2014 Year of Expecting a Miracle: creating a personal compass BOOKLET

"A Lady Writing a Letter"
by Johannes Vermeer (1665)

"Never put your faith in a Prince. When you require a miracle, trust in a Witch.” ~ Catherynne M. Valente, In the Night Garden


"Miracles are like pimples, because once you start looking for them you find more than you ever dreamed you'd see.” ~ Lemony Snicket, The Lump of Coal


"And now we step to the rhythm of miracles.” --from The Light, That Never Dies” ― Aberjhani, Elemental: The Power of Illuminated Love


So I’m back at writing this blog as a creative and spiritual outlet to graduate school and life in general. As you may know, I’m part of the Wild Woman Project and our New Year’s kick off project was to create a little book. This booklet is to be packed with: a prayer(s), wishes, affirmations and feelings – our intentions for the coming year. Additionally, the booklet would be our focus for the New Year or act as a compass to guide us.


The first step in creating this book – was to think of a theme we wanted for the year. I’m not one for dreaming up themes so I pulled from the Goddess Oracle Deck (Virtue) and “Mother Mary’s Expect a Miracle” came up for me. Without any hesitation, I wrote down as the title and theme of my year “2014: The Year of Expecting Miracles.”


Why not miracles? The world needs more of them and the world needs more of us to observe them. And, the world needs more of us to assist in making them happen.

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Our booklet is to be used like you would affirmation statements. You read it front to back daily to keep you on track. (I’ve clipped it to my datebook and it is the first thing I see in the morning.)

The French pharmacist Émile Coué, in the late 1880's is considered the first person who wrote about the use of affirmations. In his practice, Dr. Coué had his patients daily recite the phrase "Every day in every way I'm getting better and better." He believed that this autosuggestion would assist people in healing themselves.

I learned about affirmations from my teacher Nettie Morse. She was a student from the Louise Hay’s camp. The affirmations created are to help you change negative beliefs and scripts you have about yourself. They help you see yourself in a more positive light.   

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The second page of the Wild Woman booklet was to answer the question “What would I like to build this year?” During my New Moon meeting with my Wild Woman Friends, again I was being opened to MotherFather Spirit’s suggestions. A thought that popped into my head was about the lack of balance I’ve been feeling lately around being a good mom, being an advocate for sexual and intimate partner violence survivors and being graduate student and the lack of building in relaxation time. 

I admit my house has transformed into clutter heaven. My yoga and walking have been kicked to the curb, because I haven’t quite found the balance yet with these new graduate school requirements. And, I’ve been going through the motions of being a CCWWW and being silent on this blog. 

Once again, MotherFather Spirit is right on the money for what is essential for my sanity, spirituality and physical health for my heart. 

So on page two, I wrote “Building in relaxation time.”

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Three incidences have occurred since creating and reading my book daily. 1) I was asked to join someone at Yoga class, 2) I found out that Yesherabbit Coven’s theme is centered on miracles, and 3) Eileen Cady’s daily inspiration.

Maybe these coincidences have been occurring all along, but I believe I’ve been so caught up in stuff and not recognizing them. I look at them as mini miracles or the miracle of messages that I’ve not been paying attention to.

With that in mind: I’ve recorded these occurrences on page 5 of my book.  

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Eileen Caddy’s daily inspiration (1/15) – I chuckled – it was so right on. 

“Why not relax? Let go and let Me take over, for the more stress and strain there is in your life, the less you get done. Why not let yourself flow with nature, flow with the tide, and do what has to be done quite simply, naturally and joyously? Why not enjoy life, instead of going through it with grim determination, forcing yourself to do this, that and the other without any joy or love? Life is wonderful when you are in harmony with it and cease resisting anything. Why make everything complicated for yourself? Why not make today a special day, and see the very best in everything? Give thanks for everything. Enjoy everything as it should be enjoyed. I want you to enjoy life. Start off by seeing the beauty of nature all around you, and you will find that one wonderful thing will lead to the next, until your whole life is one of wonderment and joy.” 

Relax? I’ve just finished my second packet for graduate school and relax has been the word of choice. Thus I’m chuckling again at the above quote. 

Why? I have found that writing the two critical essays is a forced task for me. Each word generated is labor intensive like finding the right word for a crossword puzzle. Don’t get me wrong, I love reading the assigned novels and looking at writing concepts and themes, but transcribing these ideas down onto paper has been stressful and not a joyful or flowing experience – like say writing in my blog or writing a poem.

I wonder can one do an interpretive dance to help create a critical essay. I believe that would be relaxing. I took up an invitation from a friend to join her in yoga – that was relaxing. 

I wonder if the miracle this year is to learn how to be more relaxed writing these essays. 

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Create your own booklet for the year with the Wild Woman Project:

Take a piece of 8.5 inches by 11 inches paper and cut it in half. Stack the two piece of paper together and fold in half. These are the pages for your book. 

Cover Page – theme by picking from the Goddess deck  

Page 1 – create a prayer to read daily that will help you focus on your theme and help you during the down times. 

Page 2 – “This year I will build____” 

Page 3 – “This year I feel ____” 

Page 4 – “This year I’m open to ____” 

Page 5 – Write down the dates you notice your theme happening. 

Sit with your ideas until January 30, 2014. Feel free to decorate the book and make it your own. I went through cards sent to me this past year and have added decorations. The booklet will be dedicated on the 30th the new moon.