Which Witch is Which MESSAGES IN THIS DIGEST (3 MESSAGES) 1. Autumn Equinox: A Point of Balance on the Wheel of the Year From: Cher Chirichello 2a. Should we teach children what to believe From: Cher Chirichello 2b. Re: Should we teach children what to believe From: grambadger@juno.com View All Topics Create New Topic MESSAGES 1. AUTUMN EQUINOX: A POINT OF BALANCE ON THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR POSTED BY: "CHER CHIRICHELLO" CHIC0411@YAHOO.COM CHIC0411 Sun Oct 10, 2010 8:59 pm (PDT) Autumn Equinox: A Point of Balance on the Wheel of the Year Author: Maggi Setti [a WitchVox Sponsor] Posted: September 19th. 2010 Times Viewed: 2,281 http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt va.html?a=&c=holidays grocery stores are open 24 hours a day. Don't rest, is the message. How do we connect with a time of quiet, rest, and night in this environment? What does that even mean? Pretty soon we'll be getting close to the (dreaded) "holiday season". Yesterday, a woman attending one of my classes mentioned "Isn't it funny that the busiest time, the holiday season is at the darkest part of the year?" My immediate gut response was "No! It's not strange at all, its part of the attitude of how our society reacts to darkness, quiet, and stillness. It is the perfect example of the imbalance and isn't strange in the least!" Our society wants to focus on summer activity, heat, and light. It is afraid of depression and other "negative" emotions. You are supposed to buck up and stay busy. Don't think too much. Sensitive people are considered weak or lesser. Feeling uneasy, down, or discontent is something you should take medicine for. Our society is afraid of the dark. Downtime, stillness and rest are something you have to schedule in and fly across the world to do, and only do once a year. Trees begin to draw their sap in and close up shop for the year to sleep through the winter. Many animals prepare for hibernation. The days grow shorter and it gets colder. So, if we are trying to reflect these ideas in our lives and homes as ways of harmonizing with the flux and flow of the seasons, then the question is "How do you turn inward? What projects to you complete now and bring in as your harvest?" One of the ways I find myself turning inward is by cooking more, spending more time at my hearth, caring for my family, and seeking nourishment for the harsher days of winter. This is also how I honor Brigid who has a couple of mini altars in her honor in my kitchen. I also start assessing my work of the year. Was I happy with my ripening harvest or did I waste time? Do I feel I have grown or did I fall behind in ways that I need to work on through the winter so that I don't repeat old mistakes? Another way is that I take January off from activity. I stay at home and cancel study group meetings for the month, trips, social engagements, magickal project due dates, rituals, etc. My husband and my various spiritual communities know that we reserve January as our home's dreamtime and to not expect to see us much between Yule and Imbolc. We spend this time, reading, resting, meditating, doing personal work, and nurturing our relationship with each other and our family. It reminds us to turn inward anytime we have the need and gives us a strong starting place for each year. In this overly sun focused culture, how do you honor the dark exactly? Record your dreams and do personal meditations. Face your negative emotions to find their core cause. Don't sugar coat things. Not everything in life is lovely. That doesn't mean we should ignore a situation if it's hard. Honor the waning of things. Elderly are often "dealt with" rather than honored, listened to, and cared for. Listen to someone going through other endings such as an ending of a relationship or a personal loss. Don't force people to quell expressing their pain. Often when intensive emotions come up for someone in ritual, they need a safe space to be able to work through those emotions, which are normally suppressed. Rather than forcing tissues or hugs on that person, witness their experience with support and patience. The ability and space to open up is one of the beauties of magickal space and pagan ritual. Past the pain of opening up is the peace of fulfillment, connection, and healing. Give that gift both to yourself and the people with whom you share circle. Another idea is invoking the energies of a particular Sabbat to balance out a time, feeling, or situation. Just like our whole society needs more Yule and Imbolc, maybe during the middle of the winter a bit of Litha could be helpful. An infusion of the sun and remembering the light at Litha can call back the rebirth of the sun at Yule. To do this you would not just think about the power of the sun, but you would actually feel the warmth of it on your skin, remember the glare of the sun glinting in your eyes, and the feeling of the air in the middle of the summer. See the sun in waves, wafting through you and through your magickal space. Another technique would be to have your solar plexus chakra fill with the sun's power and energy. Feel that chakra growing stronger, brighter in the center of your chest. Visualize an image of yourself shining brighter and brighter as if you were glowing from within. Become the sun. Have your mind and vision fill as if you are the sun. Even on the darkest, coldest night, you'll find that this much focus and energy will change your mood and the energy around you. This is just one example. Invoking the inspiration of Imbolc, the fertility of Beltane, or the connection to the Ancestors at Samhain would be other examples of how to use this idea. The more we engage the spirit of the season through all of our senses and memories, the more we can harmonize with the Earth's cycles and learn Her wisdom. I found myself at odds when I first started to live the Wheel of the Year of Pagan holidays. The eight Sabbats were so organized as moments on the wheel. I didn't understand why the rest of our culture made such a big deal out of Christmas, but almost ignored Groundhog's day, Midsummer, Lammas, etc. As a result I have done my best to treat Yuletide like any other Sabbat holiday; I decorate, do a couple of special things, and spend time with my family. The more I focus on what the holiday should be, a moment on the wheel of the year, the less stressed I am. I make sure not to overbook the season or make the holiday run away with it. It's been helpful to my budget too. Spreading out the holidays has helped me to live in the moment as well. I savor the essence of the current holiday and what it has to offer me. Each year is one more turn of the wheel, one more circuit of the spiral rather than a calendar taken off the wall thrown in the trash, never to return. Time becomes more fluid and flows smoother. The wheel itself expands and I can look at the seasons of my life in the same way. Mile markers are based on the year's harvests rather than by how much time has slipped away from me. Even a lifetime is one more cycle, rather than the only chance to be alive. Each year becomes richer, more connected. I feel more invested in the yearly life process and more aware of the Earth's richness. Life is both more precious and more sacred. Enlightenment shines brighter on the Earth, here in manifestation. There is no need to cast off Earthly pleasures or to seek transcendence away from physical form. Balance and connection here on Earth in harmony with Her ways are the keys to the Kingdom for the Kingdom is here all around us. This is how we were meant to be the Lords of Earth and Gods manifest in our Universe. But for this moment in time and this Mabon's harvest, I look forward to apple picking, pumpkin carving, Halloween parties, and honoring my Ancestors. Snuggles on crisp nights and hot mulled cider await me on this season of russet and gold. I look forward to the first time I see my breath on the morning air or frost crystals gleaming on the grass. I wish you harmony and joy for your harvest this year. Blessed be. ABOUT... Maggi Setti Location: Ridgefield Park, New Jersey Website: http://lettinggoisflying.blogspot.com Author's Profile: To learn more about Maggi Setti - Click HERE Bio: Maggi Setti is a second degree initiate of the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel (www.sacredwheel.org) and has been a member since 2002 when she dedicated to the coven Guardians of the Windsword. She is currently a member of the coven Chalice of the Living Stars (www.sacredwheel.org/cls). Maggi works with several Gods including Brigid, Herne, Freya, Odin, Artio (Celtic Artemis), and the Morrigan, but is dedicated to none. Her foci include the Celtic path, qabala, tarot, aspecting, Faery, nature devas, herbalism and gardening, scrying, shadow work, sacred dreaming, warriorship, kitchen witchery, women's empowerment, and magickal painting. Maggi received her bachelor's degree from Salisbury University in Fine Art and Anthropology. Since she moved to New Jersey in 2008, she has taught both for her coven, and publicly in DE, PA, and NJ. She holds a seat on the council of the Northern NJ Pagan Fellowship, a local networking group. She also leads an Assembly guided study group called Spirit Egg which will become a coven in 2011. Maggi's spiritual writings can be found on her blog at http://lettinggoisflying.blogspot.com and as well as published articles on Witchvox.org. Contact Maggi at maggi.horseman@gmail.com Back to top Reply to sender Reply to group Reply via web post Messages in this topic (1) 2a. SHOULD WE TEACH CHILDREN WHAT TO BELIEVE POSTED BY: "CHER CHIRICHELLO" CHIC0411@YAHOO.COM CHIC0411 Sun Oct 10, 2010 9:05 pm (PDT) Should we teach children what to believe or let them discover their own beliefs on their own? How many of you felt really out of place learning your parents beliefs, I know when I followed my parents beliefs I didn't learn to much anyway until I followed my own beliefs which made me feel whole! How would be keep it open for them to choose what they believe and not make it like we're pushing our beliefs on them like our parents or guardians did with us? Should we? Cher New Jersey Pagans...Come in and Chat with us! Main Yahoo Group NJP: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/New Jersey Pagans/ Ning Web sites: NJP: http://njpagans.ning.com/ Myspace NJP: http://www.myspace.com/njp cher Cher NJP Link: http://www.facebook.com/chic0411 Page NJP: http://www.facebook.com/#!/NJPagans Group NJP: http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/group.php?gid=93725735017 Back to top Reply to sender Reply to group Reply via web post Messages in this topic (2) 2b. RE: SHOULD WE TEACH CHILDREN WHAT TO BELIEVE POSTED BY: "GRAMBADGER@JUNO.COM" GRAMBADGER@JUNO.COM INGRAM JD Sun Oct 10, 2010 9:35 pm (PDT) Many moons ago... (I love this story) I was attending a thanksgiving at the home of a faithful Catholic, as the guest of his daughter and her "partner", her brother and his former gf, who was my gf at that time. At a particular moment in my memory, Grand father was bouncing baby on his knee. Baby was the baby of the two ladies, aforementioned. While everyone was grinning and having a great time playing with baby, I said something kinda dumb; "I wonder what this kid is going to do to shock her parents." In my good fortune, there were no pins in the room. Grandfather took it in a jocular vein, and in a moment, we all went back to having a great time. That kid should be at about parent shocking age by now. I haven't been in communication with those folks lately, so I'm still wondering. Yes, we should teach our children, and let not institutions, or the tides of fashion teach them. A day may come when they will devine for themselves, but until then we parents ought to be the first to instruct them, form their character and provide them with the tools to think with. "Globe Life Insurance 1* Buys 50,000 Life Insurance. Adults or Children. No Medical Exam. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3131/4cb293eb70f01c96a2st06vuc Back to top Reply to sender Reply to group Reply via web post Messages in this topic (2) Recent Activity * 1 New Members Visit Your Group Yahoo! Groups Mental Health Zone Schizophrenia groups Find support Group Charity Hands On Network Volunteering has never been so easy Find helpful tips for Moderators on the Yahoo! Groups team blog. Need to Reply? Click one of the "Reply" links to respond to a specific message in the Daily Digest. Create New Topic Visit Your Group on the Web Messages Files Photos Links Database Polls Members Calendar MARKETPLACE Stay on top of your group activity without leaving the page you're on - Get the Yahoo! Toolbar now.
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