Part 1: How I ended up in hospital
Part 2: How I predicted this months earlier
Part 3: How I could have prevented getting hurt

Part 1:
I knew it was coming. I just didn’t know how. This is the nature of omens. They are equally clear and to the point as they are shrouded in mystery. Looking back, I could have worked some magic and avoided the trip to the hospital.

It was the eve of the first of May. This is when the veils between the worlds are thin, the faeries are dancing, and Beltane is celebrated by witches all over the northern hemisphere. My celebration was being able to leave the room where my baby was sleeping and enjoy what it was like to be a new mom who had a full uninterrupted 30 minutes alone with her partner. We were both upstairs, I just had to do one more thing and I did that thing on the floor next to the desk. I don’t remember what it was or why the floor next to the desk was the place to do it. I just knew that when I was done I was excited. With lots of gumption and gusto I stood and turned and moved forward all at the same time.

Bang. My head felt a bit funny. Then I thought it might be best to sit down. I also mentioned to my partner that I was wondering why he hadn’t jumped from the couch up right away after hearing I’d hurt myself. He walked over to me. I looked at my hand. I looked at his face. He looked at me. Blood was running down from my eyebrow, my hand was full of it. He grabbed whatever tissue was closest. I suddenly felt fine with a bundle of toilet paper pressed against my wound. A look in the mirror revealed a gash and thick loose skin.

Next thing I knew my partner ushered me out of the door and into the car. He had called my mom to drive so he could stay home and keep watch over the baby. Into the night I went on the passenger seat and less than two hours later I was taped up and back home. It took over a week of rest for my head to recuperate, but I felt I got exactly what had been predicted.

Part 2:
A few months earlier, on the night of December 25th I wrote down the omen of the 5th night in my Mysteries of the Wild Nights Journal: Crows (or ravens?) giving a concert late in the afternoon. The birds keep getting louder. They keep getting more and other birds join as well. Finn (the bigger of my two dogs) got really hurt. He jumped against a metal bar at full speed. The night corresponds to the month of May in the coming year. I knew a bang was coming.

The Mysteries of the Wild Nights is a time between times. The year has not quite ended, nor has the new year begun. It is a time of portends and traditions. Christians count 12 days from the eve that the son of God is born. More nature oriented folks count from the Winter Solstice, when the sun in our sky is reborn and the darkest night marks the beginning of the return of light.

In the 12 days that follow the solstice (or Christmas Eve), the smoke of many herbs is wafted through the home in long processions to cleanse out stagnant and old energies and bring in desired energies. No laundry is washed and time is occupied by divination and preparation for the year to come. In this window of time between time you can make wishes that will come true. It is also an important time to pay attention to dreams and omens and write down everything. This is what I did and this is how I knew that in May there would be a bang.

Part 3:
Fate can be argued over. Some say we move along threads that are already woven, others say we can tie knots and weave in our own threads. Many say it’s a bit of both. The Tarot cards illustrate this perfectly: There are the 22 big cards, the Major Arcana. When they pop up then all we can affect is how we go through the motion of what will happen. With a bit of practice we can do so with grace at all times. Then there are 16 court cards. These are the people you meet and the people you are at different times in your life. Finally you have the Minor Arcana and these 40 cards often show what we can do. Here we make our choices and participate in weaving our fate.

A bang in the head resulting in a taped up gash that happened because of my own actions is definitely something that could have been avoided. Especially since I knew that it was coming. The omens had spoken and all I had to do was listen. Here are some things I would have done if I had taken the time back in May 2023:

• Spend time daily focusing on grounding and centering meditations.
• Be rigorous about taking deep breaths throughout the day to help stay calm, composed and focused.
• Frequently visualize protection around myself and my loved ones in the form of a net of gold and starlight. I might include some of the elements in this protective field.
• Work with my ancestors and guides for extra protection.
• Pray to specific deities for protection and give offerings in gratitude.
• Divine with runes or cards in a small ritual if there is anything I need to learn or a blind spot I am unaware of.

Every December we go through the Mysteries of the Wild Nights together. We close the year that has gone by and reflect on all the lessons learned. We seek omens and practice divination to prepare for the year that is to come. We make wishes and send them out into the universe to become true in daily rituals. It is a time of mystery and deep reflection, of facing the shadows as we begin our journey into the lighter days.

If you would like to join us, click HERE.

When you join Mysteries of the Wild Nights, you also get access to the entire Book of Magic. All the practices that could have helped me avoid going to hospital are in there, with guided video, audio and written lessons so you can practice your magic in the way you like best. You can even ask questions and receive feedback. New lessons are added every week to the Book of Magic!