Month: January 2020

Today, I´ll show you how I work with a charm bag and a charm bottle. I have a charm bag for the growth and prosperity of this blog, and I have a charm bottle for creativity in the work with my novel. The recipes are a mixture of dried herbs, crystals, salts, and oils.

When I make things like that, I always make them before a ritual so that they can be blessed and consecrated in the ritual. It is also a way of binding spells that I use on a regular basis. And so far it has brought me what I asked for.

I´m so lucky to have readers and followers on this blog. Thank you for your support, patience, and presence. It inspires me to do my best and preferably better yet with time and practice, practice, practice.

Creativity is present in my life with every possible option to choose from. I´m grateful for the ability to be happy and believe in the positive sides of life. Not disregarding darkness and negativity. There needs to be a solid balance between the ups and downs in life.

The key to that is to let go of what no longer serves you and try to make the best out of everything. It is also to accept that there are good as well as bad days. But even a bad day can turn out better with a positive outlook and attunement to change.

The charm bag and the charm bottle are symbols of my innermost dreams. The possibility to write with freedom of speech is worth praising. Combined with the ability to write well enough to be read, it is a great privilege and a great responsibility to do it for real.

Words may not move mountains, but they do change the world from time to time. Therefore, I always choose my words with great care, for there is enough fake news, prejudice, and hateful behavior around in the world of today.

When I work with a charm bag or a charm bottle, I typically keep them close to me or the place they concern. I often include a candle that I light on certain occasions. Perhaps I will read a couple of lines from a favorite poem or a witchcraft prayer.

I carry them around, I look at them during my work, and I feel that they bring a positive atmosphere that aids me in whatever I´m doing. And if I believe in that and it works for me, it´s a fine way to work positively with myself and my life. I can recommend it, but I cannot guarantee that it will work.

To me, it all depends on the intention behind and the following work with the charm bag and the charm bottle. I believe that it is necessary to work with them both when I make them and after. Creating them is not enough.

If I want growth and prosperity for this blog and creativity in my writing I need to do some serious hard work myself to realize such goals. So the major part of the work lies in the work I do in real life. Intentions can be well-meant, but what are they worth if I don´t do the necessary work to achieve them?

And last but not least, either it works or it doesn´t. Then it wasn´t for you to achieve. Then there are many other goals to strive for. And then the magick becomes real. So greater the joy when things actually do work when you do your part.

What to expect in February and March 2020

I decided not to plan my blog content for the months of February and March 2020 because they are busy months where I plot my novel and begin writing the first draft. I will continue to publish blog posts on Fridays, but I will allow my imagination and my creative energy to decide what to write.

Next Friday, I´ll probably write about the elements of the psychological thriller that I did not manage to write in January. It has been a busy month, gathering the last notes and interesting views on how to write a psychological thriller worth reading.

I now only need to go through my notes carefully to check if I have missed something important. This weekend it is time to brainstorm my novel. Then my plotting work begins. A whole month may seem like a lot of time. But believe me, it is not when you begin your work.

Now, I have studied and researched for four months in a row. It is time to release some of the horses so that a story can be born and an outline can be created. But yet I save my greatest strength and energy for the drafting period. It will be there that I find out if writing a novel is something for me.

I believe it is. For I have stories to tell, I want to thrill and scare the living daylight out of my readers. It must be an adventure to read, so there needs to be plenty of roller coaster moments and chills down the spine.

I can feel my characters coming alive in my mind and from within my soul. It is a lifelong dream coming true to actually be in the process of writing a novel. And it is a lot of hard and lonely work. But it is worth every inch of the way. It makes me happy to write.

With these words, I conclude four long months with a few leftover notes and articles to read. Now the process becomes tangible, now it is time to use every bit of creativity in me, now the fun and also difficult work with constructing a believable story takes off.

May your weekend and week be blessed and freed from stress and worries. And may this crazy world finally find the ability to make peace with itself.

It is my aim to use a month to plan my psychological thriller. I have chosen this genre because there is room for the twist and turns that I prefer in a book worth reading and in a film worth watching. I need it to chill down the spine. To be at the edge of my seat when writing, reading, and watching.

I have used almost four months to prepare myself for the task. And my husband will be my best critic during the process. At the moment, I´m gathering loose ends in my research and saving the research about setting and locations for the planning period.

I´m also contemplating the right point of view, for both my antagonist and my protagonist. I´m considering the physiology and psychology of my characters. And I´m taking a day off from time to time for life is not only writing, although it now plays a major part in my everyday.

I currently work with the concept of less is more. Therefore, I only write on this blog on Fridays and only write a thousand words at a time. I also try to declutter my mind as often as possible, for I need clarity and concentrated focus when I write.

Constructing a story from an idea

It began with one word, then a sentence, and so there was a paragraph. The idea just struck me, what if I could do something that I have always wanted to try?  What if all it takes it to sit down and actually do the work behind writing a novel? And what if I could manage to write it for real?

Ever since I have been busy studying as much as possible about writing my choice of genre and the psychology behind the great villains and the heroic protagonists. They need to match each other, so I plan to work with a lot of character development.

My novel will be driven by the characters and their inner conflicts while creating and solving the plot in the novel. My idea is yet to be evolved during the plotting month. But it is an idea that keeps returning to me as if insisting on getting written.

So far I have written a couple of pages of dialogue, there are many notes to go through, and it is only a week ahead. So this is it, now I´m actually going to work in-depth with my novel to be. And this is where the fun part begins.

It is like building the puzzle of my life. Only fantasy sets the limit now. I have thought about a few scenarios for possible high-action scenes with strong emotional effects on the reader. Where there is no escape but the quest for mental survival from more or less distorted minds.

I want to create little, sneaky mini-climaxes, an emotionally demanding roller coaster ride, and a feeling of eeriness from page one until the end. I want to show the mind behind the scheme, the female version of a clever, ruthless, and evil villain.

I ask the questions who, what, where, when, why, and how. To keep my idea fresh so there is always room for alterations if need be. It is okay to change during the plotting process. If it feels right, I´ll use the material after a comprehensive brainstorm.

This is my project for the first weekend in February 2020. Until then, my idea lies dormant without being affected in any way. I hold my horses, I know the work will be better if I wait and release my saved energy for that weekend.

I have chosen to use a month for the outlining process. I believe it is possible to get the work done by that time. It is also necessary for me to have a fixed deadline due to my inherent tendency to procrastinate.

Outlining the story into a novel

After a brainstorm, it is time for the outlining process. I plan to use a storyboard and index files for the plot of my novel and my characters. From now on, I will write a daily journal entry for each of my characters so that I get to know them little by little.

This is also where I´ll be contemplating my choice of themes for the novel. And I can´t wait to begin writing backstories, character sketches, and the flesh of my story, the plot. Then my notes will show their true value. It is almost time to fill in the blanks.

I have yet half a book to finish, 2 ring binders of notes to go through with a highlighter, and a couple of notebooks to fill out with relevant notes. The work of this weekend and the coming week concludes four intensive months of research for my novel. It has been a tough ride at times, but always fun.

Now it is time to get an overview of my collected material. Before I unleash the worst nightmare, the ultimate mental roller coaster ride inside distorted minds, and the scariest moments I can think of. I believe I´m ready to embark on the next part of my writing journey.

The writing is not free just yet. There are some fixed assignments to attain before I begin my first draft in March 2020. I plan to follow most of the guidelines I have found for the psychological thriller. So the structure is pretty fixed already.

Next Friday, I´ll write about how I work with a charm bag and a charm bottle. I have a charm bag for the growth and prosperity of this blog, and I have a charm bottle for creativity in the work with my novel.

May you have a pleasant weekend and a prosperous week, dear readers. May creativity inspire and brighten your life. And may you be able to see the outline of your dreams so that you can put them into reality. As we will it, so it is.

Today, it is the Waning Quarter Moon. A week after a Full Moon, it is appropriate to try to let go of what no longer serves me. But it is not an easy project to deal with. Attachments from the past are hard to bid farewell. It feels too safe, too comfortable, and too risky to let go of whatever we humans cling to.

But nonetheless, it is necessary to let go from time to time. I know by personal experience through fifty years of trial and error that it is unhealthy to cling to what no longer serves me. Therefore, I make a virtue of working with my shadows and especially to let go of the past.

The past is a constant. The future is unknown territory. Only the present moment matters. This is the only moment we truly can grasp and do something with. I call it an art to let go. And so it is because it takes a toll on me every time I do it.

It is worth the efforts, though. To forgive and let go is not the same as forgetting forever. It brings me more time to more life-affirming activities. It enables me to feel inner peace. And it heals me in a subtle way that is difficult to describe.

This is me, aka the Northern Witch. Today, I let go of those parts of my past that contain negativity of any kind. I prefer to try to be happy in life, I don´t need looking back at anything but positive experiences.

I try to transform negative experiences into something positive and useful. So, to let go is not the same as to forget and move on without ever remembering the past. The art is to try to make positive memories from whatever happens in life.

Typically, when I work with the art of letting go, I write down the specific things that need to be released and burn the paper. But I believe I can also do it by writing about it and releasing it into the Universe when pressing either delete or publish.

Often, it takes more than one patient session before I truly feel that I have let go of past attachments. But each time I try it helps clarify what I do and don´t need in my life. I may not be able to control change but at least I can control my attitude toward it.

The art of letting go is a recurrent ritual in my life. But it is only with my daily practice of witchcraft that I have fully understood the value of doing it on a regular basis. I include it in many of my witchcraft rituals because it feels appropriate to do it here.

I always use grounding as a way of cleansing my sacred spaces for any stale energy at the end of every ritual, and this to me is another way of grounding unnecessary worries. Past attachments are often build-up psychic energy that is better used on more positive matters.

There is no need to worry about the past since we cannot change it. We can, however, try our best to live our lives in the present moment and to embrace change for better or for worse. That I do by letting go of what no longer serves me.

What no longer serves me is yet another matter. It depends on many different aspects, e.g. my mood of the day, the discovery of an unhealthy pattern through shadow work, or how close I keep my attachments.

Past issues can be of a sensitive nature, so I only do this kind of work when I feel fit for it. It can be mentally demanding to deal with issues in the past, so I don´t do it when I´m anxious or feeling depressed.

Being bipolar means a close relationship with mood swings. Today, most of it is regulated through prescription medicine, but my own responsibility is to try to control the rest by staying positive no matter what life throws at me.

So, I always try to create a warm and positive atmosphere when I work with the art of letting go. Tonight, I have enjoyed lit candles, sage incense, and a cup of my favorite chai tea while writing this blog post.

I don´t run from darkness and negativity, but I try to remain as positive as possible. I know that life is not black or white, it is a rainbow of colors and opportunities. Everything comes at a price, what comes up, must come down. Every choice has a consequence. And we always leave something behind.

Rather than letting it haunt me, I face my inner fears and dare to let go of any attachment to the past that doesn´t serve me in my present life. That doesn´t mean that I leave my memories behind, I only adjust what I want to spend my energy and resources on.

It frees a lot of creative energy that I need to reach my goals of writing my first novel and creating a daily witchcraft routine. It has changed my outlook on life in general. And it has enabled me to move on with my life and get the best out of everything.

If in doubt, I always consult with my bathroom mirror. There are truth and brutal honesty in the look there and it is my ultimate guide if everything else has been tried without luck. For there I´ll find what I seek, and it is a pretty strict judge to look into the eyes.

Next week I´ll write about what it is like to plan a novel in a month. But for now, I´ll let go of this week´s challenges and wish you, dear readers, a pleasant week. The art of letting go is also to know when it is time to stop doing it and move on. This time is now, as I will it, it is.

I have decided to postpone the publishing of this blog post until February. I´m still researching the subject intensively before the plotting of my novel in February. And I just don´t feel ready yet to write this blog post now.

However, if we look at the world right now, there is so much thrilling stuff going on that I feel a need to write something straight from my heart. My thoughts go out to people and animals in dire stress this very moment.

Instead, I send a prayer to the Universe to help stop the devastating fires in Australia and to make people listen rather than fighting each other every day.

Dear Universe.

I´m writing this to you

In the hope that you will rock the elements

Into calm and healing the scars

From people fighting each other

For no other reason than the fight itself.

I´m asking you politely to help the world to stop for a brief moment

To think twice before re-acting the same business as usual,

To listen before talking the same shit all over again,

To speak with kindness rather than being controlled by greed.

Please, balance the element of Fire with Water, Air, And Earth

And let the fifth re-establish the order in chaos.

As we will it, so mote it be.

Happy New Year, dear readers, today, I´ll show you how I plan a witchcraft ritual.

The most important part of a ritual is the intention behind it. Therefore, I´m careful to think through why I feel that I can accomplish something with a ritual rather than anything else. My intention behind the first ritual of the year is to wish good luck to my novel.

I`ve decided to make a charm bag, filled with herbs, crystals, and a wishing prayer. I will consecrate the ingredients with symbols of the five elements before I put them in a paper tea bag. For me to carry with me for inspiration and hope.

It will be a full ritual with an evocation of the elements and invocation of the goddess Hecate, my favorite Crone goddess. With plenty of time for happy conversation, since my neighbors and my husband will participate in this first ritual of the year.

I plan the ritual to take place next Friday at Full Moon. Today, it is the Waxing Quarter Moon, and it is an excellent time to make wishes come true. So, I plan parts of the ritual as I´m writing this blog post. The personal parts I keep to myself, for there must be an element of privacy in practicing witchcraft.

The personal experience is the second most important part of a witchcraft ritual. It is the moment of truth, now you get to see for yourself what magick can be. And this is impossible to put into words, you´ll have to experience it yourself to truly feel the difference.

I can only try to use my words to describe and show what witchcraft means to me. It is my spiritual guidance in life, it is a feeling of coming home, and it is a wonderful way of living. I have changed since I began practicing witchcraft. I´m more calm, happier, and more content with my life.

I will include a couple of personal prayers in my good luck ritual. I know the stakes by now, and it will be the most difficult yet interesting journey in my life. To write a novel has been a life-long dream. Now it is about to become true, as I begin the journey on March 1^st, 2020.

Next Friday I´ll write a longer blog post about the elements of the psychological thriller. Today, I only have 500 words in my hands, as I´m sick due to pneumonia. But the writing helps me keep the spirits up, and I´ve also been on my morning walk with the little wise, old dog.

I will end my ritual with a release of the elements after burning my personal wish for my novel. I will use sage incense to clear and clean my witch´s den for any leftover stale energy from last year.

May your week be blessed with good luck, good news, good people in your everyday. So Mote It Be.