An genuine life is essentially the most private type of worship. On a regular basis life has change into my prayer.
Sarah Ban Breathnach
I hope you don’t thoughts if I toot my very own horn (and flinf some confetti, as my buddy Thalassa would say).
My weblog turns TWENTY tomorrow. (I’m letting you recognize right now as a result of I don’t wish to pull an iota of celebratory focus from Juneteenth. Plus, will probably be time for my Card of the Week).
I’ll chorus from saying something like “it’s been an extended, unusual journey” (though it has), however I will say that I’m sort of happy with this reward, from my coronary heart to yours.
It has been twenty years of devoted service, at no cost to you, only for the pleasure of opening doorways and hearts in no matter methods I can.
You see, my weblog was, from the start, by no means straight about my Tarot studying providers. Sure, it’s at all times been an digital enterprise card, with contact information, hours, and different pertinent info should you had been excited by working with me or following my work.
However the primary factor — the factor that acquired me motivated to create it within the first place — was to achieve out and join with like-minded souls; to fulfill collectively within the aethers, exploring fascinating topics, bouncing concepts and experiences round, and jamming with whoever else may additionally discover a wide range of esoteric, various ruminations of curiosity.
It has led to a rare synergy, as a result of in flip, you’ve got profoundly honored me along with your generosity, information, sense of journey, and fixed inspiration.
A Retrospective
[Warning: geeky deets ahead that may not be your cup of tea…]
I used to be a comparatively early blogger as a result of I had been on the web since its earliest days. First, as a techie working within the IT trade and an energetic participant in Usenet (anybody keep in mind them?), after which, by making wealthy, life-long friendships through The Well – the world’s first on-line group (which I nonetheless belong to and extremely suggest if you’re searching for non-trivial conversations with a few of the most fascinating, clever folks on the planet).
As a result of The Properly provided area for members’ websites, I met with my good buddy Vicky Earp (the good graphic artist who created my owl, Moon, and stars brand), and collectively we hammered out a website utilizing Adobe GoLive (a device for constructing and sustaining websites).
And so, simply earlier than Summer time Solstice, 2003, my web site was born. (Sure, a Gemini!).
Vicky constructed a template for me that held a number of pages, and I took it from there, utilizing GoLive to replace it, typically at an HTML code stage.
Every single day (sure, each single day!!) on the Dwelling web page, I might publish a magical tidbit or a scrap of lore, historical past, or different observations. This was the place I started my Tarot card of the week posts.
A few of you may also keep in mind, it was on this authentic website that I launched my notorious Mercury retrograde contests (that includes tales of Merc retro woes).
I needed to discontinue these when the adverse elements of Mercury retrograde started to amplify after which manifest in my very own life. In different phrases, it appeared that by giving undue consideration to the shadow facet, it grew and even grew to become contagious. A real lesson for all times normally, n’est-ce pas?
Nevertheless, the blissful consequence of these contests was that I made some fantastic mates that I may not have in any other case (taking a look at you, Tina!).
However technically, it was very difficult. Each time I up to date, the outdated content material was misplaced – there have been no archives or any solution to save earlier posts. Plus, I used to be desperate to work together with my guests on the positioning, inviting feedback and participation.
I wished to be part of this newfangled factor known as a “weblog,” which mercifully was shortened to “weblog.”
The ultimate straw was after I realized that GoLive was being discontinued and changed by a brand new package deal by Adobe that was cumbersome, very costly, and much too technical for me. I knew I wanted to seek out another.
Fortunately, by that point, there have been numerous user-friendly running a blog websites like TypePad, LiveJournal, and Blogger (Blogspot). I selected the latter as my new dwelling, and the enjoyable actually started!
Owl’s Wings: The place You’ll Discover a Little Little bit of Magic Each Day
Since this was earlier than the siphoning off of everybody and their consideration spans to Fb, Twitter, et al., there have been numerous deep, considerate, ongoing discussions. It was marvelous to make so many on-line friendships, lots of which I nonetheless treasure right now.
Additionally right now, I renewed my dedication, which I’d begun on my Properly website, to posting every day updates. Sure, every day. That’s why within the 4 years or in order that I used to be there, I wrote over 1,100 posts.
Throughout that point, my intrepid band of readers and I labored our manner by means of The Artists’ Method (by Julia Cameron). Yep, the entire thing — over the course of a 12 months.
I researched and wrote discussions about feng shui, the weather of magic, the sabbats, magical cooking, prosperity practices, prayers, spells, Goddesses, poetry, and many Moon lore.
I posted photographs for “Wordless Wednesdays” and wrote about holidays and religious observances for practically daily of the 12 months, from each tradition and age. I began celebrating the Solstice Solar Wheel with you.
And naturally, Tarot. Tons of Tarot, focusing totally on my Card of the Week.
However Blogspot was changing into more and more unstable and irritating for the sorts of customization and interactions I wished.
So, with the assistance of Joanna Powell Colbert (I lucked out and was considered one of her final web site constructing shoppers!), at Samhain 2009, I moved the whole lot from Blogspot over to my shiny new digs on WordPress, which is now my everlasting dwelling (so far as I can think about).
Nonetheless extra time handed, and in 2016, you might recall, I did a giant renovation. This time it was due to the professional steering of my “Internet Goddess,” Shari Smith.
My makeover was launched on April Idiot’s Day, 2016, which, by the best way, I’m nonetheless dedicated to creating some kind of a global Tarot vacation.
My new theme was Enchantment and Illumination, and every was then organized in accordance with The Witch’s Pyramid: To Know, To Dare, To Will, To Maintain Silence.
However later that 12 months, I entered a testing interval when, within the area of three years, I used to be clobbered not as soon as, not twice, however with three completely different, probably life-threatening sorts of most cancers. Plus all of the excruciating remedies and challenges that come together with that.
To prime it off, simply as I used to be beginning to get my mojo again, Covid shattered the world. That’s after I determined it was excessive time to transition from my beloved profession as a Tarot reader, to my dream since childhood – writing books.
So, Shari helped me re-invent my total web site but once more to accommodate this new course in my life. She additionally labored her magic to make sure that it’s rather more cell pleasant and meets all the most recent requirements and necessities for a streamlined, skilled efficiency.
And Right here We Are
I’ve to say I’m fairly happy with the truth that I’ve nearly by no means missed a Card of the Week, not even on the very worst elements of my most cancers remedies. It has solely been previously month, as a result of traumatic household state of affairs round my dad’s closing days, that I needed to miss.
With that behind, I intend to maintain issues going for an extended, very long time to come back.
As a result of it is a labor of affection, y’all.
I really like visiting with you, sharing the playing cards, listening to the Thriller, and invoking the magic collectively. We’re the witnesses and midwives to an amazing time of change, and I consider with my entire coronary heart that collectively, we may be the tipping level for Good.
And as I discover my manner on this new part of my life and transfer ahead, I’m extra decided than ever to complete my Tarot e book that may be a compilation of my Playing cards of the Week.
After that, a number of different books are tapping their toes, palms on hips, rolling their eyes, and ready their flip.
On this twentieth Blogiversary, I’m profoundly grateful to you for being on this journey with me.
Now, it’s your flip! Within the Luminous Sparks feedback part (keep in mind: the weblog publish ones don’t get eliminated!), I’d like to know:
- How lengthy have you ever been visiting my website(s)?
- Do you keep in mind the way you first discovered about me?
- What are a few of your favourite topics from the past?
- What would possibly you prefer to see going ahead?
And within the meantime, might our on a regular basis lives be a prayer.
Blessings!
