šŸ˜Š Weekly Witchy CHALLENGE - The Magick of Happiness

There has been a lot of rain over this week. As lovely as it is to have the rain, it does mean very little sun for us. By some beautiful miracle today, Christmas Eve, the sun came out in full force! My dog and I hit the park and spent some quality time with the Sun. I sat for a long time in meditation feeling the Sun beaming onto my face. I could feel my cheeks turning rosey. I was able to consider how blessed I am this year and what makes me most happy. If I may, I will keep my list of blessings to myself, but it was extensive and I feel like that is the best gift I could have ever gotten this season. Thank you for this challenge. I feel like it helped me feel a little extra glitter and magic this week. :christmas_tree: :sun: :dizzy:

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That is beautiful!

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They always make me smile!

It looks good I think! And Iā€™m oooing with you! Quartz and amethyst sand. Neat!

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Iā€™ve really been slacking on the Weekly Challenges lately, but I made sure to do this one! Itā€™s a dark time of the year, both in relation to sunlight, and to the fact that many people (myself included) suffer from seasonal affective disorder. There are also many, many people who have negative associations with the holiday season because of family troubles.

For the main part of this challenge this week, I wanted to invoke happiness within myself and to try to spread that happiness to others. To do this, I baked some spritz cookies using the recipe from one of my late grandmaā€™s cookbooks. I chose the recipe because even though I donā€™t have any memories of her making these particular cookies, it had a note written in beside it in her handwriting, so I figured sheā€™d made it at least once. I also used her measuring cups and measuring spoons, as well as her ā€œcookyā€ press to shape the cookies.

[Side note: The cookie press I have that belonged to my grandma is old enough to have been made back when the word ā€œcookieā€ was spelled as ā€œcookyā€ before the spelling shifted to the current spelling through popular usage.]

While I was mixing the cookie dough, I visualized some of the wonderful memories I have of celebrating Christmas with that side of the family, and then channeled my happiness into the dough as I mixed it. After baking the cookies, I made up a couple of plates of them and delivered them to some friends to share my happiness, love, and appreciation with my friends.

As a second component of this challenge, Iā€™ve been trying to focus on finding positive aspects in negative situations. This was put into (hardcore) practice this morning when we were woken up at about 3 oā€™clock this morning (on Christmas Day, when I was trying to sleep in!) to our fire alarm going off. Fortunately, it was just a false alarm! However, we often forget to test our smoke detectors regularly, so I took it as a sign from the universe that (1) the smoke detectors work, (2) we need to test them regularly, and (3) life is precious, and we need to appreciate and be happy for all that we have.

The past few days of really focusing on how to bring more happiness into my life has really helped me fight off the wintertime blues!

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The cookies sound lovely @Jewitch! So much love and caring went into them, they had to be special. Sorry about your fire alarm waking you up but Iā€™m so glad it was a false alarm!

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@Ostara @Amethyst Thank you both :blush: xxx

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Youā€™re welcome, my dear!

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Pardon me if these musings are jumbled or incoherent.
Back in college, some of my favorite courses were in philosophy. Morality often was discussed. That was when I first learned the definition of utilitarianism. As a refresher, utilitarianism is a system of morality where our actions should bring as much happiness as possible to others. At first glance, this seems like the best approach. Killing, stealing, lying, and cheating would make almost everyone unhappy. However, I have learned over the years that just because something makes you happy doesnā€™t necessarily mean itā€™s not harmful for you or someone else. Itā€™s important to not spread unhappiness, but at the same time, we need to consider the consequences of our actions as we pursue happiness.
We all need our basic needs met, such as food, water, clothing, shelter, and safety met. However, for us humans, thatā€™s not always enough. We need to feel loved, to feel like we belong somewhere, to feel like we are living our lives to the fullest, and so on. We are much more complicated than the animals and what makes a person happy differs from one to the other.
During this holiday season, there is a lot of emphasis on giving to the less fortunate. And I think that that is what brings happiness to most of us: not only ensuring that our needs are met, but that the needs of others are met. When you think about it, jobs are centered around providing a need (and want) for ourselves and others.
That about sums up my musings, for now, as I enjoyed some wine with sandalwood essential oil diffusing in the background.
EDIT: I feel like Iā€™m much happier this Christmas because this was the first year I didnā€™t really know what I wanted. Anything I wanted could wait or what I did want, I learned I didnā€™t really need.

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I changed it up from my original idea & incorporated it in the Group Ritual here:

Group Ritual Challenge Entry

I hope everyone is having a great weekend :infinite_roots: :two_men_holding_hands:

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I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday this weekend. I know I did and felt the love of my boys, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren excited and running all around the house. As most of you know I was sort of away with family funerals before the festival holidays, a sad time.

For my challenge of Happiness in Magic, here is my entry:

Materials:
A) 1 white candle
B) 1 yellow candle or 2 red candles.
C) symbols of happiness (things that represent what makes you happy) for me it is a locket that my Dad gave my Mother; a ring of my fatherā€™s; a necklace of my Grandmother; dolphin earrings from my Sister and finally the love I feel for Justin.
D) Bell or chimes ( if you donā€™t have a bell or chimes, you can use a drum or rattle, or create a makeshift one by using an empty jar and some dried beans or clap your hands).

Note this Spell is intended to help you to open up and invite happiness; it is up to you to work at maintaining that openness.

(ring the bell)
I open myself to joy and the possibility of happiness

(ring the bell)
I open myself to harmony and appreciation of the world around me

(ring the bell)
I open myself to love, both given and received

(ring the bell)
I open myself to fun and a childlike celebration of the little things

(ring the bell)
I open myself to joy and I am happy

(ring the bell)
So mote it be.

Source by Deborah Blake (book - Everyday Witch)

Blessed be
Debra


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Thatā€™s beautiful!

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Such profound words:)

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Glad you opened yourself to happiness @debra2, if anyone deserves it right now itā€™s you.

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@Amethyst Thank you.

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@christine13 Thank you.

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Happiness for me is creating something new. I love learning a new craft or creating from a craft I already know.

these were fun to make.

self-love bottles


New craft I learnedā€¦resin pouring. Crystal grid plate (12 inches) didnā€™t realize how big it was. Lotus flower candle holder and wand hair sticks that need some bling.

This all makes me happy because it brings happiness to whomever it ends up with.

Blessed be!

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Youā€™re welcome, my friend!

Those look great! Someone is going to be very happy when they get one of your treats!

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I love that! I am going to do that today.

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Everything is beautiful!

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@Garnet I think that turning even mundane things into an adventure is a very empowering mindset to have, Garnet! :blush: I absolutely agree- ā€œlife is what you make of itā€ are wise words indeed! :heart::muscle:

@Ostara Iā€™m so glad you like the challenge theme! Self love is a wonderful focus to work towards in the new year- I think thatā€™s a great resolution :raised_hands: And ohhh look at that gorgeous self love bottle- you included so many beautiful things :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: May your lovely spellwork help guide you towards your goal, Linda- great job and thanks for sharing!

@Amethyst The muppets! :star_struck: Iā€™ve only seen it a couple of times, but thatā€™s a classic holiday movie :christmas_tree: Thank you for sharing both a very fun song (it certainly made me smile :blush:) and your treasured family tradition, Amethyst! Itā€™s an honor that you shared it with us :infinite_roots: :heart:

@CourtneyTann Sometimes we find the things we need, right when we need them most :blush: Iā€™m so glad you like the challenge theme, Courtney! Wishing you all the best with your Shadow Work and coloring- good luck! :sparkling_heart:

@Jessica72 Beautiful work with your spell jar, Jessica- you really have a talent for jar magick! :sparkles: And wow, it looks so beautiful and warm all put together- as for the wax, I think it turned out beautiful! It fell very nicely on the jar. May your lovely spell jar continue to bring you joy and help you to smile :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

@LadyAuld.ofChico A Christmas miracle indeed- Iā€™m glad the sun came out for you! :sun_with_face: It sounds like you had a lovely meditation in the sunlight as well, such a wonderful way to bask in the warmth and find happiness in nature. Thank you for joining in and sharing such a lovely entry- I hope your week was bright and sparkly! :sparkles::grin:

@Jewitch Double points to you, Wade- for not only seeking your own happiness this week, but for also putting in the thought and effort to spread joy to others :hearts: You have a very kind heart! It sounds like your grandma really know how to make a good cookie (and fun fact about ā€œcookyā€- I didnā€™t know that! :star_struck:) and youā€™ve carried on her cooking talents with your awe-inspiring kitchen witchery :bowl_with_spoon: :sparkles: Iā€™m glad the alarm wasnā€™t anything serious, but I think you are really strong for finding the positive in such a situation! Congrats to you and thanks so much for sharing- really great job!

@Kasandra That was a really valuable lesson- it sounds like you had a really great philosophy class, Kasandra! I think what you said about the joy of giving to others is a very powerful thing. I took a Science of Happiness class a while back that talked about a study where those who gave away a free gift were happier than those who used it for themselves (article about the happiness study here)- the results of the study align with what youā€™ve said. Iā€™m glad you found happiness this Christmas in a new and freeing way! :blush::dove:

@Susurrus Thanks for your lovely entry in the group ritual, Siofra! I hope you had a lovely holiday and that the happy feelings grow brighter for you as we move into 2022 :fireworks: :heart:

@Debra2 You are surrounded by so much love, Debra- Iā€™m glad the holidays brought happiness and joy your way after the sadness youā€™ve been dealing with. That is such a lovely bell spell to call upon happiness- the ringing of the bell ties in so well with the season, this is a great one! :bell: Thanks for sharing and many blessings back to you! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

@Magdelina Happiness in crafting- I love it! :heart_eyes: You have so many talents, and the beautiful things you make bring joy to all those who see them. Wishing you all the best with your resin work- itā€™s an exciting craft to work with! Thanks for sharing both your beauties and the delight they bring :two_hearts:

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