Spring equinox is just behind us, Saturn is in Pisces, and recently I’ve been thinking a lot about ideal moments, or ideal life. I’ve come to the realization that the Eden I’m creating is full of dream-like snippets where I lie in the grass, or on a pebbly beach, in the nude, eating grapes, looking at the sky, feeling the breeze… Or waking up in the morning, listening to some records, going on a bike ride and skinny dipping in a nearby lake. You know, peace. Studio Ghibli vibes. That is the life I crave and the life I strive to lead.

Something we hold near and dear to our hearts. I am sure you all have a special memory stimulated by the scent or the warmth a tea can bring. Whether it is a special recipe your grandmother made or the comfort it can bring after a difficult day. I trust you are looking forward to hearing our stories. I was rather late to the tea appreciation club. Growing up in a hot country, it took several winters and many memories to guide me through my journey here in Europe. But I can say with confidence that I have been converted. Now I even seek out teahouses when I travel. Have you ever been to one? If not, I hope this story will entice you to visit one this winter.

We have so many chances to reset and start again. Each month begins new, along with each week, each day, each hour, right down to each second. And yet, we feel that we must wait until January 1st to take the plunge into new beginnings. How are you all doing on your latest resolutions? Ask yourself internally. And readjust. Check in again next week, next month. The steps themselves are the best part of the journey. The funny thing about goals is that once they are achieved, there is always this moment of quiet realisation that you are never finished, never fully accomplished. There will always be something coming next. A new beginning is something we are experiencing every day. And the path to get there is just as important as the final result. So I hope you are all feeling inspired to start anew any time your goals get away from you.

The spirit of winter is upon us! For some it glitters at the top of a Christmas tree. For others it’s the magic of a swirling blizzard in a snow globe, the whiff of a scented candle, a cosy fireside, a warm Scandinavian ‘hygge’. In our imagination, it may take the ethereal form of a ghost of our past, present and future - the hopes and fears of all our years rolled into one; or that of a starry-eyed snow queen clad in frost-fringed evergreen and a holly berry crown, clutching a lucky sprig of mistletoe. Maybe it’s a jolly, rosy-cheeked dwarf in a fur-trimmed red suit and Nordic socks and scarf with a bulging sack on his back; or again, a sugar plum fairy bringing us sweetness, spice and all things nice. Perhaps it’s the advent of a snow child on your doorstep, a wish come true, an unexpected blessing, representing the fragility of the season, or an everyman embodying our precarious humanity...

As the 21st century continues to unfold, we are faced with a multitude of challenges that threaten to overwhelm us: political and social turmoil, disconnection from nature, injustice, and inequality, struggles with mental health, and the devastating impacts of war, climate change, and corporate greed. In the face of all these challenges, one thing has become increasingly clear: we need witches now more than ever.

Beyond its physical meaning, an eye is the door through which the world enters our mind. The first material gate to perception. And if perception is a two way road, are we able to change the meaning of the world through our own eyes? How does the world change from eye to eye? Would the colors look the same if my eyes were green? Could we still watch circles if our eyes were square? Eyes are not interchangeable. Nor are they replaceable. Individual perception is an illusionist’s circus trick, as finding your own shape in the mirror is not the same as watching from outside. But may a deeper truth lie in the sum of the different parts? What is common and what sets us apart may be a matter of expression, of understanding, of processing, or plainly different realities.

Is anyone else feeling the shock of the sudden spiral into winter we have been experiencing? In September? Don’t get me wrong, I crave the season changes. From the moment when I can shed my winter coat for the first time in spring, to the first time I dare to jump into the icy lake at the (alleged) beginning of summer, to those cosy rainy months, holed up with a cup of tea, revisiting the year in retrospect. Regardless of how we are feeling, ready or not, the new season has definitely made its impact on our beloved city and with the new month, comes our newest theme, Nightfall. And all that it brings, the good and the bad.

Could there be a sci-fi story where tongues will be our newest form of identification? Each person’s tongue is as individual as their fingerprint, so this really could be a possibility. Or could it lead us to the rock and roll scene?