November 30, 2025 • 42 mins
In this episode of Stars and Sprouts, hosts Cawnawyn and Annette delve into the profound themes of Samhain, ancestral connections, and the cyclical nature of life and motherhood. They discuss how modern commercialism impacts the meaning of Samhain, share personal experiences of ancestor work, and explore the importance of spiritual and ancestral awareness in parenting. The conversation also touches upon the role of nature, memory, and cultural traditions in shaping our understanding of life and legacy.
00:00 Introduction
00:26 Samhain Season Reflections
02:55 Memory and Witchcraft
05:51 Parenting in the Digital Age
09:26 Ancestor Work and Personal Stories
19:26 Exploring Grief and Spiritual Connections
21:14 The Tradition of Dumb Suppers
28:53 Integrating Spirituality and Motherhood
32:58 Seasonal Reflections and Sustainable Living
37:27 Astrology and Generational Healing
40:08 Conclusion
Stay tuned for educational episodes every three weeks, alternating between celebrations of Sabbats and enriching interviews with industry professionals. Questions, comments, and suggestions can be addressed to starsandsproutspodcast@gmail.com. Follow Cawnawyn on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok @cawnawynmor for more music, astrology, and witchcraft. Astrology classes, new podcast episodes, the Dark Moon Chronicle Blog, and music releases on cawnawynmor.com. Music by C. A. Worden ©️ Smashing Ivory Productions LLC 2025 Violin - Jean-Philippe de Passos (via Musiversal)
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome To Stars and Sprouts,
(00:02):
a Pagan parenting podcast
where magic meets motherhood.
We are your hosts, Cawnawyn
and Annette, here to explore the sacred,
the cyclical,
and the soulful path of raising children
in rhythm with the earth and stars.
(00:26):
Welcome to, Samhain Annette.
Hi.
Hi.
How are you doing?
I am so happy to be in this season.
I'm so glad to be in person.
Us together in a podcastin my crazy office.
I'm so glad we're here together.
Yes.
What a time.
I was thinking earlier abouthow it feels like the whole
year builds up to this moment.
Kind of a lot of pressureon Samhain I feel like
Oh, well, that's true.
(00:47):
Yeah.
I mean, it can be underwhelmingif you put too much on it.
I think I've done that in the past andI've really tried to be more conscious
about enjoying the journey to the season.
You know, without making itsuch a big deal and nowadays
with how commercial it is
so true.
I'm trying to like look away, not thatI don't love it, this is the time of
year where I buy all my home decor, butlike at the same time I'm like, it's
so much like it's oversaturated now.
(01:08):
I feel like it's losing its meaninga little bit, which is why I'm glad
we're talking today about what we'retalking about, but like, how's your
experience, especially as a mom beenlike coming into Samhain season?
Well, I think when you have aconnection to a generation below you,
the generations behind feel maybeall the more potent or something.
Yeah.
So I think that being a mom.
(01:29):
Samhain is not just sort of a ooh,like what might I feel reaching
through that veil, but also like,what are my obligations too?
Yes.
What's beyond that veil?
Totally feel that weight.
Yes.
I think something we've talked aboutin the past about cyclical nature and
also like basically having children oneday we're gonna be behind that veil.
(01:50):
Right.
And our children are gonna be behindthat veil and so on and so forth.
Right.
And so just sort of a feeling oflike a link in the chain maybe.
Yeah.
Right now.
Yeah.
Yeah.
The awareness, like the greaterawareness of our place within all of
that, I think comes to the forefront.
Yeah.
I think before kids, it's likeI'm the main character, right.
And now it's like I am.
Yeah.
Like just that link in the chain.
Yeah.
Like a segue.
(02:11):
Yeah.
Yeah, exactly.
I don't know.
Just a means to a next generation.
Which, you know, I think is actually kindof freeing, like when the focus and the
lighting and whatever the glare is notin your eye, like you're able to see a
lot more, I think, if that makes sense.
Yeah.
That totally makes sense.
I just like the spotlight.
What can I say?
I'm still my main character.
And also like, I so get what you mean,where like the whole like notion of
(02:33):
legacy, doesn't enter my mind untilmotherhood and like, not legacy,
like, oh, the things I've left behind.
Mm-hmm.
And how my name will be etched forever.
It's more like what lessons and memoriesam I imparting onto next generation and
like, what am I leaving behind of value?
And memory is like so much more ofa potent question of, what does that
(02:53):
even like, feel like and mean actually?
Funny thing, a lot of my childhoodwas filmed, and this is like in the
nineties 'cause my dad worked in tv.
Not like film, like for a TV show,but we had cameras back then.
Mm-hmm.
So we were totally like the homevloggers before they had that,
that was the thing.
And so, so many of mymemories are actually on film.
Like I don't actually have the memory,but I know what the video looked like.
(03:16):
And so that's my version of it.
And so my memory goes reallydetailed and far back.
'cause I can watch the videos andwe used to watch 'em when we were
kids 'cause my mom would just putthem on set TV and we would see
ourselves doing fun things, you know?
Yeah.
And so my senior thesis actually inmy college degree was a whole concert
based off of like, what is memory.
And so I'm like kindof obsessed with that.
(03:36):
And how those memories are replaced by thevideo and how I don't have my own sense of
what my memory is because it was filmed.
So that's like what it is black and white.
Like there, there's no arguing.
'cause I can see it play out.
And it like replaced what my ownawareness of memory is, I don't know.
So like this time of year for me,because of that veil thinning, like it
(03:57):
puts me back in touch with like, whatdo I feel in my body that I remember?
Like how did it feel?
Not what it looked like.
And that's been a whole part,I think, of my witchcraft.
Like getting in touch with thatpersonal experience versus like,
what was preserved on tape.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And nowadays, like kids, I think aboutlike how they see the videos and the
photos it's so prevalent where back then,nobody really has that of their childhood.
(04:20):
Like who's our age,
Yeah.
Memory is, variable.
It's like the narrativeyou make for yourself.
Probably heavily edited.
Truly.
That's why I'm continually edited.
Yeah.
So to not have that and to think ofyour body is sort of where the record.
For you is kept is so fascinating.
My relationship with my body's changinga lot these days and I think, oh,
(04:41):
you created babies with your body.
Like you'd think that, you know,being pregnant twice would've
already got that connection going.
But actually my workwith plants, I would say.
Yeah.
That's where the body connectionis starting to form for me.
And so when you say like, oh,what does it feel like in my body?
Like that means a lot more nowthan it did like a year ago.
'cause I'm realizing like tuning intodifferent frequencies of information,
(05:05):
like, that's sort of what intuitivethought feels like for me it's like kind
of just tuning into another frequency.
instead of having like an antennasticking out at the top of my head,
I feel like that's actually howI feel most of the time actually.
but no, it's more like my whole body'sthe antenna for that more intuitive
type knowledge and just something aboutthinking about my body as being as
intelligent as my mind has helped mebring respect and like grounding into it.
(05:27):
So I think the aspect you're layeringin with memory is like something I'm
gonna have to be chewing on and, andthinking about for my kids too 'cause they
still are so in their bodies, you know?
And for any new listeners.
Hi, welcome to Stars and Sprouts,but we both have pretty young kids.
Mine are three and two.
Yeah.
And three and nine months.
(05:48):
So you've got older kidslet us know how that goes.
Like you know how it's been.
'cause Yeah, I think about the newergenerations, I mean, it's no secret
that a lot of us, I think are reallyconcerned about the separation
between child and nature happeningJust because of modern technology.
And I think about that often whereit's like, yeah, the attention to the
senses, becoming that antenna, likeyou said, being able to tap into that,
(06:11):
getting cut off because of technology.
But then also, like, in my casewith the memory thing, like they can
just go watch a video of themselvesthat their mom shot on their phone.
You know, so easily they, they seethe photos and the, the videos in
real time, like immediately afterward.
Like, we'd have to wait for thefilm to develop, but like, you
know, when you're three, youdon't really know the difference.
Like all of a sudden you'rejust watching yourself on tv.
(06:31):
But there's, there's such a lackof like having to wait and you're
met immediately with mm-hmm.
Well, what just happened?
And then you just take it like astruth instead of, well, how did
that make me feel in the moment?
And like,
I see,
you know,
so there's like an overriding
Yes.
Potentially with the immediacy.
Right.
And like, how is that gonna affectthem getting older, tapping into.
I feel like this episode is alreadytaking us in such a different place.
(06:54):
Yeah, I know, I know.
And you know what?
I just, 'cause we're already here, I wannasay one more thing about those older kids.
It's just like the idea ofcoming of age right now.
Yeah.
And I just wanted to like, put aplaceholder 'cause not raising children
who are coming of age right now.
I'm speaking purely from theory.
But just that it must beso hard to find footing
Yeah.
At a time of like such huge transitionthat we're in where nothing really feels
(07:17):
real or Authentic, sustainable like it'sgonna be here in another couple of years.
Yeah.
And so my solution obviously being who Iam is about getting in touch with land.
And plants and that kind of thing.
But obviously whatever, you know, chooseyour own adventure, but like, whatever
it is, I think it's probably has toinclude that whole body connection.
(07:37):
I love that you brought that upbecause it like also brings up this
whole notion of time, which I knowwe've also discussed, time and all of
its confusion and mystery and beauty.
Mm-hmm.
And how like a coming of age, like markinga point in time, which is, you know, with
Samhain, we're marking a time of yearthat we are going to reconnect with our
ancestors if we haven't done already.
(07:58):
Most of us, I think, are kind of, at leastin this realm, aware of our ancestors.
Although I can't waitto unpack this with you.
'cause that is what thisepisode today is all about.
We are gonna dive fully an ancestors,but like that whole notion of feeling
time within the body and understandingthat we're stepping on a threshold or
into a threshold of like a new time,a new chapter, a new era, and Yeah.
When you're like separated from howyour own body is feeling through
(08:21):
all of that, because frankly, thedata is just given to you and you're
just consuming versus experiencing.
Mm-hmm.
How that would that would like, renderit meaningless until you look back on
your life and go like, oh, what happened?
Mm-hmm.
Like, who am I?
Where am I?
And, and maybe I don't know.
So
Yeah.
oh, and one more thing for parentswith kids who are maybe a bit older
one of the things I was thinking aboutrecently was about how parenthood
(08:44):
you have the most responsibilityand the least amount of influence.
Eew.
I, I know it's so real.
So just saying that we can be here withgood ideas all day, but it's really up
to, you know, implementation is, you know,
choose your own adventure and good luck.
I guess it's up to your kids to choose.
I really don't have the answer tohow you make anyone do anything.
(09:04):
And actually, one of the things Iwas thinking about a lot recently is
how ancestors and future generationsand the idea of healing and how
you really can only heal yourself.
Mm-hmm.
but healing yourself does heal yourancestors and your future generations.
(09:26):
So since we're here to talk aboutancestors today and ancestor work
ancestor magic, I'm so curious whatis your experience working with it?
The ancestor work has been an evolution.
I'll say.
I, for a long time was really interestedin just like what the family history
was and feeling like quite a chip onmy shoulder about the fact that my
(09:46):
family didn't really know or care.
Mm-hmm.
I mean, especially on my mom's side,there was just a lot of unknowns
and, find a grave.com hit or miss.
You, I think it also works bestfor cemetery headstones in the
United States or in England,maybe other parts of Europe.
So just like a grain of salt, butit's this volunteer database of
(10:07):
headstones and it can be sometimeslinked to census and other type of
data, so you can kind of start tofind histories, you know, that way.
And so that's, I've foundquite a few that way.
And yeah, just did my own research and wasable to share that back, with my family.
I guess maybe a year ago I startedputting sort of an altar together.
It's already a like alittle table that I felt.
Had some good energy, you know?
(10:27):
Yeah.
And like had some prayer cardsfrom some funerals, like on it.
Oh, cool.
And then as we got like another picture oranother this, I have a, a little chalice-y
bowl thing there where we put offeringsand actually, you know , Monica Bodirsky
that's been interviewed a fewtimes on the Witch Space podcast.
I met with Monica and just had aconversation, needed some serious guidance
(10:48):
at the time and got necessary grounding.
And it was Monica who opened my eyesto bringing like, physical offerings.
Which like, in hindsight,I'm like, you dope.
Like, of course, like, I don't know, likeI was thinking like, oh, I'm going, you
know, on these like Lora O'Brien guidedmeditations to meet ancestors and that
I'm gonna like mentally bring whatever.
And it was like, no, no, honey, like.
Make the brownies, like buy the bottleof whiskey, like whatever it is.
(11:11):
And I had like kind of like a stinginessabout it at first, and now I'm over
here like pouring it out, you know,like, so, and it's, I have to say
it's a freeing feeling, so it's been agradual process and not formal at all.
But when I was doing the Find a GraveResearch, I found out that some of my
mom's side of the family, which againis like the side we didn't know as much
about, were actually buried very nearby.
Oh, okay.
Wow.
And so I started visiting when Iwould go back east to see family,
(11:34):
I started visiting the plot thathad a couple of relatives in it.
So this is my mom's, mom's mom and dad.
Wow.
Yeah.
And so that would be my maternal,maternal great grandparents.
Mm-hmm.
And then my great-grandfather'smom and dad.
Are also there and all in the same plot.
The first time I went youhave to go to the office.
(11:55):
I mean, over a million peopleare buried in this cemetery.
Right?
Yeah.
Good luck.
Yeah, exactly.
And so they tell me where it is,you drive up, and I just, like, I
got there and I fell upon the earth.
I just had to be down there andjust have a feeling it is my
great-great-grandmother, so mygreat-grandfather's mother who's
there her specific burial plot isactually concave because at the
time they used wooden caskets that
(12:16):
Oh,
yeah.
You know, give it a hundred yearsand that will rot and fall in.
And so there's this.
Depression in the ground.
Wow.
And so that's where I like to hangout, I've been there twice and I think
that that was probably a necessaryfoundation for what happened this June.
Mm.
So I see a somatic sort of therapistwho was, you know, oh, do you want to
(12:37):
learn about some ancestor practices?
Of course, you know?
Yes.
And they suggested automatic writing.
Mm-hmm.
Which is like, as simple as it sounds,you sit down, you maybe kind of center
yourself, and then you just start writingto, you know, or maybe it's an invitation.
I was looking back at what I evenwrote I got as far as saying like,
you know, beneficial or whatever thewording was you know, like-minded,
(12:59):
you know, that kind of thing.
Like trying to call in beneficent,
right?
Energy.
Yes.
We have many, many ancestors, youknow, trying to get certain ones maybe.
Anyway as soon as I sort offormalized that thought in my brain,
I was getting like a hello dear.
Whoa.
And then I was again, like just tryingto formalize the thought and obviously
write it down, which is slower.
(13:20):
You know, what is your name?
And then I was hit with Mary.
Hmm.
Okay.
The most common name.
Sure.
Right?
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
Like a grain of salt.
And then the baby started towake up and it was like coughing.
but what was so crazy was thatI think my overthinking mind
was preoccupied with the baby.
And so this kind of conversationand sense of a presence continued.
(13:40):
Oh, cool.
It just kind of kept going.
And so I had done enough of this ancestryon find a grave.com to know that actually
my mom's, mom's parents, both of thoseindividuals had mothers named Mary.
Oh my God.
So I'm like, is it great-Great GrandmaMary was it great-Grandma Mary, or
was a great, great-grandma, Mary
Uhhuh.
And I really felt like it was mygreat-grandfather's mother and that
(14:02):
was just because I had such a senseof Ireland and she was born in Ireland
and you know, as this is going on,I'm like, was she born in Ireland?
Like, I'm gonna have tocheck my facts on that.
So I go back to my find a grave.comto try to learn more about who
this may be and yes, great, greatgrandmother Mary was born in Ireland.
And I just had the sense that shewas behind my eyes the whole weekend.
(14:24):
So I'm working feeding and changing my atthe time, like six, seven month old baby.
And it was like I was seeingmy child with grandmother eyes,
whoa,
grandmother love, and not to just twistthe knife, but a grandmother who died
just before her grandchildren were born.
Oh my God.
And missed that opportunity.
(14:45):
Yeah.
Okay.
Lay it on me.
so my grandmother was bornafter her father died.
Her father died at 28 of likea freak aneurysm type thing.
While his wife, my great-grandmotherwas pregnant, with her second
daughter, my grandmother.
And his name is Lawrence andmy mom didn't even know that.
Wow.
So this grave I've been going tohas Mary, and, my great-grandmother,
(15:06):
Virginia, who was widowed veryyoung with one and a half kids.
And then Lawrence never even metmy grandmother so I'm picturing
Lawrence's mom, like seeing my children.
And having missed out on hergrandchildren, having not known
how closely beyond the veil shewas, followed by her own son.
You know, like just aweightiness there of like
(15:28):
totally
And my grandmother grew upobviously without her dad.
And then her mother died at 35of cancer after being bedridden
with illness for years.
And this was like goingon during the depression.
My grandmother and her sisterwere raised by their aunt.
And it was tough times,like to say the least.
Right.
So.
Grandma Mary.
Oh my gosh.
This pure love and like thoughtscame to me of like being proud of
(15:52):
me, which as we already addressedearlier today, like would not be me
thinking that, you know what I mean?
This must be somebody else.
Exactly.
And so just having this profound senseof like intergenerational healing
happening and being able to be a channel.
Yes.
For that love and attention to myextremely happy and amazing child who
(16:13):
I think is like my grandmother who'sjust basking in the glow and the love
that's all around her this time around.
You know what I mean?
And so then I see my husbandhold my daughter and I.
Wow.
Yeah.
And it just feels like abone being set or something.
And can I just add one more crazy Fact.
Okay.
So when I went back to see like, whichMary, you know, Ireland I'm looking
(16:35):
at all the dates of birth and deathagain, and it turns out Lawrence was
born on the exact same day as me.
Whoa.
We were born on the same day of the year.
He was born 92 years exactly before me.
Wow.
Where I was born.
92 years exactly.
After that's gonna feel.
Yeah.
Crazy.
That's my ancestor story.
Holy wow.
(16:55):
I just feel like that is so much allat once for you, but like, so profound.
Oh my gosh.
I have like chills.
That's amazing.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, so I've been witchadjacent for a long time.
Right.
You know, I think many of us kind oflike, oh, we like nature, we're kind of
alternative, we're kind of this or that.
And then, you know, one day wefor whatever reason claim it.
(17:16):
And I definitely think the lastyear, year and a half, there's been
these moments where it's just like, Idon't know, slapping me in the face.
I'm like, okay, I get it.
Like, yes, there's something going on.
This was definitely one of thosemoments where it's like, this is why
I've been so interested in wantingto know this history and oh my gosh.
So this cemetery, right?
In Philadelphia, but I can almost seelike, it's probably less than a mile from
(17:38):
where my grandparents' first house was.
Okay.
So I was talking about mygrandmother who never met her father.
Well, her father was interred, like astone's throw away from the first house.
And my mom never knew any of this.
My mom's one of six kids.
Like, I've got cousins, you know,like I, nobody else has been there.
Nobody else knows about this in my family.
And it's been so close for so long.
(17:59):
I mean, they just havebeen waiting, you know?
Yeah.
Yeah.
The weight of that.
And not to be like, burdensome, butlike, just the gravity of like, that you,
you've discovered this and you've like,put all these pieces together and like
drawn the lines together and realize theorder of events and how close they are.
And just being the beholderof that knowledge right now.
Must feel so precious too.
(18:19):
Yeah.
like weighty and thenit's like a weight lifted.
Mm-hmm.
It's like all of this weight thatwe're all carrying around not
knowing like by knowing it, you know.
It's almost like owning it.
The void was filled right.
And now you're holding that and holdingit in such sacred space where you're like
experiencing the awareness of that magic.
Yeah.
Right.
Yeah.
And I'm just feeling like maybethis Samhain, I wanna like baby
my grandmother a little bit.
(18:40):
I mean, such a robbed childhoodin so many ways, you know?
She was a beloved person, I knowshe gave a lot to a lot of people,
I would just so love to be able tolike baby her a little bit, you know?
That makes my heart just like
Right.
And I think that's what's hard Ithink too, about being in this space
where we're really open to connecting,like on that level in that way.
Because honestly, anybody on theoutside, like hearing this in the modern
(19:01):
age might just be like, that's crazy.
Like you're not mothering yourgrandmother, but it's like, no, you're
feeling this and experiencing thisand like your body's interacting with
this different timeline that happened
mm-hmm.
But is currently happening.
You're able to step into that andintegrate that energy into right now.
Yeah.
And to me that's just further proofthat like all time is happening at once.
That doesn't feel crazy.
(19:22):
That feels beautiful.
Well, and if you wanna be like,scientific about it, right?
This is a story that I know, right?
And so it's a sadness and a grief thatI imagine I could just be like, you
know, soothing that little part ofmyself that holds that grief, you know?
So is it some sort of very literalspiritual her spirit or is it
something in me, or is that the samething even, you know, I don't know,
(19:43):
whatever works for you, but Yeah, Ithink Tyson Yunkaporta in the book
Sand Talk talks about the aboriginalAustralian group that he hails from.
They have like a cyclicalidea of generations.
And, is it your great-grandchildren orgreat-grandparents are also your children?
I'm not sure how many stepsremoved in, in which it repeats.
There's definitely cultures thattalk about it and John Moriarty.
(20:04):
' Cause I can't get an episodeout without mentioning him.
We love, yes we do.
We do love.
He's welcome to the space.
Please invoke.
Um, he has a story called The Storyof Big Mike, which is on YouTube.
Of him telling the story if youhave a half hour to listen to it.
But he talks about the midwifeof the town passing away.
And so one of the people thatwas delivered by this midwife.
(20:27):
You know, the way he puts it wasas he was babied into the world.
He babied her out of the world.
Oh yeah.
I think that there's somethingabout parenthood and also maybe
sort of stepping into an adultrole where you can baby people.
Yeah.
No matter who they are, even ifthey're your grandparents or your
unmet relatives or your, yeah.
Whoever they may be.
Yeah.
And like ultimately, you know, whetherit's really happening on a spiritual
(20:49):
level or if it's like a soothing partof ourselves, does it really matter?
and I think if you think,okay, what's a spell, right?
It's putting a certain energy outthere it's the same energy either way.
Right.
The intention's all there
and Exactly.
Wow, that's so beautiful.
That feels very like healing just to bewitness to that story feels very healing,
I think it's gonna be a long unfolding.
(21:10):
You know what I mean?
Mm-hmm.
It's not gonna be like, oh, we're gonnado one dumb supper for my grandmother.
Check.
Yeah, so have you done a dumbsupper with your children?
I think so.
Okay.
So last year we had the intentions ofdoing that, but I was quite pregnant.
Yes.
And then there was a stomach bug.
Oh no.
And I threw up seven times.
Anyway, it was horrible.
Yeah.
(21:30):
So sorry.
So I have no recollection of whatwe did or didn't do last year.
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah.
And actually a couple days afterthat, more in the sort of all
Saints Day timeframe, we hosted aHalloween party where I had built
a sort of terraced shelving thing.
For tea lights.
Mm-hmm.
And gone but not forgotten was likethe sign and encouraged people to
(21:52):
light candles for those who had passed.
That was sort of my way of havingan intentional moment and I really
enjoyed doing it at a party.
Yeah.
That's cool.
peer pressure helps.
Yeah.
I like to make it moreappropriate to talk about death.
Yeah.
And, and I think grief is somethingthat if you're not very familiar
with it, is treated like, oh,that person's very fragile.
They're in grief.
And I don't think that that'susually true or helpful.
(22:14):
So being much more like, oh, we're justgonna make this okay to talk about.
And at least one personthere solemnly lit a candle.
And I was like, well, that.
Made my day, you know?
it served a purpose.
Yeah.
Yeah.
What about you?
Are you a dumb supper family?
Yes, Samhain and ancestor work aroundSamhain, I think is the biggest reason
why I resonated with a different system ofobserving holidays and special occasions.
(22:35):
This deeper meaning to thisholiday that I've always loved.
I mean, the Halloween season, I havebeen into that since I came out.
And so, there was always likea depth that was missing in the
shallow celebration of it growing up.
And when I heard about the DumbSupper, I remember being one
of the very first things, I waslike, yes, I can get behind this.
I observe these traditions and
(22:55):
what do I believe?
In my case I was looking at thehistory of Irish paganism and
their culture and traditions.
So that was one of the earliestthings I think I adopted for
my practice and with the kids.
I have done it, but we don't make,as big of a deal of it as like, my
intention would be like, I would reallylove to do it where it is totally
candlelit and silent during that dinnerand like, is a very solemn, not, not
(23:19):
like sad, but just leaving the spacefor it to be a liminal space, right?
Mm-hmm.
Leaving the space forwhatever to come through.
But my kids aren't at an agewhere they can sit quietly for
more than like a few seconds.
So we're not there, but we alwaysdo set a plate out and we talk about
it in a very just general sense.
Mm-hmm.
But death in our family is alwayssomething that I've been as honest
(23:42):
and straightforward about as I can bewithout overemphasizing it with my kids.
Mm-hmm.
Because my kids have some greatimagination and I love it.
Oh, really?
Oh, yeah.
Like, and they, I mean, even, weactually just had an instance yesterday
where my son was saying things.
I was like, what
are you saying?
So he was telling my mom,who, my mom is not this way.
Okay.
Like, this is part of the reason Ithink I've made this generational shift.
(24:03):
I wanted to talk about deepertopics, about Psychological, trauma.
And when I was growing up,my mom is somebody who is
just like, Nope, put it away.
I don't wanna talk about it.
I don't wanna think about it.
Nope.
That's too sad.
So it was always suppressed.
And with my son, he and Italk about it when he has a
question I just try to answer.
We address death reallyopenly in our home, but not
a long time talking about it.
(24:24):
Usually their attention spanjust dips off anyway and they
want talk about something else.
So we've let them kind of just guidethe questions and then we just move on.
And we're kind of clinical aboutit for that reason, but I want
to tell them the truth, so.
Mm-hmm.
Anyway so the dumb supper, I reallyhave loved that tradition because
it just puts us into that beautifulcontact with that remembrance and that
(24:45):
attention toward those who've passed.
And it's funny 'cause
that's so much what brought me tomy witchcraft, my spirituality,
because I felt like I was connectingwith people and my family.
And what's weird is like havingthis reflection recently, I've
really gotten away from that.
Like I've almost divorced myself fromlike connecting with my guides and my
(25:06):
ancestors because that was so core towhy I got into it in the first place.
Mm-hmm.
And I've been really feeling the callthis year, especially as I've been
doing a lot of intentional work with theMorrigan this year for our big ritual
we're doing and the music I'm writingto get back in touch with that side.
And really make more of, adaily intentional connection
(25:26):
with those who've passed on.
I'm lucky enough on my mom'sside, I have a lot of the
history, the genealogy laid out.
Like we have genealogists in ourfamily that have done that work,
and we have the cemetery thatwe've gone to with our families,
like all their gravestones in it.
My mom and dad wanna be buried there.
Like it's a long legacy where mydad's family, he's had to do a
lot of that research because hisparents died when he was very young.
(25:49):
I never met them.
I'm apparently a lot like them andI know that a number of people on
his side have sort of been with me.
In fact, one of the stories I loveis that one of my psychic teachers
that I worked with, she's RachelleBaron Knight, and she's wonderful.
And she was giving me a readingvery early on in our friendship, and
she's like, your grandmother likesto stand with you and watch you do
(26:10):
your makeup and like she's with youwhenever you're doing your makeup.
And I just remember being like, what?
She's the grandmother that I nevermet, but she sings, she plays
piano, she plays violin, right?
I say, you know, it'sa lot of similarities.
We look very similar.
We have a lot of similar tendencies.
She's got a lot of Gemini, so it justfeels very resonant and I've always
connected with her in some way or another.
(26:32):
And so to know that, like, when I'mdoing that very intimate self-love care
ritual, she's been with me the whole time.
So now I'll say hi to her.
Right?
Like, and I still remember to dothat, but I've lost touch with it.
And so mm-hmm.
I love that we're doing thistoday because I feel my heart
craving that connection again.
It's, it's exciting to workwith deity like I mm-hmm.
I find it really inspiring.
(26:53):
there's sort of a greater power thatI'm tapping into and maybe channeling
through my artwork depending on, youknow, whatever your feelings are on that.
Totally understand respect.
I love the stories of myth and thesegreat epics that we hear and how
they make us think about our place inculture and the universe and history.
But I lost touch with my ownhistory and healing I'm doing
(27:13):
within those generations.
I think it would honestlyreally help with child rearing.
I had a friend, I'd love tohave her on here at some point.
Her name's Emily.
Emily, if you're listening out there.
Hi.
Thank you for sharing this.
She mentioned she started talking toher daughter's guides and like using
that as a way of like helping both ofthem through these tougher transitions.
Her daughter's really young and is goingthrough, toddler phases that's so smart.
(27:37):
Yeah, that is so smart.
You know, and I'm like, this isjust more reason to tap into that.
Yeah.
So, I have so many stories I could shareof connections with my ancestry, but I'm
really at this place where I'm like, I'mready for like a new chapter with that.
A fresh start I guess.
'cause it's been a while and I reallyfeel the knocks at the door, you know?
Mm-hmm.
Do you think this Samhain you'll dosomething a little more solo then?
(28:00):
Yeah, i'm lucky that We're in aplace with my family where I can
take that step away if necessary.
And one of the things I did a lot of, likeright before my sort of transition into
my spiritual awakening in 2019 happenedwas I was visiting graveyards a lot.
Like I was doing a lot of ghosthunting, and it was kind of out of jest.
In fact, I had like awhole history with that.
(28:20):
Not that I didn't believe in it, but itwas just meant to be like a parody of like
the typical ghost hunters you see on tv.
Like, I just think it's hilariouscomedy and entertainment.
And I was doing some of that kindof stuff for fun, but then also like
really genuinely interested in it.
So I don't know.
I just, I really am feeling calledthis year to like visit a cemetery.
None of my family's buried here, there'sa few in the area that I've gone to just
(28:41):
to like pay my respects and like be withan energy that has passed on there's
a cemetery up the road from my house.
Mm-hmm.
two blocks away.
And.
just spending time in those sacredspaces I think is so meaningful.
Yeah.
You know what that's reminding me of.
Where I'm living right now inWashington state is historically
Nisqually and Sequalitchew land.
And I do think about that where youknow, especially as my spirituality
(29:04):
blossoms and I learn more aboutlayering the science and the magic
together I think it's easy to
look at our modern world and thinkthat humans are like a parasite on
the earth, but actually like we havethe ability to increase biodiversity.
And you know, many cultures think thatwe're actually here to like look after the
earth, both physically and spiritually.
And then when you get into that quantumphysics aspect of it that you're
(29:27):
really co-creating one another, right?
Like yeah, consciousness and spiritualpractice and just existing just
being produces, the environment.
Physically and the environmentthen produces you also spiritually,
metaphorically, and physically.
Wow.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
So like, so just recognizing that likepeople who lived here in that way, right.
(29:51):
For thousands of years, you know?
, Not just where people areinterred, but just that.
Of which, you know, there'speople interd All right.
Truly everywhere.
Yeah.
They don't, I, maybe not everywhere,but you know what, you know.
But there's that sortof like, aspect of it.
But then there's also justlike all of this land, right?
Is a reflection of those peoplewho were here and are here,
who are very much still here.
(30:11):
And so just, I think there's somethingabout you know, maybe I'm moving in
about a year and I'm thinking a lotabout the indigenous people that area,
and it's helping me be more alert ofthose people who have stewarded and
created this land that I'm on right now.
And I think I wanna make the most ofthat this year into Samhain and, really
honoring that in where I live, right?
(30:32):
By the Sequalitchew Creekand the Nisqually River.
Just to acknowledge and to emphasizethe weight of that legacy and we
might be able to pick up on messagesfrom land , and people prior.
And I think about like howmeaningful as mothers, we can
introduce that to our kids too.
Like it's kinda what we talked aboutwith like the coming of age thing, but
(30:52):
it's putting them within the greaterscope of being a caretaker of the earth
versus just existing and just consuming.
Right.
And that they don't have to look atthemselves with that spite or that
anger of like, I'm just a parasite.
Because if we connect to the actual energythat the earth holds of all that have
gone before us And all that have caredfor the earth and like bring them that
(31:14):
greater awareness of history and of time.
You know, what a beautiful way to beintegrated with the wider world, which
is in and of itself scary and dangerous.
But like to have that knowledge at such ayoung age and be grappling with your place
in it and seeing by example, not to liketoot our own horns, but like, you know,
just seeing by example, somebody livingin more of an intentional way with that.
(31:35):
Like, I think could only benefit,especially with the disconnection
that our kids might be surrounded by.
While it's amazing to like beinteracting with that on our own, and
it's integral to our own spiritualjourney, like I had this realization
recently and I was like, I have got toinvolve my kids in this process more.
It doesn't have to be showeringthem with crystals and making them
(31:56):
do rituals with me and making themlight candles and incense, but just
inviting them into this space mm-hmm.
In a way that they can feel included.
And it's not, oh, mom's doing her thing.
Because it's so easy to just wanna carveout the time and space for ourselves,
but then it ends up isolating them.
And I don't know, I've beentrying to like, challenge myself
with like, could I include them?
Like, what could we do together?
(32:17):
And like I think about the landacknowledgement and the learning of
the people that came here before, oreven just like tidying up a cemetery.
Like my kids notice litterall the time and like
do we do our part topick it up every time?
Well, no.
'cause I don't want themtouching a bunch of garbage.
But like, even that connectionIs inviting them on that process.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I'm wondering if there are likelocal tribal events happening?
(32:39):
I mean, like, There's not always powwows,but powwow season is a thing that I think.
We're probably past it right now, butjust what other events there might
be and that cultural exposure and,sort of like, it doesn't have to be
some sort of like mysterious relic.
Right.
You know what I mean?
Like, oh, it's still happening.
Yes.
You know, in that aspect too isI think what I'm trying to say.
Yes.
It's a living tradition.
Absolutely.
and then I wanna also, I don't knowexactly what you said that made me think
(33:02):
of this, but when I'm shopping, likeit's such a commercialized holiday now.
Yes.
Right.
So trying to be really intentionalwhen I'm buying things and if my kids
are here with me doing any sort of,even just grocery shopping mm-hmm.
Like where does this come from?
'cause sometimes things arevery aesthetically beautiful,
but I can see how it's made.
Right?
When I am looking at that aspectof it, I just can't do it.
(33:25):
And I've been thrifting a lot more.
Mm-hmm.
And especially forclothes for that reason.
Yeah.
Because buying the mass produced,you know, sort of fast fashion thing
when it's secondhand feels like I'mtaking something out of the trash.
Whereas when I'm buying it new, it feelslike I'm putting something into the trash.
Yeah.
Oh, that's so true.
Do you know what I mean?
Yes.
So, then like, thinking about that withthe decor too, of like, yeah, okay,
(33:47):
is this something that is gonna createa nice effect for like one night of a
party and then I'm gonna throw it away?
Mm-hmm.
And I'm just picturing it like,floating in the ocean, like Yeah.
Oh my god, right?
I feel like I wanna like table.
That whole awareness of like, especiallyconsumption, because I know you and I
have to have a conversation about thisbecause it's something that's been
like prevalent in my mind so heavilylately and how can I be the example?
(34:10):
How can I invite my children in?
On that journey and how can I promotethe values and the things that I
see in a very real, direct way.
Where can I make impact?
I think that's really the word Iwant to use is like, where could
the biggest impact really be?
And realizing so much of that is reallywithin my own immediate environment.
Mm-hmm.
Like, especially withhow we raise our kids.
(34:31):
Mm-hmm.
I think for myself at least, I, I'veviewed my spirituality and my motherhood
experience not as separate things,but as kind of happening congruently,
like in different lanes together.
Mm-hmm.
And I'm really trying to figureout how to blend the two where it's
appropriate, but also it's taking themwith that journey of self-discovery.
(34:53):
Yeah.
And spirituality.
And then also bringing in thatawareness of impact of, right.
You know, when we're purchasing thisfast fashion or this like prop thing
made of whatever from China, likewhat are we really contributing to?
Mm-hmm.
And if we can build that awareness at sucha young age, like how could that serve
them later too, to make better consciousdecisions, not only just for themselves,
(35:15):
but like for their finances, for theirown family someday, like for supporting
businesses that they care about and.
I just, it's become very like, importantto me and it kind of all feeds into
this greater awareness of where weare within time, within the universe.
Mm-hmm.
And when I think about how easilyaccessible every little thing that we
could possibly want is, and how ourancestors literally survived winters.
(35:39):
Like this was a wonderfulcelebratory time.
In fact, Gemini and Scorpio from,I feel like they're like our sister
podcast, but not really, but kind of.
Mm-hmm.
Like, Hey sisters, But you know,they were talking about how like
they were conserving all of theirresources to survive the winter.
And we have no concept and tothink that like our ancestors
(36:00):
survived, and we're here now.
Are we making the impact we could?
Are we being as aware as we could?
Mm-hmm.
And could we connect to that energya bit more and just have a little
bit more reverence for what it took?
And then also using thosesame lessons in our own lives.
And,
you know, that actually sparks aplant seasonal plant thing for me.
Perfect.
Let's go into plants.
(36:20):
A squash, squash, squash,beautiful pumpkins.
Which pumpkins are native to the whatwe, you know, with all this indigenous
talk, turtle island, you know, likethe Americas as we call them now.
And, that is such a dose of sweetness.
Like we kind of justcame off of berry season.
Mm-hmm.
Well, and I guess if you countstrawberries, like maybe berry season
starts kind of early, but like we justhad like all of the blackberries Right.
(36:42):
And the blueberries and everything.
The squash is definitely where youmight get some of your sweeter food.
I think maybe there's something comingup for me about like buying seasonal
food and also cherishing the squashthat is gonna be like as the dessert.
You know what I mean?
Mm-hmm.
Like I wonder if I canmake something tasty.
This is what we're gonnasavor as our treat, you know?
(37:04):
So we'll see if I actually do that.
But that's what's comingup for me right now.
love that.
Yeah.
Squash is, I mean, this is likewhat we think of Of course.
And whenever the holiday like seasoncomes, I always get excited to see it.
And I don't really have anythingprofound to say other than
just like, yum, I'm hungry.
Yum.
Check.
Yeah.
Well, I, so if that's like our sort of,you know, sprout flavor for, Samhain
(37:25):
I'm wondering what your, star flavor is
so, well, and actually to sort ofunderscore the, you know, the cyclical
thing, 'cause like genealogy inastrology is a whole separate study too.
When you're looking at your own chart,you can see your mother's genealogy, like
your mother's line, your father's line.
Mm-hmm.
You can see your siblings, andthen you can see your children
like all within your chart.
And even if you don't havechildren, that can be something
(37:45):
that you create or care for, right.
That you're nurturing.
And so those are all aspectsthat are shown within your
planetary placements in the chart.
And you can completely interpretyour chart with that filter
and see the whole picture.
It's a really fascinating studyand yeah, I can do it in readings.
I'm not like super proficient inlike, going way, way back, but
you can definitely see things.
(38:06):
And then of course the nodal accessis a really interesting one too.
that can bring in, like when youlook at the south node, your sort of
handed down generational trauma orgenerational storyline expectations.
Things that have been passed down to you.
You can also look to that in thefourth house, but then also you
looking at your past lives toowill come through the south node
I would say in the 12th house you cansee it, but that nodal axis line, you
(38:29):
can basically use the planets in yourchart to determine how you died in a
past life and what was your undoing.
And like how that filtersinto what your lesson is now.
So there's lots of waysyou can take the chart.
It's not just sun signs.
We're very much standing in a place thatlooks similar to where we started this
(38:52):
year in early January, 2025, and December,2024 because all of our outer planets have
now reversed back into the previous sign.
So it's kind of that last lookback or like grounding back as we
finish out 2025 into what was, Andclosing up chapters, ending stories.
You know, looking back through your items.
(39:13):
I mean that's something that Iactually have planned planets
are going through my eighth houseand that is the house of endings.
And so I usually have the feeling inNovember I need to discard, I need to
shed and let go and like dispose of items.
And that usually always comes withthis looking at keepsakes, which for
me is the hardest thing to let go of.
And so I have so many stillthat I've not been able to.
(39:34):
Scorpio season as a whole isa magnificent time to do that.
And this year especiallylooking back to what was.
The last five years you could evenlook back as far as 2012, like what
has changed, what has happened?
What are you still holding ontothat you need to let go of?
What are you gonna preserve inthe future and that you might
have to work a little harder for?
So thinking, you know, nostalgically,I guess and reverently about the past
(39:59):
That's actually something that, hasbeen a little bit of a theme like,
oh, we're gonna be looking back andwe're gonna be working on this thing.
And I'm like, yes, yes.
That sounds right.
I can feel that coming.
Yeah.
Well, I guess the last thingI wanna ask is like, what gift
does it hold for, for parents?
I guess I'm thinking about revealingto oneself, you know, and not just
like looking for outside things butto reveal ourselves to ourselves and
(40:23):
like the sort of as above, so below,that you have everything within you
That you need or thatthere is to discover.
That's so good.
love that.
Like the gift is like revelation.
I think what the image I gotwas like, what does opening
your eyes in the dark feel like?
And to me it is like you're awakenedto other, but not other as in
like noise outside of you, butthat there is something beyond.
(40:48):
And so that like awakening and awarenessjust comes back into focus a little
bit and we're able to like go intothose darker places and bravely open
our eyes and see it for what it is.
And as a parent, I think we're met withthat uncertainty and that fear all the
time, raising young children and to comeinto proximity with it in a season and
(41:08):
to be able to talk about it and cultivatethat awareness within the family unit.
I only feel that that's gonna serve ourfamily, let alone our children's lives.
Like as they are met withcrisis and uncertainty and
death and grief and darkness.
That like they have a close knit familyunit that talked about those things.
And we're aware of those things.
into contact.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Oh, I absolutely loveopening our eyes in the dark.
(41:31):
And I think that what you'retalking about is something I've been
thinking about a lot, just like inthe last day about spiritual food.
Mm. And like in this time of candyand sugar and all of that, it's like
I'm snapping like, like what we reallywant and what we're craving, what
we're so hungry for is spiritual food.
And I think that this is one of thosetimes where we can really, like you
(41:51):
said, cultivate, accessing that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's good stuff.
Thank you for joining us on thisepisode of Stars and Sprouts.
New episodes bloom with thewheel on the Sabbats and in
between And until next time, keepgrowing wild rooted and radiant.
Welcome To Stars and Sprouts,
(00:02):
a Pagan parenting podcast
where magic meets motherhood.
We are your hosts, Cawnawyn
and Annette, here to explore the sacred,
the cyclical,
and the soulful path of raising children
in rhythm with the earth and stars.
(00:26):
Welcome to, Samhain Annette.
Hi.
Hi.
How are you doing?
I am so happy to be in this season.
I'm so glad to be in person.
Us together in a podcastin my crazy office.
I'm so glad we're here together.
Yes.
What a time.
I was thinking earlier abouthow it feels like the whole
year builds up to this moment.
Kind of a lot of pressureon Samhain I feel like
Oh, well, that's true.
(00:47):
Yeah.
I mean, it can be underwhelmingif you put too much on it.
I think I've done that in the past andI've really tried to be more conscious
about enjoying the journey to the season.
You know, without making itsuch a big deal and nowadays
with how commercial it is
so true.
I'm trying to like look away, not thatI don't love it, this is the time of
year where I buy all my home decor, butlike at the same time I'm like, it's
so much like it's oversaturated now.
(01:08):
I feel like it's losing its meaninga little bit, which is why I'm glad
we're talking today about what we'retalking about, but like, how's your
experience, especially as a mom beenlike coming into Samhain season?
Well, I think when you have aconnection to a generation below you,
the generations behind feel maybeall the more potent or something.
Yeah.
So I think that being a mom.
(01:29):
Samhain is not just sort of a ooh,like what might I feel reaching
through that veil, but also like,what are my obligations too?
Yes.
What's beyond that veil?
Totally feel that weight.
Yes.
I think something we've talked aboutin the past about cyclical nature and
also like basically having children oneday we're gonna be behind that veil.
(01:50):
Right.
And our children are gonna be behindthat veil and so on and so forth.
Right.
And so just sort of a feeling oflike a link in the chain maybe.
Yeah.
Right now.
Yeah.
Yeah.
The awareness, like the greaterawareness of our place within all of
that, I think comes to the forefront.
Yeah.
I think before kids, it's likeI'm the main character, right.
And now it's like I am.
Yeah.
Like just that link in the chain.
Yeah.
Like a segue.
(02:11):
Yeah.
Yeah, exactly.
I don't know.
Just a means to a next generation.
Which, you know, I think is actually kindof freeing, like when the focus and the
lighting and whatever the glare is notin your eye, like you're able to see a
lot more, I think, if that makes sense.
Yeah.
That totally makes sense.
I just like the spotlight.
What can I say?
I'm still my main character.
And also like, I so get what you mean,where like the whole like notion of
(02:33):
legacy, doesn't enter my mind untilmotherhood and like, not legacy,
like, oh, the things I've left behind.
Mm-hmm.
And how my name will be etched forever.
It's more like what lessons and memoriesam I imparting onto next generation and
like, what am I leaving behind of value?
And memory is like so much more ofa potent question of, what does that
(02:53):
even like, feel like and mean actually?
Funny thing, a lot of my childhoodwas filmed, and this is like in the
nineties 'cause my dad worked in tv.
Not like film, like for a TV show,but we had cameras back then.
Mm-hmm.
So we were totally like the homevloggers before they had that,
that was the thing.
And so, so many of mymemories are actually on film.
Like I don't actually have the memory,but I know what the video looked like.
(03:16):
And so that's my version of it.
And so my memory goes reallydetailed and far back.
'cause I can watch the videos andwe used to watch 'em when we were
kids 'cause my mom would just putthem on set TV and we would see
ourselves doing fun things, you know?
Yeah.
And so my senior thesis actually inmy college degree was a whole concert
based off of like, what is memory.
And so I'm like kindof obsessed with that.
(03:36):
And how those memories are replaced by thevideo and how I don't have my own sense of
what my memory is because it was filmed.
So that's like what it is black and white.
Like there, there's no arguing.
'cause I can see it play out.
And it like replaced what my ownawareness of memory is, I don't know.
So like this time of year for me,because of that veil thinning, like it
(03:57):
puts me back in touch with like, whatdo I feel in my body that I remember?
Like how did it feel?
Not what it looked like.
And that's been a whole part,I think, of my witchcraft.
Like getting in touch with thatpersonal experience versus like,
what was preserved on tape.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And nowadays, like kids, I think aboutlike how they see the videos and the
photos it's so prevalent where back then,nobody really has that of their childhood.
(04:20):
Like who's our age,
Yeah.
Memory is, variable.
It's like the narrativeyou make for yourself.
Probably heavily edited.
Truly.
That's why I'm continually edited.
Yeah.
So to not have that and to think ofyour body is sort of where the record.
For you is kept is so fascinating.
My relationship with my body's changinga lot these days and I think, oh,
(04:41):
you created babies with your body.
Like you'd think that, you know,being pregnant twice would've
already got that connection going.
But actually my workwith plants, I would say.
Yeah.
That's where the body connectionis starting to form for me.
And so when you say like, oh,what does it feel like in my body?
Like that means a lot more nowthan it did like a year ago.
'cause I'm realizing like tuning intodifferent frequencies of information,
(05:05):
like, that's sort of what intuitivethought feels like for me it's like kind
of just tuning into another frequency.
instead of having like an antennasticking out at the top of my head,
I feel like that's actually howI feel most of the time actually.
but no, it's more like my whole body'sthe antenna for that more intuitive
type knowledge and just something aboutthinking about my body as being as
intelligent as my mind has helped mebring respect and like grounding into it.
(05:27):
So I think the aspect you're layeringin with memory is like something I'm
gonna have to be chewing on and, andthinking about for my kids too 'cause they
still are so in their bodies, you know?
And for any new listeners.
Hi, welcome to Stars and Sprouts,but we both have pretty young kids.
Mine are three and two.
Yeah.
And three and nine months.
(05:48):
So you've got older kidslet us know how that goes.
Like you know how it's been.
'cause Yeah, I think about the newergenerations, I mean, it's no secret
that a lot of us, I think are reallyconcerned about the separation
between child and nature happeningJust because of modern technology.
And I think about that often whereit's like, yeah, the attention to the
senses, becoming that antenna, likeyou said, being able to tap into that,
(06:11):
getting cut off because of technology.
But then also, like, in my casewith the memory thing, like they can
just go watch a video of themselvesthat their mom shot on their phone.
You know, so easily they, they seethe photos and the, the videos in
real time, like immediately afterward.
Like, we'd have to wait for thefilm to develop, but like, you
know, when you're three, youdon't really know the difference.
Like all of a sudden you'rejust watching yourself on tv.
(06:31):
But there's, there's such a lackof like having to wait and you're
met immediately with mm-hmm.
Well, what just happened?
And then you just take it like astruth instead of, well, how did
that make me feel in the moment?
And like,
I see,
you know,
so there's like an overriding
Yes.
Potentially with the immediacy.
Right.
And like, how is that gonna affectthem getting older, tapping into.
I feel like this episode is alreadytaking us in such a different place.
(06:54):
Yeah, I know, I know.
And you know what?
I just, 'cause we're already here, I wannasay one more thing about those older kids.
It's just like the idea ofcoming of age right now.
Yeah.
And I just wanted to like, put aplaceholder 'cause not raising children
who are coming of age right now.
I'm speaking purely from theory.
But just that it must beso hard to find footing
Yeah.
At a time of like such huge transitionthat we're in where nothing really feels
(07:17):
real or Authentic, sustainable like it'sgonna be here in another couple of years.
Yeah.
And so my solution obviously being who Iam is about getting in touch with land.
And plants and that kind of thing.
But obviously whatever, you know, chooseyour own adventure, but like, whatever
it is, I think it's probably has toinclude that whole body connection.
(07:37):
I love that you brought that upbecause it like also brings up this
whole notion of time, which I knowwe've also discussed, time and all of
its confusion and mystery and beauty.
Mm-hmm.
And how like a coming of age, like markinga point in time, which is, you know, with
Samhain, we're marking a time of yearthat we are going to reconnect with our
ancestors if we haven't done already.
(07:58):
Most of us, I think, are kind of, at leastin this realm, aware of our ancestors.
Although I can't waitto unpack this with you.
'cause that is what thisepisode today is all about.
We are gonna dive fully an ancestors,but like that whole notion of feeling
time within the body and understandingthat we're stepping on a threshold or
into a threshold of like a new time,a new chapter, a new era, and Yeah.
When you're like separated from howyour own body is feeling through
(08:21):
all of that, because frankly, thedata is just given to you and you're
just consuming versus experiencing.
Mm-hmm.
How that would that would like, renderit meaningless until you look back on
your life and go like, oh, what happened?
Mm-hmm.
Like, who am I?
Where am I?
And, and maybe I don't know.
So
Yeah.
oh, and one more thing for parentswith kids who are maybe a bit older
one of the things I was thinking aboutrecently was about how parenthood
(08:44):
you have the most responsibilityand the least amount of influence.
Eew.
I, I know it's so real.
So just saying that we can be here withgood ideas all day, but it's really up
to, you know, implementation is, you know,
choose your own adventure and good luck.
I guess it's up to your kids to choose.
I really don't have the answer tohow you make anyone do anything.
(09:04):
And actually, one of the things Iwas thinking about a lot recently is
how ancestors and future generationsand the idea of healing and how
you really can only heal yourself.
Mm-hmm.
but healing yourself does heal yourancestors and your future generations.
(09:26):
So since we're here to talk aboutancestors today and ancestor work
ancestor magic, I'm so curious whatis your experience working with it?
The ancestor work has been an evolution.
I'll say.
I, for a long time was really interestedin just like what the family history
was and feeling like quite a chip onmy shoulder about the fact that my
(09:46):
family didn't really know or care.
Mm-hmm.
I mean, especially on my mom's side,there was just a lot of unknowns
and, find a grave.com hit or miss.
You, I think it also works bestfor cemetery headstones in the
United States or in England,maybe other parts of Europe.
So just like a grain of salt, butit's this volunteer database of
(10:07):
headstones and it can be sometimeslinked to census and other type of
data, so you can kind of start tofind histories, you know, that way.
And so that's, I've foundquite a few that way.
And yeah, just did my own research and wasable to share that back, with my family.
I guess maybe a year ago I startedputting sort of an altar together.
It's already a like alittle table that I felt.
Had some good energy, you know?
(10:27):
Yeah.
And like had some prayer cardsfrom some funerals, like on it.
Oh, cool.
And then as we got like another picture oranother this, I have a, a little chalice-y
bowl thing there where we put offeringsand actually, you know , Monica Bodirsky
that's been interviewed a fewtimes on the Witch Space podcast.
I met with Monica and just had aconversation, needed some serious guidance
(10:48):
at the time and got necessary grounding.
And it was Monica who opened my eyesto bringing like, physical offerings.
Which like, in hindsight,I'm like, you dope.
Like, of course, like, I don't know, likeI was thinking like, oh, I'm going, you
know, on these like Lora O'Brien guidedmeditations to meet ancestors and that
I'm gonna like mentally bring whatever.
And it was like, no, no, honey, like.
Make the brownies, like buy the bottleof whiskey, like whatever it is.
(11:11):
And I had like kind of like a stinginessabout it at first, and now I'm over
here like pouring it out, you know,like, so, and it's, I have to say
it's a freeing feeling, so it's been agradual process and not formal at all.
But when I was doing the Find a GraveResearch, I found out that some of my
mom's side of the family, which againis like the side we didn't know as much
about, were actually buried very nearby.
Oh, okay.
Wow.
And so I started visiting when Iwould go back east to see family,
(11:34):
I started visiting the plot thathad a couple of relatives in it.
So this is my mom's, mom's mom and dad.
Wow.
Yeah.
And so that would be my maternal,maternal great grandparents.
Mm-hmm.
And then my great-grandfather'smom and dad.
Are also there and all in the same plot.
The first time I went youhave to go to the office.
(11:55):
I mean, over a million peopleare buried in this cemetery.
Right?
Yeah.
Good luck.
Yeah, exactly.
And so they tell me where it is,you drive up, and I just, like, I
got there and I fell upon the earth.
I just had to be down there andjust have a feeling it is my
great-great-grandmother, so mygreat-grandfather's mother who's
there her specific burial plot isactually concave because at the
time they used wooden caskets that
(12:16):
Oh,
yeah.
You know, give it a hundred yearsand that will rot and fall in.
And so there's this.
Depression in the ground.
Wow.
And so that's where I like to hangout, I've been there twice and I think
that that was probably a necessaryfoundation for what happened this June.
Mm.
So I see a somatic sort of therapistwho was, you know, oh, do you want to
(12:37):
learn about some ancestor practices?
Of course, you know?
Yes.
And they suggested automatic writing.
Mm-hmm.
Which is like, as simple as it sounds,you sit down, you maybe kind of center
yourself, and then you just start writingto, you know, or maybe it's an invitation.
I was looking back at what I evenwrote I got as far as saying like,
you know, beneficial or whatever thewording was you know, like-minded,
(12:59):
you know, that kind of thing.
Like trying to call in beneficent,
right?
Energy.
Yes.
We have many, many ancestors, youknow, trying to get certain ones maybe.
Anyway as soon as I sort offormalized that thought in my brain,
I was getting like a hello dear.
Whoa.
And then I was again, like just tryingto formalize the thought and obviously
write it down, which is slower.
(13:20):
You know, what is your name?
And then I was hit with Mary.
Hmm.
Okay.
The most common name.
Sure.
Right?
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
Like a grain of salt.
And then the baby started towake up and it was like coughing.
but what was so crazy was thatI think my overthinking mind
was preoccupied with the baby.
And so this kind of conversationand sense of a presence continued.
(13:40):
Oh, cool.
It just kind of kept going.
And so I had done enough of this ancestryon find a grave.com to know that actually
my mom's, mom's parents, both of thoseindividuals had mothers named Mary.
Oh my God.
So I'm like, is it great-Great GrandmaMary was it great-Grandma Mary, or
was a great, great-grandma, Mary
Uhhuh.
And I really felt like it was mygreat-grandfather's mother and that
(14:02):
was just because I had such a senseof Ireland and she was born in Ireland
and you know, as this is going on,I'm like, was she born in Ireland?
Like, I'm gonna have tocheck my facts on that.
So I go back to my find a grave.comto try to learn more about who
this may be and yes, great, greatgrandmother Mary was born in Ireland.
And I just had the sense that shewas behind my eyes the whole weekend.
(14:24):
So I'm working feeding and changing my atthe time, like six, seven month old baby.
And it was like I was seeingmy child with grandmother eyes,
whoa,
grandmother love, and not to just twistthe knife, but a grandmother who died
just before her grandchildren were born.
Oh my God.
And missed that opportunity.
(14:45):
Yeah.
Okay.
Lay it on me.
so my grandmother was bornafter her father died.
Her father died at 28 of likea freak aneurysm type thing.
While his wife, my great-grandmotherwas pregnant, with her second
daughter, my grandmother.
And his name is Lawrence andmy mom didn't even know that.
Wow.
So this grave I've been going tohas Mary, and, my great-grandmother,
(15:06):
Virginia, who was widowed veryyoung with one and a half kids.
And then Lawrence never even metmy grandmother so I'm picturing
Lawrence's mom, like seeing my children.
And having missed out on hergrandchildren, having not known
how closely beyond the veil shewas, followed by her own son.
You know, like just aweightiness there of like
(15:28):
totally
And my grandmother grew upobviously without her dad.
And then her mother died at 35of cancer after being bedridden
with illness for years.
And this was like goingon during the depression.
My grandmother and her sisterwere raised by their aunt.
And it was tough times,like to say the least.
Right.
So.
Grandma Mary.
Oh my gosh.
This pure love and like thoughtscame to me of like being proud of
(15:52):
me, which as we already addressedearlier today, like would not be me
thinking that, you know what I mean?
This must be somebody else.
Exactly.
And so just having this profound senseof like intergenerational healing
happening and being able to be a channel.
Yes.
For that love and attention to myextremely happy and amazing child who
(16:13):
I think is like my grandmother who'sjust basking in the glow and the love
that's all around her this time around.
You know what I mean?
And so then I see my husbandhold my daughter and I.
Wow.
Yeah.
And it just feels like abone being set or something.
And can I just add one more crazy Fact.
Okay.
So when I went back to see like, whichMary, you know, Ireland I'm looking
(16:35):
at all the dates of birth and deathagain, and it turns out Lawrence was
born on the exact same day as me.
Whoa.
We were born on the same day of the year.
He was born 92 years exactly before me.
Wow.
Where I was born.
92 years exactly.
After that's gonna feel.
Yeah.
Crazy.
That's my ancestor story.
Holy wow.
(16:55):
I just feel like that is so much allat once for you, but like, so profound.
Oh my gosh.
I have like chills.
That's amazing.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, so I've been witchadjacent for a long time.
Right.
You know, I think many of us kind oflike, oh, we like nature, we're kind of
alternative, we're kind of this or that.
And then, you know, one day wefor whatever reason claim it.
(17:16):
And I definitely think the lastyear, year and a half, there's been
these moments where it's just like, Idon't know, slapping me in the face.
I'm like, okay, I get it.
Like, yes, there's something going on.
This was definitely one of thosemoments where it's like, this is why
I've been so interested in wantingto know this history and oh my gosh.
So this cemetery, right?
In Philadelphia, but I can almost seelike, it's probably less than a mile from
(17:38):
where my grandparents' first house was.
Okay.
So I was talking about mygrandmother who never met her father.
Well, her father was interred, like astone's throw away from the first house.
And my mom never knew any of this.
My mom's one of six kids.
Like, I've got cousins, you know,like I, nobody else has been there.
Nobody else knows about this in my family.
And it's been so close for so long.
(17:59):
I mean, they just havebeen waiting, you know?
Yeah.
Yeah.
The weight of that.
And not to be like, burdensome, butlike, just the gravity of like, that you,
you've discovered this and you've like,put all these pieces together and like
drawn the lines together and realize theorder of events and how close they are.
And just being the beholderof that knowledge right now.
Must feel so precious too.
(18:19):
Yeah.
like weighty and thenit's like a weight lifted.
Mm-hmm.
It's like all of this weight thatwe're all carrying around not
knowing like by knowing it, you know.
It's almost like owning it.
The void was filled right.
And now you're holding that and holdingit in such sacred space where you're like
experiencing the awareness of that magic.
Yeah.
Right.
Yeah.
And I'm just feeling like maybethis Samhain, I wanna like baby
my grandmother a little bit.
(18:40):
I mean, such a robbed childhoodin so many ways, you know?
She was a beloved person, I knowshe gave a lot to a lot of people,
I would just so love to be able tolike baby her a little bit, you know?
That makes my heart just like
Right.
And I think that's what's hard Ithink too, about being in this space
where we're really open to connecting,like on that level in that way.
Because honestly, anybody on theoutside, like hearing this in the modern
(19:01):
age might just be like, that's crazy.
Like you're not mothering yourgrandmother, but it's like, no, you're
feeling this and experiencing thisand like your body's interacting with
this different timeline that happened
mm-hmm.
But is currently happening.
You're able to step into that andintegrate that energy into right now.
Yeah.
And to me that's just further proofthat like all time is happening at once.
That doesn't feel crazy.
(19:22):
That feels beautiful.
Well, and if you wanna be like,scientific about it, right?
This is a story that I know, right?
And so it's a sadness and a grief thatI imagine I could just be like, you
know, soothing that little part ofmyself that holds that grief, you know?
So is it some sort of very literalspiritual her spirit or is it
something in me, or is that the samething even, you know, I don't know,
(19:43):
whatever works for you, but Yeah, Ithink Tyson Yunkaporta in the book
Sand Talk talks about the aboriginalAustralian group that he hails from.
They have like a cyclicalidea of generations.
And, is it your great-grandchildren orgreat-grandparents are also your children?
I'm not sure how many stepsremoved in, in which it repeats.
There's definitely cultures thattalk about it and John Moriarty.
(20:04):
' Cause I can't get an episodeout without mentioning him.
We love, yes we do.
We do love.
He's welcome to the space.
Please invoke.
Um, he has a story called The Storyof Big Mike, which is on YouTube.
Of him telling the story if youhave a half hour to listen to it.
But he talks about the midwifeof the town passing away.
And so one of the people thatwas delivered by this midwife.
(20:27):
You know, the way he puts it wasas he was babied into the world.
He babied her out of the world.
Oh yeah.
I think that there's somethingabout parenthood and also maybe
sort of stepping into an adultrole where you can baby people.
Yeah.
No matter who they are, even ifthey're your grandparents or your
unmet relatives or your, yeah.
Whoever they may be.
Yeah.
And like ultimately, you know, whetherit's really happening on a spiritual
(20:49):
level or if it's like a soothing partof ourselves, does it really matter?
and I think if you think,okay, what's a spell, right?
It's putting a certain energy outthere it's the same energy either way.
Right.
The intention's all there
and Exactly.
Wow, that's so beautiful.
That feels very like healing just to bewitness to that story feels very healing,
I think it's gonna be a long unfolding.
(21:10):
You know what I mean?
Mm-hmm.
It's not gonna be like, oh, we're gonnado one dumb supper for my grandmother.
Check.
Yeah, so have you done a dumbsupper with your children?
I think so.
Okay.
So last year we had the intentions ofdoing that, but I was quite pregnant.
Yes.
And then there was a stomach bug.
Oh no.
And I threw up seven times.
Anyway, it was horrible.
Yeah.
(21:30):
So sorry.
So I have no recollection of whatwe did or didn't do last year.
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah.
And actually a couple days afterthat, more in the sort of all
Saints Day timeframe, we hosted aHalloween party where I had built
a sort of terraced shelving thing.
For tea lights.
Mm-hmm.
And gone but not forgotten was likethe sign and encouraged people to
(21:52):
light candles for those who had passed.
That was sort of my way of havingan intentional moment and I really
enjoyed doing it at a party.
Yeah.
That's cool.
peer pressure helps.
Yeah.
I like to make it moreappropriate to talk about death.
Yeah.
And, and I think grief is somethingthat if you're not very familiar
with it, is treated like, oh,that person's very fragile.
They're in grief.
And I don't think that that'susually true or helpful.
(22:14):
So being much more like, oh, we're justgonna make this okay to talk about.
And at least one personthere solemnly lit a candle.
And I was like, well, that.
Made my day, you know?
it served a purpose.
Yeah.
Yeah.
What about you?
Are you a dumb supper family?
Yes, Samhain and ancestor work aroundSamhain, I think is the biggest reason
why I resonated with a different system ofobserving holidays and special occasions.
(22:35):
This deeper meaning to thisholiday that I've always loved.
I mean, the Halloween season, I havebeen into that since I came out.
And so, there was always likea depth that was missing in the
shallow celebration of it growing up.
And when I heard about the DumbSupper, I remember being one
of the very first things, I waslike, yes, I can get behind this.
I observe these traditions and
(22:55):
what do I believe?
In my case I was looking at thehistory of Irish paganism and
their culture and traditions.
So that was one of the earliestthings I think I adopted for
my practice and with the kids.
I have done it, but we don't make,as big of a deal of it as like, my
intention would be like, I would reallylove to do it where it is totally
candlelit and silent during that dinnerand like, is a very solemn, not, not
(23:19):
like sad, but just leaving the spacefor it to be a liminal space, right?
Mm-hmm.
Leaving the space forwhatever to come through.
But my kids aren't at an agewhere they can sit quietly for
more than like a few seconds.
So we're not there, but we alwaysdo set a plate out and we talk about
it in a very just general sense.
Mm-hmm.
But death in our family is alwayssomething that I've been as honest
(23:42):
and straightforward about as I can bewithout overemphasizing it with my kids.
Mm-hmm.
Because my kids have some greatimagination and I love it.
Oh, really?
Oh, yeah.
Like, and they, I mean, even, weactually just had an instance yesterday
where my son was saying things.
I was like, what
are you saying?
So he was telling my mom,who, my mom is not this way.
Okay.
Like, this is part of the reason Ithink I've made this generational shift.
(24:03):
I wanted to talk about deepertopics, about Psychological, trauma.
And when I was growing up,my mom is somebody who is
just like, Nope, put it away.
I don't wanna talk about it.
I don't wanna think about it.
Nope.
That's too sad.
So it was always suppressed.
And with my son, he and Italk about it when he has a
question I just try to answer.
We address death reallyopenly in our home, but not
a long time talking about it.
(24:24):
Usually their attention spanjust dips off anyway and they
want talk about something else.
So we've let them kind of just guidethe questions and then we just move on.
And we're kind of clinical aboutit for that reason, but I want
to tell them the truth, so.
Mm-hmm.
Anyway so the dumb supper, I reallyhave loved that tradition because
it just puts us into that beautifulcontact with that remembrance and that
(24:45):
attention toward those who've passed.
And it's funny 'cause
that's so much what brought me tomy witchcraft, my spirituality,
because I felt like I was connectingwith people and my family.
And what's weird is like havingthis reflection recently, I've
really gotten away from that.
Like I've almost divorced myself fromlike connecting with my guides and my
(25:06):
ancestors because that was so core towhy I got into it in the first place.
Mm-hmm.
And I've been really feeling the callthis year, especially as I've been
doing a lot of intentional work with theMorrigan this year for our big ritual
we're doing and the music I'm writingto get back in touch with that side.
And really make more of, adaily intentional connection
(25:26):
with those who've passed on.
I'm lucky enough on my mom'sside, I have a lot of the
history, the genealogy laid out.
Like we have genealogists in ourfamily that have done that work,
and we have the cemetery thatwe've gone to with our families,
like all their gravestones in it.
My mom and dad wanna be buried there.
Like it's a long legacy where mydad's family, he's had to do a
lot of that research because hisparents died when he was very young.
(25:49):
I never met them.
I'm apparently a lot like them andI know that a number of people on
his side have sort of been with me.
In fact, one of the stories I loveis that one of my psychic teachers
that I worked with, she's RachelleBaron Knight, and she's wonderful.
And she was giving me a readingvery early on in our friendship, and
she's like, your grandmother likesto stand with you and watch you do
(26:10):
your makeup and like she's with youwhenever you're doing your makeup.
And I just remember being like, what?
She's the grandmother that I nevermet, but she sings, she plays
piano, she plays violin, right?
I say, you know, it'sa lot of similarities.
We look very similar.
We have a lot of similar tendencies.
She's got a lot of Gemini, so it justfeels very resonant and I've always
connected with her in some way or another.
(26:32):
And so to know that, like, when I'mdoing that very intimate self-love care
ritual, she's been with me the whole time.
So now I'll say hi to her.
Right?
Like, and I still remember to dothat, but I've lost touch with it.
And so mm-hmm.
I love that we're doing thistoday because I feel my heart
craving that connection again.
It's, it's exciting to workwith deity like I mm-hmm.
I find it really inspiring.
(26:53):
there's sort of a greater power thatI'm tapping into and maybe channeling
through my artwork depending on, youknow, whatever your feelings are on that.
Totally understand respect.
I love the stories of myth and thesegreat epics that we hear and how
they make us think about our place inculture and the universe and history.
But I lost touch with my ownhistory and healing I'm doing
(27:13):
within those generations.
I think it would honestlyreally help with child rearing.
I had a friend, I'd love tohave her on here at some point.
Her name's Emily.
Emily, if you're listening out there.
Hi.
Thank you for sharing this.
She mentioned she started talking toher daughter's guides and like using
that as a way of like helping both ofthem through these tougher transitions.
Her daughter's really young and is goingthrough, toddler phases that's so smart.
(27:37):
Yeah, that is so smart.
You know, and I'm like, this isjust more reason to tap into that.
Yeah.
So, I have so many stories I could shareof connections with my ancestry, but I'm
really at this place where I'm like, I'mready for like a new chapter with that.
A fresh start I guess.
'cause it's been a while and I reallyfeel the knocks at the door, you know?
Mm-hmm.
Do you think this Samhain you'll dosomething a little more solo then?
(28:00):
Yeah, i'm lucky that We're in aplace with my family where I can
take that step away if necessary.
And one of the things I did a lot of, likeright before my sort of transition into
my spiritual awakening in 2019 happenedwas I was visiting graveyards a lot.
Like I was doing a lot of ghosthunting, and it was kind of out of jest.
In fact, I had like awhole history with that.
(28:20):
Not that I didn't believe in it, but itwas just meant to be like a parody of like
the typical ghost hunters you see on tv.
Like, I just think it's hilariouscomedy and entertainment.
And I was doing some of that kindof stuff for fun, but then also like
really genuinely interested in it.
So I don't know.
I just, I really am feeling calledthis year to like visit a cemetery.
None of my family's buried here, there'sa few in the area that I've gone to just
(28:41):
to like pay my respects and like be withan energy that has passed on there's
a cemetery up the road from my house.
Mm-hmm.
two blocks away.
And.
just spending time in those sacredspaces I think is so meaningful.
Yeah.
You know what that's reminding me of.
Where I'm living right now inWashington state is historically
Nisqually and Sequalitchew land.
And I do think about that where youknow, especially as my spirituality
(29:04):
blossoms and I learn more aboutlayering the science and the magic
together I think it's easy to
look at our modern world and thinkthat humans are like a parasite on
the earth, but actually like we havethe ability to increase biodiversity.
And you know, many cultures think thatwe're actually here to like look after the
earth, both physically and spiritually.
And then when you get into that quantumphysics aspect of it that you're
(29:27):
really co-creating one another, right?
Like yeah, consciousness and spiritualpractice and just existing just
being produces, the environment.
Physically and the environmentthen produces you also spiritually,
metaphorically, and physically.
Wow.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
So like, so just recognizing that likepeople who lived here in that way, right.
(29:51):
For thousands of years, you know?
, Not just where people areinterred, but just that.
Of which, you know, there'speople interd All right.
Truly everywhere.
Yeah.
They don't, I, maybe not everywhere,but you know what, you know.
But there's that sortof like, aspect of it.
But then there's also justlike all of this land, right?
Is a reflection of those peoplewho were here and are here,
who are very much still here.
(30:11):
And so just, I think there's somethingabout you know, maybe I'm moving in
about a year and I'm thinking a lotabout the indigenous people that area,
and it's helping me be more alert ofthose people who have stewarded and
created this land that I'm on right now.
And I think I wanna make the most ofthat this year into Samhain and, really
honoring that in where I live, right?
(30:32):
By the Sequalitchew Creekand the Nisqually River.
Just to acknowledge and to emphasizethe weight of that legacy and we
might be able to pick up on messagesfrom land , and people prior.
And I think about like howmeaningful as mothers, we can
introduce that to our kids too.
Like it's kinda what we talked aboutwith like the coming of age thing, but
(30:52):
it's putting them within the greaterscope of being a caretaker of the earth
versus just existing and just consuming.
Right.
And that they don't have to look atthemselves with that spite or that
anger of like, I'm just a parasite.
Because if we connect to the actual energythat the earth holds of all that have
gone before us And all that have caredfor the earth and like bring them that
(31:14):
greater awareness of history and of time.
You know, what a beautiful way to beintegrated with the wider world, which
is in and of itself scary and dangerous.
But like to have that knowledge at such ayoung age and be grappling with your place
in it and seeing by example, not to liketoot our own horns, but like, you know,
just seeing by example, somebody livingin more of an intentional way with that.
(31:35):
Like, I think could only benefit,especially with the disconnection
that our kids might be surrounded by.
While it's amazing to like beinteracting with that on our own, and
it's integral to our own spiritualjourney, like I had this realization
recently and I was like, I have got toinvolve my kids in this process more.
It doesn't have to be showeringthem with crystals and making them
(31:56):
do rituals with me and making themlight candles and incense, but just
inviting them into this space mm-hmm.
In a way that they can feel included.
And it's not, oh, mom's doing her thing.
Because it's so easy to just wanna carveout the time and space for ourselves,
but then it ends up isolating them.
And I don't know, I've beentrying to like, challenge myself
with like, could I include them?
Like, what could we do together?
(32:17):
And like I think about the landacknowledgement and the learning of
the people that came here before, oreven just like tidying up a cemetery.
Like my kids notice litterall the time and like
do we do our part topick it up every time?
Well, no.
'cause I don't want themtouching a bunch of garbage.
But like, even that connectionIs inviting them on that process.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I'm wondering if there are likelocal tribal events happening?
(32:39):
I mean, like, There's not always powwows,but powwow season is a thing that I think.
We're probably past it right now, butjust what other events there might
be and that cultural exposure and,sort of like, it doesn't have to be
some sort of like mysterious relic.
Right.
You know what I mean?
Like, oh, it's still happening.
Yes.
You know, in that aspect too isI think what I'm trying to say.
Yes.
It's a living tradition.
Absolutely.
and then I wanna also, I don't knowexactly what you said that made me think
(33:02):
of this, but when I'm shopping, likeit's such a commercialized holiday now.
Yes.
Right.
So trying to be really intentionalwhen I'm buying things and if my kids
are here with me doing any sort of,even just grocery shopping mm-hmm.
Like where does this come from?
'cause sometimes things arevery aesthetically beautiful,
but I can see how it's made.
Right?
When I am looking at that aspectof it, I just can't do it.
(33:25):
And I've been thrifting a lot more.
Mm-hmm.
And especially forclothes for that reason.
Yeah.
Because buying the mass produced,you know, sort of fast fashion thing
when it's secondhand feels like I'mtaking something out of the trash.
Whereas when I'm buying it new, it feelslike I'm putting something into the trash.
Yeah.
Oh, that's so true.
Do you know what I mean?
Yes.
So, then like, thinking about that withthe decor too, of like, yeah, okay,
(33:47):
is this something that is gonna createa nice effect for like one night of a
party and then I'm gonna throw it away?
Mm-hmm.
And I'm just picturing it like,floating in the ocean, like Yeah.
Oh my god, right?
I feel like I wanna like table.
That whole awareness of like, especiallyconsumption, because I know you and I
have to have a conversation about thisbecause it's something that's been
like prevalent in my mind so heavilylately and how can I be the example?
(34:10):
How can I invite my children in?
On that journey and how can I promotethe values and the things that I
see in a very real, direct way.
Where can I make impact?
I think that's really the word Iwant to use is like, where could
the biggest impact really be?
And realizing so much of that is reallywithin my own immediate environment.
Mm-hmm.
Like, especially withhow we raise our kids.
(34:31):
Mm-hmm.
I think for myself at least, I, I'veviewed my spirituality and my motherhood
experience not as separate things,but as kind of happening congruently,
like in different lanes together.
Mm-hmm.
And I'm really trying to figureout how to blend the two where it's
appropriate, but also it's taking themwith that journey of self-discovery.
(34:53):
Yeah.
And spirituality.
And then also bringing in thatawareness of impact of, right.
You know, when we're purchasing thisfast fashion or this like prop thing
made of whatever from China, likewhat are we really contributing to?
Mm-hmm.
And if we can build that awareness at sucha young age, like how could that serve
them later too, to make better consciousdecisions, not only just for themselves,
(35:15):
but like for their finances, for theirown family someday, like for supporting
businesses that they care about and.
I just, it's become very like, importantto me and it kind of all feeds into
this greater awareness of where weare within time, within the universe.
Mm-hmm.
And when I think about how easilyaccessible every little thing that we
could possibly want is, and how ourancestors literally survived winters.
(35:39):
Like this was a wonderfulcelebratory time.
In fact, Gemini and Scorpio from,I feel like they're like our sister
podcast, but not really, but kind of.
Mm-hmm.
Like, Hey sisters, But you know,they were talking about how like
they were conserving all of theirresources to survive the winter.
And we have no concept and tothink that like our ancestors
(36:00):
survived, and we're here now.
Are we making the impact we could?
Are we being as aware as we could?
Mm-hmm.
And could we connect to that energya bit more and just have a little
bit more reverence for what it took?
And then also using thosesame lessons in our own lives.
And,
you know, that actually sparks aplant seasonal plant thing for me.
Perfect.
Let's go into plants.
(36:20):
A squash, squash, squash,beautiful pumpkins.
Which pumpkins are native to the whatwe, you know, with all this indigenous
talk, turtle island, you know, likethe Americas as we call them now.
And, that is such a dose of sweetness.
Like we kind of justcame off of berry season.
Mm-hmm.
Well, and I guess if you countstrawberries, like maybe berry season
starts kind of early, but like we justhad like all of the blackberries Right.
(36:42):
And the blueberries and everything.
The squash is definitely where youmight get some of your sweeter food.
I think maybe there's something comingup for me about like buying seasonal
food and also cherishing the squashthat is gonna be like as the dessert.
You know what I mean?
Mm-hmm.
Like I wonder if I canmake something tasty.
This is what we're gonnasavor as our treat, you know?
(37:04):
So we'll see if I actually do that.
But that's what's comingup for me right now.
love that.
Yeah.
Squash is, I mean, this is likewhat we think of Of course.
And whenever the holiday like seasoncomes, I always get excited to see it.
And I don't really have anythingprofound to say other than
just like, yum, I'm hungry.
Yum.
Check.
Yeah.
Well, I, so if that's like our sort of,you know, sprout flavor for, Samhain
(37:25):
I'm wondering what your, star flavor is
so, well, and actually to sort ofunderscore the, you know, the cyclical
thing, 'cause like genealogy inastrology is a whole separate study too.
When you're looking at your own chart,you can see your mother's genealogy, like
your mother's line, your father's line.
Mm-hmm.
You can see your siblings, andthen you can see your children
like all within your chart.
And even if you don't havechildren, that can be something
(37:45):
that you create or care for, right.
That you're nurturing.
And so those are all aspectsthat are shown within your
planetary placements in the chart.
And you can completely interpretyour chart with that filter
and see the whole picture.
It's a really fascinating studyand yeah, I can do it in readings.
I'm not like super proficient inlike, going way, way back, but
you can definitely see things.
(38:06):
And then of course the nodal accessis a really interesting one too.
that can bring in, like when youlook at the south node, your sort of
handed down generational trauma orgenerational storyline expectations.
Things that have been passed down to you.
You can also look to that in thefourth house, but then also you
looking at your past lives toowill come through the south node
I would say in the 12th house you cansee it, but that nodal axis line, you
(38:29):
can basically use the planets in yourchart to determine how you died in a
past life and what was your undoing.
And like how that filtersinto what your lesson is now.
So there's lots of waysyou can take the chart.
It's not just sun signs.
We're very much standing in a place thatlooks similar to where we started this
(38:52):
year in early January, 2025, and December,2024 because all of our outer planets have
now reversed back into the previous sign.
So it's kind of that last lookback or like grounding back as we
finish out 2025 into what was, Andclosing up chapters, ending stories.
You know, looking back through your items.
(39:13):
I mean that's something that Iactually have planned planets
are going through my eighth houseand that is the house of endings.
And so I usually have the feeling inNovember I need to discard, I need to
shed and let go and like dispose of items.
And that usually always comes withthis looking at keepsakes, which for
me is the hardest thing to let go of.
And so I have so many stillthat I've not been able to.
(39:34):
Scorpio season as a whole isa magnificent time to do that.
And this year especiallylooking back to what was.
The last five years you could evenlook back as far as 2012, like what
has changed, what has happened?
What are you still holding ontothat you need to let go of?
What are you gonna preserve inthe future and that you might
have to work a little harder for?
So thinking, you know, nostalgically,I guess and reverently about the past
(39:59):
That's actually something that, hasbeen a little bit of a theme like,
oh, we're gonna be looking back andwe're gonna be working on this thing.
And I'm like, yes, yes.
That sounds right.
I can feel that coming.
Yeah.
Well, I guess the last thingI wanna ask is like, what gift
does it hold for, for parents?
I guess I'm thinking about revealingto oneself, you know, and not just
like looking for outside things butto reveal ourselves to ourselves and
(40:23):
like the sort of as above, so below,that you have everything within you
That you need or thatthere is to discover.
That's so good.
love that.
Like the gift is like revelation.
I think what the image I gotwas like, what does opening
your eyes in the dark feel like?
And to me it is like you're awakenedto other, but not other as in
like noise outside of you, butthat there is something beyond.
(40:48):
And so that like awakening and awarenessjust comes back into focus a little
bit and we're able to like go intothose darker places and bravely open
our eyes and see it for what it is.
And as a parent, I think we're met withthat uncertainty and that fear all the
time, raising young children and to comeinto proximity with it in a season and
(41:08):
to be able to talk about it and cultivatethat awareness within the family unit.
I only feel that that's gonna serve ourfamily, let alone our children's lives.
Like as they are met withcrisis and uncertainty and
death and grief and darkness.
That like they have a close knit familyunit that talked about those things.
And we're aware of those things.
into contact.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Oh, I absolutely loveopening our eyes in the dark.
(41:31):
And I think that what you'retalking about is something I've been
thinking about a lot, just like inthe last day about spiritual food.
Mm. And like in this time of candyand sugar and all of that, it's like
I'm snapping like, like what we reallywant and what we're craving, what
we're so hungry for is spiritual food.
And I think that this is one of thosetimes where we can really, like you
(41:51):
said, cultivate, accessing that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's good stuff.
Thank you for joining us on thisepisode of Stars and Sprouts.
New episodes bloom with thewheel on the Sabbats and in
between And until next time, keepgrowing wild rooted and radiant.
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