Why Do Bad Things Happen?

March 9, 2014 / Moonwater / 1 Comment

Asthma

I can’t breathe. I’m in the Emergency Room area, waiting. But they’re not taking me in. They’re leaving me in the waiting room.

That’s how I felt a few days ago. It was my second time in the hospital in 24 hours. There’s no other word for it: suffering. I felt a big weight on my chest, preventing me from taking in an adequate breath.

In my suffering, some thoughts rose up. Why are the Gods letting this happen to me? Haven’t I been serving Their plan well enough?

Can you relate to this? Perhaps, you’re suffering now. Or you’ve suffered in the recent past. It’s hard to reconcile a vision of the Gods’ love for us with the suffering we endure.

There’s a secret that I want to share with you. The Gods do love us. And in this divine love they know that we’ve signed up for a life in which we grow. The tough truth is: suffering is part of our path of learning and becoming who we truly are.

Suffering forms us and sculpts us through the experiences we go through, both good and bad.

You may say: “I didn’t ask for this.

You’re right.

But you do want something—the freedom to become what you can become. We incarnate in bodies that can manifest, at times, as fragile. Difficult times will happen. How we participate in life (including suffering) shapes us.

For example, I don’t want to experience pain related to clinical depression, but that’s something I deal with. This process gives me a whole different viewpoint.

In recent days, I’m dealing with a whole new, terrible burden: extreme asthma. When I can’t breathe, I feel like I’m dying. That gives me a different perspective.

I’ll tell one gift that comes with both clinical depression and extreme asthma: compassion. I feel great compassion for people who have these burdens–and other people who have heavy burdens.

As Wiccans, we do have an advantage when dealing with suffering. Our faith can sustain us. We can know that the Gods are present to support us as we travel our path, especially when we’re suffering.

Call upon the Gods. Do ritual. Feel your divine connection.

The Gods are rooting for you. They are here to help guide you through these events. They support you in your times of need. They celebrate in your times of triumph.

Just remember the Gods are here for you and are always by your side. Even when you don’t see it.

They are our cheerleaders and our coaches in life. They teach by example and with love.

Now I ask you: What have you learned through times of suffering? How can you call upon the Gods for Their divine support? (Please share in the comments section.)

Blessings,

Moonwater SilverClaw

How to Release Yourself from Self-Judgment

July 14, 2013 / Moonwater / Leave a comment

Writing the Book

How to Release Yourself from Self-Judgment

I never expected to be a writer, but the Gods visited me in a dream. I have dyslexia: Writing was the furthest thing from my imagination. In fact, my degrees are in art and web/graphic design.

But the Gods gave me a task: Write a book for beginners of the Craft that is straightforward and easy to read.

When I awoke, I felt excited but scared about how I could possibly accomplish this book-writing task. I knew the demands of writing a book because I have close friends who are writers.

How could I possibly write enough to fill a whole book?! It was agony to merely read the first book in the Harry Potter series due to my dyslexia.

I started to compare myself to other writers by thinking “I’m not a Scott Cunningham or a Starhawk. What am I to do?

I kept thinking about all the other writers of books I had slowly read. Their books were so good. I couldn’t match that. The anxiety grabbed me in the chest and I had trouble breathing.

But I strongly believe in the Gods. I know the Gods would not set me up to fail. They love me, and if they say I can do it, I can.

The hardest part for me wasn’t the task itself, but the constant comparing that I did, placing myself against other writers.

With all of my misspellings, I took blows to my self-esteem each day. My mind raced with negative thoughts of no one will care about what I have to say; no will read it, and this will never help anyone.

With all this negativity in my mind, it’s a miracle I got anything done.

But I stopped and used many of the techniques I discussed in my last post “The Quick Mood Pick-me-up for Wiccans“.

I slowly began to realize something. I cannot compare myself to anyone else. Why? The book I’m writing is a snapshot in time of me. It’s about my truth. No one can write it for me.

I was so busy comparing myself to others when in reality there is no comparison. There can’t be. I am me, no one else, and all those racing thoughts were not true.

Someone will read my book (my editors, for example)
People will be able to easily read it because my editors will smooth out any rough sections (I love my editors!)
Someone cares about what I have to say (that someone is me!)
My book has already helped someone, me.

My book taught me a valuable lesson: Don’t judge or compare yourself to others.

We all have gifts, different levels of ability. These combinations make us unique and strong. No one else has our particular knowledge and unique set of talents, and this makes each of us special.

Comparing my special to your special cannot be done. It’s like comparing strawberries and octopi. Because our experiences in life are all slightly or dramatically different (as in different cultures). You just can’t compare the two. They are not the same.

All I need to do is remember strawberries and octopi.

You’re special. Drop comparing yourself to others.

Bring your own special gifts to bear.

The Gods love you and enjoy when you express your creativity.

Blessings,

Moonwater

Autumn Harvest

November 20, 2012 / Moonwater / Leave a comment

Autumn Leaves

Merry Meet.

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. The trees change into their autumn colors, readying for their long winter slumber. We take this moment to reflect on our lives, looking at what we’ve accomplished and how far we’ve come.

If last Fall someone would have told me, “You will be a blogger,” I would have laughed. Yeah right, a dyslexic blogger.

Well, I feel called to write this blog. And thank you for reading it.

Looking at this season and the blessings I have, I’ll share what I am harvesting now.

First, I appreciate my readers, without whom I’d have no reason for this blog to continue. I wish to serve my community and you’re helping me do it. Thank you.

I also wish to educate those who don’t understand what the craft is about. Some people may not yet identify themselves as pagan, but they’d like more information. I wish to be as open as I can to those who truly wish to learn.

Second, I am thankful for my editors, who guide me to improve my writing. I am now harvesting my editors’ kindness and patience. So thank you.

These are just a few of the things residing in my cornucopia this year. What’s in yours? What things are you harvesting right now?

Book Update

My book, The Hidden Children of the Goddess, is coming along nicely. The book has been “ping-ponging” between my editors and me.

The book is now in round three of the editing process. Soon my editor will return my manuscript with her notes. Then I’ll continue to refine it. This book writing road has been a lot longer than I had expected. I’m hoping the end product of my labors will be sweet for my readers.

It’s important to me to serve those beginning the path of Wicca. I am hoping that my book educates and inspires those who seek the Path.

Blessed Be,

Moonwater SilverClaw

Being dyslexic sucks!

September 18, 2012September 19, 2012 / Moonwater / 2 Comments

Spider

Being dyslexic sucks!

“Write a blog” the gods say; “teach online” the gods say.

Well, you just don’t argue with the gods, I say. So here I am! Dyslexia in all its glory. Did I mention how much I love my editors?!

Without my editors this blog would be: “The hidden hcipen of the Doggess.”

So if there is anything not quite “write” with my “righting,” you will have to excuse me and my rapidly balding editors! They must scream a lot at night.

Growing up this way wasn’t a simple feat. Trying to learn anything was a challenge, especially when it came to Wicca. When I started out I didn’t have a mentor. So anything I was to learn came from books, and there was no one to explain anything to me. Yeah, you see where this is going, don’t you?

It took me obviously a lot longer to learn anything in the beginning. But I look at this as my “Are you willing to suffer to learn?” moment. When I was in 8^th grade, I had a 3^rd grade reading/spelling level. This is not something I am proud of, but it was a fact of life for me then. Then there were the children laughing at me, and pointing at me. Not good for my low self-esteem, either. Everything was in books when I started on my path with the craft.

So I’ve converted my long, frustrated hours reading, into condensed, convenient posts just for you. In fact, this is why I generally write brief posts. Now the next dyslexic witch will have an easier time with learning the craft, if they can’t find a mentor.

Now you know the story. ‘Till next time.

Blessed be,

Moonwater Silverclaw