August 17, 2025 • 35 mins
What does authentic witchcraft look like when nobody's watching? In this refreshing season premiere, I open up about returning to basics and finding meaningful connection in a world that often feels overwhelming.
The past few months have been transformative. After taking summer to reflect on my path forward, I've realized how desperately we all need to nourish ourselves before attempting to heal others. As I explain why I've rebranded the podcast to "A Witch's Journey Back to Simplicity," I share vulnerable insights about my daily practices, from morning intentions to tarot pulls that guide my day.
This episode explores what it means to be a non-performative witch in the age of social media, the power of healing yourself first, and how connecting with seasonal rhythms grounds your practice. I take you through my experiences with Community Supported Agriculture, kitchen witchery, and the emotional journey of publishing my first book on spirit crystals—which felt surprisingly similar to postpartum depression.
Whether you're a solitary practitioner seeking community or simply looking for ways to incorporate more mindfulness into your spiritual routine, this conversation offers practical wisdom for attuning to the New Moon in Virgo energy and preparing for the seasonal shift from summer to fall. Join me every Sunday as we explore simple, meaningful ways to embrace our authentic magical paths together.
What simple practices might transform your daily experience? How might returning to basics help you navigate these complex times? I'd love to hear your thoughts as we build this cozy community together.
Connect with me here: https://www.jennycbell.com/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey witches and welcome to another Cozy Coven
Chat.
My name is Jenny Seabell andI'm your host.
You may have noticed I have anew logo and a new kind of
subtitle.
So the podcast is Cozy CovenChats A Witch's Journey Back to
Simplicity, and this is Season 2, episode 1.
(00:21):
So, yeah, it's all in the sameyear.
I have really been reflecting,so let me explain the changes
and why.
Um, bear with me, sit with me,grab a cup of tea, get cozy.
I will be going over someinteresting things this week and
some journal prompt ideas andritual ideas.
(00:42):
So hang in there, um, but Iwant to explain just some things
.
So, first of all, I never reallythought seriously about doing a
podcast.
I was under the impression thatit was a lot harder to do, not
saying that it's like super easyand it's definitely a privilege
to do, but I just kind ofassumed like I don't know, don't
(01:05):
want to take on one more thing,like I'm on these different
social medias, I'm writing books, I'm a mom, do I want to do
this?
But the more I sat with it, themore like aligned it felt right
.
And as a child, one of myfavorite things to do is someone
bought me a stereo with twocassette players and I would
(01:27):
make my own radio shows, I wouldmake the commercials, I would
invent guests, I would makevoices.
One of my favorite things Iever did is I figured out that
if I ran the water faucet in thebathroom loud enough and put
the microphone, like thecassette and everything near it,
it sounded like it was in frontof a waterfall.
So I have always had no problemtalking to no one into a
(01:48):
microphone, because that wasjust imaginary, it was just like
purely fun and nobody listenedto it.
And so, you know, I guess it wasmeant to be to do a podcast,
but the more I sat with it, youknow, every summer I kind of
take time off, um, because I'm ahuman, believe it or not, um, a
(02:10):
magical human, but still human.
I always take summers or timeoff in summer because my
family's home, I have, you know,two kids, 10 and 15.
I also was a teacher for solong classroom teacher that I'm
just kind of that mindset oflike summer we do a reset.
So I was like, okay, thissummer I'm going to pull back
from social media somewhat.
(02:30):
I did have a book come out, socouldn't be as much as I would
have liked.
I was like I'm going to end thepodcast as is and just like,
let that sit and decide.
And if you listen to recentinterviews with me and people
have asked me what about thepodcast, it's just like, oh yeah
, it's an experiment.
Like I didn't have a fullanswer as to whether or not I
(02:51):
wanted to continue and you knowI tried a bunch of stuff.
So if you listen, if you hungon to season one, it was like
you got my story, you got someinterviews with some really
awesome authors, you got somecrystal information.
You, you got a meditation.
I mean, I was just like reallytruly experimenting.
But as the more I sat with theidea and the more I reflected
(03:13):
about my life and everything ingeneral the world, the way the
news is I really thought abouthow, personally, I am really
getting back to basics andtrying to live a more present
and more meaningful life again.
You know it's something Icircle back to over and over
(03:34):
again, but when the news in theworld gets so hard, it's
important for our own personalday-to-day practice to be
nourishing, to be healing, andit's a privilege to be able to
do those things and I don't feelselfish about it or any like.
(03:59):
I used to have mixed feelings,like why I shouldn't be, like I
should be doing something else,but you can't pour from an empty
cup.
And also of says, um, when youheal, you don't heal alone.
It's like not a direct quote,but something like that and
that's always stuck with me,that you know I've seen studies
about where, where large groupsof people meditate, the crime
(04:20):
rate goes down.
You know it's like energy isenergy and, as witch, I believe
in the invisible world, Ibelieve in energy, I believe in
changing energy and so if youever get kind of, you know,
weighed down by, okay, all thesuffering in the world and
people are losing their rightsand all of these things, and
(04:42):
you're like I don't have, like,who am I to?
Like go and meditate, likethat's frivolous, but you matter
too and your suffering is noone wants that, that's just
being a martyr.
So, as you see the worldsuffering, you need to fill your
cup and do what you can to giveyourself the good energy and
(05:04):
the nourishment you need so thatyou can help later.
Right, if you're an activist orwhatever, we also need
nourishment.
You can't just like sit andlook at the news cycle and just
be down all the time.
That doesn't help anybody, youknow.
I remember reading I think itwas in you Are a Badass
something about like you don'twant to send people worry, like
(05:26):
that energy is ugly and like sadand heavy.
You know you don't want to belike oh I'm so worried for you.
Instead it's like I send youlove and courage, right, I think
in that book she calls itsmearing fear, like you don't
want to surround yourself withpeople that smear fear on you.
If they're always like you know, oh I'm so worried for you, or
(05:50):
be careful those you know it'sfrom a place that they probably
mean well.
But that's why, like, when I'min an incubation stage and I'm
starting a new project, I onlytell people who I know are going
to be like, yeah, get it girl.
And like sending you energy andsending you love, not like, are
you crazy?
You can't do that.
You know what I mean, and so Idon't think it's selfish or
(06:12):
self-centered to nourishyourself, heal yourself, fill
your cup because, remember, youalso heal all the generations
around you.
So you heal, you heal yourancestors, you heal, heal future
lineage.
Even if you yourself don't havechildren, you know you are
going to be someone's ancestorsomeday, and so I think I wanted
to that like really like gotoff track really fast.
I wanted to create a podcastthat was about my actual
(06:36):
day-to-day experience things Ido and I'm not a performative
witch.
Yes, I have you know.
And I'm not a performativewitch.
Yes, I have you know a smallamount, a good amount of people
on witch talk, but it's notperformative Like I.
I'm not there making up ritualsand doing these elaborate
spells and making things likereally beautiful, unless that's
(06:57):
actually what I'm doing, doesthat make sense?
So I'm not here to perform.
I'm here, like, really livingmy journey.
I, you know, often in our covenI participate like I'll ask a
question, what you're strugglingwith, I'll participate and
answer Like I'm.
I'm not perfect.
I don't have it all figured out.
If I did, I think I'd just bedone.
(07:18):
Like you know what I mean.
Like I kind of always think,like when you have it all
figured out, what's the pointafter?
Like there's always somethingto learn, there's something to
heal, there's something to do orsomething to create.
Like there's always more.
And if you stop doing all thosethings, you stagnate and then
you create more problems, Ithink, and then you have to go
(07:39):
all over again, like it's acyclical journey, right, it's a
spiral, like we heal and then weheal again, and then we heal
again, right, shadow workslifelong, all those things.
So I really wanted to create apodcast where, weekly, I just
share with you some of my thingsthat I'm doing, some of the
things I'm thinking about, howI'm tuning in seasonally, how
(08:01):
I'm tuning in with the moon, alittle of this and that in
astrology, a little bit aboutjournals.
You know my own practice.
I wanted to share what thatlooks like, um, in this first
episode and it's it's quiet.
My own practice is quiet.
My solitary witch.
Yes, I run our coven and we dolives, but we don't do live
(08:23):
ritual and things like that.
I think that's prettypersonally, I think that's
pretty hard to do via Zoom.
Like a meditation is one thing,but doing a live ritual, I
don't know, maybe it can be done, maybe it can be done in the
future, but that's just not.
I don't know.
I don't feel like, yeah, that'ssomething I feel like we can do
(08:45):
.
Instead, our lives are morelike meditation.
They're classes, they're Q&As,they're chatting together.
You know, it's more aboutconnection and being able to
talk to each other and for themto be able to ask me questions
face to face, and you know thatkind of thing.
(09:05):
And so I've been a solitarywitch most of my journey of you
know, I've been a witch now forover 30 years, so most of that
journey has been solitary.
I do things sometimes with myfamily, I've done things
sometimes with like a friend ortwo.
I've got to do like specialthings like singing bowl retreat
and women's retreat and thingslike that, but overall it's
solitary and I think that mostof us are like that and I think,
now more than ever, we need toconnect with one another and we
(09:29):
need to uplift one another andwe need to hear each other's
stories and I think, as I'vesaid before, we learn best
through stories.
That's why I was a literaturemajor.
That's why I love teachingEnglish.
I think you can teach so muchwith a book or with a story more
than if you just were to standthere and lecture at someone
right Like you can.
If you, someone tells you astory with a moral, you're more
(09:52):
likely to remember that than ifthey were to just be like don't
do that.
And so all of these thingsswirled around me in the summer
thinking about my own practice,thinking about how I need to
nourish my own self, how I needto you know, kind of like how,
where am I taking our coven inthe future?
And how story so important andhow people need connection,
(10:14):
especially those of you who Iknow are isolated, maybe that
you can't or don't feel safe.
You know, being on a spiritualpath that's different than the
people around you.
This is for you, this is for us.
This is a time for you to comewith your journal, your tea, a
cozy blanket when it gets cool,or, finally, your cat right.
(10:36):
And you know, consider me your,your aunt, your sister, your
friend.
That's also a witch and I'mjust sharing about my own
experience.
So that's where we're goingthis season and I feel locked in
.
I feel like this sounds reallyfun.
I hope to post every hope to doone every week.
(10:57):
I am a human.
I do get sick, I do havechildren, um, and you know we'll
just see.
Uh, but that's the plan for now.
So I'm hoping to do these.
Put these out every Sunday soyou can kind of start your week
with me.
So I'm hoping to do these.
Put these out every Sunday soyou can kind of start your week
with me, and so we're looking atthe week of August 18th and I'm
(11:18):
not going to go deeply intoastrology because that's not my
strength but Friday, the 22nd,the sun does go into Virgo and
we also have a new moon in Virgo, right, and so let's talk about
that real quick.
New moon energy and full moonenergy.
I always think three daysbefore the actual moon and three
days after You're good enoughin there.
(11:40):
So if you don't, if you're notoff Friday, you have weekends
off.
Do your new moon stuff on theweekend, okay and same, like,
let's say, wednesday or Thursdayoff.
So you just make it work foryou.
You know it's like again, it'snot performative, there's no one
.
You know, if you're not posting, no one's gonna be like, oh my
god, I can't believe you didyour new moon ritual on the 20th
, like, just not, it's not likethat, right.
(12:03):
So, new moon, I like to think ofit as the.
It's like in between, so youcan celebrate it as a fresh
start.
You can celebrate it as a freshstart.
You can sell it, celebrate itas a closing right.
Every ending there's abeginning, and so you can
celebrate it as both, or you cancelebrate it either, or so some
things I like to do personallyis I like to cleanse.
(12:23):
I like to do a cleanse of myself, of my home, of my ritual
jewelry, my ritual things, myaltars.
New moon is often when I'lltake everything off my altar,
I'll dust it, I'll clean it.
I will put everything back in anew, in a new way.
Right?
If I'm going to make a crystalgrid, I usually make them on a
new moon and kind of let go andvisit them every day until the
(12:46):
full moon, and then I reallylike add extra energy on the
full moon and then I take themdown on the waning moon.
That's just kind of my ownapproach.
Other new moon things that aregreat to do are to just like let
go of the past cycle, andthat's through journaling.
So something I like to alwaysask myself is you know, around a
(13:08):
new moon?
So this week I will be askingmyself what is closing for me?
And like what's an energythat's closing for me?
What is something no longerserving me?
What is something I learnedthis last cycle?
And then I'll look forward toyou know where?
(13:29):
Where am I putting my energy?
Where do I want to put myenergy, what is an energy I want
to attract right now, you know.
So you're kind of like lookingat both sides and, being in a
Virgo moon, virgo season, I'mreally affected by the moon, I'm
a Cancer rising, and so I'llprobably have a really clean and
organized house by the end ofVirgo season, which is great,
(13:52):
because Leo season always makesme end up at estate sales and
thrift stores and I'm buyinglike this and that and
decorating there's always freshflowers and then Virgo season
comes and I'm like no, we needto clean everything, dust it
like, make it look really good.
And so if you find that energy,go with it, ride it right, ride
the energy, let yourself get aclean house and other things.
(14:14):
With Virgo, you know we like tothat Virgo energy is very
organized.
So this moon in particular,because we're at the end, we're
getting to the end of summer,getting towards fall, it's a
really good time to like takestock of everything right, like
all your, all the intentions youset, all the manifestations you
put into into you know energyand you put focus on.
(14:37):
It's a good time to like lookat all of that and reassess,
because come autumn equinox it'sa good time to like let some
stuff go.
So, you know, you may like, forme, I always have all these
like goals setting.
I make vision boards, I will, Ilike to do this thing and we'll
talk more about it in January,but I usually will like fold my
(14:58):
journal into four quarters andI'll do, like winter, spring,
summer, fall, and I'll put goalsaccording to the seasons, based
on, like you know, seasonallyhow I feel or energy, and this
is a time I'm going to revisitand probably be like, why would
I want to do that in fall, likethat happens every year, like
who was she that came up withthis idea?
She's different now.
(15:18):
Um, so, yeah, it's a good timeto start taking stocks as we go
into Virgo season.
I'm always a little sad to seeLeo season end, though, because,
I don't know, everyone justshines brighter and my
daughter's a Leo.
She's like so beautiful, so Ifeel like everybody's at their
most beautiful and their mostflamboyant during that time.
So so, yeah, that's what'sgoing on in the moon.
(15:40):
We are still in the Lunasa orLamas energy.
So, first, harvest energy.
You're probably seeing more,you know, like corn and, if you
live in North America, more ofthat kind of harvest energy, if
you, you know, may even seeleaves starting to change,
depending on where you live.
So we're in between summer andfall energy, and so things are
(16:02):
winding down.
This is a really good time ofyear to get into thinking about
winter and cold and and fluseason.
So I definitely am an amateurherbalist.
I'll probably be studying herbsforever and always call myself
that um.
But this is a good time to makefire cider, which I have um in
(16:23):
our coven and, I think, onTikTok for thieves vinegar.
It's a good time to do that.
It's a good time to maketinctures.
It's a good time to put honeyinto natural, like organic honey
and let sit a couple weeks in ajar.
Those are so good for whenyou're sick.
You can do the same thing withsage.
It's a good time to stock up onwarming spices.
(16:44):
Clove really good for sorethroats.
Sage is really good for sorethroats, you know.
Know, really, taking stock ofthose kinds of things, we always
go and pick elderberries andmake elderberry syrup or
elderberry ice that's actuallyour favorite where you kind of
freeze the syrup into ice cubesVery soothing.
It's a good time to take stockof your health too.
Like, do you have vitamin C?
(17:06):
You know I'm not a healthprofessional Okay, don't come at
me for that Like, do everythingat your own risk that I talk
about.
But you know, I feel like it'sa good time to just take stock
of all that stuff.
Vitamin D it's very dark whereI live in the PNW Still not used
to it, being in SouthernCalifornia for so long.
Do you need, like, a solarlight?
(17:27):
Do you need a red light, likeyou know?
Think about last winter.
Were you sad?
What are you going to do tochange that?
It's all that kind of time.
Summer is winding down.
You might want to get out thereand play a little more before
fall actually comes, dependingon where you live.
And, yeah, just kind of thosekind of ideas.
That's the energy.
I think of the moon and theseasons right now.
(17:48):
What I'm doing every day,personally right now, is I am
setting an intention in themorning, which I don't usually
do.
I'm very task oriented, so Ihave a to-do list, multiple
to-do lists.
I usually wake up and I dowhatever my family needs me to
do.
I'm at my grocery, shopping,I'm taking kids for haircuts,
I'm cleaning, I'm watering, I'mgardening.
(18:09):
You know, taking care of tasksand then working, writing all
those things, and so I am tryinginstead.
Something new for me is, insteadof being so task oriented, I'm
trying to set an intention everyday, and so I sit after, I say
prayers.
I always play singing bowlmusic and I I should look up.
(18:31):
I'm going to look up who I, bythe way, I don't know.
I'm not filming this and Iwon't be so if you're watching
this on YouTube, it's just goingto be the ambient video.
I just feel much morecomfortable not talking into a
camera for so long.
So I hope you understand thatand I hope you can respect that.
Oh yeah, so on Insight Timer,which is a free app, by the way,
(18:58):
there is this person healingvibrations, and it's always this
person with their cat and theirsinging bowls.
They're beautiful and my catsreally do love them, and they're
all like an hour, so I waslistening at least an hour, so I
listened to healing vibrations.
On Insight Timer, I say prayers,I do call on the elements every
day.
That's just personal.
And then I've been sending anintention, and it can be really
simple.
Yesterday's was to get outsidemore, and because the weather
(19:21):
was nice, I'm like I need tomake an effort, and so I sat
outside and read twice, whichlike hey, if you're busy, like
that's a luxury.
And then today was to create.
Look at me, I am creating, soperfect.
And so I do that.
And then my other thing thatI've been doing for a long time
now.
I got it in originally is fromCindy Brannan's I can't remember
(19:44):
the exact name, but Hecate'sCave and then there's like more
to it.
She's like Hecate's Garden,hecate's Cauldron, hecate's Cave
, and that one she has like asimple two card tarot spread and
I've been using it for over ayear so it's, and I've changed
it a little.
So you, the first card, you askwhat is an energy that's
leaving?
So you shuffle and you thinkabout an energy that's leaving
(20:07):
for the day.
And then you pull a card and Ihave all my and I only use decks
that are not reversed, that'sjust personal, for day-to-day
readings.
I don't want to deal with areversed card.
I do that for only bigger, moreinvolved readings.
And then the second question Iask is what is an energy that is
coming in?
And so today the energy thatwas coming, the energy I was
(20:29):
leaving, was Wheel of Fortuneand I was like, okay, good,
because I kind of have beenspinning a little bit, not
knowing where to spend my energybecause there's lots of things
I could be doing creatively.
And then the energy coming inwas the Ace of Pentacles and I
was like, okay, yeah, and inthis deck in particular, it's
like there's like a little beingthat has passed away and all of
these sprouts have come off ofthis being and it's like a fresh
(20:53):
start.
It's like something has endedand you're starting over.
And here I am.
I wanted to start the podcastover today.
It's like perfect energy.
And then I usually, after I pullthe two tarot cards, I pick one
of my many oracle decks and Ijust ask what else I need to
know that day?
And I just like close my eyesand I see the decks in my head
and like one pops up and I justgo with that um tarot card.
(21:15):
I used a different deck today,but for a while now, I have to
say almost daily, I've beenusing the mother piece tarot,
which is from the 80s.
I got it.
I found it used, um, and it'sround.
And I got it.
I found it used and it's roundand I love it.
It's just so like divine,feminine it's.
It's kind of weird in a goodway and this readings are like
(21:37):
spot on and there's even blankcards in there and a couple
times for the energy leavingit's been a blank card and I
just kind of laughs like they'relike we don't know what's
leaving, girl, like I don't know.
And so that's kind of my dailypractice on that, and then I
always meditate and then latelyI've been setting an intention.
I also like to take a walk ordo yoga.
(21:57):
I like to move my body in someway weight lift, and then in the
evening I haven't beenjournaling but I intend to start
up again.
So part of doing this, I'm likeokay, if I'm giving you the
questions and I should alsojournal, and I really do like
journaling.
I started really consistentlyjournaling when I read the
(22:18):
Artist's Way by Julia Cameron,which, if you're trying to lead
a simple life and really focuson the simple abundance and what
you, the gratitude you have,and be present, it's such a
great thing, even if you don'tconsider yourself an artist.
The only thing is is I reallyrecommend that you have to go
all in with this book.
So it's like you have to dowhat she says and follow the
(22:39):
weeks, because otherwise it'spointless.
But one of the things she hasyou do every day is write for 10
minutes, and I had two booksborn after that, so I feel like
it really worked, so that's areally good one.
And then also there's a bookcalled Simple Abundance.
I can't remember the author,let me look it up, but it's a
pink book from the 90s and likeI feel like I've seen it in lots
(22:59):
of women's kitchens over theyears as someone who grew up in
the 90s and it was a bestseller.
Yeah, it's called SimpleAbundance, a Day Book of Comfort
and Joy, by Sarah Van Brethnock, I think is how you say it.
You can definitely find it used.
It's free all the time.
You're always seeing like freelittle libraries, but it's just
(23:21):
about each day.
It's like a daily and not aChristian way, because a lot of
these devotional or daily booksare Christian.
It's just a book that each dayshe's like helping you tune into
the seasons and the holidaysand helping you take better care
of yourself.
It was like intended, I think,for she worked from home, but I
think it was really intended forlike women that like were
housewives and needed to filltheir own cups, and so it's a
(23:46):
little like, in a few places alittle outdated, but for the
most part it holds true.
And in both of those books theytalk about taking yourself out
on a date in the artist way.
It's like called taking likeyour little artist out on a date
, and consistently.
When my kids are in school Ilike to do that.
I like to go like look around abookstore, walk around a park
(24:07):
park, look at a gallery, go tothe library Like it's just an
idea that you go somewhere alonethat you would enjoy.
It doesn't have to cost anymoney, and so that's something I
try to do weekly.
I haven't really done it muchthis summer.
I did get together with friendswhich, like if you're in your
30s or 40s, it's that's hard todo.
(24:27):
Like if you're not retired, Ifeel like that's hard to do.
If we can ever retire, whoknows?
Um, don't mean to be a downeron that one, and so, yeah,
that's kind of where I'm at.
I did sign up for a CSA I talkedabout it, I think which is you
know where you get.
You help pay ahead of time to afarm and then you get produce
(24:50):
consistently from that farm.
There's also like CSAs for allkinds of things.
We have an herbal CSA here.
We have one for seafood.
Like you know, there'sdifferent ways to do it, so this
was through Red Buttes Farm andit was.
It's been amazing, like it'shonestly, we're going to do it
every year, like the I get soexcited.
I it's been amazing, like,honestly, we're going to do it
(25:12):
every year, like I get soexcited.
I pick up my farm box everyTuesday at the farmer's market
and I have eaten new things.
We had yellow watermelon acouple times, so it looks like a
red watermelon on the outsidebut it's like this pretty yellow
color inside and it's so good.
We've had snow leopard melons,which are like honeydew but
white inside.
I had a canary melon.
I had kohlrabi and shishitopeppers.
(25:32):
Those are all things I've neverhad before and it's been really
fun.
I've been fermenting andpickling.
I've been baking.
I just made zucchini browniestoday which are in our coven
like kitchen area and yeah, it'sjust been a way to tune in.
I was telling my family, um, soit's kind of a specific
(25:56):
reference, but if you read toyour children or for yourself,
there was even a tv show.
Richard Scarry wrote these busytown books and it's like there's
Roger Rhino driving down thestreet.
You know, and I feel likegetting this farm box.
It feels like like that, likethere's writer Jenny going to
(26:16):
see the farmer at the farmer'smarket getting her box.
It just feels so quaint andcute and like to know that the
food grew near me.
Like I said, it's.
It's a privilege and if youhave the opportunity to ever
sign up for one, I highlyrecommend it.
It's just a way to tune intoyour community.
It's a way to tune into theseasons, to what, where you live
(26:39):
, what can grow there and whenthey grow.
You know, that's really cool,like getting corn.
I got corn right in time forLunasa Lamas.
I was like this is so cool.
This is first harvest.
I have fresh corn, just likeall the books talk about.
Right, and so it's.
It's just been beautiful.
It's been such a beautifulexperience.
(26:59):
There are times where I'm like,oh my gosh, what am I going to
do with all this kale?
But freezers are great.
I did make pickles for thefirst time, fermented pickles,
and so you don't pickle them.
I had to go get oak leaves forthe tannins so they stay crisp.
I mean, it was just like such afun little thing.
But I do really like to cook,so I've also been collecting
lots of herbs from my own gardenand drying them and turning
(27:23):
them into tinctures and salvesand oils.
Like definitely been busy inthe kitchen, in the kitchen
witch side of things, and it'sbeen one of my favorite things
to do this summer is to becollecting from my own yard and
then getting my farm box.
We have successfully growntomatoes and lemon, cucumbers
and some squash first time everhaving garden beds and we're're
(27:46):
doing pretty well, I think,definitely learning a lot, and
that's what's great about justgetting outside and doing those
things.
Yeah, so that's kind of whereI'm at.
Kids are going back to schooland I'm starting to think about
what am I putting into motion?
I will be starting another book.
(28:07):
I already have it outlined.
I'll be writing.
I have a lot to be grateful for, and that's something I return
to often is.
You know, when I see the newsand or I feel overwhelmed by
what's happening in the world, Ithink about my own self, my
immediate family, and then Ithink about my town, my
(28:27):
immediate family, and then Ithink about my town, my
community, and I feel I try tofind gratitude for all of those
things.
And that was what's nice tooabout these daily intentions is
I set an intention for myself,for my family and the world, and
it feels good to put goodenergy out and I don't want to
send that worry.
So, yeah, I really um, reallyum.
(28:48):
I hope you've enjoyed this.
I don't think they're all goingto be this long unless there's
something really exciting totalk about.
I mean, I guess when we getnear Halloween I'll have a lot
to talk about.
Um, but yeah, I just I reallywant to share my journey, my
experience, my thoughts.
I, like I said I'm a solitarywitch.
(29:11):
It's part of why I created ourcoven.
I also want community and I'veactually tried to make some
community here in my town.
Um, I haven't been 100%successful.
I have good friends, but I'mtalking about like which
community?
But I'm open.
I'm gonna keep trying and see,see what happens.
I think the right people, theright community will come along
when I'm ready, definitelytrying to put more of that out
(29:32):
there, and you know, the energysometimes takes a while to
return.
It was a really interestingsummer having a book come out.
I talked about this.
If you get my newsletter, yousaw this.
But this last thing I'm goingto chat about a little bit and
then we'll wrap it up.
But I really went throughsomething similar to postpartum
depression, like from a lot ofsummer Prior to the book coming
(29:56):
out.
Once the book was released andall the promotion to go with the
book, I really kind ofstruggled with it and I did have
postpartum anxiety with bothchildren, but this was
definitely more of a postpartumdepression.
And yeah, I mean it's a childin a way.
(30:17):
You know, and I can say thatbecause I've had children.
A book you know I really wasvery vulnerable in Spirit
Crystals.
I really the practices in thatbook are my own practices that
I've actually done in my 30years of being a witch.
They come from my like personalbooks.
The meditations are things I'vedone, the prayers are things
(30:40):
I've said.
Like it's so vulnerable and itfelt kind of raw and scary to
know that anybody could just goget it and read it.
You know what I mean.
Like the idea.
It's like I've wanted to be awriter since I was small.
I was really I'm proud of thebook.
(31:01):
I was so excited to get itpublished, but then there was a
part of me that was like, oh myGod, like really, this is really
out there, like this is mypersonal practice, thoughts,
ideas and anybody can read it,even people that don't like me.
You know what I mean.
That's kind of you know I'm arecovering people pleaser, so
(31:22):
that's that was definitelyintense.
And there was also a part ofyou know, my ego just was like
who do you think you are?
It's not going to sell.
Like why would you even do this?
You should have never leftteaching.
You know there's like this.
The ego came back with avengeance.
I had like nightmares and nightterrors.
I had anxiety, I had like fitsof crying, like it was like I
(31:47):
was exercising demons and Ireally hope that not the next
book comes out in spring.
I really hope it's not likethis.
I don't think it will be.
I think it had something to dowith this being the first and it
really solidified that.
I made it in my mind Like youmay look at me and be like what
are you talking about?
But I chose a career early on,like I was a teaching at.
(32:10):
I was, I was a nanny, I was ababysitter, I was a camp
counselor, I was a tutor, I wasa substitute teacher and then I
was an actual teacher at like 22.
And then I got my credentialeverything like 23.
And I was so focused and sodriven.
I was a very young teacher andI decided to walk away from that
(32:30):
, even though I poured money andtime into it and, you know,
went to all these conferencesand you know, and I walked away
for a lot of reasons and then Ireally needed this book to come
out to show that you did it Likeyou did switch careers.
You are an author now and sothere was a lot wrapped up in
(32:51):
that.
You know, some of the a lot ofthe crying was cries of like
relief and joy, because I know alot of us like, no, we don't,
we shouldn't need externalvalidation.
But it feels good sometimes andI'm being very vulnerable and
raw with you right now.
I didn't expect to take thisturn, but here you are, dear
listener, but yeah, I reallystruggled and I it's out in the
(33:23):
world and what was sointeresting is Uranus went into
Taurus in 2018, which is when mylife broke apart and I switched
and all these things, and itleft my sign on July 7th and my
book came out July 8th andthat's when that felt like that
chapter of struggle, because forso long, I felt like I was in a
snow globe that someone mixedup and the snow wouldn't fall.
(33:44):
I had felt like you know, thewheel of fortune just spinning
and I'm like, am I doing thisright?
Like, am I on the right path?
I had so many questions andlike, so many struggles and so
many failures and then the bookcame out and it was like you,
you're doing it, this is right,this is the right move, like it
was the validation I needed frommy guides more than I think,
(34:04):
the outside world.
So, yeah, it's been a longsummer for me.
I feel like I've gone through alot emotionally, a lot lot of
shadow work, a lot spiritually,and I'm coming back to myself in
a different way.
I do feel wiser, I do feelstronger.
Share how I really try to leada simple, witchy practice,
(34:31):
simple in the fact that it'ssolo and it's all about just
tuning into myself, my guides,the earth, the moon and you know
whatever kind of makes me feelgood.
So, thank you for listening.
I hope you tune in next time.
(34:52):
Please like, share andsubscribe, and give me a review
too, if you enjoyed this.
Hey witches and welcome to another Cozy Coven
Chat.
My name is Jenny Seabell andI'm your host.
You may have noticed I have anew logo and a new kind of
subtitle.
So the podcast is Cozy CovenChats A Witch's Journey Back to
Simplicity, and this is Season 2, episode 1.
(00:21):
So, yeah, it's all in the sameyear.
I have really been reflecting,so let me explain the changes
and why.
Um, bear with me, sit with me,grab a cup of tea, get cozy.
I will be going over someinteresting things this week and
some journal prompt ideas andritual ideas.
(00:42):
So hang in there, um, but Iwant to explain just some things
.
So, first of all, I never reallythought seriously about doing a
podcast.
I was under the impression thatit was a lot harder to do, not
saying that it's like super easyand it's definitely a privilege
to do, but I just kind ofassumed like I don't know, don't
(01:05):
want to take on one more thing,like I'm on these different
social medias, I'm writing books, I'm a mom, do I want to do
this?
But the more I sat with it, themore like aligned it felt right
.
And as a child, one of myfavorite things to do is someone
bought me a stereo with twocassette players and I would
(01:27):
make my own radio shows, I wouldmake the commercials, I would
invent guests, I would makevoices.
One of my favorite things Iever did is I figured out that
if I ran the water faucet in thebathroom loud enough and put
the microphone, like thecassette and everything near it,
it sounded like it was in frontof a waterfall.
So I have always had no problemtalking to no one into a
(01:48):
microphone, because that wasjust imaginary, it was just like
purely fun and nobody listenedto it.
And so, you know, I guess it wasmeant to be to do a podcast,
but the more I sat with it, youknow, every summer I kind of
take time off, um, because I'm ahuman, believe it or not, um, a
(02:10):
magical human, but still human.
I always take summers or timeoff in summer because my
family's home, I have, you know,two kids, 10 and 15.
I also was a teacher for solong classroom teacher that I'm
just kind of that mindset oflike summer we do a reset.
So I was like, okay, thissummer I'm going to pull back
from social media somewhat.
(02:30):
I did have a book come out, socouldn't be as much as I would
have liked.
I was like I'm going to end thepodcast as is and just like,
let that sit and decide.
And if you listen to recentinterviews with me and people
have asked me what about thepodcast, it's just like, oh yeah
, it's an experiment.
Like I didn't have a fullanswer as to whether or not I
(02:51):
wanted to continue and you knowI tried a bunch of stuff.
So if you listen, if you hungon to season one, it was like
you got my story, you got someinterviews with some really
awesome authors, you got somecrystal information.
You, you got a meditation.
I mean, I was just like reallytruly experimenting.
But as the more I sat with theidea and the more I reflected
(03:13):
about my life and everything ingeneral the world, the way the
news is I really thought abouthow, personally, I am really
getting back to basics andtrying to live a more present
and more meaningful life again.
You know it's something Icircle back to over and over
(03:34):
again, but when the news in theworld gets so hard, it's
important for our own personalday-to-day practice to be
nourishing, to be healing, andit's a privilege to be able to
do those things and I don't feelselfish about it or any like.
(03:59):
I used to have mixed feelings,like why I shouldn't be, like I
should be doing something else,but you can't pour from an empty
cup.
And also of says, um, when youheal, you don't heal alone.
It's like not a direct quote,but something like that and
that's always stuck with me,that you know I've seen studies
about where, where large groupsof people meditate, the crime
(04:20):
rate goes down.
You know it's like energy isenergy and, as witch, I believe
in the invisible world, Ibelieve in energy, I believe in
changing energy and so if youever get kind of, you know,
weighed down by, okay, all thesuffering in the world and
people are losing their rightsand all of these things, and
(04:42):
you're like I don't have, like,who am I to?
Like go and meditate, likethat's frivolous, but you matter
too and your suffering is noone wants that, that's just
being a martyr.
So, as you see the worldsuffering, you need to fill your
cup and do what you can to giveyourself the good energy and
(05:04):
the nourishment you need so thatyou can help later.
Right, if you're an activist orwhatever, we also need
nourishment.
You can't just like sit andlook at the news cycle and just
be down all the time.
That doesn't help anybody, youknow.
I remember reading I think itwas in you Are a Badass
something about like you don'twant to send people worry, like
(05:26):
that energy is ugly and like sadand heavy.
You know you don't want to belike oh I'm so worried for you.
Instead it's like I send youlove and courage, right, I think
in that book she calls itsmearing fear, like you don't
want to surround yourself withpeople that smear fear on you.
If they're always like you know, oh I'm so worried for you, or
(05:50):
be careful those you know it'sfrom a place that they probably
mean well.
But that's why, like, when I'min an incubation stage and I'm
starting a new project, I onlytell people who I know are going
to be like, yeah, get it girl.
And like sending you energy andsending you love, not like, are
you crazy?
You can't do that.
You know what I mean, and so Idon't think it's selfish or
(06:12):
self-centered to nourishyourself, heal yourself, fill
your cup because, remember, youalso heal all the generations
around you.
So you heal, you heal yourancestors, you heal, heal future
lineage.
Even if you yourself don't havechildren, you know you are
going to be someone's ancestorsomeday, and so I think I wanted
to that like really like gotoff track really fast.
I wanted to create a podcastthat was about my actual
(06:36):
day-to-day experience things Ido and I'm not a performative
witch.
Yes, I have you know.
And I'm not a performativewitch.
Yes, I have you know a smallamount, a good amount of people
on witch talk, but it's notperformative Like I.
I'm not there making up ritualsand doing these elaborate
spells and making things likereally beautiful, unless that's
(06:57):
actually what I'm doing, doesthat make sense?
So I'm not here to perform.
I'm here, like, really livingmy journey.
I, you know, often in our covenI participate like I'll ask a
question, what you're strugglingwith, I'll participate and
answer Like I'm.
I'm not perfect.
I don't have it all figured out.
If I did, I think I'd just bedone.
(07:18):
Like you know what I mean.
Like I kind of always think,like when you have it all
figured out, what's the pointafter?
Like there's always somethingto learn, there's something to
heal, there's something to do orsomething to create.
Like there's always more.
And if you stop doing all thosethings, you stagnate and then
you create more problems, Ithink, and then you have to go
(07:39):
all over again, like it's acyclical journey, right, it's a
spiral, like we heal and then weheal again, and then we heal
again, right, shadow workslifelong, all those things.
So I really wanted to create apodcast where, weekly, I just
share with you some of my thingsthat I'm doing, some of the
things I'm thinking about, howI'm tuning in seasonally, how
(08:01):
I'm tuning in with the moon, alittle of this and that in
astrology, a little bit aboutjournals.
You know my own practice.
I wanted to share what thatlooks like, um, in this first
episode and it's it's quiet.
My own practice is quiet.
My solitary witch.
Yes, I run our coven and we dolives, but we don't do live
(08:23):
ritual and things like that.
I think that's prettypersonally, I think that's
pretty hard to do via Zoom.
Like a meditation is one thing,but doing a live ritual, I
don't know, maybe it can be done, maybe it can be done in the
future, but that's just not.
I don't know.
I don't feel like, yeah, that'ssomething I feel like we can do
(08:45):
.
Instead, our lives are morelike meditation.
They're classes, they're Q&As,they're chatting together.
You know, it's more aboutconnection and being able to
talk to each other and for themto be able to ask me questions
face to face, and you know thatkind of thing.
(09:05):
And so I've been a solitarywitch most of my journey of you
know, I've been a witch now forover 30 years, so most of that
journey has been solitary.
I do things sometimes with myfamily, I've done things
sometimes with like a friend ortwo.
I've got to do like specialthings like singing bowl retreat
and women's retreat and thingslike that, but overall it's
solitary and I think that mostof us are like that and I think,
now more than ever, we need toconnect with one another and we
(09:29):
need to uplift one another andwe need to hear each other's
stories and I think, as I'vesaid before, we learn best
through stories.
That's why I was a literaturemajor.
That's why I love teachingEnglish.
I think you can teach so muchwith a book or with a story more
than if you just were to standthere and lecture at someone
right Like you can.
If you, someone tells you astory with a moral, you're more
(09:52):
likely to remember that than ifthey were to just be like don't
do that.
And so all of these thingsswirled around me in the summer
thinking about my own practice,thinking about how I need to
nourish my own self, how I needto you know, kind of like how,
where am I taking our coven inthe future?
And how story so important andhow people need connection,
(10:14):
especially those of you who Iknow are isolated, maybe that
you can't or don't feel safe.
You know, being on a spiritualpath that's different than the
people around you.
This is for you, this is for us.
This is a time for you to comewith your journal, your tea, a
cozy blanket when it gets cool,or, finally, your cat right.
(10:36):
And you know, consider me your,your aunt, your sister, your
friend.
That's also a witch and I'mjust sharing about my own
experience.
So that's where we're goingthis season and I feel locked in
.
I feel like this sounds reallyfun.
I hope to post every hope to doone every week.
(10:57):
I am a human.
I do get sick, I do havechildren, um, and you know we'll
just see.
Uh, but that's the plan for now.
So I'm hoping to do these.
Put these out every Sunday soyou can kind of start your week
with me.
So I'm hoping to do these.
Put these out every Sunday soyou can kind of start your week
with me, and so we're looking atthe week of August 18th and I'm
(11:18):
not going to go deeply intoastrology because that's not my
strength but Friday, the 22nd,the sun does go into Virgo and
we also have a new moon in Virgo, right, and so let's talk about
that real quick.
New moon energy and full moonenergy.
I always think three daysbefore the actual moon and three
days after You're good enoughin there.
(11:40):
So if you don't, if you're notoff Friday, you have weekends
off.
Do your new moon stuff on theweekend, okay and same, like,
let's say, wednesday or Thursdayoff.
So you just make it work foryou.
You know it's like again, it'snot performative, there's no one
.
You know, if you're not posting, no one's gonna be like, oh my
god, I can't believe you didyour new moon ritual on the 20th
, like, just not, it's not likethat, right.
(12:03):
So, new moon, I like to think ofit as the.
It's like in between, so youcan celebrate it as a fresh
start.
You can celebrate it as a freshstart.
You can sell it, celebrate itas a closing right.
Every ending there's abeginning, and so you can
celebrate it as both, or you cancelebrate it either, or so some
things I like to do personallyis I like to cleanse.
(12:23):
I like to do a cleanse of myself, of my home, of my ritual
jewelry, my ritual things, myaltars.
New moon is often when I'lltake everything off my altar,
I'll dust it, I'll clean it.
I will put everything back in anew, in a new way.
Right?
If I'm going to make a crystalgrid, I usually make them on a
new moon and kind of let go andvisit them every day until the
(12:46):
full moon, and then I reallylike add extra energy on the
full moon and then I take themdown on the waning moon.
That's just kind of my ownapproach.
Other new moon things that aregreat to do are to just like let
go of the past cycle, andthat's through journaling.
So something I like to alwaysask myself is you know, around a
(13:08):
new moon?
So this week I will be askingmyself what is closing for me?
And like what's an energythat's closing for me?
What is something no longerserving me?
What is something I learnedthis last cycle?
And then I'll look forward toyou know where?
(13:29):
Where am I putting my energy?
Where do I want to put myenergy, what is an energy I want
to attract right now, you know.
So you're kind of like lookingat both sides and, being in a
Virgo moon, virgo season, I'mreally affected by the moon, I'm
a Cancer rising, and so I'llprobably have a really clean and
organized house by the end ofVirgo season, which is great,
(13:52):
because Leo season always makesme end up at estate sales and
thrift stores and I'm buyinglike this and that and
decorating there's always freshflowers and then Virgo season
comes and I'm like no, we needto clean everything, dust it
like, make it look really good.
And so if you find that energy,go with it, ride it right, ride
the energy, let yourself get aclean house and other things.
(14:14):
With Virgo, you know we like tothat Virgo energy is very
organized.
So this moon in particular,because we're at the end, we're
getting to the end of summer,getting towards fall, it's a
really good time to like takestock of everything right, like
all your, all the intentions youset, all the manifestations you
put into into you know energyand you put focus on.
(14:37):
It's a good time to like lookat all of that and reassess,
because come autumn equinox it'sa good time to like let some
stuff go.
So, you know, you may like, forme, I always have all these
like goals setting.
I make vision boards, I will, Ilike to do this thing and we'll
talk more about it in January,but I usually will like fold my
(14:58):
journal into four quarters andI'll do, like winter, spring,
summer, fall, and I'll put goalsaccording to the seasons, based
on, like you know, seasonallyhow I feel or energy, and this
is a time I'm going to revisitand probably be like, why would
I want to do that in fall, likethat happens every year, like
who was she that came up withthis idea?
She's different now.
(15:18):
Um, so, yeah, it's a good timeto start taking stocks as we go
into Virgo season.
I'm always a little sad to seeLeo season end, though, because,
I don't know, everyone justshines brighter and my
daughter's a Leo.
She's like so beautiful, so Ifeel like everybody's at their
most beautiful and their mostflamboyant during that time.
So so, yeah, that's what'sgoing on in the moon.
(15:40):
We are still in the Lunasa orLamas energy.
So, first, harvest energy.
You're probably seeing more,you know, like corn and, if you
live in North America, more ofthat kind of harvest energy, if
you, you know, may even seeleaves starting to change,
depending on where you live.
So we're in between summer andfall energy, and so things are
(16:02):
winding down.
This is a really good time ofyear to get into thinking about
winter and cold and and fluseason.
So I definitely am an amateurherbalist.
I'll probably be studying herbsforever and always call myself
that um.
But this is a good time to makefire cider, which I have um in
(16:23):
our coven and, I think, onTikTok for thieves vinegar.
It's a good time to do that.
It's a good time to maketinctures.
It's a good time to put honeyinto natural, like organic honey
and let sit a couple weeks in ajar.
Those are so good for whenyou're sick.
You can do the same thing withsage.
It's a good time to stock up onwarming spices.
(16:44):
Clove really good for sorethroats.
Sage is really good for sorethroats, you know.
Know, really, taking stock ofthose kinds of things, we always
go and pick elderberries andmake elderberry syrup or
elderberry ice that's actuallyour favorite where you kind of
freeze the syrup into ice cubesVery soothing.
It's a good time to take stockof your health too.
Like, do you have vitamin C?
(17:06):
You know I'm not a healthprofessional Okay, don't come at
me for that Like, do everythingat your own risk that I talk
about.
But you know, I feel like it'sa good time to just take stock
of all that stuff.
Vitamin D it's very dark whereI live in the PNW Still not used
to it, being in SouthernCalifornia for so long.
Do you need, like, a solarlight?
(17:27):
Do you need a red light, likeyou know?
Think about last winter.
Were you sad?
What are you going to do tochange that?
It's all that kind of time.
Summer is winding down.
You might want to get out thereand play a little more before
fall actually comes, dependingon where you live.
And, yeah, just kind of thosekind of ideas.
That's the energy.
I think of the moon and theseasons right now.
(17:48):
What I'm doing every day,personally right now, is I am
setting an intention in themorning, which I don't usually
do.
I'm very task oriented, so Ihave a to-do list, multiple
to-do lists.
I usually wake up and I dowhatever my family needs me to
do.
I'm at my grocery, shopping,I'm taking kids for haircuts,
I'm cleaning, I'm watering, I'mgardening.
(18:09):
You know, taking care of tasksand then working, writing all
those things, and so I am tryinginstead.
Something new for me is, insteadof being so task oriented, I'm
trying to set an intention everyday, and so I sit after, I say
prayers.
I always play singing bowlmusic and I I should look up.
(18:31):
I'm going to look up who I, bythe way, I don't know.
I'm not filming this and Iwon't be so if you're watching
this on YouTube, it's just goingto be the ambient video.
I just feel much morecomfortable not talking into a
camera for so long.
So I hope you understand thatand I hope you can respect that.
Oh yeah, so on Insight Timer,which is a free app, by the way,
(18:58):
there is this person healingvibrations, and it's always this
person with their cat and theirsinging bowls.
They're beautiful and my catsreally do love them, and they're
all like an hour, so I waslistening at least an hour, so I
listened to healing vibrations.
On Insight Timer, I say prayers,I do call on the elements every
day.
That's just personal.
And then I've been sending anintention, and it can be really
simple.
Yesterday's was to get outsidemore, and because the weather
(19:21):
was nice, I'm like I need tomake an effort, and so I sat
outside and read twice, whichlike hey, if you're busy, like
that's a luxury.
And then today was to create.
Look at me, I am creating, soperfect.
And so I do that.
And then my other thing thatI've been doing for a long time
now.
I got it in originally is fromCindy Brannan's I can't remember
(19:44):
the exact name, but Hecate'sCave and then there's like more
to it.
She's like Hecate's Garden,hecate's Cauldron, hecate's Cave
, and that one she has like asimple two card tarot spread and
I've been using it for over ayear so it's, and I've changed
it a little.
So you, the first card, you askwhat is an energy that's
leaving?
So you shuffle and you thinkabout an energy that's leaving
(20:07):
for the day.
And then you pull a card and Ihave all my and I only use decks
that are not reversed, that'sjust personal, for day-to-day
readings.
I don't want to deal with areversed card.
I do that for only bigger, moreinvolved readings.
And then the second question Iask is what is an energy that is
coming in?
And so today the energy thatwas coming, the energy I was
(20:29):
leaving, was Wheel of Fortuneand I was like, okay, good,
because I kind of have beenspinning a little bit, not
knowing where to spend my energybecause there's lots of things
I could be doing creatively.
And then the energy coming inwas the Ace of Pentacles and I
was like, okay, yeah, and inthis deck in particular, it's
like there's like a little beingthat has passed away and all of
these sprouts have come off ofthis being and it's like a fresh
(20:53):
start.
It's like something has endedand you're starting over.
And here I am.
I wanted to start the podcastover today.
It's like perfect energy.
And then I usually, after I pullthe two tarot cards, I pick one
of my many oracle decks and Ijust ask what else I need to
know that day?
And I just like close my eyesand I see the decks in my head
and like one pops up and I justgo with that um tarot card.
(21:15):
I used a different deck today,but for a while now, I have to
say almost daily, I've beenusing the mother piece tarot,
which is from the 80s.
I got it.
I found it used, um, and it'sround.
And I got it.
I found it used and it's roundand I love it.
It's just so like divine,feminine it's.
It's kind of weird in a goodway and this readings are like
(21:37):
spot on and there's even blankcards in there and a couple
times for the energy leavingit's been a blank card and I
just kind of laughs like they'relike we don't know what's
leaving, girl, like I don't know.
And so that's kind of my dailypractice on that, and then I
always meditate and then latelyI've been setting an intention.
I also like to take a walk ordo yoga.
(21:57):
I like to move my body in someway weight lift, and then in the
evening I haven't beenjournaling but I intend to start
up again.
So part of doing this, I'm likeokay, if I'm giving you the
questions and I should alsojournal, and I really do like
journaling.
I started really consistentlyjournaling when I read the
(22:18):
Artist's Way by Julia Cameron,which, if you're trying to lead
a simple life and really focuson the simple abundance and what
you, the gratitude you have,and be present, it's such a
great thing, even if you don'tconsider yourself an artist.
The only thing is is I reallyrecommend that you have to go
all in with this book.
So it's like you have to dowhat she says and follow the
(22:39):
weeks, because otherwise it'spointless.
But one of the things she hasyou do every day is write for 10
minutes, and I had two booksborn after that, so I feel like
it really worked, so that's areally good one.
And then also there's a bookcalled Simple Abundance.
I can't remember the author,let me look it up, but it's a
pink book from the 90s and likeI feel like I've seen it in lots
(22:59):
of women's kitchens over theyears as someone who grew up in
the 90s and it was a bestseller.
Yeah, it's called SimpleAbundance, a Day Book of Comfort
and Joy, by Sarah Van Brethnock, I think is how you say it.
You can definitely find it used.
It's free all the time.
You're always seeing like freelittle libraries, but it's just
(23:21):
about each day.
It's like a daily and not aChristian way, because a lot of
these devotional or daily booksare Christian.
It's just a book that each dayshe's like helping you tune into
the seasons and the holidaysand helping you take better care
of yourself.
It was like intended, I think,for she worked from home, but I
think it was really intended forlike women that like were
housewives and needed to filltheir own cups, and so it's a
(23:46):
little like, in a few places alittle outdated, but for the
most part it holds true.
And in both of those books theytalk about taking yourself out
on a date in the artist way.
It's like called taking likeyour little artist out on a date
, and consistently.
When my kids are in school Ilike to do that.
I like to go like look around abookstore, walk around a park
(24:07):
park, look at a gallery, go tothe library Like it's just an
idea that you go somewhere alonethat you would enjoy.
It doesn't have to cost anymoney, and so that's something I
try to do weekly.
I haven't really done it muchthis summer.
I did get together with friendswhich, like if you're in your
30s or 40s, it's that's hard todo.
(24:27):
Like if you're not retired, Ifeel like that's hard to do.
If we can ever retire, whoknows?
Um, don't mean to be a downeron that one, and so, yeah,
that's kind of where I'm at.
I did sign up for a CSA I talkedabout it, I think which is you
know where you get.
You help pay ahead of time to afarm and then you get produce
(24:50):
consistently from that farm.
There's also like CSAs for allkinds of things.
We have an herbal CSA here.
We have one for seafood.
Like you know, there'sdifferent ways to do it, so this
was through Red Buttes Farm andit was.
It's been amazing, like it'shonestly, we're going to do it
every year, like the I get soexcited.
I it's been amazing, like,honestly, we're going to do it
(25:12):
every year, like I get soexcited.
I pick up my farm box everyTuesday at the farmer's market
and I have eaten new things.
We had yellow watermelon acouple times, so it looks like a
red watermelon on the outsidebut it's like this pretty yellow
color inside and it's so good.
We've had snow leopard melons,which are like honeydew but
white inside.
I had a canary melon.
I had kohlrabi and shishitopeppers.
(25:32):
Those are all things I've neverhad before and it's been really
fun.
I've been fermenting andpickling.
I've been baking.
I just made zucchini browniestoday which are in our coven
like kitchen area and yeah, it'sjust been a way to tune in.
I was telling my family, um, soit's kind of a specific
(25:56):
reference, but if you read toyour children or for yourself,
there was even a tv show.
Richard Scarry wrote these busytown books and it's like there's
Roger Rhino driving down thestreet.
You know, and I feel likegetting this farm box.
It feels like like that, likethere's writer Jenny going to
(26:16):
see the farmer at the farmer'smarket getting her box.
It just feels so quaint andcute and like to know that the
food grew near me.
Like I said, it's.
It's a privilege and if youhave the opportunity to ever
sign up for one, I highlyrecommend it.
It's just a way to tune intoyour community.
It's a way to tune into theseasons, to what, where you live
(26:39):
, what can grow there and whenthey grow.
You know, that's really cool,like getting corn.
I got corn right in time forLunasa Lamas.
I was like this is so cool.
This is first harvest.
I have fresh corn, just likeall the books talk about.
Right, and so it's.
It's just been beautiful.
It's been such a beautifulexperience.
(26:59):
There are times where I'm like,oh my gosh, what am I going to
do with all this kale?
But freezers are great.
I did make pickles for thefirst time, fermented pickles,
and so you don't pickle them.
I had to go get oak leaves forthe tannins so they stay crisp.
I mean, it was just like such afun little thing.
But I do really like to cook,so I've also been collecting
lots of herbs from my own gardenand drying them and turning
(27:23):
them into tinctures and salvesand oils.
Like definitely been busy inthe kitchen, in the kitchen
witch side of things, and it'sbeen one of my favorite things
to do this summer is to becollecting from my own yard and
then getting my farm box.
We have successfully growntomatoes and lemon, cucumbers
and some squash first time everhaving garden beds and we're're
(27:46):
doing pretty well, I think,definitely learning a lot, and
that's what's great about justgetting outside and doing those
things.
Yeah, so that's kind of whereI'm at.
Kids are going back to schooland I'm starting to think about
what am I putting into motion?
I will be starting another book.
(28:07):
I already have it outlined.
I'll be writing.
I have a lot to be grateful for, and that's something I return
to often is.
You know, when I see the newsand or I feel overwhelmed by
what's happening in the world, Ithink about my own self, my
immediate family, and then Ithink about my town, my
(28:27):
immediate family, and then Ithink about my town, my
community, and I feel I try tofind gratitude for all of those
things.
And that was what's nice tooabout these daily intentions is
I set an intention for myself,for my family and the world, and
it feels good to put goodenergy out and I don't want to
send that worry.
So, yeah, I really um, reallyum.
(28:48):
I hope you've enjoyed this.
I don't think they're all goingto be this long unless there's
something really exciting totalk about.
I mean, I guess when we getnear Halloween I'll have a lot
to talk about.
Um, but yeah, I just I reallywant to share my journey, my
experience, my thoughts.
I, like I said I'm a solitarywitch.
(29:11):
It's part of why I created ourcoven.
I also want community and I'veactually tried to make some
community here in my town.
Um, I haven't been 100%successful.
I have good friends, but I'mtalking about like which
community?
But I'm open.
I'm gonna keep trying and see,see what happens.
I think the right people, theright community will come along
when I'm ready, definitelytrying to put more of that out
(29:32):
there, and you know, the energysometimes takes a while to
return.
It was a really interestingsummer having a book come out.
I talked about this.
If you get my newsletter, yousaw this.
But this last thing I'm goingto chat about a little bit and
then we'll wrap it up.
But I really went throughsomething similar to postpartum
depression, like from a lot ofsummer Prior to the book coming
(29:56):
out.
Once the book was released andall the promotion to go with the
book, I really kind ofstruggled with it and I did have
postpartum anxiety with bothchildren, but this was
definitely more of a postpartumdepression.
And yeah, I mean it's a childin a way.
(30:17):
You know, and I can say thatbecause I've had children.
A book you know I really wasvery vulnerable in Spirit
Crystals.
I really the practices in thatbook are my own practices that
I've actually done in my 30years of being a witch.
They come from my like personalbooks.
The meditations are things I'vedone, the prayers are things
(30:40):
I've said.
Like it's so vulnerable and itfelt kind of raw and scary to
know that anybody could just goget it and read it.
You know what I mean.
Like the idea.
It's like I've wanted to be awriter since I was small.
I was really I'm proud of thebook.
(31:01):
I was so excited to get itpublished, but then there was a
part of me that was like, oh myGod, like really, this is really
out there, like this is mypersonal practice, thoughts,
ideas and anybody can read it,even people that don't like me.
You know what I mean.
That's kind of you know I'm arecovering people pleaser, so
(31:22):
that's that was definitelyintense.
And there was also a part ofyou know, my ego just was like
who do you think you are?
It's not going to sell.
Like why would you even do this?
You should have never leftteaching.
You know there's like this.
The ego came back with avengeance.
I had like nightmares and nightterrors.
I had anxiety, I had like fitsof crying, like it was like I
(31:47):
was exercising demons and Ireally hope that not the next
book comes out in spring.
I really hope it's not likethis.
I don't think it will be.
I think it had something to dowith this being the first and it
really solidified that.
I made it in my mind Like youmay look at me and be like what
are you talking about?
But I chose a career early on,like I was a teaching at.
(32:10):
I was, I was a nanny, I was ababysitter, I was a camp
counselor, I was a tutor, I wasa substitute teacher and then I
was an actual teacher at like 22.
And then I got my credentialeverything like 23.
And I was so focused and sodriven.
I was a very young teacher andI decided to walk away from that
(32:30):
, even though I poured money andtime into it and, you know,
went to all these conferencesand you know, and I walked away
for a lot of reasons and then Ireally needed this book to come
out to show that you did it Likeyou did switch careers.
You are an author now and sothere was a lot wrapped up in
(32:51):
that.
You know, some of the a lot ofthe crying was cries of like
relief and joy, because I know alot of us like, no, we don't,
we shouldn't need externalvalidation.
But it feels good sometimes andI'm being very vulnerable and
raw with you right now.
I didn't expect to take thisturn, but here you are, dear
listener, but yeah, I reallystruggled and I it's out in the
(33:23):
world and what was sointeresting is Uranus went into
Taurus in 2018, which is when mylife broke apart and I switched
and all these things, and itleft my sign on July 7th and my
book came out July 8th andthat's when that felt like that
chapter of struggle, because forso long, I felt like I was in a
snow globe that someone mixedup and the snow wouldn't fall.
(33:44):
I had felt like you know, thewheel of fortune just spinning
and I'm like, am I doing thisright?
Like, am I on the right path?
I had so many questions andlike, so many struggles and so
many failures and then the bookcame out and it was like you,
you're doing it, this is right,this is the right move, like it
was the validation I needed frommy guides more than I think,
(34:04):
the outside world.
So, yeah, it's been a longsummer for me.
I feel like I've gone through alot emotionally, a lot lot of
shadow work, a lot spiritually,and I'm coming back to myself in
a different way.
I do feel wiser, I do feelstronger.
Share how I really try to leada simple, witchy practice,
(34:31):
simple in the fact that it'ssolo and it's all about just
tuning into myself, my guides,the earth, the moon and you know
whatever kind of makes me feelgood.
So, thank you for listening.
I hope you tune in next time.
(34:52):
Please like, share andsubscribe, and give me a review
too, if you enjoyed this.
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