I hope you had a beautiful and magical Solstice, a Feliz Navidad, a Merry Christmas, a Happy Kwanzaa, or just a relaxing and cheerful break from work if you didn’t celebrate any of these holidays. We could all use some rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Here’s a look back at my 2022 and what I’m looking forward to in 2023.
2022 in review
It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost three years since Australia confirmed its first case of COVID-19. 2020 was a crushing year, and I spent most of 2021 rebuilding myself and reconnecting with the people and experiences I love. There were challenges and heartbreaks, but I felt safe and content by the time the year ended.
2022 was a better year. In January, I set two major goals and several smaller ones. My first goal was to complete the second year of Priestess training at the Mt Shasta Goddess Temple. My second major goal was to obtain a Certificate of Life Coaching, which I did. Smaller goals included reading 12 books, expanding my tarot skills, and making myself available to students in Georgia Wicca; I met all these goals.
There were some goals I did not meet. I intended to tackle Benebell Wen’s epic Holistic Tarot and use her study guides. I also wanted to add multimedia content to this website. Neither of those things happened. I still think about these, especially the latter, so I will add them to my Someday Maybe list.
The couples activity my husband and I chose for 2022 did not work out. We spent last Christmas in Beechworth, a charming gold-rush town, and got excited about prospecting. We spent a day or two fossicking and have yet to return to it. On the bright side, we found Wordle.
I also did something I expected to do in 2023: end of life doula training. I’ve been curious about this work for years and decided to explore it in 2023, but there were many signs, opportunities, and nudges this year. I took the Foundation Workshop in End of Life Doula training by Preparing the Way in April. It exceeded my expectations, and I decided to take the Intensive Course later in the year, which I did in July. I was pleased with that course, felt inspired, and left it ready to work as an end of life doula.
It takes time to make a career change, but something unexpected happened. Preparing the Way contacted me a few days after the training and offered me the opportunity to join their marketing team part-time. The offer presented a terrific working opportunity and the time and space to focus more on my spirituality, tarot, and growing as an end of life doula. By October, I had left my permanent full-time role at BreastScreen Victoria.
The biggest highlight of 2022 was my trip to the United States in June. The last time I went to the US was in 2018, and I was aching to visit. I had a wonderful time, and I am so grateful for having had a smooth journey and for spending quality time with my family and friends. I got to attend Summer Magick Fest and went to Universal Studios. Miami has changed a lot, but I was happy to be there with many people I love.
My husband and I visited Uluru for the first time. It was a little rough getting there, but we loved every minute of our time there. Uluru is magnificent, and being there was a moving experience.
The biggest downer of my year was getting COVID-19 in September. I didn’t get it while travelling to and from the US, attending a Pagan festival, or going to a crowded theme park. I didn’t get it on my trip to Uluru either. I got it from my husband, who got it from a man who went to work sick. My husband and I are both vaccinated and boosted, so we got through it okay, but I was very disappointed by the timing. It forced me to miss the Australian Wiccan Conference.
Many other things brought me a lot of joy in 2022, like seeing Hamilton with my theatre-loving girlfriends, the Hecate book club I belong to, Sunday drives with my husband, new genealogical discoveries, and interesting conversations with friends.
Looking back at this blog, I published 47 entries, which is close to my goal of 52 (one entry a week). My most popular entries were:
- How to worship Hekate, goddess of boundaries and witchcraft
- Hekate: Goddess of boundaries, erotic magic, and Sacred Kink
- My tarot and oracle decks of 2021
- Hekate: An introduction to the goddess of the crossroads
- Kali, the Hindu goddess of creation and destruction
I’m not surprised by these results; Hekate continues to fascinate us.
Although I have not talked much about it, I added a shop to the site where people can book tarot readings with me, and I’ve got a Facebook Page. Be sure to connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, and Mastodon. And if it all goes down in flames, subscribe to my mailing list so we can stay in touch.
Coming in 2023
I love this time of year. I love the energy and optimism of feeling like we get a fresh start, that we can embrace new opportunities, and embark on a new journey. I don’t make resolutions per se, but as you’ve just read, I set two or three broad goals (even “goals” feels like too strong a word) and a few small projects.
For 2023, I’m setting four goals.
Now that I’ve completed my two-year Temple Priestess training with the Mt Shasta Goddess Temple, I’m beginning the two-year Sibyl training program, Via Carment Pythia. So, my first goal is to complete the first year of training.
Although I’ve completed basic end of life doula training, I will pursue further professional development and get to work. That’s my second goal.
My third goal is to focus more on my self-care. This will be the most challenging goal to meet.
My fourth goal, which may be biting off more than I can chew, is embarking on an archiving project around Georgian Wicca, my tradition. As our community ages, I worry that our history will be lost, and it’s important to me to capture the voices and stories of our Elders.
Other commitments, such as supporting my coven, the Georgians, the Temple, and my broader spiritual community, roll over every year. I also intend to keep reading, exploring my genealogy, and writing.
As for what’s coming to this site in 2023, you can expect more explorations of the goddesses I’m devoted to and some new features. I hope to share insights from my Sybil training, my Georgian Wicca history project, and more tarot content. I’ve also been getting more questions and requests, and I want to answer some of those here.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, everyone. I wish us all a brighter, healthier, kinder, and abundant 2023.
I really enjoyed this overview, thank you for sharing! I’m excited about your death doula work, and hopefully, we can catch up face to face in the Gregorian New Year. May 2023 be kind.
Thank you! I look forward to spending time with you in person 🙂