Moonwater reveals that you have a hidden choice. You can connect with your divinity placed by the Goddess and God within you. You can untangle yourself from being smothered by problems. You can embrace gratitude, so you shift to the level of the Goddess. Learn a powerful prayer.
For more on how to deal with disruption and chaos, see Moonwater’s new book, World On Fire. Check it out with the link below.
Yeah, I flunked kindergarten. This made me into “compliant girl.” I had to live up to my parents’ standards about my grades and more. By the way, eventually, I was diagnosed as a person who has dyslexia.
So, there’s that phrase “live up to.”
As a girl, if I said anything original and an expression of my true self, I was chastised.
Yes, these were the parents who dragged me to THEIR church.
Recently, I had a conversation with a spiritual elder. The topic of “live into” versus “live up to” arose.
We, Witches, are called to LIVE INTO the divinity the Goddess and God placed within us.
We do not need to gain someone’s approval.
Each one of us is a unique expression of that divinity.
I remember one of my early boyfriends. I did not feel comfortable expressing my Wiccan spiritual path. So, I said nothing.
Are you finding that you tend to “live up” to someone else’s expectations?
What if you were free to “live into” your true spiritual path and destiny?
Here is a prayer you can use.
My Gracious Lady, Help me let go of others’ limiting expectations, Lord of the Greenwood, Help me live into my true destiny! So Mote It Be
Moonwater reveals how to endure the death of a dream and make space for new possibilities and new dreams. She refers to the process with a forest fire that makes space for new seedlings to grow. Learn a prayer to invite Goddess to support your transformation.
Do you know what sells more than sex? Rage. The algorithms in social media are, reportedly, geared to make people react in anger or rage.
Anger in times of chaos is understandable. In fact, my new book, World On Fire: How Witches and Wiccans Transcend the Chaos and Find Their Peace, has three sections on anger. Also, not-a-fun fact, the word “anger” shows up 45 times in this book. Good news: There is a section about how to shift so you can get sleep even if you start angry.
Here, let’s talk about shifting away from falling into a reaction. When you pause and take a breath, you can make a transition to a healthy response. Not a reaction.
Breath of the Loving Goddess
Breath supports and heals you.
So, take a deep breath in, and breathe in the love of the Goddess.
Hold…
In your mind, say, “I breathe in peace. Goddess, thank you.”
Then exhale.
In your mind, picture tension, stress, and pain exiting your body as if you are exhaling black smoke out of your mouth.
In your mind, say, “I breathe out all stress, pain, and tension.”
Repeat this process 9 times.
A warning: As with any form of exercise or exertion, consult with your doctor. Some people may need to be careful about getting lightheaded or hyperventilating.
Have you heard that researchers point to 15% of men (in the U.S.A.) report having no close friends? That is a fivefold increase from 1990. Back then it was only 3% of men reported having no close friends.
I add this to our conversation because we all need support and even opportunities to be kind. For my readers who are covens, it creates community.
So, let’s practice putting a metaphorical “pause” on the destructive thoughts.
Ask yourself, “What would Goddess say?”
Listen for something positive. Something supportive. Something that inspires you to grow and enjoy your spiritual path.
“What’s good for you—that’s Wicca—that you don’t do?” my friend, Margarette, said. “Meditate more often,” I said. “What holds you back?” “It’s a freakin’ cliché. I have no time in the morning. I’m too tired at the end of the day. And, I spend my day mostly taking care of my parents (often). And one diabetic cat,” I said, my shoulders drooping. Margarette nodded. She looked sad.
I have an insight for you.
Attach The Good For You Action to Something You’re Already Doing
Something good for me is to do an action that makes me feel better.
For example, my husband massages my back every night. (Yeah, I feel lucky.)
But I just don’t get around to massaging his back.
I don’t feel good about not supporting the Love of My Life.
Except, now I’m turning that around. Now, I’ll take 10 seconds to massage the trapezius muscles next to his neck when I walk past him to my workstation (in our home).
10 seconds is better than nothing.
He smiles and says, “Wow! You remove a lot of tension from my trapezius muscles in a short time!”
So I’m going to walk past him anyway. I’ve just attached being kind to my husband (and I feel better) to my daily action.
My way to add Wicca to these 10 Seconds is to say a prayer like: “God and Goddess, thank you for my sweetheart. May he feel safe in my arms and loved.”
What would be good for you to add to your daily life?
Here’s a helpful prayer.
Goddess, Guide me to make time for What’s good for me, What’s important to me, What makes me smile. So Mote It Be.
“Wow. Sharon made the situation about her. I don’t think she even heard me,” Alicia, a friend said—about Sharon, a spiritual elder.
I’ve noticed that Spiritual Elders have a choice: “talk from your history” or “be present.”
Here are two points.
1. Continue to refocus “back to the present.”
“For behold, I am the Mother of All Things…. For I am the Soul of Nature who giveth life to the universe.” – The Goddess in The Charge of the Goddess, as written by Doreen Valiente
What does an attentive mother do? She asks, “Where does it hurt? What do you need?”
You’re staying present is a gift to the other person.
Do you stay present, or are you just waiting to push your point on the other person?
2. Notice if you’re talking from your history.
When I say, “a big dog,” where did your mind go? My mind goes back to a pack of dogs that I encountered as a 7-year-old girl. 8 dogs. One little girl. And terror.
I still hold fear from that time.
But what does that fear do? It takes me out of this present moment.
Let’s say I visit a new friend, and she has a golden retriever. A friendly being. But I’m shaking due to being triggered by the past.
Now, nothing is invalid about my talking about my past life.
But that does not mean it is relevant to the person I talk to today.
I once heard the author Tom Marcoux say, “New variables may invalidate past experience.”
I can learn more about dogs.
I can pay attention in the moment to the person who is speaking.
And, a spiritual elder can hold a sacred trust of “being present” with the person.
Here is a prayer:
Blessed Mother, Give me the sight of this Present Moment. Free me of past fear and the echoes of past traumas. I show up in service to the person with me. So Mote It Be.
“My sister just won’t stop for a minute to hear me out,” Milly, a new acquaintance, said.
“She has all these judgments about me and my faith. She doesn’t see me as a person. It’s like she’s talking to her projection of what she thinks I might be.”
I reflected on this.
Here are two insights that might help you.
1. You push, and they push back.
Ever try to explain your faith to someone? And, they just push back. Telling you that you’re wrong and that they know—better than you—what your spiritual path is.
Arrogant, right?
You push facts, and they push fiction. But what does the pushing get? Nothing good.
2. Invite the Gods to help you lower your “intensity.”
Have you noticed that when someone says unfair and ignorant things against you, it’s your internal “intensity” that rises?
Here is a prayer that you can use to help you lower your intensity.
I breathe in and bring in the love of the Gods. I breathe out and let go of my anxiety. I breathe in and bring in clarity. I breathe out and let go of my intensity. I breathe in calm. I breathe out and let go of my intensity. I breathe in peace within my integrity. I breathe out and let go of my intensity. May the Gods bless me. So Mote It Be
As I settle to sleep, I suddenly remember messing up when talking to a friend. “Damn!” I grumble. “You okay?” my husband asks.
“I’m all right. Just thinking about something I messed up.”
“You want to talk about it?” “Not now,” I say.
Do you emotionally beat yourself up? I have three insights for you.
1. Find healthy comfort.
A hug from my husband can help. Or a bite of a chocolate chunky chip cookie. (Okay, I must avoid going to extreme on the cookies!)
Comfort is not a cop-out.
Comfort is a necessary part of life.
Who or what provides you with some comfort?
2. Get outside in the breeze and more.
As a witch, you know your kinship with nature. Don’t hesitate. Get that 15-minute walk next to trees. Feel the breeze. See the sky. Connect with nature. Get out of the box (office).
How can you experience your connection with nature?
3. Make prayer your ladder upwards.
In the mundane world, we humans have limitations. Call for reinforcements!
Here is a prayer you can use.
Gods, shift my mind from self-blaming, Keep me growing with kindness and self-love. Lift me up to Your light. So Mote It Be.
“I apologize for my tone,” my friend, Ian, told the nurse practitioner during his phone call. He called because for four days he was having pain in the back of his head. He was unsteady when he stood up. “I’m scared. I have so much hope. I have people who love me, and I love them,” Ian continued.
Are you dealing with health difficulties?
I have three insights for you.
1. Acknowledge the fear.
Ian is afraid to lose his life just when good things are going on. Do you connect with this? We notice that it is important to acknowledge one’s true experience. Fear is often connected with the dread of losing something. Losing time with loved ones can feel devastating. It is valuable to have someone to talk to. Perhaps, you can turn to spiritual elders, a certain friend, or a therapist.
Who can you talk to?
2. Acknowledge how moment-to-moment you experience “shifts” in the day.
Ian pauses. He takes a deep breath. He notices that his dizziness does not stay the same throughout the whole day. He also notices that the body’s symptoms are signals. Many authors emphasize that “the body is a communication device.”
What is your body saying to you? Is it saying: “Slow down”? Or “take care”? Or “get more sleep”?
You may need to see a physician, therapist, or psychiatrist.
3. Invite the Gods to comfort you in your time of need.
When I feel like cr@p or don’t know what to do, I talk to the Gods. I pray or ask, “What do I need to learn about this?”
Here is a prayer you can use.
Honorable Lord and Gracious Lady, Give me comfort in my time of need. Hold me close. Guide me to good choices in this and all situations. Open my eyes to see wisdom and truth. Let me learn from this moment in my life. So Mote It Be.
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