Issue #66 The Magic Heron Newsletter – What creature symbolizes initiation during new phases in your life?

Welcome to the 66th issue of The Magic Heron Newsletter, a fortnightly newsletter with a focus on journaling, writing, and learning nature’s wisdom through midlife. 

Did you miss a past newsletter issue? I’ve put them on the blog. Click here to read them: Newsletter Archive

If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you need your own: Subscribe here.

New to our newsletter? Welcome!

Looking for the unsub button? Check the bottom of the newsletter!

You’re on this list because you signed up on my website for a free printable or pdf. You can unsubscribe at the bottom; please don’t mark as spam. I hope you’ll stay as I like to give out FREEBIES. 

Note: This email has affiliate links to partner deals. If you make a purchase, I get a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my business.

Thanks for being here. I appreciate you.

Texas, August 27, 2023

Be sure to hit the SUBSCRIBE button to receive The Magic Heron Newsletter in your inbox!

Hi there Shanna

Can you believe we are coming to the end of summer? Where has this year gone? I didn’t get to do near as much as I wanted to this summer. I had more work and less time to devote to my new books. I am still working on them though and I know as the seasons change from the high energy of Summer to the slower pace of Autumn and Winter, I’ll be able to shift my energy to match and go back my writing projects.

Even my journaling has taken a back seat and I’m feeling the the call to get back to it. Journaling has always been my refuge to sort out my thoughts and sometimes just to figure out what I’m thinking. I think too, world events have taken over the thoughts in my mind. It’s hard to put them aside and not worry! Journaling has always been a place where my intuition speaks through to guide me. I am now making time for it again in my morning schedule.

Do you take refuge in journaling? Why or why not?

Greebo is settling into a new phase as she nears her 1 year birthday (still a few months away). She now crawls up onto my chest to snuggle. And I have to hold her like a baby. My daughter thinks it’s funny, since I didn’t want a cat and the cat has now chosen me to be her person!

All last week, otters kept showing up in cute videos and pictures. So, as we get ready to transition into a new season, I think this week’s newsletter Spirit Animal will be Otter.

This week’s Newsletter Spirit Animal

Otter Symbolism and Meanings:

Otter is a powerful initiation and transition symbol in Native American and Celtic lore and called upon during birth, death, and marriage ceremonies. Otter energy is adept at moving through liminal spaces (the in-between) and perfect energy to call on during these major transition phases of life.

Otter Symbolism and Meanings:

• Energy
• Curiosity
• Protection
• Friendship
• Playfulness
• Agility
• Joy

Otter is the perfect energy to call on during birth, whether that is the birth of a child, or birth of a new transition of your life, such as a new project. Otters are playful and positive energy to make way for new life!

If you are over-stressed, ask Otter for guidance to help you find joy, start laughing again, and living life with joy.

Otter is also fearless, and if you need courage, ask Otter to help you. Whatever area of life you need courage in, call on Otter.

Watch videos of Otter playing and to boost your mood. Watching their antics will surely put a smile on your face!

Otter Moms Wrap Their Babies in Seaweed Blankets | The Dodo

Recently Published . . .

New in the Etsy Shop

1. Printable Weekly Planner Monday Start Planner Calendars Work Planner Everyday Planner Seascape Ocean Animals Watercolor Letter 8.5×11

2. Spirit Animals Coloring Planner, Animal Guide, Spirit Totem Animal, Spirit Companion, Undated Planner, Goal Tracker, Use with Your Journal

New Books!

My daughter and I created a whole line of Writer’s Notebooks. Use them for NaNoWriMo, notetaking, for work, or journaling! You can find the notebooks on the Magic Heron Amazon Author Page

1. 50 Ways to Eat Sardines: …a recipe journal

2. Mandala Coloring & Writing Journal: A notebook for coloring, journaling, and taking notes with peaceful focus

Interesting links . . .

Here are some interesting links I came across on my ventures through Internet Land this week that I thought you might enjoy.

1. 5 COMMON SPICES TO USE FOR EVERYDAY HEALTH

2. Traditional Fire Cider Recipe (and 2 Tangy Twists)

3. Homemade Garlic Scape Powder

4. Herb Notes: Going Beyond the Sting of Nettles

5. What Are The Dog Days Of Summer?

***I use Mountain Rose Herbs for ordering all the herbs I use. Every order I’ve received has always been fresh and gorgeous. Click here to order the herbs you need for your teas, infusions, spices, and other ingredients for your kitchen:

Mountain Rose Herbs

 

Free ebook! . . .

Get back into school spirit with the “11 Herbal Recipes for Memory and Focus” Ebook

FREE download!

The Herbal Academy Back to School Sale . . .

BACK TO SCHOOL DETAILS:

• August 22 – 28: Early bird pricing with an EXTRA 5% off all courses and path packages and the opportunity to save up to 35% on enrollment! (No coupon needed)

Early Bird highlights include:

– Save over $200 on the Advanced Herbal Course

– Save over $200 on the Family Herbalist Path Package

– Save over $420 on the Clinical Herbalist Path Package

– And more!

Click here to take advantage of these savings: Back to School Sale

Summer Recipe . . .

Celebrate summer with seasonal recipes!

Celebrate your garden corn harvest with this yummy recipe!

Garlic Butter Creamed Corn Chicken

Summer Fun  . . .

Summer Nature Bucket List! Have a traditional picnic!

THE JOY OF PICNICKING: YOUR ESSENTIAL HOW-TO GUIDE

Journaling Inspiration . . .

1. How Journaling Can Be A Place of Refuge for Finding Inner Peace

2. Journaling Is . . . by Lynda Monk

3. Why Write? Journaling Helps You do Life Better

4. 20 Ways to Find 20 Minutes for Journaling

5. Magnetic Closures & Magnet Ideas for Junk Journals

Random Nature Fact . .

Dragonflies have 6 legs, but can’t walk!

Dragonflies and Damselflies

Nature Journal Video . . .

1. Learn to draw marine mammals! In this workshop, we focus on differences in overall body shape and details of face structure. Make your seal look like a seal and your otter look like an otter!

How to Draw Sea Lions, Seals and Otters oh my!

Nature Journal Prompt . . .

Use the picture above to practice drawing in your nature journal and noticing details about this animal.

Otter facts:

Lifespan: 12 years, oldest living river otter on record is 27 years old

Scientific name: Lontra canadensis

Length: 2.5 – 5 ft

Weight: 45-90 lbs.

Speed: 15 mph, they can slide even faster!

Habitat: river otters are found throughout North America from Rio Grande to Canada and Alaska. They live in the same riparian zones as beavers. They are in both marine and fresh water: streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, and marshes

What it eats: fish, frogs, crayfish, turtles, insects, small mammals and travel 10-18 miles in search of food.

What eats (or preys on) it: bald eagles, brown bears, wolves, white sharks, killer whales, bobcats, alligators, coyotes

Did you know?

River otters live in freshwater, but will swim and hunt in seawater. Sea otters live along the ocean coastlines.

More fun facts:

Sea otter mothers and pups hold hands while floating on their back. This keeps them from drifting away from each other and their food while they sleep. They will also sleep wrapped in kelp to anchor in place.

15 Fascinating Facts About Otters

What I’m watching . . .

1. Absolutely loved this new Nicolas Cage movie!

The Old Way (2023 Movie) Official Trailer – Nicolas Cage, Ryan Kiera Armstrong

What I’m reading . . 

1. I just started this book and it is really good so far.

Becoming Crone: A Paranormal Women’s Midlife Fiction Book (The Crone Wars 1) by Lydia M Hawke

Quotes I’m pondering . . 

“Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.”  ~~Jenny Han

and

“To see the summer sky is poetry, though never in a book it lie—true poems flee.”

~~Emily Dickinson

Questions I’m considering journaling on . . .

My best friend and I decided to do a 30 Day Gratitude Challenge—only we mail our daily gratitudes to each other on notecards each day. She came up with this awesome challenge and I think it’s a great way to share your daily reflections with someone else. It does make me pause for a few minutes each day to look at my life from this point of view and take the time to not only write it down, but to share it with her!

Journal Prompt . . .

Summer is winding down and the Wheel of the Year will soon turn once again to the next season. What are you last thoughts about summer? How are you celebrating the end of this season? Did you enjoy it or not? What are you looking forward to (or not) about autumn?

Reviews . . .

If you have bought any of our books or printables and enjoyed them, please leave a positive review on Amazon, Etsy, or Zazzle. Those reviews mean the world to us and help boost us up on the platforms. Thank You!!

Happy Journaling!

. . . Shanna

P.S. Is there something you like or would rather see in the newsletter? Hit reply and let me know!

I’ll be back on September 10th !

P.P.S. If you like this newsletter and want to support it, buy a book or notebook. Or forward this newsletter to a friend with an invitation to subscribe, right here.