What a night.  I had this lush and visually beautiful, extremely colorful, dream right before I woke.

I’m driving into a mall near my house in a big vintage white Cadillac, fins and everything.  There is a large hole, very wide and deep, in the parking lot but plenty of space for me to park between the edge and the other car.  I park and when I get out of the car the edge of the hole is now 6 inches from the car and about 100 feet deep.  It takes me a while to get up the nerve to tippy toe around and get away to my destination.

I go in to this bookstore and I’m perusing the witchy titles to see what’s interesting. Very cool bookstore, lots of light with very interesting stuff about.  Someone comes up and says to me, “Come on, we’re gonna be late!”  and takes my hand and whisks me away. We go through this door into this amazingly gorgeous room.  There are plushy velvet settees set on risers like the best theatre seating ever. Dark hand carved wood walls. Lush textures everywhere. Down in front is a seating area in a circle with a low table in front, covered with books.  There are people dressed in the most eye catching velvets and satins, all drapey sleeves, long skirts and tunics, and glossy hair sitting in every space.  Everyone is chatting. I sit and just watch and chat for awhile.

At some point my queen’s queen takes me to the front and sits me down beside her.  She starts showing me these exquisite books of shadows.  (It’s really hard to write this without using the same descriptive words over and over as this was truly the prettiest dream I’ve ever had)  The books are all hand written, on large parchment in leather covers.  There are drawings and actual plant samples in them, seed pods and leaves, but when you close the books they lie flat.  Then she shows me hers.  I’ve never seen such delicate handwriting. Such beauty, such lovely artwork. I immediately decide I want to make mine that pretty.  She’s telling me it’s been her life’s work.  And I can tell that her knowledge is something else as we’ve been talking for a long time in dream time.  I think of my own and feel ashamed of my own work.  Must start over and make my own book from start to finish. She tells me her pen is from Italy.

My mind’s eye keeps seeing, even now, the lovely lavender silk velvet of the woman who was sitting next to me, the dark burgundy settees, the woods, the creamy whites and turquoise and of course black.  Rich color everywhere.

I keep looking up at all the gorgeous people. And I realize that they all know me even though I don’t know them.  They are paying attention to how I’m paying attention.  And I see a woman who was part of the Outer Grove that lead to my initiation.   I’m surprised to see her there.  She seems uncomfortable and her garments aren’t as pretty and seem dull in comparison to the others.  Kind of like there is this film between her and us.  It makes me sad but I see how she’s brought herself to exactly where she is.  As we all have.

I look back to the book and immediately decide that I need a new fountain pen that will write like that.

I was awoken from this amazing dream by the radio alarm saying “It was easier to stay in the closet.”

Well then.  I’m getting the distinct impression that this year is going to be all about The Craft.