Month: April 2013

Bealtaine Dreams

On By SibylleIn Hag15 Comments

It’s nearly Bealtaine, and so I thought it appropriate to post this picture of a stag that I took in Germany two weeks ago – he is part of a little herd living in an enclosure in a local park, and they are entirely without fear. He was so beautiful as he lay there in the soft spring sunshine, I had to take a picture. Deer are my spirit animals and this guy just seemed the animal incarnation of the Horned God of spring. Hail Pan, Cernunnos, Jack in the Green!

I hope you’re all doing well and enjoying my favourite sabbat. I can’t wait to get home this evening, I plan on making Bealtaine Bread (click link and scroll down to the recipe) and having my ritual. It’s also the 8th anniversary of my dedication, so all in all a very special occasion. I’m so well and happy these days, and curious what life has in store for me. I have a feeling that it’s trying to tell me something and I’ll find out what it is in time.
Remember last week, when I mentioned starting new projects and revisiting old dreams? Some people asked me for details, and I thought I’ll tell you about them, in the hope that I’ll inspire other people to take a new look at life and get new impulses and inspirations. Variety truly is the spice of life!
What I started with was looking up events and group meetings in Wicklow. I came across guided walks through nature reserves, yoga in a spiritual center, and various other small projects. Last weekend at the Pagan Pub Moot, Barbara suggested I also look into teaching my witchcraft classes in person, locally, and I’m definitely thinking about that.
I’ve also been digging out a dream of old, which is to do with my long-standing fascination with Siberia. I believe Siberia has the last of the larger areas of nearly-untouched nature on this planet and I never tire of reading about it. I’ve always been particularly fascinated by Kamchatka, that volcanic peninsula in the far East, across the Bering Street from Alaska, and have recently watched some documentaries like this one about it – I highly recommend watching it, the beauty of the land and the rich animal life are inspiring.
Years and years ago, I used to dream that I’d one day take the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Vladivostok on the Russian East Coast, with many stops along the way, for example at Lake Baikal (containing 1/5th of the world’s drinking water reserves and with over 3,000 species of animals living in and around it). Then I’d take a plane to Kamchatka, stay for another week, climb volcanoes and see geysers, and then go back home.
I’m as fascinated as I’ve ever been and have decided that I’m going to make this happen, although it’ll take some time to realise. It would mean being away from my budgies for around three weeks, and I have no idea how I’m supposed to survive that and it would require me being settled and hopefully a friend or two living in my house for that time and looking after the Cutest. I won’t have either the time or the money for at least another year or two, but who cares? I’ll do it one day. And in the meantime, I’ll learn some Russian – that’s another project, and one I can start straightaway.
What d’you think? I just love learning and doing new things. I’ve even started playing World of Warcraft again now that I have a little more time, and it’s great to chat to my guild again even though it’s only online. I’ve been far too isolated recently with all the work I’ve been doing.
Last but not least: Some people weren’t able to purchase my ebook because the page I linked was the American amazon.com. To get the book, go to your local amazon page and search for “From Debt To Freedom” or “Sibylle Leon” and the book will be one of the first five results. You can purchase it there in your local currency. By the way, if you don’t have a Kindle you can use the free Kindle reader for PC which is downloadable on amazon as well.
News From The Tribe
Cassandra posted a Guide To Reading Tea Leaves that you should check out. I love it! By the way, Cassandra has also just realised her dream of moving to the Philippines which you can also read about in her blog. If that’s not an inspiring story, I don’t know what is!
Leanne posted a very insightful, differentiated article on being too sensitive. It’s a joy to read, avoids generalisations, and is obviously coming from one who knows what she’s talking about.
Have a blessed Bealtaine!

Everyday Magic And The E-Book Author

On By SibylleIn Hag19 Comments
Did I mention the Magic Glow yet? Yeah, I think I’ve mentioned it so much recently that people are starting to roll their eyes when I go on about it again. But you know what? Experiencing it never gets boring. It’s just so very beautiful.

On Sunday, we had a great webinar with four amazing souls (if you missed it, there’ll be another one this Sunday – go sign up for it!), and for just under an hour we connected, shared our dreams and goals, and talked and laughed. I hope with all my heart that the information I provided has been useful; from the feedback so far, it was, and that makes me so happy! I don’t see the webinars as providing something “for free” at all – it’s more like I’m refuelling. Human beings are simply beautiful.

It was the perfect ending to a perfect day. I finally felt better after a week of struggling with a head cold, and when afternoon came and the sun was shining, I decided to go and buy myself some sweets. This is a special occasion these days as I live mostly without sugar. But in Bray we have a few old-fashioned sweet shops down by the strand, and in the gorgeous spring weather I knew they must be open.

So off I went, and soon after strolled back up my hill enjoying an ice cream cone and carrying a bag of candyfloss (it was pink and artificial, but hey – CANDYFLOSS!!). Suddenly I heard loud meowing from across the street, coming from a beautiful black cat who sat on a garden wall and looked bored. There was nobody else around and she was obviously talking to me, so I crossed over. She came towards me, eager, having spotted the cat lover with sure instinct, and I got lots of cat cuddles and cat purrs.

Perfection. Such simple, small events, and they were pure magic.
 
This past week has taught me a lot. I went back to work after my week off, and I didn’t feel like going back to the work-during-the-day, work-in-the-evening and-nothing-else model. I need to balance my life at least a little, and now that my business isn’t absolutely buzzing, it’s a perfect opportunity for doing just that. I dug out some old dreams of mine and started looking around for like-minded people in my area. I’m also going to see my friends more often and get out of the house on more occasions. And I’ll do things I FEEL LIKE doing. Things like buying sweets on a Sunday afternoon.

Obviously, I’m not going to stop working my business, on the contrary: I’ll focus more on marketing and selling what I already have and do, rather than creating more and more content. I’ll sell what I have – things like, you know, the ebook whose author is… yours truly. Yes, really!

You know my “From Debt To Freedom” ecourse? People love it but those who are really broke and struggling with debt sometimes don’t even have the money to pay for an e-course. I thought about it and realised that while my personal support – which comes with the e-course and is included in the price – is very valuable, the pure content without the support would be valuable as well. And so I’ve converted the contents of the e-course and reworked them into this ebook:


It’s available on Amazon Kindle and costs – wait for it – 4.99$ and the equivalent (meaning, a lot less) in Euro and British Pounds. It has everything the e-course has except my personal support, and it shows you every step towards handling your debt, and then creating financial stability and a secure future – just like the e-course does.

Go on and buy it – you know you want to!!


News From The Tribe

You guys keep surprising me. I can never second-guess how you’re going to react! Last week I thought all the comments would be about my take on religion versus spirituality, and then all you talked about was spring, haha – I guess I wasn’t the only one who’s been waiting in growing desperation! Kat wrote she was looking forward to ditching the longjohns, MissMerrydown enjoys the sun as much as I do, and Charlotte said what a relief it was to feel spring returning.

Incidentally, Charlotte is a fellow Coach from the UK and I really recommend you check her out. This last week she posted an excellent blog article on Burnout – go go, read read!

Spring Has Sprung

On By SibylleIn Hag11 Comments
Before I tell you anything else, I need to shout out that I’ve scheduled another “7 Steps To Enchanting Your Life” webinar for those who couldn’t make the last one! This one will happen on Sunday 21st April. Check out the exact time and of course, sign up right here. I feel warm and fuzzy about offering you this free webinar. It’ll give you some solid information and make the decision easier for those who are on the fence about joining the “Enchant Your Life” intensive program.


The webinar happens in the evening for those in my time zone, and that’s just as well because I intend to spend most of the weekend outdoors. It’s finally, finally spring! Far from being warm here, it’s however mild and also sunny at least some of the time, and that’s frankly as good as it gets in Ireland. I need to enjoy the weekends, because I’m now back at work and no longer can I just drive down the coast one morning when the mood takes me and stand on a windy cliff above the pounding Irish Sea, like I did last week. I had a wonderful time though, and the feeling of freedom is delicious. It reminds me of what it’s like to work from home and what it is I’m working for.


I’ve extended my holidays by taking things in a summer-carefree way. I smile most days and look at the pictures I took during my week off; the one above shows the bountiful table I ate at with two dear friends in Germany – a lot of it is home-made, including the pesto! It was so delicious, I still dream of it. All in all my visit to Germany was a culinary delight. I had lovely Italian food in my favourite restaurant with my brother and oldest sister, and we had such a great evening. I also met up with my niece who was visiting, and finally got to know my little great-nephew! He’s 1 1/2 and too cute to be allowed.


These days, I don’t work all evening for once. I read and watch movies as well, and altogether take things slowly. It’s doing me a world of good. Even work is a little less stressful now at the beginning of the quarter. It leaves me time to write, work on my e-book – yes, I intend to publish a much cheaper e-book version of the “From DebtTo Freedom” ecourse – and prepare the little talk I’m going to give at the Pagan Pub Moot in Dublin on Thursday. I’ve been invited to speak about my beginnings as a Pagan, and some early inspirations, and I’m really looking forward to that. If you’re in the area, drop by! The moot is a very informal gathering in a pub, it makes absolutely no difference whether you already know anyone.


All this fits in very well with the Waxing Moon these days, whose energy drives me to create, to communicate, and to reach out. There is so much I want to talk about, it’s a bit of a challenge to try and produce a coherent blog entry. I am, for example, thinking of maybe writing and article about the word “religion”. So many people say they don’t want religion, they want spirituality. I believe this comes from mixing up “religion” with “organized religion”. Religion by itself is a wonderful thing, it comes from the Latin re-ligere which roughly means re-connecting. Spirituality, by virtue of its name, concerns the spirit, whereas my religion encompasses body, mind, soul, and spirit alike. Well, here you go, that was the gist of what the article will be like if I ever write it!


Last but not least, here’s our



News From The Tribe


The marvellous Yiye shared her wisdom on how to price your products if you happen to be in business for yourself. So so so helpful, not to mention healing to read, especially for those of us who are having a hard time doing actually asking money for our gifts.


Christiane shared her website in a comment, and it’s well worth a mention – Cosmic Fairy Tarot, go and check it out! It’s one of my top three Tarot pages in the whole wide world.


Have a lovely week and enjoy the spring!

Enchant Your Life

On By SibylleIn Hag14 Comments

What a difference compared to only a few weeks back!

The Magic Glow is back. Things go my way. I am happy, content, abundant and finally the outside is beginning to reflect the inside. It’s such a blessing.

This week I feel it in particular, because I’m off work and enjoying every minute. It’s a glance at how life could be like, will be like when I work for myself again. Relaxed mornings of reading, then house work at some point – an hour at a time, which is ridiculously easy to do when I’m at home all day, and nearly impossible to motivate myself for when I only have a total of 3-4 hours at home in the evening – then work on my business. A walk in the twilight when evening falls, and time off in the evening to either read, watch a movie, coach, or meet up with friends. A natural, healthy rhythm which leaves enough space for pagan practice, spreading love, and lots of self-care.

I went for my first walk of the season the other day, in the bright sunshine. It was still icy cold, but at least the sun seemed to remember that it’s supposed to be spring. I went for a loop, down my street, to the strand, up the footpath to the Cliff Walk, and back home, and was forcefully reminded of how beautiful this place is. The picture above was taken by the strand. The rest of the pictures are in an album on my Coaching page on Facebook. While you’re about it, do me a favour and “Like” the page, it could use some more numbers. Thank you!

The weather is a lot duller now, no more hours upon hours of sunshine, but at least the temperatures are creeping up, slowly but surely. On Thursday, I’ll go to Germany for a few days to see my dad, I’m curious what the weather will be like there. As long as there’s no snow, I’m ok, but I would love some milder temperatures so I can take my dad for one of our day tours. It’ll be great to see him in any case, and my siblings and dear friends.

Life is not just good, it’s wonderful! I am so eager to spread this gift, to share my abundance and all I’ve learned the hard way, with those who’ve had enough of settling and being “ok”. Life doesn’t have to be mediocre and “not too bad”, it can be fan-frickin-tastic and filled with warm, fuzzy gratitude every day.

Are there still bad times? Of course there are! Sometimes, there’s sadness, and setbacks – I still work my job, my landlady’s daughter still keeps me up half the nights and the days following those nights are dull, tense, painful efforts. Reclaiming my magic does not mean that everything is perfect all the time. It means that the sadness and setbacks are temporary, and do not disturb the overall feeling of bliss. It isn’t a “bubble” of happiness that can burst at any moment, it’s about being functional and creating the life I want, and feeling wonderful about it.

Armed with all this knowledge I’ve gained, plus the proven and tested tools and processes of Coaching, I’ve created my new 6-months intensive program “Enchant Your Life”. And now it’s finally available! Check out the page, and the video which you can find on the “Monday Sparkles”page just below the sign-up form.

Next Sunday, I’ll share “7 Steps To Enchanting Your Life” plus a lot of information on the Enchant Your Life program, in a free, no-strings-attached webinar – go and sign up for it! Spaces are limited, but as of now there are still a few left. And if you have any questions, post a comment or drop me an email and I’ll get back to you.

Have an enchanted week!


News From The Tribe

From what I see in your comments and blogs and pages, you’re all busy being happy! This week, Linda has posted a great article on the usefulness of nettles – yes, ordinary stinging nettles that you can pluck in any field for zero cash – and Cassandra helps you create Your Zen Moment. Powerful stuff! Go check it out, and by all means keep the conversation going in the comments here. I love to hear from you all!
 

Hag, Unplugged

On By SibylleIn Hag17 Comments

Today’s photo is a still life of what I consume at work: Organic Greek yogurt with Manuka honey, a pear (slightly brown but oh so sweet!), green tea, and rooibos tea. It looks so nice, I just had to take a picture! I especially like this because it contrasts so beautifully with what I ate last week – we had a quarter end with stress, hectic, and overtime, and I compensated by stuffing myself with horrible processed food I don’t even enjoy. This week, we got a chocolate Easter egg from the company, but I haven’t even touched it – my body craves clean food after all the rubbish it had to deal with last week.

It’s all about balance.

I’m very aware of the truth of this, although my life is anything BUT in balance these days. I’ve written about it before, and I don’t think I need to list all the details of a full-time office job plus evening work on my business, most of it online, sitting on my backside and staring at a monitor. The point is that I don’t FEEL unbalanced these days, I feel wonderful, glowing, happy, and grateful. I have this overwhelming sense of purpose and bliss.

At the same time, I’m aware that I lack exercise and fresh air, and simply peace. And that’s why I came up with something special for the Easter weekend. Three days off work calls for celebration and so I worked only a few hours a day on my new Coaching program and implemented the following:

Lovely-people therapy. I met with my wonderful friend Rachel and a friend of hers and spent a few beautiful hours at a cafe and walking along the strand in Bray. Then we all moved on to the Pagan Pub Moot at the Harbour Bar and met even more lovely people for a great evening.
Lazy hag therapy. I did only the minimum of housework and spent a lot of time talking to my budgies and watching Harry Potter movies, as well as reading. I read almost three books over the weekend! Remember how I told you that it takes me months to finish one book these days? It felt so good to change that for a few days.
Social Media abstinence. I love Social Media, Blogs, and Forums, but they can become draining after a while. I decided to take a 3-day break and it’s done me a world of good! Lo and behold, you guys were still there when I got back, and you don’t mind me reading your blogs a few days later. Lesson learned: From now on, I’m going to limit my online time to an hour every evening and leave the browser closed (except for research on what I’m creating) otherwise.
I LOVE communicating, and that’s exactly why I need to conserve my energy. You deserve my full attention and energy, and so do my e-course students and Coaching clients! It’s staggering how much energy I’ve gained over this weekend, and how much calmer I am.

Now before I close, I’d like to introduce a new feature on this blog! Now that we can talk to each other properly, I’d like to do what I can to encourage more communication among the Tribe. When someone posts a comment on my blog, I follow the link to their blog and website and it gives me so much joy to experience what you are all up to. And so I’ll introduce random members of the Tribe here in the blog, to introduce all of you to their wisdom and experiences. So here goes:


News From The Tribe

Laurie posted a deeply insightful blog article on the Three Of Clubs this week, about boundaries and too much “well-meant” advice from others. Laurie is an intuitive spiritual advisor and offers readings as well.

Charissa posted Easter greetings on her artist blog, and I can’t recommend her work enough, it’s so striking and beautiful! I’m especially in love with the colours. I’m also the proud owner of two of her illustrations, and I love them so much. 

So much for today! Let me know what you are doing to unplug sometimes.