Daylight time, a monstrosity in timekeeping. — Harry Truman
It’s Sunday, Wyrdweavers. Happy New Moon in Pisces. I completely forgot that the time was changing last night (or rather, this morning), so I was not awake when the new moon was exact like I had intended. Oh well… I’m human and can’t do all the things all the time.
Coming to this realization from talking with the spirits, inspired me to create a self-care spread for you this week instead of giving you my regular writing guidance. I don’t know what it is about us as writers, but we tend to neglect self-care… a lot. So this week’s guidance is focused on your physical and mental well-being, and finding balance within your writing practice.
Card 1 (Current State): Seven of Cups
The Seven of Cups suggests a state of indecision or being overwhelmed by multiple options. In your writing, you might be flitting between different plot points or character attributes. And because “self-care” has become somewhat trendy IMO (insert eyeroll), you might be overwhelmed by the sheer number of self-care activities being promoted on the internet without truly connecting with what your body and mind need.
Card 2 (Needs): High Priestess (Clarifier: Connect with Your Ancestors)
I love seeing the High Priestess because I am her and she is me. The High Priestess paired with the "Connect with your Ancestors" from the The Sacred Self-Care Oracle, points toward a need for deeper self-knowledge and introspection. This could involve meditation, journaling or exploring practices that connect you with your intuition and inner wisdom. Do what the oracle card says and connect with your ancestors. Your ancestors are more than your bloodline. They are also the creative spirits of past storytellers or writers you admire, and can serve a source of inspiration. This will help with your mental well-being. For your physical well-being, what does your body need? If you don’t know, ask it. Our bodies hold wisdom and will respond if you ask.
Position 3 (Activities): King of Wands
The King of Wands is about taking action and pursuing self-care this week with enthusiasm and drive. However, consider channeling this energy wisely. Are you focusing on too many self-care activities that leave you feeling scattered? Hustle culture has been ramping up again on the internet. You DO NOT have to do everything everyone else is doing. Most of that is for show anyway, and doesn’t help. Choose one self-care activity to commit to this week. Just one and see how that feels.
Position 4 (Healthy Practices): The Moon
As you may know, whenever I pull the Moon, my mind goes to shadow work. And it did go there. But as we are focused on self-care, it took a different spin. The Moon also speaks to the importance of introspection (there’s a reason you will usually see a moon somewhere on the High Priestess card), dreamwork and practices that nourish your creativity. Activities like moonlit walks, journaling about your dreams or again, meditation could be particularly beneficial. The idea of moonlit walks might sound airy-fairy, but it’s something I actually do when I’m in an environment where I feel safe enough to do so. The moon has a strong presence in my practice.
Position 5 (Balance): Ten of Wands
The Ten of Wands can mean feeling overburdened and struggling to maintain balance. This reinforces the need to be mindful of your self-care choices this week. Perhaps some of the activities represented by the King of Wands need to be dialed back to achieve a sense of balance with your writing and other commitments. Again, you do not have to do all the things to be considered a productive and successful writer.
My final musings before I go and do some self-care of my own aka shampoo my hair:
While you might be overwhelmed by various self-care options folks are hollering about on social media, the cards encourage you to go within. This week, prioritize introspection and connecting with your inner wisdom. Explore practices suggested by the High Priestess and the oracle card "Connect with Your Ancestors."
Choose self-care activities that are both energizing (King of Wands) and deeply restorative (The Moon). Don't be afraid to experiment and find what works best for you. The “what works best for you” is the most important bit I want you to take away from this reading. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to self-care. What works for one writer may not work for you. And that is okay. Self-care isn't about adding to your burden, it's about prioritizing your mental and physical well-being to fuel your creative fire.
Finally, address the feeling of being overburdened (Ten of Wands). Delegate tasks, prioritize ruthlessly and set realistic boundaries. Don’t worry about upsetting people. They’ll be fine. Self-care isn’t selfish; it's essential for long-term success as a writer.
I hope this gives you some comfort in knowing it’s okay to prioritize your self-care alongside your writing.
Yours in magick and mysticism,
The Book Druid