Its My Solid Return Today!! So Grateful To Share My Birthday With The Feast Of The Archangels

it’s my solid return today!! so grateful to share my birthday with the feast of the archangels 😇🪽

Veiling/dressing modestly in the heat (because “aren’t you hot” questions are annoying enough without actually being unnecessarily hot)!

I made a silly little acronym for you, and that’s WELLNESS! :D

W: Watch how other people do it. There are plenty of people both religious and not religious who dress modestly for whatever reasons, and looking for inspiration on the kinds of things they wear might help you out in ways I can’t!

E: Evaluate your health. Are you able to dress modestly in such a way that doesn’t flare up any health issues? Do you have skin problems that can’t handle being covered in the heat? Is it so bad you need to stay inside all the time anyways and you’re allowed to just free-for-all your wardrobe? You might have come into wanting to dress modestly already with an idea of what you wanted to cover consistently, and that might change depending on what medical needs you have.

L: Light colors. Lighter colors reflect sunlight and don’t hold heat as easily as darker colors do.

L: Loose cut. Allow air flow to cool you down! This also means try not to layer too much with overlapping layers, look into things like dicky collars it you like a collar but don’t want to layer a whole buttoned up shirt under a whole other shirt, and other such things. Except for veiling, in which case having something up high and tight off your neck is the best!

N: Natural fabrics. If it’s made of plastic (like polyester) it’ll trap heat in. Cotton and linen are your best bets!

E: Except wool! Wool will also trap heat. Always make sure you check what the actual properties are of the fabric you’re buying, there are natural fibers that insulate and there are synthetic fibers that don’t. If you want to broaden your horizons you’re going to have to google a funky word every now and again.

S: Stay on top of water consumption, sunscreen (for what’s exposed), and where you can go to cool off if necessary. Yes, it’s important for everyone, but especially if you’re more covered!

S: STOP IF YOU HAVE TO! No style of dressing is worth your health. If you find dressing modestly too cumbersome and dangerous for your health, CUT IT OUT! Know the signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Know the signs of dehydration. Know when you just need to take a break and separate yourself from the heat.

I think we need to bring local shrines back. Not in the sense of like, a church, but somewhere in a local community where offerings to the spirits, fae, deceased loved ones, can be left. not too dissimilar to community shrines to local spirits in Japan.

Patron Saints for World Mental Health Day

Today is reserved for, among many other things, World Mental Health Day. Raising mental health awareness is vital to helping to understand and accept the challenges we face internally.

Here are four patron saints I've picked to share that represent common mental health challenges that you can pursue intercession with!

✧ St. Dymphna, patron saint of mental health (nervous and mental afflictions), who experienced intense trauma herself in her lifetime

✧ St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, patron saint of stress relief

✧ St. Jude Thaddeus, patron saint of lost causes and desperate situations

✧ St. Christina the Astonishing, patron saint of mental illness who experienced a profound return from death after experiencing a seizure

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Ways to Celebrate Pretty Much Every Pagan Holiday

(And most of these work no matter how discreet you have to be!)

Food- No holiday is complete without a feast! Have a potluck, try a new recipe in the kitchen, or just contemplate your usual dinner and be thankful that you have food. Lots of sabbats have popular recipes or ingredients that you could try making, or incorporate those types of foods into your meals.

Spend Time Outdoors- Have a picnic, go on a walk, or just sit on a chair and observe nature for a little while. Feel the air and observe how the seasons have changed.

Pay it Forward- Celebrate family, do something nice for your friends, or volunteer in your community.  Go out and help people. ‘Tis the season!

Clean and Cleanse- A lot of holidays focus on some type of new beginnings. Clean your space and cleanse yourself of any residual energies you may be holding onto. Getting everything tidy and organized is a great way to give yourself a foundation for the coming year, no matter when that year begins!

Self Reflect- Think about where you were 365 days ago. How much you’ve grown, what you’ve gained and lost, what lessons you have been taught. What are your goals for the future? What is your next step?

Regular Worship- If you have any deities that you regularly interact with, consider giving them an offering and thanking them for just being a part of your life.