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 :)