For some reason it seems only appropriate to talk about something taboo on day 13…so let’s talk about my coven and the fantastic witches that serve as council!
We don’t actually practice witchcraft or cast spells…well not unless you count New Moon ceremonies….Full Moon ceremonies…burning intentions….visiting shamans…having tarot cards read. I mean, I think that’s pretty normal and doesn’t count as anything more than hippie, earthy, energy “stuff”. But when the five of us join forces and gather to real talk each other, it’s pure magic.
Our coven began its formation when I decided to grab some friends and head to Mexico for my 40th birthday. I knew I wanted to take Moon Pie because we’d gone the previous year and had a magical time. I also knew that I wanted to take my long time bestie, Yinnie…because she was, well, my BFF.
While three is my favorite number it’s not a good vacation number because if someone wants to do something different or is tired, then there was a chance they’d be left out…alone…and that wasn’t an acceptable option for me and my babes.
So I decided to invite Princess Grace. She and Yinnie had become good friends through yoga and I trusted that anyone Yinnie liked, I would too. That got us to four which was a much better number but I worried that Moon Pie and I would go off and do our thing since we’d already traveled to Mexico together leaving Yinnie and Princess Grace to always do their thing together, and I didn’t like that either. But then I figured it out! I would invite the funniest human I’ve ever known…someone that I knew would roll with whatever came our way.
This fifth musketeer didn’t know either of the other three very well, but I knew she would be perfect. She’d balance our group, making us a five pointed star. And boy did we light up the Mexican sky!
Little did I know the other girls were nervous. They didn’t realize the amount of energy I’d put into dissecting the personalities of the group in hopes of ensuring a vacation beyond anything we’d ever experienced. And man did I deliver.
Kilo was the perfect addition and had us in stitches the whole week. We were immediately and forever bonded. We probably could have called ourselves “sisters”…and we do sometimes…but we all have blood sisters and it seemed too pedestrian for the power of this group.
Over the course of the past 18 months we’ve been rocks for each other. Beacons in the night guiding lost souls to shore. We’ve dried tears. Laughed till we peed (just a little). Kept everyone sane, for the most part. And we’ve real talked the shit out of each other.
Real talk was a term…I think I coined (correct me if I’m wrong, lovelies)…during a gathering at my house last summer. I’d been on the road for more weeks than I care to discuss now and missed everything about my home more than words can explain. I was also in the middle of what might have been a near breakdown as I considered the possibility of leaving my job. It was close to more than I could handle and the witches could feel it.
As we gathered around the table on my deck – eating and drinking together – we each…one by one…started dropping bombs on each other. We opened and bore our souls…all the ugly truths…all the beautiful love stories…our dreams and misfortunes.
As each person shared, the others would chime in…asking thought provoking questions…providing guidance and support…delivering a reality-check when someone drifted too far off into fantasy land. It was the most honest display of love I’d ever witnessed between women.
Each of us could feel the love, care, and concern from everyone else around the table. We were having “real talk”. There was nothing fake…nothing contrived. No ulterior motives. Each woman genuinely wanted what was best for everyone and we were lifting each other up to try and achieve it….without blowing hot air up anyone’s skirt.
Not only had we conquered Mexico, but we had mastered the art of real talk. It felt like there was nothing we couldn’t do. So we set our sights on intention setting…ridding ourselves of old fears, burdens, and baggage that kept us from our true potential. We were going to be magnificent.
Gradually, we started to see some of the intentions come to fruition…it felt like magic. We felt like…witches. We were setting positive intensions and manifesting our thoughts to make things happen. We may not have been casting spells but we were honing our energies, staying true to ourselves and each other, and real talking like it was our job.
The week I retired, all my witches went on separate vacations. They were all gone and I was here…alone. (To be fair, I was supposed to be in India.) I’ve missed them individually and as a coven so very much. Moon Pie, Yinnie, Princess Grace, and Kilo….we need some real talk soon after I get back from Key West. 🙂 I miss your beautiful souls and lovely faces. xoxo