The meditative and somewhat witchy power of sweeping
Dear Readers, It’s October, and while stores may be racing ahead to get us thinking about snowflakes and Santa, making it all too easy to get swept up into the rush to Christmas consumerism and holiday spending, let's not let corporate America overshadow the most truly important season that reigns over the year: Spooky Season.
That’s right, y’all. As the temperatures are dropping, we are not only tossing on our light jackets but also our masks, wigs and witch hats. If I could wear my pointy-headed wide-brimmed hats yearround, I totally would. However, the three that I own (black, gray and pink) are all rather warm and tend to be best in the cooler months. If you know where I can score a straw witch hat that would work for the spring or summer, please holla at a witch.
The other night, I was going out for a girlfriend’s birthday celebration, and naturally, I tossed on my knee-high cowgirl boots and a casual witch hat for the occasion. As soon as I stepped onto the subway, a man gasped and stared at me wide-eyed with his jaw dropped. I must say, it was one of my favorite gawking reactions. But he didn’t stop there. He was so terrified by my awesome attire that he proceeded to perform the sign of the cross over his head and chest, and I could not have been more flattered.
The next morning, as I was sweeping my apartment, reflecting on the hilarity of that *chef ’s kiss* moment — seriously, how can I please scare more men? — I had an epiphany.
You see, my broom is a source of daily grounding and rhythmic release. Sweeping each morning was one of those New Year’s resolutions that stuck. It is my daily meditation ritual for which I focus on being present and engaging in a space of reflection and connection, preparing for the day ahead. It’s also a necessary and practical routine as I am greeted every morning with a never-ending swath of dog hair that glistens in the sunlight on my wooden floors, but the rhythm of the sweeping is a little symphony that resonates in my heart. Plus, I’m not getting rid of my beloved shelter dog. Daily sweeping is a must.
In the frenetic whirlwind of just simply existing, the act of sweeping allows me to slow down, to find my own rhythm and to appreciate the beauty in the mundane. Short stroke, short stroke, long stroke — it becomes a dance, with me leading my handmade broom as my graceful partner. Fast, fast, slow…slow, slow, fast…the strokes become the beat and the music to which we glide around my floors together, and it was in the midst of this dance that my epiphany happened.
I suddenly noted the timeless connection between witches and their trusted brooms. I realized that through my simple routine, I felt more in tune with my inner witch than I even realized.
Far more than my hat, it’s my broom that gives me power. And despite my “witchident” on the subway, it isn’t my adorable accessories that make me a spooky witch; it is my focused intention, my ability to manifest desired outcomes, and it’s my resolve to stay grounded, letting go of that which does not serve me that makes me so “scary.”
Perhaps you might source some magical witchy powers by dancing with your brooms each morning. Enchantments could be found through your hats, boots or favorite spooky items, and you too can cast spells that bring you closer to manifesting your desires this month. After all, it is Spooky Season.
Take up your brooms, witches, and let’s soar together.
Xoxo,
Kelly Stone is an educator, comedian, mother, and author who loves the heck outta the river. She welcomes e-letters at kellystone.org or kellystonecomedy@ gmail.com and adores handwritten notes and postcards via good ol’ snail mail.
