back view of woman in the woods wearing witch costume

Reflections on the Witch

Carol WoodliffLeave a Comment on Reflections on the Witch

I’m starting to see witch decorations all over my neighborhood.  Most are funny and non-threatening, but they got me thinking about the Witch archetype. The Witch, the wise old woman of the woods, the hag invited me to dance with her and write about her.  This is the dance we did on the page.   For centuries now, the old feminine soul, the wise woman has been suppressed.  She has been relegated to dried up, asexual and useless.  She has been made a caricature, ugly with a wart on her nose. The older wise woman, often called the witch or hag, was about community and service about birthing and dying and everything in between. She was connected to nature and mysticism.  The wise eccentric lady that you went to for answers, whose witches’ brew was often a cup of tea and some herbs for what ailed you. Somewhere along our development man […]

Carol tending fire at Palm Springs retreat

Tending Fires

Carol WoodliffLeave a Comment on Tending Fires

Humans have been tending fires for thousands of years as a form of survival. The fire kept us warm, kept predators at bay, gave us  ability to cook. Today most of us are not concerned with keeping fire in the hearth to keep the house warm, we rely on invisible energy sources like electricity and natural gas to keep our homes warm and to cook. But we still like a fireplace or sitting around a campfire.  It is like it hardwired into our DNA to make us feel connected, a place to gather and tell stories. I love to hold fire ceremonies. Tending fire connects me to mysticism and ancestors of the land. I love to watch how each fire accepts the offerings and alchemizes them. Some are consumed immediately some take a while to burn. A couple of weeks ago at our first Live Your Opulence Retreat, we had […]

Enchantment text on red background with hearts

Enchantment

Carol WoodliffLeave a Comment on Enchantment

The lights shadows on my wall when I wake from a nap are like twelve chakra circles with a huge orb of light at the top.   There one moment and then gone as though a guide or angel just wanted me to know they were present. On my walk, a hummingbird hovers in my face reminding me to watch the stories I tell.  Source from sweetness she insists. Sitting outside meditating, I call upon my ancestors.  The mourning doves call in response saying hello from my dad and grandfather. A dragon fly circles me three times as though to say “we are here.” Hosting a fire ceremony in my backyard, stepping outside of time and then noticing the spiders dropping from trees and utility lines to surround us in our sacred circle. All just hanging with us and then pulling their web lines back in when we are done. A guest […]

white roses

A blessing from my mother (White to Red)

Carol Woodliff4 Comments on A blessing from my mother (White to Red)

When my mom passed away in 2010, a friend gave me a white rose bush to plant in my mom Lucille’s honor. A couple times a year, Lucille’s roses bloom in huge beautiful full white flowers, their fragrance subtle and sweet. The other day I was watering Lucille’s roses and noticed tiny buds. TINY RED Buds. “Wait…Lucille’s roses are white roses….Where did the red roses come from?” An internet search yielded a practical answer. My white roses were most likely grafted onto the roots of a red rose bush. New shoots are probably coming from the root ball. But when I saw those red buds…I knew…I knew it was deeper more meaningful than coincidence. I can simply believe the roots just gave me red roses or I can believe that my ancestors and spirit guides are supporting all the work I’ve done over the last 11 years. My mom died […]