Dear friends,
How are you? I’ve wanted to write you for weeks now. One of my goals is to connect here more often. I’m grateful for our space together.
My second Omen Days experience was just as magical as the first. Last year, the accuracy of my monthly omens astonished me.
The Omen Days is an Celtic practice that invites us to watch for signs on each of the 12 days from December 26 to January 6. Those signs become omens—a road map of sorts for the 12 months of the upcoming year. I learned about it from Irish poet and activist Laura Murphy in late 2022.
I used my Notes app to record each day. It felt somewhat chaotic because I hosted 22 family members (half slept elsewhere) for many of those days. Of course, this proved to be fruitful, too. Curious? Read on!
January 2024: ”Hold out your hand.”
This phrase arrived about midnight, just as the day turned. I was having trouble falling asleep. My right hand was under my pillow like always as I lay on my right side. Suddenly, I felt someone holding my hand from the beyond. As I paid attention, pulsing sensations increased throughout my palm and the backside of my fingers. Is this my first omen? I felt a strong “Yes” from beyond. Then the phrase, “Hold out your hand,” dropped into my awareness.
What does this mean to me?
ASK for what you want and BELIEVE there will be an answer.
Open to receive. Accept the flow of abundance.
Alongside this, reach out to others. Offer help and support. “Take my hand, I’ve got you.”
February 2024: “Intentionally participate in your healing. Allow it to unfold without control.”
The signs I synthesized:
Eight of cups card from Story Medicine Tarot second edition “Animal Medicine Woman,” which says “I follow my healing.”
Before that, I perceived the phrase, “Be like the rain and fall.”
March 2024: “Allow others the care and feeding of their own dreams. Don’t take them on or stand in the way.”
My sign: I’d dreamed about having a fourth baby, a son named Oliver. I forgot about him and left him at the hospital. (Yikes. Awake me would never!)
When we brought him home, my husband was really happy.
I realized I didn’t feel attached and didn’t want to sacrifice my body/sleep by breastfeeding. I realized it would be just fine if Mark took over and did bottles. At first I felt guilty about this, but I was able to let it go right before I woke up.
April 2024: Launch my book campaign April 11!
My signs:
I grew teary reading a beautiful children’s picture book called Mother of Sharks by Melissa Cristina Márquez. The author recounts her childhood relationship with the ocean and experiences an imaginal vision. In it, she interacts with her future self—now a renowned shark scientist—who encourages her little girl self to pursue her dream. The setting and emotion reminded me of the vision I share in my book introduction.
After my sister-in-law read the book, she told me, “This makes me think of you, Kara! It reminds me of how I feel listening to your meditations.”
When I synthesized these as a sign I should launch my campaign in April, the date “April 11” immediately dropped into my mind.
May 2024
“Curl into cozy comfort.”
My sign: Waking up early, nestling back into the covers and feeling relaxed, safe, well, able to sink into the comfort of it (instead of being unable to go back to sleep like it’s been of late).
It’s how I felt after finishing finals in college and law school.
Something hard is done and it’s time to rest.
June 2024: “Start now. Just do the things.”
My signs: Feeling of presence and forward momentum throughout the day.
Talking to my brother about a difficult time in our childhood, which I’ve wanted to do for months.
Instigating card pulls with my siblings and their significant others on New Year’s Eve.
My sister’s attitude after we quickly ate the cake she’d made. “No big deal. I’ll just make another cake.”
July 2024: “Refresh. Reset. Clarity.”
My signs:
Feeling emotional fog, discontent.
Noticing the bracing air and rejuvenation of the winter night sky when I took out the trash.
Instantly feeling better.
August 2024: “Open up.”
My signs:
Various vulnerable conversations with visiting family members.
Marathoning to reset my house after they started heading home and not listening to my body or taking breaks to eat.
This phrase feels like it has multiple meanings that will be relevant: Opening up to listen to myself and inviting intimacy with others.
September 2024: “Actively protect what is sacred to you without competition, scarcity, or comparison.”
My signs:
Pulling Meadowlark and Box Turtle from Prairie Majesty Oracle.
Seeing hawks!
October 2024: “Make time for pleasure and what nourishes you.”
My signs:
Seeing more hawks, who tell me to be intentional and get after what I want.
This encouraged me to prioritize a favorite walk instead of rushing home to get things done.
It was exactly what I needed! Cottonwood energy lifted my spirits, along with the lake, sky, geese, ducks.
November 2024: “Watch for the calm after the storm.”
My signs: Nothing in particular. I simply felt these words come through.
December 2024: “Take aim and let your arrow fly.”
My signs:
Feeling overwhelmed by everything I must do to launch my book campaign April 11.
My bestie encouraged me to be flexible if it would ease my stress. Which is normally what I need to hear!
But this time felt different. Instead, the analogy came to me that I needed to commit to *that* date like a target.
My commitment is the equivalent of letting my arrow fly.
Then my job is to trust the momentum, trust the wind, trust my arrow will fly true. If I waffle on the date, it feels like I’d be stuck there for ages.
Realizing all of this and saying it out loud helped my overwhelm dissipate. It reminded me of my intentions and their power.
I’ve got to fly for now. I hope you’ll tell me about your Omen Days experiences (and anything else you like) in comments.
Love,
That was SO informative and exciting to read! I feel like it really helped me better understand your process for omen days. Amazing! And I’m so excited for all that is to come for you this year!