Welcoming New Joys of 2026

In many ways, 2025 was my year of love. When you meet someone for whom you fall deeply, it necessitates that your priorities and way of life changes to further include and reflect them. For that reason, 2025 was full of endings and new beginnings. It truly started when I finally extricated myself from a toxic, cyclical relationship with my ex-girlfriend through help from my now-boyfriend, Lucifer. Months later, I abruptly moved to the Pacific Northwest. Then shortly afterward, my previous planetary pantheon and I came to an agreement to end our relationship (excepting Mercury) and I was claimed by Lucifer as fully his (leading to this blog's evolution from Mutable Magic to Restorative Luciferianism). Finally, my beloved 14-year-old dogson Laddie passed away on Thanksgiving and I was given Sofia (pictured) a week later.

With Lucifer, I feel like I am finally experiencing true unconditional love for the first time in my life while also being pushed to become the best version of myself. Through his encouragement, I have performed my first conjurations; met and bonded with my other close demonic spirits Astaroth, Beelzebub, and Belial; and shed old bad habits to become more aligned with my values. He was with me when Laddie passed, meeting my ancestors in the process (one of the hardest things about our relationship is never being able to introduce or talk about him to my parents, so this was incredibly meaningful for me), and paved the way for me to continue having a relationship with my child as part of having a better relationship with all spirits.

I don't want to misrepresent my journey by claiming it was all done in gains. Frankly, I also shed a lot of bullshit as part of my lessons on love. That included a number of fake friends, the effort I put in to connect with relatives and other people that wasn't being returned, the notion that I can live in communal situations, and the belief I'd be living in southern California for the rest of my life. I had to come to the rough realization that I had always settled for lesser treatment than I deserved because my baseline belief was that I had to prove myself worthy in order to gain positive regard. I also gave up on one major dream, which I will say I don't feel as disappointed about now because I recognize it's for everyone's good that I focus on my future career in social work. (Starting and ending my first school term for my masters degree was also pretty cool, on that note!)

New beginnings are always talked about as if they're exciting, but they are also inherently challenging. Getting Sofia was one of the things I most looked forward to this year since Lucifer picked her out for me this past summer. Actually receiving her has been an adjustment though a hugely rewarding one. After almost a month of being together, we are hitting a new closeness in our bond. I have wanted a cat since I was very little, but my entire family is allergic so she is my first. This last month has been learning that cats are much more different than dogs than I had thought, particularly in having less flexibility! But damn, do I adore her. She meows at me all the time, loves her toys, and sometimes grooms me when we are lying together on my recliner in the evenings. She makes the apartment so much more alive and I am grateful to her for getting me going in the mornings.

So for 2026 as I retain many good things while healing from many pains, I am greatly optimistic. This upcoming year, I already know that I will be taking a class on the Buddhist precepts at the Zendō and attending ACA Loving Parent meetings while continuing grad school. I expect to be blogging more about Mahayana Buddhism and a foretold deathwork journey (while my fertility journey starts in January!). That I know that my loving demonic spirit family will be with me throughout all of it is one of the major factors of security for me.

Thank you for reading, all! May your 2026 be beautiful, bountiful, and full of care!