A New Year’s Note
Hello, Dear Ones!
We are on the cusp of the New Year! How exciting to think of the new possibilities and experiences that await us and that we will create!
I hope winter has been holding you in a warm and cozy embrace as we turn inward, slow down, and have time to reflect on our past year and hold intention for what we would like to call into our new year.
In this segment, I want to share some of my own personal reflections on my first year in sobriety and the magick there in…
I began my sober journey at the holiday times the end of last year.
As I stand in this same time-space a year forward, I can remember so vividly what it felt and looked like as I was stepping my feet for the first on this new path of transition.
My oh my, has this year been most transformative and pivotal.
For every challenge, struggle, and strife; for the pain of getting past the threshold and to feel my body, mind, and spirit begin to awaken and heal ~ it has been one of the most expansive years of my life to date.
It has felt like learning to become my person anew. Refinding and redefining myself.
I embarked on this journey a bit blindly and most definitely desperately.
I knew I had to and also yearned to create deep change.
I did not know then how deeply this journey would change my life.
It is so much more than just not drinking.
I have been reintroduced to a beautiful strength in myself I had all but lost and perhaps didn’t even know I had.
I have healed, processed and grown so much in just this year that I am excited to see where it reaches as I travel further this path.
So, as briefly as I can for now, how did I get here?
No one expects to suddenly find themselves in a place they don’t want be and never imagined they would be.
And it isn’t sudden.
It was a slow, slow burn.
It was all fine and fun.
Until it wasn’t.
It was coming upon holiday times and I felt more dark, detached, and desperate than I had ever known.
I was visiting my family. The stress that I was under was immeasurable. While taking care of them and the household and prepping the holiday meal, I found my way to podcasts. A new avenue of searching and learning for me. I had headphones on constantly - trying to find something to connect to and help pull me out of the misery I was living.
I began listening to recovery and to witchy podcasts. I had been listening to true crime and spooky podcasts for distraction when it dawned on me to search these topics. I listened like I was holding on to a lifeline. The last thread.
I came across a podcast called Sobertown. A particular episode called, “Sober Baddies”. And boom. The spark lit. It resonated for me. The down-to-earth banter of the two hostesses drew me in. I felt comforted and like I had found my people.
I remember hearing one of the hosts saying her contact info was in the show notes.
I left the kitchen.
Went to my little room.
Sat down at my computer.
And the rest, as they say, is absolutely magickal history.
I emailed her. She immediately contacted me back. She offered for us to meet on a video call.
Let me tell you, none of this would I ever imagined myself doing. I had become the most recluse and isolated I have ever been by that time. Reaching out to a complete stranger is far from something I would have imagined myself doing.
But I was desperate.
Have I mentioned how desperate I felt?
I had no plan. How long or what it would look like. I just needed change. Desperately. And now.
So, our story continues …
This wonderful angel of a person and complete stranger felt to me like a hand reaching back out into my darkness and gently pulling me into the light.
She introduced me to the Sobertown community (Sobertownpodcast.com), the website and the tools offered there, and the multitude of Zoom meetings they held. This was a non-official, all community volunteered and run source. Absolutely free of charge.
I still to this day find it so magical how everything works so fluidly and beautifully - it is so because it is coming straight from the heart(s).
Slowly but surely the Zoom meetings became my lifeline. I didn’t show my face on screen and could remain anonymous. I was so fragile and raw. So nervous and had no idea what I was doing, but knew I had to do something.
This community held me in so much support. I felt seen and heard. Understood. I didn’t feel like the weird alienated thing I felt like I had become. And I understood these people in return. It felt like the most giant relief. And it felt positive. Real. Raw and authentic.
These people have become true friends and like family.
This was the beginning of my journey.
Finding community made the difference. For me.
We all have to and will find our own way.
At the same time, my reawakening to the magical path had begun
right before that holiday time, in October.
I feel strongly that beginning to open to the magick that surrounds us and holds us in nature and the nature of being began to open my eyes to connecting back to myself in this experience of life.
A big part of how returning to magick and the practice of witchood helped me as I entered the sobriety arena was that
It. Kept. Me. BUSY.
It kept me engaged. It engaged all my senses. All the realms. It ignited connection in me - to the natural world around me and to my own deep inner world and the more mysterious and deep realms that we are amidst.
It gave me ritual. Form. Something to ground in practice.
From waking up with the sun, lighting a candle, thanking the ground receiving my feet, to the morning walk with my pup and taking account of all the sounds, sights, and smells of the nature around me. The sun, the cool air on my skin.
Watching the plant life changing with the evolving seasons.
I think this year has been the most aware and present I’ve been of every day and every season more than ever in my life.
It ignited my interest as one thing led to more - a positive Pandora's Box; herbalism, candle magic, moon phases, tarot and oracle, divination tools and practices, words as spells, and working with The Wheel of the Year. Cooking became magic. Sleeping and dreaming became magic. Breathing magic. Living magic.
It all helped me as I healed first physically, then mentally, emotionally, and of my spirit.
Stitching all of my pieces back together.
It was a support as I processed feelings, emotions, and thoughts of the past
as I was processing my whole life experience up to this point.
It was painful but necessary.
There is a light and beauty in the shadow work.
Freedom in the healing.
A play of the light and the dark.
Laying things to rest and bringing new hope and life to light.
There is so much to this story and this is just the beginning…
There is so much more I want to share with you. So many wonderful resources in the Recovery and Witchy worlds!
This is all new to me. So please bear with me!
I want to share all the information! All the explanations! All the wonderful creators that I learn from, speak about and delight in using their crafts!
And give them their due honor.
This will all come.
This experience has unfolded in such a magickal way.
My hope is that yours will and shall too.
My intention and resolution for this year is to
L E T G O.
Let go what no longer serves. Habits, thoughts, behaviors, ideas, stories, pains, wounds…
Let go what needs to be released and make space for the new. Or just simply the peace of space.
I wish you a happy, healthy, and abundant New Year
And all the positive change to your light and life that awaits you.
And now for some… QUICK WITCHY TIPS!
for celebrating and welcoming your New Year!
Right before the clock strikes 12, open your windows and perhaps also doors (take good care for your familiars aka fur babies!) to let the stagnant energy of the past leave and inviting the new fresh energy in.
Fire Magick: Have a fire or light a candle. Write down what you wish to release. Burn it in the fire. On dried bay leaves, write what you want to call in and release them also to the flame.
Draw tarot or oracle card spread for the new year. You can search many ways to do this. Or simply: 1. Past, 2. Present 3. Future OR 1. What are you met with 2. What do you need to release 3. What do you call in.
As it is the 1st, from the threshold of your front door, from your dominant hand, blow cinnamon into your house for abundance and prosperity.
It is the year of the Strength tarot card. Envision how you will use this to empower you this year.
Please reach out to me if you have any questions, suggestions or just want to connect!
Happiest New Year!
Blessings be!
So mote it be!
Please do stay connected on Instagram @The_Sober_Witch
and/or email: thesoberwitch1111@gmail.com
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