Happy 2023

I wrote these musings whilst away in Scotland at that magical liminal time between Christmas and New Year. In the magic of Winter, a time of year I love, especially when listening to the sound of snow falling, and the quiet blanket created. I wrote them with a Silver Birch in my heart. I’d been for a wonder in the snow, just me and my thoughts, collecting treasure on my way. Stopping at what I’m sure was a Faery Pool, chatting to the birds and plants. I came upon a beautiful Silver Birch, definitely a she, such beautiful gentle, yet powerful energy, a queen of trees for sure. She captured me with her magic and stays with me and I’m sure that one day soon she will be painted in gorgeous silver paint, and I feel she weaves a story within her branches.

Welcome to 2023 and Happy New Year to you if this is when your New Year begins. I know that for some of you it is Samhain, Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox or maybe another date entirely. A new calendar year is upon us. Did you gently ease your way in or maybe you skidded in, dishevelled but feeling fully alive. As many of you will know I love the Winter Solstice, it gives us time to pause and reflect. Yet that time between Christmas and New Year for me is a time to sink even deeper. I notice that many don’t seem to like this time or “limbo” period has it’s becoming known. At Winter Solstice I only tend to look back and reflect back to Summer Solstice, but this time in between gives me the opportunity to really sink into the whole past 12 months. It is so easy to only remember the more recent times, the last couple of months or maybe even only the past few weeks, but by giving yourself time to really sink into all that has been is so rich. A powerful time of exploration of you and all that you have been. Also, as humans we often have a tendency to focus on the negatives, what we didn’t do, didn’t achieve; but just making it through each day is often an achievement. Getting out of bed, getting outside. Let’s take the small things as well as the big; let’s see all of it as learnings, opportunities of understanding and listening to ourselves.

Maybe you started something new, some study perhaps but didn’t finish it. I invite you to see why, was it that this actually wasn’t for you? Undertaking something and not finishing it can often be an indication of what you don’t want and help you focus on what you would like. Maybe there are other reasons for not finishing and looking into the whys and wherefores you can afford yourself the opportunity to re-start and complete. Allowing yourself time to stop and see what your dreams truly are is a gift.

I’m not a great believer in New Year’s Resolutions, which are embedded in the tradition of the Winter Solstice dream incubating and what a better way of seeing it. Dream incubating – giving things time to germinate within us; to grow and flourish just like plants do. They begin life in the dark of the fertile soil, think of your dreams deep within you gently coming to life within before they enter and gently unfurl into the world. I see each day as a new beginning, a new opportunity, each day can be filled with potential. A day to start a new.

I often wonder why when we’ve had a week, maybe two of completely different routines, maybe no routine at all. Perhaps late nights, eating too much, moving less, or having the opportunity to move more to be up for those sunrise walks, swims, runs. Life is often different for that snapshot of time and then we place these expectations upon ourselves of suddenly changing and bringing so much new into our life all at once.

New Moons are a potent time for setting intentions too, an opportunity each and every month to really sink into what you would like to bring into your life. The Full Moon giving us time to release, let go all that is cluttering our life physically and energetically. Times to pause and sink into your being and listen to the whispers of your soul and inner knowing. Listen to your own body and wisdom. A time to connect to the truth of you. Remembering it is all experience, it is all the rich tapestry of your life, discovering who you really are and what your soul’s calling is. Knowing that it is all a foundation that brings us to each stepping stone.

I am forever grateful to my teachers of Core Shamanism without them, those teachings, experiences I never would have found myself sat in Imelda’s room in London with a Rune in my hand with such a strong feeling of coming home. I never would have made those pilgrimages to Sweden to find the truth of my path. Building blocks and peeling back the layers. All important big stuff. Not failures but experiences of our way of growing and evolving into our true self. Maybe you’re sat reading this wondering what you want to be when you grow up. That’s ok I’m still learning, finding my way at the grand age of 55. That’s ok far better to ask yourself that question than carry on unhappy, to stay stuck. As we grow and evolve, we continually have opportunities to review, revaluate, restart.

I invite you at this point, as many of you are undoubtedly finding your barriers and obstacles, to ask if they are real. Are they your limiting beliefs? A very dear friend of mine often talks about the cages of our own making. See what cages you have created for yourself. Often, it’s simply fear. Give a shout out to your jailor who or what is she/he? What lies beneath it? When I first launched my website (which I have made a promise to myself I will fully update this year!) I switched off the phone and computer and sat and cried. A huge wave of fear had been and continued to be crashing in and around me.

Often, we place expectations upon ourselves, upon our outcomes, that’s how society tends to direct us. However, if we undertake something with an open heart and mind who knows where we’ll end up. When I undertook Conversations with Plants with Carol Day I set an intention for the course, but never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined the journey it took me upon and led me to have a strong connection with the Fae. An incredibly magical unexpected outcome. This also had an impact on my sewing and making magical ceremonial clothes. Even if it appears to the onlooker to be just a dress, it’s a dress that’s been created with love, with the recipients Ancestors whispering in my ears, or perhaps the medicine of an Ally. When the dress, or whatever it maybe is worn the wearer becomes wrapped in the magic, medicine or love and wisdom of Ancestors and Allies.

I invite you to step into 2023 with your heart and mind wide open to all possibilities. Yes, if Resolutions are your thing go for it. If a word for the year is your thing, do it. Whilst doing these I invite you to sink into the thoughts and feelings behind our resolutions and words to see what’s behind them. If you don’t succeed it’s not failure, explore why you didn’t do it, be it, or whatever it was. See the teachings and begin to understand and listen to the call of your soul. Remembering that a new calendar year is but a number.