What’s the difference between Clock Time and Elemental Time? ⁣

There’s clock-time— linear, homogeneous, mechanical, always depleting, a commodity or resource.⁣

There’s also elemental time — mutable, oblique, multipliable, full of life force, alive and intelligent.

For the past few weeks, I thought my body was in an extended Water (Winter) season, as I’ve been wanting to move and think slowly, but it turns out that it’s the Wood (Spring) season that wanted to show herself to me, through my body. I was being shown that expansion can be a slow process, filled with pleasure and curiosity, instead of the distorted myth that growth must be rapid and results oriented.⁣

Time is a being, conscious and alive. And for a Moon-in-Capricorn like me, I thought I had her ‘figured out’. I thought that Time can be ‘mastered’, and that efficiency and all ‘time saving measures’ were a virtue or a high value. Yet, Time, along with the Wood Element, wanted to show their faces to me in a softer, more fluidly and delightfully.

Time, expressed as Wood, has been reminding me when I approach timelines from the vantage point of urgency and efficiency at all costs, I do not know her at all, and that in fact, I have objectified her, and lost myself in the process. Time has challenged me by asking me what is truly my natural pace, what are my dearest priorities, and what commitments simply need to be released. This is because the more I prioritized fitting things in, the more severed I became from my own self, and from Time herself. 

Time wanted me to decolonize my perception of her, by showing me that time, capacity, productivity and identity are so often linked and felt in our bodies, and how when we choose to rediscover our body’s rhythms, that it also revitalizes our relationship with the land, with humans, and the Unseen. In the process, I was surprised by the amount of anxiety that was unearthed within me, as if I dared to work slower, move slower, think more as a squiggle instead of a straight line, that I was somehow a failure or unworthy - of success, of joy, of rest. She showed me how much I was afraid to ‘waste’ time. And how when we believe Time is ‘wastable’, we have ignored its consciousness, and reduced Time itself into a commodity.⁣

It’s humbling and liberating to be an animist. There’s always so much to learn. There’s always more listening to do, and less talking.

I was also shown by Time of my culture’s expression, 慢走 (man zou), while literally translates as ‘walk slowly’, also means to ‘take care’. The phrase is often said in lieu of goodbye, said to strangers and close friends alike. Time and Care are intricately linked, that being care-full is being time-full. Unhurried attention is an act of love, and a sign of generosity. Presence is truly the greatest present, as clichéd as it may seem.

I’m being taught by Time that there’s Clock-Time— linear, homogeneous, mechanical, always depleting, a commodity or resource.⁣
Clock-time is found outside of us. ⁣

There’s also Elemental Time — mutable, oblique, multipliable, full of life force, alive and intelligent. ⁣
Elemental time is found within our ourselves — our bodies, our dream states, where our voice and our personal land is found and accessed.⁣

When it comes to magick, it’s about relating with Time and the bounds of Space in ways that are not fixed, undefined, perpetually pliable (Jupiterian in many ways), yet approached with complete Saturnian respect from the perspective of being intentional about our presence. Being with our personal land, not just doing things to our personal land.  ⁣

When was the last time you spent time with Time? Instead of doing things from the perspective of either chasing or fitting things into Time?⁣

To create and be well is the willingness to sit with Time. And to do so, is to greet our body, offer our presence, and be willing to be corrected by our body’s wisdom, to be willing to learn from Time.⁣

It is not an accident that Time has been forecasting what this year will continue to bring, that the first retreat I am offering in 3 years is themed MAKING TIME! ⁣

This 5-day, 4-night retreat on Bowen Island, BC at Condé Nast Traveler featured Nectar Yoga from November 25-29, 2024 is a blend of restorative practices, spellcasting, and Taoist wisdom, offering a space to reflect, envision, and time craft according to your Chinese astrological elements. ⁣

We’ll enter the Yin and decelerate. We will sit in daily tea ceremony. We will explore Time in the context of the Chinese Five Elements, the Bagua of the I Ching, and Taoist Principles for our unique composition and archetype. We will root in our bodies to engage in rest and easeful activity following Yin and Yang principles. ⁣

We will receive guidance on which elements and practices that are best for our specific  situation. ⁣

Spots in beautiful, shared amenity-rich deluxe cottages are available. (Solo accommodations for Making Time Retreat are now all sold out). Learn more HERE. Would love to spend a 5-day witches’ sleep over with you!

My word for 2024 is renew / renewal. I feel it so.

Also wanted to mention that we will be sitting with Tea and Time in April 20th’s Magick of Tea. Live-stream and in-person spots still available.


Mimi
Animist spirit medium + founder of Ceremonie