Veil Night Preparations

 October is here! Welcome, fall! The temperatures here have finally dropped a bit, providing some much-needed relief. September was still hot, hot, hot, so this is nice. 

I mentioned earlier that I use astrological dates for sabbat timing, so I technically have until the first week of November to prepare, but I know myself. I'm the boss of me, and that lady runs a LOOSE ship, y'know? Therefore, I shall begin my preparations this weekend. 

I want to do some decluttering and reorganizing in addition to the scrubbing that must be done. I have been eyeing books I haven't opened in ages, wondering if I should list them for sale somewhere. We'll see. It's never easy to part with a book. 

The deep cleaning will have to take place on the weekends when my partner is free to help. One of my dogs has wiry waves and curls, so I already sweep every day. Laundry and dishes are never-ending, as we all know. The kitchen will receive some special attention, as will areas with altar spaces. 

I am going to offer tarot, oracle, and pendulum readings for this season, too. Employment is still spottier than a spotted dick, and I'm in danger of losing my house. I've applied for a couple hundred jobs since losing full-time employment and have only had some part-time contracts come my way. I'm thankful for them, and I gratefully welcome in and loudly call in MORE. 

Anyhell, if you'd like to ask a yes/no question to my pendulum, I'll pull a bonus card for clarification/timing/options/advice. Pendulum + card: $7

                                                          Three-card spread: $10

                                                           Longer spreads: donation

Just before Beltane/Kreotago and Samhain/Veil Night are some of the best times for divination. Find me here: Better Hearths & Cauldrons Facebook

My Wheel

 I know I've mentioned this 83281956 times, but I made some adjustments to the Wheel of the Year. I'm not Wiccan, I'm not terribly agricultural, and I'm certainly not fertile, so if anyone is wondering where I got the audacity to change something that has been around since the late 1940s, that's why. And because it's my path and I can do what I want. 

I'm not good at technology. I know I've mentioned that a few hundred times, too, at least. I feel the need to mention it again before presenting my efforts at a video presentation. 

I use astrological dates for the sabbats. I switched or changed some significances. I use different names, some in English, some in Esperanto, and some in Turkish (past life connections). Music and images are royalty-free selections from Pixabay. 

While I know there are an awful lot of a-holes out there, I'd still appreciate your thoughts and questions. It's nothing revolutionary. I am just doing what works for me. I'm also writing everything down to share in the future. 

Nar the Schoolmarm

            I’ve had a lot of free time on my hands since November 2024. I got laid off and haven’t found another full-time job in my field or any field. I’ve had some part-time contract work, and I am grateful for that, but I’m itching to have some structure again. Without a schedule, my brain ferrets are out of control. I can’t focus. I put the ‘fun’ in ‘executive dysfunction’. I spend a lot of time staring off into space. But I’m thinking about things. All the time. Too much.

I’ve been toying with the idea of putting together some content and materials that would act as an introduction to yet another version of kitchen/hearth witchery, as well as a way of teaching others how I do things. Beginners still benefit from the basic building blocks, and more experienced practitioners get another perspective on the craft. 

When I first had the thought to combine my background as a teacher with my experience as a kitchen witch, I had a lot of in-person classroom experience but not a lot of online teaching experience. I’m kind of a low-tech witch and person in general. I use very little social media. I prefer physical media to streaming. We don’t have any paid streaming services in our household right now. And, above all, I have never liked depending heavily on technology for teaching purposes. There are a couple of reasons for this. 

The first is Murphy’s Law. If you base your lesson and materials around the internet, or a slideshow or video, chances are very good you will have trouble accessing it when you need it. I always give myself extra time to get comfortable with a platform or piece of equipment before I utilize it, and I make sure I have a contingency plan. 

Second, depending solely or largely on virtual classes and activities to teach students is going to lead to students who haven’t learned very much at all. What I mean is, there is very little engagement or active learning when students are just clicking the mouse or watching videos. 

Before anyone gets up in arms over that statement, know that I am basing it on my experience in the classroom. Students knew I wasn’t the high-tech teacher, but they got used to it. Some of them even surprised themselves by how much they understood and remembered. We need to write, not just type. We need to read and think, not just pick from a list of options. All of those things are useful, together. 

           Why, then, do I want to put together an online kitchen/hearth witch course if I am such a Luddite? Again, we’re aiming for a combination. My combination consists of downloadable online content, printable practices, and virtual discussions. This isn’t the type of class that has formal assessments, but I have planned a few lessons and activities for students to explore what they’ve read and put it into practice. 

This is another attempt to reach out and form connections and community. It’s also a way I might be able to use my education, background, and talents in a new way. Maybe posting this and preparing for it means I will get a job and have no more free time. You just never know. 

I am considering using Patreon to set this up for the materials and any video hangouts or tutorials that I do. Right now, though, I have a lot of notes, plans, and beginnings, but I haven’t managed to hyperfocus on any one of them hard enough just yet. At least we know I’m very, very good at getting distract —---

Nar dreams of community

 At the risk of sounding Spicy, I’m going to tell you what I want. What I really, really want. Sorry. No, I’m not. Anyway, back to this dream I have, the ultimate goal. 

I want a place to host events. There would be space for tent camping, as well as a few cabins. There would be portable toilets, naturally, but carefully maintained ones, as well as a building with showers, sinks, and toilets. 

A key word is accessibility. I remember the campground I used to visit for a gathering in my youth, and it was not accessible at all. Camping was very primitive, and the terrain was rugged, with tree stumps, fallen branches, rocks of varying sizes, and a deep-rutted road that turned into a tire-sucking path of mud whenever it rained. And it rained every time. Therefore, I would want to make all spaces accessible, from indoor workshop areas, ritual spaces, and cabins. 

I know I’m dreaming big here. Let me loose. I’m a kitchen witch, so I am fully ready to provide meals for attendees who want that option. I’ve discussed all of this with a friend or two over the years, and we agreed that it would be useful to have a kitchen structure to use for events and other purposes. 

I miss the twice-yearly gatherings and would like to have one or two bigger outdoor events per year. With some indoor workshop and camping spaces, we could also host events, rituals, and classes during colder months. I want a space for teaching, for handfastings, for memorial services. Ideally, I’d like space for you to get married and buried if you wanted. And what gathering is complete without a roaring bonfire and energetic drum circle? I got you. 

All of this requires lots and lots of money. Money, time, land, work, dedication, knowledge…Right now, I have a lot of time because I am not employed, so I have time but not money. I have dedication and drive. I have pages of research, tons of notes and plans. I want to build a community, but I need a community to help me build this bigger one. I need a team who also want an accessible, inclusive, safe space like this one to become a reality. 

Anybody want in?