Scroll from the editor
Happy 2024 all! You may have noticed that this month’s edition of The Midnight Sun is a little later than normal! Well 2024 has come in with a quickness for yours truly, and not let up. Life happens sometimes, but here we are alive and well!
If you’re one to keep up with the stars you may already know this, but if not; It is officially the Age of Aquarius! 01/21/2023 marks the entrance of Pluto into Aquarius after having been in Capricorn since 2008. No, that’s not a typo. Entering Aquarius on January 20, 2024 it will be there through September 1, 2024, when it briefly retrogrades back into Capricorn but will reenter Aquarius on November 19, 2024 where it will remain until March 8, 2043.
That’s right ladies and gentlethems, 19 years.
The Age of Aquarius via Pluto’s transit will literally define a generation, much like Pluto’s journey through Capricorn arguably has (Capricorn has a lot to do with finances - while expanding that can mean great gain, restricting that can look like big greed - and while ole Cap doesn’t have an essential Dignity in Pluto, Pluto is the revealer of the hidden and inner workings or plots coming to light. Looking over global events since 2008, it does raise some eyebrows…)
In any event, take a look at where you might have Aquarius in your Star Chart, and know there will probably be some noticeable changes in that area.
As always, I hope that your month has been treating you well, and that 2024 is happening kindly to you!
~Frick, Editor of The Midnight Sun
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HK Jams Jan 2024 - Brand New Day
And now for something completely different; NOTE FROM THE EDITOR HERE!
Hi! Hex sent me this for the December Newsletter and due to holiday planning and travel, my brain yeeted out my ear and I completely forgot to share it; but I don’t want you guys to miss out on the wisdom, so I have Hex’s blessing to share it this month. I have not changed it from it’s original form, so where it says December - I know. That’s my bad ;)
Having "The Talk" With Your Partners
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
6:30 PM
Happy December, friends! Welcome to your December edition of Tea With Hex. We've come out of Spooky Season (that's a lie, it's always Spooky Season, change my mind) and entered Cozy Season. It's the time of year we think about things like warm blankets, hot chocolate, snuggles, big dinners, and vampirism. Actually, that was a good segue, let's keep that.
I'm sure I don't need to tell you, dear readers, how difficult it can be to find consenting donor partners for deeper energetic exchange than ambient feeding. If you're not familiar with some of those terms, I wrote an article about ethics and vampiric energy feeding earlier this year (Frick, if you can link here, that would be clutch). Ambient energy feeding doesn't really require anybody's consent, because we're taking in the energy that has become detached from the bodies it came from, hovering in the air like juicy little steak tips somebody cooked for you and then walked away from. Gobble that meal up while it's still warm, friends. However, ambient feeding doesn't sustain everybody super well; everybody's energetic needs are different, and there's nothing wrong with that. Knowing your body and your energy, and taking good care of them, is responsible energetic hygiene. Some of us are better sustained feeding directly from another being, no matter how good we are at refining energy from ambient feeding. It just be like that sometimes. Feeding directly from another being does require consent (see previous article link) from an ethical standpoint, and obtaining that consent from people can sometimes seem like a daunting proposition. How do you explain all of this [gestures broadly at himself] to somebody who isn't a vampire, or a witch, or somehow "other" in a metaphysical sense? Will they think you're a lunatic? What if they never talk to you again? All valid concerns. It's a weird hallway to navigate, but it's not impossible.
So, story time.
My gay polyamorous ass recently met a couple that I really enjoy spending time with, and we became boyfriends. I see them as often as I can, living two hours away, and we check in with each other frequently. They're both good communicators, they're into BDSM (so I know they understand things like consent and aftercare), they're emotionally intelligent, they're all the things.
Except metaphysical. I already explained that I'm a witch early on, as we were discussing things like zodiac charts (one is a Scorpio, the other is a Taurus), and that went pretty well. In a weird twist of astrological foolishness, the Taurus is actually familiar with some metaphysical things, moreso than the Scorpio. I know, right? So I started dropping vampirism and Kheprian-adjacent things into our conversations, testing the waters, and that was also fine. After careful consideration, I decided to have The Talk with them. I felt like we had arrived at a comfortable enough place to do that, they've become somewhat adjusted to my weird, witchy ass, so why not take the plunge about energetic vampirism? I was petrified, tbh. I considered having a glass of wine first, but I wanted to be stone-sober so I could make sure I touched on everything I wanted to.
I won't hold you in suspense. It actually went super well. I led with "have you ever watched Lost Girl", but they hadn't, so my blue Kool-Aid comment was lost on them. But they *have* watched "What We Do In the Shadows", so although Colin Robinson is kind of a caricature of psychic vampires (but not by much), it was an okay reference point. We talked a lot about ethics, and consent, and how I feed, and cycling, and why it's more satisfying with my partners. They asked questions, like what it would feel like, and whether there are after-effects. At length, they said that they consent, and that they're looking forward to experiencing it with me.
This isn't the first time I've had donor-consenting partners. But it is the first time I've felt comfortable having this conversation this early on, and this safe being vulnerable about it with more than one person at a time. It's also a really good "best case" example of how this conversation can go, so I wanted to share it in the spirit of "you can also do this". Don't be afraid to be honest and vulnerable with people who care about you. Give people a chance to understand you, they may surprise you.
~~~
Mirror Technique for Past Self Recall
by M. Belanger
This is a low-risk solo exercise for excavating past life memories.
Select a mirror large enough to see your whole face. Set this up somewhere you can sit comfortably. Low lighting is ideal. I prefer a single candle. You may veil the mirror with a piece of black lace so long as you can still see enough of your reflection through the cloth - at the very least, the eyes.
It helps to set space - cast a circle or whatever works within your personal practice to create a protected container of energy that keeps distractions out and focuses your intentions within
Music, incense, any other tactile changes to the space are up to you - you know best what helps get you in a relaxed and focused state.
Then sit in front of the mirror. Look into it, but relax your eyes so you get that kind of soft focus (similar to scrying - and this is effectively a technique where you are scrying yourself)
Think of your innermost self - the deepest, oldest, most authentic part of you. If you associate a name with this aspect of Self, recite that name as you focus. If there is a feel or a memory tied to this aspect of Self, focus on that.
As if you were summoning a spirit, call that Self forth in the mirror. The first time, all you should aim for is a glimpse. Try to see them - see your face change, your eyes grow strange -- and then recognizable in a wholly different way
You can use this technique to begin dialogue with that Self. I recommend having a notebook nearby or having a voice recording function going on a device.
It can be helpful to set a timer with a chime or similar alert that will pull you out of trance but not shockingly so. Give yourself 10-15 minutes for the first session. Extend sessions as you get comfortable with the technique. Always have a notebook handy (or notepad on your device) to record your experiences once the session is done.