Love is all that matters...

Ok, so its corny as hell, but it is true - Love is really all that matters...

After spending my life holding my emotions inside, I am finally allowing myself to feel - and boy did I this weekend! I cried all through my step-sister's wedding!! It started when I saw her Dad and the look on his face when he saw her, and ended when they left the reception some 6 hours later!

 

I kept looking around at the couples (my own boyfriend was not there, as its still very early for us and he did not get an invite...) and the love they shared, the love of my step dad for his daughter, the love of our family members towards her (and myself in actual fact..) and I realised what I had shut myself out of...

I am an empath, I was born with this gift unknowingly (well, in body anyway) and have not understood it for much of my life. Unfortunately, when my Pop died a week after I was born and I was inundated with feelings of anger, hurt, betrayal, shame, guilt and sadness I did not know how to react. It turns out that this is the source of my heartburn I apparently had util I was 6 months old and the fact that I am an emotional cripple! The way I chose to deal with these emotions, and the intensity of them, was to cower from them. To hide away and not feel any at all because it is so intense and scary and I did not want to do that anymore. I was a baby, give me a break! Now I understand fully the ramifications of that choice and am taking steps to rectify it. Needless to say, I think it worked.

 

I looked around and realised that I did not have this in my life - true love. I have the potential sure, but I have not tapped into it out of fear based on my early experiences in life. Therefore, it has finally hit home what I am missing out on! I want to experiene this closeness with another person and I am determined to leap into the unknown (another issue I am working on) as I have realised that love really is the only thing that matters. If you don't have love, then you have nothing, or a whole bunch of superficial somethings...

Either way, I have opened myself up a little bit and this is what I have realised, so now I will endeavour to open myself up completely and enjoy the ride!

Realising your Inner Beauty

I have had a very interesting couple of weeks. Many issues have been healed or are still in the process of healing (32 years is a very long pattern to break - still, I'm thankful its not 62!!). I am writing this because I feel I need to share something with the world. Something that I am still coming to terms with and what may take a while to assimilate.

The issue is the portayal of beauty in society and how it has affected me. I have not realised how much of my life I spend comparing my own beauty to others and repressing the need to conform (I say repressing because I am determined not to!). I am torn between the feminist 'beauty is on the inside' and the social 'you must look like this to be beautiful'. Ok, so maybe the former may not necessarily be a feminist viewpoint, yet the meaning seems contrary to popular belief. Unfortunately for me, I fall into the 'popular' section of society at this time.

This has come about mainly due to a recent event in which I was the only overweight brunette in a wedding party of thin blonde women. I felt inadequate in my lumpiness and different in the fact that I was not a blonde. Worse, I have blue in my hair as well, which made me seem all the more distant. You might be saying here 'hey, that's awesome! you should be proud of your curves and hair!' etc etc, but before you do I would really like to explain something.

I have spent a major chunk of my life feeling like I needed to conform to the ideas of others about who I should be and what I should want out of life. I even allowed one group of friends to convine me to break up with my boyfriend in high school, one I really liked, based on what they thought the relationship should be. Ridiculous I know, but I did not at the time. Since then I have worked very hard to ignore this little voice telling me that I should do something a certain way etc etc and have worked on finding me. And I thought I had done a good job...

Turns out, I am still quite easily able to fall back into the old habits of pleasing others and conforming! Which now really pisses me off (but I am going to try not to beat myself up over it this time!) - I should, AND DO, know better! Still, I felt so nervous about 'making the cut' that I ended up almost giving myself a migraine! (yep... blurred vision and everything! All I can say is, thank you Reiki!) And how would that have gone down  - bridesmaid gets migraine, ruins wedding! I do feel, as an empath, that I was picking up on the nerves and fears of some of the others in the bridal party (most notably the bride!!), but not all of it was theirs. I know this because as soon as I had my makeup and hair done, looked in the mirror and saw myself I was stunned! The transformation was amazing - and I don't usually say those things about myself, but the makeup artist was exactly that - an artist!

So I felt marginally better. But the nagging thing is still that I allowed myself to get so worked up in the first place! Why do we do this? Why are we - or more specifically ME - so concerned with fitting in and keeping up? Why is it that someone who is as self-aware as I am can allow themselves to be sucked back down to that level? I know there is more to beauty than what is on the outside, and yet I am still hesitant to gain strength from my own inner beauty and allow it to shine forth!! I do not know why this is, but I am sure there is something here about deservability and worthiness. I do know that I do not ever want to experience that again in my life, so I am going to focus on connecting with my inner beauty and perhaps working on making my own outer beauty more appealing to me... Not sure how yet, but I am sure the universe will guide me to what is best for my geatest good!!

I know think that some of this was from another bridesmaid, who is definitely in the 'conformist' camp! I first met her a few years back and recognised her as a kindred spirit. She was a flower child without a doubt! However, it seems that her years with pretentious, materialistic, shallow people has hampered her own spirit and it is struggling for air somewhere down near her toes!! She has conformed with their idea of blonde, beautiful, married, with a nice house and two cars, a couple of dogs (and she is a self-confessed cat person!). I look at her and pity her, which is definitely not what I should be doing, but I can't help it! She has allowed all of her true spirit to be squashed to the point of her becoming completely uptight! But, I digress - the issue here is that maybe she was feeling an intense need to conform to their idea of beautiful and I was picking up on her emotions? Maybe it was never me at all? I say this now, because when I had finished my hair and makeup she was doing hers as well - I am trying to remember the timeline, but it might fit... Also, there was a moment whe I was outside in the sun when it all disappeared. And there was the fact that when I looked at myself in the mirror at one stage I did not recognise my own reflection and actually thought to myelf 'I am not me!?' Anyway, it is an interesting proposition for me if this is true. In fact it may negate this blog entirely, yet I'll keep it as I am not sure... Still, it is a timely reminder to always stay grounded in yourself no matter what!!

I am not sure what to do about this now, thought I am painfully aware of the need for each individual to honour their own beauty, inside and out! More than ever, we should not compare ourselves to others as we do not know their journey, their purpose for being here this lifetime. We need to connect, and remain connected, to our own spirit and give those who are not as much love as possible... That's a good start, right??

Veritas: The Nature of Truth

It's funny how the word 'truth' gets bandied around as if it makes what came before it fact for all people. It's funny how people also hide behind their 'truth' and use it as an excuse for their actions or for why they have not evolved. 'I have found truth, I'm done!!' It's funny how people use their truth as a tool to judge, discriminate and hold prejudices against people, most often without proof or personal experience of any kind. Ok, so funny may not be the right word here, but you get what I mean... This has started my own search for the meaning of truth and an understanding of how it works and why it is so important to us as individuals and society as a whole.

For me, Truth is a dynamic concept, changing depending on circumstance, experience and position. It is what it is based entirely upon the individual's own perceptions and experiences. True, the ideas of the individual can be formed based upon the ideas of the whole, as with religion or cultural ideals, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the individual to perpetuate certain truths.

People use truth, or truths, as a basis for their life philosophies which affect their actions and interactions with others. It is part of my personal truth to honour the Earth and keep it clean, not out of any belief in a mother Goddess or the spiritual nature of the land on which I walk, but as a need to help keep it habitable for future generations. This in turn guides my actions - I am always picking up rubbish in the playground at school. I do this for the Earth first and foremost, the idea of being an example to the students is secondary in my mind. But the philosophy of looking after the planet guides what I do in my daily practice.

Truth can also give you meaning and direction. I had none before I discovered my truth relating to the spiritual nature of my life. My belief in Reincarnation and Karma has helped me to understand why I am here, what I did to create these circumstances (in this life and past ones) and a road map for correction. I do not want to repeat past patterns, and understanding where they came from and the lessons involved helps me to break these and work toward being a better person.

But this still does not address the issue at hand - what is the nature of truth? We know it is changeable, being affected by the perspective of the individual, but there is way more to it.

Truth is a very wide concept, covering both negative and positive aspects of society. Truth can:
- hurt as well as heal
- be hidden or flaunted, and every variation between
- be used to control or set free
- be manipulated or spoken freely
- willingly changed or stubbornly adhered to
- used to a person's advantage or disadvantage
- lived and experienced or ignored

I am sure there are many more variations to the above characteristics, but one thing remains certain for me - honesty is always the best policy. I have recently entered into a very adult relationship where we both speak our truth in every circumstance. We have agreed not to take it personally, but accept that the other might think differently and work within these limitations. There have been many times in recent weeks where I have spoken a truth (diplomatically, of course!) I would once have hidden for fear of hurting the other person, and how refreshing is it! To be able to explain to the person exactly where your head is at (or your heart!), to be completely honest and know that the other person will accept it. There have been times (and probably more to come) where my truth has been challenged (both from him and within myself - mostly because when I speak a truth it seems completely ridiculous and I immediately find another that makes more sense!), but it has been done in a respectful manner. I return this favour to him when I feel I need to challenge his truth. Either way, the main idea remains the same - It is not personal, it's just how I feel at this time. We both understand and respect the changeable nature of truth and work within these limitations as well.

I feel it is important to have a healthy respect for truth and an understanding of how it works. Knowing this can help you to be more respectful of other people while still honouring your own truth. It is also important to understand that another person's truth is not a personal attack on you, but an entirely individual way of looking at things. If it goes against your own truth, discuss it as adults or leave the relationship - one should never actively try to make another's truth fit their own. Here's hoping more people have this same healthy respect......

Halloween v Beltane: my social dilemma...

I need to get something out... Today is the 31st of October, and Halloween in the  Northern Hemisphere. All day, and perhaps for most of the month, I have been hearing all this stuff about Halloween. Are you dressing up? Are you trick or treating? Buy this pumpkin and that fake spider and this ghost thing that witches hat (and this is another gripe of mine, but beyond the scope of what I am can currently dealing with)!! It is all very commercial, but this is not where my issue lies.

My real issue is that we are celebrating it at the wrong time of year! It is currently Beltane in the Southern Hemisphere! We should be celebrating this with a massive bonfire (perhaps controlled as we are currently in a high fire danger period) and a dance around the May Pole and sharing the love (not necessarily sexual either) and partying late into the night cause it's day light savings!!!! We should be honouring the return to power of the sun, not trick or treating and giving our lollies... 

Don't get me wrong, I celebrate Halloween myself, and would love to see trick or treaters at my house! I'd give em all a full packet of Redskins... At the right time of year...

Why do we have to do it the same way as America and the Northern Hemisphere? I single out America only because it is the infusion of American culture into Australia that has caused this sudden rise in popularity of the holiday, nothing more... There is absolutely nothing stopping us adapting this holidays an doing it 'our way' based on our seasons... Nothing at all!! 

Again, this goes against the initial reason for this post, and that was to work out why I am having so much trouble with the idea, so I'll rein it in a bit... It might be as simple as knowing the general public do not understand the reason for the holiday and we appear to be 'bandwagoners', which is something I loathe deeply. It may be that something that is held sacred by many is yet another casualty to captialism and consumerism which I also loathe... The Christians have had to deal with this for decades now, so perhaps I should ask them how they deal with it... 

Advice from fellow pagans and other such wise people is to just let it go and enjoy it for what it is... 'Give me the courage to accept that which I cannot change' and all that...  Perhaps I should take this advice and hope that next year I will find a way to cope better. Maybe getting out and actively involving myself in local Beltane rituals will also help... 

I'll do both and see how it goes. I can't help but wonder how other people cope... Is this a problem for you too? I can't be the only one going through it now or ever... So, if you have ever felt this way, please let me know how you got through it? I'd love to hear your advice!!  

Beltane Blessings!! xx 

Ultimate Source and the Concept of Deity

Having a look at the prompts for this week's Pagan Blog Project got me thinking about Ultimate Source and what it means to me. (I will say at this point, there is no intention to offend anyone or their beliefs through this post, so if you are easily offended I suggest you stop reading NOW!!) It also just so happens that I have been doing a lot of thinking about deity/ies and the idea of an ultimate creative source, how they relate and what they mean. The main reason is that I have really only connected with Kali and even then it appears to be short-lived (or perhaps I am doing my usual second guessing thing and questioning her continued presence through self-doubt, which is more than likely) but as yet the other deities appear elusive.

It got me thinking that if there is an ultimate source then why do we need to pray or connect to one single manifestation, if this is what they are - manifestations - then why don't we pray or connect straight with the ultimate source and acknowledge it as an asexual, conscious being in charge of all? For me, this source exists as creative potential in its purest form, so it can be whatever you want it to be and harness it however you want to harness it. (respectfully of course!) You could speak directly to this source and ask it for what you would like, leaving the how open and go from there. I have manifested many things in my life simply by asking (mostly as a fleeting thought) and letting go, perhaps this is why I have not connected in any long term way with a deity as simply asking the universe seems to work just as well (if not better) than performing ritual and/or spell casting. Or perhaps I am not trying hard enough? Perhaps I am not studying enough or meditating enough or experiencing enough? Perhaps I should second guessing and start experiencing expectation free? Who knows?? 

Don't get me wrong, I do believe the Gods exist in one form or another, mostly through the Collective Conscious, and I would never argue against their existence to anyone. For me at this time, deity exists as the creative potential and actualisation visible in the world around me - there are no mistakes in nature so there must be some force guiding nature. Could I just honour this and leave the archetypes alone?? 

(Comments welcome)

Personality Traits and Mirror Imaging

I know this is kind of cheating, but something came up recently that I feel I need to write about. A lot of people in this world will look at what others do and say or how they act and will react to this in a negative way. 'I hate it when she does this!' Or 'why can't he stop doing that to me!' It is interesting to me how any cases of this is actually mirror imaging!! How many times the traits that others exhibit are those exact traits they exhibit and secretly loathe about themselves.

A friend of mine has recently discovered that most of the men in her life don't hear her, won't listen to what she says and what she wants. Most of these men have since left her life, her ex-husband being one of them. (and they spent 32 years together!) She left him for many reasons, but this being one of them, and has since attracted more men to her that don't listen to her. The entire visit I spent 'fighting' to be heard by her, every time I started to speak she'd cut in with something about her. When she asked for advice about something she did not listen to what I said, mostly because it was contrary to what she wanted to hear, but the other part I now know is that her own inability to listen was glaring me in the face! And for someone so enlightened and spiritually aware it seemed weird to me...

So, the next time you are faced with a trait that you find irritating or frustrating, before going off at the person and causing conflict, ask yourself - Does this person's trait annoy me because it is annoying or do I do this same thing and not like it about myself? I have done this many times since discovering it and I am now a better person (hopefully) for identifying and rectifying the situation when it arises. For one, I try not to be too opinionated as it annoys me when others are! This is the first of many I have already changed and not the last to be changed, I can assure you...

Personal growth is exhausting, but in the end worth it!!

(P.s - Sorry it's late!)

Tarot vs Oracle Cards - What's best for me?

This week is T for the Pagan Blog Project and I thought I'd write about the Tarot. However, since I have been asked on several occasions what the difference between Tarot and Oracle cards is, I thought I'd address it here, just for a little twist.

Ok, so the first step is to explain how they work. Basically, each card has a meaning that is interpreted based on a) it's position in a spread (if you use one), b) my own intuition and c) the question asked. I don't always need a question, but sometimes it helps me to clarify the message or guidance being given. I also use my intuition a lot as it helps to provide a deeper, more specific message for the client. I use this same process for both sets of cards, but I don't always use a specific spread unless I am drawn to it or the client has a specific question that a certain spread can help to answer.

Sounds easy right? Well, it is in a sense, but there are differences between Oracle and Tarot cards that make it a little less so. The main difference between Oracle and Tarot cards are the meanings. Tarot cards, while most decks do include specific meanings, usually have universal meanings to draw from. For example, the Hierophant will mean the same in the Rider-Waite deck, the Nefertari deck or the Celtic Tarot deck etc etc. This means you can give a general reading using any deck, even playing cards! (Considering that playing cards are modeled on the original tarot, this is just as well!!) Oracle cards will come with deck specific meanings for each card, usually because they have very different themes and reasons for being created. Each deck will serve a specific purpose for which individual card meanings are necessary. this is not a bad thing, it just means there is often less study involved! Further to this, I have found that Oracle decks (other than the simple past, present, future layout) don't come with a wide variety of spreads to work from. True, Tarot spreads can and are used when reading from Oracle cards, but for some reason the authors don't see this variety as a necessary component of readings.

These are some of the cards from the Doreen Virtue, Angel Therapy cards I use. I have been drawn to them for a long time and absolutely love them!!

Both have their individual benefits. For the Tarot, once you know the universal meanings you can read any deck effectively. They also come with a variety of spreads to cater to any question that will lend greater depth to the reading. There are also Tarot specific symbolism, i.e. colours, images etc, that you can draw on for even deeper meaning, but these are not exclusive to the Tarot. Once you have this knowledge you can apply it anywhere, even Oracle cards. On the other hand, Oracle cards help to strengthen your intuition, in my experience more so than Tarot cards. The main reason is that you can read them based entirely on what image or colour you are drawn to and use general symbolism as interpretation for the messages. These cards usually have a sentence or two on the bottom of each card as a general interpretation, which helps as well. There is far less study involved as well, which can help for people who are (for some reason or another) put off by this. For both decks, reading the book is optional (though recommended) and I know a few who have never read a book and rely solely on their intuition, but for me a Tarot reading without the knowledge is much less deep and meaningful than one with it. But that's just me...

This is an example of the simple three card spread: past, present, future. 

Oracle cards were a good starting point for me, allowing me to strengthen my intuition and connection to spirit and I sometimes revert back to them if I feel I am relying too much on knowledge rather than intuition. Oracle cards gave me confidence to read more and the foundation I needed to move up to the Tarot (for which I always had an interest). Neither one is more effective than the other, in fact having a working knowledge of both serves to deepen the readings I do now. Despite this, I do prefer the Tarot because of the general meanings, but like to employ general symbolism and my own intuition as well when reading for someone.

Sacred Signs

This week's letter for the Pagan Blog Project was easy to write about. In fact, I am writing this well in advance in case I forget... and with my memory it is almost certain I will...

I was first 'introduced' to sacred signs a few years ago by my first 'official' spiritual teacher. The idea is that you ask the universe for a sign, assign specific images or words to mean certain things and watch and wait. It is similar to omens in that the universe is sending you information, but the interpretation is less subjective. Assigning specific signs, images and words also helps the universe to direct its efforts to something that you will definitely understand. Dreams are also a good source of communication, but these are too easily open to subjective interpretations and I find that the less room for 'error' there is in the interpretation, the better! You can't argue against something you have asked for!! I like to ask to receive it 3 times, just to be sure I am not putting it there or reading too much into everyday life. Some consider this arrogant or demanding, but if the universe is going to all the trouble of sending me a sign, I would rather get it right!!

One of the early sacred signs I asked for was concerning whether to accept an opportunity to take over a psychic development class. I in no way felt ready to lead such a class and needed some guidance as to whether I should or not. I asked for a rainbow for yes and a black hoodie for no. That night, I rediscovered Wicca books I had bought when I was a teenager and had not read since. So, I decided to start reading it. It was as if the book called to me from the study where it lived. A few chapters later and it was late and I decided I needed to sleep, but the book had other ideas. It said 'no just one more chapter'. Well, the next one was about 'fear' and in it the writer explains fear as a shrouded, dark feature with a hooded cloak... I was shocked! I had never expected to get my sign so quickly, nor in this manner. I was still not convinced, and for some reason I needed further validation. The next morning I was walking to my friend's house, the very friend who had offered me the opportunity in the first place, and as I was walking up the hill I found myself staring at a person walking towards me. I literally could not take my eyes off of the person! I thought it might have been my friend coming towards me, but soon realised it couldn't be her as the person did not appear to be waddling as a pregnant woman would. I brushed it off and continued walking. I turned the corner and was about 100m up the road before I realised the person had been wearing a black hooded jumper!!  Further validation received, I felt confident in declining the opportunity as I knew the universe had other things in store for me.

Another particularly memorable experience working with sacred signs was when I had the opportunity to work at my first psychic fair. I had been reading tarot for friends and family for a while and was ready to take it 'public', but was not sure where (or if I was meant to). So I asked the universe for a sign. To make things easy, I used the old yes = rainbow and no =  black hoody signs. the very next day, as I drove to work, the very same way I always had, I turned the same roundabout I had for months and looked at the same shop window but only now realised that the seven circles at the top of the logo were in fact the colours of the rainbow! I laughed out loud and continued to work. Later that afternoon, as I was driving down to Newcastle to visit my father, I looked at the sky and thought 'wow, it looks like a rainbow!' and again, I giggled at how the universe chooses to get its point across. The sun was setting and leaving purple, blue, yellow, orange and red sections across the horizon, it was quite beautiful really.  This time I had asked specifically for three signs, as I wanted to be totally sure. I had my two at this point, and was excited to see how the third would arrive! Further down the highway, there on one of the traffic announcement boards that litter the highways and freeways these days, were the words 'Rainbow Flats'!! Now, I didn't even know Australia had a Rainbow Flats let alone where it is exactly. I laughed so hard I could barely see where I was driving!!!! I still can't remember what exactly happened in Rainbow Flats that day, probably an accident of some sort, but I am grateful it did! (and hopeful no one was hurt...)

I have also changed the signs depending on what I wanted. I recently used the word 'twist' as a sign as the Oliver Twist scenario fit what I needed guidance about. I got it, more than three times over the last week or so, so I guess it is true!

I love working with sacred signs as it is an easy way to get information with very little margin for error through misinterpretation. Besides, it is interesting and fun to see how the universe gets the information to you!! All you have to do is ask the question and set the symbols and wait. The universe really will do the rest!!

Working with Colour - Red

This week's Pagan Blog Project is R, which for me was easy as I am really into colour and its vibrations and benefits etc etc. I started out with a very clinical approach to this blog, but just didn't feel it. I had read something this morning from another blogger which got me thinking about my own blogs - are they real? Are they what I truly believe in my heart or what I have read in books? I hope it is the former as I always try to be authentic, but this morning it just felt clinical. I had a formula based on previous work with colour and it wasn't working for me. So, as I am learning to be more spontaneous (which is anathema to my 4 vibration) I thought I'd just sit and write and see what happens.

So, Red? What do I use it for? What does it mean to me?

I love red, have done so for a while now and it is probably my favourite colour after orange. To me, red is about passion, vitality and life. When I wear it I feel sexual and sensual (especially as a lipstick!), confident and ready to tackle anything - dare I say bullet-proof?

I also feel like me... I am not a pastels girl, and never will be, so wearing strong colours is part of who I am, wearing the standard rainbow colours gives me strength I can't describe. It also fills me with hope, hope that today will be a good day, hope that maybe I can achieve anything, hope that I will get through the day and whatever challenges it may bring (and as a casual High School teacher, these are many!).

I would love to say that I use red for grounding, but until recently I didn't think specifically of grounding techniques so I would be lying. I guess I naturally moved towards it without understanding it properly. I have owned and worn a read pair of boots for a few months now and I love them and wear them any chance I get! I now realise I may have been doing this instinctively as I desperately needed grounding and was unaware of it - I live in my head and have recently discovered my inability to understand the earth element reflected a deep need to be grounded, but that is another story...

In my travels (Inna Segal's book again!), I have learnt that red can be good for improving the circulation (which I often have trouble with), healing wounds and blood disorders, constipation, sciatica, increasing the sex drive and helping with weight loss but I have not had the urge to use it for these issues... probably should see what happens the next time I cross my legs for a period of time in my red boots! An interesting experiment... I may yet have cause to test the other theories out along my journey, but today they remain untested!

I do, however, use it for balancing my base chakra, which I am assuming is common practice. If I have money troubles or issues concerning the home or security, I will wear my boots or another piece of clothing to help balance this chakra. I will also meditate with a red jasper at my base or wear a garnet if the mood strikes me (or if I have the flu, as garnet is great at helping to assist with flu-like symptoms - to this I can attest!). I have also recently 'learned' that red is the numerological equivalent of the number 1, being about all things physical and how you relate to the world around you.

To me though, it is a colour of passion and vitality! I always feel a little sexier when I am wearing it, a little more confident and able to meet the challenges of the day. I do feel just simply better... Blue also does this, but for different reasons... Red is just such a strong colour to me, it gives me strength and for that I am forever grateful.

Knights in the Tarot

I won't go too into an introduction, but I have to write something - years of school and teaching has ingrained this in me on a fundamental level, but I am continuing from my previous posts about the court cards (Queens and Kings) with this one one the Knights. 

General Meaning

The Knights in the Tarot are generally about change and transition. They mark the maturation of the individual from the child (Page) to young adult. They are generally still immature, but are more action oriented than the thoughtful or dreamy Page with much less discipline than the King. As the fire element, these people have the drive to achieve that which they dreamt about in childhood. They are not destined to become the King of their suit, the Knight of cups is not guaranteed to become the King of cups for example, unless they choose to master that particular skill - the Knight can become King of either the wand or the cup/sword/pentacle depending on which characteristic they choose to develop. The Knight will generally refer to someone aged 21-30 or someone who exhibits the same qualities.

Knight of Wands: desire for a challenge for the challenge's sake.

The Knight of wands is pure fire, as a result they will make goals for themselves so they have something to direct their energy into rather than remain stagnant. They are not as disciplined as the King and often get off track, distracted by a more appealing goal or lose interest quickly, either way many of their goals remain unaccomplished. Nor havethey discovered the King's lesson, that the journey is more important than the goal, and will jump into a new project as soon as the old one is complete. They love travel and learning and are driven by a need for change. In fact this love of change is often the reason for their new projects. They are also straightforward, positive and eager for action. I also see them as eager to help, but they can get frustrated if their help is relied upon too heavily or not accepted. As a lover, they will enjoy the pursuit rather than the end result and can move quickly between partners. The lesson in this card is to allow change to take place as it will benefit you in the end, also it is time to put plans into action. 

Knight of Cups: change and transition in relationships, emotional maturation. 

The Knight of Cups is the fiery part of water which directs imagination and intuition into action. It represents the transition from thinking about relationships to acting upon them to produce growth and a deeper understanding of life. Once in a relationship, the Knight will take his partner's needs into consideration when faced with a challenge or decision. They are very intuitive and use this and their imagination to find creative ways out of situations. They are enthusiastic and sensitive and will take on a challenge based upon their emotions and intuition. It can specifically refer to an emotionally beneficial offer, meaning the project or opportunity you are currently being presented with will help you emotionally so seriously consider accepting it. The lesson of this Knight is two fold. Firstly, take careful consideration before acting, following your emotions or intuition as to whether to act or wait. Secondly, focus on your relationships and put more effort into them, taking your partner's needs into consideration. 

Knight of Swords: thinking and action.  

This Knight is the fiery part of air, combining thought and action, yet it is often hasty action. These knights are often restless, unpredictable and impatient in their search for new mental challenges. They are more inclined to act rather than plan, often resulting in mistakes that could have been easily avoided. They need to develop a disciplined mind and/or will for success. Their relationships are often fleeting and based on an intellectual match, they will not be around for long so enjoy them while you have them! The lesson in this card is to stop thinking and act, just do it - quick action is required. It is may also be telling you that you need to discipline your mind or enthusiasm for growth. 

Knight of Pentacles: consolidate plans before moving forward. 

This Knight is the fiery part of earth, meaning they are capable of practical effort leading to tangible results. They will take risks like the other knights, but they will be researched and well thought out, having covered all possible scenarios.  They are more focused on their ambition, climbing the career ladder while they are young and will most likely be in a higher position than someone their own age who may have played around for a while. Their emotions are hampered by their immaturity making relationships difficult when they do choose to enter into one, which they won't until they are financially able to afford it. He takes relationships more seriously than the other Knights and will see it as a long term investment, they will hang around for a while so they had better make the right choice!! Serious by nature, they are plan oriented and will not move forward in anyway until they have a clear plan. The lesson of this Knight is to be prepared to work hard to achieve your goals and to examine all possible outcomes before acting. 

The information gathered above is through personal experience, conversations and The Tarot Revealed by Paul Fenton-Smith (Kindle and Hardcover)

Q is for Quarters

I have just finished reading the other posts about quarters, and I thought I'd just add my thoughts... A friend and I were discussing this the other week and we both pretty much said the other's was wrong. I realise now, as I did shortly after the discussion, that there is no right or wrong, it is all up to you as your interpretation.

Still, as a traditionalist I struggled with this for a time. All the books, as has been said many times before, say certain things which I just didn't get. Why would I put water in the west, when I am on the east coast of Australia and the Pacific Ocean is right there! Why would I put earth in north as to my west I have the Great Dividing Range and thousands of square kilometres of desert? It just didn't fit. So I thought about it, read some more Southern Hemisphere focused stuff and came up with the following:

North - fire, because of the heat of Northern Australia and the equator being up there. This is also the direction the sun travels across the sky. 

East - water, mostly due to the location of the ocean, there is little more thought than this...

West - earth, again little more thought than the thousands of square kilometres of mountain range and desert... (Sarcasm intended!)

South - air, at first it was placed here due to a process of elimination, but upon further reflection I realise that this, other than east, is where the wind comes from mostly in this part of Australia. The southerlies are beautiful and bring the cool in summer and the chill in winter.  

So there you have it, correspondences according to me! hehe I know that if I moved to Western Australia it would change, well east and west anyway... It may even change if I moved somewhere on the east coast where there was a river to the west and a large mountain to the east, depending on how I felt at the time. The key for me is that it is purely a personal thing and each person has a right to choosing their own correspondences. The hard thing is doing a ritual with people with different views!!!! 

Queens in the Tarot

I don't know why I didn't think of this for P and K week, as these are generally the cards I have the most trouble with. I'll do one for Pages, Knights and Kings anyway as I really feel I need the extra experience with them. It's more that I am unsure of the universal meanings of the court cards and how they relate to the other cards and their elemental affiliations. When I am doing a reading I usually rely on my intuition for these cards, but I also feel that getting the hang of the universal meanings would benefit me greatly. I have used the 'Tarot Revealed' book to help me here, but also my own intuition and understanding and interpretation of the cards based on elemental knowledge and personal experience.

General meaning of the Queens

For me, the queens are about the feminine qualities of feelings and emotions, intuition and nurturing and correspond to the element of water. They can describe a woman over the age of 21 or someone with the specific qualities inherent in the card. For example, the queen of cups can also relate to a young male who is very aware of his emotions and family oriented. 

Each of the suits corresponds to a particular element which has an effect on the specific meanings of the cards. I will go into detail in the next section, but as I recently discovered no element is independent of the other, so there are always going to be elemental overlap! The basic gist is as follows:

- queen of cups: watery part of water, which is equal to 100% emotion.

- queen of wands: watery part of fire, which is emotionally directed passion or passion for emotional fulfillment. 

- queen of swords: watery part of air, which is analytical approach to emotions.

- queen of pentacles: watery part of earth, which is practical application of emotions or someone who is grounded in their emotions.

I like these correspondences, and feel that an understanding of this connection will add depth to my readings. 

Specific suit meanings

As unsaid earlier, I have used the book as the basis for my research but have applied my own perspective and intuitive interpretation to it in places, making connections for myself that will help me understand the cards better. 

Queen of Wands - success through inner strength and acting upon emotions.

This combines the fiery, passionate and enthusiastic characteristics of fire with the emotional nature of water. These people love a challenge and can use their intuition to manifest their desires. The watery aspect of the queen lends patience to an otherwise impatient element. They are usually very strong and independent, with a tendency to speak their mind, often void of diplomacy. They mean well yet get lost in the moment. They are enthusiastic, energetic and outgoing and happy to help in any situation but can overlook the fact they were not asked for it! The lesson in this card is to find a balance between relationship and career, as these queens tend to focus on one at the cost of the other. 

Queen of Cups - success through listening to your feelings and intuition; employing creative imagination.

As the watery part of water, I'd describe these queens as pure emotion. They focus on their family and relationships and get more out of emotional fulfillment than any other aspect of relationships. Their focus will be on unions and true emotional intimacy. These women can be over emotional if not disciplined, but this sensitivity allows them to be great listeners, often taking on the counselling role. When this discipline is mastered they will be able to direct their emotions and inherent creativity to create something of beauty. The lesson of this queen is to listen to your heart and intuition when making decisions and planning a course of action. 

Queen of Swords - success through clarity of thought. 

As the watery aspect of air, these women will apply their intellect to their emotions and try to make sense of them. They are analytical and logical in all things, preferring the rational to the emotional. They have developed an intellectual understanding of life and tend to be able to see above emotional turmoil as a result. They welcome new experiences but analyse that which approaches. They have a quick wit making them excellent talkers, but you must be listening in case you miss their subtle sense of humour. These queens are the 'watchers' of the world. They will try to discover the reasons for people's behaviour through an analysis of their mannerisms and actions. As a result, they are often the best judges of character as they often see that which other people miss. Their shrewd understanding of human behaviour and their own experiences allows them to give the best advice; it is founded on rationality and deep thought. Their relationships will be based upon an intellectual match and you will need to challenge them on this level to keep them interested. The lesson in this queen is to observe opportunities as they approach and focus on gaining clarity of thought through careful consideration of your emotional reactions to guard against repeating last patterns.

Queen of Pentacles - success through trust in your own abilities and practical and realistic approach to emotions and intuition.

As the watery aspect of earth, these reliable, dependable women will be down-to-earth in their approach to their emotions. They look at what is real and assess their emotions on a practical level and discard any that are of little use. They enjoy all aspects of the physical world, from animals and plants to good food. As a result they will take pride in their bodies and look after them, eating healthy foods and exercising regularly. These women love routine and physical contact, becoming disconnected in a relationship without it. They have tested the limits of their abilities and are confident within them, having gained an emotional understanding of herself. These women have an excellent business sense, usually with a little near egg off to the side for a rainy day. Not given over to spontaneity, they work hard for long term gains in over and career. The lesson of this queen is to work towards lasting success in relationships and career and also to be grounded in your emotions when making decisions for success. 

As a cusping water/fire sign, I have as yet not gained a deep understanding of he element of earth, but this had helped on what I would call a superficial level. If nothing else it has highlighted a need for me explore this element more. 

Still, the above exercise has helped me to see the deeper aspects of the Queens and to understand how they are different. I hope it has helped you as much!! Feel free to add any comments below that will help deepen my knowledge! 

Kings in the Tarot

I think my previous post, Queens in Tarot, has inspired me to do the other court cards. As I said in that post, I have always struggled to find something to help the meanings sink into my brain, to find some point of reference. In my research, I did discover something that may have helped! Turns out that each of the court cards is associated with an element. This coupled with the suit of the court card provides the meaning for each one. The following is the elemental correspondences for each court card:

Kings - Earth

Queens - Water

Knights - Fire

Pages - Air

With this in mind, I have continued my research and have interpreted each King individually as well as the general meaning of the kings. 

General meaning of the Kings

Kings generally represent having a high regard for or great importance placed upon something. It also indicates success on the areas associated with each element. It can indicate that you are, or are being influenced by, a successful man who exhibits traits associated with each suit. As they are they are connected with the element of earth, they are also about being grounded in or practical about something. More generally, and for me, it refers to what you need to do in order to be successful. 

Specific card meanings

King of Wands: success through self-discipline and perseverance. 

As the earthy part of fire, these people embody 'practical will'. This means they are usually very passionate and have learnt how to direct this passion towards concrete results. They enjoy a physical challenge, but value the journey rather than the destination, their great patience allows them to wait until the right opportunity comes along. Relationships are usually approached in the same way and they are best suited to the Queen of Wands. They are confident, honest and straightforward in communication and their advice is to be taken on board as it is the result of their own hard work and practical effort. The lesson in the King of Wands is to harness their passion and will to create something tangible and to work on your self-discipline to gain lasting success. 

King of Cups: success through practical application of emotions and intuition.

This is the earthy part of water leading to creative discipline and the practical application of intuition and emotions. These men will feel their emotions more than the others, yet they will be very practical in the expression of them. Any emotions that don't serve them will be discarded as useless. They have great patience and sensitivity with a focus on their family. They are strong and calm, sentimental and compassionate with great perseverance and patience. They are best served in the caring profession, as they have a great depth and understanding. The lesson for this card is to have a more practical approach to your emotions and creativity for success. 

King of Swords: success through clarity of thought and having a clear plan; high regard for purposeful thought.

Someone told me once that this card indicates depression, and I used to think so but since then I have decided this is one interpretation I will rely on my intuition for, say it when I get the nudge so to speak. More specifically, the King of Swords is the earthy part of air leading to a practical application of thoughts. These people are logical and practical about their ideas and dreams and have a focus on purposeful thought - dreaming of fanciful things are not important to these people. They have a disciplined mind and combine their thoughts with practical action. They are excellent organisers and give sound advice based on personal experience and deep reflection. They long for a relationship based on intellect, as a meeting of minds, and believe that conversation is the best part of a relationship. The lesson in this card isto couple  clarity of thought with practical effort for success. 

King of Pentacles: success through slow, steady steps and practical effort.

This card is pure earth, meaning they have a focus on all things physical. They value physical action above all things and will show their emotions by buying things for those they love. Material possessions are a focus for them as they have learned that they make the journey through life easier. They are more focused on good service rather than value and will chose the silver service over the bistro every time. They are serious, conservative, reliable, grounded, hardworking and pragmatic, but can also be stubborn and territorial. Yet, they are easily rebalanced either through spending time in nature or eating good food. The lesson in this card is to put practical efforts into any project, emotional or physical, and don't give up!

This process for me has been very educational, I have realised the elemental link and connection between the cards and their suits. What is even better, I have realised my own disconnection to Earth and why that is, so yay me!! Definitely need to work with this element more......

*information based on that found in The Tarot Revealed, my own interpretations and conversations with others.

Working with Colour - Purple

Well, it's P week on the Pagan Blog Project and I thought I'd continue with the previous week's post and do another one on colour. This will focus on how I work with the colour and include some of the work of others, but as there seems to be a plethora of different uses I have just kept this post to what I use it for.

Purple is often associated with the Crown Chakra, but I see it in my Brow Chakra, despite many attempts to try and change it! I finally decided to stop fighting it and run with it, but now I just as often see indigo for the Brow so I tend to wait and see what happens on the day. Still, my Crown Chakra has and always will be white I guess. I wont go too closely into the Chakra other than to say that it governs the intuition, imagination, clairvoyance, dreams and visions/visualisation and purple can help in all these areas. In the tarot, purple is the colour of compassion (as in the Lovers), spirituality and visions. Inna Segal, in her book The Secret Language of the Body, states that purple helps to clear mental complexes and brings out leadership qualities. It can also help improve the connection between mind ,body and soul and attracts hope and success. On a physical level, purple helps boost the immune system, heal skin eruptions, rheumatism and bones, kidney, lung and stomach problems. It helps to relieve nervous tension, thus calming the heart and helping with blood pressure.

To work with purple, the easiest way is to wear it on or around the head, however, the location is not as important as intention when wearing of the colour. Purple socks will do just as good as a purple bandana if the intention is stated clearly! For physical healing, you can eat purple food, such as eggplant or beetroot, or visualise yourself inhaling the colour directly into the part of the body you want healed (this last is most effective while in a meditative state). Perhaps the easiest, and possibly the prettiest way to work with purple is to incorporate crystals, such as Amethyst or Purple Fluorite, into your healing regimen. Again, it is all about intention, so if you are having trouble seeing the big picture, with visualisation, clairvoyance and dreams or perhaps have constant sinus problems, then purple can help!

Working with colour: Orange

This week the Pagan Blog Project is up to 'O' and I thought it was about time I posted about one of my favourite colours! Orange... I did a bit of research into colours, their chakra correspondence and their energetic vibrations, a while ago and this is what I came up with:

Orange is associated with the Sacral Chakra, found a few inches below the navel. It is the centre of creativity, vitality, sensuality, appetites and desires. In the tarot, it represents passion, creativity and family connections. If you see orange a lot, it may be a message to further enhance these qualities in your life. It can, according to Inna Segal, indicate that shock or trauma is holding you back from moving forward in life and using orange can help bring up associated emotions for healing. On a physical level, it can help with digestive issues, breathing conditions and fertility. It also helps with fear and depression by creating optimism, enthusiasm, courage and determination. It helps to create bonds of love and connect you to your wisdom and intuition.

Orange clothes are a good way to utilise the energy of the colour. Orange directly on your Sacral chakra will help balance this chakra, however any orange clothing will do the trick!!

Wearing orange, particularly around the Sacral Chakra, can help to alleviate these issues and increase your vitality and optimism for life. You can also visualise breathing orange into your Sacral or Heart Chakra with the intention of healing any associated issues. You can also wear an orange crystal, such as a Carnelian or Orange Calcite, or eat more orange food. Remember, intention is key! Just ask that the orange clothing, food or crystal heal your ailment and trust in the universe to provide! 

There is a lot more to Orange than the above, I am sure, however, I find that it is great for increasing courage so when I am feeling a bit fearful, I wear it with the intention it increase my courage and allow it to do its work. There are a lot of changes going on in my life at the moment, so perhaps this is why I have been drawn to it for some time...

Norse Gods and Popular Culture

This is another synchronisitc post for both my journey and the Pagan Blog Project. I had been having trouble finding an N to write about, then this happened...

I was having a conversation with a friend the other day about comic books and characters and who created who etc etc, when he stated that Thor was created by Marvel Comics. I cleared my throat, all lady like and said "Well, the truth is that Thor has been around much longer than that. The Vikings 'created' Thor, not some writer with a good imagination!" Obviously, because he is a grown man and quite intelligent he knew this to be true and his comment was merely a slip of the tongue or perhaps he was differentiating the two characters, the real Norse God and the comic book hero. Which is fine, but it got me wondering... How many other people out there, kids especially, look at the comic version of Thor and Loki and whoever else is in it (I have as yet not ready any myself) and see them as 'make believe'? See them as characters some genius made up and decided to write stories about? I wonder how many people out there do not understand who Thor and Loki (etc) really are?
 

It also got me wondering, how much else in popular culture has been taken from the ancients and adapted to suit their purposes. I know Anne Rice uses the name Akasha (which i only recently learned is the sanscrit word for ether...), and the gods and goddesses in Supernatural are based upon deities from a plethora of pantheons, but exactly how deep does it go? Are people picking random symbols from a book they picked up at an occult store and running with it? How many other TV series' have the myths of the ancients interlaced with modern world ideas? It is intriguing to me, and what it means is that there is a lot more reading and viewing in store for me in the future. I don't think I'll make it my life's passion to discover them all, after all I have other things I need to do, but it might be something else I draw on when viewing new series and movies...
 

It is interesting to me that the knowledge of the ancients is right there for the next generation to access, should they decide to make the connections and dig a little deeper into the name of their favourite comic book character...

M is for Meditation

This is a very meaningful topic for me… Mostly because I don’t do it nearly enough! Despite universal nudges that would make Ghandi himself frustrated……

I am a very practical person, and I like to understand the purpose of an activity, whether it be sport or cleaning, I like there to be a reason for me to do it. And the meaning needs to be on a relatively deep level, for example I do not usually like walking, even though I know it is good for my health, unless I have somewhere to go. A destination, other than to return home empty-handed, helps me to focus and get the job done.

What I find with meditation, is that if it is undirected, I do not see the point and often decide to do something else. This results in me sitting down to meditate perhaps once a week, at best… I know there are heaps of meditations on YouTube that I could do, but I often find it hard to do something if I do not know what to expect (which often blocks my psychic development!!), a fear of the unknown is one I have to deal with in this life and I have as yet not discovered how to… It occurs to me while writing this that meditation may be the very thing I need!! Weird, huh?!?! Hardly… anyway, I digress…

So, what is the purpose of meditation? What are the benefits that I can employ in my everyday life?

Without doing any actual research, my first thought is that it gives you time out from your life and the stress of holding down a job and a house (which for a single childless woman is not really hard). This is probably where I get stuck. I don’t really have any stresses, and if I do I tend to deal with it in a positive way anyway. I tend to be very organised and practical with deadlines etc so I rarely get stuck last minute… well, that is if I don’t put things off until the last minute, but then I just tell myself I put myself here, quit your bitching and get yourself out!  

What about the physical benefits? I have had to do some research about this section, as my first draft was just ignorant ramblings about the possibility of it helping with sleep and metabolism and stuff. I really wanted to know so I did it. This is what I found.

Benefits:

1. Reduces stress and anxiety.
2. Slows brain functions (the article does not say why this is a good thing, but I think that anything having a rest has got to be good!).
3. Increases focus.
4. More creativity: through open-monitoring, or guided, meditation.
5. More compassion and empathy: apparently meditation activates the amygdala, the part of the brain that processes emotion, one experiment found.
6. Improves memory.
7. Improves cognitive processes: through more grey matter, which leads to more positive emotions, longer-lasting emotional stability and heightened focus. Apparently, meditation reduces  the effects of age-related damage to grey matter and can reduce the decline of cognitive functioning (link to a reduction in Alzheimer’s?).
8. Boosts immunity: Meditation apparently activates disease fighting genes (recent research) which can help protect against pain, high blood pressure and rheumatoid arthritis.
9. Balances hormone levels: relaxation is linked to higher levels of feel-good hormones such as serotonin.
10. Helps with fertility issues.
11. Stress is linked to decreased digestion and immunity, so perhaps relaxation/meditation can help boost the digestive system and metabolism leading to weight loss?!?!
12. Relieves irritable bowel syndrome.
13. Acts as an anti-inflammatory.
14. Calmness – thoughts occur but are the witness, while in a stressed or ‘ordinary’ mind the thought is the boss. This reduces reaction to situations and allows you to sail through difficult situations. 
15. Sharpens the mind through focusing and expanding through relaxation.

There are literally hundreds of others, one website boasted 100 benefits! I have listed the ones I feel are of benefit to me, perhaps not now but in the future! 

But what about the spiritual benefits? Research suggests that it helps you to discover your true self, sharpen your mind, develop your intuition and expand your consciousness, which I can attest to. I have had some awesome experiences meditating that have helped me on my spiritual journey. Most recently I lit my God and Goddess candle and asked them to be present with me during the meditation and I just sat in their energy, getting to know them and how they interact with me on a physical level, conversing with them to seek clarification on a few topics which they happily gave me. For me, after this experience, I realised that meditation is a way to increase your energy levels to converse and merge with deity, spirit guides and perhaps deceased loved one to get messages or to simply honour them and increase your own connection to ad relationship with them. For me now, meditation is more about connecting with deity and my own spiritual nature and reminding myself that it is a part of who I am. Still, I don’t meditate nearly as much as I should, which is a major issue of neglect on my part, as I am sure that I will feel better if I do meditate every day. I am not sure what it is that prevents me, fear probably – fear of the unknown, fear that nothing happens and probably most importantly fear that something does and I will not believe it (as I am also want to do). Or maybe I am just thinking too much about it and not doing it enough… Maybe I should just sit and breathe deeply and open my mind to the possibilities of it all…… I feel, excluding the obvious physical benefits, it will help increase my connection to deity and my true spiritual self so I need to make a commitment of at least 15 minutes a day. This can be part of my daily ritual to help strengthen my spiritual self and help her to come out more. I know when I did make it a daily habit, part of my routine (even if it was as an escape from a relatively bad situation), I felt more confident, aware and compassionate in my daily life. Perhaps I can get her back, or maybe even evolve to a better me? Sounds like a lovely idea… 

Will I keep the commitment though???? Perhaps I start with 5 minutes a day……

Pagan Lightworker?

I have been thinking about this a lot in the last weeks, since I knew L was coming up... Can u mix the two ideas of pagan and lightworker together? I know I, and anyone else with similar ideas may be branded with a fluffy white bunny tattoo, but I still feel there is merit in the idea of a pagan lightworker...

The idea of a lightworker is someone who has reincarnation to raise the vibration of the Earth and being it Ito a new age of love and sharing. This is a very nice idea, especially as the Earth definitely needs it. 

For me, a pagan is someone whose spirituality is based around the observances of the season, honouring the elements and the Gods and goddesses. To me, being pagan means protecting and nurturing the earth, allowing my vibrations to be in sync (as much as possible) with the earth and honouring the existence of a supreme creation force manifested as the male and female inherent in all things. 

To combine the two is to be someone who is working with the earth and nature to bring the vibrations of the inhabitants of the planet to a hover level of love and sharing... It is to use the elements and what we know about deity, the universe and existence itself to inform and educate and help people to be better people for themselves and he planet... To me this is a noble idea, and the combining of Paganism and the term Ligtworker seems a nice fit... 

If I had to label myself I think I would use this term as it accurately describes the direction of my beliefs and what I hope to achieve on a grander scale at this very time. 'Fluffy' as it may be, it feels right to me and it is not harming any one for me to believe this, so as I will it...... xx

Working through the Elements: Air

Something struck me the other night, as I was heading to the back door to let my cat, Eddie Treebird, outside for what I think was the third time that night. All the windows and doors were closed and there is no real draft in my house. As I approached the backdoor, a sliding door with curtains hanging in front of it, the curtains were moving as if there was a draft or breeze coming from somewhere. The first thing I thought was ‘ghost’ but this was too clichéd even for me, so I stopped and waited to see what happened. By this time I was in front of the curtains and the draft that I had caused by walking across the room moved them even more and I was unable to determine the origin of the draft.

It occurred to me then that perhaps the initial cause of the movement was me. As I moved through the air in the room, it pushed forward ahead of me and caused the draft both ahead of and behind me, as a boat gliding across the lake. It got me thinking about the element of Air, that it is all around us even when it is not moving, it is still there. Sounds ridiculous and a bit ‘yea, der!’ but these things sometimes have to be learned and understood through personal experience… I think I took it for granted that when I breathed in my lungs would fill up with air and I would be able to then breathe out, it never occurred to me to think where Air came from or where it went. It never occurred to me to think about what happens when a person walks through Air that exists in the room or atmosphere (cause that is where it is), if there is an impact or not. I know people refer to the ‘butterfly effect’ and I think I understood it, but never really got it until that moment.

Air is all around us, (thank you Captain Obvious!) even as we sit it rests against our skin, our clothes, our hair. As we step we part it with our feet, we move it with our breath, we break it when we reach for something. The interesting thing is that it just seems to flow with what is happening in the environment. It does not force the issue, it merely accepts what is happening to it and acquiesces, allowing the changes to its structure and position to happen, and then remoulding itself based on the new information.

I have a new found respect Air, its fluidity, its adaptability, its availability. I also think that I have begun a relationship with this element that I will cultivate and look deeper into as I am sure, when looking at the changes the universe is guiding me to make, that I can learn something about the traits it possesses that will help me move forward, both spiritually and physically. I think I also like the idea of reacting to things when they happen rather than beforehand, living with the impositions or restrictions of others and not letting it ruin my own integrity, being able to adapt to situations while not changing who I am and how I work, being able to live in the moment and be changeable in a positive sense.

This is what Air is for me at this stage. It may change (and most likely will), but I am willing to work with Air in order to gain the strength I need in this most unpredictable time I now find myself in. It will be an interesting journey……

J is for Judgement - Pagan Blog Project

This kind of just happened... We were only just entering 'J' week, and I had this epiphany last week sometime and started to write about it. I am reading a book by Suzie the Ghost Whisperer, and in it she mentions about being judgemental and it got me thinking... so this is the finished product of such thoughts - just in time for 'J' week!!! Well, it would have been had I not been sidetracked with other things... so much for committment! Anyway, I also had to edit and re-edit this a few times to make sure what I was saying firstly made sense, and secondly was really what I meant... This was a tricky one and I needed to get all my little duckies in a row... hehe

From the Rider Waite Tarot Deck

This one has been hard for me to put into words. I think for me, its more about the differnce between judgement and judgemental. Judgements can get us out of some possibly scary situations, such as judging that you wont make it past the car in front before oncoming traffic reaches you. This is a good thing, and helps us keep safe.

Being judgemental is not so much a good thing. It is what you do in relation to a judgement you make. You might judge that the big, hairy biker (sorry to use an old cliche here...) is scary and may hurt you, but to act with disrespect towards this person based upon this judgement makes you judgemental (not to mention narrowminded!). Lifewise, to avoid having contact with this person may leave you wanting for entertainment or intellectual conversation... N'ever judge a book' right???

People make judgements every day, about clothing, when they cook, drive, hang out the washing etc. But these are harmless, and should be acknowledged as part of the human experience. It is when your judgements become part of how you show yourself to the world and treat others that you (and the rest of the world!) have issues.

I know in some situations I have been judgemental of late, mostly towards myself (which in the world of spiritual growth and understanding is probably the worst person to show judgement towards!!), but also to others. I have judged people based on gaining small snippets of insight into them as a person and acted accordingly. You might think that this is ok, as it is not a factless judgement, and you are partly right. The problem is that it is based on a small part of the person, not the whole. I asoknow that people show certain parts of themselves in certain situations to meet certain needs and may not even be who they are at all!!! I need to open my mind to the possibilities and not make judgements about an entire life based on one interaction with it. Sure, if these snippets appear to make up more of the whole than it now does, I will act accordingly, but in the meantime I am going to try to embrace all people I meet and get to know them on a deeper level before discounting them.

Also, I am going to acknowledge that judgements are a part of the human experience, and work through those that help and hinder me in an attempt at personal growth... Let's see where this goes, shall we?

Traditional Family Wicca vs Self-Discovery Wicca - A Response

As part of the PBP I have been reading a lot about a variety of subjects. Most of which I get and agree with, others I don't get at all and others I find narrow minded and perhaps a little judgemental...

One such (which I won't name...) was basically saying that people who claim to be part of a family of witches... Well I'm not sure what it was saying really... The post seemed to be full of jealous rage at the fact that others get born into a pagan family, with all the secrets us 'plebs' are fighting to uncover. I definitely get the jealous part, I would love to have an inherited belief system from which to base my current studies on! (although I am well aware of the pitfalls such a life would undoubtedly bring with it... so my jealousy is only in part...) How much time could be saved if I already had the basics under control!! Which herb should be used for which spell, what charm is needed for what situation, what chant or incantation is best and how to write a good one - the mind boggles!! I would be able to really think about the big issues!! That would be nice...

But the truth is, I wasn't born with such a heritage, as far as I know I am the only decidedly pagan person in my family. Sure, my Aunty is great with plants and uses herbs in her cooking all the time and has heaps of crystals that she instinctively knows what to do with, but she would never come out and claim she is pagan nor do the leg work involved!! And I am completely aware that there is a reason for my current family status, if I ever find out what it is, I'll let you know for sure! Just as I am sure there is a reason these people are born into a position of 15th generation witch who survived the inquisition, or the witch trials, or the reformation, or whichever narrow minded event caused persecution to witch and non-witch alike! There is a reason they have access to this level of knowledge and who are we to judge it or rage at it? Be jealous, fine - one can't help that emotion sometimes - but acting upon this emotion and raging about it will only make you look a fool!! So get over it! Or perhaps, befriend them and share your knowledge... If they are not sworn to secrecy that is!!!

The other point I remember this particular blogger making was about the person 'born to the family by luck'. I am sorry, but luck had nothing to so with it... Pagans, Wicca and Witches believe in a thing called reincarnation right? As part of this, my belief is that we choose the family we will be born into. This choice is based on a particular need or lesson the individual soul needs at that time. Then there is no luck at all, only the need of the individual soul to be a part of such a heritage! I would now love to be have been born as a 15th generation witch, but I wasn't and I have to trust that this is for a reason... It's probably cause my Mum is the coolest Mum on the planet, and I wouldn't exchange her for anything... (secret brownie points!! lol)

Anyway, the inevitable digression out of the way, I just think that if someone wants to claim such a heritage, and boast about it, then it's their lessons that need learning and we should let them, encourage them and aid them perhaps? Not judge them...

I also think the other thing the blogger had issues with is the ridiculous nature of the names given to some of the traditions... If a family wants to base their faith on unicorns, then who are we to judge? Especially those of us who have never seen one and dispute their existence! I have never seen an alien, but I don't believe they can't exist somewhere... Unicorns are the same. And quite frankly a world with unicorns would be cool, right? So if these people live in such a world, then who am I to argue? Whether their tradition is 1, 5 or 15 generations in the making, it's based on a person's truth and no one knows their truth better than the person believing in it right?? If we start (or continue in some cases) judging people for their beliefs then we become like those people this community professes not to be. We are here to find our truth, not THE truth after all... Besides, the historian in me is well aware there is no such thing as THE truth, as there are always perceptions clouding our view of events... I could list examples, but I am sure you are smart or experienced enough to come up with your own...

The point is, if a person claims heritage to a tradition, follows it faithfully and with love and trust, and is doing harm to none, then who are we to criticise?? Everyone's path is their own, feelings of jealousy, rage, shame, ridicule or whatever negativity you have towards them are all well and good - we are human after all! - but it is what you do with these feelings that causes problems...

This world needs less judgement and intolerance and more love and compassion... Just saying... xx