Breathing.... kinda important

So my second B (sorry still catching up) for the Pagan Blog Project is on Breath.
Breathing is the single most important thing we do and yet we don't always use it right. Too often we are just going through our day and do not realize the impact breath has on us. Think about it. Until you started reading this blog you probably weren't thinking of your breath...... but now.... you are noticing the speed and depth of your breath.... you may even feel the need to take a deep breath all of a sudden. Its funny what awareness does.
Ok, so we are aware now, so what?

Well breathing can help with so much in life...... you know besides the whole keep us living thing.
Being aware of our breath can help us relax. By taking longer, slower breaths we can reduce our heart rate and calm our mind. The more mindful we are of our breath, the more mindful we are of our mind, our body, our actions. Breath links everything together.
When I am in pain (I have CRPS - a chronic pain disorder), I breathe. This mindful breathing helps to calm my nerves and reduces the pain. When I'm stressed out in traffic..... or with my kids...... I breathe.
Take a few days and pay attention. Take note of how you are breathing in certain situations. Are you breathing rapid and shallow? Change it up, breathe slow and deep. Did your mood, attitude, behavior, response change? Emotions and feelings are seen in the breath.


Now, lets think of this on a more magical plane. If your behavior, attitude, and responses change in daily life according to the breath, it would stand to reason that the outcome of spells and rituals would also change according to the breath. And lets face it... Breath is Air. Air is thought, communication, teaching. How can we use this to our full advantage if we are not aware of how we are really using it. Many of us use many things to represent Air in spell work..... We may even use our breath...... but are we really constantly being mindful of our breathing? Being mindful of breath clears the mind so that we can work more naturally and receive more benefit.
I believe that if the eyes are the window to the soul then breath is a window to the heart.


Thank you for reading. I welcome all comments!!

Affirmations - a daily dose of magic

My second A blog will be about affirmations. This is also something that I have been looking at and using more lately. I have found how important affirmations are in my life and how much they have helped. I had been wanting to do daily affirmations for a long time, but never quite understood them. Then I had two amazing experiences that opened my eyes.

The first experience was a class I took called Live your Truth Love your Life. This class was all about finding your authentic self and living your life authentically. In one part of the class we had to identify our 5 biggest fears and then rewrite them as affirmations to put a positive spin on them. For instance, one of my fears is the fear of failure, so my affirmation for this is "I am open to receiving all that is necessary for my success." So when I feel this fear coming on I recite my affirmation. I also use a daily affirmation that encompasses a lot, it is "I am a joyful, fearless, loving soul". These types of affirmations are best when you write them yourself for yourself. You can use affirmations that others have written, but I don't seem to feel the power, and energy from them. Even if I just rewrite one I have found to fit me a little better, the power of it seems to increase!



In addition to these affirmations, I also have begun saying the Affirmation of Women's Spirituality from the Re-Formed Congregation of the Goddess, International. Once I became a member of this organization I found that reading this daily really uplifted me and gave me a feeling of peace and purpose. I consider the affirmations above as small ways to help myself throughout life, while this one is my formal declaration of my spiritual beliefs. Here is the Affirmation from the RCG-I website:

AFFIRMATION OF WOMEN'S SPIRITUALITY

There is one circle of women's energy, and I, (insert your name), am a part of this energy.
It is mine to direct. I wish to direct my energy

TO KNOW:

1. that I can create my own reality and that sending out a positive expectation will bring a positive result.
2. that the energy which I send out returns to me.
3. that there are an infinite number of possibilities for my life.
4. that every situation is an opportunity to practice and develop my craft.
5. that my instincts and intuition can be used to guide me.
6. that my only power is in the present.
7. that the Goddess or life force energy is within me.

TO WILL:

1. that I shall try to never use my energy unwisely or limit the free will of another.
2. that I shall grow in wisdom, strength, knowledge, and understanding.
3. that I shall, as much as I am aware, act in honesty to myself and to others.
4. that I shall never use my energy for what I know to be evil, aggressive or manipulative and shall only use my energy for positive ends.
5. that I shall grow to understand the cyclic, life affirming rhythms of the earth, and always act with love toward Her and all Her plants and creatures.
6. that I shall transform all negative in my environment.

TO DARE:

1. to be myself.
2. to take responsibility for myself and my actions and know that consciously or unconsciously, I have drawn situations to me.
3. to be strong and independent even in the midst of struggle.
4. to accept and understand those whose ethnic or racial background, social or economic class, appearance, or sexual preference are different from my own.
5. to stand firm and committed to women and my spiritual beliefs even in times of isolation, pain, desperation or negativity.

AND TO UNDERSTAND WHEN TO SPEAK AND WHEN TO KEEP SILENCE.
SO MOTE IT BE.

Saying all of these affirmations as my daily devotionals  helps me ground for the day. They help me feel my inner power, my inner Goddess. I feel such a connection to the Divine when I say them aloud and put the energy forward. Affirmations are a part of my daily life. I find that these affirmations are my daily dose of magic.





Thank you for reading. I welcome all comments!!