Selfcare has so many meanings these days, but what I am most proud of is how society has begun to really embrace it as a requirement for wellness across the board. In my great ritual and traditions revamping, I am making selfcare a part of my Yule Tradition.
While there is no clear definition of what it is specifically nor what it always entails, we can be sure that witches know what they need during the hustle and bustle of the season.
But do we listen though?
Even those of us who have made selfcare a priority find it extremely difficult during the holidays. The holiday season of lights and consumerism are blinding. We can easily lose sight of ourselves, our needs, and we will need to put in some additional efforts to ensure that we still have space for what we need.
Making Space for Selfcare
The goal for selfcare (for me) has always been to practice enough small moments that I don’t need to have a full day of it because I am burnt out. Or that my body forces me to rest due to illness. While there is nothing wrong with full days of selfcare, I would rather it be a joyful moment versus a tired moment. We can make the space, or the universe will make it for us. I prefer to make my own choices (totally a witch thing, right?).
Mindful Disengagement
We have a tendency to encounter resistance when we have a to do list that is a mile long, preparations, phone calls, gifts, you name it and it is on our plate. We can delegate, we can wake up early, stay up late, and the list continues to grow. We are going to mindfully disengage our focus from that list for a few minutes each day because it is not going anywhere.
Tools for the 12 Days of Selfcare
Here are items that are used during the 12 Days of Selfcare if you want to have all the supplies on hand:
- Tea light candles and a lighter or a battery-operated votive candle
- Your journal and writing utensils (or paper and a pen)
- 3×5 card stock (flash cards, or just cut up some construction paper)
- Rose Quartz
- Obsidian
- A Key
- Essential Oils: Eucalyptus, Bergamot, Lavender, Patchouli, Sage, Rosemary (and any other oils you are deeply connected to)
- Coconut Oil or Olive Oil
- Small amount of rubbing alcohol
- Small spray bottle
- Sugar
- Dried Herbs: Lavender, Bay, Mugwort
- 2 small jars (with lids)
- Small pouch
This list is suggested, but feel free to change or modify this to better suit your craft and what you need. To get us all ready to dive in tomorrow, I have provided Day 1 below. Each day there will be another (smaller) article detailing the current day and the next day, so if you are a planner like I am, you will have time to make the space.
Day 1 – Engage…slowly
For Day 1, it is just about slowing down. Just for 5 minutes. That is it. Even if it is in the bathroom where we can sometimes hide.
Hide a tea light in there, or a battery-operated candle, and light it or turn it on. Close your eyes and breathe.
Breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds, hold it at the top for 2 seconds, and exhale for 7 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
Pull your shoulders away from your ears, unclench your jaw, unclench your hands and wiggle your fingers. Roll your head side to side.
Repeat after me “I am here now, and I release all tension”. Do this a few times. Open your eyes.
Maybe you can find a few times in the day to check in this way, to bring yourself to the present, give yourself a little gift of slow down. But for today, we are just engaging in the act of slowing down. Before bed, use your journal to describe how this impacted your day by just doing it once.
Building it Up
This is a free series from Dark Goddess Collective and is a part of our December 2021 work. We believe that it is important to empower each other, this includes providing free information that provokes or encourages knowledge of self, of sovereignty, and that which builds intuition. Over the course of 12 days we will be building up a practice of selfcare that invites in the deeper knowledge of self and building up awareness of the importance of Full-hearted selfcare in our practices of magic.
We are building a network of Sovereigns too! Stay Tuned.
A candle & a key,
Kaycee
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