What progress did you make on your goals this month? I’m pretty surprised with the progress that I made. I was super ambitious with 8 intentions…. and I think I ended up with a 85% ish success rate this month! Read on to see what I accomplished and what I let fall away that I realized just wasn’t important to me anymore.
Today it’s time for my Balsamic Moon End of the Month Goals Review. I really enjoyed creating this Bullet Journal Moon Wheel Calendar featured in my spreads. If you want to see how I set these goals click here. So grab a cup of tea and your favorite pen, and let’s review our monthly goals together!
I like to set goals via the moon and use the eight moon phases to check in with my goals to track my progress. This helps me see if I need to add anything or take away anything to help me achieve the goal that I’ve set at the beginning of the lunar month at the new moon.
this month’s theme is:
“plant the seeds of your intentions“
The theme this month is plant the seeds of your intentions. The first moon of the year is the perfect time to set new intentions, goals, and resolutions. Now is the time to dream big and begin planting the seeds that will start your journey to your end goal! I have talked a lot about the power of starting and why you should start here on Owls&Indigo. See my best advice for starting below:
“I’ve set these goals to hone my craft and skillset to be loving and kind to myself and others in moments of imperfection and mistakes. I am loyal to my intentions.”
I feel like this mantra is working really well for me this month. I am really proud of myself for getting ahead in accomplishing some of the action steps that are supporting my 8 goals for this month. I am seriously surprised that I have made it this far with the overabundance of goals and intentions that i set for myself this month. I was very ambitious and it seems like that ambition and drive is working out well for me this month. I am truly grateful for that. See the other mantras that I made this month here!
By the end of the month I realized that it was super important to focus on “be loving and kind to myself and others in moments of imperfection and mistakes.” I failed a little bit on that one… but that is always a work in progress in the human existence. I think when I failed was being overwhelmed immensely and getting sick twice right there at the end of the lunar month. Any patience I had, just left me. This is something that I really need to work on.
There’s always things that we can improve on whether we’re actually on top of our goals and have gotten everything done. There’s definitely little things along the way that we could have done better. To see what my goals are for this lunar month check out my article here. On the Balsamic Moon, I always ask myself the same questions: What worked? What didn’t? What can I improve?
what worked this lunar month?
What worked for me this lunar month was reading samples of my books on kindle before I bought them. I really enjoyed doing this because it gave me a chance to test out the book to see if it was the right one for me before I made the full commitment. The samples that I got were really long too! I think one of the samples was 100 ish pages.
what didn’t?
What didn’t work for me this lunar month was making time for new recipes. I was traveling for a family wedding on Lupercalia and ended up getting food poisoning after returning home from late night pizza…. Days later and I still don’t feel quite right. So I decided to let this one go… in the end, trying new recipes just wasn’t important to me as the month went on.
what can I improve?
I will improve by taking on less and resting more this next moon.
my lunar leftovers:
Lunar leftovers are the things that I didn’t get to that I want to carry over to the next month or things that I still want to work on even if I accomplished the goal that I set for them at the beginning of the new moon. I signify this lunar leftover with an arrow or greater than carrot symbol on the edge of my page. Sometimes, I level this up with a highlighter or stamp markers so I don’t miss it for my next goal setting session.
This month I have one lunar left over. I didn’t end up getting to all of the books that I wanted to read, so I will be carrying over the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. I am still reading Hatha Yoga Pradipika, this version has explanations of the verses with it written for the modern reader…. which I am super thankful for, because I would have had no idea what the essence of the sanskrit was getting at.
Some links in this article are affiliate links, this means I earn a small commission if you use them! Affiliate Links are one way I am able to provide videos, articles, and resources for free. Other links go straight to the Owls & Indigo Shop where you can support me directly.
My feeling based intention for this balsamic moon is: “I give thanks for this lunar cycle and my new habits. I rest. I restore.” Then I finish off my balsamic moon goal setting review by drawing in a little symbol on my little tracker.
“I give thanks for this lunar cycle and my new habits. I rest. I restore.”
Jenny Proczko, Balsamic Moon End of Month Goal Setting Review Mantra & Intention
I want to make sure that I’m being real with you and showing that no one’s perfect. Like me… Sometimes I don’t review this goal setting spread for weeks. But I don’t allow myself to use that absence as an excuse to fall off the bandwagon. My goals, intentions and spiritual practices are important to me, important enough to not give up on.
How about you? Were you able to accomplish your goals this month? Let me know in the comments down below if you are having a hard time accomplishing your goals right now too.
ALSO!!!!
What progress have you made on your goals this month?
Did you have to retool your goals and intentions for the month?
Performing a year ahead tarot spread is an incredibly insightful journaling tool to help you plan out your coming year and get an idea of the common obstacles that you might face. Tarot readings can’t really tell you your future. Tarot cards are only a mirror to what you already know about yourself and the shared life experiences and themes we all go through.
A year ahead tarot card reading can be done at any time of year and consists of one card that describes the overarching theme for the year and 12 additional cards that describe each month laid out in a circle in a clockwise order with the yearly theme card in the center of the circle.
Like I said, tarot cards can’t tell you your future; rather they are binoculars or a magnifying glass that allows you to view a situation through a different lens. Because we are so set in our ways of living, thinking, and doing things, we might not realize this point of view / perspective is available to us. OR you might discover that you are subconsciously avoiding looking from this P.O.V.
Then draw one card as your overall theme for the year. Now draw one card for each month and lay them out in a circle with the yearly theme card in the center of the circle and the monthly cards forming the circle. My layout is clockwise starting with the noon position in my moon themed bullet journal. You can see this in the image below.
Step 3: Reflect & Record
Next record the layout of the cards and meaning of each card, plus any images or symbols that stand out to you or mean something to you on a personal level.
Themes To Look For In Your Tarot Card Spread
The other things I pay special attention to when doing a year ahead tarot spread are the suits and any animals or plants that have popped up in the cards.
My spread this year was very balanced with 3 of each of the minor arcana cards (wands, cups, swords, pentacles) and one major arcana card. Animals and plants are very important to my life because I grew up on a farm and still seek to have that connection to the land and my local ecosystem. I also have a medicinal herb practice that spills over into my health and cooking. These themes and symbols are important items that serve as a signal for me to look deeper into what the card means to me specifically, which might be very different than the book meaning of the tarot card.
Step 4: Monthly Reflections
As the year goes on look back to this year ahead tarot spread and use the theme of each monthly card as a signal to look out for these types of situations in your life that month. You can also use this as a journaling tool to reflect on the themes of the month, how you have delt with them in the past and how you can learn to better yourself in those areas.
At the end of each month record your findings and feelings in your journal on the next few pages to see if the card you drew for that month made an impact as all. Sometimes it’s enough to be reminded of a certain life theme that pops up in the tarot cards, so that when we are faced with it, we are better equipped to handle it or sometimes be able to avoid it all together in a healthy manner.
Remember, tarot is a personal reflection tool. This tarot card spread isn’t able to tell you your future. It’s only able to act as a magnifying glass for the life themes that you should focus on for the time being to better yourself.
How To Analyze A Tarot Card Spread
I use the tarot cards as a way to prompt my intuition to come forward and tell me what I already know about myself or a situation. This allows me to think about things that I already know the answer to, that I may have forgotten, or that I may be ignoring on purpose. Can you relate?
Overall, I don’t think that this is a bad tarot spread. There are a lot of life lessons and things that we all go through every single year. By doing this year ahead tarot card spread, it gives me and idea of things to keep in mind that are part of the shared human experience as I go through the year. There are different themes that could pop up during each month and each season, and this spread helps me keep those things in mind by highlighting the themes and archetypes that we all experience at various points in our life.
Tarot Card Yearly & Monthly Themes
Yearly Theme: The Five of Wands
“Scattered, Lack of Focus, Lost. This is a card of conflict. You may find yourself tending to nothing and everything. Find ways to bring calm and focus to your mind or these troubles will only increase.”
Animals & Plants
Horse
Deer
Snake
Owl
Earthworm
Rose
Fox
Spider
Monthly Themes:
January, 8 of Wands, sudden movement or change. February, 5 of Cups, grief, disappointment. Horse. March, Son of Pentacles, loyal, quiet, dedicated. Deer. April, 9 of Cups, bliss, harmony. May, Father of Wands, charismatic, creative. Snake. June, Death, closure, transformation. Bird Skeleton. July, Mother of Swords, sharp, perceptive. Owl. August, 9 of Swords, dark visions, anguish. Earth Worm. September, 5 of Pentacles, sadness, worry, illness. Rose. October, 7 of Swords, secrecy, self-interest. Fox. November, 8 of Pentacles, craftsmanship, skill. Spider. December, 8 of Cups, stagnation, ill health.
What It Means When You Draw The Death Tarot Card For Your Birthday
For June, my birthday month, I drew the Death tarot card, which represents closure and transformation. The fact that this card popped up in my birthday month doesn’t bother me. The Death card doesn’t represent anything bad to me, it never has. This card is just a sign of transformation which is a really really good thing to have for your birthday month in my opinion!
I would definitely be wanting closure and transformation in the future. I would love to transform every year on my birthday, or at least feel like I’ve made progress in my life each year. So I’m actually quite excited about having the Death card… this one doesn’t bother me at all.
For October I drew the Seven of swords, which has a little fox peeking from behind it’s tail, it represents secrecy and self-interest. This is a good card to have for October since that is when we start the descent into our Shadow Selves at that time of year. It is a time of year that is full of introspection and getting to know the child self and inner most true self no matter how easy or difficult that may be.
The Wild Unknown Tarot Deck and Guidebook (Official Keepsake Box Set), by Kim Krans is a really great introduction into tarot cards that feel more approachable than the classic Rider Waite deck for those who are just starting their tarot journey. I love just looking at the artwork and tucking the cards into my mirror so I can see them every morning.
Some links in this article are affiliate links, this means I earn a small commission if you use them! Affiliate Links are one way I am able to provide videos, articles, and resources for free. Other links go straight to the Owls & Indigo Shop where you can support me directly.
BONUS: End Of The Month Tarot Card Review For January
For January I drew the Eight of Wands from The Wild Unknown deck. This card represents sudden movement or change. The card is mostly black with a rainbow lightning strike coming down from the top of the card to the center. There are also seven other wands pointed at it into the middle.
SO… “sudden movement or change” for January… I thought this was fitting when I originally drew the card back at the beginning of the month when I did my year ahead spread. The Eight of Wands is a really good card for new beginnings, new phases, and being at the start of something, like a new year!
I thought it was a really nice way to kick off the year with the Eight of Wands. I definitely experienced a lot of sudden movement and change in January. I had to hit the ground running, just as everyone does in January (there is that shared human experience I was talking about) after the holidays and get back into work and back into the swing of things. I felt like the jump back into the new year and work was a little more jarring this year… I don’t know why… but for some reason, it did. There’s also been a lot of change in my personal life this past January – but it’s all been good and has all been positive.
So final verdict! I do think that The Eight of Wands definitely reflected back to me what my January ended up being.
Are you trying to get back on track with your goals? Thankfully I have found a way forward this month! I’ve been able to accomplish my goals consistently and step closer to the end of this lunar month to the finish line.
Today it’s time for my Full Moon Mid-Month Goal-Setting Check In. I really enjoyed creating this Bullet Journal Moon Wheel Calendar. If you want to see how I set these goals click here. So grab a cup of tea and your favorite pen, and let’s check in on our monthly goals together!
I like to set goals via the moon and use the eight moon phases to check in with my goals to track my progress. This helps me see if I need to add anything or take away anything to help me achieve the goal that I’ve set at the beginning of the lunar month at the new moon.
this month’s theme is:
“plant the seeds of your intentions“
The theme this month is plant the seeds of your intentions. The first new moon of the year is the perfect time to set new intentions, goals, and resolutions. Now is the time to dream big and begin planting the seeds that will start your journey to your end goal! I have talked a lot about the power of starting and why you should start here on Owls&Indigo. See my best advice for starting below:
“I’ve set these goals to hone my craft and skillset to be loving and kind to myself and others in moments of imperfection and mistakes. I am loyal to me intentions.”
I feel like this mantra is working really well for me this month. I am really proud of myself for getting ahead in accomplishing some of the action steps that are supporting my 8 goals for this month. I am seriously surprised that I have made it this far with the overabundance of goals and intentions that i set for myself this month. I was very ambitious and it seems like that ambition and drive is working out well for me this month. I am truly grateful for that. See the other mantras that I made this month here!
There’s always things that we can improve on whether we’re actually on top of our goals and have gotten everything done. There’s definitely little things along the way that we could have done better. To see what my goals are for this lunar month check out my article here. On the Full Moon, I always ask myself the same questions: What did I succeed in? What can I improve?
what have I succeeded in this lunar month?
I’ve succeeded in finding a yoga book that I like. Getting ahead in my goals and intentions. Making my yearly manifesto! Listening to my manifesto 8 times already!
what can I improve?
I’ll improve on trying more low carb recipes. I’ll improve my yoga practice in its various forms. I’ll improve by getting out and talking to people more. I’ll improve my patience & kindness.
My feeling based intention for this full moon is: “ I celebrate my progress and keep moving forward! I feel the habits sticking and I see the changes happening! ” Then I finish off my full moon goal setting check in by drawing in a little symbol on my little tracker.
I want to make sure that I’m being real with you and showing that no one’s perfect. Like me… Sometimes I don’t review this goal setting spread for weeks. But I don’t allow myself to use that absence as an excuse to fall off the bandwagon. My goals, intentions and spiritual practices are important to me, important enough to not give up on.
Check Out my video below to see what’s on my mind, what I’m up to and what I’ve got going on for this month!
Were you able to accomplish your goals so far this month? Let me know in the comments down below if you are having a hard time accomplishing your goals right now too.
ALSO!!!!
What progress have you made on your goals this month?
Are you on track for the Balsamic (Last Crescent) Moon or did you have to retool your goals and intentions for the month?
This week I want you to focus on connecting to yourself through intentional solitude. The key here is to be “intentional with your time and how you use it.”
Benefits of connecting to yourself through intentional solitude:
You’re actively seeking a dialogue with your inner self.
You’re getting that much needed alone time.
You fill your cup first so you can be the best version of yourself to take care of others.
So… I have a little bit of a bad habit when it comes to seeking solitude. I am a homebody and a total hermit crab. I never want to leave home. Can anyone else relate?
My Personal Experience:
My intention to seek solitude to recharge my batteries is always well meaning, but I never actually intentionally seek to connect with myself in that time. I think I’m going to, and I tell myself that is why I need alone time… but in reality, I am pacifying myself instead. I scroll through social media, go down rabbit holes, or distract myself with youtube videos or documentaries. While those things can be entertaining, they are not helping me connect to my inner most true self. Those pacifications are keeping me from sitting with myself and my thoughts, alone.
I love silence. In it I can hear everything.
Jenny Proczko
I love silence. In it I can hear everything. But I can’t stand sitting in silence with my thoughts. I am afraid of my thoughts for some reason. So I always have something occupying me, even if it looks like I’m sitting in silence, I’m really not. Something is keeping my brain distracted and active during the time that I should be using to get to know myself deeper.
I have noticed that actively and intentionally planning my solitude time keeps me from pacification.
If I go into alone time blind without a plan, then I am certain to pick up my phone or turn on the TV.
Activities for Solitude (That Are NOT Pacification)
You might be thinking that some things are missing from this list like: listening to music, reading, learning a new skill, cooking. But I assure you that while those things may seem like they are well intention and good activities for solitude, they are not actively opening and creating a dialogue with your inner most true self. They are keeping your mind quiet by distracting it.
Another key to this practice is letting your inner dialogue speak and confronting your thoughts so you can get to know yourself better.
things to remember…
being alone with your thoughts can be uncomfortable and even scary
you are letting your inner child speak up and finally be heard (she’ll undoubtedly have a lot to say)
it gets easier to be with your thoughts the more you practice it
Fostering self connection through solitude can be hard and uncomfortable. But you have taken the first step by reading this week’s spirituality tip.
By fostering a self connection through solitude I have found, that I am less afraid of my inner thoughts and that I am better able to manage my anxiety. It was really hard to get to know my inner self and let her speak her mind. I have found that if I don’t pacify myself and create the space for that inner exploration through journaling and meditation that I am much calmer because there is nothing bubbling beneath the surface that I am clueless about.
BUT none of this means that I always choose not to pacify myself. I forget, get lazy, or choose bad habits over good ones. I am constantly trying to get to know my inner self and its a struggle. But also a life long journey that have been scarily beautiful. I have already learned to much and have so much more to discover.
Stop pacifying yourself even in your alone time and solitude. Create a space to be intentional with your solitude and let your inner voice speak to you.
Have you tried connecting to yourself through intentional solitude?
Do you want to stop your period from ruining your life? Harness the power of charting so you know what is going on with your body and what your hormones are doing during your cycle.
Today I wanted to share with you how I track my mental health, depression, anxiety, mood, and menstrual cycle. I have been charting my period for a few years now and I really enjoy it. Honestly, it was daunting at first, but I soon got the hang of it and realized how important this was to me. This is how I set up my BUJO F.A.M. Charting & Tracking (Fertility Awareness Method) and how I use it to stay on top of my Mental Health, Depression & Anxiety.
Some links in this article are affiliate links, this means I earn a small commission if you use them! Affiliate Links are one way I am able to provide videos, articles, and resources for free. Other links go straight to the Owls & Indigo Shop where you can support me directly.
The reason I choose to chart is for awareness about my body and to keep track of my menstrual cycle. I am currently charting to avoid pregnancy. Charting is one of my forms of birth control, I do not rely on this solely because I don’t feel confident enough to do so… BUT hopefully as the years go by I’ll learn more about this method and more about my body to where I feel confident using it as a birth control method.
This book has taught me more than the internet, more than my middle school health class, more that my mom, and more than my gynecologist.
Taking Charge of Your Fertility will empower you with a wealth of information so you can make better more informed decisions about your fertility, body health, mental health, and emotional health.
My fertility tracking BUJO is just random notebook that I had laying around. It’s pretty thin and has thin lines, even narrower than college ruled paper. I am duplicating my digital chart from Kindara into a physical form in my Bullet Journal. I found that by doing this I am learning more about my body because I’m writing it down in this journal by hand. I’m actually taking the time to analyze the data that I’m collecting. You’ll see below that I collect an awful lot of data when it comes to fertility awareness.
I also utilize a fold up method in this BUJO, kind of like a faux dutch door. Normally you’d have a section for notes at the bottom of your chart, but because I’m tracking so much I don’t have that room. Which is why I use the fold up faux dutch door. On this section I have my notes for the day of my cycle and my legend / key for the symbols in this layout.
What I’m Tracking:
My Minimum Fertility Tracking Metrics:
BBT temperature
menstrual flow
sex un/protected
ovulation
moon phases
cycle day
day of month
day 8 of cycle for a S.B.E. self breast exam (important when you’re well endowed like me)
cervix
Additional Fertility Tracking Metrics For Mood, Sexual Health, Mental Health, & Activity Level:
lubrication
initiated sex
randiness
LH +/- test trips
Mood
Medication
Needed An Escape
Did I smell funny?
Was I itchy?
nipple / breast pain
ovulation pain / cramps
headache / migraine
meds for head pain (tylenol)
fatigue
nauseaus
kegals
yoga or meditation
listened to my yearly manifesto
10K Steps
Did I go outside?
It is essential to chart your temperatures when you are charting for fertility awareness. And the way to do so is with a BBT thermometer, basil body thermometer. If you’re familiar with the charting method or with F.A.M. you’ll notice my temperatures are much lower and that’s because my temperature is taken pretty much in my armpit instead of under my tongue, which is a hell of a lot cooler than underneath your tongue.
Watch my video below to see why I have to have a certain type of BBT Thermometer… I have a really weird, particular need…
Setting Up Journal Key
The secret to staying consistent with any journal is to understanding it. Have you ever looked at your journal and wondered what you meant by that weird little symbol? To avoid it looking like chicken scratches set up a journal key or legend in the on the front page or inside cover of your journal. I like to take this a step further by making my key a flip out section of my journal so I don’t need to flip back and fourth in my journal during a long planning or tracking session.
My Journal Key / Legend
black heart / filled in heart = unprotected sex heart outline = protected sex, condoms, outer-course small filled in heart with big outlined heart = withdrawal red line = period big red dot = projected period two little red dots = spotting green line = ovulation big green dot = projected ovulation little green dot = past ovulation purple line = luteal phase
Tempdrop BBT Thermometer is a set it and forget it thermometer that tracks your BBT while you sleep and gives the perfect BBT in the morning which is actually calculated 2 hours before you wake up. No more annoying beeping thermometers or forgetting to take your BBT before you even move!
I have early onset hearing loss with an about 40% total loss in both of my ears, so I can’t hear normal BBT thermometers beep in the morning. Tempdrop is perfect for those with hearing loss or who are deaf and are charting their BBT for fertility tracking and awareness.
I really love The Fertility Awareness Method and charting, it has taught me a lot about my body. It makes me feel like I’m in tune with my body and my hormones. I can really tell when I’m about to ovulate and noticed different changes and shifts in my mood, physical body, and mental health.
Because I struggle with depression, anxiety and sometimes P.T.S.D., I need to stay on top of everything. AND I need to understand what’s going on with my body and mind. Charting has really opened that up for me. If you have mental health struggles like I do, I highly recommend that you try charting. Everyone needs to get to know their body better, because the physical body really affects the mind, which affects mental health. It’s all interconnected which is one of the biggest things that I have learned from charting.
Charting tells me a lot about my body and I need that information to rationalize why I’m feeling a certain way and also to explain to myself why I’m feeling a certain way. There are some days when my depression and my anxiety has completely taken over and if I have this data in front of me, I’m able to tell myself in those really bad freakin terrible moments that “hey this is normal, this has happened before.” “This is where you’re at in your cycle so that’s why these things are probably happening. Everything is ok and there’s no need to worry. Just trust the chart, trust the data that you’ve collected and keep moving forward.”
So…. charting has really really helped my mental health. I highly recommend that you do it too!
Today it’s time for my monthly plan with me for my daily planner and spiritual bullet journal. Last year I started making bullet journaling a lot more accessible and easier for me with the use of stamps. You will see a lot of stamps in my videos this year in addition to my D.I.Y. Moon Phase Stamps + Coffee Cup & Tree Stamps. Stamps are going to make things so much easier and so much faster for me and I’m really excited to start using them!
This month’s cover page is inspired by a pin that I found on Pinterest. Make sure you follow me over there, I share a lot of really awesome inspiring content for bullet journals, moon goodness, and magical witchy things. I also share secular spirituality things that are good spiritual tips for anyone of any faith, and for people who are not religious but want to tap into their spiritual side more.
Along with my monthly cover page I’m also doing a cover page for my tarot card that I pulled for this month. I did a year ahead spread which I will be sharing soon! This is the card that I pulled for February, The Five of Cups from the Wild Unknown Deck. The Five of Cups represents Grief & Disappointment, to see the rest of its description watch my video below. We’ll see if February shapes up to be full of grief and disappointment, of if this card just gives me some insight to watch out for moments that could end up being that way, to steer clear of them or just view them in a different light.
Some links in this article are affiliate links, this means I earn a small commission if you use them! Affiliate Links are one way I am able to provide videos, articles, and resources for free. Other links go straight to the Owls & Indigo Shop where you can support me directly.
my quote for this month is…
“when the wind rises, we must try to live”
French poet Paul Valery
This monthly cover page is also going to be a flip-out monthly overview. This will enable me to flip out the page while I’m on my weekly spread and still see everything that I have going on for the month. I used my DIY Moon Phase Stamps. I am really really enjoying these stamps. They were so much fun to create from scratch.
The Wild Unknown Tarot Deck and Guidebook (Official Keepsake Box Set), by Kim Krans is a really great introduction into tarot cards that feel more approachable than the classic Rider Waite deck for those who are just starting their tarot journey. I love just looking at the artwork and tucking the cards into my mirror so I can see them every morning.
I came up with this theme by drawing inspiration from my year ahead tarot spread. I used the motif of the horse and the cool colors associated with grief and disappointment. These colors are also representing the current season, winter, and as a tie in to my 1st New Moon Goals Setting Ritual Theme. I have gold dots for Mondays and then two silver dots for the weekends. All of my little doodles this month were inspired by my monthly cover page. I really enjoyed the spreads that I did last year that had really easy simple doodles like the ones you’ll see in this monthly stack.
On the back side of my monthly tarot card I’m writing my end of the month journaling questions.
At the end of the month is where I do all of my journaling and my reflecting. I’ll have my monthly spirituality prompts which I’m going to be sharing with you in just a second down below! I have sections for, what I’ve learned, how I challenge myself, what is a time-saver and what isn’t, and what am I most grateful for.
The questions I ask myself at the end of every month are:
what am I grateful for most?
how did I challenge myself?
what did I learn?
what is working and what isn’t?
And finally, the most important question of the month, the monthly spirituality writing prompt:
This month’s spirituality journaling prompt. (coming soon!)
On the inside of my two cover page flip outs, I’m going to be doing my Daily Tarot Draw again! I’m really excited about this, last year you all really really enjoyed this, so I will be recreating little miniature versions of my tarot cards that I pull every single day this month. See my past Daily Tarot Draws here!
I like to use stamps in my journal to dress up the pages a little bit. These little blue stamps are the eye stamp from the Crayola stampers of the 90’s. Does anyone remember those???
If you’re new to my content you’ll be wondering what this next spread is…
This is a moon wheel spread. Every single month in addition to a monthly plan with me that you’d find in any bullet journal, I always make sure to have a monthly moon calendar. Mine are always set up in the form of a wheel. See my past moon calendars here.
Next is one of my favorite spreads. This is my mental inventory spread. I like to use this to get all of my ideas out of my head. It really helps with my anxiety……. This is like a brain dump page, I like the way that mental inventory sounds much better though. So this is where I’m going to be writing all of the notes that are floating around in my head so I can get them out and not have to worry about them anymore… AND not let them clutter up my mind and my anxiety.
And here we are at my first weekly spread of the year! Instead of a to-do list or a task list, some weeks I like to title this “things I get to do.” This is a rolling weekly spread, I was noticing that I wasn’t using a traditional weekly spread that much. So I’ve decided to keep this very simple and very minimal. This spread is a two week spread with the dates for two weeks on the left side and my rolling task list on the right.
Check Out my video below to see what’s on my mind, what I’m up to and what I’ve got going on for this month!
Setting yearly goals isn’t always easy and can sometimes feel daunting. I know that it did for me before I realized I had depression and anxiety. Now that I am in a better head space, I’m able to live beyond the end of the day and see further into my future wants and desires. Thankfully, these yearly goals now seem attainable and realistic! This list may seem like a lot, but I have a lot to catch up on, and I promise that they all link together in one way or another.
These goals are going to lead me to the biggest goal I have which is living a life that is working so well that I don’t even notice it. I hope that one day, everything just seamlessly flows together and supports each other to just plain work (without me even noticing!)
This year I decided to make a flip-out version of my spiritual goals that way I don’t have to keep rewriting them every time I do my New Moon Goal Setting Ritual. I set goals by the moon every single month. As you head to the beginning of this year in my journal you’ll see an overview for the year with the calendar months and the moon phases too. Right next to this section I have my flip out yearly spiritual goals.
Making a flip out is really handy for me because when I was setting my goals for the new moons last year I kept re-writing my goals, which took up time and space in my journal that I found that I needed for planning. The flip out allows me to reference my goals no matter where I am in my journal with no flipping back and forth to see what they were.
There is no setting and forgetting this way. By using the flip out I can keep them top of mind when I’m having a hard day by just leaving the page out so I can be inspired by what I have in store for myself.
I did something a little different with the way that I set my goals and intentions for the year. Instead of “I want to accomplish this by blah blah blah date” or “I want to do this bah-bah-bah thing.” I wrote my goals and intentions in a way that was present. Like a mantra that I was already embodying. Writing it this way felt more actionable to me.
My 2020 Goals & Intentions
I let go of my solitude.
I embody calmness and love.
I am dedicated to healing my mental health with oils, good fats and good veggie carbs.
I nourish myself with plants, oil, water, yoga in its various forms, spirituality, and techless bedtime.
I am fully integrated with my dream self.
I embody my spiritual yoga practice in its various forms: learning the history of yoga, breath work, meditation practices, stretches, poses, yoga flows.
I’m learning: – the spiritual side of yoga – to reinvigorate my apothecary with foraging – composting – oils and good fats for brain health and longevity
I’m reading: – John Muir’s collected works – Haus Magik – Hatha Yoga – The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
I tend to be a little bit of a hermit crab and I’m an introvert and I’m also a Cancer… so I just want to stay in my shell and in my home. I never want to go out. I’m such a homebody and I don’t want to go anywhere, ever. This has kind of become a little bit of a problem… so I want to release that solitude and let go of it. I have some physical health intentions, body health intentions, and some mental health intentions. I have depression, anxiety and every once in a while PTSD just really hits me hard.
I’ve seen a doctor and I have the support of my doctor, my therapist, my husband, and my family. They have all helped me through the really hard days. It’s difficult some days. Even though its difficult, I do have goals for my mental health. I am currently on medication and would like to eventually get off medication with the approval and support of my doctor.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor. I am only sharing my journey, what works for me and what hasn’t. Please consult your doctor before changing your diet or medication.
This year I’m trying a way of eating, I don’t want to say diet because it’s not like I’m doing this to lose weight (even though I could stand to lose the weight). I’m doing this new way of eating to promote a better brain function. I’ve been doing some research and it seems like good oils, good fats and a low-carb way of eating can help mental health. It should help with anxiety too. This way of eating should help the synapses fire in the brain better. The diets that I’ve been looking into also help with Alzheimer’s, elderly adults, longevity and brain function.
My mental health is very important to my spiritual health because if my mental health is not sound then my spirituality just tanks. I turn into a very dark place. It’s like my spirit is just zapped out of me and it sucks. It’s terrible. For me mental health and stability is a part of my spiritual practice along with all of these other things.
I’d love to know in the comments down below what your spiritual goals are for this year! Is it something as simple as finishing a book in the religion that you follow? Learning about other religions? Starting a daily meditation practice or daily yoga practice? Sitting in nature or sitting with your pets? Tending to your plants?
If you are struggling with depression, thoughts of suicide, anxiety, or PTSD. There is help. Please call for help:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Call:
1-800-273-8255 or call 911
They’re available 24 hours everyday and even have an online chat if you can’t bring yourself to talk about it out loud.
I have depression, anxiety, & PTSD. Thankfully after years of help, I’m able to identify my triggers. Living with depression is draining, deafening, and can be deadly.⠀
Today I wanted to share with you how I set up this moon themed bullet journal goal-setting spread AND how I set my goals on every new moon for the lunar month. I do goal-setting in alignment with the moon. Every new moon is when I set my goals and intentions for that lunar cycle. These goals always relate back to my overarching goals for the entire year. We finally have the very first new moon of the year, so let’s go ahead and see how I set my goals!
Watch my companion youtube video to see how I created these watercolor backgrounds for my journal so you can make them in your own journal too!
First I’m setting up my New Moon Beginnings spread. This is the first fold out of the New Moon goal-setting spread. Here I have room for the New Moon Beginnings prompts. These white cards are going to be spaces where I write my journaling prompts, tarot card prompts, and my mantras that I create for myself this month. I absolutely love these little stamps that I made! I actually have a video on them if you’d like to see how I made these mood phase stamps. I like how imperfect they are, they feel hand-drawn to me, and I absolutely love them.
On every new moon I always pull two or three tarot cards. This time I’m pulling two cards that represent what I should have and what I should do. I’m using the classic Rider-Waite deck for this entire year for these New Moon Beginnings Tarot journaling prompts. I like to write in the classic Rider-Waite definition of the cards and my own interpretation of them below, in addition to my own sketch of the tarot card. These sketches aren’t miniature recreations like my daily tarot draws, to see those head over here.
The Rider Tarot Deck is a classic tarot deck to have in your collection. This deck comes with a mini guide book and will give you all the mystical mamma feels when you use it. Because this deck is so well known, there are a lot of additional companion books and resources.
Some links in this article are affiliate links, this means I earn a small commission if you use them! Affiliate Links are one way I am able to provide videos, articles, and resources for free. Other links go straight to the Owls & Indigo Shop where you can support me directly.
I like to start by shuffling the deck 3 times, or whatever feels good, and then I cut the deck. I also like to write down any notes that jump out at me from the guidebooks as I journal. This month for my journaling prompts I’ll be focusing on:
to have to do
to have
The nine of cups reversed. Reversed this card means truth loyalty, liberty, mistakes, imperfections, and satisfaction for whom the consultation is made. My interpretation of this card was: Choice. Will you find truth and loyalty? How will you handle mistakes and imperfections?
to do
The eight of pentacles. This card means work, employment, commission, craftsmanship, skill and craft, and business. My interpretation of this card is: what skills in work and craftsmanship can you improve on? Is your work streamlined enough or scattered? Where’s your next commission hiding?
After I pull these first two tarot cards, I move over to the opposite side of this spread to the mantra maker. Out of these themes, I create my mantras for this month with my Mantra Maker.
This month’s lunar theme is:
“plant the seeds of your intentions”
Make sure to keep in mind the theme of the Moon. Then create mantras for yourself that are customized based on the tarot cards that you just drew and any insights that the cards may have given you into the direction you want to head in for your goals for the month. Make sure that they also relate back to the overarching yearly goals. I like to use the mantra maker prompts:
I am… I will… I’ve set these goals to…
Here are my mantras for this first moon:
I am loyal to my goals and my intentions.
I am loving and kind in moments of imperfections and mistakes.
I will hone my craft and keep improving my trade.
I will find satisfaction.
Then I like to wrap up those individual mantras into one big overarching mantra that is kind of like a mission statement for my goals and intentions for the month.
My mantra for this cycle is:
I’ve set these goals to hone my craft and skill set and be loving and kind to myself and others in moments of imperfections and mistakes. I am loyal to my intentions.
JENNY PROCZKO, FROM OWLSANDINDIGO 1st NEW MOON MANTRA 2020
After I’ve written out my mantras for the month I put aside those tarot cards. I don’t actually reference them at all anymore. I just use tarot cards as a journaling prompt and as away to get my mind thinking about any insights that could pop up based on what I want to achieve. I don’t use the Tarot as a forecasting or future telling tool. I just use it as a tool to get to know myself better and as a tool to spur me to think about certain things and different archetypes that the cards bring up and how it affects my current life situation.
Next I re-write my mission statement mantra for the month in the upper hand corner of the inside of this spread next to my moon wheel.
This moon wheel may look a little sparse, and that is because it’s not filled in! I’m going to be writing in a feeling based intention on every moon phase as the lunar month goes on. I will be sharing my feeling based intention in a second… I like to write it in at the end of my goal setting and planning session. So, onward to the goals!
Setting Goals In Alignment With The Moon
Now that I have this layout all set up, I can go ahead and move into the action phase of this goal-setting practice that I do every single month. This next section is my Action Steps and How I’m Going To Do It! 1 2 3!
The one-two-three method as a way of prioritizing my tasks when I feel super overwhelmed, I feel like I just don’t know where to start, or some days for when I just don’t have motivation to do anything. Sometimes I need to just say “okay if you get through this one list of 1-2-3 items then you’re done.” Click here for more information on the 1-2-3 Method for G.S.D.ing & G.Y.S.T.ing. I like to use the method for my mental health as well.
Now that I have all of my intentions and goals written down I’m going to break those 8 things down into 3 actionable steps. For each moon phase I have one intention to either finish or to work on. Check out my 8 intentions for this moon and the 1-2-3 Method Steps that I am going to do to achieve these goals and intention for this moon below in my video:
After I have set all of these goals and broken them down into the actionable steps on how I can achieve them within one month, I go over to my feeling based intention and I write my intention for this lunar phase. I do this on every single moon phase either by the moon or in the morning of each new lunar phase, so you’ll see as the month goes on that this moon wheel will fill up with my own little mantras for every phase. My feeling based intention for today on the new moon is:
“I’ve set these goals to hone and craft my skill set to be kind to myself and to others. I plant the seeds of my intentions. I feel my goal in my bones.”
JENNY PROCZKO, from OWLSANDINDIGO 1st MOON 2020, NEW MOON INTENTION
Then at the beginning of each moon phase for this cycle I will come back to this spread and write a new positive feeling based intention. I’ll be posting these little mini moon updates over on Instagram, so be sure to follow me there so you don’t miss them! The only place you can find them is on instagram.
After I’ve recorded my feeling based intention I go over to my little tracker and mark off that I said my mantras and reviewed my goals for the day. There will be days where I don’t come to this spread and I don’t review my intentions for the month. But hopefully by breaking these down, setting all of these milestones for myself and giving myself dates and deadlines, I will come back to this every day. And even if I don’t I will still easily be able to get back on track because of all of the planning and prepping I’ve just done!
As the lunar month goes on….
I always check in with my goals. This is NOT a set it and forget it practice. You can’t hold and to hope and just ask the universe for something and not put in any work. So, to keep myself on track with my goals and to work towards them I check in with these goals twice a month for a more indepth review on my progress to see how its going or if I need to shift and pivot my goals and intentions to achieve them by the end of the moon.
On the Full Moon I do a mid month check in. First I ask myself, what have I succeeded in? and what can I improve?
This journaling and goal setting practice is something that I do the night before every new moon or the morning of every new moon. This practice of short term, achievable goal setting via the lunar cycle, has grown really dear to my heart. It’s something that I can’t imagine not doing.
So what goals have you set for this month? Are they similar to mine or are they totally different? I can’t wait to see your goals are, make sure you leave me a comment down below.
How are you connecting to your spirituality?
I’m so grateful that you chose to spend your time here with me today I’ll see you in the next one ????
This week I want you to focus on boosting your happiness on a regular basis.
Benefits of boosting your happiness:
You’re actively changing your perception of the situation at hand.
Your endorphin’s go up giving you a boost of energy.
You get a much needed dopamine hit.
Lets face it, in this modern world full of technology and stress (good and bad), we need to boost our happiness on a regular basis. Mental Health in the modern world, especially North America, is on the decline and many of us are suffering from lack of connection and lack of happiness. We deserve a much needed natural dopamine hit. And the best way to do that is to boost our happiness in a safe and beneficial way.
This is not a free pass for a shopping spree. That dopamine hit is only going to last as long as the hunt and then you’re left with a bunch of items that you don’t need, want, and are going to end up hurting the earth in the long run by ending up in a landfill.
Boost your happiness is safe and beneficial ways by heading out into nature for some much needed forest bathing, tend to your plants, shop your closet and your existing makeup stash to give yourself a makeover! Learn a new hair braid, pet some animals, and make some tea.
Do the little things that make you happy.
This practice doesn’t have to be an all day thing. Just take five minutes to brew your favorite tea and soak in the experience.
Take 10 minutes to journal about what makes you happy.
It doesn’t matter what you do. Just take a few moments each day this week to boost your happiness in a way that doesn’t hurt you, your wallet, or the earth. Trust me, your happiness is going to be sustained for a much longer amount of time that can carry you through your week, and even your month. And remember to find joy in the seemingly mundane moments of everyday life.
My Personal Experience:
I have noticed that when I actively make AND take the time to boost my happiness in little ways, that the happiness that I give myself… hangs around a bit longer. The dopamine and endorphin’s last through my day. As a person that struggles with mental health, this is something that I need on a daily basis to keep myself from spiraling into a dark hole of depression and anxiety.
Even the smallest moments help me. These are the moments where I catch a glance of my cats sunbathing, take the time to inspect my plants instead of just letting them blend into the background. If I can make AND take the time to refocus my attention and perspective on the little things that make me happy and let the rest of the world fall away in those brief moments, I am a happier and calmer person. It’s in those moments of mindfulness that I am my best self and my truest self.
things to remember…
Shift your perspective, and a whole other world of happiness will open up.
Find joy in the seemingly mundane moments of everyday life.
Find ways to boost your happiness that don’t hurt you, your wallet, or the earth.
Instilling the practice boosting your happiness, can be difficult, but you have a choice and have taken the first step by clicking on this Weekly Spirituality Tip.
By boosting my happiness in ways that don’t hurt my wallet or the earth, I have found that I am more proud of myself and my choices. It’s hard for me to take pride in what I do because of negative self talk. BUT I have found that if I boost my happiness in little ways that I am automatically proud of myself because I am in a good mood and I’m taking care of myself and the world. Stop stumbling through your days without an ounce of happiness, don’t wait for someone or something to make you happy. Make yourself happy by making AND taking the time to boost your happiness. Be the master of your own happiness and the master of your emotions.
Go get that much needed dopamine hit in the most natural and sustainable way possible. Go make yourself some tea and soak up the experience.
Have you tried boosting your happiness on a regular basis?
