Art Witch

You are the Spell 🐝 Creativity Tarot Reading for Mar 10-Apr 7

Episode Summary

Aries season, eclipse season, and spring are almost here! In this episode we’re talking all about the invitations for our creative growth, the seeds and foundation we’re establishing for the upcoming months. Listen as Zaneta shares information on the energies for this lunar cycle and how we can work with them in our art.

Episode Notes

In this episode we talk all about our unique essence, the magic and potency of authenticity, and how, just as flowers attract specific pollinators, we attract specific people to our art.  

Mentioned in this episode:

About the Host

Zaneta (they/them) is a queer, multi Brooklyn-based sound ritualist, listening educator, nature recordist, creativity activist, tarot reader, and podcast host. At the core of their work is a deep desire to remember how to live in interconnectedness.  Whether that is through meditation and connecting with the self, or in community rituals to connect to the land, Zaneta weaves sound and ritual to create experiences that transform the way participants hear and connect to the world.  

In the spirit of an interconnected world, Zaneta focuses on supporting folx to make their art and express themselves fully, knowing that interconnection and interdependence are rooted in our individual wholeness and that our authentic creative expression is at the heart of that wholeness.  It’s towards this collective vision that Zaneta offers channeled tarot readings for creative liberation, and offers readings to support artists in navigating their careers and projects.

 

To learn more about Zaneta’s work visit

www.soundartmagic.com

Instagram @soundartmagic
 

About the Podcast

Art Witch is where creativity, magic, and healing align for personal and collective liberation.  Hosted by Brooklyn-based sound ritualist, arts educator, and tarot reader Zaneta, Art Witch aims to provide resources for the creative journey. In this podcast you’ll hear from a variety of artists, witches, healers, and experts sharing their wisdom and stories, all with the intention of helping folx make art and share their unique magic with the world.

Art Witch has a Patreon community where members meet regularly for group meditations, full moon rituals, and community conversations on art and magic. In addition, we have a full library of meditations and videos for the creative mystical journey. 

To support this podcast and become a member, visit www.patreon.com/soundartmagic

Instagram @artwitchpodcast

Episode Transcription

You are the Spell_Art Witch_New Moon Pisces_Mar 10 2024

[00:00:00] Zaneta: Hello and welcome to Artwitch, the podcast where creativity, magic, and healing align for personal and collective liberation. I'm your host Zaneta and welcome. Artwitch aims to provide resources for creative empowerment, helping folks make and share their art and also find their authentic expression. In this podcast, you'll hear from.

variety of artists, witches, and healers, as well as experts in various art industries and related fields. All with the intention of helping folks share their art,[00:01:00]

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Art Witch podcast. I am your host Zaneta. And thank you so, so much for tuning in. It's a couple of days after the new moon in Pisces. And I just want to check in. I want to check in with you all. In fact, this lunar cycle was so big. I felt like we were going to need a check-in. I thought midway.

Yes. Let's check in on the podcast, because. At least on my end and in my circle of friends and family. It seemed like this particular lunar cycle had much to give much, much, much to give. So. Before we get into things before we start to like, gaze into the future and say, what's possible, what's open, what's available. Um, what's growing within me and what's being seeded at this time, [00:02:00] or even what's being harvested. I want to take a moment to appreciate this last lunar cycle. I recognize when I say appreciate. And when words like harvest or blessings or what came through. You know, gifts. Can have a really positive spin. And if you're not there with things, if you're not like, gosh, that was so wonderful.

Maybe, perhaps you can see it even in how have I already experienced growth. What. Has already been growing or what has come to fruition on some level? It could be knowing it could be, a change. It could be a healing. It could be so, so many things. So. Just take a moment with yourself to reflect. From the last lunar cycle to basically March 10th what came [00:03:00] through.

And if this brings up some larger cycle, some larger journey that is occurred, maybe think back to March 20 23. And think about what kind of started back then? And what is maybe coming full circle. What's coming full circle. What's had time to really ripen and ferment.

For myself, this was a powerful lunar cycle. And the cards that had come through were very, very accurate for me. I found myself amazed at the very specific, unique and surprising ways that each card presented itself this lunar cycle.

So I'll give you some examples from my own experiences. So I [00:04:00] had a lot of friends visit me this lunar cycle. You know, I moved out of the city and I moved a little further upstate. So had a lot of friends and I made a lot of art with friends. It was a very three of Pentacles. Lunar cycle. That is not to say that I don't make art with friends, but usually it's not this frequent and it's usually around like some kind of collaborative project we're doing.

This was way more casual. And it was fascinating. It was fascinating. How powerful those arts spells were, how powerful we were in our shared creativity in our shared joy. and in our shared grief, you know, like that we were all working through things just by being together and, Drawing painting, crafting like whatever we felt like doing.

Another card that we had come through was the page of Pentacles in reverse and. [00:05:00] I was wondering a lot about how this card would just. Surface in my life. And wow. It was pretty deep. That page of Pentacles really came up as self doubt often it came up as old inner child hurts, old inner child stories, old struggles. So much of that stuff that. He, you know, maybe we don't necessarily think there's a direct link between. Our creative ambitions are creative. Let's say success even. and, these kinds of really particular, Emotional hurts and things that seem from so, so long ago. But it's amazing. It's amazing. What can be reclaimed what can be remembered when the inner child is kind of looped in [00:06:00] and feels loved and feels really, really supported. So inner child stuff was huge for me, this lunar cycle.

And you know, it's like the key is the lock when we have these challenge cards, cards in the challenge position. Like the poison and the antidote there. Often one and the same, but it's like, you kind of have to have some time to process things and figure it out. Well, in that kind of inner child hurting, there was also the inner child kind of magic and wisdom. And I kind of reclaimed some art forms that I used to do as a kid and totally had forgotten about. In my, you know, adult journey. And my adult. Hurt which life.

And I came back to them and. Whoa. They're so powerful. Like I started water color painting [00:07:00] again, which I. Totally forgot that I used to love painting as a kid. And I just started doing it like more and more and more and more and more. And, um, I've been feeling just like obsessed. So. Just that kind of reclamation within that challenge is so interesting to me. And in one of my favorite parts about reading reversals and feeling into reversal energy. The other thing that kind of came through, that was just. I think it had come through in the reading, but you know, it's like, you're always surprised by how relevant the messages are. And how they actually happen in real life. But one of these kind of art parties I had with a friend. We were doing this art project together. And it was very much a magical kind of working.

We, we were intentionally doing some kind of art spell, but it was funny. I had no idea what the art [00:08:00] spell was supposed to be about. And I just kind of like drew images and made images. And didn't really like have a set intention. But what kind of happened through that process? Was I unintentionally created a road opener spell for myself. And I thought a little bit about how our cards at the end of that reading last month were death and the six of swords in reverse. So What thresholds we're cross what new beginnings were made possible. What portals have been opened because of community? What. Assistance and support came through to help you open something else up. Move on. Shed that skin, Uh, transform. So that's like some of what I felt from the last cycle. I hope like having a little bit of my own experiences maybe gives you [00:09:00] some ideas about some of your own. Yeah, it was really, really powerful. And I think for many months from now, I'll be integrating a lot of what came through and working with it, it almost felt like a major Arcana moment. 'cause it's like, oh, we can be working with this for a long time.

So before we get into the new reading, I'm going to actually get into some announcements. First is a big, thank you to everyone who booked year ahead readings. They are now closed. Wow. Wow. Wow. It's so cool to read for people year after year to work magic with them to dream and hope and, You know, create change to bring change about. And. these particular readings were really like, Half reading and half spell. So [00:10:00] I feel very, very thrilled at how it all came down.

And I hope that those of you who had the readings are feeling so empowered and ready for the next year ahead. I will be opening up just regular creativity tarot readings for this month, actually. So, if you were looking to get a reading for me and there's some kind of block or disruption that you're feeling or. You just feel like you need some direction and support and finding direction. I am super, super excited. I've been working a lot with like elemental inspiration, a lot with like ideas around mediums. So if you're feeling a little lost, On, you know, what kinds of mediums materials to kind of. Explore and get into more. this is a great time to get into that. So I will leave a link down below [00:11:00] so that you can get on my, tarot reading list. And I usually just email people and let them know when my schedule's open and I will be opening those up soon. For April. Because March is already like running away.

So, the next announcement and maybe the one that's like really, really huge for those of you who have been following me for a while. Is that I am hosting my first one day retreat in honor of Beltane. Yes.

I Have been celebrating the wheel of the year, the seasons. in my creative practice as a witch, as you know, someone who's trying to find diasporic grounding on land that is not my ancestral Homeland. And so much of my artwork is developing. Uh, very, very close, very, very loving [00:12:00] and caring connection to land. To elements to spirits. Two rivers to forests to, singing and to working ritual and taking loving action on behalf of non-human kin. And for years. I have been seeding these relationships. Through my art through everything that I share publicly. Through my close connections. And for a long time, I've wanted to bring people out with me into the woods to sing to the forest, to work ritual to enjoy Sonic splendor of the seasons. To really be in that process of honoring the land and honoring our bodies and making art magic with it all. But I really, to be honest, it just took many years. And to come to a point where I would even feel [00:13:00] remotely solid to be able to do that.

And now I'm at that point. So I'm taking a small group of people for a day of ritual magic and art making into the local forest where I work and it's very, very calm. It's very safe. It's very accessible. I will say that it's not wheelchair accessible. I wish it were. But it's very, very light walking and doesn't require a lot of gear, anything like that to do, which is very important to me as someone who felt very barred by the way that wilderness was presented in American society.

So I am taking folks out with me into the woods. We are going to explore connections to the land, elements, and spirits through our art and our magic. We're going to do ritual and offerings for the land and in celebration of Beltane.

Now [00:14:00] Beltane is. It's bright fire. It's like one of the best holidays of the wheel of the year. I mean, they're all great. Every moment is sacred. Every moment is part of what makes other moments possible. Beltane Samhain In like, we need both in order to understand both, but Beltane is. Ah, pleasure filled loving sensuous. It's sexy. It's just. It's big, sexy energy.

And it's shared energy. I think that's one of the things that makes it kind of a significant moment for me personally, in the wheel of the year and transitioning out of winter. Is that this is like when we bust out and get together with people again. The weather's good. The birds are singing. The light is bright and warm and you can really feel it.

And like there are flowers. [00:15:00] There's tons of pollinators. it starts to feel real. The world is like waking up for realsies now. And it's an amazing time to go into the woods. It's such a rich time to go it's before it gets too hot or too buggy. And it's a great time to field record, which is a lot of what I like to do when I'm out in the field is record nature, record the sounds of these nonhuman kin and listen to them.

And. Feel the potency of their song. So. I'm going to be taking folks out into the forest. With me, and then we're going to come back. We're going to do some ritual magic. we're going to make some channeled art. And we're going to share food seasonal food, which is like my fav. And yeah, it's just going to be a great day of community, of fire, of art. Of outdoors [00:16:00] nature connection.

If you feel. At all called towards gathering and celebrating Beltane, in this way, mark, your calendars it's May 5th. So it's the Sunday. It's going to be upstate. I am gonna to open up my own home to host this event. And it is small. It is a small, small group of people. It's like seven people. I will have an info session around the spring Equinox for those of you who are interested.

So I'm going to leave a link and you can go ahead and email me if you would like to attend that info session. In the info session I'm actually also going to just generally talk about the wheel of the year. I'm going to talk about the spring Equinox. About Beltane. About my experiences around the wheel of the year, because I know for a lot of folks they've heard of it. You see a lot of things online. You see. You know, general books on these topics, but it's [00:17:00] personal, it's local. There's so much magic in developing a connection to these seasonal moments. So I'm going to have that free info session and it's going to be a great time to just chat and learn about the wheel of the year, if you're interested.

Check out my email down below. And email me if you want to attend. And learn more about Beltane.

And so with that, let's get into the reading, the creativity tarot reading for this lunar cycle. So our lunar cycle started with the new moon in Pisces on March 10th. So a couple of days ago. And it is going to go all the way through the full moon, which is a south node lunar eclipse in Libra on March 25th. And then it ends right before the new moon. North node, solar eclipse in Aries on April 8th. Um, Okay.

[00:18:00]

[00:18:00] Zaneta: So there's a lot here.

There's just, there's so much. And. When there's so much, usually the focus becomes actually. Pretty simple. The focus becomes pretty simple. It's not about doing everything. It's not about being everything. And it's not about trying to be elaborate and be involved in. Uh, the high drama.

It's often about just simplicity, right? It's often about simplicity. There's a couple other things about this lunar cycle that should be mentioned. One is the spring equinox is a little earlier this year because of the leap year. So it's landing on March 19th. I personally like to celebrate it on the 21st, because I just feel like it organizes my brain, but. You know, that's what it is. And then we [00:19:00] have mercury is going basically in retrograde April 1st. Through April 24th. So. A lot of shifting here. A lot, a lot, a lot, a lot is shifting. And when things are shifting, simplicity is a great practice in general. Simplicity is a really, really great practice in general. Some of what this brings up for me.

Is, an awareness of eclipse season, basically starting. Eclipses have so much potential and potency that you don't need to really do anything. You really don't need to do anything. Things are already in the works. That's what they kind of feel like for me. It's like out of our hands, it's a good time to actually practice. Mm. The dark embrace of the deep mystery.

The eclipses are like, [00:20:00] uh, Dark embrace. It is this relationship that we have with the great mystery that is on full display. It's taking center stage. So to speak. And. It's not about doing. It's really not about doing. I think that's like a really big thing. That we get to like, Receive this cycle. We don't have to do. We don't have to do.

I find that so hard to release from, but. Consider how. Sometimes there are moments where things are already working, they're already going. The gears are turning. Gears that are larger than your life cycle things that are are coming into being and are moving and are in motion, they happened generations before you. They're [00:21:00] happening generations after you like there's cycles of time and energies of time that we're working with that I think eclipses highlight how we can surrender and relax and just be. To be in the great mystery to be not in control, to not try to control, to not try. not activate. I know so many people are like, yeah, let's do spell. Let's do a thing. Let's do thing. I don't personally like. tell people when or where to do the spells. And by the way, actually, that's another announcement I forgot, but on the Patreon for Art Witch I am posting pretty big video on spell casting and how my approach to spell casting just as a. A love letter, just spell casting.

So if you want to see that, check it out on the Art Witch Patreon. But. Basically like. I'm not going to tell you when or where not to do a [00:22:00] spell, but I am going to say that when there are moments like an eclipse. It's a powerful moment to just contemplate where you exist in the larger forces. Where you exist within the cosmos. How do you Understand your lifecycle within some greater sense of existence for, so many other beings, mountains, rivers. Rain water and how it's cycles. currents of air and how they move across lands and gather storms, building and storms.

Desolving. where we feel fire and light and sun and stars. And planets like. Eclipses bring us into remembering. What were held within. And what we do not have power over.

So that's [00:23:00] one massive piece to this cycle that as art witches we can kind of say. Hey, you know, that goal list, hey, you know, that list of tasks. Hey. You know, all that stuff that I'm supposed to get done and that's supposed to be kind of steps to my dreams. Some of that may have to be kind of relaxed. Relaxed to softened. let go of. Shed. Maybe it's like a good time not to strive so hard.

So let's get into the cards because I'm already starting to like give you. Hints here.

But the card. That is our invitation for this lunar cycle. The ways that we can grow. As art witches this cycle is the four of wands.

[00:24:00] Hmm. I love the four of wands. I love it. I feel this pollination energy. I feel this celebration energy. I feel sensual pleasure and immersing yourself in the delights of the world. I feel beauty. I feel beauty and I feel it shared like, when we share. Beauty when we share art. How much richer is life.

How much more beautiful is life? Last month, we talked about the idea of sharing food and the three of Pentacles even. And yet the four of wands is like, There is a shared feeling that I have, because it's like, yes, we can be a party of one celebrating, but golly, it's like something special to be seen in our radiance. To shine to see others in their radiance to [00:25:00] feel glow. The emanations. how you feel lifted in someone else's presence.

This brings up something really interesting because. we're talking about not striving, we're talking about like, not really trying. And yet we're shining. We're in our beautiful essence and energy and celebrating ourselves. And. What does that really mean?

What does that really look like for us?

I think some people have a really natural connection to doing this where they just can celebrate themselves. They do so regularly. They remember this often they remind others of this. Some people are just so good at that. And I thank those people. I thank them deeply. But if this feels like something that isn't easy for, you like to [00:26:00] celebrate yourself to appreciate your art.

Appreciate. how you were beautiful, how you emanate, beauty, how you radiate. Love. Then this is a good growing moment. This is a good moment, right? rather than trying to.

Be external and like show everyone that you're great and show everyone your amazing. I almost want you to like, Gaze upon yourself, gaze upon your art gaze upon your, beauty. And really immerse in that. Celebrating yourself often can be how you appreciate beauty in general. Is it a beautiful body in motion? And the fluid movements of limbs, is it. The smell of. Clementines and lavender and. the [00:27:00] taste of pomegranates and their tartiness, is it, the silky feeling of a certain cloth or fabric against your hands and against your skin? Is it the sound of the white throated Sparrow, or the call? Of the wind in the trees. Where. Are your senses leading you? To beauty. Where are your senses leading you to beauty? Where are you finding beauty? Where do you find yourself? Just gazing? And feeling. So much love.

I want to know that this cycle. I want us to be in that. This cycle, It reminds me a lot of how, when we start to appreciate our own beauty, right? Like we see the beauty of others and we feel beautiful. And that's kind of its own [00:28:00] spell. That's its own spell. Like you are the spell. You're the literal spell and you don't have to change a thing about yourself. You don't have to be anything more than what you are. You don't have to be a better artist. You don't have to make different kinds of things. You don't have to do more things.

You don't have to, change anything about you. Who you are as you are is so uniquely beautiful and, Just so enriching to others. It reminds me a lot of pollinators. And flowers. Every flower has this genius design of attracting the pollinators that are best for them. Just how they are in their unique and authentic. Essence. In their particular shape. [00:29:00] The particular smell. Their particular colors. Their softness Their hardness. Their length. Their thinness there. Fatness their roundness Everything about them. In their unique makeup. Is genius and designed to attract the perfect pairings. The perfect pairings. So like, let's think about this as humans.

What if you didn't have to change a damn thing. About yourself or your art?

And you were just, so in your essence, in your unique. Beauty. In your unique ways in your unique existence. That that was a spell of attraction for other beings to find your work. To celebrate it and to spread it fucking far and wide.

What, if you just, as [00:30:00] you are, are a spell that attracts your ideal audience, your ideal connections, the people who need your work the most. Whether or not, you put out a bunch of art, whether or not you make a certain type of, project, Whether or not you charge this much or don't charge this much. It doesn't matter.

It's how you are authentically. And as authentic and true to yourself as you can be is. theClarity of your shine. The clarity of your shine. And we're celebrating this. We're sinking deeply into this, this lunar cycle from a few directions. From a few ways. One way is to appreciate. Things that truly are beautiful to you. To spend time in nature to spend time with the scents, the sounds, the smells. the sights, the feels. Anything that [00:31:00] gives you that sense of love?

That gives you that sense of. Beauty. That is unique to what you are attracted to, right. It's unique to you. And I want you to celebrate and just enjoy and. Fill yourself up with that. Fill your cup up. Fill yourself up. Deeply with these things. And then.

Try to be in your unique beauty, be in your unique essence, similar to how you appreciate very specific things.

Very specific scents. Sounds smells tastes. Those specific things, those specific beings that you enjoy, like those specific flowers or plants. You are a flower, you are a plant unique and unto yourself. in the way that you are. Your makeup, your form, your shape, your way of being. [00:32:00] And I think a lot about that as artists. There's so much messaging that tells us we have to change. We have to be different. We have to have to. We have to strive. And this is where the challenge is going to come in this lunar cycle. We have the second card. Which is the king of swords. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I think a lot about authority figures. I think a lot about people who we look up to, or that we think are our ideals or people that we've learned from. People who seem like experts These people are amazing and they're wonderful.

And they're themselves. They're not, you. And your path and who you attract and how you attract them is not going to be the way that they do it. So, so important to remember. it's hard we get exposed to a myriad of people. It's [00:33:00] just like a lot of information. And so the mind can start to see patterns.

It can start to be like, oh, in order to. Reach this dream goal. I have to hit these milestones. And I'm just like here to lay down a very solid message.

Every being has a unique.

Group of people, group of pollinators. You know, that's going to be attracted to their work. And be a part of that work. Every artist has their own audience and their own creative journey. Sometimes we have to do things, you know, that maybe stretches or, we're transforming. But if you're transforming, because you think you have to be like someone else, that's usually a recipe for disaster.

It's usually a recipe for disaster to try to mirror someone else's. Success. it's not a good idea. [00:34:00] Instead. We're sinking so deeply into our essence. We're appreciating ourselves so much. And our uniqueness. That we are trusting in the spell of just being ourselves and being authentic. We're trusting in the spell of being ourselves and being authentic. That is one of the hardest things to do is to just trust that you are enough and that you are, as you need to be. But if you need a cue, go to the botanical garden, go check out a flower, go hang out with a tree, go hang out with the boulders. be in the presence of those who their mere existence. Is so nurturing and generative and nourishing that you can't help, but be healed by them. Be in the presence of beings who are just alive and are doing their thing. And you are [00:35:00] thankful.As fuck for it. And you are thankful for them being the way they are.

And then I want you to take that idea and apply it to yourself. Being how you are, who you are exactly as you are, is enough. And will attract the right people to your art, to your creative offerings. To the work that you're going to do. Can we be in that?

This is Aries season coming up. Right. This is Aries season coming up. You are the spell. You are the spell, I'm going to say that like 500 times in this episode, I don't care. And that's coming from an Aries rising rising. Like baby, you are the spell.

And we are not distracted. By hierarchy. We are not distracted by expertise. We are not distracted by striving. We are not distracted by trying to be [00:36:00] something we aren't. Thinking that we have to, in order to be loved. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. That's not what's going on here. We don't need to struggle.

It's eclipse season. We don't need to do anything. We just need to be. You just need to be. So it's like, What if it's all about falling even more in love with yourself.

What if. The fact that you love yourself and you love how you are, and you can appreciate your uniqueness. Radiate such powerful magic. That people feel the spell cast in your presence. The people are drawn to you in that loving radiance.

The card of action. I almost feel like I don't need to say it. [00:37:00] It's kind of funny. I'm like, you know, You don't need to say it, but, but the card. That's going to help us and the car that we can really connect to the cycle is the queen of cups. I would just encourage you to be so present in your senses, be so present in your body.

I mean, people say it constantly, but like, I do not take it for granted, please. Don't tune out. this like very basic thing is the thing.

Sensual pleasures. Feeling that in your being fully. Allowing yourself to be transformed by another beings. Beauty And the pleasure that it brings up in you. is a strong anchor and reminder. The, you do the same for others. You do the same for others in your authentic? Lived way, [00:38:00] your truth, basically your way of being in the world.

Some really specific ways that you could also cultivate this. Falling in love with yourself. It is. gaze into the mirror. Free paint. doing like an energetic self portrait. I've been doing a lot of those lately and they're fucking awesome. It's basically like, you know, you have no plan as to how you're going to paint something or draw something, but you know that you're, you have a general outline of your body. It doesn't need to be perfect.

It doesn't need to be detailed. And then you just start free drawing or free painting. What you sense in your being? And it's just like this way of appreciating yourself. Appreciating yourself.

I think another way to do this is to be around people who love you and support you and to have quality [00:39:00] time. Being loved on.

I realize that's not accessible for everyone. It might not even be accessible this cycle, but it's something to call forth and say, please help me receive this. Because. we can't see our own radiance only others can. Right. Only others can. So you can appreciate your friends. You can appreciate, Other people that you think are just so wonderful and uniquely wonderful and their way of existing and their presence. And you can also. Cultivate a friend group and cultivate kind of connections with people who see the same in you. And. Affirm that for you. Maybe you need to hear that maybe you need to. You know, say like,

hey friend, what is it that you like about me? What is it that you think is so great about me? I, for the longest time, honestly, I found that to be kind of hard to imagine. [00:40:00] And I am someone who struggles a lot with like compliments and praise and things like that. Like, it's very, very hard for me. But. We have to do that because like, with this, four energy, Um, with the four of wands and this kind of like celebration. it's a bedrock, it's a sort of foundation. That we need.

It's a necessary foundational piece in the creative journey ahead. a lot of times people try to build beautiful and amazing projects, powerful projects. But with not a lot of secure love and self appreciation intact. And shortly after they feel like they've burnt out or they feel resentful or they don't feel like they're appreciated or they feel like, it's not a fair exchange or that something about this is, is way harder than they thought it would be. And I think some of that is a lot of people tried to [00:41:00] proceed on creative goals without the foundation. Of self-love and appreciation. As artists We have to prioritize self. Because everything gets created through this one body through this one, heart, this one, mind, This one channel. everything that you're going to make is going to come through self. Everything you're going to make is going to come through self. If you can't. Really believe in that self. And the power of that self. It's really a long road to get to the end. And to get to the 10. To get from, ace to 10, that's going to be a damn long road to get a project or an idea out into the world to birth something. And see it through.

So we have to spend. Maybe it seems like an, out of proportion amount of time. For ourselves, but it is. the basics, [00:42:00] The queen of cups is washing their face. They are, putting on their favorite moisturizer. They are drinking the water. They are taking care of themselves. You're a channel honey. You're a channel. You're not a machine. Right? We've. That's like a previous episode. But your channel. Treat yourself like one and I don't mean like, in this perfectionist way. I mean, what feels good?

What's sensually pleasing to you. What sensuous? you deserve to feel good. In your being. And I think when we invest in ourselves, it shows. It really, really shows when we are nourished. We will flourish.

And people feel that in our presence. They feel it. They're drawn to it. They want to feel. Like [00:43:00] they're thriving too.

if you are.

Over over depleted. Over done. You know, you don't got something to give. You gotta relax. You gotta like take care of yourself. So the fours got a lot of care in it. It's got a lot of foundational care. It's got a lot of self-focus too. And you're going to have to sit with yourself and see how you feel about focusing on your care.

Focusing on loving yourself, focusing on feeling joy and sensual pleasure in your life. do you feel like you deserve it? Do you feel like you need to have permission for it? Do you feel like it's okay. Do you feel squeamish about it? Why, where that come from? You can go down that road. And like, try to figure out some of the stories, figure out some of the history you might personally have with this. But it's also enough to just say I see it and I want [00:44:00] different for myself.

And to say, I'm going to focus on me. I'm going to focus on caring for myself, giving myself everything that I don't think I maybe deserve. And I'm not talking about just consuming things. Right. Though for some of us that may be true. You may need to buy some stuff. I don't know. I'm not sitting here giving you a, like a one-on-one reading.

but you're going to have to sit with yourself and see like, where you feel like you need nourishment. where you deserve to get some extra TLC, some extra attention.

If we're the spell, how are we taking care of ourselves? How are we feeding ourselves? Both literally food and, you know, whatever spiritually.

Um, something that I hear a lot from various artists is. that they haven't gone and like fed themselves in a long time. And what I mean by that is not [00:45:00] food. But creatively. They haven't done things that were just for themselves. Oh my God. I hear this from so many clients. They are so depleted. Because they haven't read a book for themselves. They haven't. made art just for the simple joy of it. And for, for themselves that no one else gets to see. They haven't. taken themselves on a museum date. They haven't spent time. in the woods in forever, even though that's what they love most in life. Why are we always the last that's a big question.

The Queens in general know that self is first. But that takes care of everyone. Like self is who is going to show up.

Right? So self needs to be first self needs to be taken care of first. You need to fill your cup up first. Once you can do that. You can give. So [00:46:00] much It's healing. In fact, Sometimes it's not just about like what you can give, give, give, give, give, like what you can do, but just that you exist as this person who's given priority to themselves, that that is healing to just even be in your presence as a well person. Think of all the freaking unwell people in the world. If even just a fraction of them. Took care of themselves and felt like they were worthy of caring for themselves. And prioritizing their joy and their pleasure. You think they'd be wreaking havoc on everyone as much? No.

Caring for yourself is so darn important. And it's one of the things. That I think is so easy to overlook as artists. So easy to overlook as artists, If it helps to kind of organize this in your mind. [00:47:00] I don't really ever practice magic.

Do any kind of spell do any ritual or ceremony? When I'm tired. As a, which I'm like, everything has to come through me. I'm going to have to cast that spell. I'm going to have to, you know, work with energy. I can't just do that. On an empty stomach or without any sleep.

I find it very difficult personally, to do magical working when I'm bone tired and exhausted. And I make it a general rule not to do any divinatory exploration or any kind of spell work. When I'm tired. I try my very, very best not to do that. Because I think.

I have to honor myself first in order to work. With those sacred relationships that I have. To the elements, to the land, to spirits, to [00:48:00] ancestors. I don't want to show up. raggedy. And I don't want them to show up raggedy either. I want, others to take care of themselves too. So I've got to show that in my actions. And so as artists. We are showing. What love and what care and what beauty looked like simply by just taking care of ourselves, not even by the art that we make.

So. Yeah, Aries season's going to bring a massive amount of self-focus. And depending on how you feel about that. It could be really lovely. And like a nice vacation from striving. Or it could feel like pulling teeth. And mega uncomfortable. It could be mega uncomfortable for those of you who feel like, [00:49:00] you got to do, you got to, do, you got to do.

I know many of us are of a liberatory mindset and the world needs us. Right now we are watching genocide. We are watching climate crisis. We are watching all sorts of fuckery. But we do not need a bunch of raggedy people showing up. Long time ago, I got a message from a pine tree.

One day I was walking by a pine tree and the message was.

each one of us has to be aware of our energetic. Drain or potential for drain. The more tired and exhausted we make ourselves and allow ourselves to get as humans. The more resources and the more drain. We have on other beings, the more impact we have on this earth. And the more harm, we have by being so depleted. And it's so important for us [00:50:00] to be taking care of ourselves, to be really focusing on taking care of ourselves because it's actually.

Keeping things in balance. With the land with our ancestors, with other beings. How often do you have to call upon support when you're suffering a lot? Right.

I need this. I need that. I need help. I need. Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah. And yes, some of that's very circumstantial and out of our hands. Totally. But some of it is within our ability To shift. The way that we live our lives say, no, I don't need to work this much. It's draining me.

And it's draining. Everything that I'm connected to.

So self-love, I honestly don't like how that's just been so prolific that it no longer has the same shine. It's become so tarnished by [00:51:00] consumerism. But yes, self-love. Self care. These things are the basis. Of everything that you create. Everything that comes through your channel. So, how can you re nourish yourself? Give yourself what you need. Give yourself extra rest.

Give yourself naps. Give yourself, moving meditations. If you're not one to rest, if you're not wanting to sleep as much, maybe you need. Activities that still give you that kind of spacious. Feel that relaxed, feel swing in a hammock, going walk outside, watch water and let your mind just relax. Listen to bird song. I feel your body, feel your breath, let yourself just create for yourself.

Don't even think about making things for other people necessarily. If you can help it. Not all [00:52:00] of us are in that position. Even myself in this lunar cycle, will have to plan and will have to create for things that are coming up. But the way that I plan on balancing this for myself. Is to just, know that my energy is a priority. My self care is a priority. And I also am going to spend a lot of time doing things that feel really, really good to me. I'm going to paint a lot. I'm going to hang out by the river. I'm going to meditate by the mountain. I'm just going to like. Record some birds, the birds are coming out a lot. I'm so excited about them. Like these are the things that fill me up. What fills you up?

If you don't know, then start making a list. That's a good place to start. Four of wands here. Make a list of things that feel so joyful to you. And see if any, one of those things are things you could do with friends. See if [00:53:00] any, one of those things are things that you could do. To feel the joy of being alive. Right. And then trust trust in the spell of your happy. Healthy existence.

So, just to recap here we have, the four of wands as our invitation for growth this lunar cycle.

We have the king of swords as our challenge. And then we have the queen of cups. As our action or our way forward, basically, what can we do? really grow this cycle. So. Just as a summary for all of this. We are the spell. Just by being just by our unique and beautiful existence. And we are sinking deeply into that.

We're sinking in through self care and self love. We're appreciating the beauty of the [00:54:00] world and the senses. We are letting ourselves be replenished through beauty and things that we truly love and enjoy. And we are. Also surrounding ourselves with people and with friends and in situations where we can receive celebration and appreciation people that say you are amazing. You are beautiful. You are wonderful. You are so magical. You're so creative. We want to be around people who have that belief in you and your magic in your art. We are surrounding ourselves with. Good folks. Because this is our foundation. And we're letting go of some of those. Beliefs about how our journey is supposed to unfold, what our path looks like.

We are not trying to walk someone else's path. We are not trying to be a different [00:55:00] person. We're not asking the flowers to be other flowers. We're saying no, you in your unique essence is perfect. And recognizing that for ourselves, we are perfect just as we are. And we are not trying to be. Striving to be different, not getting distracted. Bye. Oh, I need to do this. I need to be this. I need to become this. I need to be better. I need to be smarter. I need to be more skilled. Done. Done with that.

 

[00:55:34] Zaneta: and instead we are prioritizing ourselves. We're taking care of our channel. We are focusing. On loving ourselves. Loving ourselves, loving ourselves, loving ourselves. And that does not require being any different. But more what we allow ourselves to receive more of. Are you allowing [00:56:00] yourself to receive beauty?

Are you. Giving yourself the time and space. To do the activities and have the experiences. That feel nourishing to you.

Okay. I hope this was helpful. For you, this lunar cycle. I hope. That you can find a way to celebrate yourself. To appreciate your unique. Ness, maybe to even see how being yourself and being your unique way. Has already. Translated into people finding your work people supporting you. The ways that you're currently thriving. Because you are your unique self.

No shame. No feelings of having to be different, no feelings of having To change just like you as you [00:57:00] are. How is that already bringing the right folks to you? How has that like pollinators? To flowers.

Hm. Spend some time in the presence of flowers, this cycle. Spend some time in the presence of flowers, they are geniuses.

Spend time in their presence. Note, they're beautiful and unique ways of existing learn about their life cycles and their processes. Who actually pollinates that flower. there are different kinds of pollinators. It's not just every bee. It's not just every spiders, not just every insect that comes along. Not every butterfly there.

So. Specific these relationships between the pollinators and the flowers. And that connection, that specific connection. it [00:58:00] comes from authenticity. And so imagine a future for yourself or maybe you have it now, maybe you're celebrating that now. That you, as you've been true to yourself have attracted the right people. Who are receiving so much splendor from your work?

Okay. So just a reminder, if you want to celebrate Beltane with me. And you want to come to the one day retreat here in upstate New York. Or if you just want to attend the info session where I'm going to jam out hard on the wheel of the year, spring Equinox and Beltane. I'm going to be sharing all sorts of info in that info session.

So that's going to be on the spring Equinox. I'll link. My email down below, and you can email me if you'd like to be a part of that and to learn more about the retreat. But. I hope you all have an amazing lunar cycle. I hope these eclipses are [00:59:00] rich healing. And transformative in the ways that you need them to be. So let it be, so let it be, and so it is.. Take care, everyone.

If you enjoyed today's episode of Artwitch, please consider subscribing or writing a review. Each and every little bit helps spread the word to more people.