{"id":19815,"date":"2019-01-01T01:10:09","date_gmt":"2019-01-01T06:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=20057"},"modified":"2018-12-31T10:46:30","modified_gmt":"2018-12-31T15:46:30","slug":"interview-with-author-of-everyday-enchantments-maria-deblassie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2019\/01\/01\/interview-with-author-of-everyday-enchantments-maria-deblassie\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Author of Everyday Enchantments Maria DeBlassie"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\nInterview\nwith Maria DeBlassie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I loved Maria\u2019s book, Everyday Enchantments<\/em>. You can find out exactly what I thought of it by reading my review<\/a> in last month\u2019s PaganPagesOrg. So, imagine my delight when the author agreed to have a chat with me about her writing and the themes within the book, particularly finding the magic in everyday life. Read on to find out more about this fascinating author and her wonderful outlook on life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMabh\nSavage: What inspired the book, <\/strong>Everyday Enchantments<\/strong><\/em>?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMaria\nDeBlassie: This book was inspired by my journey back to a happy,\nhealthy, whole self. I was at a place in my life where I could\nfinally explore what it meant to live, and not just survive. I\u2019d\nfinished school, gotten a job, and was finally setting down roots.\nThen came discovering what it meant to be a writer and a woman. I\ncommitted to a year of daily blogging on simple pleasures, everyday\nmagic, and those quiet mystic moments inherent in our lives\u2026that\nturned into a lifestyle, an ongoing blog, and this book!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMS:\nWho would you say it is aimed at?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMD:\nEveryday Enchantments<\/em> is a love letter to the simple pleasures\nand subtle enchantments that make life delicious. I hope readers see\nmy book as an invitation to pause, refresh, and open themselves to\nthe magic inherent in daily life. We all have a little bit of witch\nin us. My book is for anyone who wants to tap into that magic and\nconjure their own bliss!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMS:\nDo you have a favorite chapter?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMD:\nI love them all as I read them. Sometimes, when I\u2019m needing more\nintrovert time, I\u2019m drawn to the chapters on reading and writing.\nWhen I\u2019m ready to go adventuring, I find it\u2019s the chapters on\ndancing and dreaming that resonate with me more. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMS:\nWhat was the biggest challenge about putting the book together?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMD:\nI wanted to collapse the space between the mystic and the mundane,\nwhich had its own challenges. How do you show that synchronicity is\nan integral part of your everyday? And how do you explain that a good\ncup of coffee is pure divinity? These are the questions I wrestled\nwith as I wrote the book. I didn\u2019t want the mystic to be something\noutside ourselves or beyond our daily routines. It\u2019s always there,\nright within our grasp, if we take the time to look for it. I think,\nin the end, I was able to illustrate that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMS:\nAnd conversely, what did you enjoy the most about the process?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMD:\nI love how writing became an act of self-care and spell-crafting,\nbringing me back to myself when I\u2019d grown too tired of the world.\nIt allowed me to conjure the life I wished to live: one of abundance,\ngrounded mysticism, and happiness!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMS:\nSome reviewers have commented on the mindfulness contained within the\npages of this book. What does mindfulness mean to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMD:\nMindfulness is a fancy word for staying connected to ourselves and\nthe universe. It\u2019s about slowing down and letting go of the debris\nthat weighs us down, so we have more room for the euphoric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMS:\nShould we all be practicing a little more mindfulness? Why is it so\nimportant in today\u2019s world?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMD:\nWe live in a world that asks us to move faster and faster, do more,\nbuy more; in short, overextend ourselves in our addiction to busy.\nWhen we practice mindfulness, we can unplug from this ugly addiction\nand connect to what truly matters. It really is the art of slow\nliving or simple living, where we let go of anything that complicates\nour lives. Once you unplug, you see how addictive- and unnecessary-\nall that hustle and bustle is. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMS:\nCan someone in a thoroughly urban setting, with a high-pressure\nschedule, still find enchantment in their everyday lives?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMD:\nAbsolutely! I live in the heart of Albuquerque and have a very full\nteaching and writing life. Both are jobs that never quite end, which\nmakes it easy to get lost in the daily grind- even when you love what\nyou do. I\u2019ve just found ways to put limits on them by carving out\nself-care time and leaving myself open to the little bits of magic\nthat come my way. It\u2019s amazing how much enchantment you find in\nyour daily life when you decide to let go of negative patterns and\nunhealthy social norms that say we must always be spinning our\nwheels. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMS:\nEach chapter holds a meditative, poetic quality that\u2019s very\nrelaxing to read but I imagine would be potent read aloud. Would you\nconsider doing an audio book?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMD:\nI would love to! I don\u2019t know quite how it all works, but I am\naddicted to audiobooks myself in all genres. A few minutes listening\nto a good story or bit of wisdom on my lunch break or while tending\nhouse does my soul a world of good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMS:\nWhat\u2019s on the horizon creatively for you? Are you planning any more\nbooks?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMD:\nMy current project is called Tarot Tuesdays, or #TarotTuesdays if you\nare on social media. It\u2019s a series of 78-word stories based on the\n78 cards in the tarot deck and synchronicity. Each week, I draw a new\ncard, learn about its role in the tarot, and, with the help of\nmeaningful coincidences, write my story. I\u2019ll say this about my\njourney into tarot so far: the magic doesn\u2019t lie. The cards always\ntell me exactly what I need to hear! I\u2019m so grateful for this new\nproject because it gives me an opportunity to meditate on the magic\nof these cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMS:\nWhat are you most optimistic for about the next year?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMD:\nI look forward to the unexpected adventures and spontaneous\nsynchronicities while delving deeper into the realm of everyday\nmagic. Every year I get a little bit better at welcoming enchantment\ninto my life so I\u2019m excited to see what that manifests. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMS:\nDo you have a favorite time of the year, festival or season? If so,\nwhat makes it special for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMD:\nThis is a tough one. I love every season as it unfolds, blooms, then\nfades into the next. I\u2019m ruled by the season and enjoy experiencing\neach one in their turn. Right now, I\u2019m loving the long nights of\nwinter and delicate hush that hits around 4pm as the sky begins to\nfade to dark. It\u2019s the best time for walks; everything is\nwatermelon-kissed before the sun sets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMS:\nAnd finally, as we move deeper into winter, how do you celebrate the\nholiday period?<\/strong>\n?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nMD:\nThis is a time for turning inward for me. So much of the mainstream\nholiday season is about noise, consumerism, and doing more. I like to\nget away from all that and simply be. I indulge in afternoons reading\nover mugs of home-made chai tea. I make simple, heartfelt gifts for\nloved ones. I up my self-care routine and allow myself to rest. This\nwinter solstice season is the perfect time to pause, reflect, and\nabsorb the many ups and downs of your year before slipping into the\nnext. I like to honor that liminal space. There\u2019s plenty of joy in\nthat; I\u2019m all about the twinkle lights and festive holiday cheer. I\njust like it at a slower, cozier pace, where I can absorb the\ndelights of this more introverted season and recharge with the magic\nof the solstice. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you so much for speaking to us here at PaganPagesOrg, Maria! You can find Maria\u2019s book on Amazon<\/a> and all good book stores. You can also follow her fascinating blog<\/a>, and find her on Facebook<\/a>. Don\u2019t forget to check out the #TarotTuesdays hashtag to follow Maria\u2019s exploration of the Tarot.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nEveryday Enchantments: Musings on Ordinary Magic & Daily Conjurings on Amazon<\/a>\"\"\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

***<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About\nthe Author:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mabh\nSavage<\/strong> is\na Pagan author, poet and musician, as well as a freelance journalist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She\nis the author of <\/em>A\nModern Celt: Seeking the Ancestors<\/strong><\/em><\/a>and <\/em>Pagan\nPortals \u2013 Celtic Witchcraft: Modern Witchcraft Meets Celtic Ways<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Modern Celt: Seeking the Ancestors on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nPagan Portals – Celtic Witchcraft: Modern Witchcraft Meets Celtic Ways on Amazon<\/a>\"\"\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Interview with Maria DeBlassie I loved Maria\u2019s book, Everyday Enchantments. You can find out exactly what I thought of it by reading my review in last month\u2019s PaganPagesOrg. So, imagine my delight when the author agreed to have a chat with me about her writing and the themes within the book, particularly finding the magic in everyday life. Read on to find out more about this fascinating author and her wonderful outlook on life. Mabh Savage: What inspired the book, Everyday Enchantments? Maria DeBlassie: This book was inspired by my journey back to a happy, healthy, whole self. I was at a place in my life where I could finally explore what it meant to live, and not just survive. I\u2019d finished school, gotten a job, and was finally setting down roots. Then came discovering what it meant to be a writer and a woman. I committed to a year of daily blogging on simple pleasures, everyday magic, and those quiet mystic moments inherent in our lives\u2026that turned into a lifestyle, an ongoing blog, and this book! MS: Who would you say it is aimed at? MD: Everyday Enchantments is a love letter to the simple pleasures and subtle enchantments that make life delicious. I hope readers see my book as an invitation to pause, refresh, and open themselves to the magic inherent in daily life. We all have a little bit of witch in us. My book is for anyone who wants to tap into that magic and conjure their own bliss! MS: Do you have a favorite chapter? MD: I love them all as I read them. Sometimes, when I\u2019m needing more introvert time, I\u2019m drawn to the chapters on reading and writing. When I\u2019m ready to go adventuring, I find it\u2019s the chapters on dancing and dreaming that resonate with me more. MS: What was the biggest challenge about putting the book together? MD: I wanted to collapse the space between the mystic and the mundane, which had its own challenges. How do you show that synchronicity is an integral part of your everyday? And how do you explain that a good cup of coffee is pure divinity? These are the questions I wrestled with as I wrote the book. I didn\u2019t want the mystic to be something outside ourselves or beyond our daily routines. It\u2019s always there, right within our grasp, if we take the time to look for it. I think, in the end, I was able to illustrate that. MS: And conversely, what did you enjoy the most about the process? MD: I love how writing became an act of self-care and spell-crafting, bringing me back to myself when I\u2019d grown too tired of the world. It allowed me to conjure the life I wished to live: one of abundance, grounded mysticism, and happiness! MS: Some reviewers have commented on the mindfulness contained within the pages of this book. What does mindfulness mean to you? MD: Mindfulness is a fancy word for staying connected to ourselves and the universe. It\u2019s about slowing down and letting go of the debris that weighs us down, so we have more room for the euphoric. MS: Should we all be practicing a little more mindfulness? Why is it so important in today\u2019s world? MD: We live in a world that asks us to move faster and faster, do more, buy more; in short, overextend ourselves in our addiction to busy. When we practice mindfulness, we can unplug from this ugly addiction and connect to what truly matters. It really is the art of slow living or simple living, where we let go of anything that complicates our lives. Once you unplug, you see how addictive- and unnecessary- all that hustle and bustle is. MS: Can someone in a thoroughly urban setting, with a high-pressure schedule, still find enchantment in their everyday lives? MD: Absolutely! I live in the heart of Albuquerque and have a very full teaching and writing life. Both are jobs that never quite end, which makes it easy to get lost in the daily grind- even when you love what you do. I\u2019ve just found ways to put limits on them by carving out self-care time and leaving myself open to the little bits of magic that come my way. It\u2019s amazing how much enchantment you find in your daily life when you decide to let go of negative patterns and unhealthy social norms that say we must always be spinning our wheels. MS: Each chapter holds a meditative, poetic quality that\u2019s very relaxing to read but I imagine would be potent read aloud. Would you consider doing an audio book? MD: I would love to! I don\u2019t know quite how it all works, but I am addicted to audiobooks myself in all genres. A few minutes listening to a good story or bit of wisdom on my lunch break or while tending house does my soul a world of good. MS: What\u2019s on the horizon creatively for you? Are you planning any more books? MD: My current project is called Tarot Tuesdays, or #TarotTuesdays if you are on social media. It\u2019s a series of 78-word stories based on the 78 cards in the tarot deck and synchronicity. Each week, I draw a new card, learn about its role in the tarot, and, with the help of meaningful coincidences, write my story. I\u2019ll say this about my journey into tarot so far: the magic doesn\u2019t lie. The cards always tell me exactly what I need to hear! I\u2019m so grateful for this new project because it gives me an opportunity to meditate on the magic of these cards. MS: What are you most optimistic for about the next year? MD: I look forward to the unexpected adventures and spontaneous synchronicities while delving deeper into the realm of everyday magic. Every year I get a little bit better at welcoming enchantment into my life so I\u2019m excited to see what that manifests. MS: Do you have a favorite time of the year, festival or season? If so, what makes it special for you? MD: This is a tough one. I love every season as it unfolds, blooms, then fades into the next. I\u2019m ruled by the season and enjoy experiencing each one in their turn. Right now, I\u2019m loving the long nights of winter and delicate hush that hits around 4pm as the sky begins to fade to dark. It\u2019s the best time for walks; everything is watermelon-kissed before the sun sets. MS: And finally, as we move deeper into winter, how do you celebrate the holiday period? ? MD: This is a time for turning inward for me. So much of the mainstream holiday season is about noise, consumerism, and doing more. I like to get away from all that and simply be. I indulge in afternoons reading over mugs of home-made chai tea. I make simple, heartfelt gifts for loved ones. I up my self-care routine and allow myself to rest. This winter solstice season is the perfect time to pause, reflect, and absorb the many ups and downs of your year before slipping into the next. I like to honor that liminal space. There\u2019s plenty of joy in that; I\u2019m all about the twinkle lights and festive holiday cheer. I just like it at a slower, cozier pace, where I can absorb the delights of this more introverted season and recharge with the magic of the solstice. Thank you so much for speaking to us here at PaganPagesOrg, Maria! You can find Maria\u2019s book on Amazon and all good book stores. You can also follow her fascinating blog, and find her on Facebook. Don\u2019t forget to check out the #TarotTuesdays hashtag to follow Maria\u2019s exploration of the Tarot. Everyday Enchantments: Musings on Ordinary Magic & Daily Conjurings on Amazon *** About the Author: Mabh Savage is a Pagan author, poet and musician, as well as a freelance journalist. She is the author of A Modern Celt: Seeking the Ancestorsand Pagan Portals \u2013 Celtic Witchcraft: Modern Witchcraft Meets Celtic Ways. A Modern Celt: Seeking the Ancestors on Amazon Pagan Portals – Celtic Witchcraft: Modern Witchcraft Meets Celtic Ways on Amazon<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":206,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":1,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19815","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/206"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19815"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19815\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19815"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}