TIME CAST A SPELL ON YOU
October 31st 2019
I walked into an ‘All Hallows Sound Ceremony’ in Greenpoint Brooklyn. Just like today, it was a Thursday. At this point in my life I was an utter mess. My twenties knocked me out. I was ready to retire into my thirties and start over again. I entered that ceremony and thought “I don’t know who’s listening but I would like your help. I need your help.” A silent prayer. A wish for guidance.
And so began a journey I didn’t see coming, in more ways than one.
Study, learn, break down, face my demons, get up, fall back down, wipe my tears, talk to the dead, receive the biggest apology of my life, make peace with the past, touch the earth, fire scry, cleanse in water, befriend two black familiars, speak, write, engage with skeletons, Buddhism, witchcraft, psychology, astrology, try to paint, fall in love with painting, loathe painting, rejections, failures, success that doesn't get enough credit, culty situations… meet real life angels, speed dial the other realm, archetypes, cobwebs, spiders, lots of tattoos about death, a love hate relationship with Pluto Complex, a hate hate relationship with NYC, panic attacks, pure bliss, migraines, deep breaths, hiding, resurfacing, create and create and create, figure out what I like, don’t like and love.
Did I miss anything? Definitely. But fear not, that’s why we’re here. Thank you by the way, for being here.
October 31st 2024
Five years later, some thread of a timeline into the future, it’s Thursday again. Always my favorite day as a child, maybe even more so as an adult. A day where spells are cast openly. When ghouls and goblins and weirdos [I say that as one of them] roam openly. Makes me smile ear to ear just writing it… Until people start taking down their skeletons, then I will start crying. Mentally I live in a Tim Burton production. So, today on Samhain/ The Witches New Year, the day that represents everything about what these past five years have meant to me, I am opening up about my depth of curiosity for all things subterranean.
gri·moire/ɡrimˈwär/ noun
- a book of magic spells and invocations.
I'll leave you with a little piece to ponder…
I recently became a certified Hypnotist (more on that in the next entry). In my studies I learned to work with a method called Timeline Therapy. I’ve been thinking a lot about my own timeline and time in general. As I was preparing to work with a client, the song Silver Springs came on. Okay let’s be honest the song didn’t just come on, the Rumors album had probably been playing on repeat for about 3 hours.
As Stevie’s voice serenaded me for the thousandth time, I stopped and really listened. The song, like most songs, is about romance. However I couldn’t help but to remove the lovers' tale from the lyrics. As we know not all love is romantic and as certified single person, I began to think about the only relationship that consumes most of my time, [other than the one I have with my cats], yes I am talking about my relationship to myself. Our relationship to ourselves. One of the most intimate relationships of all.
Time cast a spell on you, but you won't forget me
I know I could've loved you, but you would not let me
I'll follow you down 'til the sound of my voice will haunt you
Give me just a chance
You'll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you
What if we were always casting spells on ourselves subconsciously? The spell of denial, rejection, fear. What if behind all the shadows there was a part of us that was waiting to be unearthed, a part we could never forget? What if underneath it all there was a part of us that was resourced enough to love us through our darkness? Do you hear your own voice? Amongst all the noise, do you hear the faint voice? The part of you that believes in your never ending transformation?
I truly believe until we listen, THAT is the most haunting voice of all. I am truly grateful to be here after all these years, finally listening to that voice that has been haunting me.
🕸️ Until next time…
GHOST WRITER
A lifetime ago, I graduated with a writing major. A major I didn’t plan to ‘do’ anything with. I’ve been thinking a lot about language, writing, and self expression via words.
When I conceptualized Grimoire Entries, a personal project to keep myself accountable to writing, I looked into the history of the word Grimoire.
Grimoire derives from the french word gramaire or ‘grammar’
Well, but of course it does! The intention for a Grimoire is to write down the journey and process of casting spells. Not just the practicality of the spells themselves, what tools to gather, what day of the week to cast ect. The Grimoire is personal. A place to record insights, experiences and dreams.
When life happens, it tends to happen fast doesn't it? At the beginning of the year I decided to learn the Art of Hypnotism. It was such a resounding ‘yes’. I had already been studying and practicing meditation and this felt like the natural progression for my curious mind. As if the pieces were starting to fit together, I very quickly learned why this modality, at this time, was calling me.
Linguistics. At the heart of Hypnotism, we have Neuro Linguistic Programming. Let’s talk practical magic for a moment.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), is a field that explores the relationship between neurological processes, language, and behavioral patterns that have been learned through experience. NLP is essentially a set of techniques and models for understanding how people organize their thoughts, language, and behaviors to achieve certain outcomes and make personal changes.
THE ART OF INFLUENCE
Neuro: This aspect focuses on the brain and the neurological processes that underlie thought patterns, emotions, and perceptions. NLP assumes that the way we experience the world is filtered through our senses and that this "neuro" processing shapes how we interpret and respond to situations.
Programming: Refers to the learned patterns of behavior that we develop over time. These patterns can be likened to mental "programs" that we unconsciously run to respond to certain situations. NLP techniques are often focused on "reprogramming" these behaviors to help people achieve a new vision for themselves.
In a never ending pursuit of exploring the psyche, Hypnotism was the key I had been searching for. As I began to work with people earlier this Autumn I explained to them how the process works, their role and my role.
I started to refer to myself as a Ghost Writer.
In the traditional sense of the word, a ghost writer is hired to create written content on behalf of someone else, with the understanding that all the credit will be given to the author. When I work with a person I remind them that this is their storyline, they are the author, I assist by feeding them back their own language in the process.
And just like in authoring a body of work, we conceptualize the story or new message together. This is a collaboration, I want to ensure that this process reflects their voice and their ideas. Lastly, we revise the story as many times as needed in order for them to feel aligned and connected to their vision.
It doesn’t hurt than the entirety of my teenage years, into my adult life my closest friends have called me a Ghost. I must have an ability to be everywhere and nowhere all at once.
We’ll conclude with a very Grimoire Entry fact — Founded in the late 1970’s, the Ghost Research Society was founded by hypnotherapist Martin V. Riccardo - an ongoing organization dedicated to the investigation of paranormal activity. [Via The Element Encyclopedia of the Psychic World]
I guess ghosts & hypnotism had a history all this time.
🕸️ Until next time.