Tag: Alternative

Crystal of the Day – Amethyst

Crystal of the Day

tree

Amethyst

Increases spiritual awareness, has a calming and soothing influence, has the ability to transmute negative into positive, and is very effective as a
healing stone. Warmed and placed on the forehead and temples, it is good for headaches. Has the ability to draw through it forces directed towards the body
and repels vibrations which the body doesn’t need, thus releasing only the
energy patterns beneficial to the body. Best worn in healing near the heart
center. Opens up spiritual and psychic centers. Helps prevent drunkenness.

Daily Feng Shui For Dec. 9th – ‘Weary Willie Day!’

It’s the holidays and I would bet that he’s not the only one who feels this way, but I thought I’d share a quick and easy pick-me-up on ‘Weary Willie Day.’ Put a few drops of refreshing and restorative peppermint essential oil on a cotton ball and breathe deeply for a super quick mood lift. Or you can add three drops to a warm bath to rejuvenate and restore as well. Mixed with distilled water and sprayed around your living space will enliven your place, but just be careful to never use it before sleep. Inhale this essential oil late at night and the only place that you’ll be slipping off to will be the club.

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

The Magick Of Herbs In the Kitchen

The Magick Of Herbs In the Kitchen

Just stop and think about the Magickal properties of cooking…The Goddess and God energy that is in your kitchen…Well..if you haven’t given it a thought let me see if I can change your perspective about the chore of cooking! Let us start in your kitchen cabinets…What can be found upon these shelves? Herbs of course!

Every herb has magickal, medicinal, and cooking uses…For example:

#1) Salt…Earth…Pentacle…North…Grounding…

#2) Pepper…South…The Wand…Fire…Inspiration…

#3) Garlic…Exorcism…Clearing a space…Protection…

#4) Cumin…Love…Loyality…

#5) Sage (my favorite) East…Wisdom…Smudge with this herb to cleanse the auric field…Healing herb for the stomach…Colon…Sinuses and nasal passages…

Olive oil……West…Used as a cooking oil…(although any ail used to excess is bad for you) …Can be used to make massage oils or annointing oils as a base (just add any of your favorite herbs!)…It also breaks down cholesterol rather than producing it….So as you can see Magick is all around us…Even in our kitchens!….

Tools Necessary for Herbalism

Tools Necessary for Herbalism

The first step in herbalism is to gather the tools you will need, and that is the main point of this first message. I have found the following useful and in many cases vital to learn and practice the use of herbs.

1) A Good mortar and Pestile, one of stone or metal is prefered. If wood is used you will need two, one for inedibles and one for edibles – make sure they do not look identical, as you do not want to accidentally poison anyone!!!

2) Containers. Although you can buy dried herbs over the counter in many places these days, do not store them in the plastic bags they come in, as these are usually
neither reuseable nor perfectly airtight. Rubbermaid style plastic containers are good, but expensive. I have used glass coffee and spice jars/bottles to good effect, as well as some medicine bottles. The more you recycle the better ecologically, just make sure they
have been thoroughly washed and dried before placing anything inside them.

3) Labels. This is vital! None of us in this day and age can possibly recognize each herb in its various forms simply by sight. Always label your containers as you fill them, and if possible date them when they were filled so you don’t keep spoiled stock on the shelf.

4) Tea Ball. A good metal teaball of the single cup size can be very useful in the longrun when your are experimenting, and when you are making single person doses of teas and tonics.

5) CheeseCloth : Useful for straining a partially liquid mixture and occasionnally for the making of sachets.

6) A Good sized teakettle. Preferably one that will hold at least a quart of water.
7) A Good teapot for simmering mixtures. I use one from a chinese import store that has done me well

.
8) A good cutting board and a SHARP cutting knife for just herbal work.

9) A notebook of some sort to record the information in as you go, both successes and failures. Always record anything new you try that may or may not work, and also and research information you get from various sources (like this echo!)

10) An eyedropper.

11) White linen-style bandages. Some ace bandages are also useful in the long run.

12) A metal brazier of some sort, or a metal container that can withstand heavy useage and heat from within or without, useful for several things including the making of your own incenses.

13) Reference sources. Shortly you should see a list of books that I have read from in the past that I consider useful, build from this as a starting point to others and to your teachers help.

Thats it to start, you’ll pick the rest up as you go. Take your time studying, take lots of notes, compare your sources and your own personal results on each herb and on herbal mixtures of any kind.

5000 Years Of Herbal History

5000 Years Of Herbal History

Over the centuries the healing properties of plants and herbs has not changed. What was a healing plant or herb five thousand years ago is still a healing plant or herb. Because great confidence was placed in them, Witches and physicians of the ancient world were expected to know their herbs. Plants gave healing powers to those who studied them, worked with them, and respected them. In many lands and in many times, healers spent a good part of their lives in the field and forest gathering green medicines. They remembered and scribed what they learned passing it on.

Today we have the opportunity to benefit from the accumulated herbal wisdom of the ages. This advantage allows us to peer back through history, harvesting for our own benefit only those herbs that have stood the test of time. But even the herbal uses that didn’t pan out are fascinating. While the story of healing herbs has it’s comic episodes, it is also a dramatic story of human sacrifice, complete with medical hero’s, men and women whose work deserves to be recognized. Much of this credit in my opinion should go the the Witches of the past because they are the ones who essentially began the work of learning and understanding herbs and their benefits. However when the male physician arrived on the scene, they essentially benefited from the inquisitions and burnings claiming the right to and credit for this knowledge. The topic of how modern drug companies have distorted this knowledge for profit is an area I probably shouldn’t delve into, but what the heck, the truth generally only hurts if it ought to…

Many of synthetic medicines on the market today owe their existence to natural occurring herbs, plants and trees. The original pain killer marketed just a little over 100 years ago is a derivative of White Willow Bark, what is it’s name? Asprin. It is pretty much a foregone conclusion, that the only reason the major drug manufactures synthesize these drugs is because you cannot patent a naturally occurring substance, obviously there isn’t as much profit in something that everyone has access to producing. Ultimately the drug manufacturers create a substance that copies the healing properties of these herbs, plants and trees, then market it to the world while down playing the benefits of the natural herb. Currently the drug industry is the single most profitable business in the United States spending over $5 BILLION per year on advertising and marketing alone! Much of this goes into seducing and providing perks for the doctors who prescribe their magic potions, many of which are completely useless at effectively treating the problem or cause serious side effects. But for the drug manufacturers there is an up side to the negative side effects because that provides them with the opportunity to create new drugs to counteract the side effects their product produced to begin with…

While I do not want to get on a soap box and throw rocks at modern medicine and the drug industry since they have provided benefits and in many cases cured disease. The point is though, there are alternatives which are quite often a better choice if we would only take the time to learn, and understand natures own cures, then take responsibility for our own health.

A final word before you continue into the following pages. Many of the herbs and plants listed here offer a proven track record of alleviating symptoms and helping with different conditions, but there are risks involved in using many of them without adequate knowledge. Without a sound understanding of their properties and potential effects, one would be foolish to blindly use them. Therefore it is recommended that you carefully research those of interest, seek the guidance of a health care professional who is competent in herbal knowledge and use common sense as you proceed. It is also vitally important to remember that the use of herbals should not be used in lieu of sound medical council and advice, instead they should be used in combination with the care of your personal physician. It is not the intent of these writings to suggest otherwise…

Gentle Breezes!

Herne

wicca.com

Daily Motivator for December 4th – Waves of Healing

Waves of Healing
Ocean Meditation

by Madisyn Taylor

There is much we can learn from the ocean as we have a similar inner landscape within us as well.

 

Like us, the sea is ever-changing. And, like us, the earth’s vast oceans appear at a distance to be stable and homogenous. But beneath the mask of solidity that both we and the sea wear, there lies unpredictability, sensitivity, and power. There is much we can learn from the ocean, representative as it is of our inner landscapes. The rough sounds of the sea’s waves are spiritually soothing, and its salt can purify our physical selves. Yet not everyone has the luxury of living by the shore or even visiting the coastlines where water and land meet. The ocean, however, exists in our conscious minds, put there by images we have seen and descriptions we have read. Wherever we are, we can access that mental image and use it as the starting point from which we can help to heal our emotions by meditating on the sea.

To begin, gather together any ocean artifacts you may have on hand. Seashells, a vial of sand, beach glass, stones rubbed smooth by the pounding surf, or a recording of ocean sounds can help you slip more deeply into this meditation, but they are not necessary. Sit quietly and visualize the ocean in your mind’s eye. Allow all of your senses to participate in your mental journey. Feel the tiny grains of sand beneath your feet and the cool spray of mist; hear the sea’s rhythmic roar as the waves meet the beach and retreat; smell the tang of salt in the air. Watch the sun’s rays play over the ocean’s surface, creating shifting spots of teal, cerulean, cobalt, and green. Don’t be surprised if you see dolphins or whales frolicking in the waves—they are there to assist you. Spend a few minutes drinking in the ocean’s beauty and appreciating its vast splendor.

Once you are fully engaged with the setting before you, visualize yourself sitting on the beach, facing the ocean, and watching the waves advance and retreat. As each new wave of seawater approaches, imagine it carrying healing energy toward you. The magnificent ocean in your thoughts is sending you light and love while the sun supports your healing efforts and Mother Earth grounds you in the moment so healing can occur. When you feel you are finished, grant the ocean your earnest gratitude for the aid it has given you. Thank the sun, the sand, and any other elements of your visualization that offered you guidance. Perform this meditation daily or monthly in order to rid yourself of negativity and reestablish emotional equilibrium. Just as the ocean’s tides sweep the shores free of detritus, restoring balance, so can the waves in our mind’s eye cleanse our souls of what no longer serves us.

The Daily OM

Calendar of the Sun for December 3rd

Calendar of the Sun

3 Yulmonath

Mengloth’s Day

Color: White
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon cloth of white place a figure of Mengloth, cut from cloth and filled with herbs, a cup of herb-fortified wine, a pot of herbal tea with cups, a mortar and pestle, and bunches and jars of all the medicinal herbs in the House.
Offerings: Give natural medicine to someone.
Daily Meal: Anything healthy and well-balanced.

Invocation to Mengloth

Hail, Lady of Lyfjaberg,
Mistress of Gastropnir,
High on the highest peak
In the pure air of the north country
Atop snowy cliffs you dwell.
Lady whose roads are long and winding,
Lady whose roads are treacherous and fell,
Lady whose hidden fortress is sought
By the weak, the ill, the desperate,
Those whom all medicine has failed.
Lady of the Last Resort,
Healer of the wounds that cannot be healed,
This offering we make to you
And all the maidens that cluster around you;
Hlif and Hlifthrasa, Thjofvara, Aurboda,
Bjort and Bleik, Blith and Frith,
Colleague of Eir the Healer of Asgard.
We pray your healing hands, Jeweled One,
We pray your healing mind, Mountain-High,
We pray your healing magic shall shape us whole.
Svipdag’s beloved, Keeper of the Wand of Light,
May your favor shine upon us
As we ascend to the trials of your high road.

(The wine is poured out as a libation. Each comes forward then and pours a cup of the herbal tea, asking for healing for themselves or others, and drinks it.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Witches’ Spell for Nov. 22nd is Spell to Calm Overreacting

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Spell to Calm Overreacting

To reduce a tendency to overreact to situations

Items You Will Need:

White Candle

Lavender essential oil or incense

This can be said on the new moon or whenever needed. It is actually more of an affirmation than a spell, so you might want to memorize it and say it whenever you feel yourself starting to overreact to something. (You only need the candle the first time you do the spell.)

Anoint the candle with lavender essential oil or burn some lavender incense. (Lavender is an easy scent to find and you can use it later to remind yourself not to overreact. If necessary, you can dab a bit of essential oil on a tissue and tuck it in your pocket.) Light the candle and focus for a while on the light and the calming smell. Then say the spell as slowly and calmly as possible.

“I am calm and in control

Rooted in Earth

Soothed by Water

Brought clarity by the Air

The Fire within has burned to embers

I am calm and in control.”

 

The Daily Motivator for Nov. 21st – Positive approach

Positive approach

Conflict can be interesting and enticing, but is not particularly useful.  Rather than giving in to the drama of conflict, choose to be genuinely helpful  and cheerful, and make yourself much more effective.

Sure, you can get attention by being negative. But you can get much more done  by taking a positive approach.

Instead of focusing on what’s wrong, offer some workable options for setting  things right. When you feel like giving criticism, find a way to give it in the  form of encouragement.

You don’t have to be nice just to be nice. Be nice, helpful, positive, upbeat  and encouraging because that’s how you, and everyone else, will make the most  progress.

You’ll never be able to get back the time and energy you waste on conflict.  Yet when you invest your time and energy in being a positive influence, the  rewards for doing so will expand exponentially as time goes on.

Your most effective, productive, profitable, compassionate and intelligent  choice is to be positive in your interactions with others. It’s a choice that  lifts the lives of everyone involved.

— Ralph Marston

The Daily Motivator

The Daily OM for Nov. 21st – Permission to Simply Be

Permission to Simply Be
Working through Transitions

by Madisyn Taylor

During the pause between achievements, many people begin to question what their life is about.

The elation we feel when we have learned an important lesson, achieved a goal, or had a big breakthrough can sometimes be met with a period of downtime afterward. During this period of transition, we may feel unsure and not know where to turn next. Many people, during the pause

between achievements, begin to wonder what their life is about. These feelings are common and strike everyone from time to time. Human beings are active creatures—we feel best when we are working on a project or vigorously pursuing a goal. But there is nothing inherently wrong with spending a day, a week, or even a month simply existing and not having a plan. Just be. It won’t be long before you embark upon your next voyage of growth and discovery.

The quiet lull into we which we fall between ideas, projects, and goals can make life seem empty. After accomplishing one objective, you may want to move immediately on to the next. However, when your next step is unclear, you may feel frustrated, disconnected, or even a mild depression. You may even perceive your lack of forward momentum as an indicator of imminent stagnation. To calm these distressing thoughts, try to accept that if your intent is personal growth, you will continue to grow as an individual whether striving for a specific objective or not. Spending time immersed in life’s rigors and pleasures can be a cathartic experience that gives you the time you need to think about what you have recently gone through and leisurely contemplate what you wish to do next. You may also find that in simply being and going through the motions of everyday life, you reconnect with your priorities in a very organic, unforced way.

The mindful transitional pause can take many forms. For some, it can be a period of reflection that helps them understand how their life has unfolded. For others, it can be a period of adjustment, where new values based on recent changes are integrated into daily life. Just because you’re not headed swiftly to a final destination doesn’t mean you should assume that you have lost your drive. The stage between journeys can become a wonderful period of relaxation that prepares you for the path that will soon be revealed to you.

The Daily OM

The Daily OM for November 16th – A Clear Current

A Clear Current
Maintaining The Flow

 

The essence of all being is energy. Our physical and ethereal selves depend on the unrestricted flow of life energy that is the source of wholeness and wellness. Though the channels through which this energy flows are open systems and influenced by factors outside of our control, we ultimately choose what impact these will have in our lives. It is up to us to identify and clear blockages in the energy field to ensure that flow is maintained. A healthy, grounded individual absorbs some portion of the energy emitted by other people and the environment, but this does not interrupt the continuous stream of balanced energy sustaining them. The same individual copes constructively with stress and upset, and they are not subject to the stagnation that frequently goes hand in hand with negativity. When we keep the energy in and around our bodies flowing harmoniously, we are naturally healthy, vibrant, and peaceful.

Life energy flows through us like a swift stream when there is nothing to obstruct it, but various forces such as trauma, downbeat vibrations, and disappointments act like stones that impede the current. If we allow these to pile up, our life energy is thrown off its course or blocked entirely, causing illness, restlessness, and a lack of vigor. If, however, we take the time to clear these forces away, we rob them of the power to impact our lives. When we cultivate simple yet affirmative habits such as taking regular cleansing baths, practicing meditation and breathing exercises, smudging, and self-shielding, we protect ourselves from outside influences that might otherwise impede our energy flow. Likewise, we lessen the impact of inner influences when we clear our auras of unwanted attachments and divest ourselves of blocked emotions.

 

A strong and fluid energy field is the key that unlocks the doors of self-healing and peace of mind. Your awareness of the flow of energy sustaining you empowers you to take charge of your own well-being by taking steps to unblock, correct, and enhance that flow. Fear will likely be the culprit when you cannot identify the source of stagnation—you may simply be afraid to let go of what is obstructing the flow. Letting go can be challenging, but the exuberance you will feel when the flow is restored will be a welcome and blessed reward.

 

 

Elder’s Meditation of the Day – November 15

Elder’s Meditation of the Day – November 15

“Our Spiritual belief is that we were created as part of the land – so our identity, our names, and our songs are all tied to the land.”

–Chief Roderick Robinson, NISGA’A

In the traditional way, the names of native people had great meaning. We even had naming ceremonies. The naming of someone was very important and had great significance because it was tied to the Earth. The identity of each member and the teachings of the songs were all tied to Mother Earth. We need to know these teachings from our culture. This knowledge will help us heal the people.

My Maker, today help me find my identity.

The Divine Is Everywhere

Fantasy Graphics=
 
The Divine is everywhere
Flowing through the Universe
Light and water and air
Loving and healing
Every place is Divine
And every home touch by Deity.
 
The Divine is everyone
Walking a thousand Paths
Stranger, friend and family
Different yet the same
And every person touched by Deity.
 
The Divine is inside me
In every breath I take
Action, thought and essence
Accepted and accepting
I am Divine
I touch and am touched by Deity.
 

Blessed Be!

Daily Feng Shui Tip for Nov. 9th – ‘Chaos Never Dies’

The energies associated with this day might say that ‘Chaos Never Dies’ but remaining cool, calm and collected in the face of chaos can be as easy as taking four drops of Bach Rescue Remedy flower essence under the tongue, three times a day for as many days as it takes to assume a state of harmony and peace. Chaos will die quickly with this proven anxiety easer in hand.

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

Daily Motivator for Nov. 8th – Highest vision

Highest vision

Look up from what you’re doing and look around for a minute. See what a  beautiful world you’re in.

Take your mind off the problems for a moment, and focus on the positive  possibilities. Consider how very much you are able to do.

Turn your attention for a while away from the worries and anxieties. Remind  yourself of all your many blessings.

The direction of your focus is the direction your life will move. Let  yourself move toward what is good, valuable, strong and true.

The things that fill your awareness are the things that will fill your life  and your world. So expand your awareness beyond your own concerns and toward the  best of what can be.

Look up and look confidently toward the highest vision you can imagine. The  moment you do, you’re on your way there.

— Ralph Marston

The Daily Motivator

Aromas to Heal a Broken Heart

Aromas to Heal a Broken Heart

By Francoise Rapp

Too often people write off break-ups as just another page to turn in the book of life. There is some truth in that, but break-ups should be taken a bit more seriously. After all, this is the end of a relationship. And this loss can be as painful as losing a loved one in death. To heal it takes time, self-care, and conscious processing of your emotions. It is vital that you allow this healing process to occur, and take advantage of the situation to treat yourself with gentleness and nurturing.

Here are some other things to keep in mind during this transformative time:

· Avoid any big decisions.

· Go into the pain and the feelings. There is no way out but to get through it…and you will!

· Take long aromatherapy baths with appropriate holistic blends. See recipes below.

· Cry when you need to. Don’t let others tell you to just get over it.

· Be VERY selfish.

· Surround yourself with positive and happy people.

· Dare to ask for a lot of hugs.

· Get a dog or cat, or cuddle with the ones you have.

· Write really awful, bitchy, letters to your ex. Write everything you would love to say. Burn them in the sink. Run the water to make it go away.

· Love yourself. Look in the mirror as often as you can and say wonderful things about yourself aloud.

· Write your way through the feelings.

· Connect with other people who understand and can relate: friends, counselors, message boards on websites, etc.

· Have a healthy lifestyle: eat well, exercise (at least get some fresh air on the beach, at the park, etc.).

· Nourish your soul with beauty: watch movies, read poetry, go to museums.

· Meditate.

· Stay alone and appreciate the tranquility of your aloneness.

There’s no rule for how long the pain of a heartbreak will last. It may take weeks, months or even years. But using the following special aromatherapy blend and ritual will soothe your heart, nurture your wounded soul, and envelop you in comfort. I recommend following this bath ritual every night until you feel the pain has faded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your Daily Bath Ritual to Ease Your Broken Heart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prepare your aromatherapy blend by adding the following essential oils to a 10-oz bottle and filling with organic vegetable oil:

· 4 drops Rose Essential Oil
· 15 drops Sandalwood Oil
· 9 drops Lavender Oil

Run some warm water for your bath and add 10 drops of your aromatic blend. Light some candles and turn off the lights. Close your eyes and place your hands on your heart. Visualize yourself filled and surrounded by a pink color. Take a few deep breaths. Feel the color soothing your being. Say aloud, “I am love myself.” Take a few deep breaths again. Soak for at least 15 minutes.

After you get out of the bath, pour a few drops of the aromatherapy blend into the palms of your hands and anoint your heart chakra (the seat of love: healing, grieving, acceptance), and the third eye (integrating, detachment, connection with your Higher Self).

Elder’s Meditation of the Day – October 6

Elder’s Meditation of the Day – October 6

“Lots of people hardly ever feel real soil under their feet, see plants grow except in flower pots, or get fare enough beyond the street light to catch the enchantment of a night sky studded with stars. When people live far from scenes of the Great Spirit’s making, it’s easy for them to forget His laws.”

–Tatanga Mani (Walking Buffalo), STONEY

Nature is life’s greatest teacher. The natural laws are hidden in nature. Hidden are solutions to everyday problems such as conflict resolution, how to forgive, lessons about differences, how to manage organizations, how to think. Hidden are feelings. You can look at something and you will feel it. At night, have you ever looked at the sky when there are no clouds? As you look at all the stars, your heart will become very joyful. You will walk away feeling joyful and peaceful. We need to visit nature so we can see and feel these things.

My Creator, let me learn nature’s lessons.

Chakra Pleasure Attunement

Chakra Pleasure Attunement

 

This attunement is for experiencing pleasure in each of your chakras. Your chakras are energy centers that correspond with your body, emotions, mind and spirit. By experiencing pleasure in your chakras, you bring more pleasure to your life. However, while the primary focus of this attunement is for enjoyment, the opening of your physical, emotional and mental bodies to pleasure often has a clearing, healing and awakening effect.

This Chakra Pleasure Attunement will work with any and all of your major and minor chakras. I recommend starting with your major chakras and working with all of them in one session beginning with the root/base chakra and working your way up. Then if you wish to work with any of your minor chakras you can do that as part of the same or a separate session. If you need a list of major and minor chakras you will find many internet sites, books and other reference material containing that information.

The purpose of my attunements is to help you tune in and become more in-tune with yourself. When you attune using this attunement, you are becoming more aware of the pleasure in each of your chakras. This is not intended as a healing modality, but rather as self exploration, empowerment and life enrichment. I offer no course materials or certificates, only a way to journey into yourself and bring more of yourself into your everyday life.

Although it is common to attribute the attunement to someone or something outside of yourself, what I offer through my attunements is an understanding that everything you wish to attune yourself to is already present inside of you. When you follow the written instructions in this attunement, I am working with you to help you tune into and experience your pleasure as it already exists inside of you. I am not adding anything to you, I am simply helping you to focus your awareness. However, if while working with any or all of your chakras, you would like to add my pleasure energy to yours, all you have to do is intend to experience it and it will be present.

To Attune: relax and close your eyes. Starting with your root chakra, intend to experience the pleasure that is there. Then just go with the experience. When the sensation subsides or moves to the next chakra, it is time to intend to experience the pleasure that is there. All you need to experience this attunement is intent. These written words are merely information and instructions. When you intend to attune, your intent is assisted by mine and the attunement takes place. Nothing more is needed so please do not ask me to send you the attunement, everything you need is inside of you and supported by the words on this page you are currently reading

This attunement will work one time for each chakra. After that my assistance in attuning, and the addition of my pleasure energy will no longer be available. However, you will still be able to tune in on your own because tuning in is a natural process that you do all the time. This attunement helps strengthen your intention and the results, but even more importantly it teaches you that you are an empowered being, capable of tuning into anything you desire.

Practical Magick

Practical Magick

Author:   RuneWolf   

Speaking only for myself, I believe that magick is quite practical. But this may simply be because of my personal definitions of magick and practicality. To me, practicality equals results, and magick is the art of changing consciousness at Will (among other things). The ability to change consciousness at Will is a powerful tool, with direct and immediate effects in the manifest world, and thus must be considered practical, because it gets results.

For example:

I am, fundamentally, an energy structure. My job is, fundamentally, and energy structure. When the energy field of my job envelops and subsumes my energy field, then I am controlled by my job, and my life suffers because of the imbalance. When I enrich and extend my energy field so that the situation is reversed, such that my energy now contains and controls that of my job, then my life is restored to a healthy balance, and my job resumes its proper place in the scheme of things. In the process of reversing the energetic relationship between my job and myself I am changing my perception of that relationship, and as perception is a constituent of consciousness, I am therefore changing my consciousness at Will, making this a magickal act. This change in perception, in consciousness, has tangible positive effects in the manifest world – reduced stress, enhanced well-being, increased productivity, better workplace relationships – and thus produces results. Therefore, it is practical.

I’m one of those people who believe that anything that enhances my ability to deal with life on life’s terms is useful and practical, and while I have my favorites, I don’t care what others use, so long as it doesn’t harm them or others. If gargling with peanut butter helps you deal with a broken water pump in your car, then gargle away. Magick helps me to deal with the exigencies of life by helping me to empower myself, and leave victimhood behind. When I convince myself that I am being slammed about by the hockey stick of “Fate,” and I have no control over what is happening to me, my ability to respond appropriately and effectively is hampered by my perception that I am powerless. Magick may not always fix the problem, but it lets me do something, even if all other avenues are blocked, and that empowerment helps me to respond with Right Action, even if that Right Action is to accept the situation as it is and ride it out. At the very least, I am not just throwing up my hands and complaining that I never seem to get a break. I get a lot of breaks – an awful lot; they just don’t seem to come when and where I want them. Magick – the Willed change of consciousness – helps me to see that fact when I am feeling victimized, and to pull myself out of that unhealthy state of Being.

There are many systems for altering our perception of life and empowering ourselves to “take control,” some ancient, some not. My personal definition of magick borrows from many of these, because that is what my experience of magick has been. I often hear someone describe, for instance, an NLP technique, and I think to myself “That’s magick!” We are, in other words, talking about the same “spiritual technologies;” we are simply using different terminology. Several authors have written on the subject of using the principles of aikido in interpersonal relationships, and I follow many of those practices myself, which again, I call magick. Magick, to me, is not simply spellcraft or ritual. Anything I do that changes consciousness and/or moves energy is magick. And since quantum theory seems to be telling us that consciences and energy are inextricably linked, it’s basically the same thing. We have all been in those situations when “the energy shifted,” and I think each of us could reflect on those occurrences and trace that shift directly back to a change in a person or persons perception of that situation.

Magick is often less about having what I want and more about wanting what I have. The Willed change of consciousness that empowers me in a situation often does so by allowing me to truly see and accept the situation for what it is, in this infinite Now. When I am thwarted in some endeavor, and I bring magick to bear on it, what I often find is I end up realizing that it wasn’t as important as I thought it was, or I didn’t want it nearly as badly as I did a moment ago. Or that, in fact, things aren’t all that bad just the way they are. I subscribe to a couple of apparently conflicting philosophies: “Good is the Enemy of the Best,” and “Better is the Enemy of Good Enough.” The first helps me to avoid complacency, to not always settle for second-best, and to challenge myself to improve my life and the lives of those I love and care for. The second, however, tells me that sometimes it’s not a good idea to screw around with a good thing. My incipient need to “tweak” things has gotten me, on more than one occasion, a lot less than I had before the “tweak.” I’m sure many of us can relate to that one itty-bitty little extra bit of fine-tuning that did nothing but crash the whole computer. Or the last spoonful of sugar that made the coffee undrinkably sweet. So there are times when I engage the power of magick to effect change, and realize that, in fact, change is neither appropriate nor necessary.

In my understanding, all of the above come under the heading of “personal transformation,” so that magick is in fact both practical and a tool for the development of the Self. In fact, it is a rising spiral: magick helps me to grow, and growth helps me to access more powerful levels of magick, which help me to grow more, and so on. If practicality can be defined as producing tangible results in the manifest world, then magick and personal transformation must be practical, because as I improve as a human being, as a Witch, my contribution to the betterment of the world improves and increases. The age-old question is “Why are we here?” I believe that one of the answers to that question is “To love and help each other.” Through magick and personal transformation, I am better able to love and help those who share this life with me, and I can’t think of anything more practical than that.

Let’s Talk Witch – How To Meditate

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How To Meditate

So exactly where should you begin? Do you have to sit in a lotus position, like a human pretzel? Should you press your thumbs and index fingers together and chant OM? Well, first of all, just relax. If you can do that much, you’re well on your way. The following directions offer suggestions and guidelines to help you get the most out of meditation. You don’t have to follow them exactly. Trust your instincts; if something feels awkward, don’t do it. And remember, give yourself a chance–meditation isn’t something you’ll master overnight.

Let go of any preconceptions about how fast you should be “getting it,” or what kind of magickal experience might result. If you set a lot of expectations for yourself, you’re likely to be disappointed and make learning more difficult. Meditation isn’t something you strive or push yourself to excel at. You ease into it.

Find a convenient place and a comfortable position that you can sit in for a while. The more comfortable your body is, the easier it becomes for your mind to direct its attention toward the purpose you’ve intended. At first, your mind is going to jump about from thought to thought, like a butterfly flitting from flower to flower. Everything from a little twitch in your leg to a dog barking down the road can potentially break your concentration. That’s why meditation is considered a discipline.

Close your eyes and give yourself permission to put the world around you “on hold” for a bit. Breathe slowly and deeply; pay attention to your breath. If may help to shake out your arms and legs or stretch a bit before you sit down to meditate. Some people like to do some light exercise, such as yoga or walking, to release tension prior to meditation.

Begin by committing yourself to just five minutes of meditation a day, then increase the amount of time over a period of weeks. Just sit quietly, with your eyes closed. At first five minutes may seem like an eternity, but soon you’ll stop glancing at your watch and simply enjoy taking a brief time out to relax.