Every now and again I do a bit of spellwork. If you've read my earlier posts, you'll understand that I am don't follow a specific 'faith', however I do find the visualisation and mental clarity required in spellwork very helpful and empowering.
I also feel that in going through the various rituals, I am making a difference by one means or another. For the record, I only ever do spells for good and am very careful to ensure that no harm is brought about by what I'm doing.
A more recent spell I did was to help my pet, who had not been eating for several months and was generally down on his luck. I've only done the spell once but reminding myself of it now, I wonder if I should try doing it again.
I'm not going to list every element of the spell here as I don't think I'm in a position to be advising others in this type of detail. I'd just like to share my experience of performing it. It was a fairly basic spell, which I adapted for my circumstances (the type of animal, items available to me etc).
It involved three candles: red, black and brown, a crystal, visualisation and a short chant.
As always, I enjoyed performing the spell and felt like it was having a positive effect. It also helped to focus me, as the owner, on ensuring I did the best for my animal and take action to help him.
He has improved since and is now eating 50% of his diet voluntarily and he is much more active, which is great. He's still missing a certain food group, which currently needs to be syringe fed to him so my next goal should be to get him eating that food type off his own back as well as drinking more.
Sunday, 1 September 2013
Monday, 26 August 2013
Gratitude Jar
I first heard about the 'Gratitude Jar' via Kathleen Hassan's Youtube videos. Later on, it cropped up again in 'The Secret', which I will write a separate post about.
A Gratitude Jar is very easy to make - mine is an old pesto jar, which I washed out and decorated. You then take strips of paper and on each strip, write something which you are grateful for. It can be anything at all - to start off with, you might think of obvious things like being grateful for your health, your family, your home etc. Then you might start to think outside the box - are you grateful for the flowers you pass on your way to work? Or the fact that you have clean running water in your home?
You can also be grateful for your nice hair, or your new car - for things which seem materialistic.The idea is simply to be grateful, and the ritual of writing something down gives you the opportunity to take a moment just to appreciate the things which you might normally take for granted.
In 'The Secret', gratitude is part of a larger plan, but I think this is a great thing to do in its own right. Its important to be grateful for what we have and I find that the process actually makes me feel very happy and lucky. It puts me in a much better mood, than sitting around moping about things I don't have.
Of course, you could have a gratitude diary or note book, or poster - whatever works for you. The great thing about the jar, is that its transparent. So, even if I don't take the notes out, just looking at the jar full of paper reminds me instantly that I have so much to be grateful for.
You can watch Kathleen's video on gratitude here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3dYj3fdUMI
A Gratitude Jar is very easy to make - mine is an old pesto jar, which I washed out and decorated. You then take strips of paper and on each strip, write something which you are grateful for. It can be anything at all - to start off with, you might think of obvious things like being grateful for your health, your family, your home etc. Then you might start to think outside the box - are you grateful for the flowers you pass on your way to work? Or the fact that you have clean running water in your home?
You can also be grateful for your nice hair, or your new car - for things which seem materialistic.The idea is simply to be grateful, and the ritual of writing something down gives you the opportunity to take a moment just to appreciate the things which you might normally take for granted.
In 'The Secret', gratitude is part of a larger plan, but I think this is a great thing to do in its own right. Its important to be grateful for what we have and I find that the process actually makes me feel very happy and lucky. It puts me in a much better mood, than sitting around moping about things I don't have.
Of course, you could have a gratitude diary or note book, or poster - whatever works for you. The great thing about the jar, is that its transparent. So, even if I don't take the notes out, just looking at the jar full of paper reminds me instantly that I have so much to be grateful for.
You can watch Kathleen's video on gratitude here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3dYj3fdUMI
Friday, 23 August 2013
Angels
My first 'experience' of angels was when I was about three.
I was in a park and I saw a group of angels circling around a monument. They were moving as though on a convener belt and were almost cartoon like in their appearance. They had little 'bobble' heads and white cone shaped gowns, with wings. Their hands were in the classic 'prayer' position and they were just happily circling.
About ten years later, I was talking to one of my more 'mystical' friends. She explained to me that she had been reading about guardian angels and how we each had one. She told me that it was just a matter of finding out what their name was and then speaking to them. She had already gone to the trouble of finding out my angel's name for me- which she instructed me never to tell anyone else (I never have). She also told me that it was commonplace to ask for a 'sign' from your angel when you begin to communicate, which again we did.
I spent about a week with my eyes peeled, wondering if every breeze, every rustling of leaves on the ground was a sign from my angel, or if it was just.... wind.
At about this time, the same friend had introduced me to a set of story books about angels. I was very into these and was working my way through the series. That weekend, my parents and I were on our way to a meeting and during the car journey I was reading my angel book. As we got out of the car, I confided to my mum, that I thought I was starting to believe in angels but that I was still waiting for my 'sign'.
We arrived at the meeting venue and introduced ourselves at the reception. The receptionist asked a young woman to take us up to the room where our meeting would take place. We followed her. As we reached the room, the woman opened the door and turned to face us, holding it open. She was wearing a white t-shirt, with pink glittery text reading simply:
'Angels Exist'.
I was in a park and I saw a group of angels circling around a monument. They were moving as though on a convener belt and were almost cartoon like in their appearance. They had little 'bobble' heads and white cone shaped gowns, with wings. Their hands were in the classic 'prayer' position and they were just happily circling.
About ten years later, I was talking to one of my more 'mystical' friends. She explained to me that she had been reading about guardian angels and how we each had one. She told me that it was just a matter of finding out what their name was and then speaking to them. She had already gone to the trouble of finding out my angel's name for me- which she instructed me never to tell anyone else (I never have). She also told me that it was commonplace to ask for a 'sign' from your angel when you begin to communicate, which again we did.
I spent about a week with my eyes peeled, wondering if every breeze, every rustling of leaves on the ground was a sign from my angel, or if it was just.... wind.
At about this time, the same friend had introduced me to a set of story books about angels. I was very into these and was working my way through the series. That weekend, my parents and I were on our way to a meeting and during the car journey I was reading my angel book. As we got out of the car, I confided to my mum, that I thought I was starting to believe in angels but that I was still waiting for my 'sign'.
We arrived at the meeting venue and introduced ourselves at the reception. The receptionist asked a young woman to take us up to the room where our meeting would take place. We followed her. As we reached the room, the woman opened the door and turned to face us, holding it open. She was wearing a white t-shirt, with pink glittery text reading simply:
'Angels Exist'.
Magic Wand
Several years ago, my friend and I were going through a more specifically 'witchy' phase and I had purchased a few books on the subject.
I remember reading a section in one of these books called 'tools of the craft' where they described how to find yourself a wand. I read that you should go looking outside for sticks and that the right one would 'make itself known to you'. I also read that the wand should measure from the tip of your middle finger, to the inside crease of your elbow.
I went about my business, keeping an eye open for wands but no sticks leapt out at me from the bushes (probably a good thing in retrospect!). Then, one winter's day, I was with my parents at our local garden center, buying a Christmas tree. I love Christmas with every fibre of my being so this was always a special tradition and this garden center in particular, had a 'special spot' which I had visited every year since I was tiny. Each time, my parents would begin examining trees and I would skip off to this 'special place' and stay there until I heard them calling me to leave.
The 'special place' in question was always empty and I had always felt a real sense of mystique and magic whenever I was there. It is hard to put my finger on, but being there always stirred up the 'witchy' feelings in me. This particular year, I was wandering around my special place, letting my mind wander, when I saw a long stick on the ground. It was possibly part of a planting structure but it was just lying there. It was very long (a couple of meters) so I don't know why I picked it up, but I did. As I was looking at it, the weight caused it to bend and before I knew it, the top half had broken off completely, leaving me holding a smaller length.
I measured it and sure enough - the exact length of my middle finger tip to the inside of my elbow.
I took it home, cleaned it up and wrapped it in some colourful ribbon to mask the splinters where it had broken off. A nice little story of finding a wand at Christmas.
I remember reading a section in one of these books called 'tools of the craft' where they described how to find yourself a wand. I read that you should go looking outside for sticks and that the right one would 'make itself known to you'. I also read that the wand should measure from the tip of your middle finger, to the inside crease of your elbow.
I went about my business, keeping an eye open for wands but no sticks leapt out at me from the bushes (probably a good thing in retrospect!). Then, one winter's day, I was with my parents at our local garden center, buying a Christmas tree. I love Christmas with every fibre of my being so this was always a special tradition and this garden center in particular, had a 'special spot' which I had visited every year since I was tiny. Each time, my parents would begin examining trees and I would skip off to this 'special place' and stay there until I heard them calling me to leave.
The 'special place' in question was always empty and I had always felt a real sense of mystique and magic whenever I was there. It is hard to put my finger on, but being there always stirred up the 'witchy' feelings in me. This particular year, I was wandering around my special place, letting my mind wander, when I saw a long stick on the ground. It was possibly part of a planting structure but it was just lying there. It was very long (a couple of meters) so I don't know why I picked it up, but I did. As I was looking at it, the weight caused it to bend and before I knew it, the top half had broken off completely, leaving me holding a smaller length.
I measured it and sure enough - the exact length of my middle finger tip to the inside of my elbow.
I took it home, cleaned it up and wrapped it in some colourful ribbon to mask the splinters where it had broken off. A nice little story of finding a wand at Christmas.
Saturday, 17 August 2013
What 'Spirituality' Means to Me
My personal thoughts on 'spirituality' are that it should be just that - personal.
I should say upfront that I'm not religious, or a wiccan, or a pagan. I don't follow a 'faith' of any kind. Personally, I can see both positives and negatives of following those types of lifestyles and I prefer to judge people on their behavior, rather than which book they keep by their bed.
Having said that, I do consider myself to be a spiritual person. By this I mean that I feel strongly that there is more 'going on' (for want of a better phrase!) than we could possibly understand with our tiny human brains. I think that as a species, we have learned and developed in incredible ways but that we are naive if we think that we have it all 'sussed out'.
I'm not saying I know what 'else' there is, but I simply can't believe that we've seen, understood and quantified everything.
So to me, 'spirituality' is more like a feeling of a power within me, which gives me the sense that I can create a certain outcome. I view prayer, spell casting, meditation, the law of attraction, the power of suggestion and self-fulfilling prophecies very much as pages from the same book.
Some view it as purely psychological or scientific, whilst others see these things as a connection with a higher deity. I am open minded and (believe it or not) fairly skeptical when I want to be. I certainly believe whole-heartedly in science, logic and reason. However, whilst I accept certain things as factual, or 'true' I also believe that we should consider the possibilities of things which we haven't yet managed to explain.
I don't necessarily think that we need to explain them all. I just choose to keep an open mind about it, as that is my gut instinct.
So, I enjoy discovering my 'spirituality' and the possibilities it introduces. if you choose to read on, you may find that you have your own theories on the experiences I write about. You may think them shallow, or deeply philosophical (maybe both!). You may relate, or you may think me barmy.
Either way I am happy because spirituality, as I said, a very personal thing.
I should say upfront that I'm not religious, or a wiccan, or a pagan. I don't follow a 'faith' of any kind. Personally, I can see both positives and negatives of following those types of lifestyles and I prefer to judge people on their behavior, rather than which book they keep by their bed.
Having said that, I do consider myself to be a spiritual person. By this I mean that I feel strongly that there is more 'going on' (for want of a better phrase!) than we could possibly understand with our tiny human brains. I think that as a species, we have learned and developed in incredible ways but that we are naive if we think that we have it all 'sussed out'.
I'm not saying I know what 'else' there is, but I simply can't believe that we've seen, understood and quantified everything.
So to me, 'spirituality' is more like a feeling of a power within me, which gives me the sense that I can create a certain outcome. I view prayer, spell casting, meditation, the law of attraction, the power of suggestion and self-fulfilling prophecies very much as pages from the same book.
Some view it as purely psychological or scientific, whilst others see these things as a connection with a higher deity. I am open minded and (believe it or not) fairly skeptical when I want to be. I certainly believe whole-heartedly in science, logic and reason. However, whilst I accept certain things as factual, or 'true' I also believe that we should consider the possibilities of things which we haven't yet managed to explain.
I don't necessarily think that we need to explain them all. I just choose to keep an open mind about it, as that is my gut instinct.
So, I enjoy discovering my 'spirituality' and the possibilities it introduces. if you choose to read on, you may find that you have your own theories on the experiences I write about. You may think them shallow, or deeply philosophical (maybe both!). You may relate, or you may think me barmy.
Either way I am happy because spirituality, as I said, a very personal thing.
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