Finding Balance: A Parent's Guide to Reducing Stress in 2024

Studies show parents in 2024 are suffering from stress.
Shocking, right?

As we move deeper into autumn's balanced embrace, what are some ways you can lower your stress levels?

#1: Self-Care: Make sure you're taking the time to acknowledge and love yourself. Even if it's a quiet moment for a 10-30 minute meditation/breath session (whatever time you can get!). Self-reflection time, a nice shower and/or bath, a quiet walk, doing your hair, etc. Your self knows what it needs, especially when you take the time regularly for self-care and self-reflection.

Try making your own face care for renewal or youth.  As you prepare your beauty oil, cleanse yourself, the room and your tools, then set your intentions into your ingredients as you add them to your oil.  Use castor oil or whatever oil you are drawn to as a base then add your ingredients - also whatever you're drawn to.  I love using rose petals, rosemary, apple leaves, etc.  
Let it sit over night in the moon for moon magick, or just let it sit.  Apply to clean skin. 

#2: Play with your kids!: Yes! Studies show when you dance, sing, play games, or have playtime with your children, you release endorphins, and that promotes well-being! As well, when you take the time to connect and play with your kids, you're allowing them to regulate, feel, and be acknowledged. PLAY IS HOW CHILDREN COMMUNICATE!!! So playtime with your kids is a win-win situation for the entire family. 

Here are some ideas for play:

1. Nature scavenger hunt: Create a list of autumn items (e.g., acorns, colored leaves) for kids to find outdoors.
2. Leaf art: Collect fallen leaves and create art projects (e.g., leaf rubbings, leaf-print paintings).
3. Indoor fort building: Use blankets, pillows, and furniture to create cozy indoor spaces.
4. Autumn-themed sensory bins: Fill containers with items like dried corn, small pumpkins, and cinnamon sticks for sensory play.
5. Pumpkin decorating: Use paint, stickers, or markers to decorate small pumpkins.
6. Apple stamping: Cut apples in half and use them as stamps with paint to create autumn-themed art.
7. Indoor obstacle course: Create a fun course using household items like cushions, hula hoops, and cardboard boxes.
8. Autumn-themed baking: Make simple recipes like apple muffins or pumpkin cookies together.

Products that could assist:

1. Mindfulness apps for parents and kids (e.g., Headspace for Kids, Calm)
2. Family communication tools (e.g., OurHome app for chore management and family scheduling)
3. Subscription boxes for family activities (e.g., KiwiCo, Little Passports)
4. Board games that encourage communication and problem-solving (e.g., Feelings in a Jar, Cooperative games by Peaceable Kingdom)
5. Art supplies for creative projects (e.g., Crayola washable paints, kid-friendly scissors)
6. Kid-safe cooking tools for family cooking activities
   
   
   
   
   
   

#3 Stay Flexible & Open to New Ideas: Communication and problem-solving with your children may seem stressful just to think about, but in the long run, it will ultimately reduce your and the entire family's stress.

Resources for communication and problem-solving with kids:

1. "How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk" by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish (book)
2. Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (https://developingchild.harvard.edu/) - free resources on child development
3. PBS Parents (https://www.pbs.org/parents/) - free activities and advice for parents
4. National Association for the Education of Young Children (https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics) - free articles on various parenting topics
5.  https://thereconnected.com/ -   The Reconnected is an online course + community hub for individuals who are seeking a more modern, more intuitive, more value-aligned approach to parenting.

#4 Expand: Find support where you're able. If you can't afford a sitter or have any family support, try to find and build relationships with families you feel safe and comfortable with and arrange a bi-weekly or monthly childcare exchange.

 Also, make it fun for everyone - every time each family plans an activity while they're providing childcare. For example, this week we are learning how to make spaghetti and have things set up and planned so each child can help. Don't forget to be age-sensitive with activity planning. You can incorporate seasons, holidays, etc., for fun ideas.

If you can afford it - hire someone to help lessen daily chores or someone who can just give you a break in general from the kids and all of it.

The local library or a church can be a great place to meet new parents!

#5 Focus on the Essentials: Don't overfill your plate too much! We tend to lose focus and possibly shut down altogether when there is simply too much to keep up with healthily. What each person can and does carry is very individual and personal.

Take some time for self-reflection. Get your journal or notebook and make a list of your goals, responsibilities, and needs.

Now make another list mentally first, then again in your journal. Shorten the list to what MUST be accomplished first or want to be accomplished first. You can move on to the other parts of your lists as you progress and expand. You're doing great!

Moms, Try this Busy Mom Calendar/Planner from etsy.

Dads here is a calendar/planner designed for families that is perfect for Dads.

Make sure to remind yourself often, "I am doing the best I can with what I have. I am worthy of progressing." And, you are!!!

Beautiful Autumn has moved us into Mabon. 

Celebrate the Festival of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Festival of Ingathering at the turn of the year.
Exodus 34:22

A time of gratefulness, harvest, abundance, and rest. 

This week I am sharing a simple apple recipe that you can try with your family. 

Mabon Baked Apples: A Festive Autumn Treat

Celebrate the autumn equinox with these delightful Mabon Baked Apples. This recipe yields multiple servings, perfect for sharing or enjoying throughout the week. Leftovers can be easily refrigerated and reheated, making them a convenient and tasty treat any time.

Ingredients:

• 4-6 apples (Gala or Fuji recommended), halved and cored
• Raisins
• Fresh ginger
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground cardamom
• Butter (optional, one small cube per apple half)
• Sweetener: cane sugar, honey, or maple syrup
• Optional toppings: fresh cream, vanilla yogurt, or ice cream

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Prepare the apples:
   • In each apple cavity, place a few raisins, some freshly grated ginger, and a pinch each of cinnamon and cardamom.
   • Feel free to experiment with spices like nutmeg, anise, or cloves. Pre-mixed apple pie or pumpkin pie spice works well too.
   • Consider substituting dried currants or cranberries for raisins.
   • If using, add a small cube of butter to each apple half.
3. Arrange the prepared apples snugly in a baking dish.
4. Sprinkle sugar or drizzle honey or maple syrup over the apples.
5. Pour about an inch of water into the baking dish, avoiding the apples themselves.
6. Bake for approximately 1 hour, checking after 30 minutes to ensure there's still liquid in the pan. Add more water if needed.
7. Once cooked, turn off the oven and allow the apples to rest inside until the oven cools.
8. Serve warm, either on their own with their natural juices or accompanied by fresh cream, yogurt, or ice cream.

Enjoy your Mabon feast with these aromatic, perfectly spiced baked apples!

Dancing with the Falling Leaves: Fall Equinox Rituals and Incense Cleansing 

Nature's Wisdom: Learning from the Trees 

Oh, how wise our leafy friends are! They know it's time to let go of what no longer serves them, just as we should. Imagine yourself as a beautiful tree, gently releasing your worries and old patterns like colorful leaves dancing in the wind. It's time to make room for new growth and wonderful experiences!

The Magick of Incense: A Hug for Your Soul 

Incense, oh incense! It's been our aromatic friend since the dawn of time. In many spiritual traditions, these fragrant herbs and resins are like love letters to the divine, purifying our spirits and inviting protection and peace into our lives. For our Fall Equinox celebration, we'll use incense to sweep away any stagnant energy and welcome in fresh insights and inner balance. It's like a gentle, fragrant broom for your soul!

Let's Craft Some Autumn Magick: Incense Recipe 

Get ready to mix up some love and intention with this joyful autumn incense blend!

Ingredients (A Pinch of This, A Dash of That)

* 1 tsp. apple peel or dried apple (for sweetness in life)

* 1/2 tsp. lavender flowers (for peaceful dreams)

* 1/2 tsp. rose petals (for love and beauty)

* 1 tsp. powdered cinnamon (for warmth and prosperity)

* 2 tsp. powdered myrrh resin (for healing and protection)

Directions 

1. Grind up your herbs with a mortar and pestle or in a clean coffee grinder. Sing a happy tune as you do!

2. In a bowl, combine all ingredients with love and stir with joyful intention.

3. Transfer your magical blend to an airtight container, sealing in all the good vibes.

4. When you're ready to use it, place a pinch of your loving blend on a lit charcoal disk set atop a heat-safe surface. Watch the cleansing smoke rise and dance!

Creating Your Mabon Altar: A Cozy Corner of Autumn Joy 

Let's create a special space to celebrate the season! Find a calm spot indoors or out, and gather treasures that make your heart sing with autumn joy. Think colorful fallen leaves, warm candles, and decorations in those gorgeous fall hues of orange, brown, gold, and scarlet. Don't forget to include some yummy fall treats and magical plants like ginger, elderberry, white oak bark, chamomile, or star anise. 

Arrange your autumn bounty around a safe spot for burning your homemade incense. Light it up, let the fragrant smoke swirl around you, and take a moment to set your loving intentions for the season ahead.

Fall Equinox Meditation: A Hug for Your Spirit 

Find a comfy spot near your altar and take a deep, cleansing breath. Think about any challenges you've faced recently, acknowledging any tiredness or hurt with compassion. Then, with a smile, imagine the sweet incense smoke carrying away any tension or worry. 

Once you feel light and refreshed, bring to mind all the wonderful blessings in your life right now. Let gratitude fill your heart like warm sunshine. Take in the beautiful sights and scents of your altar, feeling them nourish your spirit and prepare you for the cozy months ahead. You're ready to greet autumn with a spring in your step and love in your heart!

Merry Mabon, beautiful souls! May your days be filled with pumpkin spice, cozy blankets, and endless joy! 

Blessings & Light 

~ Lori Wayfair

Welcome to September

“You are valuable because of who you are. 

You are made in God’s image, according to Their likeness”

Genesis 1:26

Welcome to September -  Where summer's last whisper meets fall's first hello.

 Make it a September to remember!

Today we will be talking about having a loving relationship with YOURSELF.  How important is it to know and love yourself?

We hear a lot from Christians, new agers, or ‘do gooders’ about loving others and doing good to others.  But how often do we hear about how important it is to love ourselves?

Loving yourself is often associated with vanity, selfish and blind ambition, or careless regard of the outcome of our actions or non-actions.

We need to recognize that loving and valuing ourselves is entirely different than lifting ourselves up without being mindful and considerate.

What is the outcome of not caring or valuing ourselves and how much easier is it to love others if we can first love and value our own self?

When we don’t truly value ourselves, we may find ourselves in patterns.

1. Ego power: if I can’t be loved or love myself, I’ll prove to everyone how powerful I am

2. Jealously:  Envy only corrupts us and turns to strife

3. Bad and negative thoughts about others who are happy, not happy, rich, or poor. (You get it... negativity)

Not taking the time for - spiritual care (mindfulness, restful time in nature, prayer, breath work/meditation, using positive mantras – like; ‘no weapon formed against me shall prevail’, journaling), self-reflection, self-awareness and self-care is like walking through life like a zombie.

When we decide to ‘let go and let God’ (without all of the core beliefs, doubts, past let downs, religious ideologies) amazing things start to happen.  

Often because we are rarely taught to have a view to love ourselves or we hear certain “types or groups” talking about self-love along the way but it often doesn’t click fully.  

Guilt can keep us from fully loving ourselves.  Guilt for everything we ever did, didn’t, thought about, didn’t think about doing or not doing.  Some of us have core beliefs so deeply embedded in us that we feel guilty for even existing then guilty for feeling that.

If Guilt is holding you back from building a true Love relationship with yourself – don’t let it.  It’s up to you, but grace is a wonderful thing to grasp and accept.  

Grace is Love for free, even if we don’t feel like we deserve it or maybe we don’t deserve it.  Either way it’s there for the taking.

John 1:9 Tells us that if we confess our sins, our Creator is faithful to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness 

Maybe you struggle with realizing your worth in general?  Or you haven’t had many experiences with others encouraging the value in you.

Jeremiah 1:5: “Before you were even born God chose you for a special purpose”

 

What happens when we love ourselves?

“It feels like life could really start soaring, your dreams may be a lot quicker in reach, you just feel amazing every single day, because - guess what - you love yourself fully and you're in love with life in every single moment.”

- Birgit Penzenstadler

 

Self-love can have many positive effects on a person's life, including: 

• Better mental health

Self-love can help reduce anxiety, depression, anger, and loneliness. It can also increase feelings of support and encouragement. 

• Improved self-care

People who love themselves tend to take care of their physical and mental health. This can include eating well, exercising, and meditating. 

• Stronger boundaries

Self-love involves knowing your limits and communicating them to others. This can include saying no to requests that don't align with your priorities. 

• Reduced stress

Self-love can help lower stress and protect you from negative thoughts and self-sabotage. 

• Increased self-trust

Self-love involves believing in your ability to handle life's ups and downs. 

• Greater self-compassion

·         Self-love involves being kind to yourself, especially when times are tough. 

·         Improved relationships.

·         More likely to generate abundance.

 

“When you love yourself (appropriately) the world is a much more comfortable place. You are happy to give your all – to yourself, your career, your relationships, your happiness, but you also know you deserve to receive that all in return too. You know you deserve all the success in the world.” – Dream Self Esteem

 

If you’re willing to see your worth through Holy Divine energy - even if you think you already love and know yourself, I guarantee you, you’ll learn a whole new level of Love.

September - Manifest Self-Love

For generations past Apples have been a source of deep symbolism. Apples are linked to Love, Divine Knowledge, Truth, Youth, and Life.  

Collaborating with plant allies is one of the most gentle methods of encouraging receptivity, exchange, vulnerability, and reciprocity. Apple is associated with Venus, the planet named for the Roman goddess of love, partnership, pleasure, and beauty. As a result, all apples are hopeless romantics, as well as generous guides in matters of the heart. Root down into your heart space, and open yourself up to receiving abundant love, radical softness, and honey-rich pleasure with this apple manifestation.

 

For this, you will need: (there are always alternative items you can use,. For example if you don't have white rose petals you could use rosemary for a substitute.)

1. A red apple

2. Honey (or a vegan alternative)

3. White rose petals

4. Hot water

5. A spoon

6. A knife

 

SET THE SCENE

Before you begin, take as much time as you need to cleanse your body and your space. Sink into a hot bath with a dropper full of your favorite body oil, or use a luscious body scrub in a steamy shower. If possible, do this in a space that feels bright and welcoming—allow yourself to really set the scene in this space. Tidy up, clear the air with a spritz of an aura spray or the smoke from your favorite incense, and lay your materials out on a surface you won't mind getting sticky.

 

CONNECT WITH YOUR TOOLS

Apple trees, honey bees, and rose bushes are generous spirit allies—honor the magickal tools you've chosen for this work  by acknowledging their origins. If you picked your apple up from the grocery store, thank the orchard tree you'll never meet for bearing this fruit. If you bought your honey from a local beekeeper, offer gratitude for the bees for they've tended. Thank not only the cut roses you've gathered for this spell, but the bush that grew these blossoms. Tap into the Source of your ingredients, and if you feel called to, thank the Holy Spirit for bringing these tools to you at this moment.

 

Focus on your Intention

Begin by carving out the core of your apple, removing the entire center, along with any seeds you find. Remove the entire core in one piece—you'll use it later in the spell. Envision this cored apple as the Ace of Cups, empty and waiting to be filled. Now is the time to set your intention, babe. What are you ready to receive ? What will you fill your cup with?

 

Gently, pour some of your honey into your apple. Aloud, say, "I Accept Pure and Complete Love for myself." Take one of your fresh white rose petals and hold it to your mouth. Become aware of the softness of this petal on your lips—say aloud, "I accept radical softness." Drop this petal inside your apple. Take your hot water, and pour it over top of your rose petal. Say aloud, "I accept deep clarity and warmth."

Stir this mixture clockwise inside your apple—once it's mixed, sip from your apple chalice. As you drink, hold your intention in your mind. How does it feel to receive tenderness from yourself in this way?

Once your entire body feels soft and supple, replace the core of the apple, and bury it close to home. As an alternative, leave the apple as an offering to your allies, the land, your ancestors, or any spiritual helpers (like holy angels and elementals) you work with.

Release your intention to the Universe/Source and smile to yourself knowing you've now began your journey to discovering the greatest Love, loving yourself!

Try practicing a daily mantra to help encourage your intention to take root. Be disciplined, decide when you wake daily, when you make or have lunch, before you sleep that you will take the time to remind yourself - 

• I am worthy of love. Hold on just a little bit longer. Dust yourself off and try again. Bit by bit is how real, lasting change happens. Keep chipping away at the task. You got this! Yes, I can!

• You are strong. You are fearless. You are beautiful. You will heal. You will get through this.

• I am a soul of love. A heart of peace. A mind of stillness. A being of light.

• I am not my feelings. This is temporary. I make small steps I am proud of.

• You are smart, you are kind, you are important, and you are enough!

• I love my perseverance. I’ve proven that I’m strong, smart, alert, motivated, and capable.

• Small progress is still progress.

• You are perfect the way you are, you don’t need to change, but you can grow if desired.

• Take it one day at a time.

• I will fill my heart with love and joy every day. ✨

• You are capable of anything you put your mind to.

• Every day, I am constantly evolving.

• I have power over my thoughts and emotions. I will not let them control or define me.

• Today I will show myself some loving kindness.

Wishing you all a wonderful beginning to September and hoping its a month filled with gratitude, and self-love. 

 

Blessings - Lori Wayfair