I trust your Solstice was filled with beauty and magic, your Navidad was joyous, your Christmas was merry, and your Kwanzaa was happy. Alternatively, I hope you had a relaxing and cheerful break from work if you didn’t observe any of these holidays; we all deserve some rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. With the new year quickly approaching, I’ve been reflecting on 2023. Here’s my year in review and what I look forward to in 2024.
The 2023 year in review
I had a year full of magic. The year began with an invitation from Ivo Dominguez, Jr. to contribute to Sagittarius Witch, which is one of 12 books in The Witch’s Sun Sign Series by Llewellyn. I’m still pinching myself. Sagittarius Witch comes out in April 2024 and is available now for pre-order.
In April, my husband and I visited Canberra and saw the exhibition Feared and Revered: Feminine Power through the Ages at the National Museum of Australia. I loved seeing the statue of Hekate, and it was also extraordinary to see the Queen of the Night again. I can’t believe I’ve seen this relief twice, 17 years apart, on two continents.
In June, I read tarot at the MindBodySpirit Festival in Melbourne. It was a warm, friendly, and positive environment, and I had a wonderful time. I was thrilled to return in November. It’s marvellous to read tarot for so many people in a short period and see the diversity of people sitting at my table–young and older, students and professionals, and from many different ethnic and spiritual backgrounds. I hope to return in 2024.
In September and October, my husband and I travelled through Greece and Türkiye, meeting family and friends, visiting museums, archaeological sites, and beautiful cities, and eating delicious food. I shared photos from the road on Instagram and have written about visiting the Heraklion Archaeological Museum in Crete and Stratonikeia and Lagina in Türkiye.
This holiday was transformative. For a month after returning to Melbourne, I dreamed of Stratonikeia, the beautiful ancient city of Hekate. I returned with new insights and full of inspiration (as well as many questions). My husband and I regularly talk about Greece and Türkiye and wonder how soon we can return. I will write more about my experiences there in future blog entries.
It’s been a year since I resigned from my 9 to 5 job Monday through Friday. I launched my own business and have been working part-time ever since. I do the same thing I’ve been doing for over a decade: building websites, creating social media content, managing online communities, and consulting and training. But now, I do it for small, heart-centred businesses, and working for myself part-time allows me more energy and time for my spirituality, to pursue my passions, and do more tarot readings for others.
Many other things brought me joy in 2023, like great conversations with good friends, the Hekate book club I belong to, the birth of my second almost-grandchild, presenting at Muses of Mystery and Cosmogenetrix, and looking after my friend’s Yorkie while she was on holiday.
Looking back at this blog, I published 28 entries. My most popular entries were:
- How to worship Hekate, goddess of boundaries and witchcraft
- An introduction to the Deer Mother
- Ochún, the orisha of beauty, love, and sexuality
- Erotic magic, sacred kink, and Hekate, goddess of boundaries
- Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom and the patriarchy
This year, I wrote 19 fewer posts than in 2022, not even close to my goal of 52 (one entry a week). In fact, I barely met my 2023 goals. I struggled to complete the first year of Via Carmen Pythia, the Sibyl training program at Mt Shasta Goddess Temple. I grew little as a death doula, didn’t even start the Georgian Wicca archiving project, and didn’t expand this website.
Of course, 2023 was not without heartache. In February, my husband lost a friend suddenly; she was 82, but it was COVID-19 that got her. I thought of Di this week because we spent many Christmas Day mornings in her home enjoying bubbly drinks, croissants, and cherries. Her death is the end of an era.
In May, my niece Melanie was diagnosed with metastatic bowel cancer (it spread to her liver), and she died just six months later in November. She was 35. She had a fantastic funeral, which she planned.
My father-in-law, whose health had been declining, died in October at 89. We were abroad, but we got to say goodbye to Harry before we left and shared some of our adventures with family and friends in his Greek village via WhatsApp, which made him smile.
This week, my father’s cousin Neuto died; he was like an uncle to me. I was born on the 29th of November, and he was born on the 30th, many years apart; he was about 93 when he died. We shared a bond over being Sagittarius, and we both loved books. I hoped to give him a copy of Sagittarius Witch with my essay. He didn’t speak English and wouldn’t have been able to read it, but it would have made him smile.
Coming in 2024
I cherish this season. The vitality and optimism it brings, signalling a new beginning, make it truly special. It’s a time when we can welcome fresh opportunities and embark on a new journey. While I don’t explicitly make resolutions, I outline broad goals and projects.
My most significant goal of 2024 is what I’m calling Middle Adulting (because I’m a middle-aged adult). One project concerns money, a mysterious thing that floats in and out of my life. I’ve always struggled with managing money, budgeting, or even balancing my chequebook (is that still a thing?), but thanks to my planet Jupiter, I always land on my feet. Still, something inside me shifted. I’m not afraid of it all anymore. I want to understand finance better and make my money work for me. My desire to travel further propels this goal. Other projects include ensuring that my parents have their affairs in order.
I’m keeping this year’s goal of embarking on an archiving project around Georgian Wicca. Plans for a Georgian Wiccan retreat are underway, and that will be a fantastic opportunity to get started.
My ancestors want their stories recorded and told. I’ve known this for years, but that message has gotten louder recently. I’ve learned enough about a few of them that I can do this now. Although challenging, I must also speak with my living family members.
I have been considering offering a monthly New Moon ritual, Hekate’s Noumenia, at home. As my husband pointed out, I perform the ritual every month anyway, so why not do it with others? It would be by donation or very inexpensive to help cover some costs like food and drink and limited to a small group because my home can accommodate only so many people. It would also be on the night of the New Moon, even if that falls on a weeknight. Let me know if you’re interested by completing this Google Form.
As for what’s coming to this site in 2024, you can expect more explorations of the goddesses I’m devoted to, updates and insights from my projects, and some new features. As usual, please send me your Witchy questions; I love answering them. I’ve also been more active on TikTok, so let me know if you’d like me to do a video on something! You can reach me through the contact form or via social media.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, everyone. I wish us all a more compassionate, joyful, healthy, and abbundant 2024.
