Category: Uncategorized

August 1, 2024
Waning Moon
Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron Retrograde
Sunny, hot humid
Lammas

August 1 is always an important date on my personal calendar. Not just because it’s a Sabbat. But because it’s the anniversary of my initiation into the Craft.

This year is especially powerful, because it is the 30-year anniversary of said initiation.

I was traditionally trained in by a Gardnerian coven and initiated on Lammas. Our circle travelled out to an island for a camping trip; even though I’m not much of a camper, we had a good time. Two of us were initiated that night, near the ocean, under the moonlight. It was a powerful and beautiful experience, and I knew it would change my life forever for the better.

That has definitely been the case. Although the way I practice my craft has changed, and is more eclectic and kitchen/hedge/solitary than it began, I am forever grateful for the foundation of that early training.

Lugh is one of my patron deities. Although I try to honor him all year, I pay special attention to him today, with gratitude. My High Priestess felt we would be a good match because Lugh is talented in many arenas, and I do more than one thing. That touchstone has been a positive in my life.

Whenever possible, I take August 1 as a personal holiday. I spend extra time in meditation, with my divination tools, and giving thanks. I like to re-read my Grimoire/Book of Shadows (which is where I keep the spells that have been worked on until I am confident in them) and my Mirror Book (the book in which I experiment). Reading the Grimoire reconnects me to my lineage; reading the Mirror Book shows me the progress and evolution over the years.

I baked cornbread this morning, as is part of my ritual for the day, even though it’s hot and humid. Buttered cornbread and a bowl of blackberries are my traditional breakfast (along with a soft-boiled egg). I will have a salad with local produce for lunch. For dinner, I will make salmon with potatoes and fresh corn. I’ll even drink beer, which is not my usual drink. I’ll cook and eat with gratitude for the bounty.

The way the astrological transits fell this year feels significant. We were retrograde free (except for pesky Mercury) for most of the early part of the year. I had opportunities that set me in forward motion. Now, with the retrogrades piling up and the first harvest, I have the opportunity to process and integrate what I learned and did, slow down, and harvest what I planted early in the year.

Mercury goes retrograde again on the 5th, the day after the new moon. I intend to be as quiet as possible for this retrograde. I want and need to do a lot of work, but it’s the quiet kind of work, not much being out and about. While I can’t do an entire month of silent retreat, I will be as quiet as possible. When I do need to interact and/or speak, I will be careful to be as clear and kind as I can.

At the same time, for me in this cycle, both Saturn and Chiron are about my boundaries. I have to hold those boundaries when called to do so, without apology.

There’s a lot going on in the heavens this month; our best bet is to be as reflective, quiet, and kind as possible.

Peace and joy to you my friends, and I wish you a happy and calm August.

(Image courtesy of Giancarlo Piccinato via pixabay.com)

Thursday, June 20, 2024
Summer Solstice
Pluto Retrograde
Day Before the Full Moon (or First Day of the Full Moon)

Hello, and Blessed Solstice!

Summer Solstice up here in the Northern Hemisphere, Winter Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere.

I am in the Northern Hemisphere, so I will be focusing on the Summer Solstice in this post.

A note on my personal practice and how I view the holiday: I’m seeing posts claiming Litha/Midsummer is “the start of summer.” Please take a look at the “mid” in “midsummer.” We are at the center, the peak, the MIDDLE, and we now start to move toward the dark half of the year. It might be the start of Capitalist Summer, but in the Wheel of the Year, I am at MID summer. For me, the “start” of summer is Beltane.

Your practice is yours and you must do what works in your life, but today, for me, is the middle, the peak, of summer.

Since autumn is my favorite season, I am very excited we are moving in that direction.

I am, however, learning to appreciate the warmth.

My apologies for not posting at the dark/new moon. I had to do some serious work to remove something out of my life and move it along a different path at that time. It made more sense to adhere to the adage of “To Know, To Will, To Dare, To Keep Silent” at that time, especially the “Keep Silent” bit.

That is what I did. My intention manifested in a lovely, creative way I didn’t expect, that is positive for all involved, and I am deeply grateful.

A friend who is heat sensitive talked, yesterday, about telling herself, in the heat wave we experienced, that she was basking in the sun like a lizard, she is lizard, and the word “bask” stood out for me.

I’m dealing with sense memory stress from something that happened around this time three years ago now. It’s much better, and I am in an immensely better situation than I was, but my body and mind revert to the upset. Our bodies hold those memories. A lot of the past weeks has been about healing that, acknowledging it, and layering on positive new memories that are relevant to my current reality.

The fear still pops up and has to be faced.

The cards (both tarot and oracle), people, and situations around me, remind me that I am in a positive place filled with possibilities. I don’t have to rush my choices, but I DO need to choose (7 of Cups, anyone?) and then take action on the choices.

This morning, after meditation and an online ritual with a group of fellow witches, I thought to myself, “I’d like to go back to bed.” I thought about it; I got ahead on all my work, my deadlines are met. The world will not stop if I take a nap. Even if I hadn’t made my deadlines. . .the world WILL NOT STOP if I take a nap. As I ran an errand, I thought, “I really want an ice cold vodka martini and some popcorn” and then realized – my schedule is clear this afternoon. I can do that, if I still crave it at the time –and then, if I want, I can take a nap. My day is clear to enjoy however I want.

Today, this sunny, hot summer day, the peak of summer, I will bask: bask in the sunshine, bask in my friends and family, bask in the spiritual work, bask in all of you. I will enjoy letting the day unfold, connecting to the sun and my own inner light. I will honor the peak of the sun, and the wheel turning back toward autumn for us, and spring for our Southern Hemisphere friends.

Whatever is on your plate today, take a few minutes to bask in the weather, yourself, your family, your friends, and the large community of all of us.

Blessed Solstice, my friends!

Image courtesy of Mira Cosic, Astrologer  via pixabay.com
New Moon May 7, 2024
 
May 7, 2024
New Moon in Taurus
Pluto Retrograde
Sunny and warm
 
Hello, and welcome back.

It’s been a long time since I posted anything to do with the blog, and I decided to post it here, on this site, rather than on a separate blog site. There will not be a regular posting schedule – it will be connected to moon cycles, esbats, sabbats, and special days.

I will be adding material all over the website, and some of the posts will be about the new content and things that are separate from the blog posts.

“Kemmyrk” means “shelter” in Manx, and that’s what I want the blog (and the site) to feel like. A safe, cozy shelter where we can work on ourselves, our dreams, and our paths.

If you have a copy of Llewellyn’s 2024 Witches Companion, I have a very personal article in it on  “Untangling Magical Misfires.” I will talk more in detail about that particular article in a different post. This post is about tapping into the magical May energy and using it.

I wanted to do something a little bit different this month, so I did a 3-card tarot spread and then used an Oracle card underneath it. There are hundreds of 3-card spreads out there, and I encourage you to play with your own ideas.

For this one, to work with the unique energies this month, I wanted to find out what I’m planting, what I am integrating, and what I am building on for this lunar cycle.

I decided to do it like this:

Below the spread, I used an oracle card to ask how the Pluto Retrograde influenced the spread.

I could have used more than one card for the oracle question, but I chose not to, in this case. If we had more than one retrograde, I would have used one card for each planet in retrograde.

I used the Midnight City Tarot and the City of Dreams Oracle for this spread. I love both these decks, and I’m a big fan of the artist, Jackie Franco. The decks are inspired by and built around locations in the five boroughs of New York City. Since I spent many years living and working in NYC, these decks speak to me on many levels. I have the mini deck for the tarot, and the full size of the oracle, which is why there’s a size difference in the cards.

Here’s a photo of the spread:

 

What am I planting?
The Empress. The Empress is a card of fertility, luxury, abundance, and creativity. (This card is set in Park Slope, Brooklyn). It’s about embracing myself in all its facets and using those facets in my creativity. That makes sense, as I am trying to work past some obstacles (both tangible and psychological) that I’ve allowed to hold me back.

What am I integrating?
8 of Coins (pentacles in some decks). Steady work, mastery of craft, keep up the practice in order to get a result. (Location: Your Kitchen).  This makes sense, since I am working to integrate different parts of my life and work (among them the various names under which I publish) to make something more holistic.

What am I building on?
Knight of Coins. Slow, steady work brings results. Don’t rush, don’t skip steps, don’t get distracted, manage the time and the project reliably. (Location: 57^th St. Subway entrance in Midtown Manhattan). This makes sense; I recently rewrote a full-length play and sent it off into the world. I finished another full-length play in April; it’s sitting for a few weeks before revision. I’m working steadily on a third full-length play that sometimes feels like it’s stalling, but I show up every day and do the work. Of the three serials I have running (under the Devon Ellington name), one will complete its season next week and be ready to binge; the next two will finish their seasons in the upcoming weeks. I’m putting together a new mailing for the business writing aspect of my work, Fearless Ink. I just wrapped several large freelance projects. None of it is happening fast, but it’s all moving steadily.

What are the influences when Pluto is retrograde? Pluto is the planet of death and transformation. A Pluto Retrograde is also when what is hidden is revealed. If you’re hiding something, it may come to light. If someone is hiding something from you, it may come to light. The retrograde began on May 2, and will run through October 11. Depending on where Pluto sits in your birth chart, there will be individual nuances.

The Oracle card I drew to ask about the influences of this Pluto Retrograde is the card stating Anything Is Possible. This can be very possible – it’s time to turn dreams into something tangible, especially with the Coins in the above reading and the Empress. But don’t get too cocky about it, because ANYTHING is possible, and if I’m not paying attention, I could miss something important, and it might not be positive. Or there could be so many opportunities that I get overwhelmed and don’t take action, which can have negative consequences. This card is as much of a warning as a cheerleader.

There’s potential for a lot of positives – but I have to steadily show up and do the work. I can’t blow it off and think it will turn out well. The reason I’ve been able to earn a living in the arts since it was necessary to earn a living is because I show up and do the work, even on days I don’t feel like it. That doesn’t mean I never take time off. But if I only worked “whenever” I would not have a career.

For me, this reading tells me I’m on the right track for the moment, and to keep going, instead of slacking off. Be aware of opportunities and possibilities. Make ACTIVE choices and build from there.

The same cards might say something quite different to you.

Try doing a reading during this new moon time and see what you come up with, and how the cards speak to you. They can be all tarot cards, all oracle cards, 3 tarot and an oracle card, or 3 oracle cards and a tarot card. Play with it.

And leave a comment about your experience!

We’ll check back in at the full moon on May 23^rd!

I have a very personal piece in the 2024 Witches’ Companion, from Llewellyn, about “Unangling Magical Misfires.” It’s out now, and I hope you enjoy it, and that learning from my mistakes saves you from some pain.

I will be doing a major update of this website in Winter 2023-24, and putting together collections of articles that have appeared over the  years. After all, I’ve been writing for Llewellyn since 1994, with a 6 year break in the mid-aughts.

I’m exploring how to import Kemmyrk into this site, so everything is in one place.

Thank you for your time, patience, and continued support!

The blog Kemmyrk is back up and running. There’s no set day; it’s going by moon phases and holidays. I hope you’ll stop by and join the journey.

The 2020 Spell-A-Day Almanacs are available! You can get yours here. I had a wonderful time writing 25 spells for it!

As new pieces are published off the site, I’ll post about them here. Stay tuned!