Wow, August is just speeding by, and summer is slipping through my fingers like sand at the beach I visited a couple days ago. I’m still participating in the 30 Days Magical Roots Challenge, but as predicted, I’m combining days into sporadic updates. I’ve had a busy few days of visiting family, going to the beach in Alexandria Bay, grocery shopping, and celebrating Lughnasadh with my friends at Muin Mound Grove in Syracuse, NY. Ah, that was a grand day full of laughter with old friends, offerings, song, fire, and mead. But anyway…
Day 3: Centering and Breath Work
This is something I strive to do each day. I’m more successful some days than others. Goodness, there are times when I wake up early for work, feeling like a zombie, and I can barely focus on anything let alone my breath. Most of the time, however, this is an important part of my daily devotional (which also includes grounding and divination, as discussed in my last blog post). I tend to start each working, whether it’s a formal ritual or a prayer of gratitude, with three deep breaths. If I’m going to do trance or magic work, I will likely go into a focused meditation.
Some days, when I’m irritated or stressed, it can be helpful to find a quiet place and take deep breaths…
Day 4: Intentions
I’m supposed to reflect on my intentions for completing this challenge. That’s fair enough, but I want to start with my big intention for August: I will move into a new house without losing my mind! Most everything is revolving around that, although I’m also the workshop coordinator for the FAE Fest once more. Doing that while prepping for a move has been extra stressful. With all that and this challenge in mind, my goals are to stay as calm and level-headed as possible. Maintaining my Druidic practice, especially breathing, grounding, and shielding will be very important to my overall wellness. In addition, I want to do some solid magical work this month. I’ve done some work already, all towards the new home, so that will continue. I hope it shifts to performing a house saining later this month…
Day 5: Energy Work
Ah… the old “hand rubbing” exercise. This brings back memories. I was chatting with a new witch friend on ye olde MSN Messenger. I was still wet-behind-the-ears, and he suggested I try doing that. I actually did this with my daughter a couple months ago, but she was too overtired to focus… I should try again. It’s fun to just experience energy in various forms. When I start devotionals lately, I don’t just visualize fire and water – I wave my hand over the flame and put my finger in a bowl of water. Feeling the energy directly is more meaningful to me, more intimate, and I store that memory for times when I don’t have access to them. I suppose that’s the key to magic – the ability to summon that energy when needed. There are plenty of times when I can’t light a candle, but I can go to that inner grove where I see and feel the flame…
Sometimes you have to go back to the basics to get stronger. I’ll try to add the old hand rubbing exercise to my daily work and see what happens…
Day 6: Shielding
This is a skill that I really started to develop about three years ago. You see, I had a bit of an altercation with a colleague. We have very different personalities – she’s very type A and I’m… not, really? There was also a definite lack of sleep due to us both having babies at home. Anyway, it sucked. I didn’t feel that she would purposefully attack me psychically (I don’t see her touching the magical community with a ten foot pole), but negative emotions run wild after emotional encounters like that. I purposefully started to develop my shielding skills. I developed my daily “Druid Egg” routine (one day I’ll do a more detailed post on the subject). Sometimes, when especially stressed or “threatened,” I’ll take a break and renew it. If I’m at work, the bathroom is a great place to do that.
As a Senior Druid with a grove, and as a teacher, this sort of practice is incredibly important. If someone is upset with you, they will put off nastiness. I hesitate to call myself an “empath,” as I don’t think I’m as perceptive as others, but I’m definitely affected by other people. That can impact my decision making. Shielding is a way for me to push that extra input aside and focus on what I need, who I am, and what I stand for. I tell the gunk coming that it cannot get me. I own my space.
Some days, I’m better at it than others… but when I set my mind to it, those wards are up. I find that it helps to have a really good working relationship with my spirit allies as well… just in case the shield cracks.
Author M. A. Phillips 