Merry Meet Monday: Witchy News of the Week (Jul 13 - 19) 🌑

BryWisteria · July 13, 2026, 11:38am

Welcome to your weekly update about what’s happening in the forum and the witchy world at large

Here’s the news for this week

Please remember that you must be logged into your Spells8 account in order to view content located in A Sacred Space and the Energy Exchange.

Don’t have an account yet? No worries! You can join Spells8 here

Upcoming Events

Mark your calendars so you don’t miss out on these upcoming events and occasions!

[ [ Moon Phase: New Moon ] ]

→ Tuesday, July 14

For the second major moon phase this week, we will be blessed by the presence of a new moon. The exact time of the peak of this moon phase will depend on your location

While many witches see the New Moon as a time of rest and reflection, others choose to cast magick spells specific to this phase of the moon cycle.

You can learn more about the symbolism, traditions, and best-suited spellwork for this moon phase in the New Moon Rituals Guide

Ready for More Moon Magick? You can find complementary spells and rituals for tonight’s moon on the Spells8 Lunar Spell Page

[ [ Group Ritual ] ]

→ Thursday, Jul 16

You’re invited to a group ritual meditation- this activity and discussion 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 duration of the ritual.

Group rituals are held on Thursday in A Sacred Space and remain open through the weekend. Feel free to check out the most recent group ritual to get an idea about what to expect.

UPDATE: This week’s group ritual can be found here: (Group Ritual - Jul 16) Creativity, Motivation & Energy Boost!

[ [ Fun Friday ] ]

→ Friday, Jul 17

The end of the week means it’s time for some fun! Come join @Feathertip on a weekly exploration through thought-provoking questions - all in the name of a good time with your coven mates.

Fun Friday (Part 4)

New questions are shared in the Fun Friday discussion every weekend.

[ [ Additional Events of Interest ] ]

Other interesting events this week include:

Tuesday, July 14 - Pandemonium Day
Friday, July 17 - Night of the Cradle and Birthday of the Goddess Isis
Sunday, July 19 - Ice Cream Day

Stay on top of witchy news with the NEW 2026 Pagan Holiday Calendar. You can also add the Spells8 Forum Events Calendar to your digital calendar

Ongoing Activities

These activities are ongoing and are open to enjoy whenever you’d like - feel free to participate any time before their deadlines!

[ [ Witch Challenge ] ]

Join your coven and explore an area of magick! These challenges encourage magickal learning and everyone is warmly encouraged to participate in a way that reflects their unique magickal practice. All entrants receive a small prize.

Are you ready? Join the current challenge and read entries here:

WITCHY CHALLENGE - Transforming Trash into Treasure

This challenge will remain open until: Tuesday, July 21 at 7:00 AM ET (Eastern US Time)

[ [ Tarot Talks ] ]

Improve your tarot reading skills here! This month-long exploration of the cards is hosted by @leilani1. Check back each day for a new daily prompt to work on and help you connect with your deck.

Visit the Tarot space:

Tarot Talks July 2026

[ [ Lenormand Challenge ] ]

Have you used Lenormand cards before? Branch out and explore a fascinating method of divination! This month-long exploration of the cards is hosted by @dan3. Check back each day for a new daily prompt to work on with your deck.

Visit the Lenormand Challenge here:

July Lenormand 2026

[ [ Self-Care Collective ] ]

Self-care is important, but it can be hard to do on your own - for accountability and companionship, come join this Self-Care Collective hosted by @Artemisia. Everyone is welcome to share their self-care updates and check-in with fellow coven members.

Visit the Self-Care Collective here:

Self-Care Collective July, August & September 2026

[ [ Book Club - Practical Magic ] ]

Calling all readers and magickal book enthusiasts! To celebrate the upcoming release of Practical Magic 2, @TS5 is leading a reading group. Come stop by to chat about the books and movies until the big release in September.

Practical Magic Book Club

[ [ Energy Exchange Circle ] ]

The Energy Exchange Circle is hosted in the Energy Exchange and is the place to connect and share love with fellow Coven members going through hard times. To do a good deed and show that you care, consider leaving a note of support in the current thread:

Energy Exchange Circle July 2026

[ [ Coven Member Birthdays ] ]

Let’s celebrate! Here is a space to honor coven members on their birthdays. If you wish to appear in this list, please set your birthday on your profile.

Come wish your fellow coven members well on their special days:

July 2026 Let’s Celebrate Birthdays!

[ [ Coven Daily Draw ] ]

Want to draw a card for the coven? This shared space is for daily shared readings. Feel free to draw a card (or rune, ogham, pendulum, tea reading, etc - all forms of divination are welcome) for the collective, or stop by to read the messages for the day.

Daily Draw - July, August, September 2026

[ [ Magickal Study Buddies ] ]

Ready to bring your studies to the next level? Work together with a buddy! Magickal study buddies are fellow practitioners who are studying the same areas of the Craft as you. Connect with others to boost motivation, gain inspiration, stay accountable, and (hopefully!) make new friends with similar magickal interests

Magickal Study Buddies 2026 - Find Someone to Study With

The Magickal Study Buddies discussion will remain open indefinitely for connecting with fellow magickal learners. Happy studies!

[ [ A Spell A Day ] ]

Want to add some magick to your day, but not sure what to cast? The Spell-A-Day has you covered!

Over the years, a vast archive of magickal spells, resources, information and more has been collected from around Spells8. Every day, one spell that taps into the energy of the day is brought out of the library and put on display for all to see and enjoy.

Spell for Today

There is a new spell post every day, so stop by A Sacred Space > Spell-A-Day whenever you visit the forum to see the recommended daily spell!

New Members

Merry meet to the new members who have joined the Spells8 Forum over the past week!

Welcome to the Forum and the Infinite Roots Coven!

@karyn - @mark3 - @isabel4 - @patricia19 - @rebecca38 - @danielle6 - @sonja1 - @maren - @trevor2 - @tammie

If you haven’t done so already, please get started by creating a new topic in the Introductions category. Feel free to share a bit about who you are and your journey into practicing magick, or simply say a quick hello - we’d love to meet you!

Wishing you a very warm welcome to the forum!

Special Shout-Outs

Forum Super Stars

Each week, those who share the most posts and give the most hearts receive a shout-out and thank you for their contributions.

Shout-outs from this past week go to:

@leilani1 for sharing the most posts

@dan3 for giving out the most hearts

Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and love with the coven, it 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, so that others will have a chance to earn the badge too!) . Those who have won the MMM badge 5 times will no longer be counted, as they have earned their place in the legendary Forum Hall of Fame

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And Thank YOU!

We’d 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 can’t exist without you!

Welcome to the Ides of July! How has this month been going for you so far?

Whether it’s magickal or mundane, feel free to share your plans for the week, chat about upcoming spellwork, or give a shout-out to your fellow coven members in the comments below.

Blessed be

Amethyst · July 13, 2026, 12:22pm

I am curious, yet also afraid of this day. Seems like it was made for the Weasley Twins or something. LOL!

Congratulations to @leilani1 and @dan3 for being awesome witches! Thank you for your kindness and care!

And hi to all the new people! Hope you’re enjoying the forum!

Going to the chiropractor again this morning. I’m thinking this is my last visit. It doesn’t seem to be helping me that much. It was worth a shot, though, so at least I tried something. I’m going to the dermatologist again tomorrow. My skin problem flared up, and it hasn’t gotten any better. I hates it.

I haven’t been doing my morning rituals for a while; I was just too blah to do it. But I’m starting to feel better, so I think I’ll restart at the New Moon tomorrow! I am feeling better, though, so that new medicine I started must be helping some. I’m also remembering more of my dreams, which I don’t normally do unless it’s a work dream. I hate it when I dream I’m back to working, because they stress me out. But yay, I’m feeling like doing stuff again! Whee!

Hope everyone has a good week! Stay safe and remember to wash your fruits and veggies!

georgia · July 13, 2026, 1:44pm

Welcome, all! Merry Meet!

Congratulations! Great Work!

We’ll know for sure if we see a dragon made of fireworks chasing us!

This week should be a quiet one for me. Bingo tomorrow. A cool front is coming and bringing some clouds.

Fun Friday reminded me that we used to hear frogs in spring, but it has been a good 6 or 7 years. I’m hoping there is enough rain to bring back the frogs. Also, we have not had a mess of grasshoppers since I moved here 19 years ago. We couldn’t move outdoors without crushing 10 of them per step. The Rio Grande is still totally dry, and major companies are still watering grass. I miss the kingbirds’ laugh and dripping songs in the rain. A landscaper took out the dead bushes around our building, but left the half dry bushes, so it doesn’t look much better.

dan3 · July 13, 2026, 2:30pm

We used to have huge songbird populations but the birds haven’t recovered from the Avian Flu in 20 and 21. It was not advertised much because of that other epidemic. It is sadly quiet around here.

Great! When I have the occasional funk, it feels so good to get going again.

Our street is repaired! What a huge undertaking for a small cul-de-sac. Done now - the doggo is really happy about it.

The ‘hearts’ shout out was unexpected but almost certainly because I was digging through old posts searching for stuff last week. Congrats to @leilani1 for most posts and for keeping the Tarot daily draw area going!

The SO is mad at me because I ate both chicken legs.

Feathertip · July 13, 2026, 3:22pm

Welcome, everyone! We’re happy you’re here!

Congrats to you two rock stars for the shout-outs!

Sorry about that - I’ve been to a couple that helped a lot, and some that it was a “one and done” kind of thing. BUT - I’m glad to hear you’re feeling better overall, and maybe the new medicine is kicking in and helping with that. Morning rituals can be important, but not when you have the blahs - so, yay!!

Yes, it’s dry and hot out there in your part of the world. I’m sure they’re around, but have had to move on to more lush accommodations. Here’s hoping for some nourishing rain, for both the Rio Grande and the froggies.

Agreed - there was so much emphasis on other things, not to mention other birds that were impacted - mainly, the chicken population and egg shortages. Not much headline space for songbirds.

Hurray for the street project being done! I’m sure the pup is the happiest one!

Well! It does seem like you could have shared.

Last week was all about my mad scramble to get the household back to order after three days without power. So I didn’t mention that the elusive landscaper texted me out of the blue with this: “Never heard back from you, are you still interested in my plans?”

I was not in the mood to hear her re-write of events, trying to put the lack of communication on my end. So after I waited a few hours to temper my annoyance, I texted her back:

“Hi ----, it’s nice to hear from you. To clarify, when we last had contact on June 1, you canceled our meeting due to an unexpected delivery, and you wrote: “Sorry for the confusion, I’ll talk soon” when you forwarded the plans. So I have been waiting for to hear from you about arranging another meeting. I assumed you got busy enough that you didn’t have time for the project…”

…and then I told her I did like her plans, but being now in the heat of July it didn’t seem the right time to plant, and in the meantime I was interested in getting an actual quote for the work, since she’s never given me one. I thought that would happen when she was ready to come out for another meeting - time to talk turkey! I checked my records, and I first reached out to her April 2nd. !!

I sent her that text last week, and of course have been met with crickets. Just thought I’d refresh her memory while still toying with the idea we might do some work in the fall. Perhaps I have offended her by stating the facts? muahahahaha…!

I have two icky medical appointments this week. Dentist tomorrow (where once again there might be mention of crowns, which I will once again kick down the road), and then on Thursday - I’m going to get the platelet injection therapy in both knees. He warned me that these shots will be a bit “different” than others - ie, larger needles, more pain, more soreness, blah blah blah. Luckily I’m stoic and just want to do the damn thing.

So - some stress, but whatever. We’re also having a(nother) mini-heatwave this week - triple digits tomorrow, and a few extra hot days around that before things drop back to normal.

Best news - this happened yesterday:

Sorry for the crappy photo - this female Eastern Black Swallowtail is only minutes old, and I could not disturb her so just shot through the mesh of the cage. I had just peeked at the chrysalis before going out to water and check on the bird feeder - and she was out and waiting when I got back.

No more pictures, either - after two hours, she was crawling around the cage and beating her wings impatiently. When I unzipped the cage to offer her my hand and draw her out (best time for a photo) she barely waited for me to raise the flap and she darted out the door and took off. Big, gorgeous girl!

Now there’s only one more chrysalis on the parsley plant in the cage, and I really hope this one waits until after the heat wave!

Wishing a wonderful week for everyone. Stay cool and safe, lovelies.

dan3 · July 13, 2026, 3:47pm

Love these updates. Let us know when the last one leaves. I keep 'awwww’ing when I read their adventures in becoming beautiful creatures.

Landscapers are the worst in the Spring. They overbook and under deliver. A Fall job is less crowded but with your particular one it seems iffy. We have basic contracts with a reliable lawn company but when we have specialty jobs, it is such a hassle.

Dentists! Yep. They try to talk us into expensive procedures that are specious at best.

Feathertip · July 13, 2026, 4:04pm

Agreed about the dentist, which is why I don’t mind kicking it down the road. I’m a fairly compliant patient and if I really start noticing issues I’ll gladly go do it. Sort of.

I’m glad! I’m checking the last chrysalis every few hours. Once they start to darken and harden it’s getting very close. This one is still pretty green, just a tad darker at the top. They were 5 days apart in pupating. Fingers crossed this one holds out a few more days.

Moonbeam · July 13, 2026, 8:17pm

Merry Meet! to all our new members and a very warm welcome to the Forum, The Witchy News for the Week is full of information, upcoming events, notes of interest put together by our lovely @BryWisteria wonderful categories listed by my fellow coven members. Please do have a look I am sure you will find them interesting.

Congratulations @leilani1 Lady Gene and hosting this month’s Tarot and @dan3 for and hosted the monthly Lenormand. I have the pleasure of passed my Special Badge to Dan.

To all my fellow coven members thank you for your posts.

@Amethyst

I would go back to your Doctor to see if there is anything else could be done. In the UK they follow a pattern, first it is physio and pain management, then X-Rays, CT, MRI and injections and it can take absolutely months and years to get to the next stage on their criteria! What makes me frustrated is that they cannot know the further damage that is being caused. Your skin flare-up is that caused by stress as you are in pain and that could be a trigger.

That is good have a blessed week

@georgia

The wildlife are struggling and what you have said is proof enough it is shocking how in such a short time the impact has affected these species and others where you live. Good luck at bingo tomorrow.

Are they coming back to remove the rest? I would get contact them if they had agreed to remove all the bushes. Hoping you get it sorted out.

@dan3

Thank goodness it has taken a long time. Glad doggo is settling back down. Have a peaceful week.

@Feathertip

Sounds to me that another project that she commissioned to do has withdrawn and so she is backtracking to see if you had found someone else. Start afresh when you are ready if the latest company you went to see? If not then there will be a Company who will firstly come to your home, give you a quotation and a definite start date you are going to pay for a service and deserve respect so for me she has lost out because of her unprofessional actions. Don’t let it affect your vision, desire for your garden.

Wishing you healing blessings for both your appointments not pleasant either of them but if they manage to help you short pain hopefully your knees will ease

Your photograph really good what a beautiful butterfly I have never seen one like that. Thank you for taking it and from what you have said you had to be quick. Well as you have said one to go.

With love and light

dan3 · July 13, 2026, 9:43pm

That is so sweet. Thank you!

Feathertip · July 13, 2026, 9:53pm

Ha! That’s very insightful, thank you!

They may only be in North America? Not sure of that. Glad you liked her one and only photo.

Yes, down to a single one now.

Amethyst · July 13, 2026, 10:14pm

Very true!

Climate Change is terrible. I don’t know how people don’t believe it’s real. I mean, you didn’t hear about heat domes thirty years ago!

Yeah. It’s always hard to start. I feel guilty somehow. Like I’ve been playing hooky from school.

Yay! I bet you and the SO is happy too!

I can get that. I always scammed my parents out of both chicken legs as a kid.

Yeah, I’ll be happy to start up again. Thanks for the cheer leaing!

Better to hear a nice truth than a silly lie.

Oh, ick. Neither one of those sounds good. Good luck, dear heart!

So pretty! She just burst out of that cocoon! Nice! Thanks for the picture!

Wow. She took off fast!

I’ve had x-rays, and I can’t get physio until I finish PT for my legs. So yeah. It may be a while. I don’t think she’ll care. But I’ll mention it to her.

Could be. It’s an autoimmune thing, but it can also be affected by heat. So yeah. Not having fun.

Thanks, love! You too!

Artemisia · July 14, 2026, 1:05am

Congratulations on the shout-outs :tada and thank you @leilani1 for sharing so much of your wisdom and @dan3 for sharing so much of your love with the group.

Have you ever had one of those day that by the time you get to the end of it, you aren’t sure what day it is? Yep that’s today Got a bit too much sun and heat exposure on my run on Saturday and ended up with mild heat exhaustion. Still limping along today and decided to stay home and take care of “low energy” tasks around the house (saving the call to the IRS about a taxes + interest + penalties letter for tomorrow). Gave my orchids a spa day and trimmed and watered all my terrariums (all 8), vacuumed, did laundry and vacuumed and mopped the downstairs. I was just sitting down to tidy up emails and things and thought man, it’s middle of the week and I forgot the MMM!!!

Yep, it’s still Monday In any case I don’t have much going on this week. I was grateful that we had a rainy day today - not a ton of rain, but I’ll take the several hours of light rain!! Newt is doing alright so far post vaccine , SO is home for a CME week so that will shift my schedule, still working on laying out the large river rocks in the backyard and am about 2/3rds done-ish? We had a cloud burst on Saturday and I was pleased as punch to see the rock spillway I made for a gutter drain working well Sometimes it’s the little things

Wishing everyone a great start to their week! Off to bed early

leilani1 · July 14, 2026, 1:13am

wow Artemisia,

that does not sound too much like “low energy” tasking Lady Gene

Feathertip · July 14, 2026, 2:35am

That’s no joke! I’m glad you stayed home, but it sounds like you still managed to do a lot of chores. Girl, you gotta take a nap sometimes!

Kidding aside, I admire your energy. But don’t forget self-care.

That’s awesome! I remember you worked hard getting that in place. Glad it’s working as intended!

Hope you have a restful week.

Moonbeam · July 14, 2026, 7:49am

@Artemisia

I have only 1 terrariums they are so easy to look after. I have a combination of hydroponic plants , houseplant compost. Whatever the weather is outside it lovely to have greenery inside. Are Orchids difficult to look after?

It can come on without really noticing a good reminder to everyone. Glad you have had some much needed rain even as you say light and you got to see that your gutter drain is working well another success. Have a restful week to fully recover and re-boost your energies.

Many Blessings

Moonbeam · July 14, 2026, 8:38am

Happy Tuesday

Oh I forgot to mention my news for this week. I am off work this week as on Saturday I brought home a new addition to our family a new German Shorthair Pointer Puppy.

When we went to view the puppies I was hoping that the one that we seen from the photographs and videos which our Breeder had posted was still available as we wanted different colouring and watching her could see how she would develop. They were all lovely so we had prepared ourselves that she could have already been chosen. When we arrived there was only one little girl left and it was her I had butterflies and connected with her immediately.

We have called her Summer as it was Summer Solstice which felt right. Summer has brought so much joy to our home already and a very confident puppy and my other GSP are helping her to settle bless them. She loves her food and has already learnt her name, to sit, go to bed and is sleeping 6 hours a night at 8 weeks so she is well ahead for her age. She tells us that she wants to go out so no accidents which is amazing. My Husband is off next week and I will be in only 3 days the following week. I don’t work on a Wednesday my Husband will call home when I go back at lunchtime and also works from home in the afternoon. She is keeping us all entertained.

Brightness Blessings

Amethyst · July 14, 2026, 11:04am

WOW! That’s a lot of stuff. I’m sorry you had heat problems. I hope you’re feeling better!

I hope you take a bit of a break and rest this week.

Yay! I’m happy for Newt!

Congratulations! I hope you and Summer have a happy life together! I just love those ears! I have a fondness for German Shorthair Pointers. I’m a Robert B. Parker fan, and in his Spencer books, that’s the kind of dog Spencer and Susan share. They’re always named Pearl. LOL! Thank you for sharing the pictures!

Feathertip · July 14, 2026, 1:03pm

Oh, that’s so wonderful. She was still there and now she’s happy and behaving so perfectly. So mote it be!

I forgot to say Hurray! about this. Hurray!

Good pet news all around.

georgia · July 14, 2026, 1:40pm

That’s on the apartment complex’ new owners. We were chatting about the names of these bushes, but the landscaper had no idea what they were. Only the higher ups have that info. Even they may be oblivious. The irrigation system had been turned off, which caused so many of the plants to die or need ambitious pruning. This landscaper was only a grunt: he didn’t even know that north facing areas are much more shaded and thus are harder on plants.

Do you know what you get when you cross a chicken with a centipede? Enough legs for the whole family to eat! Do you know what you get when you cross a turkey with a centipede? A Midwest festival!

I should say so! Just reading all you’ve done makes me exhausted and jealous of your energy levels. Rest well, dear. You’ve earned it.

My mother raised orchids a while in my youth. We had a special sun room because they need a lot of light and steady temperatures. She had so many that she got tired of watering them and let them go. At least she had the experience instead of sitting in her jealousy of the main character in the TV show Ironsides. Was it difficult? Maybe not calorie consuming, but possibly heavy on occasion. It was financially tricky to keep the sunroom from leaking in the rain or getting too cold in winter. Some types of orchids needed more light in winter, and the lamps were financially oppressive. Orchids are like raising birds: they need a lot of attention and a steady environment.

You and Summer were meant to be together!

Good kitty! Pet. I’m glad you’re feeling better, this time.