Joy - Misery loves company, but JOY breeds JOY =D

I thought for my first "J" in the Pagan Blog Project I would write about joy. I think sometimes we are afraid of joy. I know we all strive to be happy, but what happens once we are?

So often I think once joy is found in our lives we immediately begin waiting for the other shoe to drop. We start thinking about what could go wrong or "it won't last". Being Pagan I am fully aware of how the energy we send out comes back. So if that is the energy sent out then of course it won't last. We need to embrace joy. Love joy. And spread joy to others.

Its sad really. Think of all the instances you see this happen. If someone you know begins telling you about the shitty time they are having, you know the country song story.... my significant other left me, my dog died, I lost my job, people around them start joining in. "Yep, I'm having a hard time too, my friend and I got into a fight... yada yada". Why do we do this? Do we think it helps them? I think we do it because we don't want to make them feel worse because we are joyful in our lives and they are not at the moment. All this ends up doing is bringing us down. We lose our joy. We begin to focus on whatever may not be running completely smoothing in our life. Well hey guess what!! Its OK for you to be joyful!! Maybe telling them something happy will cheer them up! Embrace your Joy!!

Bad things happen. That's life. Those bad things help shine a big bright light on the good things. So be thankful you can see something as not working in your life, or you will never find the things that are working.

Have you ever had a feeling that something big was gonna happen and immediately you start thinking "Oh no. Whats coming now?"  For some reason we think that we only get these feelings when something bad is gonna happen. We think that we are only surrounded by the Divine when we need comforting. But that's not the case. Sometimes Divine and spirits or our ancestors are with us during times of joy as well. They gather with us to celebrate.

We need to stop being so afraid of joy. We need to stop diminishing our joy for others. We need to start spreading our joy to all we meet and embrace it and allow it to happen fully and completely.

What are you doing to embrace and spread joy?


Thank you for reading. I welcome all comments.

Isolation

Trying to decide what to write my second "I" about this week in the Pagan Blog Project I had no one to bounce ideas off of. So that is what I decided to write about... Isolation.

I know many Pagans who feel isolated and alone. In many groups I am a part of people state they are far from others of like-mind.

In my case, I live in a very small town and my husband is traveling for work. So I am here in a town that is very conservative with no one of like-mind. This can make me feel very alone and isolated. I end up spending the majority of my time on Facebook as it is the only interaction I get. Part of my particular isolation comes from moving to a small town. It is well known amongst us "outsiders" that you can live here for 40 years, but if you were not born here you will always be an "outsider". Isolation also happens here as I live in a very self-proclaimed "uber conservative" small town. So while my husband is gone and its just me and the kids here I feel very alone.

All of this got me thinking. Thinking about Pagans of yesteryear. Pagans (OK truthfully everyone) were all fairly isolated. And I think there is a benefit to this. A benefit that until recently I had never thought of, or appreciated. Back in the day, people were isolated living on their land and most of their time was spent only with family. This is where family traditions come into play. In these families beliefs, practices and rituals were created and passed through tradition. There was little, if any, checking what your friends were doing. People did what felt right. What their ancestral memories led them to do. People thought for themselves.

I think in this day and age of internet and communication we have lost some of this. Many who start this path are looking for the "right way" to do things. They want a teacher to explain how, what, when, where, why and validate what is done. I think this accessibility is becoming a hindrance.We are losing the ability to trust our instincts. To hear our ancestral memories.

Now I must admit that as I write this I am currently enrolled in the Women's Thealogical Institute and just started my course in magic. However, the realization that I had is this; I am using this course as a mentor not a teacher. Someplace to guide me but not give me a cookie cutter education about how things should be done. That is one of the reasons I so adore this program it is individualized for your own beliefs and practice. In our loss of isolation we have gained a belief that there is a definitive right and wrong way to practice and believe.

So I think its good to have mentors and those that will help us learn things such as herbology, but as for beliefs and practice, I think the isolation may be good for us. Forcing us to think for and trust in ourselves



Thanks for reading! I welcome all comments!

Diversity

 For my last "D" post for the Pagan Blog Project (yay all caught up now!!) I am going to write about diversity .... in a round about way. Not only is society in general a diverse place, but so are Pagans. Unfortunately, often times this diversity is shoved under a rug and society likes to pretend that minority groups, such as Pagans, are of little consequence. I feel we must stand up and show that we are as much a part of society as any other group.



So today is Pagan Coming Out Day. While I support this idea I also have some reservations about it. Let me explain.
I have the same issues with this idea as I do with LGBT community needing to "come out", in fact anyone or group that needs to "come out". Why? All of these issues are personal. You don't see straight people or Christians "coming out". No sit downs around the dinner table to say "I just wanted you all to know that "I'm straight and Christian". Nope, no need. Its only us that are not in the majority who feel we have to "come out". People should just be able to "be", without the need to explain such personal issues.
That being said, I think that because society works in such a way that there is a blanket of assumption that everyone is Christian, or straight. It is this assumption that makes days like this necessary. And not that I think people should need to announce their personal information to the public. But because people have the right to life their lives as their authentic selves. This means reading books on Witchcraft in public without fear of interrogation or insults. Celebrating Holidays that correspond with personal religions and possibly taking those days off for work without fear of harassment.  Saying mealtime blessings thanking the Gods and Goddesses of choice without snide remarks from others. Expressing love and pride for personal beliefs without concern of backlash. These are just a few of the issues that those who are of the majority do not have to worry about that those of us who are in the minority do.

Photo from the Annual Erie Pagan Pride Day, found online.

In fact, I was at a funeral recently and at one point in the service we were instructed to say the "Lords Prayer" using whatever version we so choose. I strongly wanted to use the "Ladys Prayer" version that I had found online. However, in that moment my mind had to scan who was around, who would hear, and what kind of backlash would my husband have from it, as this was a funeral for his family member. In truth, I should be able to express my religion how I choose.

This is why I support this day and this idea. It is not so that individuals can show their personal information to the world. It is so the world can see that there are many more beliefs out there. That there is a diversity not only in what is believed but in WHO believes it. Society still seems to have a stereotype in their collective head about what a Pagan looks like. Days like this show society that we don't all wear black all the time. We don't all wear broom skirts everywhere we go. We don't all live secluded secretive lives. We are teachers, lawyers, parents, authors, and everything else you can think of.

So I live my life "out" and proud  so that I can live my life with the basic  rights that others have.

I also support this day so that those who may live in fear to come out know that there are many of us out here. So they can find a safe place to go.

I am a Proud Witch!

Thank you for reading. I welcome your comments.

Dedication

OK, still have my "D" posts to do to get all caught up in the Pagan Blog Project. So here is my first D, Dedication.

Today I did a dedication ritual so I thought I would share.

Dedication to the Goddess Ritual

Although I have been on this path for over a decade and done a dedication ritual before I have created this new ritual. I am doing this now to mark a new step in my journey. I am not only rededicating myself to the Goddess, but also to my spiritual sisters. This dedication is a much deeper one than my previous one. The first one was a dedication to the path; this is a dedication to serve the Goddess.

This was done on Beltane. Beltane is a time for fertility and growth, so I choose this day so that the fertile seed of my dedication may sprout and grow. This is a time for self-discovery and personal growth. It is also the time of the Waxing moon. This is ideal to help my dedication grow, as I enter this positive change in my life.

It was done at Guernsey State Park, near the “Castle” as I feel connected to this area. (I got married here)

*I choose not to cast circles in my spiritual work. I feel that because all space is sacred there is no need to cast a circle. If I feel an area needs to be cleansed prior to work in order to dispel negativity, than I will do so with sage. 

 I began the day with a salt cleansing.

Items Used:

Ribbons

Candle

Water

Salt

Ring

I began with a grounding meditation (removing shoes) as I find meditation the best way to not only connect with myself, and the Divine, but also to raise energy. I find that in stillness I find the most energy.

After concluding my meditation I saw this image in the stone next to me. 

Speak:

This ritual will be my commitment to myself, my Sisters of the Re-Formed Congregation of the Goddess, and to the Goddess.

On this day I dedicate myself to the Goddess.

Goddess in all your forms I honor You.

I honor You with my mind, my intentions and the words I speak.

I honor You with my body, my actions and the behaviors I exhibit.

I honor You with my heart, my love and my Passion that I feel and share.

I offer to use these gifts you have bestowed me in service to you.

On this day I dedicate myself to You.

I give to You my mind to speak through, my body to act through and my heart to love through.

I vow to honor, respect and live in service to You

Take Candle

Speak:

this candle represents fire it helps me to ignite my passion  

it reminds me of my strength and

my endurance

(Light Candle) To grow

Take salt

Speak:

This salt represents earth and it will help me to root to mother earth,

It reminds me that we all come from the Goddess, and

we are all connected.

(Sprinkle on Earth) To discover

Take

Ribbons

Speak:

These Ribbons represents air it reminds helps me to reclaim myself

It reminds me to speak with right intention

To continue to become

(Tie to Tree) To Create

Take Water

Speak:

This water is to remind help me to persevere in an ever-changing world.

It reminds me to heal and

To know myself

(Pour on Ground) To Feel

Take ring and put on

Speak:

For spirit I will wear this ring. It will remind me every day my dedication to the Goddess and to the Path. And remind me to live the old ways.

As I don this ring I begin my service to the Goddess. My Service to the Goddess will not end, so shall it be in this life, so shall it be in death, and so shall it be in my next life and every life thereafter.

As I will it so mote it be



After concluding this ritual I took a walk to meditate on my new path with the Goddess. I used this walk as a time to listen to the Goddess and receive Her messages for me.
Here is what I heard and saw.
After concluding and beginning my walk I began to see many hawks flying around me. Some came close others just circled above.

I also saw many butterflies scurrying around me, which I failed to get photos of.

As I was meditating on my walk I asked the Goddess what She wanted me to do. I heard this;
"Love. Heal. Teach.... But mostly Love."
"You are now a student of the Goddess."

As I was getting in the car to leave a very large (about the size of a quarter) bee began flying around me. It flew around my head and would fly in and out of the car. Unfortunately this bee was camera shy and I could not capture an image of it.

The first thing I heard on the radio when I began to drive away was Belinda Carlisle singing "Heaven is a Place on Earth", I found this slightly funny.

As I was driving home I heard the following;
"There are no straight lines in nature, so don't expect any in your life. You have a plan to get from point A to point B, but it will not be a straight line. There will be zigs and zags, curves, detours, and even U-turns and circles. But don't worry, in the end its always beautiful."

 I sit here now with much love in my heart. Ready to start my journey.

Thank you for reading. I welcome all comments!!