Month: September 2019

Point of view can be quite a few things according to rules of writing that I have read lately.

Today, I will show you my first person point of view/POV by participating in my own story. We could also do it together, dear reader, or I could have chosen to show you another person telling a story.

No matter, the perspective, I have chosen this subject, because I am currently working on a novel to be. And I like to mix between a broad range of possibilities to create something intense, something suspect, and something between good and bad.

Seeing the world through different perspectives is also a useful reminder of the importance of remembering to actually live instead of planning my life away.

I sit in my living room which is my favorite place to write these days. Nah, I better show the truth, I have been sitting here a couple of weeks by now. I´m waiting for the right moment to turn on the district heating to save some money.

It is getting expensive to live on a budget. This month has been long, suddenly switching weather conditions and sensitive with nostalgia and deep sorrow.

You should have seen the cloudburst that I and my neighbor went out in on Saturday September 28 2019. That date five years ago i lost my mother. It still hurts like hell, but yet I´m smiling, because she would have wanted me to do just that.

My physical ailments, osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disorder, are busy keeping me awake in the nights, because I seldom use artificial pain killers and only use the absolute most necessary prescription medicine.

But today I hurt too irritating, too long, too much.

There are also many thoughts racing through my mind, but it is okay, I´m in control of my bipolar disorder. I have learned the differences between the highs and the lows, and I have achieved a solid balance in the eye of the hurricane.

The roller coaster still runs like a flooded river, but at least there are a clutch and some brakes as well. So I´m convinced that everything will be okay at some point, and I know that I might as well get familiar with my mood swings, and, on top of that, the mundane pleasures of becoming a Crone, i.e. menopause.

I know that I´m now as good as it gets. The rest is up to me to handle, to learn to live with it speaking frankly. The hard part is, however, unfortunately also for my loved ones to follow up close.

I can see more clearly now what disabilities and ailments can do to a family and friends, and therefore it is so important to me to show them as much as possible, how much I love them and how grateful I am for their presence in my life.

Something much more pleasant is the sweet idea of writing my first novel. It is a work in progress, and my plan A is to write my novel during a year. Plan B etc. may become necessary, but let´s look back in a year to see, how far I´ll manage to stick to plan A.

A fresh look into my notes at this moment would not tell you much, neither would my characters have much to say just yet. But they are in the process of becoming strong and deeply troubled at the same time.

My choice of genre is the psychological thriller. So at the moment I´m researching and preparing my story board for months with intensive outlining and plotting. It is a funny creative process, where a single conversation around the coffee table suddenly appears to feel like a brainstorming session.

I also ask my family, friends and neighbors about their opinions of my writing, and I tell them to be rough and speak their truths. It is a privilege to be read and be constructively criticized.

And one day, dear reader, I´ll ask for your opinion too.

Tonight I´m somewhat tired physically due to my chronic pain from the toll of time on my body. My mental state, however, is in the perfect mode for writing.

Tonight, my music is fast, loud, with thundering drums and a high beat per minute.

Tonight I want to dance across the keyboard in tune with the music and just let my fingers do the talking.

And there has been so many other things to take care of during this day that has gone by extremely fast. Or is it because I´m getting older, and time only seems to gain momentum and speed for every day that passes ?

Right here and now, I finally sit comfortably behind the keys and am able to practice a few techniques behind the scenes.

I write with mixed tenses, i try some different point of views, and I have new notes for my novel to work with after this blog post.

I know I´m probably breaking some rules, but to be able to learn to write well, it to me is necessary to learn from mistakes even more than possible success.

Otherwise, I would never learn to be tough enough to kill my darlings, when it is time for editing that first draft that I´m preparing myself for.

It will be a gigantic journey, and it will demand time, discipline, hard work. But every inch of it is worth it, for I know I would regret it, didn´t I at least give it a solid try.

Today has been another wonderful day in the writing world. Besides writing this, I studied US grammar earlier this morning. It is tough to return to the basics, but I believe it to be necessary to refresh one´s memory from time to time with the tough stuff also. The more, the merrier.

Now it is time to know what to expect from me in October 2019.

What to expect in October 2019

What ? No Halloween ? A writing witch without Samhain ? Of course not, there will be November 1 2019 to tell and show all about that.

As we here in the Northern Hemisphere up North, where the Vikings once roamed, are turning with the Wheel of the Year, so are the seasons changing. We now only need to see the beautiful colors on the leaves on the trees, before it is full-blown fall season here in Denmark.

So I think it is relevant to write about the seasons and how I relate them to other life areas as a witch. And shadow work on the birthday of my late grandfather could not be more specific concerning timing. And that last Friday in October I´ll write about what comes to mind when speaking of witchcraft that day.

• Friday October 4 2019 : The changing seasons
• Monday October 7 2019 : A look into my writer´s notebook
• Friday October 11 2019 : How I relate the changing seasons to other areas of my life
• Monday October 14 2019 : A novel to write during a year
• Friday October 18 2019 : Shadow work
• Monday October 21 2019 : Journal prompts and to do´s for writer´s block
• Friday October 25 2019 : Last Friday in October
• Monday October 28 2019 : Writing like a movie camare and what to expect in November 2019

Regarding writing in October, some of my monthly challenges are to clear clutter in my writer´s notebook and to write a synopsis for my novel. Others are to write my own journal prompts and to do´s for writer´s block, and to try to write so it feels like looking through a movie camera.

My word count goals on this blog continue to be 2,000 words at a time. Preferably also between 1,000 and 2,000 words a day on my novel, when the time comes for the first draft.

I have some lines, a little bit of dialogue, and an idea that is getting more and more intense. It is as if this story wants to be told. But the next couple of months I´ll be spending doing research and outlining and plotting my novel, character development and point of view (or views).

About this blog my goals remain to build it up at my pace, making the best out of what I have, until I have saved enough money to do something more than the most necessary about the technical aspects. Hopefully, I´ll also save some energy to work with it, because it has never been the greatest concern to me.

It is work that needs to be done, that´s it. I care for the quality rather than the quantity of the content, and if my work is good enough, there will be readers. I always try to write with the reader in mind, as I read with the writer in mind.

I care for my audience as a whole, not just some selected few, and I write for the love of the writing process, not for the sake of someone except myself. I choose the road not taken, like Robert Frost.

I like the feeling of looking through a movie camera, when I read a book, and I would love to have it in my own novel. And there is as always with writing only one way forward, and that is hard work and rewrite again and again.

So I practice, I make mistakes, I learn. And I know I´ll be able to write a novel. In a way, writing on a blog is also writing on a kind of ongoing novel.

I look forward to writing you some journal prompts for writer´s block and to show you how I try to do different things when in the risk of getting too close to the point of no return for the block to start to snarl at me.

But most of all, I want to show you that a writer´s notebook needs not be expensive or difficult to build.

To clear away my clutter, I´ve dedicated this week to make my notes tidy and ease to use on a daily basis.

The rest of this blog post, I dedicate to a national poet of ours in Denmark, who passed away a year ago. Kim Larsen was his name. I remember his music, it has been in my life like always.

So to speak about sorrow can mean many different things. I miss my mother for her loving care. I miss Kim Larsen for his beautiful music and fantastic lyrics.

It has been a nostalgic week with many streams of consciousness going on in me.

And now my pain killers finally release me from tensions and muscle cramps. It is about time to call it a day and remain on the couch for the rest of the evening.

I allow myself to also skip the planned grammar for a night. I deserve it, because for the first time in my life I have gone public with my dream, which is about writing a novel in a language different from my own.

I believe I can write better in English than in my native Danish.

I believe I can write a novel worth reading.

And I believe in meeting people all over the world, where they are in the present moment.

With a past that is a constant, a future no one can promise you, there is only the present moment to live life to its fullest.

And please do that, dear reader, never back down on the quest for happiness, inner peace, a good health and kindness.

Time is too short to remain status quo. We are always told to change what we cannot accept, and that we need to accept what we cannot change.

So go out there and change this world. Accept that change is here to stay permanently whatever we want it to or not.

Do something.

It is a journey of a lifetime, it is a privilege, it is a way to express my love to witchcraft.

It is a lifelong journey, for my knowledge about witchcraft is enhanced by writing about it, and the learning process to me is something that we never grow too old to benefit from. It is a privilege to write about witchcraft, because history proves that that luxury was not for my predecessors to experience, and still yet there are many prejudices against free-thinkers like me.

It is a channel to express my love to witchcraft that has the ability to reach out and meet people all over the world.

And it is also another way of doing what I love as much as witchcraft, to write.

When I´m writing as a witch, I write about what I do, what I feel, and what I´m able to describe. Magick itself to me cannot fit in certain boxes, because either magick works, or it does not. It is not up to me as a human to decide that. That is for the Universe and the goddesses and the gods to deal with.

I can only try to pull and to push energies in a certain direction and try to have as positive an outlook as possible. My belief is that positiveness is the best way, not only to try to influence magickal energies, but also to life in general.

But, at times, yes, I´m a grey witch, so I can curse as well as bless. I see it as a reflection of life, we don´t live a life without touching the darker sides of existence. It is also necessary to be able to defend yourself and your loved ones, and for that reason only I name myself a gray witch.

Writing as a witch forces me to think trice about the choice of my words.

Words do change the world, and in a time with so many fake news and wannabee celebrities, it is good advice to carefully choose your words. To be specific, to be brutally honest, and to be authentic is extremely important to me, in witchcraft as well as in writing.

But the real reason that I´m careful with words in witchcraft is that intentions matter. I make a virtue out of only writing about witchcraft, when I´m in a good mood. There are so many other issues to write about, when you are having a really bad day.

To me, witchcraft is too sacred to be polluted by the stress and demands from the modern world. That does not mean, however, that I do not seek guidance about mundane matters. I do not plan my life from witchcraft, and I do not plan my life in general.

I prefer to live a simple life without making other plans than to live in the moment and make the best out of everything that this life throws at me. When I do make plans, it is almost always about my next ritual or my coming writing challenges for the next month.

I have the opportunity to do so. But the price for that is that I´m early retired, and that I for the rest of my life cannot contribute to society what work regards.

But what I can do is to write my heart out.

So to me writing and writing as a witch is my kind of work.

Today, I´m listening to music with awesome riffs and thundering drums. I´m watching The Walking Dead and Vikings, and I have light candles and created a cosy atmosphere. That Danish word “hygge”, you know, dear reader.

A comfortable and deeply relaxed atmosphere with the love of your life and a little wise old dog close around. A sandwich and a glass of cold milk. A view into our living room, where I sit behind the keyboard as a writing witch.

I´m thinking on my next Sabbat, Samhain, on October 31 2019, All Hallows Eve, Halloween. To me it is like New Year. Here I stop for a moment, prepare myself thorough, and work with the shadows in my life. Ancestor worship, inner shadow work and deep contemplation about the past year are the themes used.

The veil between the worlds is thinnest here, it is said.

Here I also intend to renew my pledge to witchcraft. It all began three years ago during a major bipolar turn after my beautiful classic car, an Opel Kadett E type, was stolen and burnt to ashes an early morning at October 17 2016.

My world was in ruins, because that old car was special and dear to me. It was 31 years old, had only run 24,000 miles.

It was on October 31 2016 that I declared myself a witch. From that on I have strived to live a simple, yet enriching life. No more negativity in my life, if I can do something about it.

It has made so many things so much easier. Even with my car. There is nothing more to do than to take a photo of it and put it on my ancestor altar on Samhain night. But I can look at it now, as I can look at my late mother and all those dear to me that have passed before me.

And I have just ended my time with psychiatric care. I´m free as the majestic eagle, I´m through a rough time, and I´m ready for new paths to follow.

I´m also thinking of my late mother. Tomorrow it will be five years since she passed. And still I can´t help but cry and laugh at the same time. Cry, because it still hurts like hell and I know I´ll never conquer that feeling of deep sorrow. Laugh, because she would have wished for me to live a life in which there is laughter.

Tomorrow, I´ll go to the local cemetery and bring a large bouquet of red roses. I´ll smell to her perfume, I´ll think of the best memories with her.

To get the chance she never had. That is writing, a special gift, inherited material. My grandfather on my mother´s side taught me to read and write before I ever went to school. So my love for writing lies deep in my heart.

As I´m writing, I´m also beginning to plan what to expect in October 2019 about witchcraft. I think it will be something about the changing seasons, how I relate it to other areas of my life, and shadow work. And then again, there is room for surprise, so I´ll not disclose anything yet about that last Friday in October.

Writing as a witch is a lonesome road at times. But I like to seek the solitude in whatever I do. As much as I love the company of my loved ones and other exceptional people, I also enjoy the feeling of being on my own.

I may sit in our living room with my husband, but I have earplugs in as I write. I like to write to the sound of music, because it makes me able to write more eloquently and from the bottom of my heart.

I like to try to write words with music and rhythm in them. When I´m able to write in a flow, it is like flying high above like an eagle. There is lots of drama too with the ups and downs of writing. The soaring ups when everything plays in tune, and the breakneck speed of the downs where nothing seems to fit together.

Then, all of a sudden and out of nowhere, inspiration strikes, and my muse is back on my shoulder to tell me to go to work and to show me to write better every time.

That is an unique kind of magick. There are certain guidelines, but the hardest part, the writing sessions, is for me to try to achieve. That magickal ability is my feeling of perfection. Trying to reach the impossible perfection and always do it better than the last time.

The hardest part is also the most beloved part. When it comes down to daily practice as a writing witch, there is writing everywhere as there is witchcraft. Here lies my true creativity.

I´m always writing on something new. I´m too curious to keep silent about it. The connection between the mundane world and witchcraft is the ritual approach to it. When I write as a witch it is necessary for me to have a somewhat clean and clear work space around my keyboard. But often I move around in my home and set up work spaces different places.

I always carry notebooks and pen and paper. I never know what I would miss, if I someday wasn´t able to write down sentences, quotes, people´s way of behaving, and ideas.

And I never back down on the supply of pens worth writing with. I can´t afford the expensive ones, but there is still a lot to choose from in a dollar store or a a discount supermarket.

There is magick in writing, and there is writing in magick. My toolbox is broad and fat, loaded with life experience and the Crone outlook on life. Yes, still take many things seriously, but never forget to laugh as much as possible.

Today is a beautiful day in the fall season. It is chilly, but tolerable. I sit in our living room and try to catwalk my way through my life as a writing witch, a witchy writer.

The three philosophical cats are outside in their den, and the little old wise dog is sound asleep next to me. My husband sleeps too, so now I work in solitude surrounded by my loved ones. There is a magickal atmosphere, and in parallel to the writing here I work with my Tarot journal.

Those feelings, that is what I love about writing as a witch. It calms, soothes, it enlightens.

And I need that to thrive in a modern world, where the only magick apparently is about not being caught in something deceitful or stupid.

Because courtesy and decency are rare phenomena these years where the world has gone more crazy than ever. To guard me against that I use witchcraft on a daily basis. To overcome the downsides of disorders and a hectic life I write about witchcraft and writing.

And I have begun my novel at last. I´m in the process of outlining and creating characters. It may take me a while, but I would rather spend the time necessary than would I come up with shitty material.

So there is writing in almost everything I do, like witchcraft.

It is a journey of a lifetime, it is a privilege, it is a way to express my love to witchcraft.

It is a wonderful privilege to be read. May this little insight in my daily life as a writing witch serve as inspiration for others to write, whatever the subject may be.

The art of writing and the art of the Craft are my core places of work. Here I regain strength and energy, here I feel as reborn whenever I have written something worth reading, and here I spend a big part of my life.

I write between four to six hours a day. I write an average of approximately 1,500 words per day. It is getting more and more, both because I love to do it, and because it feels like the most natural thing in the world to do.

I try to read as much as possible every day about witchcraft and writing. But my favorite way of reading is reading those unattainable writers that you would wish you could write like them.

So this is it for today. Now, I´ll continue working with my Tarot journal and take the remains of the day out of the calendar. May your weekend be merry and beautiful, dear reader.

A long, flowing stream of inner monologue in a character in a book, a play or a movie is difficult to write. There are certain rules, and I´ll respect them when I get to work with this in my novel to be.

But today on this blog the stream of consciousness will be my writing voice.

Today has been beautiful with breathtaking Fall sunshine and a comfortable ritual around noon. There is inner peace and calm, and my three philosophical cats and my little old wise dog are playing and sleeping all over the house.

It was a healing and thanksgiving ritual. I feel in balance with nature and know that I have said my thanks to the Universe and Mother Earth for the abundance in my life.

Yes, abundance on a budget is possible. If you only dare to be creative with what you already have, and if you work hard to get the best out of everything, it is possible.

My abundance may not be in money terms. But money can´t buy you love, friendship and family. For my family and my friends I´m grateful. They are the reason for me being able to live a happy and content life.

I owe them everything. for they are exceptional people. The kind that are always there whatever happens. It is so rare in our modern world, where almost everything seems to be about making enough money to buy the latest unnecessary gadget.

Living with bipolar disorder and social anxiety would not be so easy-going were they not in my life, so I´m grateful indeed.

For the love of my life I´m grateful too. I have a husband who is as tough a buddy as me. He has – like I- been dragged through hell on quite a few occasions. But we are still here together, so I believe in love at first sight.

I count my blessings, and I´m content with life.

There are enough of mundane sorrows and challenges to overcome, so a positive outlook on things in an absolute necessity here. I also know positiveness works a great deal better than negativity and disbelief.

Life experience is worth gold no matter the age at the time, when an issue arises that demands a larger degree of human skills than else. It makes the whole difference, and the outcome often depends on it.

So is trial by error, in time I call it lessons to learn throughout life.

Have I learned all my lessons then ? No, not yet, I say learning is a lifelong must.

But I have learned some and then some. Some would say more than enough, did they know the span of my story to tell. I will say I have learned most of my part.

Well, shit happens from time to time. And I just know than when the shit hits the fan, then it´s time to step into character and to show what stuff you are made of. I´m born of the stars, so I kick ass when I have to.

And have to, that I have to do every day for the rest of my life. I have to have something to believe in, I have to feel inner peace and freedom from restraints, and I have to write about it.

So, I sit here, ready to step into character, every single moment of the day ? Oh yes, and believe me, I´m as ready as can be.

I want the best out of everything every day of my life. I need happiness, inner peace, a good health and a kind attitude.

All that has been given me by the Universe. Others might call it chance, but I don´t believe in coincidences of any kind.

Thanksgiving and healing were the core elements in my Mabon Sabbat/Fall Equinox today. Healing is always a fine goal to try to achieve, and I often work with healing both in witchcraft and in writing.

Where is the healing part of writing ? To me, the healing moment arise during the writing process with a feeling of being content and happy about being brutally honest when writing.

There is something elusive about sitting there behind the keyboard, making written words out of thoughts in the moment. There are long hauls of hard work, and then there is this sudden feeling of knowing that you are on to something right.

If the feeling lasts long enough, I might be lucky that day and be able to write for a couple of hours with breaks whenever necessary. That is when the downside of e.g. osteoarthritis takes its toll on my physical strength.

Or when I need to rethink a sentence or a paragraph a break is also a good choice.

Today I´m not going to be less than honest and say that I only write about what I know something about. I write with my life experience, not about it. My personal story is not involved in my novel to be. It is involved here, but that is rather by choice than need.

I like to write in different worlds, and I like to learn about the behavior of human beings to be able to know myself better. My aim with writing is to write something worth reading.

The remains of the day have been calming and ensuring. We made a bonfire in the garden and sat for about an hour and enjoyed the dance of the flames with zero wind.

As I´m writing, I´m thinking about the ups and downs of being a writer. The ups are the easy ones to describe, it is whenever the editing part is done. The downs are difficult not to build up inside as excuses for not doing the long hours of practice that is necessary.

If you want lo learn and grow as a writer, I believe that as with other life areas, writing is a skill, an art, a craft where learning also takes a lifetime. It needs to be cared for and practiced in as many sessions as possible.

Learning by doing, so to speak.

I know that there will be mistakes along the way, but I learn so much from reading other authors, both famous and known by few, so I believe it is healthy for your writing voice to be read against other voices.

Only that way is it possible to evolve and learn to dare to follow whatever rules that fit the writing project and to break the rules whenever appropriate to the inner voice that guides your writing.

Another challenging trial-by-error experience is to be read. It is a wonderful privilege that I take seriously and try to care as much as possible for.

Today my thoughts goes out to all those wonderful, free writers all over the world that choose to follow their hearts and write close up to life in everyday reality.

Keep on writing and inspiring. And Blessed Be.

Today´s pictures are of my daily ritual altar set up for the celebration of Fall Equinox, where day and night are of equal lenght, and my husband´s beautiful bouquet and mini pumpkins. A time for balance work, divination and preparations for winter.

It was my first ritual this month, and it was followed up by a sandwich and a glass of cold milk. Coming up for 2020 I´ll try to prepare my own recipes for another twist of the senses, so there after a ritual will be something delicious to eat and drink.

After all, a lot of the merry meet traditions are about feasting together.

As always I feel cleansed and as reborn after a ritual. Now, I sit with lit candles, a cup of warm chai tea and comfortable clothing.

We have done our part of balance work today, with thanksgiving at the ritual and releasing of what no longer serves us over the bonfire in the garden.

Concerning divination the Tarot cards were fair and just, but I´ll need a longer interpretation of my nine card spread, which I usually do the day after a ritual, because I like to combine my inner gut feeling with a good night´s sleep before interpreting any kind of divinatory method.

Preparations for winter are beginning little by little here. The garden needs to be tended to, and our house needs some fall cleaning, as we typically also do at the Spring Equinox. And we need to buy groceries whenever the price is right.

Before everybody goes bananas over Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Do a witch like me celebrate that ? Yes. Of course, I do, there are children in my family and my 81-year-old father. But I celebrate it downplayed with less focus on material things and most focus on the family aspect of it.

To write in a stream of consciousness is difficult, but I still keep trying, because I´m writing my thoughts as they arrive without editing the first draft.

The difficult part shows up when it is time to begin editing and prepare for publishing. And when I then don´t see the resemblance when comparing to other works… Then it is necessary to keep the faith and keep on writing, until the time comes to write the conclusion.

A long, flowing stream of inner monologue shown by my writing voice rather than a character in a novel. No, not yet, I need to write it first, and it will take me quite some time. I´ve only begun at the work of creating strong characters and a solid backstory without too many details and descriptive stuffing.

But I´m getting closer to it every day, and I just know that it won´t be long, before I sit and write my first novel. I have half a page written and a lot of notes to keep tack of on a storyboard, which will be my priority for a couple of weeks.

Word counting has helped me write better and write more. It gives me a goal to work with, and it is a great feeling when such a goal as 2,000 words at a time is reached. It now only takes me a couple of hours to write and rewrite, where it not so long ago could last days.

Now it is time for the conclusion and for today that´ll be that the ritual went as planned and that I´ve only begun practicing the art of writing in a stream of consciousness.

There is probably plenty of room for improvement, but you got to begin somewhere, and I can only use myself and my knowledge and life experience to try and play with them mesmerizing words.

I have felt an inner monologue as I`ve been writing this blog post. But to actually feel what it is, that is the tricky part to both tell and show.

But what I´ve learned from today is that it is never a shame to at least give it a try. And the Sun is always above the black skies. That is worth noticing, as the dark half of the year now rules the world here in the Northern Hemisphere.

There is also beauty in darkness, and without it, how would we know light ? In the dark season there is room and time for creative projects and shadow work. That will be the theme in my next big Sabbat, Samhain on October 31 2019.

No, dot not run from darkness. The dark season is about looking inwards and review what the light half of the year has brought forth. And to plan for the coming year as well.

On Monday September 30 2019 I´ll try to write a session about 1st person point of view and what to expect in October 2019. I will keep on writing every Monday and Friday the year out, but now I need to go plan what to write about next month.

Once again, thank you for your time, dear reader.

I like to follow the changing seasons by celebrating the phases of the Moon and the Sabbats. I usually follow the New Moon, the Waxing Quarter Moon, the Full Moon and the Waning Quarter Moon, because it would be too much for me to celebrate all the phases, and these four phases appeal to me most.

However, I celebrate all of the Sabbats (Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, Mabon and Samhain), since I believe in the Wheel of the Year concept with birth, death and rebirth of the Sun during the year and the seasons.

For this season I´m preparing Mabon (Autumn/Fall Equinox, harvest festival, equal day and night, balance workings, to give thanks and to let go, celebration of the beauty of Fall) and Samhain (All Hollows Eve, initiation and self-dedication, the veil between the worlds is thinnest, shadow work, divination, celebration of the Ancestors, the Crone and the witches.

I feel I live in much better balance with the seasons, since I began practicing as a witch almost three years ago. And it reflects on my personal life areas, which means that I´m a much happier person today than I was three years ago.

Not that I was not able to be happy before I left the witch´s closet, but by naturally following the phases of the Moon and the seasons of the year many things have become way easier to handle. It is as if witchcraft and the celebrations of nature´s cycles has a healing and calming effect on me that makes me think with a more positive outlook.

But I still have my bipolar disorder, and it was like riding a roller coaster without brakes and clutch. Until my helpful crew at the psychiatric day clinic hit the combination of the right prescription medicine and the right mindful therapy. It has been a long ride since then, many months struggling to get back in the saddle.

With the natural influence from the seasons I now live a much better life, and I ascribe a lot of it to my work with witchcraft. It is something I love, it is natural medicine to me, and it is the natural flow of ups and downs in life.

Being aware of the phases of the Moon gives me a deeper understanding of change as the only constant to acknowledge in life. The past is gone. There is no promise of a new tomorrow. So today is a present and the only place to live your life.

And with celebration around the Wheel of the Year I learn on a daily basis that time is short, and therefore we need to seize the day much more than we do today. In a modern world of stress, hate and bigotry, it is essential to me to celebrate each Sabbat with great care.

I might as well do my best in everything I do, because I live by the Sun and love by the Moon. I´m recovering from a tough life and I don´t need more conflict for a life time.

There is beauty, calmness and zero anxiety when performing celebrations of the Moon and the Wheel of the Year.

Coming up on Monday 23 2019 is the Mabon Sabbat. It is also called Autumn/Fall Equinox and is about thanksgiving, letting go and getting in balance. Day and night are equal, from now on the dark half of the year rules. But it is also a time to review intentions from this Moon cycle.

My New Moon intentions from August 30 2019 :

• To develop my blog with care and to show my readers what I want and need to do with it.
• To develop my writing by learning from other writers and to write from the bottom of my heart and soul.
• To develop my passion for witchcraft into a daily way of life that makes room for diversity and everyday mundane life which is the absolute basis for anything I do.
• To work less with the big rituals and concentrate on establishing a reasonable daily practice.
• To keep up the learning process preparing for my fourth year as a witch.

My Full Moon intentions from September 13 2019 :

1. Keep on writing, whatever situation I´m in.
2. Be ready to face a quick decision and do less if necessary, but still do it right.
3. It´s alright to have a bad day. It won´t last, as won´t a happy one, is my new mantra.

My goals need more time, I need more time, to evolve. So these intentions will carry on for another Moon cycle and as many as needed. But i´m getting closer every day. I keep on writing whatever happens, I´m trying to establish a reasonable daily practice of witchcraft, and my new mantra is effective.

I live one day at at time and do my best every time.

So my intentions with the Mabon Sabbat are to let go of what no longer serves me. That can be many different things, but I choose to make a ritual with the intention of letting go of unnecessary writing doubts, bad excuses for procrastinating mundane issues, and self-pity on a bad day.

It is the Waning Quarter Moon on Sunday before the ritual, so the timing is perfect for this.

But there will also be a ritual of thanksgiving, I have a lot to show gratitude for. I´m almost through with my psychiatric treatment, which is planned to stop on Wednesday September 25 2019. It is a great privilege to have gone though a couple of years with bipolar disorder and anxiety and come out cured as much as possible.

There is a limit, however. Cured as much as possible means that there always will be a certain degree of disorder that I´ll have to handle myself. My scars of life are deep and they will always hurt at certain times of the year.

And one of my ways to try to control that part of myself is working with the phases of the Moon and the Wheel of the Year. Another one is writing and being creative in as many ways as possible. When I do that, there is peace, there is a feeling of wholeness, and there is space to be the me that I am.

I have always searched for an alternative way of living that could contain my broad views of life. I have never fitted in in any kind of conventional social group. I take up a lot of space as a person, because I have to feel freedom from constraints to function as a human being.

This I have found in witchcraft and in following the phases of the Moon and the Sabbats during the year.

From time to time I practice less the big rituals and concentrate on the daily little things as e.g. lighting candles whenever I´m writing or doing everyday chores. I listen to many different kinds of music depending on my mood in the moment. I read myself a prayer before doing any writing to keep my thoughts focused on the process rather than the quantity.

So even though I at the moment don´t practice so much as in July and August, there is daily witchcraft around me. I may not perform a ritual at a certain Moon phase, but I always contemplate what the phase is about and try to actually look at the Moon when it is not cloudy outside.

I like this fall season. It is so full of changes to remind us to live in accordance with the rhythm of nature rather than the shrill and hectic chaos of a so called modern world. Where is the modern in stress and disorders being more the rule than the exception ?

To me it is a step backward to live a life filled with stress and all kinds of shifting activities all the time. What happened to politeness, to mindfulness and to being happy with what you already have ?

I like to go offline once in a while. I like the silence and the peace from not being disturbed by noisy devices and needless gadgets. Then I find my inner calm and am able to regain my strength. Then I turn to witchcraft and nature´s ancient rhythm. Then I´m more in tune with life and its many challenges.

This season is also one of deep contemplation to me. On September 28 2019 it is five years since my mother died. It is something that I´ll never forget. It hit me hard. But I´ll go to the cemetery with pink roses, which she loved, weep my tears and go on with this life of mine.

I have to. And she would wish for me that I move forward. Death is a natural part of life, but we are not good as humans to handle it. I still mourn my late mother, and I take the time necessary, whatever people might say or not. I miss those gone before me, but I believe that we´ll merry meet again someday.

Living after the phases of the Moon and the Sabbats is of great importance to me, for it is my way of trying to live a life with as little stress and anxiety as possible.

So this weekend is going to be about planning a beautiful Mabon ritual for Monday afternoon and about writing in the stream of consciousness style. But it is also about taking good care of my wonderful husband, without whom I would feel so lost.

Yes, life is a rough and tough bully at times. We are growing older and there is always a price to pay for life experiences. So also with health, and dear Universe, please hear my prayer for my husband´s health. Let him be alright, let him be free from sickness and pain, let him be well.

Next Friday I´ll try to show what it is like to be writing as a witch. It is not two different worlds to fit together, it is my kind of style to mix between genres, styles and possibilities. I´m always on the lookout for new inspiration, so why not mix writing with witchcraft and thus put the magick into words that make a difference.

Today I think a lot about my family and friends worldwide, each of us fighting for our lives in our different ways. It is all about keeping on with what you are doing, to go on even though the road is filled with obstacles and setbacks.

It will all pass someday, and beyond the grey skies, there is always the Sun and the Moon.

I therefore send all the positive karma and good energy I have to give. May your lives be blessed with positive experiences and life enriching meetings with like-minded good people. So Mote It Be.

To sum up, living after the phases of the Moon and the Wheel of the Year has been a life-changing experience to me. And I can only recommend others to try to find their distinctive path, something happens inside, life becomes a little easier to handle. And it is in the little things that we often find the most.

I look forward to repeating my dedication as a witch on Samhain October 31 2019. It has become a tradition that I´ll follow as long as I live. It is beautiful and awe-inspiring to remind yourself about the choice of life style that becoming a witch implies.

It is also a milestone to me to celebrate yet another year. Already close to October, a year has gone so quickly that it is barely a breath in the wind. Yes, time is short, make the best of it every moment. A milestone because it is now up to me to handle my disorders on a daily basis. And I know that this time it´s okay.

See you again Monday evening, dear reader.

To me, running a blog in 2019 is a great adventure. There are many new things to learn, and they are, frankly spoken, on hold at present moment. Right now, I´m learning from direct experience and prefer not to spend any kind of money just yet.

It will probably make a lot of things easier to do, but that is not my aim before next year. Some may be able to build up a blog with a vast audience in a few months, but firstly, I don´t have the money to do it. Secondly, I believe that it must be the content that matters most. And thirdly, I´m not so up to date on the more technical elements of it.

I know I will have to do something about it at some time, but it can wait for now.

Instead, I try to describe what it feels like to blog to a little audience. It is a privilege. And to be read is fulfilling. It gives me so much joy and relaxation to write on this blog. It inspires me to keep writing on my novel to be.

It is also inspiring to read blogs from other people. In like to find like-minded people all over the world and share my knowledge and experience.

Running a blog in 2019 is hard work, dedication and discipline. It helps me write better, and it strengthens my vocabulary and grammar. Now it feels only natural to write in another language than my native Danish.

My language is beautiful and difficult as hell. I fully understand that people coming to my country have their problems learning it. It is said to be almost as difficult as Mandarin. I prefer, however, to write in English, because I feel there are more opportunities to choose from and it fits my writing style.

My style is direct, simple and easy to recognize. If there´s not a me in it, it is not mine. Writing in first person POV with an omniscient view is my voice. Yes, I like to mix and twist between and across genres, styles and rules.

Some rules are meant to be broken, in case they don´t apply to what you are writing. And if nobody dares to do it, then a lot of reading will only be predictable and boring.

There are enough boring things that only hinder people from just living their lives. Why is it so important to want to know everything about everybody all the time, I simply don´t understand. We only have one chance to live this life.

Why on Earth would one then choose gossip and hatred from fake news ?

Well, people may choose whatever they want, but don´t try to make me understand the reasons behind endless talk shows, reality series and talent competitions.

It´s all about them money.

The worst part of it is that is so dull to watch. The same concept all over the world and then here in Denmark it shows up too. Boring, uninspiring and loud. Why it is so interesting ? What is it about sudden fame that makes people go star crazy over nothing in reality ? How is the real reality when all the cameras are off, and the next number in the endless crowds is called to the stage ?

As if the world had not enough challenges to overcome on a daily basis, we are stuffed with the same shows throughout the week. Luckily, there is an off button to most screens. I use it often, especially when these shows turn up.

I may be 50 years old, but I´ve disliked such materialistic bullshit as long as I can remember. It´s not getting any better, however, so I admit, it is not that often that I sit a whole evening and watch TV.

I´m equally critical, when it comes to social media. I dare to unfollow people who share gossip and celebrity news, because it is of not interest to me whatsoever.

I would rather meet people with real opinions, real lives and real ways of being human. I don´t run a blog about writing, blogging and witchcraft for the sake of getting as many followers as possible in order to make money online.

Of course I would like to earn some extra money, but not in the way so many lately have begun doing. I will never refer to a product that I not myself have tested or at least put on my own wishing list.

It is a major challenge to run a blog in 2019. There seem to be quite a few more or less rules of engagement, if you want to get close to what is referred to as success. It all sounds mesmerizing, but I´m not so easy to convince. It also happens to end up in serious money on a budget, and this is an area with many insecurities.

But maybe it is easier to say so, when I don´t have to make a living on blogging and writing.

Despite the many pitfalls I´m not scared to break and bend the rules, however. When I choose to follow someone it´s because they have something mindful to share. Something that I often return to and read again. For the inspiration it gives is worth gold.

Personally, to be the writer behind this blog is a wonderful chance to be read, and I therefore would like to thank each of my followers for that. Please feel free to comment any time and also to suggest ideas to write about.

Not that I don´t have my own, but it is always inspiring to hear the opinions of others.

Since I´ve begun writing on this blog, I´ve been much more concerned about writing good rather than being afraid of not not being good enough to write. It has helped me concentrate long enough to actually be able to produce something good, something inspiring and something direct.

These are my goals when writing. Right now, as I´m writing this post, I´m listening to good old fashioned blues, it is smooth in my ears, it is making me play music on the keyboard, it is relaxing. That is my best mood today.

Today my anxiety was there, oh yes, it showed its ugly teeth, it snarled at me, it stared me straight in the eyes. My breath was intense for an hour, then I was able to shut the damn thing off for once. I remembered that I had planned to write after dinner.

And now it is there still, it is in the corner of my eyes, it won´t look me in the eyes. But today I´m strong enough to keep myself occupied with something I love. Other days the anxiety has me boxed in the corner. Then medication and meditation are the only way back to control.

My other ailments are also pretty present today. I hurt like hell all over my body, I have restless legs, and I´m moody due to the ever changing weather this fall.

But I don´t care. It can hurt, it can try to scare me, it can try to make my day. I´m ready for that today. And I keep on writing, no matter how bad a day may seem from the outside. This way running a blog has affected my overall mood to the better.

So it is enriching to work with.

I dare to write about deep personal matters in a direct language, for I believe that honesty is the only way I can define myself as a writer. I write about real life things, not fictional worlds. That is reserved for my novel to be.

Oh yes, there is a novel somewhere. I´ve begun it, so much can I tell you. Showing will take some time, but I just know that I will get there someday. It is alright to believe, to dream and try to do my best with it.

However, I don´t dream about fast fame, fast money or fast cars. What comes fast often also goes fast. I would rather wait and let this blog project evolve around itself and the many impressions I get from people all over the world.

Sometimes, I like to write a letter to someone online. Where there is contact and where there is chemistry, I´ll stay and return from time to time. I think it is of great importance to reach out for like-minded people whenever possible.

Because there are so very few good people left these days. It is as if the world has gone even more insane than ever before. Crossing borders is okay, as long as we can agree upon one little thing as privacy.

It is for all to experience, not only the vast silent majority.

And the lack of privacy is a big issue in this modern world, I believe. In Denmark everything is known about you from birth to death. We are so thorough registered everywhere that privacy is a quiet evening behind closed doors.

We are also not polite anymore. I think it is unhealthy for a society that there is so much gossip and bullshit around. It divides people more than it connects. And it is, worst of all, so unbelievably boring.

Why do people not concentrate on living their own life ? We get this one shot only.

However fascinating the modern world can be, it can also be a tough road to take. I prefer the road not taken, as Robert Frost did. My path differs a lot from many ordinary lives in my country. I respect the ways of life of others, but I can no longer live my own life on a big lie.

I have lost some illusions during my life time already. And they are not coming back, so my husband and I took the consequence and changed our life style for the better without even looking back over our shoulders.

We have lived a different life for almost 4 years. And we don´t regret it. Today, there are only few people close to use, but there is a growing number of like-minded people in my mail box every day. So there is room for hopes and dreams, yes there is.

This is what ii is to run a blog in 2019. It is a personal journey, it is a way of life, and it is inspiring.

Thanks to my family for enduring my long hours behind the keyboard with earplugs and loud music going on. Thank you for being the reason for me having the time of my life. Thank you for being present in my life.

My family consist of my husband, my father, our neighbors whose youngest child we are good parents for and a handful of friends in the category good people. And I allow myself to add the good people I´ve met all over the world.

What happened to the rest, they left us behind, and then we left them. Without looking back. That has been our biggest lesson in life. But at the same time it is liberating when you are through it for good.

It hurt like hell when we went through it. But we overcame it by steadily saying to ourselves that we deserve better than this. And with hard work. determination and confidence, it is possible to survive a biological family where the ties were too strict, to unattainable, too one-dimensional. When enough is enough, then it´s final.

Next Monday I´ll try to present you for my kind of stream of consciousness on a blogging day. I used to hate Mondays, now I look forward to writing my next post about writing and blogging.

And remember, dear reader, I´ll post on Friday how I´m living after the phases of the Moon and the Sabbats on a daily basis.

“I´ll try to explain and show how to create magickal intentions from idea to written material.

An example : I need some positive energy to regain my strength from practicing many rituals last month. So I will write something like :

-“Dear Universe and Goddess of the Crones, Hecate, please aid me in regaining strength. By hard work and meditation I´ll build up my strength. By the Air that I breathe, The Fire that burns in my heart, the Water that runs in my blood, and the Earth that I walk upon, as I will it, So Mote It Be.”-

First I´ll light a candle in my sacred space. Then I´ll burn my note and light incense/use aromatherapy to clear the space for new workings. The whole process took less than 15 minutes to plan, arrange and simply enjoy.”

Yes, and it was my last words in my post What I love about witchcraft a week ago.

To me magickal intentions are both specific wishes/questions asked to the Universe. I cannot myself create everything I want and need, not even as a witch. But what I can is this, I can try to pull in some positive energy by asking politely for help to do something. The help consists of my confidence from having grounded my wish by writing exactly what I felt in the moment.

I work hard to write, to keep this blog running and to live a meaningful life with witchcraft on a daily basis. And I meditate by reading during a daily tea ritual and by always having a book nearby. There I manifested my wish.

Has it been better since ? Yes and no. Yes, meaning that I love to sit and write about something I love. witchcraft. No, meaning I´ve been somewhat touchy this week. Autumn is here now. I can feel it all over my body, but especially in my shoulders and my hands.

It annoys me, not the pain itself, but the reaction from my body. Achy, shaky, a few pain killers of the kind that leaves you happy without the brain fog. And a natural cream for my sore shoulders. The shifts between all day rain and sunny afternoons, with the cold lurking before the idea of lighting a bonfire, are tough for the body to conquer.

Mentally, I´m quite fine, thank you, but nevertheless I´m careful not to overspend my energy. In a few weeks I will have terminated my weekly schedule with psychiatric care for this time in my life. It has been a little more than two years now, and it is time to move on.

When I write an intention to a spell/ritual, or when I make one in my mind in my daily practice, I almost always ask for guidance, for mental aid so to speak, to something I´m prepared to actually work with. If you don´t want to do the job, don´t make the intention at all.

I keep it simple and direct, and then I add something polite and beautiful to me. In rituals it always results in a feeling of affirmation, because I will know that I´m already working with the intention.

That has a self-reinforcing effect on me.

There are as many ways of making intentions as there are people in this world. Therefore there are no strict guidelines whatsoever. This is my way of showing you one way of doing it.

What about questions ? How to ask and how to write ? As simple as possible. As specific as possible. As good as it gets. It´s all up to you, dear reader.

It all depends on what you want vs. what you need. Ask for help with needs, not wants. Wants are selfish, one-dimensional desire. Needs are necessary to exist.

I ask for the little extras that are the reasons for us being able to thrive as a family. The little extras are not necessarily money, but can as well be a little more peace in the daily life, a little less anxiety on a day with that on the agenda, and a little less stress when the everyday is too much.

In reality, I ask for simple things that can easily be accomplished even on a budget. But I like to do it a little witchy, and I write intentions for many purposes, when I work with magickal intentions. The magick about it is simple, a lit candle and some incense/aromatherapy.

This way of working has helped me face many of my inner fears and I´ve learned to handle everyday matters with enough seriousness and at the same time humor.

Today´s post is one of the shorter ones, only 1,001 words. It´s not a good writing day because of my hands, which are my essential tools when writing. But it hurts too much to keep on without medication, so I decided to write a minimum of 1,001 words.

If I can manage that, then the pain has not yet conquered me. It always makes me think when I´m in pain. Today I think about intentions for the Full Moon tomorrow morning. I´m not able to celebrate it this time, but I can still make intentions for the Full Moon.

And here they are :

1. Keep on writing, whatever situation I´m in.
2. Be ready to face a quick decision and do less if necessary, but still do it right.
3. It´s alright to have a bad day. It won´t last, as won´t a happy one, is my new mantra.

I don´t burn the note, since it is online. But I send them out in the Universe with the wish to quickly regain strength and to write once again.

I didn´t ask for any guidance/aid this times, because I felt I was strong enough as will power behind intentions, and my dominant hand will always be the most powerful athame, I´ll ever own.

Have a great weekend, see you on Monday about blog writing.

To me writing advice is a whole world of possibilities. Either it works or it does not. I read a lot and I write a lot. That way I learn to write better. But the best advice, which I prefer, is for the reader to decide.

Vocabulary and grammar should be tools to sharpen and enhance whenever possible. And the most important part of it, to actually sit down and do the writing, in an absolute necessity. I know I need to be extra careful, since I´m writing in a language different from my native language.

So I try to sit between four and six hours a day to write, rewrite and make notes. I´m now able to write between 1,000 and 2.500 words a day. On top of that, I also study the art of writing and witchcraft, and I have therefore a somewhat busy schedule, but I believe it is healthy to have something to do, when you are early retired.

At the moment, I´m trying to establish a more disciplined way of writing with more structure and writing exercises to try out some of the advice that I find useful.

Useful advice to me is clearly stated sentences about certain techniques like dialogue in a novel, the concept of stream of consciousness and how to outline your work, whether that would be the dream novel or a blog post like this.

Recently I bought Stephen King´s On Writing, and I will definitely recommend it to others. It is an interesting view into a writer´s mind, and it is filled with good advice and creative methods to enhance your writing skills.

This month I´m reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee and “A Farewell to Arms” by Ernest Hemingway. They were two very different writers, but it is also two books impossible to put away. I have inherited some of the big library from my parents´ home. I love to read as often as possible, and I also use our local public library.

I have a never ending hunger for knowing things. I like to learn new tricks and skills, and I simply enjoy to read and to get inspired to write myself. I write for the love of writing. This warm, calming and reassuring feeling that you know that you are on to something. That feeling that feels good in the mind, the body and the soul.

Character development is a new field for me to research. It is the ability to watch, to note down and to rewrite. What you see with me is what you get. Without raw honesty, this blog would not be me. And this ability to write of mine would not be shown.

It is easy to tell a story when writing.

No, it is not. It is difficult, there needs to be an idea that is too intriguing to let go. Something that keeps showing up when inspiration has kicked in. And then there needs to be a writer with skills to write and with the core of writing in mind : What do you want to write about and why.

I have written four lines today about a day in a forest. Maybe inspiration came when we were walking the little wise old dog in a nearby forest. Nevertheless, I wrote them and let them be. For now, I´m feeling okay with them being on hold. Next time I look on them, maybe there will be some description, some character traits and some backstory.

It is easier to tell than show a story. Yes, and that´s because we have different expectations to different matters in life. It all depends on who´s reading. I try to write with a reader´s view, my own, I do not, however, write for anybody else´s point of view.

I can only use myself and my two hands. Sorry, dear reader, but with osteoarthritis you learn to use that keyboard. I would love to write in hand, but that is only possible with notes and occasionally ritual work sheets.

But with age I´m getting better to watch and to write what I see, what I hear, what I smell, what I taste, what I touch. And of course to try to both tell and show you that the sixth sense may be something that once evoked soon becomes invoked as well in your daily life, both in writing and in witchcraft.

I hope that I today will succeed in showing you how I use what I call good writing advice. I´m trying my best to write with atmosphere, and therefore tend to do other things than writing during a writing session. Right now, I need a cup of chai tea and to read a chapter in one of my books, so I sit and balance with the book in one hand and the other hand writing, until the book rests peacefully next to me.

To read while you write is another possibility to try out. It demands concentration, a good playlist of music suitable for both your reading and your writing, and the ability to pick up where you left. There are multiple ways of writing, but I always need to be comfortable when writing in sessions.

I have my late mother´s desk and space enough to walk around between writing and reading. I have my charm bag for this blog and a lit candle. There is a growing playlist in my ears, and there is a feeling of adventure. Life is an adventure, and with writing and witchcraft it is a never ending story of life lived to its fullest.

When I listen to writing advice, I listen to those who themselves have tried this and that in life. I can only grow experience by keeping on writing and trying to learn from my mistakes. But I like to learn both from people of my own age, the older and the younger. To me age is irrelevant. Experience is what matters.

Most of my life I have experienced life in the corner, but my writing desk stands in the middle of the room. To me it matters to have space around me, to be able to get up now and then to stay in touch with the rest of the world.

When I write, I´m in a world apart. I close an invisible door to the outside world and concentrate on doing my best and at the same time enjoy the process of writing. I write to loud music and like to incorporate a sense of rhythm and deep point of view in what I write.

I have a red chair next to my desk. I like to sit and read here as well as in my witch´s den. The little old wise dog often lies here and wags his tail whenever our eyes meet. Or he sleeps on the couch during the afternoon hours that have become my best writing time ever.

I would like my husband to sit down there too and listen to me reading my next adventure for him. When I´m ready for that, I will have rewritten my first draft. I got an idea today, now I´ll let it evolve by itself and leave it for tomorrow to decide if there is more to it than what I first thought.

When I´m looking for writing advice, I look for good expressions and the twists and turns you can do with language. I´m not so much into writing theory, but occasionally I read something about it. It can´t harm to know a few basics and to learn from the best of writers, is my thought.

Other than that, I use my intuition and the critique I get to keep writing and try to do it better every time. It is also an endless search for something impossible. The perfect work, what is it, and when do you know it is so perfect ? When you can´t help but push the publish button.

I do not consciously try to attain perfection, but I look for a certain rhythm and music in my writing. It has to mean something to me. Otherwise I will only waste everybody´s time. And there is only one way to really get to know what readers want, to try and write something they´ll like as much as I do.

But I will not change my voice, only evolve it. So I do not write for anybody particular ? No, I have yet to find out where my writing is to take me. As it is right now I focus on building this blog and on getting some direction in my writing.

I also have several ideas in the drawer that need to be adjusted and rewritten. I have to carefully plan my days depending on how my level of chronic pain is responding to the present moment. And there are only twenty-four hours a day, so sometimes it is easier to write about doing things than actually doing them. Then procrastination can be exciting to try to avoid.

An example of that is my promise of making new pages for the blog last week. Well, it didn´t happen, simply because the weather has been taking a hard toll on my behalf with several pain days indeed. But it will happen, when I get to it on a good day sometime soon.

If only the day had more hours, then I would have the time to write what I need to tell and show. No, good ideas take time to evolve and resolve into writing worth reading. To walk with the little wise old dog is a big inspiration on a daily basis as are the commentaries of my husband. He is my toughest critic, and usually he is right.

As the afternoon has shifted into twilight, so has the rain triggered the pain in my fingers, not throbbing, not cutting, but irritating just below the level of consciousness. Yet I continue to write. Nothing is going to stop me doing that ever. Not even pain.

But without pain killers, natural and prescribed medicine, for the moment, I don´t need any kind of brain fog when writing. I don´t drink and drive either. But I do smoke, yes, I´m the old weird lady with the dog and the cats, wearing my favorite secondhand clothes, and I do inhale, too. I also drink oceans of coffee and Coca Cola.

Everybody has their bad habits, these are mine today. In my younger years I tried this and that, well, I´m still here, maybe it has something to do with the fact that you sooner or later grow out of bad habits, if you are strong enough.

On strictly regulated occasions I get myself a couple of small drinks. But I have never experienced the writer´s enthusiasm when drinking alcohol, so I do not recommend it around you while writing.

My best writing advice so far came from a good friend who told me he thought I have a distinct writing voice that can be recognized wherever I write. And in whatever language I choose to write, English as well as Danish.

Ever since I´ve been trying to acknowledge that voice myself, by being busy doing business about it instead of just talking about how wonderful a journey that would be, if I only dared to actually sit down and write something…

That includes research in the field of writing advice and reading reality. While the former is a tough but necessary companion, the latter is the result of countless hours, but counted words, and my love for writing. My reading reality is that I´m capable enough to try out this new mode of inspiration.

And this ability I´ll show you more of in my next blog post about writing (How it is to run a blog in 2019) on Monday 16 2019. Thank you for your time, dear reader.

My love for witchcraft has been with me all along, I guess. Magick interests me. Magick with a k that is, for I want to distinguish it from ordinary magic like e.g. showing off card tricks. Magick interests me, because it has yet to disappoint me.

Meaning : I believe that magick does work from my own experiences. Practicing witchcraft makes me feel at home mentally, physically and spiritually, and it is as my world becomes a better place with magick in it every day.

The magick itself is unpretentious. It is what you believe it is, it will work, if it was meant to work. It will not work, if it was not meant to work. That is my approach to witchcraft. And it all comes down to whatever intention I put behind my magickal workings.

I believe that magick exists, whereas I don´t believe in coincidences of any kind. Chance to me has nothing to do with luck or the lack of it. Chance happens while you are pre-occupied with life, and there is always the what-if question in rear view.

But we never get to check out for real what this what-if could have been. We´re not meant to know everything all the time, and thank the Universe for that. Therefore, I live in accordance with the rhythms of nature and the phases of the Moon, as much as the mundane world of today will allow me to.

What I love about witchcraft is that is has room for the ups and downs in life. I take my mundane issues with me into witchcraft to be able to seek an alternative balance to gain renewed strength from, but I never plan my life from witchcraft. To me it is guidance and a refuge, not a wishing well.

It is also an enriching and comfortable way of life. It gives me happiness, inner peace, well-being and kindness to my inner child. I´m not winning in the lottery, however, because to ask for that kind of money is not necessary at all in order to have a good life.

It is also very self-indulgent and unrealistic, and that is not my kind of style. Self-care is another matter, and there I´m not compromising myself. I know that I have to take good care of myself due to so awesome mundane issues as osteoarthritis, bipolar disorder and anxiety.

Witchcraft has a healing effect on me, and that is reflected in my surroundings, by cause of me feeling good about myself after having worked with magick. It calms me down, it soothes my anxiety, and it makes me happy and content.

What I also love about witchcraft is that it in its essence has few demands and rather many possible solutions. The demands in my view are to be serious but never to forget the funny and intriguing parts of it. And the number of solutions depends on what you ask for and how you use the advice.

At the moment, I have a period where writing has captured my heart as well as my mind. So there is no witchcraft around me, while I´m writing ? Of course there is. I have my charm for my blog´s success and a lit candle at my writing desk. I sit and drink some relaxing chai tea and listen to the pouring rain outside.

I plan to celebrate the Autumn Equinox and the Sabbat of Mabon on September 23 2019. Here I give my thanks for all that I have been able to harvest from my efforts this year, and I celebrate the equilibrium of nature as an inspiration to gain a better balance in my life.

The best part working with witchcraft as an eclectic, cottage witch is that you get to choose from a broad variety of sources. There is no written agenda, except for my ritual worksheets and notes, and there is freedom to choose from what you already have instead of buying yourself poor.

The eclectic witch is this fall busy studying aromatherapy, meditation and ideas to create a magickal atmosphere in my daily life. Research is my king of studying. The cottage witch is busy planning for my biggest Sabbat of the Wheel of the Year, Samhain on October 31 2019. Rituals are my kind of practicing.

I enjoy the almost indescribable feeling of wholeness, when I have worked with witchcraft. It is a sacred moment filled with inner peace and positiveness. It puts all the mundane issues in proportion, so that I get a free space, so to speak, where there is balance and “silence” in my life.

With silence I mean the quiet feeling of content and happiness over simple everyday things. I prefer, as you know by now, dear reader, to live a simple and easy-going life without too many mundane surprises to handle in a world conquered by stress and hastiness.

So to speak of a love to witchcraft is to speak about being at a better place with it than without it. It is no cure of whatsoever ailment you may suffer from, but it soothes, it refreshes, and it brings forth that volatile feeling of being happy in the present moment.

And that to me is worth mentioning, since the opposite, stress, anxiety and unrest, unfortunately has become everyday issues in the world as a whole today. I can´t strong enough recommend to learn to listen to your body, your mind and your soul.

Ask yourself what you truly want in life and then go for the little successes. The big ones are going to show up, if they are meant to do that. If not, something else is probably going to happen. One thing you can be sure of, however, is that you only get this one chance to live your life at its fullest.

Therefore it is important to keep living in the present moment without looking either too long back or too long forward. Plans are only worth something, as long as you have a reasonable relationship with the fact that you are actually living in the present moment all the time.

There needs to be some free space in every plan. Nobody can plan themselves out of everything all the time. But today it is necessary to plan, to keep checking up on the picky details of everything ??? Yes, to some degree. The rest is for you to decide, not everybody else around you.

I say that with the knowledge that I´m in a position that allows me not to plan as much as when I was earning my own living. But it is also a hard and severe position, because you have been found unable to work on any conditions. It means living the rest of your life on a budget. It means a lot. It means business.

But I´ve also learned the hard way that not every plan will save your bum in times of trouble. Sometimes, it is necessary to skip the plan A and go to plan whatsoever, because life doesn´t care for any plans. “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans”, as John Lennon once said.

Witchcraft is there for me to let go and relax. It is her I find my inner freedom and inspiration to live well spiritually with disorders and physical pain as the antagonists of my life story. It is my refuge from the world, when everything goes star crazy or I have had a couple of tough days.

When I have a good day, I turn to witchcraft out of love for the beauty of following the cycles of nature. When I have a bad day, I turn to witchcraft in search of spiritual healing with a feeling of awe. And as often I can, I turn to witchcraft due to my previous experiences with it.

To me it is easy to love witchcraft, it is as if it has always been there, a sort of safe haven to retreat to when the world once again seems arguing with itself without reason. Here it is allowed to be a free-thinker, and I love to meet kindred spirits from all over the world.

It tells me to be alert and attentive to pagan and alternative communities. There are – thank you Universe – interesting and inspiring people out there. So I also love witchcraft, when I´m writing with people, there is always room for a Blessed Be or a So Mote It Be.

So it is that today I write about my love to witchcraft instead of practicing anything but lighting my candle for this blog. I had many rituals last month, and I´m still trying to regain a little bit more energy. Things take time, at times.

Writing about why I love witchcraft is also a kind of magickal working to me. Then I´m able to mix two of my passions and to do it as a stream of consciousness where I physically have been doing the chores alone while writing in between. My husband has come down with the flu. So I made him a calming cup of tea.

Suitably enough, the weather has accompanied me with the sound of several strong cloudbursts throughout the day. For the first time this fall I´m wearing socks, longing for that Indian summer that hopefully will show up anytime soon, please, thank you, weather gods and goddesses.

It was as if the bad weather inspired me today. When I walked the old little wise dog in a less severe shower this afternoon, I had trouble concentrating enough behind the keyboard, but after that it has been like the words just came from out of nowhere and allowed me to focus on the direction of my thoughts.

To produce something worth reading, preferably more than once, is one thing. To make it magickal is a totally different story. It needs to be shown with the same passion as I feel it. And I need to practice both my writing and my work with witchcraft.

What I love about life would probably have been a better synopsis question for today´s post. Because I´m writing about my life, a story yet to be told but shimmering through here and there. A life filled with love, laughter, life changing experiences and writing about witchcraft.

But also a very troubled life from time to time. As everybody else in the world today. Just another voice among billions, it may well be so, but at least it´s mine and I´m proud to name myself both a witch and a writer without blushing at all.

So what I truly love about witchcraft is that it always is at hand, close up and in the present moment. Magick is not to buy for money, the same goes for love, friendship and common implied rules about treating others like you treat yourself. To be able to give before receiving.

Thus challenged for today, I´ll summarize what is to be expected in my next blog post about witchcraft on Friday September 13 2019 (Magickal Intentions). I´ll try to explain and show how to create magickal intentions from idea to written material.

An example : I need some positive energy to regain my strength from practicing many rituals last month. So I will write something like :

-“Dear Universe and Goddess of the Crones, Hecate, please aid me in regaining strength. By hard work and meditation I´ll build up my strength. By the Air that I breathe, the Fire that burns in my heart, the Water that runs in my blood, and the Earth that I walk upon, as I will it, So Mote It Be.”-

First I´ll light a candle in my sacred space. Then I´ll burn my note and light incense/use aromatherapy to clear the space for new workings. The whole process took less than 15 minutes to plan, arrange and simply enjoy.