Merry Meet!
Welcome to your weekly update about whatās happening in both the forum and the witchy world at large 
Scroll down to read the news for this week 
Please remember that in order to view events, activities, and posts hosted in A Sacred Space and the Energy Exchange categories, you must be logged into your active Spells8 account.
Donāt have an account yet? No worries! You can join Spells8 here
Upcoming Events 
Mark your calendars so you donāt miss out on these upcoming events and occasions!
[ [ Witchy Holiday: Sabbat 
] ]
ā Monday, May 1
Blessed Sabbat! Those in the Northern Hemisphere will be celebrating Beltane 
. This holiday is the first of the Celtic fire festivals and marks the mid-way point between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice 
Want to honor the occasion? Here are a few ideas and suggestions for how you might celebrate this witchy holiday:
- How to Celebrate Beltane Alone? Ideas!
- Beltane Altar and Ritual - and Gifts!
- Beltane Release Ceremony
(In the Southern Hemisphere? Click here for Samahin information!)
Friends in the Southern Hemisphere will be celebrating Samhain 
. This holiday is also known as the Witchesā New Year and marks the mid-point between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice
Here are a few suggestions for how you might celebrate this holiday:
Click on the pictures and links above for more information and ways to celebrate!
Want to share the Sabbat fun with your coven? Come join us over in A Sacred Space to share decorations, crafting, cooking, altar pictures and more in:
Witchy Holiday Guide : Want to know more about the eight witchiest holidays? Visit the Wheel of the Year to learn about these keystone seasonal celebrations
[ [ Group Ritual 
] ]
ā Thursday, May 4
Join in for a shared group ritual meditation and coven chat- this activity is open to all active coven members 
The ritual has step-by-step instructions that you can join in on your own schedule at any time during the day.
Group rituals are held on Thursday in A Sacred Space and remain open over the weekend. This weekās ritual post will appear in the forum on Tuesday, but until then feel free to check out last weekās group ritual to get an idea about what to expect.
[ [ Moon Phase: Full Moon 
] ]
ā Friday, May 5
This week, the skies will shine with the beauty of a Full Moon- the moon of May is called the Full Flower Moon 
. The exact time of peak illumination will depend on your location.
Explore a special moon ritual and learn more about this moon on the Spells8 Full Flower Moon Ritual Page . Mayās full moon arrives when nature is in full bloom in the Northern Hemisphere- this moon is a particularly strong time for manifestation, abundance, and fertility 
While each moon has its own unique qualities, every full moon is a celebrated time when the energy of the moon is at its most powerful. Now is a wonderful time to charge, cleanse, and absorb the potent energies of the moon.
For additional full moon inspiration, visit What to Do During the Full Moon 
Ready for More Moon Magick? You can find current moon information for your location as well as complementary spells and rituals to draw on its energy on the Spells8 Lunar Spell Page
[ [ Lunar Eclipse 
] ]
ā Friday, May 5
This weekās Full Moon is an extra special one- as it is also a Lunar Eclipse! A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon moves into the shadow of the Earth, temporarily blocking it from view. This weekās solar eclipse is categorized as a penumbral eclipse. The duration and visibility of the eclipse will depend on your physical location.
While some witches choose to refrain from casting during an eclipse, others choose to draw on the unique energy. If you wish cast during this exciting celestial event, here is a Lunar Eclipse Candle Ritual for you!
[ [ Freebie Friday - Free Readings 
] ]
ā Friday, May 5
Have a question on your mind? Seeking some guidance for how to best approach a problem? 
This is your chance to find some answers, as the talented @MeganB is kindly offering free readings via tarot and oracle cards! 
Free readings are held in the Energy Exchange Category every Friday. As we wait for this weekās reading session to begin, you can check out the previous Freebie Friday to get an idea of what to expect 
[ [ Other Events of Interest 
] ]
A collection of curious (and perhaps conversation-starting!) events coming up this week that may or may not be witchy-related:
- Monday, May 1 - Feast of Bona Dea
- Wednesday, May 3 - Paranormal Day
- Saturday, May 6 - Herb Day
Keep track of upcoming witchy and pagan holidays by downloading and printing your copy of the 2023 Pagan Holiday Calendar
And for more witchy goodness (including freebies and spells!) delivered right to your email inbox, make sure you are on the list to receive the free Spells8 Newsletter
Ongoing Activities 
These activities are open to enjoy whenever youād like- feel free to participate anytime before their deadlines!
[ [ Weekly Witchy Challenge 
] ]
The current challenge theme is: The Divine Masculine 
Every week, the forum hosts a challenge exploring one specific area of magick. Challenges are open to everyone and you are warmly encouraged to participate in a way that reflects your unique magickal practice.
This challenge will remain open until Tuesday, May 2 at 7:00 AM CET (Central European Time). After the challenge closes, a Props and Presents post will appear to give recognition and prizes to all participants 
Are you ready? Join the current challenge here:
(A brand new challenge will launch on Wednesday in the public Activities Category!)
[ [ Spells8 Book Club 
] ]
Calling all book lovers! The Spells8 book club is now in session !
For more information about this session of Book Club and to submit your book, please head over to the current thread:
Please note that this reading period will end on Friday, May 12 .
And if you havenāt done so already, please feel free to share and swap your book reviews from last session in the Readerās Reviews thread: 
Spells8 Book Club XXVI - Readersā Reviews
Happy Reading! 
[ [ Energy Exchange Circle 
] ]
Do you have a little extra love to share and are looking for ways to help out a fellow coven member? Or perhaps youāve fallen on hard times and could use some positive vibes your way?
The Energy Exchange Circle is hosted in the Energy Exchange Category and is a great way to support and show love to coven members going through hard times. To do a good deed and show you care, consider leaving a note of support in the current thread:
More information about the covenās wholesome energy exchange can be found in the Energy Exchange Wiki .
This monthās Energy Exchange Circle will end on Wednesday, May 31 .
Thanks for spreading the love! 
[ [ Coven Member Birthdays 
] ]
Share the love by wishing your fellow coven members well on their special days! You can congratulate those with a birthday this month in the discussion:
If you wish to appear in this list, please set your birthday on your profile. Additionally, please note that the birthday list is housed in the more private A Sacred Space that is exclusive to coven members.
Please keep in mind that this monthās birthday discussion will close on Wednesday, May 31.
[ [ Your Daily Draw 
] ]
Looking for a bit of higher guidance to help you out today? This collection of daily oracle card (as well as tarot and rune) readings is available for you to access and read thanks to the generosity of the coven 
To enjoy a daily message or to share your own, visit:
Please note that this divination discussion is housed in A Sacred Space and will remain open until Friday, June 30th.
[ [ Tending the Flame ] ]
Stop by the fire and tend the flame with your coven- this ongoing discussion invites all to come in, relax, and pick up a bit of motivation and support for the day.
Share a picture of your own flames or simply enjoy the lights of the coven! 
Help tend the flame and visit the discussion in:
The Brigid Flametender discussion is hosted in A Sacred Space and will remain open throughout the year- please feel free to enjoy this activity as often as youād like!
New Members 
Merry meet to the new members who joined the Spells8 Forum over the past week!
@ray2 - @robyn3 - @rio - @karolina3 - @lynn8 - @jon - @barbie2 - @amy82 - @heather27 - @megan40 - @alisha16 - @kirstyanne - @mari5 - @lara6 - @ashley103 - @asteriamoon - @veronica13 - @renae3 - @vikki1 - @mark8 - @tammy24 - @lillian5 - @susana - @patricia25 - @deborah23 - @janet6 - @autumn5 - @breanna7 - @keithen1 - @styx - @kristen25 - @jeanette2 - @jenifer2 - @destiny16 - @hailey3 - @lawrence1 - @andrea1 - @katie27 - @sandy6 - @olivia12 - @marie23 - @laura51 - @jennifer152 - @destiny17 - @olivia13 - @riss - @lilija - @suzanne9 - @amos - @Moomin - @tasha16 - @emmanuella - @donna6 - @jo-anne - @napu - @candice2 - @ron - @mikah - @carlene4 - @GreenPagan13 - @alisha17 - @rachael2 - @ana5 - @christi1 - @adrian5 - @lauren32 - @nikki-anne1 - @keely - @tianna1 - @cyrus - @rachel62 - @chelsie4 - @chelsea39 - @Lady_Nyx - @teresa15 - @destiny18
If you havenāt done so already, please jump in by creating a new topic in the Introductions Category . You might share a bit about who you are and your journey into practicing magick, or simply say hello to your fellow magick-lovers
Wishing you a very warm welcome to the forum!
Special Shout-Outs 
Forum Activity
Each week, those who share the most posts and give the most hearts receive an Activity Shout-Out.
Shout-outs from this past week go to:
(On a two-week shout-out streak!)Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and inspiration through posts and your love and support through hearts- your time here helping the coven is greatly appreciated! 
Click here to learn more about Activity Shout Out Rewards
Anyone who earns a shout-out for three weeks in a row is awarded the special MMM badge (and will not be counted in Activity shout-outs again for a two-month rest period. This is simply to give others a chance to earn the badge too!) .
The legends who have won the MMM badge 5 times will no longer be counted- they have earned their place in the Forum Hall of Fame !
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Community
Once a month, any member who goes above and beyond for their fellow coven members day after day over the course of the entire previous month receives a Community Shout-Out.
Community Awarded users for April 2023 are:
It takes a lot of dedication to welcome and help fellow coven members feel at home here every day- everything you do is very much appreciated!
Click here to learn more about Community Shout Out Awards
All those who receive a monthly Community Shout-Out are awarded the CCC Badge.
As this is a difficult badge to earn (it takes a lot of dedication to welcome/share messages for fellow coven members every day over the course of the whole month!), there are no limits to how many users can receive this monthly shout-out. This badge is just a small thank you to show appreciation for the daily work these users do to make their fellow coven members feel at home
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And Thank YOU! 
Weād also like to say a very big thank you to all members of Spells8
Your contributions and presence here help to make this a welcoming and supportive place for solitary witches all around the world. Thanks for being a part- Spells8 canāt exist without you! 
Blessed Sabbat, Full Moon, and Lunar Eclipse! 
Itās sure to be an exciting week- what are you looking forward to most?
Whether itās magickal or mundane, feel free to share your current happenings or give a shout-out to your fellow coven members in the comments below.
Blessed Be!
Things somehow end up happening that arenāt on my schedule ā I wish the universe would check my schedule before adding things to my to-do list 
to 
so after those I should be back to somewhat of a flow 
and it has not been fun! I do have a few teas I like, so itās not all bad lol just a big adjustment.
! We love you 
& they were pretty goodā¦ bold? Not sure thats the right word. 
try b-12 I know getting off the caffeine can be difficult but I believe in you you are magical!
