“I can’t take any more of this,” Todd, a workshop participant, said.
“Would you tell me more?” I asked.
“I feel overwhelmed,” he replied.
I felt great empathy for his situation. This began a valuable conversation.
So, what do you do when your back is against the wall?
Figure out how to lessen the overload
Draw a vertical line down the middle of a sheet of paper. On the left side, list the top three situations that are impinging on you. Directly across from each stressful situation, note two things you might do that could relieve some of your pain. Here’s a helpful angle about this process: Somewhere, somehow, there’s a lesson in all this. Consider writing in a journal about your thoughts and feelings that arise.
Ask the Gods for Guidance
Meditation is the key here. During your meditation session, breathe in deeply. Ask the God and Goddess, “Please guide me for my good and the good of all involved.” You can also ask, “Is there a lesson for me to learn here?”
Do a ritual to help alleviate the pain
Ritual is a great process for releasing negative energy—to flush it away.
Also, during a ritual you can create and enhance positive energy.
“Are there red flags when a coven screens prospective students and members?” one of my readers asked.
Here are considerations that covens I know consider:
Is the person …
On time? Does the person get to the meeting place a bit early? Being late is disrespectful to the coven leader and wastes their time. This gives everyone a bad feeling. Be a bit early.
Reliable? Does the person bring the items he or she is supposed to bring? In a coven, we rely on each other to bring those items we need. How can you do a candle ritual without candles? Fulfill your commitments.
Trustworthy? Does the person own up to his or her mistakes? A person who cannot admit a mistake is not trustworthy. How can they improve if they cannot see the error? Admit mistakes, resolve to improve and make amends.
Hard working? Does the person complete homework and other assignments? Make sure you demonstrate your commitment by completing assignments.
Dedicated? Does the person take the class and the information seriously? Do they study hard and treat the subject with respect? This is how you demonstrate that you really want to be a priest or priestess.
Ever get sick? Not just a cold. I mean, have you been really sick?
When I’m in such a tough time, I make space to get more rest (during which I ask for the Gods’ healing). Then there’s chicken soup—lots of it.
When I’m really physically ill, I ask for my coven’s help.
A Spell of Healing
What you will need:
One Blue Candle
Healing oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
Candle Holder
Three Stones (your choice) – Moss Agate, Axinite, Beryllonite, Crocoite, Red Jade
Your Ritual Tools
Chamomile Tea
The Sick Person
Chicken Noodle Soup (or other appropriate soup)
Warm freshly laundered blanket to be blessed
Rattle
On your altar, place the Blue Candle. Add healing stones around the candle in the form of a triangle. Put the warmed-up soup on the altar next to the candle on the left. Place the blanket on the right with the rattle on top of it and the Chamomile Tea behind the Blue Candle.
In your Circle the altar will be in the north section. The sick person sits in the middle of the Circle.
Cast your Circle.
Bless the rattle, stones, tea, Blue Candle, soup and blanket by holding each in turn saying:
I do bless this (name of item) that it may heal by the Gods’ hands.
Dress your candle with the healing oil, rubbing from wick to base.
And say:
I pull healing energy to (Name of Person).
Light the Blue Candle and say:
I now heal (Name of Person).
Shake the rattle above the sick person’s head while they take a sip of the soup. Next, with the soup, you walk widdershins (the opposite of clockwise) around the cast Circle’s edge.
At each quarter, say:
West: With this soup, I banish all illness from the blood
South: With this soup, I banish all illness from the spirit
East: With this soup, I banish all illness from the breath
North: With this soup, I banish all illness from this body! So, Mote It Be!
Bring the soup to the sick person. Have them partake of the soup again. Shake the rattle over the sick person’s head, as the person eats the soup, and say:
I cleanse you of all illness.
Go to the alar and pick up the cup of tea.
Have the sick person take a sip of the tea. With the tea, you walk widdershins (the opposite of clockwise) around the cast Circle’s edge.
At each quarter starting with the West, say:
West: With this tea, I banish all illness from the blood
South: With this tea, I banish all illness from the spirit
East: With this tea, I banish all illness from the breath
North: With this tea, I banish all illness from this body! So, Mote It Be!
Bring the tea to the sick person. Have them partake of the tea again. Shake the rattle, as the person drinks the tea, and say:
I cleanse you of all illness.
At the altar, hold your athame over the blanket and say:
I call all healing energies to infuse this blanket.
Let it heal the body as well as the soul.
Wrap the blanket around the sick person saying:
You are healed with the Gods’ love.
Do the Cakes and Wine Ceremony.
Close your Circle.
Give the person space to rest and recover.
May this rite bring healing to you or someone dear to you.
Ever find that your Inner Critic beats you up emotionally?
Some of us ask, “What’s an Inner Critic?” That’s the part of you that won’t give you a break. Instead of saying, “You made a mistake,” the Inner Critic says, “What the hell is the matter with you?”
The Inner Critic is a voice inside you that kicks you when you’re down.
Here is a Self-Affirmation Chant to help you exert your inner power.
Self-Affirmation Chant
Inner critic, listen up, You don’t think I make the cut. Listen now and listen good, Just stop pushing “should.” I silence you from ruining my day, Now my Higher Spirit has the last say. Confidence and good thoughts surround me, As I so will, So Mote it Be.
May you guide your Inner Critic to quiet down.
Demote the Inner Critic to just a member of your committee of voices in your thoughts.
Invite the Gods to enhance the power of your Higher Spirit.
Some years ago, I faced the week before I was to give my first workshop. I was a wreck. Have you ever faced something that scared you, and you felt like it was coming for you—like a train with teeth?
No matter what, I was going to give that workshop. What if the attendees didn’t like the material? What if they didn’t like me giving the workshop? What if—?!
Recently, I was talking to a friend. The subjects included fear, the Goddess and what makes a good life.
I shared, “I’ve learned that even when my depression symptoms make my experiences ‘gray’, there were moments when the sun shone through. These times were when I faced fear and went forward. These were moments when I stretched, and I grew. I felt that I had, even briefly, connected with life.”
She said, “Yeah, I see that. But those moments, when I need courage, are still tough.”
A Prayer for When You Need Courage
Have you been in situations when you felt, “If only I had some confidence—some courage”?
Prayer for Courage
Eyes clenched in fear, I want to feel You Near. Goddess show me the light, Lend me some of Your might. Eyes once shut now opened wide, To see You, Goddess, on my side. Worry go, and fade away, Confidence now—Goddess have Your say. As I So Will, So Mote It Be.
May this prayer support you as you engage life with courage and hope.
“How do I have a good PantheaCon experience?” Judy, a newbie, asked me.
Since this year’s PantheaCon will be at least the 11th year I have attended, I had a bunch of ideas rise in my mind.
“Start with the basics,” I began. “Enough sleep, good food, enough water, and pace yourself … oh, and don’t try to see everything.”
In this post, I’ll share ideas about having a good PantheaCon experience. Many of these ideas I’ve shared in previous posts.
For PantheaCon 2019, I’m thinking about Setting an Intention when I wake up—before attending PantheaCon for the day.
Here is a Prayer:
Lord and Lady, I’m grateful for PantheaCon and today, In so many ways. May I meet old friends and make new friends, Creating goodwill that never ends. May I have and keep a good personal shield, Protected from negative energies so that they yield. May I enjoy many moments of joy and inspiration, Learning much from every situation. Thank you, Lord and Lady. So Mote It Be.
More Thoughts on PantheaCon
Later, I reflected on the whole PantheaCon experience, and I had more thoughts …
Enjoy What Is There – “Let it be what it is”
“What did you learn last year at PantheaCon?” a friend, Jimmy, asked.
“Enjoy what is there, and let it be what it is,” I replied. By this I mean, pay attention to your expectations and how attached you might be to them. If you hold too tightly to certain expectations, you might feel devastated if they’re not met. Some people say, “Oh, that ruined my conference experience.”
On the other hand, just let the PantheaCon experience be what it is. Yes, you’ll find people of like mind and faith at the conference. It can be a great place to connect with people.
But if you’re a newbie, you may be held at arm’s length by some people because they don’t know you. Don’t take it personally. After your first year, people will know you. Then closer relationships will be possible.
Enjoy what’s in front of you.
My husband tells a story about how he knew a family that always complained about the restaurant food in front of them. It was always: “The fish is more tender at the XY Restaurant” or “I preferred the noodles at the AB Restaurant.” Nobody was simply enjoying what was in front of them. That is, the exception was my husband, who would say, “This works for me.”
“Wiccans listen to the Earth. They don’t shut out the lessons that She is so desperately trying to teach us…. Don’t shut out the physical world in favor of the spiritual or magical realms, for only through nature can we experience these realities.” – Scott Cunningham
Just as Wiccans listen to the Earth, listen to your own body. Do you need to take a break? Get a nap? Walk outside and get away from people for a time?
Pay attention to your body and the energies around you. You will learn a lot.
Align yourself to your “rhythms” during the event
Know when you have had enough. Don’t stay until you can’t think straight. Especially, be careful if you must drive home or to another hotel.
Some people around you may have similar beliefs andthey may be people who are upside-down—feeling upset about something. Make sure that you take care of yourself. Avoid being vulnerable to picking up other people’s negative energy. In my recent e-newsletter, I wrote:
“If you’re attending PantheaCon, you might want to use this following Shielding Chant to help you stay empowered in such a highly stimulating situation. This Shielding Chant can be used at times when regular shielding isn’t enough.
The InstaCircle Chant for Shielding
As you say this chant, you will take your power hand, (usually your dominant hand) and trace a Circle three times above and around your head. When you do the movements, you will envision the energy streaming from your index finger.
Soon, you will point to the heavens and pull the energy from there to the ground.
Here is the InstaCircle process with the movements:
Using your power hand, trace the Circle three times.
I cast my Circle thrice,
round, round and round.
Point your index finger up to the heavens and then pull energy down to the ground.
Let no bane get in,
From heavens to ground.
May this InstaCircle Chant process bless your life.”
Honor your own rhythms. Recently, I was reading some material by Doreen Valiente, when I came across this quote:
“This deliberate pacing of the circle is called ‘circumambulating.’ It is different from the wild joyousness of the round dance.” – Doreen Valiente
Sometimes, you want to do a “deliberate pace” and get some rest and other times, you’ll probably want to experience some higher energy activities at PantheaCon.
(Note: Having a lot of people in a small space like a hotel can spread germs a lot. Consider washing your hands often or using hand sanitizer. It is good to not only put up our spiritual wards, but keep up our physical wards. You’ll want to avoid catching ill—something known as “Con Crud.”)
In summary, let your PantheaCon experience be what it is, and align yourself to your rhythms during the event.
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