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Hello Reader,

There is a poem from Paul van Ostaijen (Belgian poet, 1896-1928) that was shown to me when I was about nine years old. It is called 'Marc groet 's morgens de dingen' - 'Marc greets things in the morning'. It is a small poem, but its depth stayed with me.

First privately in my head, I started greeting things in the morning, at noon, in the evening, at night. I greeted them because, as a child, I found it a funny (and secretly rebellious) game. Greeting for example the chair gave me a tingling feeling in my stomach and made me giggle. It enchanted my world. And so, once in a while, when the poem crossed my mind, I greeted things in the world around me.

Now, about 35 years later, this act has deeper meaning. The words of the poem transformed into a spiritual practice that help me on my path into further enchanting but also revealing the truth of life.

In our Western history we moved from a living world to a mechanical world where only humans have souls and the rest is just for us to use as we see fit. We have been told that things and other living beings cannot act as humans. We, humans are the only one with intellect that can grasp how life works, which is bunkers and not true. But we see this harshly reflected in our language and grammar too as it fails to express what reality is. And to me, as a writer and Witch/Wicce this feels suffocating and is depriving us from seeing the world as it truly is: full of life all around.

When I started to open my heart to all living and started to greet them with the intent to connect and show them respect, the feeling of belonging grew again. Each day, the world became more alive and magical.

And so I greet the rosemary in bloom
I greet my bee friends because work can taste sweet
I greet the birds that sing their song freely and without thinking
I greet the squirrel jumping from branch to branch with trust
I greet the wind that plays with my hair
I greet the web of the spider that is shining in the sunlight
I greet the mushrooms and the dying as a natural change
I greet life
within and all around

Much love,
Ellen

Next Newsletter: Full Moon Taurus - 26th October 2026

An offering highlighted:

That is why I love to share this ritual: to guide you into feeling, first of all, yourself being alive again. Becoming aware of that well of love within you so you no longer have to eagerly search for life and love outside yourself. You experience an enormous source of love that is infinitely overflowing within your own reach. And you start to feel alive again in your body. You acknowledge the aliveness of your own self in your body and in the world.

One of the reasons why we are missing this feeling of belonging, is because we have disconnected ourselves from the living world. Not only from the living around us, but even from our own bodies. As the intellect was the revered aspect of humans to be celebrated, we diminished our own aliveness. And with that the connection, the feeling of belonging to the world and the magic that we are. Even in spirituality - for a long time - the only way was up and to experience the enlightened energy. Forgetting that we live here and now and that through our bodies we can feel alive again and experience life to the fullest.

A friend of mine beautifully remarked that after the ritual she didn't feel high or that all forgiving love. Good, I told her, that was not the purpose. Because the first thing the love from within grants you, are healthy boundaries. You honour the life that you are from an embodied and deep connection with Life itself.

Have a look on my website for more information on this offering and book yourself a ticket for the next gathering on Sunday 18th October 2026.

Calendar

September:
* 17/09: 'Magie in jezelf' in preorder!
* 26/09: Full Moon in Aries

October:
* 18/10: Love & Belong Ritual! Book your ticket here.
* 26/10: Full Moon in Taurus - next newsletter

Reread previous newsletters here.