Abracadabra
August 2026
Without meaning to, I have shifted from a weekly blog to a monthly blog. At the beginning of this month, I had full intentions of continuing the way I had been doing things and posting weekly. I even completed my weekly blog for the first week, but it felt a little flat and uninspired and when it came time to post, I just didn’t have it in me to pull the trigger. So, I waited. Two weeks during eclipse season passed and I tried again. I started writing the 3 week blog and didn’t finish. And now I’m at the end of this month, looking back and realizing that maybe things shifted for a reason. Maybe this is an ending of one cycle and the beginning of another. And this fits quite nicely with the astrology of this time and the eclipses we’ve experienced as being a time of letting go.
This month saw a change in temperature. The days cooled a bit and the nights cooled even more, making it feel like we’ve stepped into fall. Yes, we’ve still had some hot days, but nothing like what I’ve learned to expect in summer. The month also brought a reunion of family. My siblings gathered at the beginning of the month at my place and my parents’ to catch up and reconnect. It aligned exactly one year after we had gathered last year to celebrate my parents’ 55th anniversary and it was intriguing to see how much things had changed in only a year’s time. I also had family move home, so navigating a fuller house was also something I managed this month.
It was also a time of deep inner reflection for me. And for someone who regularly reflects, this is saying a lot. I had a few weeks where I’d listened to multiple hypnosis recordings that I’d created for myself, which resulted in things surfacing that hadn’t before. I listened to a course I’d purchased in early 2025 and it was amazing how many things still resonated, despite all of the change I’ve experienced since then. So much reflection can sometimes make me tired of looking so deeply at myself and I think that was one of the lessons I learned. I can sit for only so long in contemplation before I need to take action and start having some fun. I think at the end of this month, I’m finally feeling things ignite within me to get me moving and maybe loosening up a little.
I uncovered some anger that forced me to look at stories that others around me were telling themselves that were not true. This, in turn, forced me to look at stories that I’ve been telling myself that are not true. It resulted in more open communication and empowerment. It also helped me understand that stories can be powerful allies when relaying messages that are important, but they can also be ways to keep us in our comfort zones and away from taking responsibility for our actions and empowering ourselves.
During the month, I did have a few weeks where the messages slowed, and I think it was in part due to the fact that I was diving deeper into myself, which required more processing time and deeper meanings to surface. Despite this, there were still quite a few that came through, so let’s get into them. They were chop wood, shield, owl, Hocus Pocus, sabotage, New Year’s, kintsugi, smoke signal, rebirth, fireworks, temporary, brakes, turtles, Dolly Parton, wash dishes, Hail Mary, Wicker Man, captain’s chair/seat, and retard.
(Before I move on, I just want to address that the way in which these messages come through are not a reflection of my personal beliefs. For example, I do not use the word retard in the context that it came through as I understand it is offensive and inappropriate. However, the universe likes to get my attention any way that it can, so if it does this with a word I don’t like, condone, or use in daily life, there’s usually a reason.)
Chop wood – This message showed up in two different card readings I watched on Facebook. It also came up in real life when my partner split some firewood for the kids and a friend. I have also been having more fires this month as the weather has cooled and it feels good to be out in nature in the evenings. I know this phrase is about putting in the practical hard work that is needed. It usually refers to doing the menial tasks that are not necessarily fun but need to be done. I take it as a sign that I should be working on the details of my business and home life and working out all the practical things that need attention.
Shield – Shields appeared in multiple ways this month. I felt like I’d hit a wall with myself and turned to AI for help. I knew I’d been consoling in it for at least a year and figured that would be enough time for it to gather sufficient data to mirror back to me what I was missing. It told me that because I was still scared of visibility, I was using doubt as a shield to protect me from it. I also noticed a card that I’d pulled had a round image on it that reminded me of a shield. Additionally, I have been shielding my heart, a heat shield was rattling on a vehicle, and a shield was mentioned in a book I’m reading. I’m not sure if the message here is to keep my shield up in order to protect myself, or to drop it in order to be vulnerable and let someone in. Depending on the situation, I think both interpretations could be true.
Owl – The owl showed up in a card reading and one day this month was international owl day. I like owls. I think they are beautiful and often represent wisdom. They see in the dark and hunt at night, so I’m sure there’s some symbolism here that relates to the message. I used an owl in a script that I wrote for some younger people in my life. I see the owl as a nonthreatening, quiet and comforting symbol, so it felt appropriate to include in the script.
Hocus Pocus – This message showed up in a card reading. The reading used the witch characters from the movie of the same name as examples of people who were masking as benevolent people when in the movie, they had ulterior motives. It was also the name of a spooky music channel on tv. I don’t necessarily think of the movie when I hear this phrase, but instead of magic. So, I would guess this message has something to do with believing in magic, waving my magic wand, and casting a magic spell.
Sabotage – This message came up in conversation when talking about the Beastie Boys song of the same name. That song later came on the radio when I was alone. Sabotage also showed up in an email talking about how we do this to ourselves. I do think this message is about self sabotage. I have been struggling with my own limiting beliefs, feelings of anger and frustration, and not knowing how to move forward in life. My guess is that I need to find a way to stop sabotaging myself and move past this period of wheel spinning that I feel I’m currently in.
New Year’s – New Year’s celebrations were featured in two different shows I was watching this past week. I enjoy this time of year, and it has been significant in different ways in my life. I also like the idea of a reset, but I think we can do this daily instead of waiting an entire year to start fresh. I recently have been liking the idea of using each new day as a new beginning and letting whatever happened the day before fall to the past and starting fresh each morning with gratitude and a clean slate. As someone who has ruminated on the past for most of my life, it feels like a refreshing change and a way to learn to let things go more easily.
Kintsugi – This is the Japanese art of mending broken pottery by gluing it back together and adding in powdered gold. This art was mentioned in two different card readings this month. It is something I was introduced to by one of my son’s teachers in elementary school. I very much connect to this idea of seeing the beauty in flaws and viewing something that appears broken and mended as more beautiful and stronger than the original piece. It parallels the idea that if we face our trauma, learn what it has to teach us, and grow from it, we can come out stronger, more resilient, and more beautiful on the other side.
Smoke signal – A friend joked about this being the best method for contacting them and a tv show about traversing different universes mentioned it as a means of communication. When I think of a smoke signal, I envision people stranded on a dessert island lighting a big smoky fire so they can be rescued, but I know it doesn’t always have to be seen as a rescue attempt. Although, this does fit in with how my last two weeks have been going. At one point, I did send myself a blank email with the subject line “Help”, so this was a type of smoke signal, but only seen by me. It felt symbolic nonetheless and it did result in me being able to ask for help. So, maybe this message is about communication and knowing when to ask for help instead of remaining trapped on the desert island trying to fend for yourself.
Rebirth – This message was mentioned multiple times in many card readings and it is the name of a course I purchased in the past that I decided to revisit. It’s interesting how patterns work and how something that was relevant over a year ago is still relevant now. We go through so many different iterations of ourselves over our lifetime and yet we were trained to believe that we should always remain the same. I’ve been a daughter, a sibling, a friend, a child, a teen, an adult, a mother, a partner, a coworker, and so much more. Through these different identities, I’ve changed and evolved, yet at the same time kept bits and pieces of me the same through them all. I feel with this identity shift that has been years in the making that I am becoming someone completely new that might seem very different to those who have known me in the past. Unmasking the different characters I’ve played to make others more comfortable to reveal my true self might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it will be a weight off my shoulders. I guess we will see who stays and who goes.
Fireworks – Fireworks were mentioned in two different card readings and featured on one of the shows that was celebrating New Year’s. I’m not sure if this message is intended as a positive message or as a negative one. Fireworks are big explosive displays, so that could be seen as a celebratory event, or it could be seen as an outburst of repressed emotion. Since I’ve been working on digging up things that have been buried, I’m leaning more towards the emotional outburst, but who knows. Maybe I’ve got some celebration awaiting me.
Temporary – This message was mentioned in the results of a friend’s good news and in a card reading. Like fireworks, this message could be interpreted as either good or bad. A temporary situation of stagnancy could be a good thing, since knowing it isn’t permanent would give relief that things will soon move forward. However, it can also point to something not lasting and if long term is the goal, then this would not be an ideal outcome.
Brakes – This message was delivered in practical real-world situations. The brake pads on one vehicle needed replacing while the brake line went on another vehicle. Another project vehicle also had brake work during this same timeframe. I am fairly certain that this message is about overuse of the brakes. They wear out the more they are used and that seemed to be the direction that this message is pointing. Stop braking and start moving. This aligns with the stagnant energy I’ve been feeling this month, and I do think it is a result of me being the one in the driver’s seat and not pressing the gas pedal.
Turtle – Turtles were mentioned in a book I was reading, in some card readings, and in some reels on Facebook. Turtles are known for being slow and steady, which feels like the pace I’ve been moving since I started my business. I am a turtle in many ways and don’t like to be rushed, but I do feel like consistent and steady growth over time leads to massive change. I hope that is what this message is about.
Dolly Parton – The day that Dolly passed away, she was mentioned in two different podcasts that I listened to and both were pre-recorded. I don’t have any particular attachment to Dolly and I don’t have anything against her. I think she was a talented ray of sunshine who persevered during a time of male dominance. I know she was known for her work ethic and commitment to quality and also for always looking amazing. The image she portrayed was maybe not 100% her authentic self as I know she was never seen without her hair or makeup done, so no one really saw the real Dolly and that part makes me sad. I wish she’d felt comfortable enough to not always have to be perfect with her appearance as I know as a woman there is a lot of pressure to show up this way in society. Despite this, she was a beloved performer and beautiful person who lived her life fully. I feel the message could be to embrace life as she did and show up fully. I also feel like maybe with her death there is also a death of the persona that is always perfectly made up. Maybe a more authentic and realistic identity is coming online. One in which perfection in appearance is not the standard.
Wash dishes – This message showed up in conversation, a tv show, and in real life. In all ways, it came as a form of labour that was unfavorably looked upon. I don’t mind washing the dishes and have come to realize that there is something therapeutic in the act, especially if done as a routine or ritual. Where it can become tedious and burdensome is when others are abusing the dishwasher by creating vast amounts of dirty dishes and never contributing to the cleanup or using stall tactics to wait it out until someone else steps in to do it. I’m learning to step back in many ways and let the other adults in the house take responsibility for their messes. At times, this is difficult, but I'm learning to loosen my grip and let go a little.
Hail Mary – This message emerged in a song title and was mentioned in a card reading about knowing which direction to take. I believe we also watched a movie of the same name this month. I know the meaning of a Hail Mary is a saving grace. Some call for help at the last second to save the day. I guess I can understand why this message came through. I’ve been in some darker places this month than I have been in a while and at some points throughout it, things did feel a little desperate. In recalling the words of the Hail Mary prayer, it does ask, “pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death,” and that can speak to the death theme that has been permeating the month. The death of an old identity, an old narrative, or an old role that we’ve outgrown. It can be difficult to fully step out of these things that feel familiar to us, so asking for divine help is not out of the question and sometimes the thing we need to get us through to the other side.
Wicker Man – This message came through in conversation with a friend and in a tv show. The conversation with a friend had the friend recalling the name of a movie incorrectly, but then the name showed up in reference to a different movie from the ‘70’s. Both movies are much different as one is a romance and one a horror, but both are aligned with alternative belief systems and a sense of magic. Wicker is a resilient and flexible material that can be woven into many forms. It is natural and beautiful. If I think of this in the context of a man, then I guess these would be qualities that a strong man would possess and maybe that’s what the world needs right now from men: resilience, flexibility, naturalness, beauty, and willing to be woven into many forms instead of staying rigid in one predetermined identity. It feels like something women have been doing for a long time, so why not ask the same of men?
Captain’s chair/seat – This message came through in a friend’s interview on a podcast and also in a card reading. The captain’s chair or seat is usually representative of the one steering the boat or driving the car and choosing which direction to go. I see this message as taking power back and sitting in the captain’s chair of your life, making sure that you are the one choosing the direction and steering the vessel. It means taking control of the direction of your life and that also means taking accountability for your actions and decisions.
Retard – Again, I want to preface this message by saying it is not a word I use or condone, but it did come through a few different times in different ways. It showed up in a joke, in a meme, and in a movie. All of these things came up from the past and a time when this word was used regularly and with little thought of how it was being received. The word retard means to slow and is used in music when directing the musician on pace. If I compare it with the earlier messages of brakes and turtle, it feels aligned. I think it was just another way that the universe was trying to get my attention and show me that either I need to slow down, or maybe I need to remove the things that are in my life currently that are slowing me down and preventing me from moving forward.
With this many messages and the fact that they are spanning a month instead of a week, I tried hypnosis to find connections between them all, but I didn’t really get a cohesive message. What I received instead was the idea to group them together into things that felt like they belonged with each other. This proved helpful as I found one group was letting me know that I am in control of the pace of my life with the ability to sit in the driver’s seat and choose the direction and the speed with which I live and experience life. Any situations that are uncomfortable are temporary and will pass. If I need help, I can always ask for it either from people in my life or from a higher power. I can protect myself if I feel the need to using my wisdom. I should continue to focus on the day-to-day practicalities of my life but also remember to play with my magic wand and learn to use my powers to manifest and create a better life. I should celebrate the wins, treat each new day like a fresh start, and know that when things fall apart, they can be even more beautiful when they are rebuilt. Old identities might be alluring and comforting, but change leads to bigger and better things, so make peace with the parts of myself that need to be released.
Since there was mention of magic in the messages and I finally created my magic wand with the stick I found while visiting my trees, I think it is fitting to end with a picture of it. I’m not sure yet on its full purpose, but I know that at times I need to bring something I’m manifesting into physical reality in order for it to hold more power and meaning. I didn’t know what the end result would be when I started, but I just went with the creative flow and trusted that it would end up exactly as it should. There are some elements of nature, some sparkly bits, some gold, some real things, and some artificial. I am happy with the way it turned out and know that there might be changes to it in the future or possibly complete revamps and that is perfectly fine. We are always changing and reinventing ourselves and I think that’s truly the point to this existence. Why not experience life when it is infused with some magic?
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