After getting up in the morning, before you do anything else, go outside. Bring a cup of water with you. Go to a place where you can stand barefoot on the earth, your garden or a nearby park, or somewhere in the wilderness. Do a grounding exercise, and connect to that earth beneath you. Become aware of the air around you, the winds, the sounds that reach you. Take the cup of water, and take a sip from it. Then, pour the rest on the ground, meditating on the live giving qualities of water. Turn towards the sun, and feel its warmth, its heat, reach you. Be aware of the fire that is necessary for life. Enjoy standing there, in the centre of the four elements. Speak a short prayer to thank for the life-giving qualities of each of the elements, of the Earth.
Then, go back inside for breakfast or whatever you do to start the day. Repeat this little exercise over the day as often as you like. Try to do it at least thrice: morning, during the day, and in the evening.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Bringing religion into your daily life
Part of the reason why I started writing this course was that I wanted to find a way to build a regular meditation practise that would help to integrate religion and spirituality into our daily lives instead of reserving it for special holy days. This week, I want to have a look at the interaction of our religion and our life.
In my Wiccan tradition, one of the first things we ask our students to do is to analyse a news story from a religious point of view. This week, we are going to do something similar: each evening, analyse your own story, the story of this day, from a religious point of view.
That, of course, raises the question: what is your religious point of view? This is a question everyone has to answer for himself. A good starting point would be the ethical guidelines of your religion. They might include the Wiccan rede (“If it harms none, do what you will”), the law of return (“what you send out will come back to thee”), and the fact that your actions, your choices, are your own responsibility.
To start, make sure you have about 20-30 minutes of uninterrupted time. Get comfortable. My recommendation is to have pen and paper ready and write everything down, but you can also do this exercise in your thoughts only if you want to.
Mentally, walk through your day: what have you experienced? What might be the deeper meaning of your experiences? Of course, not everything has to have a deeper meaning – but some things might, and you will never find it if you do not start looking for it. What have you, yourself, done? How have you interacted with other people? What choices did you make? What will be the consequences of your actions, your choices? From a religious point of view, based on your own moral and ethical guidelines, were your actions, interactions and choices the right ones? Or did you cause unnecessary harm, make poor choices, or act unwise? If you did, try to find out why. Accept your responsibility for your own actions. If you followed the advice of someone else, think about why you did that instead of following your own good sense – but do not put the blame on the other person. What would have been a better course of action?
Do this exercise each evening over a whole week. If you want to, you can include it in your daily pages or your personal journal. After the week, go back over the whole week. Has being more aware of your actions and choices caused you to act differently? Why?
In my Wiccan tradition, one of the first things we ask our students to do is to analyse a news story from a religious point of view. This week, we are going to do something similar: each evening, analyse your own story, the story of this day, from a religious point of view.
That, of course, raises the question: what is your religious point of view? This is a question everyone has to answer for himself. A good starting point would be the ethical guidelines of your religion. They might include the Wiccan rede (“If it harms none, do what you will”), the law of return (“what you send out will come back to thee”), and the fact that your actions, your choices, are your own responsibility.
To start, make sure you have about 20-30 minutes of uninterrupted time. Get comfortable. My recommendation is to have pen and paper ready and write everything down, but you can also do this exercise in your thoughts only if you want to.
Mentally, walk through your day: what have you experienced? What might be the deeper meaning of your experiences? Of course, not everything has to have a deeper meaning – but some things might, and you will never find it if you do not start looking for it. What have you, yourself, done? How have you interacted with other people? What choices did you make? What will be the consequences of your actions, your choices? From a religious point of view, based on your own moral and ethical guidelines, were your actions, interactions and choices the right ones? Or did you cause unnecessary harm, make poor choices, or act unwise? If you did, try to find out why. Accept your responsibility for your own actions. If you followed the advice of someone else, think about why you did that instead of following your own good sense – but do not put the blame on the other person. What would have been a better course of action?
Do this exercise each evening over a whole week. If you want to, you can include it in your daily pages or your personal journal. After the week, go back over the whole week. Has being more aware of your actions and choices caused you to act differently? Why?
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Autumn candle meditation
The season I like best is autumn. When the weather is fine, I like to go outside, enjoying the last warm rays of a sun that is quickly loosing its strength, and watching the changing colours and the winds that carry away the leaves from the trees. When the weather is rainy, however, I like to do an autumn candle meditation.
For this meditation, you need: a rainy day, at least half an hour of time when you will not be disturbed and a comfortable chair that faces a window with a good view. I like to do this in the attic where the rain is drumming on the roof light, or in a place where I can look out into the garden. You also need a cup of hot tea, maybe a blanket and of course a candle.
Prepare your tea, and make yourself comfortable, facing the window. Start the meditation by lighting the candle. Be calm and relaxed. If you want to, focus on your breath for a few minutes in order to relax. Then, allow yourself to watch the autumn rain. Enjoy the warmth of your tea. Let everything else go. No hurry, no planning, no reflection – just let everything else go. Whenever your mind wanders back to something that happened yesterday, just bring it back to the moment. Whenever you start thinking about something you will have to do tomorrow, just come back to the present moment. Be present. Whenever you feel anger, fear, stress, let it go and come back to the present moment. Just be.
End the meditation by blowing out the candle.
For this meditation, you need: a rainy day, at least half an hour of time when you will not be disturbed and a comfortable chair that faces a window with a good view. I like to do this in the attic where the rain is drumming on the roof light, or in a place where I can look out into the garden. You also need a cup of hot tea, maybe a blanket and of course a candle.
Prepare your tea, and make yourself comfortable, facing the window. Start the meditation by lighting the candle. Be calm and relaxed. If you want to, focus on your breath for a few minutes in order to relax. Then, allow yourself to watch the autumn rain. Enjoy the warmth of your tea. Let everything else go. No hurry, no planning, no reflection – just let everything else go. Whenever your mind wanders back to something that happened yesterday, just bring it back to the moment. Whenever you start thinking about something you will have to do tomorrow, just come back to the present moment. Be present. Whenever you feel anger, fear, stress, let it go and come back to the present moment. Just be.
End the meditation by blowing out the candle.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Enjoy the fruits of the Earth
Currently, it is harvest time, and that is a good reason to enjoy the pleasure the harvest can mean for us. On a beautiful day, sit in the sun. Connect to the earth below you and the sky above you. Take some fruits that grow where you live and that are currently ripe – if it is possible and safe to do so, gather them yourself. An example would be to pick some apples from the tree in your garden, if you have one.
Look at the fruits, admiring their colour, their texture. Eat them slowly, enjoying their flavour, their sweetness. Of course, this works best if you choose fruits that you like. Take you time and enjoy life's pleasure.
Look at the fruits, admiring their colour, their texture. Eat them slowly, enjoying their flavour, their sweetness. Of course, this works best if you choose fruits that you like. Take you time and enjoy life's pleasure.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Personal Harvest
Last week was Autumn equinox, a sabbat that is considered to be a harvest celebration, the second of three harvest festivals in some traditions. In our times, few people actively participate in the harvest by collecting vegetables from a field, canning fruits or doing any of the work associated with harvest. Mostly, we enjoy that a variety of fresh, local food is available.
However, harvest time is also the perfect time for a personal harvest. Take some time for yourself and think back. Write a list: what have you already achieved this year? Have you learned something new? Completed an art project? Gotten a promotion? Read five books? Have you come to know yourself better? The Gods? Have you been able to appreciate the turn of the seasons? Have you raised a kid for another year? Have you finished one of your many projects? Have you found the courage to say no to yet another project? What were the important, the beautiful, the most moving times, the most rewarding moments, the most breathtaking scenery, the most joyful company? Take your time to make this list of things you have achieved or received during the last year.
Then, if you want to, make a second list: the year is not yet over, and quite likely you have some projects you would like to finish, or at least take another step towards finishing them. List everything that comes to your mind, and think about what you can do tomorrow – or better yet, today – to get closer towards including that project in your personal harvest for this year. Or, if it is something you think you should be doing, but do not really want to do, let it go.
Finally, go back to your first list. Read through it. Chances are the list is much longer than you would have guessed initially. If it is not, you probably forgot a lot of things that would be worth being mentioned in your personal harvest. Read through the list and realise that there are a lot of things you have received, and also a lot of things you have achieved. Be grateful for the gifts of the universe. And allow yourself to be proud of your achievements. This is your harvest.
However, harvest time is also the perfect time for a personal harvest. Take some time for yourself and think back. Write a list: what have you already achieved this year? Have you learned something new? Completed an art project? Gotten a promotion? Read five books? Have you come to know yourself better? The Gods? Have you been able to appreciate the turn of the seasons? Have you raised a kid for another year? Have you finished one of your many projects? Have you found the courage to say no to yet another project? What were the important, the beautiful, the most moving times, the most rewarding moments, the most breathtaking scenery, the most joyful company? Take your time to make this list of things you have achieved or received during the last year.
Then, if you want to, make a second list: the year is not yet over, and quite likely you have some projects you would like to finish, or at least take another step towards finishing them. List everything that comes to your mind, and think about what you can do tomorrow – or better yet, today – to get closer towards including that project in your personal harvest for this year. Or, if it is something you think you should be doing, but do not really want to do, let it go.
Finally, go back to your first list. Read through it. Chances are the list is much longer than you would have guessed initially. If it is not, you probably forgot a lot of things that would be worth being mentioned in your personal harvest. Read through the list and realise that there are a lot of things you have received, and also a lot of things you have achieved. Be grateful for the gifts of the universe. And allow yourself to be proud of your achievements. This is your harvest.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Autumn equinox
This week is the time of autumn equinox (the exact date is 22nd of September). Day and night are of equal length. The sun is slowly loosing strength. In nature, it is early autumn right now: the first coloured leaves can be seen, and harvest is in full swing. In my area, the first pumpkins are ripe and the temperature has dropped below 20°C most of the time, so it is easy to notice that autumn has arrived.
Pathworking Spring equinox
Make yourself comfortable. Take some deep breaths and relax. Let go of stress, anger, anxiety.
Close your eyes and go to your safe place. Turn around and look for a door. It is there, quite unobtrusive, with an eight spoked wheel engraved.
Open the door. It is day on the other side, with the light filtering through the huge trees of the forest. Before you, there is a path through the forest. The normally green forest is dotted with the red, yellow and brown of the changing leaves. Some late flowers are blossoming, and an elder is heavy with berries.
Follow the path. It leads you through the forest, among huge trees. Everything is quiet and peaceful.
The area is hilly, and your path leads you downwards, getting steeper...
You reach the bottom of the descent, and the trees give way to a wide open meadow. In the centre, you can see a huge buffet laden with the fruits of forest and field, and with mouth-watering dishes made from those fresh fruits. There is a large table where people are sitting and eating, presided over by a kingly man you recognize as the God. He has aged a lot since you last saw him, but he and everyone else seems to enjoy himself. He notices you, and begs you to join them, so you get a platter of food from the buffet and sit down with the others and celebrate the harvest festival with them.
...
You have finished your plate, and it is time for you to go. You turn towards the path that leads you home and return, up the hill, and through the autumn forest, until you stand before the door once more. You open the door and return to your safe place. ...
From here, return to your body. Take some breaths to return and readjust. Count from 10 to 1. Open your eyes. Welcome back.
Note
What did you pick from the buffet of food? Can you create it and celebrate harvest by sharing that dish with your family or some friends?
Pathworking Spring equinox
Make yourself comfortable. Take some deep breaths and relax. Let go of stress, anger, anxiety.
Close your eyes and go to your safe place. Turn around and look for a door. It is there, quite unobtrusive, with an eight spoked wheel engraved.
Open the door. It is day on the other side, with the light filtering through the huge trees of the forest. Before you, there is a path through the forest. The normally green forest is dotted with the red, yellow and brown of the changing leaves. Some late flowers are blossoming, and an elder is heavy with berries.
Follow the path. It leads you through the forest, among huge trees. Everything is quiet and peaceful.
The area is hilly, and your path leads you downwards, getting steeper...
You reach the bottom of the descent, and the trees give way to a wide open meadow. In the centre, you can see a huge buffet laden with the fruits of forest and field, and with mouth-watering dishes made from those fresh fruits. There is a large table where people are sitting and eating, presided over by a kingly man you recognize as the God. He has aged a lot since you last saw him, but he and everyone else seems to enjoy himself. He notices you, and begs you to join them, so you get a platter of food from the buffet and sit down with the others and celebrate the harvest festival with them.
...
You have finished your plate, and it is time for you to go. You turn towards the path that leads you home and return, up the hill, and through the autumn forest, until you stand before the door once more. You open the door and return to your safe place. ...
From here, return to your body. Take some breaths to return and readjust. Count from 10 to 1. Open your eyes. Welcome back.
Note
What did you pick from the buffet of food? Can you create it and celebrate harvest by sharing that dish with your family or some friends?
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Pathworking: The Dark One
On a night of the new moon, sit down in a quiet spot, preferably somewhere where you can see the night sky.
Take some deep breaths and relax. Gaze upon the night sky while you let go of anger, stress, anxiety and distractions.
Then, close your eyes. Go to your safe place. It is a very dark night here. Only the slimmest crescent of the moon is visible in the sky. Its light touches you, and in response, you feel your wings grow once again, delicate, slightly luminescent, strong enough to carry you easily. Stretch your wings experimentally.
Then, the last light of the moon vanishes. There is no crescent visible anymore, and yet you can feel the presence of the dark moon, there up in the sky.
Now, with some strong beats of your wings, you raise yourself into the air. Feel the resistance of the air, against your wings, the air that is rushing around you as you fly into the sky, into the direction of the waning moon. There is an updraft that carries you higher... and higher... effortlessly higher and higher...
You look ahead and you can see a shadow where the dark moon has to be. It grows bigger and bigger, until you are no longer sure whether it is there. Then you can make out features, rocks, mountains, crater. As you flow even nearer, you can see a round, darker shadow on the black moon surface. You fly closer, and you can see that it is a building, so you land at one side of it. Follow the wall until you find an opening. Very little light shines through, and as you enter, you see that the huge room is illuminated only by candles, one in each corner and one in the centre.
The room is filled with statues you cannot quite make out. However, at least some of them seem to be monsters, and you are not sure whether all of them are statues or some of them are moving when you are not looking.
There is a moving figure in the centre of the temple, so you walk there. The figure turns out to be a woman waring a black cloack, with the hood up. You shiver. She seems to notice, because she speaks up:
“There is no need for you to fear me. Unless you wake my wrath, I am quite peaceful. But woe betide those who do raise my anger by violating basic human rights. Those I pursue without remorse, and they shall have no rest.
If ever you have truly need of me, do not hesitate to call me – I shall come, whether it be for protection from evil, rightful revenge, or company at your last breath.”
She looks at you intensly...
Silently, take your leave of the Goddess and leave Her temple. Look into the sky. There, in the distance, you can see the earth, blue, green and beautiful. Stretch your wings again and rise into the sky. Fly back, home to your safe place. There is a feeling that is gently leading you into the right direction, a pulling, like a homing instinct. You follow it, flying back, and finally, you return to your safe place. As you land, you feel your wings dissolving.
Return to your body. Take a few deep breaths to return and readjust. Count from 10 to 1, open your eyes. Welcome back.
Note: As you can see, it seems rational to meet the Goddesses during their assigned moon phases. However, that is not necessary. All of them exist, no matter whether we can see their moon phase or not, and they are associated with the moon phases but they are not the moon itself. Use the symbol, but avoid being bound by the symbol.
Take some deep breaths and relax. Gaze upon the night sky while you let go of anger, stress, anxiety and distractions.
Then, close your eyes. Go to your safe place. It is a very dark night here. Only the slimmest crescent of the moon is visible in the sky. Its light touches you, and in response, you feel your wings grow once again, delicate, slightly luminescent, strong enough to carry you easily. Stretch your wings experimentally.
Then, the last light of the moon vanishes. There is no crescent visible anymore, and yet you can feel the presence of the dark moon, there up in the sky.
Now, with some strong beats of your wings, you raise yourself into the air. Feel the resistance of the air, against your wings, the air that is rushing around you as you fly into the sky, into the direction of the waning moon. There is an updraft that carries you higher... and higher... effortlessly higher and higher...
You look ahead and you can see a shadow where the dark moon has to be. It grows bigger and bigger, until you are no longer sure whether it is there. Then you can make out features, rocks, mountains, crater. As you flow even nearer, you can see a round, darker shadow on the black moon surface. You fly closer, and you can see that it is a building, so you land at one side of it. Follow the wall until you find an opening. Very little light shines through, and as you enter, you see that the huge room is illuminated only by candles, one in each corner and one in the centre.
The room is filled with statues you cannot quite make out. However, at least some of them seem to be monsters, and you are not sure whether all of them are statues or some of them are moving when you are not looking.
There is a moving figure in the centre of the temple, so you walk there. The figure turns out to be a woman waring a black cloack, with the hood up. You shiver. She seems to notice, because she speaks up:
“There is no need for you to fear me. Unless you wake my wrath, I am quite peaceful. But woe betide those who do raise my anger by violating basic human rights. Those I pursue without remorse, and they shall have no rest.
If ever you have truly need of me, do not hesitate to call me – I shall come, whether it be for protection from evil, rightful revenge, or company at your last breath.”
She looks at you intensly...
Silently, take your leave of the Goddess and leave Her temple. Look into the sky. There, in the distance, you can see the earth, blue, green and beautiful. Stretch your wings again and rise into the sky. Fly back, home to your safe place. There is a feeling that is gently leading you into the right direction, a pulling, like a homing instinct. You follow it, flying back, and finally, you return to your safe place. As you land, you feel your wings dissolving.
Return to your body. Take a few deep breaths to return and readjust. Count from 10 to 1, open your eyes. Welcome back.
Note: As you can see, it seems rational to meet the Goddesses during their assigned moon phases. However, that is not necessary. All of them exist, no matter whether we can see their moon phase or not, and they are associated with the moon phases but they are not the moon itself. Use the symbol, but avoid being bound by the symbol.
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