Witchabout – /wɪtʃ-əˈbaʊt/ – [wich-uh-bout] – when a witch temporarily returns to the earth, for an unspecified period of time, to commune with nature, gather herbs, stones, and gifts of the forest, and most importantly to find the things they weren’t looking for.
On the 10th day of the 10th month at 10:10 AM, my journey will begin. I’ve chosen the number 10, The Wheel of Fortune, as it signifies the end of one cycle and the start of another. I do not have any plans for when I will return, but I suspect it will be when I’m finished doing whatever the universe leads me to. Where I plan to start is a mountain hillside, almost 8,000′ feet above sea level. For there I know that crystals can be found and I’ve been thinking about crystals for the entire summer.
This is my proclamation:
It’s the 10th day of the 10th month and ten minutes forward of the tenth hour and this marks the official start of my Witchabout.
My home will be empty, for I’m going to spend some time with the land. Fall usually pulls me in many directions, and often time I let it. Yet as each winter sets in, I regret not doing the things I should have done to grow spiritually. The trees are always calling, but I found myself too busy to listen. This year, I’m taking charge. The Great Mother has been calling me, and her voice grows in volume as each day passes. Today, I give my physical body permission to wander the land.
If I’m called to gather the last of the wild herbs, hidden deep in a copse of trees, then I shall do so with the blessings of the Mother. Should a pebble roll across my path, then my hand shall be free to pick it up and exchange some magick. If a fallen branch catches my eye with its shape and stoutness, the perhaps I shall make it into a broom and place it near my hearth. And without fail, my eyes shall scan the forest floor, trying to catch a glimpse of that which has been chosen for me to discover.
As the sun languishes on the western horizon, my time shall be with my Book of Shadows, where ink and quill might forever remember the magick of the day. I shall sit, unencumbered, my body at one with the land, and listen to the whispers of the trees. With sightless eyes, the images of guidance and messages of gratitude shall be provided. And when night finally overtakes the day, I shall rest, but not sleep. And even though the moon will be dark, the stars will be brilliant.
My flesh connected with the bare earth as the hours pass. Forest sounds are but tales of the ancestors. I will listen, filling in the sights from some ancient memory that I have been gifted. And in these hours, when the world is quiet, I will open my soul to the power of this land. My knowledge will be advanced, my wisdom reimagined, and many puzzles finally put to rest.
And as the sun makes a grand and stunning entrance, I shall marvel at the canopies of gold, and orange, and red. From there, my mind will follow as my body leads. I’ve brought my sack for the bones, twigs, antlers, bindweed, pieces of wood, stones, and any other bits that are out there waiting for me. This is my witchabout.
Additional Reading
Witch’s Alphabet – The Language of Mysticism
Candle Colors and Their Magickal Meanings
- September’s Full Harvest Moon Ritual for 2024 - September 12, 2024
- May’s Full Flower Moon 2024 – Blessed Abundance - May 22, 2024
- March’s Full Worm Moon, 2024 - March 24, 2024
I enjoyed reading this ‘witchabout’. I love being in a forest and your descriptions take me right back to wandering around a forest. Thank you for sharing this witchabout.