Bonne Année! Bonne Santé!

Happy New Year's Eve, friends! As we move from one year to the next, this night of transition finds me preparing to make a long journey. It has not slipped my notice that I am beginning 2026 in motion, not with declarations or noise, but with the simple act of continuing forward. It's curious too that it feels grounding for me to start the year this way, suspended in between where I have been and where I am going, which I am thinking deserves a bit of exploration on my part... but I digress.

Where AM I going? Home to New Orleans! This year, returning to the place where I've spent most of my 58 years will be an experience that carries both familiarity and necessity. I love the home I have made in the place that holds the memories of my father’s people. Living within the magic of this mountain forest gives me a feeling of steadiness and peace. At the same time, I have a real and lingering grief for the magic I left behind, even though I know with full clarity that living there is no longer what is best for me. It's bittersweet that loving where I am now does not cancel the ache of what shaped me. Still, I am looking forward to the visit, just as I know I shall anticipate my return home to Virginia.

During my annual Yule hibernation, I reflected a lot on the past year and considered what I want for myself in the new one. While I don't have all the answers, I do know for sure that I want to stay tuned in to a world that feels terribly strained and uncertain. I want to resist the urge to numb myself or rush past what feels difficult, and instead allow myself to witness and BE in the moment, no matter how tough it feels in my heart and mind. I plan to tend my health and well-bring with continued care and patience, to listen more closely to my body, and to honor what it needs rather than what I think it should be able to do. I will also be saying yes to travel that widens my perspective and reminds me of my own curiosity and capacity for wonder. In short, I want to step anew into myself once again, as best as I can do so, in ways that keep me present and bring me joy.

This is also a year of further expansion for me. I am in the midst of guiding another book toward publication (Motherline Grimoire arrives in December 2026), and I am opening myself fully to the work of completing two other books that have been waiting for my attention. I am giving myself permission to explore my creative side more completely, not only through writing, but through other outlets that allow me to experiment, play, and listen in different ways. Creativity is part of how I make sense of the world and how I stay in relationship with myself, so I am choosing to center it instead of squeezing it on the side.

I've also decided my word, or my theme, for 2026 is RELEASE. I want to fully let go of what no longer serves me, what no longer fits the life I am living now, and what I have been carrying out of habit rather than intention. When Saturn moves into Aries, I will be starting the two-and-a-half year journey through my second return, and I'm happy that (so far) it feels less like a looming crisis and more like discernment. I am hopeful for a quiet clearing that will ask me to choose what is essential and to set down the rest so that I can continue forward with integrity and steadiness.

May your celebration tonight bring you joy, whether it comes in the form of fireworks and champagne or blissfully sleeping your way through the changeover. Wherever New Year’s Day finds you - moving or still, arriving or leaving - I wish you a 2026 that allows you to stay present with your own becoming, and to move through each day surrounded by love, laughter, and prosperity.

Bonne Année! Bonne Santé!