All posts by Charmeine

gardening, home decorating, slow life living

Slow Living Sundays #1: June 04, 2023

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This post is part of my Slow Living series. Check out the original post here and related links.

It is early Sunday morning and I have been awake since 5;30 am. It was one of those things where I woke up and had no idea if it was morning or evening. But, I got up, had some coffee, watered my plants. Did a bit of writing. Listened to the birds and am enjoying the cool morning breeze.

And now I’m watching slow living videos for inspiration on how to carry on my day.

In a couple of hours, I’m heading out to play some music for my biweekly volunteering service. I used to volunteer weekly before I moved. It’s too far of a trek when you don’t drive on Sunday mornings. But I enjoy seeing family friends for coffee after.

Later, I think I might go shopping for some needed retail therapy. I found a quilt I really wanted for my bed on Amazon but alas, it’s no longer available. I have some gift cards for The Bay that I need to use up. So, maybe I will hit the mall on the way home. Plus, the mall has ice cream, and AC. It’s gonna be a hot day.

I’d like to spend some money on decorating my room and making it an oasis like the rest of the condo. I spent some time cleaning up my kitchen and freshened up the flower supply with carnations. It’s nice to have a clean table again. I love having plant life around and they are mostly all still alive.

Plant life update

I moved the poor fern outside and it seems to be doing a bit better. The leaves are a bit longer than when I bought it. It’s still struggling. Hopefully the hot humid summer air can spring it back to life.

The potted Dahlias from Home Depot all turned brown. But alas, new buds came in last week and I have new blooms already. I was so proud of myself for this!

I think next summer, I’m not going to buy Petunias. They have been difficult to maintain and do not survive well in the wind. The violas also took a beating this week and have all started drooping.

The pansies are doing okay, though the pot doesn’t seem to drain well. I try and water them every other day. But look at those colors. I planted them myself.

I try and spend some time every morning outside even if it’s just watering plants. There were a few geese outside when I was standing on my balcony. We have a lot of wildlife around here – mostly of bird and feathered variation. There are lots of nature trails and parks, and greenery that I just love. I really love my neighborhood.

Last night, we had the Strawberry Moon here. Unfortunately, there was too much smoke in the sky and I couldn’t get a clear picture. You can check out my post from yesterday though.

That’s about it for updates. I saw my dad finally and he was fairly quiet. I’m single again and that’s a story I don’t want to get into here. Still processing things. Deciding that I want to be on my own for a while and just enjoy being with friends.

My first crafting group meetup is happening next week and I can’t wait to meet new friends. We already have a few outings planned to check out markets and events. It will be nice to be social again.

And strangely enough. I’m the lowest weight I’ve been all year. I don’t know how. But I’ve been working on my book nonstop and first draft will be finished — VERY soon. I’m excited for it.

That’s it for now.

How do you spend your Sunday mornings?

I’m off to play some music, have some coffee with family friends, and maybe comfort myself with another plant or two. Or three. Or four. It’s an addiction now!

gardening, moonology, spiritual

The Strawberry Moon: June 03, 2023, ripening and abundance

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It is June already and summer has arrived here early in Alberta. The smoke from the wildfires is mostly gone and we had a few good thunderstorms this past weekend.

Tonight for some of us in the northern hemisphere, we will experience a full moon

A smoky red moon – charmedreflections.com

The Strawberry Moon

From the evening of June 3rd until the morning of June 4th, you may be able to catch a glimpse of this month’s full moon. June’s full moon is more commonly known as the Strawberry Moon. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the local native Americans named the moon for its berry picking season.

In other parts of the world, this full moon is known as Honey and Rose Moon. In terms of spiritual significance, rose and honeysuckle are the flowers for June. So, pick yourself some roses this weekend if you can afford it. I can’t, so I settled on carnations instead.

Spiritual significance

The spiritual significance for this month’s full moon is to focus on new opportunities whether in love or business, renewal of energy, and creating abundance. This coincides with strawberry picking and ripening of other fresh fruits that you may grow in your garden.

With the rising cost of foods, it only makes sense to regrow foods where possible, to stretch your budget longer and also, to be more mindful of waste.

  • Blooming of flowers, pruning and gardening
  • Birth of new projects, ideas or relationships
  • Practicing pleasure (doing things that bring you joy)
  • Picking and eating berries you have grown
  • Ripening both in a physical and spiritual sense
  • Summer solstice preparations and meditations
  • Working with sun and moon energy

I’m not going to share ritual ideas this month due to low engagement. However, I did manage to take a few photos last night. So, enjoy. Unfortunately, it was pretty smoky and hazy last night – so they aren’t as clear as usual.

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relationships, self development

What is crumbing in relationships

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This is a newer term for me, and I really wish that twenty-something me had learned about it and also exercised my right to stand up for what I deserved. I spent far too many years chasing love when there wasn’t love to be found. Chasing the wrong guys who were just bad for me too.

The term breadcrumbing is when your partner or someone you have been in a “situationship” with, feeds you just enough attention to keep you interested.

The first few months together might feel hot and heavy. You start off talking daily, throughout the day. They can hardly wait to check in with you. They are sincere in their communication and offer their support.

They might even buy you things and you gifts you didn’t ask for. I don’t think this makes them a bad person, but sometimes, it can be a manipulation tactic.

Over time, you may notice that communication starts to drop off. They stop making plans or dates and conversations become farther apart and in between.

Maybe you try talking to your partner as you notice they have become distant. They use excuses like they have been busy with work, or the kids, or have other engagements – that don’t involve.

It gets to the point, that it feels like you are being strung along. Attempts at talking about the issue are often outright ignored. I know for myself, I used phrasing like:

“I feel as though you are pulling away from me more and more. This concerns me. Can we schedule some time to talk about it when you’re not busy, and we can have uninterrupted time?”

This question was glossed over and eventually dropped all together. I said it again, about a week later. And it was dropped, yet again.

Sometimes it will get to the point where the relationship just starts to fizzle out. You wonder if it was your fault or you did something wrong. You start thinking maybe you were too needy.

But nah. You expressed your clearly early on in the relationships. You discussed emotional needs. You both agreed that this was obtainable. It was doable. And energy was matched – for months.

Then there comes a day when resentment kicks in. You start pulling back in response to their breadcrumbing. You start feeling angry at being neglected. You plead for them to take it seriously, but they don’t.

Until finally…

You’re left with no choice but to say…

“This isn’t working for me anymore.”

Never settle for less than you deserve. Don’t fall for the breadcrumbs. If someone wants you in their life, they would make the effort. It’s that easy. They would make you a priority.

And sometimes, it’s just better to let go, before the relationship turns toxic, and you start to hate each other. Because, I’ve been there too.

Things like being ghosted, ignored and breadcrumbed can really hurt. But YOU, deserve way more than you think.

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intentions, spiritual

JUNE 2023 Intentions: Joyful unions, abundance & harmony

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June is just a few days aways and thus marks the halfway point for 2023. Hard to believe the year is almost half over – time really does fly when you stop and think about it.

On June 21st in the northern hemisphere, we will celebrate Summer Solstice which marks the official start of summer. In other parts of the world, people are preparing for winter festivals. Here in Alberta, we seemed to have skipped spring and went straight into summer like weather. Longer days have arrived with the sun setting around 9pm at night and waking up before 6 am. The trees are in full bloom and everything is starting to turn green thanks to some rain this week.

The large tree outside my balcony is full of life and provides much shaded relief from the sun, and privacy at nighttime for when I want to sit outside.

Spiritual Significance of June

When it comes to spiritual significance, June reminds us it is a time for celebrating life and joy. It is a time for love, weddings and harmonizing unions. Whether with good friends, or your life partners.

If you’re single like me, then now is the time to welcome love into your life. Open yourself up to new people and potential partners. Or new kinds of relationships.

This may mean attending more social events, going on dates, or getting together with friends. Whatever dating might look like in your world. And if you’re happy being single, then take the time to celebrate with friends or loved ones.

June is also the time for picking berries and is known for a time of abundance and prosperity. Working with affirmations and “I am” phrases is encouraged this time of year to bring you some good luck!

This time of year, I look forward to celebrating Midsummer and I can’t help but think of the music from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and this piece by Mendelssohn. A feverish melody that invokes feelings of joy.

My Intentions for June (midsummer)

Now that summer is really underway here, I’m going to make the most of my time at home and try and get outside as much as possible. The one thing that has changed, is I made a nice group of friends in the kink community – all women. We’re going to start meeting once a month for coffee and crafting. I’m excited for this and so is everyone else. It’s a controlled group meaning – invitation only. That means, I’ve found a group where I can just be myself and not have to worry about feeling safe. I love organizing events and meeting new people, so that is my number one focus at this time.

  • Attend my group’s first “coffee and craft” meet! Already scheduled and location picked out. Work on arts & crafts (coloring, wreaths, etc).
  • Decorate bedroom and bring some “green” life to make it cozy. I’ve already got a quilt picked up and color scheme.
  • Spend some time with friends going to markets, or just hanging out at the parks or in backyards. Or on my balcony.
  • Spend at least 1-2 hours outside daily. 1 hour during the day to get sun, and at least 1 hour a night reading. Go for walks when up to it.
  • Tend to my flowers & garden as needed and keep plants alive! Pick up 1 bouquet of daisies or tulips
  • Finish reading at least 1 book per week – I’ve already started a new series and am about 120 pages in “The Elementals” and it’s good fun.
  • Write at least 10 chapters of my first book and re-work other books for publishing.

Do you work with monthly intentions? If so, let me know what your plans are for the month of May in the comments. Try creating a visioning board to help keep you on track.

All artwork on this post was created using Canva premium licensing

Important Dates to Remember

  • June 04-05 – Strawberry Moon, Full Moon
  • June 20-21 – Summer Solstice, Midsummer Festivals

June Correspondences

  • Astrological signs: Gemini and Cancer
  • Animals: birds, beavers and otters, chickens, octopus
  • Colors: light purple, white pearl
  • Gemstones: pearl, moonstone, Alexandrite
  • Flowers: Rose, rose petals
  • Herbs: dill, parsley, lavender, sage, aloe, bay, lemon balm
  • Strawberry Moon: time for picking berries, flowers blooming
  • Incense or oils: rose, sandalwood
  • Intentions: personal abundance, joyful union, relationships & love
  • Spirits: nymphs, gnomes and fairy folk, sprites

Monthly Intentions

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mindfulness, spiritual, witchcraft

Spiritual Practice: Where do I start?

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I’m part of a few groups on Reddit for witches and one of the most common questions I see that is asked almost daily is, “Where do I start?” or “Do I have to believe in everything I read?” You get the drill.

I thought for this week’s blog post, I would take some time and answer more frequently asked questions and how I started my journey into witchcraft. If you’re not a witchy person, no problem. These methods can be used for almost any spiritual practice or even if you just want to adopt mindfulness techniques into your daily routine. I even wrote a blog post about that too!

Where do I start?

That’s a tough question. For me, my journey began nearly 20 years ago when watching shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I became really interested in Wicca and joined a local drumming group. In addition to that, I also picked up as many books on Wicca as I could get my hands on – including Scott Cunningham’s book simply titled Wicca.

When it came to learning about Green Witchery, I actually have YouTube to credit for that. I was searching for inspiration on decorating my balcony and stumbled upon cottage fairy channels, which led me to fairy cottages, and so on, and so forth. And now my feed is mostly cottage fairy and green witches or gardeners. It’s quite lovely.

Once I learned about intention setting and journaling, I was hooked. It’s something I do monthly now. I like using visioning boards for this and created this one with Canva.

Figure out your budget

Figure out your budget and how much you are able to invest in your practice. I’ll include free resources below as well. And do subscribe, because I have a post coming about free online resources for books.

If you are a student or single income earner, you probably don’t want to put yourself into debt. Try hitting up local libraries, garage sales, flea markets or wander out to your local Pagan or Witchy markets for deals. You can even find some supplies at vintage or dollar store type shops. Hobby money is also great for building your altar or sacred space.

Also, don’t go and spend hundreds of dollars off the bat. Take time and build your altar. I used the same Tarot deck for 20 years and finally bought new ones with a gift certificate.

A lot of supplies like dried herbs and spices, you can get from your local grocery store like salt, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and sage. Use flowers from local vendors and let them dry naturally.

Find things that resonate with you

There are a lot of types of spiritual practice out there and I know for me, I’ve studied a few over the years. These studies included Reiki, Shamanism, Wicca and lately, Green Witchery. I’m still learning when it comes to Green Witchery and every day is a new discovery about myself.

What I love to do is sit outside and be one with nature and natural energy around me. The other night, I sat out in the thunder storm (finally!) at 1:00 in the morning. I called upon my spirit guides and called to Thor and Odin (Thor is God of Thunder), and during my meditation – I felt a new surge of energy that is still flowing through me. I’ll write about this in a separate post and dive a bit more into my Norse Mythology connection.

Spend some time journaling and making a list of things you want to do, or that interest you the most.

  • Animals or wildlife (being around animals, totem animals)
  • Being out in nature (hiking, swimming, photography)
  • Building an altar (using things like candles, incense, crystals, gemstones)
  • Creating things (arts, crafts, music, journals, book of shadows)
  • Divination (scrying, tarot, crystals, etc)
  • Gardening (planting things, working with herbs, crafting)
  • Journey Work (meditating with intention)
  • Meditating – practicing daily mindfulness
  • Ritual working – what kind of rituals are you interested in?
  • Socializing – being with friends or in a community (covens)
  • Solo practice – best for highly introverted folks or those with anxiety
  • Writing – writing stories, books, letters, spells or poems

This list is not complete, but these are some things I incorporate into my practice. Gardening, nature, photography are all things I try and do often. And writing in this blog. I also spend A LOT of time on Youtube in the mornings watching other content creators for inspiration.

For me, my favorite thing to do is sit outside when it’s quieter at night time, breathe in the fresh air. Or listen to music with headphones and soak in the sun.

Using mythology from your ancestry

I am a mixed bag when it comes to ancestry and roots and have a mix of European blood from Irish, French to Danish. So, I feel strong ties to Celtic and Nordic folklore. The Indigenous peoples have their own ways of doing things so, depending on where you are in the world or where you were raised – try learning about how ancestors from your region practiced magic.

Shamanism for example, is practiced around the world, not just specific to Native Americans. Each region has their own beliefs and ways of doing things. Honestly, it was one of the most interesting things to study and I was blessed to work with local Indigenous Elders for five years professionally.

For me, I feel strong connections to my Nordic roots and Thor is still one of my favorite Greek Gods (and MCU series!)

Again, take what resonates with you. You don’t have to believe everything you learn – sometimes it’s fun to fantasize and write about Gods like Thor and Odin.

Don’t get too lost in studying, make sure to practice too!

I’m a hands on learner and have always learned faster by doing something new myself. Sitting in a three hour lecture is not going to keep my attention at all and I will fail miserably. But also, it’s important to at least learn the basics before diving into anything.

The more important things you should try and learn first are:

  • Incorporating magic or mindfulness into your daily life
  • Grounding yourself spiritually and physically
  • Meditating and learning to achieve ‘altered state’ for journey work
  • Protecting your space and your home from negative energies
  • Working with natural energy and learning to protect yours

Have patience

Most importantly, have patience with yourself. Spiritual practice, whether you are Christian, Buddhist, Pagan, Wiccan or Witch – is often a lifelong journey. You will find yourself questioning a lot of things over the years. Your tastes and interests will change as you change and grow with the craft you choose.

Same goes for learning. While there is a lot of good resources and materials out there to learn from, there is also a lot of misinformation and bad “actors”. Find people you connect with to learn from.

Never give up on yourself. Do things that bring you joy, and you can’t go wrong with that. We were all new at some point.

Related Posts

How to incorporate mindfulness to your daily routine

Recommended Reading (from my own shelf)

I have an old copy of the Encyclopedia of Witchcraft that I should get out and take some pictures of. I picked it up in an old used bookstore for occult practices. It was a great dive shop for treasures. It was written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley, and covers just about every supernatural or occult topic from A-Z.

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arts and crafts, cozy spaces, home decorating

Spring on the rainy day crafts

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It’s that time of year for many of us in the Northern Hemisphere for those rainy days to come at us full swing. For Albertans, the rain will be most welcome as we are knee deep in smoke from the wildfires. It’s hard to breathe today as I write this and I’m sad that I can’t spend as much time outside as I want to.

So, I thought I would share some ideas for those green thumb people like me, who want to explore arts and crafts. While my hope is to keep my plants alive as long as possible, should they start to die, then I’ll try and save as many leaves as possible for crafting purposes.

Some of these ideas I cannot take credit for, and will share the videos where I got the inspiration from. While many of these channels are focused on witchcraft, you could take the “magic” out of it, and just make crafts.

Here’s another great video from Indoor World with some relaxing crafts for those rainy or smoky days.

Dried Flower Art

You don’t have to be a witchy person to enjoy working with flowers and life that Mother Earth has given us. There are so many things you can do with wild flowers or flowers that you grow in your own home.

The one thing I do, is pick up a cheap bouquet of whatever happens to be on sale with my regular food orders, and use the leaves when they dry up. Having flowers inside just makes everything seem so much brighter, and learning to use the wilted flowers or leaves – is a great way to recycle and be environment friendly.

Pressed Flower Resin Art

I really want one of these! So pretty

Pressed Flowers & Glass

Pot Pourri

Something I did on the day of Beltane was create my own potpourri with a blessing jar. I used tulip leaves that eventually dried out after two weeks – which is a pretty long time for a bouquet of tulips. I added a mixture of my favorite herbs including chamomile, rose petals, yarrow and thistle. I wrote my intentions on three bay leaves and meditated on them until I felt like I was surrounded by warmth and love. I asked for health, happiness and a boost in creativity, which it really worked, because here I am writing daily.

Next, I added some crystals associated with Beltane, and orange essential oil for that gorgeous scent. Then I sealed it up tight in a glass mason jar. As leaves fall off my plants, like the fern, I also toss them into the jar to dry out. If I collect enough, then eventually I’ll use them for other crafts.

Lastly, I took the piece of parchment paper and taped it onto the outside of the jar with a list of things I asked my spirit guides for. This now sits on my green altar space and I stop and smell the jar as I tend to my plants every morning.

Here’s the video where I got the original inspiration from.

Painted Candles

Taper candles are cheaper candles that you can buy at places like The Dollar Store or Walmart. Painting flowers on candles is a new concept for me and I discovered this through the artists I follow on YouTube.

It was this video from Indoora World that actually gave me the idea for painted candles. And I think this weekend, I might order in some supplies so I can get started on this.

Painted Glass Jars

These jars are a great idea and can be purchased cheaply from most grocery stores or Dollar stores. The rest of the supplies can be picked up from Michaels, Amazon or any local craft store that you have available to you. These jars can be used as candle holders, or as vases for flowers, or vines, or place some fairy lights inside and use as a lantern.

Or make yourself a gorgeous outdoor fairy lantern! I think I’m going to make one of these with my mason jars!

Spring Protection Spells

If you’re a fan of spring and want to harness that seasonal energy of rebirth and renewal, then The Green Witch has some great ideas for protection spells. All you need is a candle and some herbs you can buy at your local market, or grow indoors. Some of my favorite herbs to work with are rose petals, tulip leaves, mint, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks (for luck), sage, chamomile and lavender.

Related Posts

Looking for music to add to your spring crafting? Here’s a Spotify Playlist that I made for you!

What are your favorite indoor crafting ideas? Are you a gardener or plant lover? If so, maybe we should be friends!

intentions, spiritual

Mid-month intentions update, May 2023

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It’s Friday and I realize that I messed up my usual blogging schedule this week, so I thought I’d take some time today and share some photos from my garden with you, and give a little mid-month update.

The smoke has returned to the city from the wildfires that surround us and it’s been hard to breathe. The air cleared up yesterday enough to get some outdoor time last night, but today, I need to keep the windows closed. My allergies are not impressed, and the migraines are strong.

Every morning, I start off my day by checking on my balcony flowers. Surprisingly, the Dahlias sprung back to life and watching them fully bloom just brings me such joy.

The petunias are struggling with the high winds and hot weather. It’s going to be another blazing hot weekend in the 30Cs, which is near 90F for you American readers. This is very unusual for this time of year. We’ve also had little rain and it’s been tough on wildlife too. I think maybe I overwatered the petunias and so I’m giving them a break today. Luckily, the pansies are still hanging on.

The weird dreams and nightmares have returned and so my mornings are fairly laid back and quiet. It’s started to play with my psyche, and so, I’m trying to pour my feelings into writing. Whether it’s here in this blog, or in my books.

Yesterday, I went back and updated most of the pages and fixed the old links. Note to self, don’t change URLs – it’s a major pain and I’ve had to just delete a lot of old blog posts. Sorry for the double notifications yesterday for my email subscribers.

One thing I’m trying to do is utilize my Canva premium each month and create pretty art designs. I really wish I could paint watercolor flowers like these. I’ve tried and just don’t have steady hands for it. There are some amazing artists out there. And Canva is not cheap. It’s by far, my most expensive paid subscription, surpassing even DisneyPlus.

My relationship is still going strong though it’s more like being really good friends that talk daily with some long distance fun, if you know what I mean. It’s been one of the healthiest and most stable relationships I’ve been in. There are no games. Communication is good. And while we don’t get a lot of time with each other, it fulfills an emotional need that I’m not ready for in person. And may not be ready for again.

The demolition of the parkade and parking lot is still ongoing. I think the worst of it is over and they’ve torn up all the concrete. Those first two weeks were brutal with vibrational movements. I’m hoping they finish early, so things can go back to normal. I have been utilizing a garbage pickup service as the bins are now so far away, and the guys that come by weekly are super nice.

I’m not doing a lot for witchy practices outside of the 8 Sabbats and full moon energy. I suppose writing every day counts and spending time with my garden centres every morning. I need to pick up some more crystals and candles. And maybe some small plants for the altar.

That’s pretty much life in a nutshell. I’m trying to get back to using my cycle and exercising. Plans for daily walks are off again as it’s very unsafe to walk around outside with the construction equipment, and with my knees, I can’t go far. Going to have to wait to explore trails until this smoke clears too and it’s safe to do so.

So… wishing you all a very happy Friday. Thank you to my new readers – I do vet followers and make sure their accounts are real. I remove any spammers or scammers as I’m not here for that. I want real engagement, from real people.

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mindfulness, slow life living, spiritual

The Slow Living Movement

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A few years ago, I had to leave my career due to rising and complex health issues that were preventing me from attending work on a regular basis. Like many people, I was working a full-time job, volunteering part-time, and was part of many groups and social activities. The burnout towards the end was extreme and my health took a turn for the worse.

A diagnosis of hEDS would seal the deal and now I’m officially, “medically retired” which has left me with mixed feelings about my purpose in life. I was always told, “you’re too young to be in this much pain” and now…

Life has become about – quality now, not quantity. And learning to just well, slow the f**k down. The struggle of keeping myself busy during the day is for real, and I’m adopting some new habits and forming new routines, so I get the most out of those good days. On those bad days, I’m mostly just sleeping in bed and those pain flares can last for a week or two. It’s a very unpredictable medical condition.

Created with Canva @charmedreflections.com

It was only recently, like in the past few months as I got back into spiritual practice, that I learned about “slow life” living and it’s something that I think we can all learn from. Stress and anxiety can impact our health so much, that we take for granted all that life has to offer us. Thanks to channels like this.

This is how I start off my mornings, sipping my coffee, eating my toast and fruit and watching relaxing videos like this. I start off every day now outside, watering my flowers and deadpaning the ones that need some TLC. It’s a great way to start the morning.

Slow Life Origins

The slow living movement started in the 1980’s in Italy. It started with the opening of a McDonald’s restaurant in the capital city of Rome. A man named Carlo Petrini banned together with a group of activists and they formed a movement that they coined, “Slow Food.” This movement was created to defend regional foods to keep long standing traditions alive in Italy.

Photo by Chait Goli on Pexels.com

Concept of Slow Life

The overall concept of slow living is where people openly choose to live a slower and more meaningful life. This isn’t always easy to do if you have a lot on your plate like two jobs, or a full-time career, or you are a single parent. Or parents of a large family. Or heck, even the single professional person can struggle with taking too much on. I speak from experience having done this for decades.

In the simplest of terms, slow living means making more time for yourself to “stop and smell the roses” or just practice selfcare more. Or spending more time in nature, with family, or doing things you really love.

While some people may consider this movement, more of a fad, for me, I’m trying to incorporate this into my daily routine. Some people consider slow living to be more of a concept or philosophy – they call it a reflective or mindful approach to everyday life.

If you’re of Scandinavian culture, you may be familiar with the concept of Hygge – in which people adopt more a cozy and comfort sort of aesthetic in their homes and slowing down to enjoy time with family and loved ones. Slow Living is similar in a sense, and I’ll cover what Hygge is in a separate post.

Slow living starts with softness, a desire to move more calmly.

Secret of Slow Life Living

There really is no secret to slowing down life a little bit. The key is to find things that bring you peace and joy, and do those things more often. It’s ensuring you get the proper amount of sleep at night to feel rested. It’s about finding “quiet” time to practice mindfulness, or working with intention setting. It’s about living a life of intention and making those little moments for yourself really count. It’s about self-reflection, journaling or even just spending time out in nature.

Some ways you can slow your life down:

  • Connection: build on current relationships with friends and loved ones that bring joy into your life. Find time to connect with Mother Nature. Sit out at night and stare up at the moon. Or spend time in your garden. Or tend to flowers and indoor plants. Connect with your natural surroundings and elements. This can help ground your energy as well.
  • Intentions: start incorporating and working with intentions in your daily life, planning for downtime or time to focus on you.
  • Slow down: if your schedule is too packed, perhaps learn to let something go that isn’t necessary for you to be involved in. Or if you can, delegate the task to someone else. Plan for at least one day a week (or even per month) where you can do something for just yourself.
  • Take a pause: take the time to enjoy those precious moments you have to yourself. Meditate or just practice deep breathing exercises and reflect on your day so far. Take your coffee outside and sit in the sun for your morning break. Or go for a walk for some fresh air.
  • Well-being: practice the art of selfcare and make sure you are getting some time in nature, regular exercise, sleep — sleep is crucial for your overall mental health.

First of all, I’d suggest taking some time to journal and think about what it is that brings you peace. Is it going for a walk? Maybe it’s a certain spot out in nature. Or maybe it’s someone in your life that calms you down. Or maybe it’s as simple as sitting outside with a good book. Whatever it is, jot down ideas and make that effort into bringing mindfulness into your daily routines.

Or maybe your idea of a perfect day is sitting down with friends while working on arts and crafts. Like Indoora World does on her channel and I find it so inspiring.

Resources

Sometimes my YouTube suggestions feed gets it right, and I’m amazed by the creativeness out there from fellow artists and partisans. These are some of my favorite channels to help set your morning off on the right vibe. To learn more about slow life and mindfulness practices, please follow my blog. I post weekly.

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mindfulness, slow life living, witchcraft

Poetry of slow living and daily mindfulness

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I can’t take credit for the title, it’s inspired by a youtube channel that I follow. In fact, most channels I watch on a daily basis, are all focused on slow living, cottage life or fairytale dreamers. Or people like me, who like to do witchy things sometimes.

I’m working on another post that will explain what Slow Living is, but the gist of it, is making more time for yourself and taking time out from the daily grind, to enjoy those little moments. No matter how many little moments you get each day to yourself.

What does that look like? Well, for me – now that spring is in full bloom, it’s become a little easier to do.

Green Space

Every morning, the first thing I do when I wake up, after general hygiene practices, is to wander sleepily into the kitchen and flip on the kettle for my tea or coffee. As I wait for the stainless steel kettle to beep, I check on my green altar space. Now, I call this an altar space but mainly it’s a place where I start my day, and can get centred.

There’s something so calming about inspecting green plants, ensuring they’ve had enough water, pruning off the dead or dry leaves. Though, the frustrating part here is that many of my plants are struggling. It’s really hot and dry here right now for this time of year. I think I need to bite the bullet and purchase some fertilizer to see if this helps.

Balcony garden

A couple of weeks ago for Beltane, a friend and I went to the local Home Depot to take advantage of an early flower basket sale. I picked up as you may remember, some purple petunias, some pink Dahlias, and a large pot of violas which start off white and then turn brilliant shades of violet. I also have a pot of pansies that are really struggling in this crazy wind we’re having. Alberta weather is not friendly for gardening.

Every morning, I will check on the flowers and move them around as needed or take in the cushions if it’s going to be a really windy day. I spend some time out in the sun, listening to the birds. If I’m up early enough, which doesn’t happen often anymore, I’ll sit and watch the sunrise. The world is quiet at 6 am and not many people around. I suppose it’s why I used to love getting up that early. That’s something I need to get back into but my sleep schedule is out of whack again. The heat doesn’t help.

On good days, I will then come back inside, eat my breakfast which usually consists of a combination of fruit, toast, eggs or oatmeal, a hot cup of coffee and drink my first litre of water for the day. I’m trying to drink at least 3 each day and that’s hard for me.

If it’s going to be a hot day, then I make sure all the windows and curtains are drawn by 10 am, and the fans are going to help keep it cool. It didn’t work today, and I’m melting currently. I’m a puddle.

Connection and always learning

Then I spend a bit of time responding to business for the day. Whether it’s personal emails, emails related to my benefits or comments on social media. I try not to spend too much time here, otherwise, you waste a few hours. While sipping my coffee, I’ll enjoy videos like these for inspiration on what I can do during the day.

I’ll spend a bit of time leaving comments on their videos to spread the love, do a bit of reading and maybe get started on a blog article. I have so many half written drafts and just haven’t been in the mood to finish them. Though, I am back to book writing and it’s going well.

Outdoor time

Every day, regardless of how I am feeling, I make the most effort to enjoy the sunshine. A few minutes outside as I wait for my kettle to boil and spend time with the flowers. Then I’ll pop out with my headphones in the afternoon if construction isn’t too noisy. And then I’ll head out again in the evening for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour or more on really warm nights.

If I’m sick, I’m sick. Like this morning I was having some stomach issues so that meant some time in bed. And on the weekend, it was a sinus/migraine thing. On those really bad days, which happen more than you’d think, I can’t even muster up enough energy for a shower. Baths can help but it’s so much work. So, I tend to just sleep and sleep. I slept 20 full hours the other day and it felt good.

But I try at least for 15 minutes to 30 minutes of outdoor time daily because it does help with the mood. I took this one a couple of weeks ago. Edited with clipart to hide location 🙂

Daily mindfulness practices

The rest of the day is spent in the kitchen with meal prepping. Though now that the weather is too hot for the oven, meals are usually salads, sandwiches, fresh fruit or vegetables. Anything I can buy premade from the deli that just gets heated up in the microwave.

I might listen to music while writing, or while outside and this helps me get in a calm headspace, especially for writing. Sometimes I’m listening to pop or pop rock music, sometimes acoustic folk and sometimes, some really deep meditative music to help me “zone out” for a little while.

I check in with my partner daily and while we don’t get much time for each other, we send morning messages, chat over lunch, and then again in the evenings. I check in on friends (when I remember to), and can be bad for not reaching out. Not because I don’t care, just because I’m used to being on my own. So sorry, if you haven’t heard from me.

I need to get back into doing readings, if not daily, at least a couple of times a week. If you’d like a reading done, let me know. This too, is a great way to decide what to focus on that day. You pull one card with your morning tea or coffee, meditate on it, and that will be your focus for either that day, or week. It’s up to you.

Writing and journaling

And lastly, I will spend time writing a little each day. Whether it’s a draft entry here, in my private journal, or to share with friends on social media. Or like now, as I try and work on my books on those good days. I can get lost for hours if not careful. Sometimes I have to set timed reminders to take breaks for water and food. It helps to have good people check in on you too.

Note: I pulled all my books from Smashwords in hopes of rewriting and reformatting since I’m constantly getting notices to do so. If you’re an editor and you’ve made it this far, let’s connect. I’ll need an open minded one soon!


How do you incorporate mindfulness in your daily life? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.

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moonology, witchcraft

May 05 – Flower Moon

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On May 1st, fellow Pagans, witches and wiccans celebrated Beltane which marks the halfway point between Spring Equinox and Summer Equinox. Here, in Canada, spring is in full bloom and the trees and flowers have really started budding. The dry and brown grass is starting to turn lush green, and the birds outside my window, sing songs that wake me up early in the morning.

This has been a busy spiritual week and I’ve already shared how I celebrated Beltane which, for me, stretched over a period of three days. And now, it’s already May 05, and the full moon has arrived, which means it is time to honor the moon in all its glory, and spend some time with the moon tonight.

I’ve already completed my work for this month’s full moon and was able to capture this beauty last night from my balcony.

Flower Moon origins

That big glowing ball that lights up our night sky, has a different name for each month when the it is at its fullest. This full moon is called Flower Moon, which is a name that was given by our Native American ancestors who observed flowers in abundance. Other names include Budding Moon, Egg Laying Moon and Planting Moon.

Just like last month’s Pink Moon, the Flower Moon represents creation, abundance and growth. Growing things like flowers and plants from seedlings and nurturing them as they mature.

Dahlias
Petunias
Viola
Pansies

Spiritual significance

In a spiritual sense, the Flower Moon is a time to focus on things that bring you joy and to celebrate what life has to offer. Go for a walk in nature and take a moment or two to literally, smell the flowers.

If you have a garden, spend time cleaning it up and preparing it for the growing season. Or if you have a balcony, sweep it with a broom, and get it organized for the plants or flowers you wish to have. While flowers and plants means some work – they really can bring “life” into your home. And for me, someone on disability, this is something to wake up to and do every day.

There are some areas in your life that you will need to pay attention to and take special care of. Where I live, we are in the midst of political elections and are surrounded by wildfires, so there is tension in the air. It’s important to take time for yourself, to ground yourself and protect your own energy. You can do this through mindfulness techniques such as meditation or yoga or just spending time with your garden and pets.

If you notice a surge of energy today, you are not alone. The full moon is powerful and now is the time to perform rituals of letting go, healing and welcoming abundance into your life.

Mother Nature can heal you in so many ways. My goal is to spend as much time as humanly possible outside on my balcony, going for walks, and even spending time with friends and family on the weekends.

Go out. Enjoy life and what it has to offer. And stop and smell the roses every now and then.

Magical Correspondences

  • Colors: red, orange, yellow representing the warmth and light emitting from the sun, allowing for growth and representing life.
  • Elements: fire (Beltane – Fire Festival), air and earth
  • Gemstones: ruby, garnet, and amber for fertility and celebrating the body of a woman.
  • Herbs: mint and fiery or spicy like chili flakes, or cinnamon
Pixabay Photo

Ritual suggestions

As a solo witch, I don’t really do anything elaborate for the full moon rituals. Mostly, I spend some time outside during the day with my flowers and plants. I lather myself up in suntan lotion and spend at least 30 minutes in the sun – otherwise I burn to a crisp.

At night, I will spend some time outside, usually for about an hour, or more if I’m reading – and I will stare up at the sky while listening to Celtic or meditative music and just try and clear my brain. The anxiety makes it challenging but it helps for overall well-being.

Writing in this blog monthly, is also part of my intention working and gives me something to do.

Altar Ideas – Pixabay

Solo practice ideas

  • Outdoors: Bring the candle with you outside and sit under the moon for a while. Just stare up at the sky and get lost in all the craters, dents and wonderful things to look at. Get your camera charged up and take some close up pictures. Take your journal with you and write down how you feel, what issues you are currently facing, and some ideas that may help you through the challenges.
  • Indoors: light a candle (if safe to do to so), journal entries, meditation, tarot readings, other forms of divination or have a full ritual bath with herbs, teas, oils, candles, etc.

Note: with the increase in wildfire activity, please do not light fires or leave candles unattended. Fires can spark easily in this dry heat. Please use caution and make sure the flames are properly extinguished. If you cannot use open flames – then consider LED candles.

Sorry, but I’m not feeling up to creating artwork today or printables. I’ll provide one next month. Thanks for understanding. For more information on moonology, please refer to the links below.

Moonology and Intentions

Spring Blessings Playlist

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