This post is probably going to be a bit on the rambly side, so I apologize in advance, but I thought it would be fitting to start off the new year with some musings on my current spirituality and where I am in my path (both for my own reference and so you know what you’re getting into by reading my posts, haha!)

I also just want to let you guys know that even if your spiritual path is very different from mine, please don’t feel unwelcome or unwanted in this space. This blog is for everyone, and even if we have different opinions or experiences I think we can learn so much from each other! With that said, here are a few thoughts on my current spiritual beliefs and what my plans are for 2018.

The things I know for sure: my spirituality is deeply rooted in the earth. I believe humanity’s salvation lies in reconnecting with nature and in empathy for all living creatures. I don’t kill or harm anything or anyone in my practice (although I’m all for other people cursing if that’s what works for them!) I’m interested in learning more about plants and how to work with them medicinally and spiritually, and volunteering outside to tend the earth is high on my priority list for this year.

I’m not vegan, but I am mindful about the food I eat and where it comes from. I eat mostly plant-based with some organic, humanely raised meat thrown in the mix. I think it’s important that when financially possible, we support companies that are working to do good in the world even if it costs a little extra. But I also feel strongly that diet is personal and eating organic is a privilege. Not every diet can or will work for everyone, and not everyone is in a place where they can afford to pay more for the food they eat and that’s okay.

I believe that we are all energy and that energy connects us all. I believe there is a collective consciousness that we can all access if we so choose. I believe that crystals are powerful tools for healing and that tarot can help us unlock our deepest secrets. I believe, to an extent, in reincarnation, although this is a belief that needs further exploring to put my finger on exactly what I think. I follow the Wheel of the Year and the cycles of the moon, and these help me stay grounded.

I’ve never been in a coven and I’m still not sure if it would be right for me (if only because my own path is kind of all over the place, so it would be hard to find a group of people that were 100% on board with the things I believe) but I do think I’ll be seeking out some in-person Pagan groups or meetups in 2018. The solitary path can be incredibly lonely, and it would be so fun to have a group to celebrate the Sabbats or have deep spiritual conversations with. If you know of any groups in the Nashville area, let me know – I’d love to check them out!

In 2017 I went back to my roots and did some reading about Wicca. When I first started my path I knew that wasn’t the right road for me – I knew that in order to discover what felt right for me, I couldn’t ascribe to anything with its own set of rules or structure. Now, though, I find myself craving more structure in my practice, and I’ve sort of done the opposite of what most people do: people tend to start with Wicca and then leave in favor of finding their own path, but I’m drifting more towards Wicca now that I realize how much my own path aligns with it.

In real life I tend to tell people I’m Wiccan because it’s easier than explaining the concept of witchcraft, but it’s not really that simple. I struggle with the idea of deities as beings – I can get on board with deities as a form of energy, but I don’t think that working with them as actual divine beings is something that will ever work for me. That’s a core tenet of Wicca, of course, is working with the God and the Goddess, so it feels wrong to want to call myself that if I can’t get on board with what’s at the heart of the belief, but I’ve also read that there are non-theistic Wiccans so who knows? It’s something I’ll be investigating more in 2018 for sure, as well as unpacking my resistance to working with deities and whether that’s a true belief or if something is holding me back.

I don’t know why I feel such a strong need to label myself or why I balk at referring to myself as a witch outside of this community. I think I’m really just afraid of being judged or misunderstood, which is a silly way to live your life. I’m hoping 2018 will bring some answers about the direction of my path and what’s right for me.

Towards the end of 2017, I really fell off the wagon when it came to spiritual practice. I felt so fulfilled over the summer by routinely making time for meditation, gratitude, and ritual, but these things were first to fall by the wayside once things got chaotic in the fall and into winter. I’m hoping I can find a balance of doing these things regularly in 2018 without feeling guilty or ashamed if I just can’t or don’t want to make the time for one reason or another. It’s hard carving out space for yourself when you don’t live alone, but I think for my own spiritual health I’m going to have to find a way.

Druidry is something I’m still very interested in. Moving to Nashville gives me the opportunity to connect with a new environment and I’m planning on learning as much as I can about the local plant and wildlife. I’m going to start the Druidry course from the OBOD over again once I move to Nashville, since it seemed kind of silly to go through all the effort of learning about Wisconsin’s natural wonders when I knew I was going to be leaving.

This year I wondered a lot about Jesus. I was raised Catholic and taught the religion through what was essentially brainwashing from an early age. Once I broke away from that religion I resisted any mention of Jesus and I still feel panicky when surrounded by deeply Christian people. (Not because I have anything against people who are Christian, but just because it gives me flashbacks to my uncomfortable youth.)

The problem I’m having now is that I’ve had Jesus come up as a “sign” at several points in the past few years, but I can’t tell if it’s an actual sign I should trust or if it’s my subconscious coming back to haunt me. I know there are Christian witches out there and believing in Jesus doesn’t mean my path thus far has been wrong, but I just feel deeply distressed that I can’t trust my own mind or experiences on this.

I don’t think this is something I’m ready to deal with yet, but at some point in the future I think I’ll look more into Christian witchcraft or those who work with Jesus as an Ascended Master just to hear about other peoples’ experiences. I harbor a lot of resentment towards my Catholic upbringing because I’m still dealing with the repercussions of it today, and I think I’m going to need to do a lot of work to heal my soul before I can look at any aspect of Christianity objectively.

(Don’t worry, guys – I’d never pull a Doreen Virtue on y’all. Just some thoughts I’ve been having lately.)

It seems to me that my times of soul work come in cycles. 2014 was a big year for that, and so was 2016. I’m thinking that as soon as the dust settles from my big move to Nashville, 2018 will end up being the same. I’m really looking forward to learning as much as I can and finding small, simple ways to integrate my spirituality into my daily life even when things get busy. Here’s to a new year and to figuring out where to go from here!

If you have any experiences with any of this, or if you have any resources you’d like to recommend, let me know in the comments – I’d love to hear your thoughts!

If you travel a lot, you might have realized that it can be really hard to stay in touch with your spiritual side when you’re on vacation. Especially if you’re traveling with family or friends – while it’s usually nonstop fun, the key word there is “nonstop.” Everyone wants to hang out and do things and you feel bad saying no, even if you’re starting to feel a little disconnected from your spiritual practice. Have you ever felt that way before?

I travel kind of a lot, mostly because my parents live ten hours away in a different state and I like to go visit them. I’ve had to come up with a few ways to keep up with my spiritual practice even though I can’t exactly bring my whole altar with me when I go. Here are 6 ways I like to take my spirituality “on the go!”

1. take a book

I love taking books wherever I go – the back seat of my car looks like a (very disorganized) traveling library. I’ve found it’s really helpful for me to take books that are relevant to my spiritual practice with me on trips, because while it’s often hard to carve out time to actually practice my spirituality on vacation (doing a moon ritual while my family members look on in horror? no thank you) it’s often much easier and less conspicuous to find time to read.

Having a book about my spiritual practice on hand helps me stay connected to that part of me even when the rest of my routine might be disrupted. I especially like bringing books about tarot, since I usually have a deck with me as well. Some of my favorites (these are affiliate links) are:

• 78 Degrees of Wisdom
• The Creative Tarot
• The Tarot Coloring Book (fun to read AND to color, I bring this on plane rides!)

2. create a travel altar

I’ve seen these all over Tumblr and while I haven’t officially made one yet, I think they’re a great idea! Take an empty Altoids tin or other small container and fill it with some tiny versions of your essentials – a tea light candle, a tiny stick of palo santo, some little crystals, a sigil drawn on the tin itself, a picture of your deity, etc. This way if you DID want to do a ritual while you’re away from home, you have all the components you need right with you!

If you don’t want to go all-out and create a little kit, you can still bring a few small items with you just in case you’d like to use them. I have a little pouch that I keep some crystals in while traveling so they don’t get damaged, and I always have a tarot deck and my favorite essential oils on hand as well! I know that in a pinch, I could use those items to craft a spell or ritual if I really had to (like if I needed a spell to help me find something, or for safe travels.)

3. collect new items from your destination

Vacation is a great opportunity to connect with a different environment than the one you’re used to. Maybe you live in a landlocked area but are visiting the sea, or vice versa. It’s a fun idea to collect natural items from your destination that you can use in your spiritual practice in the future. For example, collecting seawater or seashells to use in a future spell or ritual (I did this over the summer when I went to North Carolina!) or maybe finding a nice-looking stick that you could use to make a wand.

Even if you don’t come away with anything, spending time experiencing a new area will give you a chance to observe how nature looks and feels in a new place. This can help you deepen your appreciation for this beautiful planet, which to me is a spiritual act in and of itself!

4. bring a deck

As I mentioned above, I always like to have a tarot deck with me. Tarot and oracle decks are amazing spiritual tools that also happen to be really portable. It’s easy to spend a few moments each morning drawing a card for your day, which gives you practice and keeps you rooted in your spiritual routine even while you’re away.

It’s also good to have them on hand just in case you end up needing them! It can be fun to read for new friends you meet during your travels, or to consult them if you’re having a personal crisis of some kind. It can never hurt to have a deck you love and understand on hand.

5. carve out some alone time

With all the hustle and bustle that goes on during vacations, it’s a good idea to find some alone time to help you center yourself and do some of the things you like to do every day back home. I think the biggest problem (at least for me) is that I feel like if I can’t have a whole hour to myself at least, it’s not even worth it. But that’s not true! Fifteen minutes is enough time for you to meditate if you wanted, draw some cards, do some yoga, or just sit there in thought without distraction.

You might not get to do all of the things you’d normally do as part of your routine, but something is better than nothing. Keeping those habits alive for just a few minutes a day will make it easier for you to get back into the swing of things at home.

6. journal

Finally, journaling is something you can do from anywhere! Write about how the trip makes you feel. Do you feel disconnected in your new surroundings, or do they make you feel alive? Is this trip making you realize anything about yourself? Often I find that trips make me feel REALLY inspired in one way or another, but if I don’t write that down then it ends up being totally lost! A trip can disrupt your everyday routine just enough for you to realize what’s working and what’s not. Use that to your advantage and take note of every little detail – you can sort through it all when you come back.

So those are my tips for keeping up with your spiritual practice when you’re on the go! While it might not look the same as your everyday spiritual practice, it’s a good opportunity to try new things and gather a new perspective.

What are your favorite ways to stay in touch with your spirituality when you’re on the go? I’d love to hear all about it! <3