REKINDLING OUR SPARK: SPRING 2020 IN REVIEW
There is a true spark in so many of us, hidden beneath layers of dust and grime. Beneath layers of old ideas, outmoded ways of thinking, bad habits, unhealthy coping strategies, and internalized lies, the spark waits to be reborn.
We all have that fire inside of us. This year, I find myself leaning deep into my own way of being–and trying to find ways to encourage others to do the same.
The question is, what rekindles that spark? What sets your soul on fire? What fills you with a deeply rooted joy? Where do you find your flow, that place where time slips away and you are perfectly present in the moment?
For me, it’s writing. When I spend time with my characters, fully immersed in their world, I find flow. The spark rekindles.
There are other places, too. Working magic under a full moon. Sitting around a bonfire with my loved ones. Tending to my garden. Walking in the woods, identifying wildflowers and listening to birdsong.
I set a theme of A Quiet Magic for this spring, and every day I work toward nurturing a space for that magic. With it, I’m recovering from a period of creative burnout and working toward a place of balance, where the words flow without me forcing them.
Finding Rhythm and Flow
I talked in my last post about finding a natural rhythm, and I think that rhythm for me, is emerging. Because I stopped and listened. Because I paused.
Perhaps, for a bit, I entered the season of The Hanged Man of the Tarot’s Major Arcana. The message of this card is stillness and waiting. It represents a period of waiting, even of feeling “stuck,” but that waiting is necessary to learn how to free ourselves.
These ‘pauses’ can be voluntary or involuntary. If you’re in tune with your intuition, you’ll start to have a sense for when it’s time to hit the brakes and put things on hold – before things get out of hand. But if you’re out of alignment and oblivious to those intuitive signs, the Universe will probably put things on hold for you, in the form of continued obstacles, ill-health, and breakdowns. When you sense the ‘pause’ coming, pay attention to it; otherwise the Universe will turn up the volume until you can’t ignore it any longer.
~ Biddy Tarot
I didn’t nurture the inner spark. I became too busy doing and didn’t make time for simply being.
As a result, repeated bouts of sickness and creative burnout forced me to pause. Now, I’m slowing down, leaning in, and digging deep.
Embracing Truly Simple Living
For years, simple living has fascinated me, but I focused on decluttering and paying off debt. I didn’t make simplicity a way of being. Now, hubby and I eat more homecooked meals and take long walks. More and more often, we spend our evenings tending our garden, playing with our dog, and reading.
There are afternoon cups of tea, evenings curled up with good books, moments watching butterflies flutter over the rose bush or cardinals flit about in the pine tree. These things were there before, of course, but simple living let us make more space for wonder.
When we find everyday wonder, we rekindle the spark. Finding our flow helps rekindle it as well.
And it works wonders for my quarterly goals!
Here’s what I’ve accomplished so far this round:
Tangled Fates: Proofreading and formatting completed. Book launched, with an official publication date of May 5!
Status: Complete!
Newsletter and Free Short Story: Fractured Moonlight is finished at a little over 8,300 words. After I finalize edits and have it proofread, it will be ready to format and upload to places like BookFunnel.
Status: Short story draft complete. Edits/formatting pending. Uploads to BookFunnel, etc. pending.
Tangled Souls (Tangled Magic #3): I *just* started drafting this one–at 2,260 words of 37,000. I’d like to be about 15,000 words into this manuscript by the end of this round.
Status: 2,260/15,000 words written.
Sage & Shadows Books Checklist: Two items completed this round.
Status: 8/21 items completed.
Misc. Website Updates: I’ve quickly realized a website is an ongoing adventure, but I’m happy with the progress I’ve made. A few more tweaks and definitely more additions to be made, but overall, solid progress.
Status: Ongoing and on track.
Bathroom Remodel: Demo complete and painting is almost finished. Now we have to find a way to put everything back together.
Status: Better be finished by the end of Round 2 (June 25)!
Clean/Organize Attic: On hold while doing bathroom remodel, but this is close to finished.
Status: 70% complete.
Storage/Organization Goals: This would be our guest room and home office closets and reorganizing hubby’s tools. On hold.
Status: On hold (0% complete).
Paint and Deepen Living Room: On hold.
Status: On hold (0% complete).
My Magical Garden: Success! I’ll call this goal complete, except for adding a few faerie statues and whimsical knickknacks to the faerie garden.
Status: Success!
What about you? In what places do find flow and everyday wonder? What rekindles your inner spark?
Tangled Fates
(Tangled Magic #2)
My name is Vivienne “Vi” Gearhart, and I’m a witch by birth. My life isn’t just teacups and tarot cards these days. As mystical storms rumble overhead and a dark curse stalks my coven, my inner witch knows change is coming.
Then a fox shifter named Aiden McPherson knocks on my door—asking questions, stirring emotions, and rousing desires I hadn’t expected.
Can we unravel the secrets of our own magicks—and find a way to break the curse that has sunk its teeth into the coven?