🐚 Weekly Witchy CHALLENGE - Of Seas, Sands, and Tides

[Murphy]

I always used to go to the Jersey Shore during the summer when I was a kid! I still haven’t been to the Gulf yet (despite living in Texas for almost ten years), but we have plenty of natural water to swim in near me.

So hopefully this will count, it’s a little odd! Back in January, I found something called a float spa. It’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like! You go in a tank filled with about a foot of salt water and…you float! Lights are off, what sound there is gets muffled by the water and the walls of the tank. It’s the perfect environment for meditation or just kind of shutting down for an hour or so. Being autistic, it’s pretty much my favorite hour of each month, haha!

I’m definitely a fire person (Sagittarius and Leo all OVER that natal chart), so taking the time to just exist and let the water support me is a great exercise in discipline and stillness for me. I’m sort of forced to deal with whatever comes up because there’s not much else to do.

Anyway, I highly recommend giving it a go if you have one in your area. It’s great for anyone but really helps with sensory issues, joint pain (since you’re essentially weightless and floating in Epsom salt), and just getting some alone time with the water.

[Susurrus]

@Murphy that sounds amazing! I am going to have to look that up & see if there is any of them near me or offered somewhere I may be going to soon! Thank you!

I have joint pain from a chronic condition, and severe anxiety, & love meditation. I just would love to be able to float in salt water without being at a public beach or another spot by the ocean… Hmmm… Thank you for sharing your entry!

@christina4 I have a piece of coral from the Caribbean that I received as a gift. I have that with my collection of shells that are throughout my altar & in my cabinets. I also have larger shells in my front garden with bunny statues

@jessica72 those books look worth a try, I have a lot of shells, ocean water, beach sand, and sea glass. I would love ideas to use some of the items for my practice. Some things I use for my crafts, such as resin art when I make trays that look like the edge of the beach where the waves come up the sand.

@Amaris_Bane I sometimes use rocks or other items from the beach & throw them into the ocean as releasing firey energies, such as anger or frustration or built up energy that needs to go that is not good energy. I like the idea of writing in the sand at the water’s edge to wash them away too, maybe for not-so-firey emotions or situations.

I haven’t been to the Gulf Coast since I went to FL & we went on a cruise through the Caribbean & Mexico. It’s beautiful there though. I did live in a landlocked state, but that didn’t last long. I couldn’t stand not being able to go to the water whenever I needed or wanted to be there.

[Janae_Rochele]

I live in Illinois, which is a huge let down because I’d love to be by the ocean right now!!! I used to live in Florida (half of my life) and I’m due for a visit. BUT - this week I will have to improvise with what I can and I’m so excited because this is different and I’m obsessed with the ocean!

[Amaris_Bane]

@Susurrus

It’s beautiful there though

Depends on what part you go, lol. Galveston, Tx has, I kid you not, fecal matter alerts to let you know how much human waste is in the water.

We go to Matagorda, Tx which is usually cleaner but the water is still ugggg. Now the water on the Florida side is gorgeous!!

[Susurrus]

@Amaris_Bane when I was 5 my brother & I lived in Dallas, TX with my father & at the time his girlfriend. Fast forward about 12 years & I lived in Austin, TX with a fiance for a time. I loved it & I got to see surrounding towns & areas when we had time.

Eventually, I had to move home, but I took a 3-day train ride which was amazing going through the country that way to get to Boston, MA.

[Susurrus]

@marsha

This is a Lunar Return for me!

I had recently (2021) found out about a Solar Return, it never dawned on me that there would be a Lunar Return! Something else to add to my list of things to look into!

[Ostara]

We go to Matagorda too. Hubby said no to the beach this weekend because of the extreme heat and the extreme gas prices. Lol!

[AileyGrey]

@Ostara

and the extreme gas prices. Lol!

You are not kidding! The fam usually pounds the pavement in the summer because I am off and we are all free! We are known to just jump in the car and go (I keep a summer adventure bag packed for just such occasions), but this summer I think we are just going to stay close to home. Maybe. We have wandering feet… so it’s hard!

[BryWisteria]

@jem1

Yay,sea witchery!

Hooray! Hahaha I always love your enthusiasm, Jem

@Murphy

just exist and let the water support me is a great exercise in discipline and stillness for me.

That sounds amazing- I’ve heard of something similar (closed room water meditations), but I have to admit that I don’t know too much about it. It sounds like a fantastic way to cool off any excess fire energy and meditate in the salt water

I don’t think it’s odd at all- I would definitely give it a try if the opportunity came up! I think it’s awesome that you take the time to do it once a month. It sounds like a really soothing time! Thank you so much for sharing your entry and also for the great recommendation, Murphy!

@Janae_Rochele

I’m so excited because this is different and I’m obsessed with the ocean!

Yay!!! Oh I’m so happy you’re excited about the theme- it sounds like the ocean has a big place in your heart! You can draw on that love and call for the ocean no matter where you are physically. I hope you enjoy your sea spellwork this week- have fun with it!

[Ostara]

I was exploring sea witchery on line and found this on the Moody Moons website

Sea Kelp & Coconut Ritual Bath Salts (Sea Witch)

3 sheets dried seaweed- Seaweed symbolizes the unknowable depths of the soul and riddling secrecy of the origins of life.

1-2 tablespoons liquid coconut oil-Coconut represents love, dreams coming to fruition, and sensual womanhood.

3/4 cup sea salt-Cleansing, healing, and protection.

Basically it’s a beach in a jar! I just need to find the seaweed.

[Amaris_Bane]

Oh my gosh yes! This heat is kicking my butt right now. I told my husband that I didn’t know how I was going to survive once our actual summer got here!

[Amaris_Bane]

Oh, the hill country is AMAZING!! I try to go there whenever I can. We actually went to Fredericksburg for my birthday last year. And my silly self left my driver’s license at home so I couldn’t visit any of the wineries.

[Ostara]

I hate when people ask for my ID. It’s like, really???, I’m a 55 year old woman (and I look it) so if you think I’m under 21 I need to play the lottery!

[Kasandra]

For this challenge, I decorated my altar with sea shells. A blend of Florida Water was perfect for my essential oil diffuser since the smell of oranges and lemons reminded of the state’s beaches.

I left an offering of water mixed with sea salt for Delphin.

I invoked him by saying,
Delphin, ruler of the sea,
Of a kingdom mostly unseen
I call to thee
In the darkness
In the stillness
I call to thee
In the deep
Where shipswrecks sleep
I call to thee

Next, I lit a blue candle for the ocean and a white candle for tranquility and prayed,

O timeless Delphin,
You who embody the sea’s gentler side
I pray for all the souls that have been lost in its tides

And I pray especially for the fifteen hundred souls
Who perished with Titanic,
A ship that is no longer whole
Our hearts need not bleed
For the waters of blessed Summer Land never freeze
And sunny days are guaranteed

Nearer, my God, to thee
Nearer, my God, to thee
Nearer, my God, to thee

Blessed be.
Blessed be.
Blessed be.

Merry meet and merry part

I have to give credit to Titanic’s Lament by Karliene for helping me write Delphin’s invocation and Prayer For Titanic’s Deceased… all souls lost at sea.

Karliene - Titanic’s Lament

I would like to end with a short prayer that you can say to Delphin whenever you feel like you need to go with the flow.

O Delphin,
Be my guide,
From the darkness,
Be my light
From the stillness,
From the deep,
May peace be within my reach

May I go with the flow
And learn to say “no”
To all energy,
All thoughts, all actions, all words,
And all people that do not serve me
So mote it be.

[Sarafeena_Sage]

@Ostara in Utah they card ya if you look under 40!

@AileyGrey I hear ya on the $Fuel$ costs. We are visiting things close to home this summer. Also, we are going to use some public transpo and take the train when we can. I really want to try those electric scooters too LOL

@Murphy That sounds like a wonderful experience! I bet the epsom salt helps with aches and pains. Very cool entry

@jessica72 You are in a prime beach going location! Hope to see a pic of your doggies sunbathing or surfing lol

Everyones posts are great!

Happy Friday (Freyas Day!) Everyone

[Torista]

Here in Utah, we are far from the ocean, but there used to be a massive (and I do mean MASSIVE) lake. Lake Bonneville covered most of the most populated part of this state. My original plan for this challenge was to see if there places near my house to find seashells. But one of my first steps was to see where the closest part of the shore is.

Side note if you’re far enough away from the mountains you can see several different shorelines.

But at first all the articles I could find were about the ever-receding shores of the great salt lake which is one of the remants of lake Bonneville and I was some what surprised to find out that it’s may be completely gone within my lifetime. Just since the mormon pioneers came the shore has receded more than 1,000 feet; in less than 400 years.

One of the articles I read mentioned how this would exaggerate the already bad drought and how the decease of lake effect storms have already effected the environment. Lake effect storms here have a distinctive briney smell and this got me thinking. They used to be a fairly regular thing when I was young and I can’t even remember the last time I noticed the smell.

It makes me sad because there are lots of endangered species reserves on what used to be islands that are struggling to preserve the animals they were meant to protect now because the animals can easily wander away and it’s much easier for predators to get into the reserves since they are all peninsulas now. I’ve been trying to think of something I could do to help but I haven’t thought of anything yet.

I also just happened to visit one of the reservoirs here last weekend with a bunch of family because we were all sick of yard work in the hottest part of the day and I got very sunburnt because I forgot to put on more sunscreen after changing into my swimming suit.

[AileyGrey]

I love this @Ostara! I was looking for something similar, but hadn’t gotten that far! I may try this! I may try tonsnag some seaweed at the market tomorrow!

[martje]

I have had a very busy week so I thought maybe I just let this one pass by, but it started to do it’s job on the background. First I made a playlist with sea/ ocean songs. It was relaxing to do, I didn’t have to think about it, I just let it sooth me
And then I made a collage of different photo s I once made at seasides. The sea is far away from me , I cannot go there anytime I want.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1iyDyhVN8QANox2QnPeuSN?si=hDDJe5tZTPu9MBpfKun7fw
I listened to it when I went to sleep
And this morning a poem came to mind

I am carried by the waves of live

What s going down is coming up

I am going to take this dive

By taking it in and drink this cup

The waves are carrying me

Care for me

Carrying me

Into the void, into the sea

No thoughts, no worries no emotions

Just the experience of a thousand oceans

My mind is at peace

All the rest I release

Martje

This afternoon I am going to take a bath with Dead Sea salt and lavender. I will reclaim this poem in the bath.

I can’t do it now, have to buy the Dead Sea salt first.

[Susurrus]

@Kasandra that is a great entry & work with “Seas, Sands, & Tides”, I love the way you incorporate your dragon work into each challenge or work. I’m very impressed with how far you have come!

@Amaris_Bane, @Ostara, @Torista… we get carded here if we look under 45. I get carded by new employees & then if I go to a more chain type of convenience store. I should have frequent flyer miles for the 1 I go to each day. I know all 3 shifts & their managers, the office manager, the general manager who is the son of the owners I get carded there & I know it’s someone new. I get excited though because on a normal day, the chances of me getting carded aren’t that high.

@martje that is a lovely collage & I love to listen to ocean sounds. I never thought to make a playlist, but I bet it could help if I play it for a time when I go to bed for the evening. I have always loved the ocean & this challenge is making me wonder if maybe over the years I have taken living so close for granted by not completely understanding that this really is a privilege because not everyone can be this close all year.

Well, that was my deep though for 6:30 AM… time for my 2nd coffee

[jem1]

My Challenge Entry
Although I live in England, I am currently live in a land locked town, so for this challenge I decided to paint a picture of the ocean.
To get me into the spirit, I used salt water instead of regular water and I surrounded myself with some beach items I have collected. I then played some ocean sounds and I imagened myself on a beach so I could ground myself into the ocean’s energy. When I felt ready, I started my painting. I tried to stay present whilst doing it and throughout the painting I could feel myself relaxing more and more. Aftwrwards, I said a little sea witch prayer.
Blessed Be!