Time for another edition of the 30 Days Magical Roots Challenge! I’m trying not to go out of my mind while I wait for details on the closing. I’ve always heard that moving is one of the most stressful ordeals, and I believe it because it’s been that way in the past. But buying a house on top of moving takes the cake.
Day 7 – Yoga Pose
I enjoy many yoga poses. Tree pose feels very Druidic, and it’s a great way to impress kids, but my absolute favorite is child’s pose. It is my go-to for grounding, so I’ve already touched on this a bit. When sending energy back into the Earth after a devotional or spellwork, it feels essential for me to get right down and rest on the Mother. I haven’t taken an actual yoga class in months, but my favorite moments are entering this post and sitting there for several minutes. I swear, if I could stop time, I would just to stay a bit longer…
Day 8 – Meditation
No matter how many guided meditations I experience, I always go back to the Two-Powers / Tree Meditations, and simply visiting my inner grove. They are basic, foundational meditations, but they are essential to my practice. I can always tailor them to my needs – whether it’s solo or group work, seasonal, energy work, or moving into a trance. They are good places to start, and a safe base camp for trance. If I’m away from my altar, I always have my inner grove. Everything I need is there, really.
Day 9 – Daily Practices
Much of what I’ve already written about for this challenge encompasses my daily practice. Unless I’m ill or something has disrupted my routine, I start each day in a similar way. My devotional consists of sitting before my altar, lighting a candle, and filling a bowl with water. I wave my hand over the flame and touch the water. I also touch my wand or another representation of the tree. I’ll usually do a Two Powers meditation which then moves into shielding through the Druid Egg. I make offerings to the Three Kindred, and say prayers of gratitude. I may ask for help in some way.
I will then say a divination prayer before shuffling and pulling my daily card from the Druid Animal Oracle deck. I will briefly reflect on this, give thanks, and ground.
Day 10 – Herb/Plant/Tree
I feel very blessed to have mugwort growing in my garden. I know many other witches and Druids who would love some (although they all seem to have stashes of nettle or comfrey). Someone saw fit to introduce me to mugwort, so I am working with her. I want to get to know her better, and this is the time for it. She’s grown quite tall, but she has not produced flowers yet. Once she does, I will harvest some of her for later workings. I made smudge wands last year, and will likely make more. According to Julie Bruton-Seal and Matthew Seal, mugwort is traditionally used on the Isle of Man for purification. On the practical side, many small, annoying flies dislike it. I also want to experiment with mugwort tea for dream and trancework.
Day 11 – Write a Spell
I came up with this earlier after my daughter jammed her fingers in her dresser door. I took her fingers between my hands, visualizing healing powers flowing into her. Then I chanted, “Booboos be gone. Ouchies too. You will feel better the whole day through.” Short and sweet, but it instantly cheered her up after experiencing one of life’s lesser pains. Always useful with wee ones.
Author M. A. Phillips 