Happy New Year and welcome to the second edition of Living Magically

Edition 2 - January 2023

Happy New Year and welcome to the second edition of Living Magically on triplemoon.net

A massive thank you to everyone for taking the time to read the previous version and for being so supportive in commenting and feeding back.

Feel free to subscribe to this monthly offering using the link above and please do get in touch .

Next Full Moon – February 5th @ 6pm – The Snow Moon

The Snow Moon is the Full Moon in February, named after the snow on the ground in the Northern Hemisphere.

Some North American tribes named it the Hunger Moon due to the scarce food sources and hard hunting conditions during mid-winter.

The Wiccan Wheel of the Year

Imbolc – 1st February

Imbolc on February 1, welcomes the first wave of spring . Traditionally it was celebrated with a feast to honour the pagan goddess Brigid.

Brigid represents connection to nature, fertility and the hope of good crops throughout the year. Imbolc also marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox and is celebrated more widely in Ireland than in the UK .

Traditionally, ways to mark Imbolc include :

· Lighting a candle to honour the return on of the sun

· Creating a fire to welcome spring

· Spring cleaning and decluttering

· Identifying and clear emotional baggage

As I have said previously you don’t have to be a practising Wiccan to appreciate the wheel of the year, I think it’s just nice to feel more connected to nature and more mindful of the seasons.

Spring is the perfect time to clear out the old to make way for the new and clearing clutter is a great start to re-energising your space.

You can also do an energy cleanse to remove any energy debris that has built up over time. Once you perform an energy cleanse you will feel an immediate change as the energy of the space lifts and brightens.

Stagnant energy can result from negative emotions, thoughts, occurrences, and any other stress that you have been experiencing. Remember your home is like a sponge and everything is absorbed into the walls, furniture, carpet etc.

Ways to cleanse your environment:

Smudging- Smudging is a way to energetically cleanse a space to may space for positive energy. Burning creates smoke that fills and purifies the environment and as the smoke rises, it carries away stagnant energy .

Burning aromatic herbs and resins is an ancient practice and is found in many cultures and spiritual religions.

Smudging is primarily associated with Indigenous traditions in the United States and involves the burning of white sage.

Sound clearing - The sound of drums, gongs, singing bowls and even clapping hands can help break up negative energy. Start at your front door and move clockwise through the inner perimeter of your home, playing an instrument (or even clapping) toward the walls, until you've made a full loop.

Burning incense is regarded as a vigorous energy cleanser; just light one end of a stick and spread the smoke as you would with your dried herbs.

Salt - Dissolve sea salt in a spray bottle filled with water and mist the air of every room. You can also place a thin line of sea salt in front of your home's entrance or around the perimeter of your property, people also use Himalayan salt lamps for a similar effect.

Herb of the Month – BAY

Bay grows as a tree and is a relatively slow growing plant that does well in pots. It is available all year round and the leaves can be picked all year round, it is also a perfect plant to give someone when they move house. Bay is associated with psychic powers and dried bay leaves can be used to cleanse, protect and bless your home as well as used to increase spiritual and magical connections in ritual.

This protective and purifying herb can be worn as an amulet to ward of negativity and is also used to enhance creativity and inspiration. Placing a bay leaf under a pillow is believed to bring insightful dreams. It is also said that if you write a wish on a bay leaf and bury it, burn it or send it off into the wind, it will come true.

You can also hang a bundle of bay leaves (or a bay wreath) above your door to bring protection to your home as well as carrying a bay leaf with you for personal protection and strength.

February - Cupboard Tops & Magical Spaces (Altar Magic )

In the first edition I introduced the idea of Magical Spaces as opposed to altars and readers have been kind to share their own spaces which are effectively a focal point and a reflection of their magical selves.

Here is a lovely space that has been created with crystals arranged into colour themes together with some wands.

Here is a magical mantelpiece, the owner says “The heart and hearth of our home. The mantelpiece represents our travels, people dear to us, love, light & warmth”

“Simply put, an altar is a physical object or set of objects placed in a purposeful way, and in a purposeful place, that have spiritual significance to you”

Janaury Crystal Picks - Smoky Quartz

The first crystal I ever bought in a shop was a Smoky Quartz ball in 1990, it wasn’t a particularly attractive crystal but from the time I saw it, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I paid for it in instalments and that single purchase marked the beginning of my love affair with crystals .

Over the years I have given away as many crystals as I have owned but this particular crystal is like a companion, it stays with me and I don’t share it with anyone.

I have come to favour Smoky Quartz because of its powerful grounding properties and its ability to diffuse and even absorb negativity. Smoky Quartz is good for anyone who gets weighed down by negative energy or the negative emotions of others.

If you are an empath or a people pleaser who struggles with boundaries or if you just feel like you need a boost this could be a really good crystal option for you to explore.

Creating a Self-Care Plan

In the last Blog I talked about the importance of self-care and how developing a plan can be an effective way to address overwhelm and make us better equipped to handle life's inevitable challenges.

If you have already completed an audit you will be half way to developing your own self-care plan and may find the following steps helpful.

(If you haven’t you can use this link to download the self-care audit https://www.triplemoon.net/about-3)

Assess your needs: Make a list of the different aspects of your life and any activities that you engage in each day.

Consider your stressors: Think about the aspects of these areas that cause stress and consider some ways you might address that stress.

Devise self-care strategies: Think about some activities that you can do that will help you feel better in these areas.

Spending time with friends or developing boundaries, for example, can be a way to build healthy social connections.

When you discover that you're neglecting a certain aspect of your life, create a plan for change.

The right self-care plan for you is the one that meets your individual needs.

Take small steps: You don't have to tackle everything all at once. Identify one small step is the start of caring for yourself better. I have included some examples of self-care plans that I found on-line which I hope will inspire you

Walking with Witches in Mistley

Our local area has a strong association with witch hunting and the self- appointed Mistley based Matthew Hopkins was responsible for the capture, persecution and murder of 300 woman.

In Mistley alone, on the village green four local women were hanged on July 18th 1645 for the fictitious crime of witchcraft. Their names were: Anne West of Lawford, Helen Clark of Manningtree, Marian Hocket from Ramsey and Anne Cooper from Great Clacton.

Essex Days Out provides a free easy to follow downloadable itinerary for a walk around Mistley that tells the story of these local women. https://www.visitessex.com/things-to-do/walking-with-witches-p1341751

The walk will take you past Old Knobbly a huge and ancient oak tree which for some 800 years has stood in Furze Wood, just outside Mistley.

National Time To Talk Day 2023 - February 2, 2023

Since Time To Talk Day first launched in 2014, it has sparked millions of conversations in schools, homes, workplaces, in the media and online.

This is an awareness day highlighting the stigma around Mental health problems and the reluctance to talk about it. For people with mental health problems not being able to talk about it can be one of the worst parts of the illness. Getting people talking about mental health can break down stereotypes, improve relationships, aid recovery and take the stigma out of something that affects everyone.

Please don’t ever be afraid of starting a difficult conversation because conversations have the power to change lives – helping to create supportive communities where we can talk openly about mental health and feel empowered to seek help when we need it. https://timetotalkday.co.uk/

The Last Word

Each year I make a conscious effort not to make resolutions, the reason I don’t approve of resolutions is because it means I am starting the year telling myself I am not good enough and I need fixing, and I don’t believe that is a great message to send to myself.

I think it is far better to focus my efforts on an ongoing self-care habit so please do have a go at developing a plan for yourself.

The TOP 10 UK NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR 2022 are listed below although I personally think that the ones in red should just be a feature of everyday life!!

• Lose weight,

• Eat healthier or change diet

• Get fitter and take more exercise

• Sort out finances and cut back spending,

• Look for a new job.

• Spend more time with family and friends

• Be more aware and take care of mental health

• Travel more,

• Take up a new hobby, sport or other interest

• Be more environmentally friendly,

Statistically by the 19th January every year, most people will have fallen off the wagon and that has the potential of making them feel even worse! So if you are trying to make resolutions for 2023, please stay kind to yourself!!

Blessed be XX