I had to go Google a term yesterday because the internet told me that it was Blue Monday. I thought that was a meal deal at Yo Sushi! But no, it turns out that since 2005 they’ve been calling the 3rd Monday in January Blue Monday because it is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year.
It’s cold, it’s miserable, you are suffering a post-holiday season downer. You feel fat, your resolutions are up in smoke, and to top it off you haven’t got a penny to your name (or not far off it) and payday is way too far away. It’s understandable, actually more than understandable for those of us who celebrate Solstice, followed by Christmas with family and then the obligatory New Year. December is pretty hardcore and full on. Throw in a coven Esbat, sometimes two and well, it can be just exhausting. Actually, I can’t imagine how Americans cope because they have Thanksgiving too. It seems like we barely get a pause to breathe before we have to start thinking about Imbolc.
I honestly don’t feel like the darkest time is darkest for the right reasons anymore and if you are feeling financially glum and exhausted then your spiritual practice is bound to suffer. I remember someone once saying to me one day that a “Poor Witch is a Poor Witch” and it’s something I have always taken deeply to heart, and not necessarily for the reason you might think. But yes, you can make it about money if you really wish, so I thought I might share 3 things to make the last few weeks of January just a little bit richer and get your mojo back on track in energetically and maybe even financially positive ways.
Don’t Be Afraid to Hustle – You’ve Got Skills; Use ’Em
Take a moment to imagine this scene: it’s, say, 250 years ago and Goody Rawlins has a nasty abscess that just won’t clear, so she heads off to the village wise woman for a salve. Whilst she’s there she asks the wise woman to divine the sex of her baby and to help her with some difficulties she’s having with her less than sober husband, a poppet maybe. Do you think the village wise woman did all that for free? Did she heck! There was payment, possibly in cold hard cash but also in barter or promise of other goods and services; Old Mother Hargreaves didn’t keep herself fed on good will and positive vibes, man!
This whole magic is free malarkey is a modern construct that is well past its sell-by date and thankfully people are starting to realize that those of us who spend our lives dedicated to learning spiritual and magickal arts need to eat too. Don’t be ashamed to do a little side hustling. If you read the cards, runes or tea leaves try putting a call out to your tribe on social media to see if anyone wants a reading; even if they are only $5 readings you may make enough for a much-needed tank of fuel.
You can offer to skills-swap if physical money feels too grubby. My daughter has offered to teach her roomie (who can literally burn water – I’ve been to the house and seen the pans) to cook this month in return for sharing the results of the lessons, a great way of saving a bit on the food bills. You may want to offer a healing session to a friend in return for pizza and a bottle of wine, which suddenly makes it a fun Friday night. The options are endless. You’ve got skills; don’t be ashamed to use them to your benefit. Ignore the random stranger on the internet who says it is unspiritual to charge. You can almost guarantee they are sitting pretty somewhere not worrying how they are getting to work next week.
Family Feasts – A Little Bit Can Go a Long Way
Family is a subjective word, so this is valid for anyone you count as part of your tribe: don’t be afraid to speak out if the cupboards are a bit bare. Sharing resources is a thing that used to happen a lot when communities were closer; it’s high time we brought it back.
It’s likely that your depleted cupboards are different to your family and friends so collaborate, instead of pot-luck have an ingredient share. Your bottle of tomato Passata and bag of pasta all of a sudden can be far more interesting when you discover that someone else has tinned mushrooms, another onions and peppers, someone else garlic and fresh herbs and somebody else the means to make fresh bread. Get together, cook a meal, enjoy each other, and don’t forget to leave a little plate of something for the spirits of the land whilst you’re at it.
Wealth Isn’t All About Money – Positivity, Positivity, Positivity
The Temple of Apollo at Delphi had a famous saying above the entrance, one that witches have taken to heart thanks to the legendary Scott Cunningham. Know Thyself! The first of the 13 goals of a Witch! Many of these goals, if you work with them, can only increase a positive outlook on life.
Goal 1: Know yourself – Why not do a daily check-in with yourself, draw a card or a rune or even just do a bit of sitting practice and meditate. If you are feeling off-kilter you can start the day with a proactive plan to help you beat those January blues. Journaling is great here too; don’t be afraid to dig deep, that’s what the dark half of the year is for. Best offload now because Imbolc is right round the corner and shadows have a habit of falling very long once a little bit of light gets shed on the situation.
Goal 2: Know your craft – Spells baby, Spells!!! Witchcraft is an experiential path, and you’re financially all tapped out. So do some magick already. I can bet you’ve got a drawer full of witchy-as-hell candles and ingredients; practice your art, do a money-drawing spell. What’s the worst that is going to happen? It doesn’t work but you’ve just racked up a bunch of experience points and knowledge of what not to do next time.
Goal 3: Learn – (Or teach, see tip one about the side hustle) I bet you’ve got a bookshelf or e-reader full of books? I don’t know a witch who doesn’t, and I can almost guarantee you’ve not read them all cover to cover. Pick book one in your wait list and read it; learn a new skill instead of fretting about the fact that you are strapped for cash. OK, it isn’t going to make the problem go away but sometimes you just need to focus on something else or the problem becomes unbearable, so do something you enjoy to help pass those long evenings when you feel like payday will never come.
Goal 13: Honor the Goddess and the God – Make sure your altar is clean tidy and up to scratch, talk to your Deities let them know how grateful you are for their love and support, their continued presence in your life. If you are a crafty witch go dig out your stash and look at crocheting, embroidering or sewing a new altar cloth. Same for you artists, paint them a new icon, musicians sing them a song, writerly types pen a new prayer and better still share it all on social media. I’ve discovered the Gods quite like a bit of online offering to raise their profile. It’s surprising how good life can suddenly be, dare I say it, how rich it is when you get down and dirty with some honest-to-goodness worship or veneration.
NOTE: If you want to see a full list of 13 Goals then check out Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham
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