Welcome, friends! I’m so glad you’re here, and I’m so excited to watch this new offering take shape. I’m starting it with the simple intention of creating a platform where I can be more candid and vulnerable with the segment of my community that’s interested in that sort of thing: it’s a way for me to share more personal insights and musings with an audience that has opted in, rather than forcing my personal reflections into the inboxes of Ritualist customers who are just looking to stay up-to-date on all things shop-related. In a way, it’s a (helpful) reminder to myself that I’m more than just my shop, and also a reminder that the shop is what it is because of my human-ness.
Maybe it’s because my natal moon & mercury are conjunct (in capricorn), but communication and the sharing of thoughts and experiences is a driving factor in all that I do: I started Ritualist not just to share products, but to build a community of likeminded folks who’d be able to relate to one another on some meaningful level. For me, being able to share thoughts or feelings that feel significant — and then to witness them resonate with others — is life-affirming. What’s the point of our experience here on earth if we can’t compare notes and nod our heads in recognition from time to time?
I see Practical Magic as a place to share those experiences and insights as they come up — to let them flow from my mind onto the page (or in this case, the screen) — and to fight the urge to edit them into perfectly polished pieces of writing. Sometimes it’s the passing thoughts that resonate the most. Often, it’s the flashes of insight I hastily type into my Notes app at 2am that feel the most significant and bring the most clarity. With this newsletter, I get to pass those insights on to you (and hopefully open up some thought-provoking dialogues — I encourage you to respond with your own thoughts and reflections as you feel called!)
While I’m not always successful when to comes to sticking with regularly scheduled tasks, I’m going to try my best to check in around new and/or full moons, the start of new astrological seasons, and other significant moments on the Wheel of the Year, as I often feel inspired by transitions, potent portals, and the shifting of energy. But much like we acknowledge and celebrate the moon’s many phases, I’ll aim to honor my own energetic ebbs and flows by letting them lead the way. I hope to settle into a pace that feels comfortable and sustainable, checking in with you all when I feel inspired and have the bandwidth, and pulling back when I need to refill my own cup.
I’ll leave you, for now, with a promise to show up here as fully and authentically as possible, and a giant dose of gratitude for joining me on this journey. Until next time!
xo, Dana