goddess

Fortifying Your Boundaries (a Witch’s Perspective)

/ Moonwater / 1 Comment

“I’ve reached the end of my rope,” my friend, Rhonda, said. “I can’t bend anymore. I can’t take any more.”

I nodded.

I saw it in Rhonda’s eyes.
She knew that I understood.

That’s because she knew my story.
During my first marriage, I told my husband that we needed to have food in the house. But he didn’t care. He took care of himself by buying fast food. And overspending on his own video games.

That, plus more details, inspired me to go for a real boundary of “I’m not going to live like this.” I filed for divorce. One of my best decisions.

I have insights for you.

1. State your boundary. Make it brief. Say, “I need this.”

    During my first marriage, I would try to “make my case.”
    He did not listen. He did not care.
    Instead, I’ve learned to say, “I need this walkway clear.”

    That’s the full thought.

    I don’t need to plead and have to justify what I need.

    I have worth as a human being. The Gods placed divinity within me. And within you.

    “Live your earthly life fully, but try to see the spiritual aspects of your activities as well. Remember—the physical and spiritual are but reflections of each other.” – Scott Cunningham

    2. Realize that your boundary mirrors boundaries in nature.

    “We cannot and must not give love to others before we have respect and love for ourselves.” – Scott Cunningham

    Realize that the Goddess wants your well-being.

    I remember that the bark of a Redwood Tree is highly fire-resistant.

    The bark protects the tree’s core. Redwoods can survive all but the most extreme fires.

    Again, we, witches, learn from nature.

    Maintain a good and strong boundary.

    You, like the glorious Redwood Tree, are loved and valued by the God and Goddess.

    Here is a prayer you can use.

    Gods,
    Surround me with your protection,
    Like the mother bear who protects her young,
    Or the lion who protects his pride.
    Here me now, and surround me with
    your protection on this Day/Night!
    So Mote It Be!

    May these insights support you on your path.

    Blessed Be,
    Moonwater

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    Choose the Goddess When Moments Are Dark (a Witch’s Perspective)

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    “How much choice do we have?” my friend, Alex, asked.

    “I always go back to what Doreen Valiente wrote in The Wiccan Rede:
    An it harm none, do what ye will.” I said.

    Later, I reflected on this conversation.

    I have two insights about this.

    1. “An it harm none” includes you.

    Sometimes, we must make the bold choice. Why? Because we might harm ourselves by “not even trying.”
    You might try a class. Or ask someone if they’d like to have coffee with you sometime.

    Also, we must be careful of addictions.

    My sweetheart is addicted to YouTube Shorts with golden retrievers and kittens (Don’t ask.)

    So, when he needs more sleep, he promises two friends that he will avoid YouTube Shorts for the day.
    Then he avoids harming himself due to lack of sleep.

    2. Think about what you really control.

    I notice that stoicism emphasizes that we only really control our thoughts and responses.

    Many external events, plus the opinions of others, are outside of our control.

    “You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius

    We may not control our first thought.

    But our second thought can be towards the Goddess.

    You can use a prayer like this:

    Goddess,
    Show me what I can change,
    and help me understand
    what is out of my control.
    Strengthen my virtue and my heart,
    For my love is strong for You.
    So Mote It Be.

    May these insights support your journey.

    Blessed Be,
    Moonwater

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    You May Be Surprised (A Witch’s Perspective)

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    The Triple Goddess symbol of the waxing, full, and waning moon over dark background. (Photo of the moon: NASA)

    “I’m exhausted,” my friend, Amy, said.
    “Your Sjögren’s syndrome is a lot to bear,” I said.

    Part of caring for my friends is to listen well.
    I ask questions, and they discover details for themselves.

    I asked, “Would you be okay with exploring two ideas?”
    I waited. Maybe she was too tired at this moment on the phone.

    “It’s okay,” she said.

    “What does the fearful part of you say?” I asked.

    “That I’m done. My life is going to stay in this box of illness. That I’m going to have this level of pain until I leave this planet.”

    We talked some more.

    A few minutes later, I asked, “What would Goddess say?”

    This stumped her.

    She paused.

    I waited.

    Eventually, she said that Goddess would encourage her. Goddess, would say, “Be compassionate with yourself. Because you are My child. Pain has different colors and textures. You’ll have times when you won’t think about the pain.”

    Later, I reflected on this.

    Often, I return to the words of the Goddess, in The Charge of the Goddess, as written by Doreen Valiente:

    “Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it; let naught stop you or turn you aside.  … Let My worship be within the heart that rejoices, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.  And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you.” – The Goddess speaking in The Charge of the Goddess, written by Doreen Valiente

    May these insights support your journey.

    Blessed Be,
    Moonwater

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    See What the Goddess Reveals (A Witch’s Perspective)

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    “I feel so vulnerable,” Sheri, a friend, said.
    I nodded. I deeply related to this.
    I reflected on this later.

    What if we could align ourselves with Goddess? What if we could know Her power?
    And, we can!

    Goddess and the God placed divinity within us.
    That is our essential identity. Yes, our essence.

    Here is something that stands out: the Goddess’s Principles.
    Here is a definition of principle:

    A principle is a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning. – Oxford Languages

    We can find some of Goddess’s principles as she speaks in the writing of Doreen Valiente:

    “Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it; let naught stop you or turn you aside.  … Let My worship be within the heart that rejoices, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.  And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you.” – The Goddess speaking in The Charge of the Goddess, written by Doreen Valiente

    Here is a prayer to support you in your own identity.

    My Gracious Goddess,
    Show me my own beauty and strength,
    My own power and compassion,
    Let me strive for honor and humility, mirth and reverence in all I do.
    Let me see myself in You, and You in myself.
    So Mote It Be.

    May these insights support your path.

    Blessed Be,
    Moonwater

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    Sleepless with Regret or Shame? Goddess Is Present (a Witch’s Perspective)

    / Moonwater / 2 Comments

    It happened again. I thought about something I regretted. It looked like I wouldn’t get sleep.
    Then I shifted my thoughts. I brought an image to my sleep-deprived mind.
    I am floating in the ocean. Peaceful.
    The waves softly flow.
    The Ocean is Goddess.

    Eventually, I fall asleep.

    Later, I reflected on this.

    Here are two definitions:

    “Regret is an emotion. It’s a negative emotion in that it’s an emotion that makes us feel worse, not better. And it’s an emotion that’s triggered when we think of something from our past and wish we had done something differently, done something in a different way, not done something, taken an action, not taken an action.” – Daniel Pink

    “Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.” – Brené Brown

    Whoa! Stop!

    Goddess put divinity within us.
    We ARE worthy of love and belonging.
    We belong to the Goddess.

    I remember this quote:

    “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou

    So I need to shift from regret to reflecting on what I may want to do differently in the future.

    Here’s a prayer you can use.

    Goddess,
    Let Your waters of love caress and flow within and without me.
    Let my shame and regret be washed from my mind, body, and soul.
    Soothe me, nourish me, and heal me.
    So Mote It Be.

    May these insights support your journey.

    Blessed Be,
    Moonwater

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    Missing Closeness in Relationships – See What Goddess Points To … (A Witch’s Perspective)

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    “I don’t think she cares anymore,” my friend, Bert, said of his wife.

    I reflected on this.

    Bert, like many men, places all the burden of emotional support on his wife.

    It’s heavy!

    A comedian noted that when a wife dies, the man falls apart.

    However, when the man dies, the widow carries on with grace because she has a group of women to support her.

    I thought about this. The Goddess directs our attention to nature.

    I have two insights for you.

    1. In an ecosystem, each being plays a role.

    I like sharks. Now, do I want to swim with them? – No!

    There was a book called How to Swim with the Sharks…

    No thanks. I’ll swim in a swimming pool.

    But sharks, the coral reef, lionfish, sea turtles, and sea anemones all play a role.

    So, if you want more closeness in a relationship, make sure you have an ecosystem – that is, a community.

    Then, you can relieve the relationship of some emotional burden.

    You can come back together refreshed and open to your special bond.

    2. The Goddess revels in Her Three Phases.

    The God respects the Goddess. And She respects Herself.

    We, witches, find grace and peace when we flow through our phases.

    I think about my teen years. My face had no creases.

    But I’ll celebrate my wisdom right now.

    How about you?

    Are you finding your personal value in the phase of life you’re in now?

    May these insights support your path.

    Blessed Be,
    Moonwater

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    3 Signs You Are on the Right Path (A Witch’s Perspective)

    / Moonwater / 2 Comments

    At fourteen years old, I met the God and Goddess. It was a big surprise. Especially because I was on a retreat for a “conventional religious path.” The retreat leaders sent the attendees into the forest to have quiet time alone. (Well! They would have been surprised to hear about MY experience.)

    I didn’t see the God and Goddess. I felt Their Prescence. The big difference was that my depression symptoms quieted down. Peace flowed over me.

    Every day, my depression symptoms were like a rake clawing my arm. (But worse.)

    Then, when the God and Goddess appeared … it was like I let out a big, cleansing sigh.

    I have three insights for you.

    Here are signs that you’re on the right path …

    1. The Gods introduce themselves to you.

      In my experience and that of others I know, the Gods appear in the time of silence. Some people get “auditory Guidance.”

      My friend, Tiana, gets an “intuitive zing” up her back.

      From experience, she knows that the Gods are supporting her and guiding her.

      2. You see signs of affirmation.

      Imagine you actually see signs that you’re on the right path.

      You may see certain animals that represent the God and the Goddess. Perhaps, you’ll see a mature buck, raven, owl, white heron, or hawk. These animals are good signs that the Gods are guiding you.

      3. You have a knowing or intuitive sense of what to do.

      Sometimes, the Gods lead you through your intuition.

      The first time I encountered a book about Wicca in a bookstore (I miss you Borders!) … I felt like I was coming home.

      You may observe nature and feel a direct connection to something going on in your mundane life.

      Have you suddenly felt relief? – like a weight lifted from your shoulder?

      Or has your chest felt warm and full?

      It can be different for each individual.

      What we do observe is that one often needs to “go quiet” and “make space” for the knowing to appear.

      Learning the Craft is a path.

      Do you feel at home on this path?

      May these insights support your journey.

      Blessed Be,
      Moonwater

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      Open the Door to the Goddess’s Embrace (a Witch’s Perspective)

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      My parents dragged me—as a little girl—to Sunday church service. Often, the church leader would talk about how wretched the people in the chairs were. They had to be wrecks so they would need to be “saved.”

      I could feel my head shaking. Even at eight years old, I knew this was not my group. This was not where I belonged.

      Over the years, I’ve learned that a primary way to feel the divinity the Gods placed in you is to go to the place of “letting go.”

      — to let go of limiting beliefs

      — to let go of needing approval

      — to let go of needing to fit in with the “in-crowd”

      — to let go of the narrative that one is born innately inadequate.

      Instead, I learned to shift to a space of wholeness.

      When I communicate with the Goddess, I feel on two levels. My awareness opens. And, I feel embraced. Yes, I feel this hug on the physical level.

      Would you like to make a daily time, perhaps when you awaken, or before you sleep, so you can open the door to the Goddess’s embrace?

      May these insights support your path.

      Blessed Be,
      Moonwater

      Enroll in my Online Course Beyond the Law of Attraction to Real Magick At Udemy.com

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      Beltane 2025

      / Moonwater / 2 Comments

      Sunflowers

      Sunflowers

      Happy Beltane to all! May you be blessed with the season’s energies.

      Beltane

      To our ancestors, Beltane celebrates the beginning of summer. Bale or “bon” fires are an important part of the Beltane Sabbat. All fires at home or in shops were extinguished and then re-lit from the sacred bonfires that blazed on the tops of the surrounding hills. This was also the time when the herds were blessed. The people marched their cattle around and between the bonfires to bring good luck and fertility and to protect them during the year.

      The Sabbat Beltane, coincides with when the God actually impregnates the Goddess. This sacred act ensures the continued fertility for crops and animals throughout the light half of the year (between the Spring and Fall Equinoxes.)  A popular symbol for this sacred act, the May Pole represents the impregnation of the goddess. A May Pole is a pole set erect in the ground with ribbons attached on the top. People then each take a ribbon and dance in a weaving pattern around the pole. The pole represents God’s phallus and the colorful ribbons that the dancers wind around the May Pole represent the goddess with her flowers a-blooming. And so the impregnation of the Goddess is fulfilled.

      Blessed be,

      Moonwater SilverClaw

      Happy Ostara 2025

      / Moonwater / 2 Comments

      Spring Arrives with Ostara

      Spring Arrives with Ostara

      Ostara

      Ostara happens at the Spring (Vernal) Equinox. The days becomes equal to the night, and the light finally overcomes the darkness of winter. Ostara’s theme is fertility. The God courts the Goddess and their sexual energies of desire flow over the Earth, leading to a burst of new life and growth upon the land by the plants and the animals. Here the courting God and Goddess’s desire to mate drive the Earth and its inhabitants to mate and bring new life to the land.

      The Teutonic goddess of spring, Easter brings her symbol of the egg and her patron animal, the rabbit. Wiccans celebrate Easter during the Ostara Sabbat. The Christian Church tried to stamp out celebrations of Easter and her symbols of fertility (the egg and the rabbit), but they had become too deeply embedded in the people’s hearts. Christians got their Easter eggs and rabbits from this Goddess. How many Christians know that when they celebrate Easter, they’re using a term originated by Pagans?

      Generally, eggs are a popular representation of fertility and new life. Early Wiccans revered the “cosmic egg,” as many refer to it, for the secrets it held; it contained and produced life. It looked like a stone but held life within.

      Wiccan activities on Ostara include coloring eggs and decorating them with fertility symbols, and then hiding them for children to find.

      Blessed be,

      Moonwater SilverClaw