonin just a little bit.
What's Going On This Week
I currently have some reading and commissions available on my website, and they'll be available until December 8th (two more days).
Inner Witch Yule Portrait: my signature Inner Witch portraits, but with the added charm of being Yule-themed. These portraits will have some witchy and wintery details, and I'm excited to draw all of them.
Tarot With The Spirits: Tarot with the Spirits is a special offering that combines the art of tarot and psychic spirit channelling to create a one-of-a-kind experience, and provide you with a special interaction with the Spirits who surround you. Your reading is a handwritten letter, mailed to you.
The Stars and Your Card: Find out what your card of the year will be for 2022, and what that means for you based on your astrology chart.
To those of you who have already booked a reading or a portrait, I'm really looking forward to making this magic for you. Readings will be going out this week.