Day 33: Contemplative Day: The center of knowledge

Each month I'll have a contemplative day. Wicca places great emphasis on direct experiential learning. For this exercise, I had to contemplate the question "What is at the center of knowledge?" Rather than trying to come up with a rational answer, I was supposed to sit with the question in my mind and let my intuition take over. While contemplating this, I feel the answer popped into my head. Life. Life is at the center of knowledge. I'm not entirely sure how it makes sense, but that's how my intuition led me to answer the question.

Day 32: Invocation prayer to the crone

This was the invocation prayer for the crone. Lighting an indigo candle and making the magical pass, I said,

"By Hecate and Hel,
By Sophia and Sekhmet,
By Inanna and Rhiannon,
And the countless names of power,
By the dark moon and buckled horn,
Come ye Crone goddess,
The Holy Rights reborn!"

After a little bit, I was able to sense a change in the room's energy. It was very subtle, but it was there. Makes sense to me though. I wouldn't expect her energy to be really obvious. Like the other invocation prayers, this was relaxing. I really enjoy the ritual aspect of these things. Setting up the space, lighting the candle, it all helps me focus. Very fun :)

Day 31: Magical pass of the crone

Today (well, yesterday) I practiced the crone's magical pass. I didn't really feel anything, to be honest. It was disappointing. Not much more to say on that :S

Day 30: Intonation

I've been doing the exercises on the proper day, I'm just a day behind on posting. Yesterday I had to practice the intonation for the crone. It was the same basic concept as the last two intonations. Sitting in front of an indigo candle, saying "mmmmm" for six deep breaths. Unlike before, I didn't feel anything this time. There didn't seem to be a change in energies at all. Maybe I'm not quite in touch with my crone aspects?

Day 29: Calling on the crone

Today was one of the meditative imagining things. I was to picture myself standing in front of a rickety wooden cottage in a dark forest. An old woman would come out, holding a mirror. Looking in the mirror, I would see an image of myself acting throughout my day form a center of wisdom. Then she whispers a word that represents the trait I must accrue to become my wisest self.

I don't know if I did this properly, but I did come up with a trait. I had a hard time focusing thanks to a Lily Allen song stuck in my head. I pictured the old woman and the mirror, but I couldn't quite focus on a specific image in the mirror. I saw my face, but it was like a close up, I couldn't see what was going on. After some more focusing, the old woman whispered the word "knowledge." I spent some time thinking about it, and I think it means I need to be more receptive. Once I came to that conclusion I felt a change come over me, like a confirmation from the crone. Maybe I did do it right.

Day 28: The Crone

The third aspect of the goddess is the crone. She represents repose, wisdom, and decline. She is the manifestation of internal movement and mystic insight. She is there whenever you act in a level-headed, rational, responsible way. Her dark side represents bitterness, criticizing without noting the positive, and self-sufficiency to the point of isolation. Some crone goddesses in mythology include Hecate, Circe, Lilith, and Fortuna.

As far as my exercise goes, I just had to make note of my crone qualities and be aware of them throughout the day. The next few days are going to be the same as with the maiden and the mother, then I'll do the same thing with the different aspects of the god.

Correspondence Table
Lunar Phase: Waning/dark
Seasonal Phase: Late fall, winter
Color: Indigo
Pagan Celebration: Samhain - October 31st
Direction: West
Time: Dusk
Incense: Mugwort, star anise
Essential Oils: sage, cedar
Magical Number: 6
Vocalization: Mmm
Herbs: Nightshade, fly agaric
Planet: Saturn, Jupiter
Body Part: Eyes

Day 27: Invocation prayer for the mother

I did this yesterday, but I never got around to posting it. Stupid sinus infection.

This was similar to the invocation prayer for the maiden. I lit a green candle, burned some incense, made the magical pass and recited,

"By Demeter and Dana,
By Aradia and Astarte,
By Cerridwen and Ceres,
And the countless names of power,
By the full moon and branched horn,
Come ye Mother goddess,
Thy Holy Rites reborn!"

I didn't feel as much of a change as I did with the maiden, but I did notice that the energy of the room was different. I believe that this invocation prayer worked though. It was very relaxing and energizing at the same time. I like Wicca :)

Day 26: Magical pass of the mother

This was a simple enough one. Yesterday I practiced making the magical pass of the mother. Unlike the maiden's, I didn't really feel anything when I did this one. It might have been because I'm still sick, but I don't know. That's why I didn't get around to posting yesterday, I felt like my head was going to explode.

Day 25: Intonation for the mother

Sorry for not posting much lately, but the past three weeks have been filled with a viral plague that led to a sinus infection I still have. That's also why my last post was so short, but by the time you see this it should be edited.

Unfortunately I didn't do this at the time the book said to, but I was busy feeling sick and doing dishes. Today's exercise was simple. Gazing upon a lit green candle, I had to complete for intonations for the mother. Take a deep breath, then say "a" (as in "say"). Simple, but effective. Once I finished the fourth, I felt a different energy in myself. It felt almost like there was a balloon in my chest, I felt so light.

I never expected things like this to actually work, but the more I do the more I'm a believer.

Day 24: Calling on the mother

Today I had to imagine myself meeting a mother goddess. It felt like a dream but almost real at the same time. Like the book described, I was able to picture her coming up to me and putting her hands on mine. I then felt the urge to hug her. My head on her chest, I could feel the mother goddess's compassion and love. She put her arms around me and we stood like that for a while. I could tell her hair smelled like flowers and seawater. After we hugged, she smiled at me. I thanked her for coming, and then she left.

Not gonna lie, that experience was pretty sweet.

Day 23: The Mother

So before I talk about today's exercise, I have awesome news. While doing the invocation prayer for the maiden last night, I asked her if she could watch over my fish Norbert (he's got ick, it's really bad) and help him get better. He's been laying on the bottom of the tank, and I was afraid he wouldn't even make it though the night. I woke up this morning and Norbert had probably 20 fewer spots and he was swimming around like normal! I'm so happy! There is no way only one dose of the anti-ick medication did that much for him. Thank the goddess :)

Today I learned about the second aspect of the goddess, the mother. She represents birth, nurturing, and actualized potential. She is caring, forgiving, receptive, and open to change. Her dark side represents the potential to smother and encourage dependence in other people. Some mother goddesses in mythology include Demeter, Io, and Artemis.

The exercise was just to think about my mother goddess qualities, nothing much.

Correspondence Table
Solar Phase: Fall
Seasonal Phase: Late summer, early fall
Color: Green
Pagan Celebration: Lammas - August 2nd
Direction: Southwest
Time: Late afternoon
Incense: Meadowsweet and oak
Essential Oils: Lotus, cucumber
Magical Number: 4
Vocalization: "a" as in "say"
Herbs: Hollyhock, frankincense
Planet: Venus
Body Part: Heart, lungs, hands

Day 22: Invocation Prayer

Throughout all of this, I've been skeptical. However, I'm really starting to believe, especially after today. I had to practice an invocation prayer for the maiden goddess. I lit a candle and some incense, made the magical pass of the maiden and said,

"By Persephone and Pandora,
By Ariadne and Athena,
By Brigid and Branwen,
And the countless names of power,
By the crescent moon and horn,
Come ye Maiden goddess,
Thy Holy Rites reborn!"

After doing this, I felt energy envelope the room. I felt almost like I was vibrating. I could feel energy moving through the space my hands made. For once, I didn't feel the urge to do something, I was able to simply sit. I didn't expect anything to happen when I did this, except maybe set off the smoke alarm with the incense and candle. But it did, something happened!

Day 21: Magical pass of the maiden

"A magical pass is a hand gesture that a witch uses to symbolize and therefore invoke specific spiritual energies." Today I had to practice the maiden's magical pass. Standing facing the northeast, i started with my arms at my side, thumbs touching my thighs. Bending my elbows so only my forearms moved, I opened my thumbs so they are at a 90-degree angle with my forefinger and then brought my hands together so that the tips of both thumbs and forefingers touched. The opening that my hands created represented the cosmic yoni, which is a term that refers to the vulva of the goddess. It is the personification of the female principal in nature.

Snicker snort giggle, etc. I really didn't expect this to do anything but make me feel silly. Once again, I was wrong! I could feel a sort of energy in the space in the middle of my hands, like it were passing through. I don't know how much of this is attributed to the power of suggestion, but it was still neat nonetheless.

Day 20: Oops. . .

Today I was supposed to wake up an hour before dawn, sit facing the northeast, light a candle, and say "ooooooooooooooooo." That sound is the intonation for the maiden. After the second intonation, I had to sit in silence for 20 minutes to "allow the essence of the intonation to realign my consciousness."

I failed. While I was up at 5AM for work today, I didn't have any time to do this. Any other morning I can't afford to wake up so early because of class and work. I feel really bad, but I think I'm going to have to skip this exercise. This one is not so good for busy people.

Day 19: Calling on the maiden

Today I had to do a meditation thing and call on a maiden goddess. I was to imagine myself on a grassy field at dawn and chant the name of a maiden goddess. She would appear and hand me flowers, and with each flower she'd name a trait that is important for me to develop in order to access her power.

In all honesty, I didn't think this would work. I thought I would be able to imagine the maiden easily, but not come up with any traits. I was wrong. The maiden appeared and handed me only two flowers representing truth and love. I'm not sure how I need to develop those more. I'm truthful as often as possibly, and may even have to refuse to sell something at work to avoid lying or deceiving people. Maybe I need to be true to myself more, and not focus all the time on pleasing others. I've been avoiding a confrontation lately, and I think because of it I'm not being true to myself. As far as love goes. . .I don't know. I love a lot, I love hard. Maybe I need to love more? Well, more as in more people. Hmm. I'll have to ponder on that.