2019 Intentions

I did a revamp of this blog around this time last year. I was riding high off the energy slide that was 2017-2018. It was a time of harnessing the energy of major eclipses, my first cycle truly practicing as a witch. Naturally, I went too hard out the gate and got super burnt out. 

This pattern repeats often in my life. In the past, I would start so many ventures with all the energy and excitement in the world. But many projects have fallen to the way side because I’d get too hype then lose steam. Whether I hit a wall or taper off, I’d lose motivation and quit. Even if you don’t identify with this, you can probably see where this is going.

Quitting on a project sends me into a spiral of failure. Failure leads to depression. I would lie to myself saying I’d return to the growing pile of ditched hopes and dreams. I’d wonder if I’d ever start another project, or if that was even worth it. Days turn to months. Dust collects. The feeling of failure grows until I get a spark to start something new. This new thing will stick! I’m sure of it.

This blog was definitely one of those projects.

Luckily practicing witchcraft has helped. Something about harnessing the cycles of the moon reflects inward. To start, I identified the pattern. Once you see the pattern you can take steps to break it.

Now I reframe how I look at failure. I practice acceptance and forgiveness (primarily towards others but I know forgiving myself comes first and is ultimately more fruitful). I protect my energy from outside forces, recognizing symptoms for burnout and nipping them in the flipping bud! This process takes work and its own form of energy, but I much prefer it to the mindless suck of energy that is getting caught up in a self-destructive cycle.

Though I didn’t continue with the blog, I did continue with the craft. It helped me through a tumultuous, often trying, sometimes uniquely rewarding year.

I’m still a cute little baby witch and baby queer J I am not practiced enough to predict and put words to the energy of the universe. I rely on many amazing sources I have found or had recommended to me for those assessments. I am still observing how I react the moon, the planets, and our beautiful earth. I am always going to be learning how to effectively harness these energies. The craft is a path, not a means to an end.

This January of 2019 I started a new bullet journal spread for tracking moon cycles and the work I do around them. I also gave myself space to reflect after the month is over and a space to set goals for the next month. It’s new but it feels promising and, most importantly, manageable and sustainable.

A comment on my blog over the weekend (shout out to mschrissyhall, thank you for your well-timed encouragements!) sparked an idea to post some of my reflections and goal planning here. I think publicly stating your intentions can bring power to them.

I do a lot of journaling so I keep most of my spells bound with to-do lists, meal prep plans, and complaints about my day job and relationships. It feels unceremonious, but it’s the way I got the habit of recording my spell work to stick. I think having my spells and reflection collected in an easily accessible web archive is going to be quite helpful. It already feels more intentional.

I cannot offer guidance here, not yet. I can offer openness and honesty in reflecting upon my journey. It is vulnerable to share something like a Book of Shadows in the making online but every witch has to start somewhere. You don’t become wise and powerful overnight and most of the sources exploring crafting online are from the perspective of people who have practiced for years and years (or people who lie about doing so). I want to be representation for those still on the journey. And the journey is something to be enjoyed!

The New Moon is on February 4^th – the day I will hopefully be posting this. New Moons are time to set intentions. It is a period of inner reflection before growing your power with the waxing face of the moon. This month I didn’t cast a circle and do spell work. But I did write this post (in the presence of a bunch of people I really love too. If that’s not magic I’m not sure what is). And I am setting intentions – for the next week, for the month, for the rest of 2019.

I would love to post more frequently on this website. I’m going to start with a low and flexible goal of “post more”. However, moon cycles are just great periods of time and I have a feeling I will at least be able to post a check-in each month.

Sending out good vibes J

XO- Riss