Still Reading

I was going to post a Part Two to my Part One from day before yesterday but I have not had the right thought path to do so. Instead I have been reading and doing some routine things around the house.

I am getting so ready for spring to arrive and Winter isn’t even here yet. I want to watch the re-birth of the earth, listen to the birds chirp and feel the sun warm on my skin. I want to dig my hands into the soil and feel the  earth in my hands.  It has been so long since I have felt this need.

Healing comes in many forms and I can feel myself slowly healing inside and out. I am beginning to feel a warm glow inside of me that I thought that I had lost forever slowly coming back to life, warming my spirit and my mind and my physical body.

I guess this is a selfish post of my wants, but it is what I feel. While I am awaiting this time to come, I will be spending my winter time reading, learning, practicing and opening myself up to all that I am.

I understand that I need this time to hibernate I suppose in order to learn my own needs and where I want my journey to lead me. Just as I didn’t learn to walk in a day, neither did I just suddenly say…. Here I am. I want to know it all now. Funny that I had just read something on this the other day but I know exactly what the article meant. I have to take some baby steps before I can just leap and bound.

I have questions and I am asking others. I am reading what I can, trying to find the answers myself and I am most happiest when I can file away a little tidbit and then recall it.

Mastering the exercises in Part One is not as easy as 1… 2… 3… No indeed. It may sound simple but it is not. I am working also on becoming more disciplined. Fine tuning my routine is just as important  or perhaps as important as anything else that requires time.  Managing time is a factor for me because I am more of the type of person that I do things impulsively or on a whim. If I want to watch a movie for instance I might let the dishes wait instead of doing the dishes first to make time to for the movie. So I have to add a little discipline to my life.

And speaking of time, I need to close for now. Blessed Be……

Research, Meditation and Practice Part 1

I am still reading. I am sure that I will read for many years being the life long student that I am. Seeking knowledge and learning from others, even in the way that they approach their own Wiccan Journey.

The one thing that I am working on that is the very hardest for me at this point of my Journey is putting my Christianity beliefs in perspective. I realize that 50 years of being brought up into a Christian Society is not something that I can just dismiss as if it is of no significance. I don’t want to say that everything that I have been taught is hogwash but I just want more. I want to grow deeper into my soul if that makes any sense. At least I know what I am talking about.

I have been reading this book called “Wicca A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner” and have found a trove of wealth in information there and also I stumbled upon a site www.witchvox.com that has some interesting topics for me to explore.

Also a couple of recipes that I am copying to my Journal when I have a chance. (I need to go to the store for supplies). I will post them here as well. Here is one that sounds wonderful to me. I would like to be able to get the supplies that I need before the next full moon.

Speaking of Full Moon’s, the past one on Sunday night was so awesome. I didn’t have a candle or a poem, wand or anything other than myself. Mainly I just stood beneath the full moon and drank in the essence and spoke a few words. (I have a hard time putting words together when trying to speak, but my heart knew what I wanted to say to the Goddess and God.

I didn’t stay out long because my neighbor was at my apartment using my computer and I didn’t want her to feel as if I were ignoring her, but I returned home feeling rejuvenated and relaxed at the same time. I was actually able to sleep well and did not wake up until 11:00 am which is very unusual for me. It was the first time that I consciously embraced the full moon and I am looking forward to another and another and another!

Today I will practice some Meditation Techniques that I am reading about and will post the one that I am practicing on now along with breathing and visualization.

Breathing:

Excerpts taken from Scott Cunningham’s book that I mentioned earlier. “Wicca A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner”

In order to meditate correctly, you must breathe correctly. This is the most basic of exercises and fortunately the easiest.

Assume a comfortable position either sitting or lying down. Relax your body slightly. Inhale through your nose to a slow count of three four or five, whichever is comfortable. Allow the air to fill up your diaphragm as well as your lungs. Retain the air and exhale to the same slow count.

Repeat several times, gradually slowing your breath rate. Never hold your breath longer than what is comfortable for you.  The inhalation and exhalation should be controlled, calm and free of tension. Concentrate on your breathing as you do this.

As you inhale breathe in love, health, tranquility perhaps visualizing positive energies such as golden flecked air. In exhaling breathe out hate, disease, and anger perhaps visualizing dark black smoke exiting your lungs.

Practice deep breathing daily and gradually increase your capacity to retain the air.

Meditation:

Excerpts taken from Scott Cunningham’s book that I mentioned earlier. “Wicca A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner”

Meditation is an important art for inducing total relaxation. Meditation usually precedes every magical act and rite of worship.

Sitting is the ideal position for meditation. (Especially for those that tend to fall asleep during this practice). Sit in a straight backed chair, supporting your lower back with a pillow if necessary.  Your chin should be level with the floor, eyes closed, back straight, hands resting on your knees, palms up and fingers relaxed.

Breathe deeply for a few minutes.  Relax, forget, visualize the multitude of tension and worries of your every day life exiting your body as you breath. Relax into the chair.

Now open your consciousness and allow your mind to be receptive and alert. Commune and talk with the deities. Toss around symbols in your head. If you wish chant one of the names of the Goddess or God or a group of them. This is a great way to slip into the Twilight World.

Select your time and place to meditate with care. Light should be subdued; candlelight is excellent. Burn white or blue candles if you wish. A bit of incense  is fine to if it does not cause problems while deep breathing.

Immediately after each meditation record all images, thoughts and sensations in your Mirror Book (Journal).

Tomorrow we will discuss Visualization and some exercises and I am sure that I will have read something new and interesting to pass on. Until then please remember that if any mistakes are made in this post it is my mistakes and not the Author of  Scott Cunningham’s book that I mentioned earlier. “Wicca A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner” Blessed Be……

Today November 14, 2013

Unexpected company has kept me from writing and so I am taking this time to sit quietly and post while she is sleeping.

Last night I read more on my Wicca book and learned what the different color of robes meant, and jewelry and so forth. I wish to have all the tools at reach, but I know that I am going to have to get a few at a time. I am going to start out with candles and herbs when I get paid again, which is at the first of each month.

My robe, the color Blue stands out for me, will probably be one that I already have at this time. My jewelry will be the same. Something that I already have. Very simple and solid. I do not have anything that is marked with symbols. This will come later.

I want to start working on my alter. The thing is that my apartment is so small. I will have to set my alter up in my bedroom and cast my circle there but how is my question when the room is so small. Ideally I wish to have my own house and woods but that is just not something that I can see happening at this time. Money is hard for me since I live on SSI and have to live where I can afford and not where I want to.

I also live in the City. Not a big city but big enough that privacy is an issue.

I realize that all of these issues are nothing more than obstacles at the moment and I know that one by one I will over come them. It is just timing.  One day my goals will be reached.

I am trying to figure out what kind of wand and athame that I want to have. I will let my intuition guide me there as well as the rest of the questions that I have.

I am not getting clear answers regarding my the layout of my alter. Any suggestions will be very welcome. Thanks and have a great day and Blessed Be……..

Today’s Journey

Today is Sunday and I am planning to have a nice and relaxing day. I am continuing reading on my book Wicca, a guide to the solitary practitioner and have been contemplating a few things. Such as my broom and wand but more so about my alter.

Today I plan to read a few blogs and contemplate a few more things as I continue into my journey. I would love to know everything at once but I know that is now possible so I just wish to be able to retain as much information as possible.

So this is it for now. I will be back later this evening for additional post. Blessed Be….

This is my first post on my new Blog. Things have really changed in the last few months since I have visited my old Blog. It has not been letting me in. This has not been my first ordeal with this issue but I really hope that it will be my last.

I never could get my About page to open properly. Perhaps by the time that I sign in again I will be able to do more with this Blog.

I have been writing my thoughts down in a journal of sorts. Actually jotting down things in a spiral notebook that I have to thumb thru to find what I am looking for, so I was wanting something a little more organized and with something with feedback.

I did not choose to log in with Twitter or Facebook because my family is on their and I do not really want to open that door to this new Blog to them. It is not that I am ashamed, I just want to enjoy my experience with out a lot of negativity.

I have to be up front and honest here. I was raised Christian and I do not feel that I am undermining my Christian beliefs with my Wiccan beliefs. If there is such a thing as God and I do believe that there is, then why can’t magic be apart of that belief as well? Christianity is about Miracles and I do believe in Miracles, but it takes a Higher Power to perform Miracles and Wicca is an extension of that, or perhaps Christianity is  an extension of Wicca.

I believe that I can enjoy both and be fulfilled. Prayer works as well as Chants and Miracles work as well as Magic.

 

Scott Cunningham states it this way in his book “WICCA A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner”………… “Magic is the practice of moving natural (though little understood) energies to effect needed change”.

He goes on to say that Magic is a positive practice. Wiccans do not perform destructive, manipulative or exploitive magic. Evil Magic is an insult to themselves, the human race, the earth, to the God and Goddess and to the Universe as well.

Don’t we all see good and evil in our daily lives? Of course we do. No matter how beautiful fluffy clouds fill our sky and lay out images that we can define, there is also another side to that beauty. The dark evil side that can cause hurt, damage and death by colliding with other clouds to for Tornados, high winds, raging floods and torrential downpours.

In our society we have been raised with the belief that if you think or act a certain way then your either good or evil. We all strive to do good. We all strive to be better people today than we were yesterday and better still to be better tomorrow than today.

Wicca can help keep that good in balance. We will always have to deal with Evil because it is also a part of the balance. A plant cannot survive with out sunlight, water and air. But too much of any of it and the plant will die.

I need all of the Good in my life that I want to experience.  To say I am dissatisfied with my life as a Christian is not what I am saying at all. I just want to experience all of the positive things that I can in my life time. If I bring a smile to a friend, or give thanks for the trees or thank the God or Goddess, isn’t their magic in that?

Scott Cunningham explains things in his book that I will never be able to put into words, but if your interested in Wicca then read this book….. and Blessed Be….