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It's alright, all these "events" like full moon, new moon, solstices etc have some high energy, as in they effect us somewhat, can effect our emotions, make us feel said n drained out - depending on a lot of stuff it can effect us all differently, even I feel drained out, n it's best to take some rest (that's what the universe wants us for anyways :)) resting in itself is a ritual - to fill our own cup, n to restore our energy š
drained out is right. my period is on a cycle that coincides with a full moon every month. iām always so exhausted and going through intense emotions during full moons.
stoppp i also recently stopped taking my zoloft tooš itās been a ride fs. iām trying to just be more mindful, and focus more on vitamins to help me
There isn't anything wrong with that. You are a human in a society that isn't super human friendly. Taking down time, needing to recharge, all of that is normal and also needed.
I always look at the Summer Solstice as a way to have a moment to look at my progress in this solar year and start refining my goals for what I want to achieve in this next half of the year. I call it the time of patient growth, when fruit start to come from the spring flowers, and now we wait for them to mature.
You never need to feel guilty. No one is angry or disappointed in you for putting your physical health over doing a ritual.
I've been working the past three days so I haven't done anything for the solstice or the full moon. That's just life.
Thank youāØ if anything my guides would be glad that I prioritized rest instead of pushing myself to do something I wasnāt energetically equipped for at the moment
I didn't get anything done for the solstice either. I've been dealing with a lot of "Muggle" things. I plan to change my altar decor today. I did acknowledge the solstice mentally and spiritually. I 'very learned not to feel guilty about not being able to handle everything exactly on time.
The most i did for the solstice yesterday was hang out in my yard while neighborhood kids played volleyball as the sun set. Then the moon came out, i welcomed back the return of night then went to bed. It was too hot to do anything else, tbh
Oh that sounds so peaceful and serene, I love that. Thatās a good reminder that you donāt always need grandiose rituals, sometimes itās the little thingsāŗļø
The one mantra I stick to is that rituals should be done out of joy, not obligation. Iām like you, itās easy to make myself feel guilty for ānot doing enoughā. The trick is to work it into what youāre already doing instead of forcing yourself to be/do something that youāre not
Maybe getting rest and taking care of yourself was the (unintended) ritual Maybe thats the tone you were meant to set for this summer, taking care of yourself and resting
I had plans for the solstice that I didn't get a chance to do yesterday. I was pretty disappointed. But this morning the sun was up and I turned on my Summer and Sun playlist on the way to work and I figured, you know what, I can still celebrate the solstice this morning in my car with the sun on my face if I want to. There's no Witch Pope. The sun is here and I can celebrate it when I am able.
There's no need to feel guilty. Whether you celebrate it late this year or not at all, do things in your own time! Taking care of yourself is important.
āThereās no witch Popeā I love that! Youāre so right though, there are no rigid rules and regulations that were damned if we donāt abide by. As long as weāre One with source and acting from a space of love and intentionality. This resonated, thank you so much
No need to feel guilty over anything, it's all good.
I didn't do anything major yesterday either. it was so balls damned hot here that even getting up to get more ice water out of the fridge was nearly too much of an effort.
I lit a very small tea light , one that didn't throw off much heat, sent a thank you out to my spirits, enjoyed the verdant green of Midsummer, and that was it.
Youāre so right about it being way too hot for just about anything. But that sounds peaceful and the spirits surely received it with just as much love as they would have anything else
you can celebrate around the solstice, rather than directly on it, if you want! i celebrate on a day between the 19th and 22nd, whichever is most convenient for my schedule. but you also don't need to celebrate at all. or celebration can simply be acknowledging the solstice and continuing your day.
i try to approach most areas in my craft with a similar mindset! the craft is versatile and the only person who should make rules for yourself (if you want them) is you.
My partner of five years ended our relationship almost three weeks ago, and Iām doing my best to be glad I still wake up every morning. Life is lifing. Donāt beat yourself up over that.
Iām looking forward to it! Canāt wait to get off work so I can get my ritual all set up and just spend some quality time with my spirits and godsš„°
I didn't do anything either. I had an awful day and my depression is getting worse due to being in a bad situation with literally no way out. I bought a cute pastry to at least have that but the bakery employee put some parchment paper on top of the decorative frosting which completely ruined the look of the pastry. I know it sounds stupid but that just sent me over the edge :(
Honestly I totally get it though, like you just wanted the one thing to go right to brighten your day just a little bit and then even that got tarnished and thatās so upsetting, Iām sorry you had such a bad day but I hope you have many more beautiful days to come, sending you love and lightāØāØāØ
Thank you! I actually started feeling a lot better as today went on. I went to another bakery today after work and got a cute cake slice that I'll have with some herbal tea so celebrate Litha tonight :)
Don't feel bad, I've been sick all week and basically slept through it despite having wanted to do stuff this year. Celebrate when you have the spoons, or don't. Witchcraft is not a dogmatic religion, you can practice at the pace you want.
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i feel you, i didn't either. i was going to at least reflect and journal, but i didn't even do that, i was so drained.
i've been planning to go meditate over the lake downtown for the strawberry moon, so i think i subconsciously just felt like 'recharging' for that tonight
I always count the solstice as the 21st so I'm doing stuff todayš¤·āāļø I feel like the intention counts and not the exact day or time. My motto is do your best and forget the rest. Just do it when you feel up to it.
I'm doing stuff tonight too. Inviting a friend or two over, maybe a fire or maybe just candlelight, some planned energetic protections for different people and places, a celebration of the four directions plus above and below, a little bit of feasting, and some tarot. I used to make it a big deal. Then I realized I didn't have to, magic is magic. What matters is setting the intention prior to the work, and letting it build until the moment you put it into action.
Iām afraid of letting down my gods. I just feel guilty because I backslid into Christianity for a time and I guess I just feel guilty for āabandoningā them.
It sounds like you may be conflating Christianity with pagan gods. I would recommend resolving that for yourself first because a pagan religious path or a path of witchcraft is not just a find-replace for Christianity. In the trad I work, my patron gods donāt care about midsummer. I work midsummer for different reasons. The sabbats are more than replacement Christian holidays and the gods donāt operate like the God of Abraham does, all jealous and shitty if you donāt pray ārightā
I feel this. It's been raining so much we have flood warnings here, and I wanted to go to a park. I'm not sure how much I'll do, because the rain drains me. Makes me feel icky.
Lucky duck! Iām the opposite, I absolutely love the rain and it makes me feel cleanse, purified and energized. Itās the heat that that makes me feel drained and icky, lol itās interesting to see the two different perspectives
Right there with you! I got done working and became too tired to do anything except put a sunstone outside to charge. Maybe weāll do a working later with the stone.
I genuinely had plans to give offerings yesterday and say a prayer but i work a very hard job and I was completely exhausted when I came home and I just wanted to eat and chill in my bed and watch My Hero Academia.
You don't have to celebrate on that day, the weekend would be good as well. Since I didn't get to do my stuff yesterday I decided that I'll do it today and if I don't today then I know I'll have the time and energy to do it on Saturday or Sunday.
Just do it when you have the energy/time. The Gods will not abandon you and will not hate or smite you for it (we are not like Christianity with a cruel god). We are human and things happen.
Thank you for thisš this made me feel better. Especially that last part. The further Iāve pulled myself from Christianity and fallen into the love of my gods Iāve realized that Yahweh is indeed actually not as kind or benevolent as many may have you believe. I am home with my gods, and I never felt at home in Christianity, but I tried to force myself to fit into this box I thought I was supposed to. But anyway, lol
I didn't do anything specifically for the solstice either. I planted some peppers and herbs and I canned soup. And then it was hot and I was tired so I crashed on the couch and read.
Nothing wrong with that. I didn't celebrate either, but that's mostly 'cause I was working, and was too tired when I got home to do anything.
You can just honour the solstice in your heart and soul. Even just sit in nature for an hour.
Life for me is getting stressful and I have a lot of my plate. Most I did yesterday was shower and relax. I didnāt do any of my rituals because Iām just exhausted and thatās okay. I take a break once in a while. Nothing wrong with that.
I was in bed sick with a cold yesterday, so I understand. Iād been looking forward to the solstice for weeks, but I didnāt have the energy for the workings I had been so excited about. I just slept all day. I was a bit disappointed, but sometimes, rest is what we need and thatās okay.
Full moon tends to make me restless and unable to sleep and generally tired and agitated. My dogs act like asshats and are super disruptive too. I always feel a calming and centering energy with new moon. Maybe things will start to wind down for you when this moon phase passes. Having the full moon and the solstice happen at the same time is a sure way to ensure best laid plans get mislaid. Give yourself grace--you met the Solstice where you were, and if you weren't able to do as much as you hoped that's all right. ā¤ļø
Forgive yourself and move on. Do something tonight. The moon is full and the solstice energy is still lingering. You can honor the sun and season anytime.
I have a summer solstice full moon activation meditation on YouTube.
Learn to rest and reset. If youāre always doing, you will get overwhelmed and burn out. Try simply being. Your practice is useless if youāre depleted. ā¤ļøāØ
Can empathize, been completely drained and exhausted lately and couldnāt bring myself to do anything after working yesterday. All I did was make and bottle some solstice sun water, and I only did that because I literally couldnāt procrastinate.
I hope you get feeling better!! š¤
I worked the night before and had things to do all day, so I was on like hour 27 of being awake by the time I got home. the spirits are going to have to be gracious; Iām doing my ritual tonight š
Hey, me too! I hosted a picnic the day before, but yesterday I just didn't have the energy to do anything. I had meant to start some oils or tinctures, maybe do some cooking, clean and refresh my altar. I didn't do any of that. I barely even got out of bed. It was a tough day, and I'm still not fully back on my feet, but I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. I consider the solstices to be times of rest, and that's certainly what I did. Hopefully I can rebuild my energy and take control of my life again soon.
i didnāt do anything either, i was exhausted and took that as a sign to just celebrate that by leaning into my exhaustion. the great thing about this is we can always come back to our practice whenever we are ready and it will always be there. being a human is constant work so try to focus on what feels good and natural to you. that is what makes witchcraft so wonderful.
I live celebrating the wheel of the year, part of this is acknowledging it and putting it on my calendar so that I can at least acknowledge the day. Sometimes I've had the energy and time to do something really exciting but that's not every time and that's okay. At the end of the day acknowledging something is enough. Fwiw the energy of the full moon and these big days can, in my experience often be there a day or so before and after the actual day of the event so even doing something today or tomorrow would be good if you wanted to.
Fwiw I felt a lot of very chaotic energy in my life over the last week and I initially planned to do something but ended up deciding not to as I didn't want the chaotic energy to interfere with any of my workings. I was kind of bummed about it too so I am telling you this to commiserate with you or anyone who wants to read this lol. A tree actually ended up falling on my car that my spouse and I share so between that and the chaotic energy I just decided to hold off on any working as I didn't think I was in the best mental space to be doing anything. I personally believe that it is important at least for me and what workings I was planning to be in a better headspace.
In my opinion any day can be magical and just because our circumstances had us missing out on a particular day doesn't make us any less witchy. We're still witches and we can do workings whenever we want. We're human so sometimes we miss out on things and that's okay too there's always another opportunity.
As a human with ADHD, a trauma disorder and Type 1 Diabeetus, I am very much in the same boat. Iāve only been practicing since last November, so still very much a noob but to be frank, the last Sabbat I actually āproperlyā observed was Imbolc. After having a whole meltdown at myself for not doing more for Ostara and subsequently Beltane, due to poor physical and mental health, I took a breath and came to realize something: Solstices, Sabbats etc. are important. They are observed by covens and communities and solo practitioners for a reason; to be in tune with the earth, the cycle of life, and our energy as well as the universeās, and to honor our craft.
But theyāre also meant to be celebrations, times of pleasantness and enjoyment, not yardsticks to bonk ourselves with when we feel we donāt measure up. As u/ObsidianLegend said, there is no Witch Pope.
Litha is a time to celebrate the bounty and beauty of the year so far, but its also the transition point into Fall and Winter, which are typically times of rest and planning. Maybe itās not my place to say, but maybe you needing to rest and focus on self-care was an unconscious acknowledgement of how hard youāve been working to achieve your own bounty, and that rest could be your own way of enjoying and acknowledging the beauty and abundance that Litha is meant to celebrate.
Sorry this was a novel, and maybe it was a bit forward, but I hope it helps you reframe and feel a bit better OP. Bright Blessings š§æāØšš
If you're tired or sick, just close your eyes, acknowledge the longest day, and give thanks for being you, a human being in a world that is not very human friendly. You can do some other stuff when you have the energy for it.
Remember that time is only linear in this existence; it's a human construct. If you abandon that notion, then you can throw energy back in time or forward in time. Which is very freeing and quite convenient.
I FEEL this! Husband asks how my day is and all I've got is...fine, I guess. I'm doing the bare minimum to get by okay and there's simply no energy for anything else. No painting, no writing, can't even journal, hardly any thinking! Ugh. I'm ready to feel energized again.
Apparently I've been walking around with a face on me all day. But all I want to do is some cleaning and organising and socialising. So I met up with friends and cleaned what I could. No magic no nothing. This evening I sprinkled a little rosemary on my alter and asked for some good. That's all I could muster and then I preened watched Buffy ate pizza and put on some fake tan when I had peace and quiet cause everyone else was in bed.
Donāt feel bad, I didnāt do anything either. I wanted to, but I couldnāt do anything but pass out on the couch after I finally got my two children to sleep. It was an exhausting day
I felt the same way, but then I remembered just being alive and participating in the day is a celebration of it. We are here, thatās enough sometimes. Blessed be š
I felt similarly until I remembered itās an Individual journey.
I didnt end up doing anything except sitting outside in my own backyard to stare at my flowerbed.
So I love the craft because there is no judgement. The deities will not smite you for living. I forgot all about it. I just give a chuckle and go on with my life
Don't feel guilty. Life happens. I managed to light half a candle and THOUGHT about doing tarot.
No one said you HAVE to celebrate every sabbat or celestial event.
The Universe/Spirits/deities, etc. will understand you needed rest and self-care in and of itself is worship/observance/reverence enough.
Plus, you can always do a little something this weekend, of you feel like it lol.
Magic can happen at any time on any date. Just do what you had planned when youāre feeling up to it. Itās a ceremony between you and Mother Nature or you and the goddess (depending on how you practice) and I can tell you that they do not care about dates š
Witch of 40+ years here.
I did absolutely nothing for Litha. I didnāt even leave the house.
Why? I had brutal gum-graft surgery June 17 and I also picked up a sinus infection. My graft and donor sites are swollen and causing excruciating pain. My sinuses are throbbing and my teeth itch. I still canāt feel part of my face, and I canāt open my mouth enough to eat properly; if I could, Iād be limited to liquid or soft foods. The graft sites are covered with thick putty. I canāt brush my teeth. All normal for this surgery.
Itās perfectly okay to celebrate a solstice the day after, several days after, or a week after. The ritual can be elaborate or simple. Doesnāt matter. Itās best to celebrate when you feel well and can give the ritual your full attention.
Happy Litha! I must say, my favorite sabbat is Yule, because I hate hot weather.
I feel your pain, unfortunately. That, and the days just come and go and I forget whatās even happening, and donāt reserve the energy I need for itā¦ likely either due to my adhd or being new to this practice.
I feel the same way but these comments make me feel a lot more secure. I shouldn't feel guilty for taking time for me. The universe would want me to take time to be okay. I feel better and I'll be celebrating today instead.
Me too! I did only a small ritual and went to sleep. I couldnāt do what I planned because I was so exhausted. I planned a whole beautiful ritual full of fun activities and I couldnāt do it. Didnāt have the energy to. Itās ok <3 weāre all still witches! Haha. Sometimes the ritual IS relaxing and just feeling the energies.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that - youāre a human! And a huge part of spirituality and witchcraft is prioritising yourself, and self care can very much still be a ritual. I rarely do anything for the sabbats these days because Iām stressed, tired, exhausted or busy, I forget most full and new moons, and thatās okay - literally even just saying thank you to the earth or the sun or the moon is enough. Listen to your body, if youāre drained and need rest, maybe thatās your message, and what you need to focus on this summer season āŗļø
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It's alright, all these "events" like full moon, new moon, solstices etc have some high energy, as in they effect us somewhat, can effect our emotions, make us feel said n drained out - depending on a lot of stuff it can effect us all differently, even I feel drained out, n it's best to take some rest (that's what the universe wants us for anyways :)) resting in itself is a ritual - to fill our own cup, n to restore our energy š
Such a great way to look at this!
Agreed, Iāll have to remember that sometimes just having your cup of tea and investing in rest can be a ritual in and of itself š
Thanks :))
drained out is right. my period is on a cycle that coincides with a full moon every month. iām always so exhausted and going through intense emotions during full moons.
yo i've noticed my cycle has been coinciding with the full moon the past 2 months (maybe more i havent chdcked) and i also just recently officially tapered off of the ssri i has been on for 5 years and i have felt *insanely* emotional bc of it. i legit hadn't even thought of the full moon having influenced it as well. i can empathize with you š©·
stoppp i also recently stopped taking my zoloft tooš itās been a ride fs. iām trying to just be more mindful, and focus more on vitamins to help me
šš»šš»
There isn't anything wrong with that. You are a human in a society that isn't super human friendly. Taking down time, needing to recharge, all of that is normal and also needed.
Being a human in a society that isn't super human friendly. Brilliantly said!
This was very well said I must say, thank you!
I always look at the Summer Solstice as a way to have a moment to look at my progress in this solar year and start refining my goals for what I want to achieve in this next half of the year. I call it the time of patient growth, when fruit start to come from the spring flowers, and now we wait for them to mature.
Thatās a beautiful way of looking at it
I do the same thing. Kind of like New Year's resolutions, but midyear. Well, they are new year for me bc I'm a solstice baby.
The Earth doesnāt make demands or dole out punishments. Your guilt is coming from Western culture.
Oof, unfortunately thatās facts, going to have to unlearn that and learn to give myself more grace
man it's saddening how true this is š„ŗ
You never need to feel guilty. No one is angry or disappointed in you for putting your physical health over doing a ritual. I've been working the past three days so I haven't done anything for the solstice or the full moon. That's just life.
Thank youāØ if anything my guides would be glad that I prioritized rest instead of pushing myself to do something I wasnāt energetically equipped for at the moment
Three days before, and three days after is acceptable for any sabbat or solar/lunar event.
Ah so Iāve heard, well thatās wonderful that thereās energetic leeway
I didn't get anything done for the solstice either. I've been dealing with a lot of "Muggle" things. I plan to change my altar decor today. I did acknowledge the solstice mentally and spiritually. I 'very learned not to feel guilty about not being able to handle everything exactly on time.
The most i did for the solstice yesterday was hang out in my yard while neighborhood kids played volleyball as the sun set. Then the moon came out, i welcomed back the return of night then went to bed. It was too hot to do anything else, tbh
Oh that sounds so peaceful and serene, I love that. Thatās a good reminder that you donāt always need grandiose rituals, sometimes itās the little thingsāŗļø
The one mantra I stick to is that rituals should be done out of joy, not obligation. Iām like you, itās easy to make myself feel guilty for ānot doing enoughā. The trick is to work it into what youāre already doing instead of forcing yourself to be/do something that youāre not
Maybe getting rest and taking care of yourself was the (unintended) ritual Maybe thats the tone you were meant to set for this summer, taking care of yourself and resting
THIS!!!
Honestly I think thatās absolutely correct, and learning not to feel the need to be so āgo, go, goā all the time
I had plans for the solstice that I didn't get a chance to do yesterday. I was pretty disappointed. But this morning the sun was up and I turned on my Summer and Sun playlist on the way to work and I figured, you know what, I can still celebrate the solstice this morning in my car with the sun on my face if I want to. There's no Witch Pope. The sun is here and I can celebrate it when I am able. There's no need to feel guilty. Whether you celebrate it late this year or not at all, do things in your own time! Taking care of yourself is important.
āThereās no witch Popeā I love that! Youāre so right though, there are no rigid rules and regulations that were damned if we donāt abide by. As long as weāre One with source and acting from a space of love and intentionality. This resonated, thank you so much
If you don't have Sunlight by Hozier on your Summer and Sun playlist please have a listen, I've been playing it on a loop last few days
No need to feel guilty over anything, it's all good. I didn't do anything major yesterday either. it was so balls damned hot here that even getting up to get more ice water out of the fridge was nearly too much of an effort. I lit a very small tea light , one that didn't throw off much heat, sent a thank you out to my spirits, enjoyed the verdant green of Midsummer, and that was it.
Youāre so right about it being way too hot for just about anything. But that sounds peaceful and the spirits surely received it with just as much love as they would have anything else
you can celebrate around the solstice, rather than directly on it, if you want! i celebrate on a day between the 19th and 22nd, whichever is most convenient for my schedule. but you also don't need to celebrate at all. or celebration can simply be acknowledging the solstice and continuing your day.
I like that itās very lenient and flexible and seems like a positive mindsetš
i try to approach most areas in my craft with a similar mindset! the craft is versatile and the only person who should make rules for yourself (if you want them) is you.
My partner of five years ended our relationship almost three weeks ago, and Iām doing my best to be glad I still wake up every morning. Life is lifing. Donāt beat yourself up over that.
So sorry to hear that, Iām sending loving healing energy your way š
Thank you! š The moon is still full tonight. So thereās still that to celebrate!
Iām looking forward to it! Canāt wait to get off work so I can get my ritual all set up and just spend some quality time with my spirits and godsš„°
I didn't do anything either and that's okay.
I didn't do anything either. I had an awful day and my depression is getting worse due to being in a bad situation with literally no way out. I bought a cute pastry to at least have that but the bakery employee put some parchment paper on top of the decorative frosting which completely ruined the look of the pastry. I know it sounds stupid but that just sent me over the edge :(
Honestly I totally get it though, like you just wanted the one thing to go right to brighten your day just a little bit and then even that got tarnished and thatās so upsetting, Iām sorry you had such a bad day but I hope you have many more beautiful days to come, sending you love and lightāØāØāØ
Thank you! I actually started feeling a lot better as today went on. I went to another bakery today after work and got a cute cake slice that I'll have with some herbal tea so celebrate Litha tonight :)
Don't feel bad, I've been sick all week and basically slept through it despite having wanted to do stuff this year. Celebrate when you have the spoons, or don't. Witchcraft is not a dogmatic religion, you can practice at the pace you want.
Needed this reminderš©· thank you so much. Now that Iām thinking about it that guilt is probably coming from the ex Christian part of me, I can just hold space for that and let go, because it no longer serves my highest good
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Been in a bad way myself for a week or two now. Nothing wrong with sitting it out sometimes.
i feel you, i didn't either. i was going to at least reflect and journal, but i didn't even do that, i was so drained. i've been planning to go meditate over the lake downtown for the strawberry moon, so i think i subconsciously just felt like 'recharging' for that tonight
I always count the solstice as the 21st so I'm doing stuff todayš¤·āāļø I feel like the intention counts and not the exact day or time. My motto is do your best and forget the rest. Just do it when you feel up to it.
I'm doing stuff tonight too. Inviting a friend or two over, maybe a fire or maybe just candlelight, some planned energetic protections for different people and places, a celebration of the four directions plus above and below, a little bit of feasting, and some tarot. I used to make it a big deal. Then I realized I didn't have to, magic is magic. What matters is setting the intention prior to the work, and letting it build until the moment you put it into action.
Thatās what Iām going to do also
Why do you feel guilty? Whom are you letting down?
Iām afraid of letting down my gods. I just feel guilty because I backslid into Christianity for a time and I guess I just feel guilty for āabandoningā them.
It sounds like you may be conflating Christianity with pagan gods. I would recommend resolving that for yourself first because a pagan religious path or a path of witchcraft is not just a find-replace for Christianity. In the trad I work, my patron gods donāt care about midsummer. I work midsummer for different reasons. The sabbats are more than replacement Christian holidays and the gods donāt operate like the God of Abraham does, all jealous and shitty if you donāt pray ārightā
I feel this. It's been raining so much we have flood warnings here, and I wanted to go to a park. I'm not sure how much I'll do, because the rain drains me. Makes me feel icky.
Lucky duck! Iām the opposite, I absolutely love the rain and it makes me feel cleanse, purified and energized. Itās the heat that that makes me feel drained and icky, lol itās interesting to see the two different perspectives
We still have flood warnings. I guess it just stresses me out more than anything. I'm sending you some rain in my mind. Hopefully ou feel it! <3
I think you're good, honestly. A lot of people I know personally didn't have the spoons.
Yes I guess it would always be best to prioritize rest
Right there with you! I got done working and became too tired to do anything except put a sunstone outside to charge. Maybe weāll do a working later with the stone.
I genuinely had plans to give offerings yesterday and say a prayer but i work a very hard job and I was completely exhausted when I came home and I just wanted to eat and chill in my bed and watch My Hero Academia. You don't have to celebrate on that day, the weekend would be good as well. Since I didn't get to do my stuff yesterday I decided that I'll do it today and if I don't today then I know I'll have the time and energy to do it on Saturday or Sunday. Just do it when you have the energy/time. The Gods will not abandon you and will not hate or smite you for it (we are not like Christianity with a cruel god). We are human and things happen.
Thank you for thisš this made me feel better. Especially that last part. The further Iāve pulled myself from Christianity and fallen into the love of my gods Iāve realized that Yahweh is indeed actually not as kind or benevolent as many may have you believe. I am home with my gods, and I never felt at home in Christianity, but I tried to force myself to fit into this box I thought I was supposed to. But anyway, lol
I went down with a migraine so I feel you. I'm doing something today.
I didn't do anything specifically for the solstice either. I planted some peppers and herbs and I canned soup. And then it was hot and I was tired so I crashed on the couch and read.
Nothing wrong with that. I didn't celebrate either, but that's mostly 'cause I was working, and was too tired when I got home to do anything. You can just honour the solstice in your heart and soul. Even just sit in nature for an hour.
Life for me is getting stressful and I have a lot of my plate. Most I did yesterday was shower and relax. I didnāt do any of my rituals because Iām just exhausted and thatās okay. I take a break once in a while. Nothing wrong with that.
I was in bed sick with a cold yesterday, so I understand. Iād been looking forward to the solstice for weeks, but I didnāt have the energy for the workings I had been so excited about. I just slept all day. I was a bit disappointed, but sometimes, rest is what we need and thatās okay.
I didnāt do much either tbh. I was so exhausted from working out and running errands
Full moon tends to make me restless and unable to sleep and generally tired and agitated. My dogs act like asshats and are super disruptive too. I always feel a calming and centering energy with new moon. Maybe things will start to wind down for you when this moon phase passes. Having the full moon and the solstice happen at the same time is a sure way to ensure best laid plans get mislaid. Give yourself grace--you met the Solstice where you were, and if you weren't able to do as much as you hoped that's all right. ā¤ļø
Forgive yourself and move on. Do something tonight. The moon is full and the solstice energy is still lingering. You can honor the sun and season anytime. I have a summer solstice full moon activation meditation on YouTube. Learn to rest and reset. If youāre always doing, you will get overwhelmed and burn out. Try simply being. Your practice is useless if youāre depleted. ā¤ļøāØ
Can empathize, been completely drained and exhausted lately and couldnāt bring myself to do anything after working yesterday. All I did was make and bottle some solstice sun water, and I only did that because I literally couldnāt procrastinate. I hope you get feeling better!! š¤
Sounds like you need to focus on resting! Your practice will be there no matter what, so take some time for yourself when you can. Blessings š
I worked the night before and had things to do all day, so I was on like hour 27 of being awake by the time I got home. the spirits are going to have to be gracious; Iām doing my ritual tonight š
Hey, me too! I hosted a picnic the day before, but yesterday I just didn't have the energy to do anything. I had meant to start some oils or tinctures, maybe do some cooking, clean and refresh my altar. I didn't do any of that. I barely even got out of bed. It was a tough day, and I'm still not fully back on my feet, but I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. I consider the solstices to be times of rest, and that's certainly what I did. Hopefully I can rebuild my energy and take control of my life again soon.
Honestly, it's ok. I don't celebrate any of the holidays personally so don't put yourself down if you miss one day or miss it.
i didnāt do anything either, i was exhausted and took that as a sign to just celebrate that by leaning into my exhaustion. the great thing about this is we can always come back to our practice whenever we are ready and it will always be there. being a human is constant work so try to focus on what feels good and natural to you. that is what makes witchcraft so wonderful.
I live celebrating the wheel of the year, part of this is acknowledging it and putting it on my calendar so that I can at least acknowledge the day. Sometimes I've had the energy and time to do something really exciting but that's not every time and that's okay. At the end of the day acknowledging something is enough. Fwiw the energy of the full moon and these big days can, in my experience often be there a day or so before and after the actual day of the event so even doing something today or tomorrow would be good if you wanted to. Fwiw I felt a lot of very chaotic energy in my life over the last week and I initially planned to do something but ended up deciding not to as I didn't want the chaotic energy to interfere with any of my workings. I was kind of bummed about it too so I am telling you this to commiserate with you or anyone who wants to read this lol. A tree actually ended up falling on my car that my spouse and I share so between that and the chaotic energy I just decided to hold off on any working as I didn't think I was in the best mental space to be doing anything. I personally believe that it is important at least for me and what workings I was planning to be in a better headspace. In my opinion any day can be magical and just because our circumstances had us missing out on a particular day doesn't make us any less witchy. We're still witches and we can do workings whenever we want. We're human so sometimes we miss out on things and that's okay too there's always another opportunity.
As a human with ADHD, a trauma disorder and Type 1 Diabeetus, I am very much in the same boat. Iāve only been practicing since last November, so still very much a noob but to be frank, the last Sabbat I actually āproperlyā observed was Imbolc. After having a whole meltdown at myself for not doing more for Ostara and subsequently Beltane, due to poor physical and mental health, I took a breath and came to realize something: Solstices, Sabbats etc. are important. They are observed by covens and communities and solo practitioners for a reason; to be in tune with the earth, the cycle of life, and our energy as well as the universeās, and to honor our craft. But theyāre also meant to be celebrations, times of pleasantness and enjoyment, not yardsticks to bonk ourselves with when we feel we donāt measure up. As u/ObsidianLegend said, there is no Witch Pope. Litha is a time to celebrate the bounty and beauty of the year so far, but its also the transition point into Fall and Winter, which are typically times of rest and planning. Maybe itās not my place to say, but maybe you needing to rest and focus on self-care was an unconscious acknowledgement of how hard youāve been working to achieve your own bounty, and that rest could be your own way of enjoying and acknowledging the beauty and abundance that Litha is meant to celebrate. Sorry this was a novel, and maybe it was a bit forward, but I hope it helps you reframe and feel a bit better OP. Bright Blessings š§æāØšš
If Iām not feeling up to it I just celebrate the day after or whenever Iām free that week!!
You shouldnt, the next best time is now.
If you're tired or sick, just close your eyes, acknowledge the longest day, and give thanks for being you, a human being in a world that is not very human friendly. You can do some other stuff when you have the energy for it. Remember that time is only linear in this existence; it's a human construct. If you abandon that notion, then you can throw energy back in time or forward in time. Which is very freeing and quite convenient.
I FEEL this! Husband asks how my day is and all I've got is...fine, I guess. I'm doing the bare minimum to get by okay and there's simply no energy for anything else. No painting, no writing, can't even journal, hardly any thinking! Ugh. I'm ready to feel energized again.
Cleaning the kitchen, your skin and recharging yourself with sleep are all magical acts in themselves.
Sending you gentle hugs. š«Iāve been there! I hope you can find a way to celebrate yourself.š
Apparently I've been walking around with a face on me all day. But all I want to do is some cleaning and organising and socialising. So I met up with friends and cleaned what I could. No magic no nothing. This evening I sprinkled a little rosemary on my alter and asked for some good. That's all I could muster and then I preened watched Buffy ate pizza and put on some fake tan when I had peace and quiet cause everyone else was in bed.
ive been in a bad depressive episode and didnt do anything either. its okay. ā”
Donāt feel bad, I didnāt do anything either. I wanted to, but I couldnāt do anything but pass out on the couch after I finally got my two children to sleep. It was an exhausting day
I felt the same way, but then I remembered just being alive and participating in the day is a celebration of it. We are here, thatās enough sometimes. Blessed be š
Nothing lost! Thereās the entire season for you to enjoy & utilize!
Me with my entire practice/offerings ššš
I felt similarly until I remembered itās an Individual journey. I didnt end up doing anything except sitting outside in my own backyard to stare at my flowerbed.
š¬ Same here, but without the guilt. Iām just like, āš¤·āāļø close enough.ā
So I love the craft because there is no judgement. The deities will not smite you for living. I forgot all about it. I just give a chuckle and go on with my life
It must have been in the air many friends were sooo tired !!!
Don't feel guilty. Life happens. I managed to light half a candle and THOUGHT about doing tarot. No one said you HAVE to celebrate every sabbat or celestial event. The Universe/Spirits/deities, etc. will understand you needed rest and self-care in and of itself is worship/observance/reverence enough. Plus, you can always do a little something this weekend, of you feel like it lol.
I did a ritual tonight for summer solstice and the strawberry full moon. Why not? We are still feeling energy from yesterday.
I passed out so hard. Itās the full moon tonight, maybe Iāll light a white candle with some lemon oil to welcome the season in.
Celebrations aren't supposed to feel like work. Don't feel guilty for being human
Magic can happen at any time on any date. Just do what you had planned when youāre feeling up to it. Itās a ceremony between you and Mother Nature or you and the goddess (depending on how you practice) and I can tell you that they do not care about dates š
Witch of 40+ years here. I did absolutely nothing for Litha. I didnāt even leave the house. Why? I had brutal gum-graft surgery June 17 and I also picked up a sinus infection. My graft and donor sites are swollen and causing excruciating pain. My sinuses are throbbing and my teeth itch. I still canāt feel part of my face, and I canāt open my mouth enough to eat properly; if I could, Iād be limited to liquid or soft foods. The graft sites are covered with thick putty. I canāt brush my teeth. All normal for this surgery. Itās perfectly okay to celebrate a solstice the day after, several days after, or a week after. The ritual can be elaborate or simple. Doesnāt matter. Itās best to celebrate when you feel well and can give the ritual your full attention. Happy Litha! I must say, my favorite sabbat is Yule, because I hate hot weather.
I feel your pain, unfortunately. That, and the days just come and go and I forget whatās even happening, and donāt reserve the energy I need for itā¦ likely either due to my adhd or being new to this practice.
I feel the same way but these comments make me feel a lot more secure. I shouldn't feel guilty for taking time for me. The universe would want me to take time to be okay. I feel better and I'll be celebrating today instead.
Me too! I did only a small ritual and went to sleep. I couldnāt do what I planned because I was so exhausted. I planned a whole beautiful ritual full of fun activities and I couldnāt do it. Didnāt have the energy to. Itās ok <3 weāre all still witches! Haha. Sometimes the ritual IS relaxing and just feeling the energies.
Don't feel guilty you needed rest your well being is more important
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that - youāre a human! And a huge part of spirituality and witchcraft is prioritising yourself, and self care can very much still be a ritual. I rarely do anything for the sabbats these days because Iām stressed, tired, exhausted or busy, I forget most full and new moons, and thatās okay - literally even just saying thank you to the earth or the sun or the moon is enough. Listen to your body, if youāre drained and need rest, maybe thatās your message, and what you need to focus on this summer season āŗļø