stagnant

[whiporwill-o]

i find that during the summer and winter months my witchcraftiness tends to take a hiatus and that really bums me out, especially with summer right around the corner. does this happen to any of you? what can i try to keep this from happening?

it's like my spiritual high comes with the spring and fall and i feel so fresh and alive, but then it teeters off during the more stable seasons. i will admit to having seasonal depression during the winter and that may very well account for my slacking during those months, but i have no reason for it in the summer.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

My advice to you would be sort of to echo the seasons with your practice.

Now summer is a time in which trees get a lot of growing done, but a lot of animals tend to just lax out in the sun because food is often plentiful. (Well, that is what I have observed. I'm sure it's a time of dearth in some areas and for some animals.)

So, you may want to concentrate your practice around meditation, taking walks, observation, being still and enjoying your surroundings, perhaps reading a spiritual work. Rather than starting up something new, build on or continue what you started in the spring. You may want to collect things like stones, shells, sticks or feathers on your walks for use in projects that could inspire you in the coming autumn.

In winter, we have a tendency to draw in, close the shutters, light the fire, and nest. It's a time more appropriate for reading stories, eating, and stoking the hearth, so you may want to concentrate your practice on reading myths, histories or fairy tales, and relating your spirituality to the home and the hearth. Perhaps cook more, clean the hearth, strengthen your wards (if you keep them), and so on. Work with things like wool - perhaps start up knitting or embroidery. You might just enjoy it for its own sake at the time, and work magic into the stitches in future projects.  

[whiporwill-o]

Sanguina Cruenta

My advice to you would be sort of to echo the seasons with your practice.

Now summer is a time in which trees get a lot of growing done, but a lot of animals tend to just lax out in the sun because food is often plentiful. (Well, that is what I have observed. I'm sure it's a time of dearth in some areas and for some animals.)

So, you may want to concentrate your practice around meditation, taking walks, observation, being still and enjoying your surroundings, perhaps reading a spiritual work. Rather than starting up something new, build on or continue what you started in the spring. You may want to collect things like stones, shells, sticks or feathers on your walks for use in projects that could inspire you in the coming autumn.

In winter, we have a tendency to draw in, close the shutters, light the fire, and nest. It's a time more appropriate for reading stories, eating, and stoking the hearth, so you may want to concentrate your practice on reading myths, histories or fairy tales, and relating your spirituality to the home and the hearth. Perhaps cook more, clean the hearth, strengthen your wards (if you keep them), and so on. Work with things like wool - perhaps start up knitting or embroidery. You might just enjoy it for its own sake at the time, and work magic into the stitches in future projects.

thanks 3nodding i usually do a lot of nature hikes during the cooler (but not too cold) months because we have a lot of snakes around here, many of which are poisonous, so i may just stick to the roads, but i do enjoy spending my time outdoors here. the forest around my house is gorgeous. and i've never tried knitting before, i may have to make plans to try that. thanks again. heart  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

whiporwill-o

thanks 3nodding i usually do a lot of nature hikes during the cooler (but not too cold) months because we have a lot of snakes around here, many of which are poisonous, so i may just stick to the roads, but i do enjoy spending my time outdoors here. the forest around my house is gorgeous. and i've never tried knitting before, i may have to make plans to try that. thanks again. heart

NP! Knitting's pretty easy once you get the hang of it, and it's good because it keeps your hands busy while your mind is elsewhere. Plus at the end of it you have a scarf! biggrin (At least you do if you're like me and anything other than a scarf is in the "too hard" basket.)  

[whiporwill-o]

Sanguina Cruenta

NP! Knitting's pretty easy once you get the hang of it, and it's good because it keeps your hands busy while your mind is elsewhere. Plus at the end of it you have a scarf! biggrin (At least you do if you're like me and anything other than a scarf is in the "too hard" basket.)

LOL! most excellent, i may be handing out scarves for christmas this year.  

[Esiris]

I like Sang's suggestions- but I'll add that I'm finding a real connection between my witchyness and my gardening, so that's another activity.  

[Morgandria]

Esiris

I like Sang's suggestions- but I'll add that I'm finding a real connection between my witchyness and my gardening, so that's another activity.

For me gardening and growing things are so potent a symbol of the cycle of the wheel and fertility as Wiccans understand it, it's impossible to avoid ending up pottering around in the dirt a little. It may be the paradigm rubbing off on you. wink My HPS has a massive garden, including a fantastic pond with lotus and koi. In the fall our coven does actually get to harvest and feast appropriately, which is awesome.  

[Esiris]

Morgandria

For me gardening and growing things are so potent a symbol of the cycle of the wheel and fertility as Wiccans understand it, it's impossible to avoid ending up pottering around in the dirt a little. It may be the paradigm rubbing off on you. wink

whee That makes me a little giddy- we're still doing so much of the "basics" in our reading and classes that it's exciting to have that feeling of confirmation I guess? Like I'm going in the right direction instead of flailing about randomly! Thanks Morg!

Quote:

My HPS has a massive garden, including a fantastic pond with lotus and koi. In the fall our coven does actually get to harvest and feast appropriately, which is awesome.

That is so cool! heart
I was at a little antique shop on my vacation and I found a beautiful old sickle that the owner of the shop used growing up- I just had to have it and it was only $5  

[whiporwill-o]

Esiris

I like Sang's suggestions- but I'll add that I'm finding a real connection between my witchyness and my gardening, so that's another activity.

thanks. i also love gardening. when i had my own place i had a potted herb garden on my balcony, but when i moved everything died because i'm in a different climate now. i wish i could have started over, but my parents dont have the space for me to try again. i'm hoping i'll only have maybe another year and a half here before i can get my own place again.  

[Esiris]

whiporwill-o

thanks. i also love gardening. when i had my own place i had a potted herb garden on my balcony, but when i moved everything died because i'm in a different climate now. i wish i could have started over, but my parents dont have the space for me to try again. i'm hoping i'll only have maybe another year and a half here before i can get my own place again.

I don't know about where you live- but there may be community gardening opportunities there- check with your local community center, different groups that put together CSAs and stuff like that- maybe you can find some kind of gardening outlet.

I do a lot of work with a group that gives gardens to low income families like mine- and they were able to turn me on to even more groups.  

[whiporwill-o]

Esiris

whiporwill-o

thanks. i also love gardening. when i had my own place i had a potted herb garden on my balcony, but when i moved everything died because i'm in a different climate now. i wish i could have started over, but my parents dont have the space for me to try again. i'm hoping i'll only have maybe another year and a half here before i can get my own place again.

I don't know about where you live- but there may be community gardening opportunities there- check with your local community center, different groups that put together CSAs and stuff like that- maybe you can find some kind of gardening outlet.

I do a lot of work with a group that gives gardens to low income families like mine- and they were able to turn me on to even more groups.

sadly, we don't even have a community center here. i live in a very small town and all of the community activities are done by church groups in which you have to be either an active member or prospective member of that church in order to partake.

i am looking into raising maybe one or two small potted plants in my room though, maybe that will be able to keep me until i can branch out again.  

[Esiris]

whiporwill-o

sadly, we don't even have a community center here. i live in a very small town and all of the community activities are done by church groups in which you have to be either an active member or prospective member of that church in order to partake.

i am looking into raising maybe one or two small potted plants in my room though, maybe that will be able to keep me until i can branch out again.

Have you ever heard of Gorilla Gardening?  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

Esiris

whiporwill-o

sadly, we don't even have a community center here. i live in a very small town and all of the community activities are done by church groups in which you have to be either an active member or prospective member of that church in order to partake.

i am looking into raising maybe one or two small potted plants in my room though, maybe that will be able to keep me until i can branch out again.

Have you ever heard of Gorilla Gardening?

Guerilla xd  

[Esiris]

Sanguina Cruenta

Guerilla xd

I blame A Chocolate Moose For Dinner. sweatdrop  

[whiporwill-o]

i have not heard of guerilla gardening. it sounds dangerous, lol!

sorry i haven't been active, i'm on vacation with my family