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You know the one where one person lies down in the center of the group and everyone else puts two fingers of each hand beneath them then begins to chant “Light as a feather, stiff as a board”, while lifting the prone volunteer into the air. We played it at slumber parties. A LOT! It was silly and a little creepy and totally magical and it rarely ever worked. When it did the lift was subtle. There were no levitating peers at these events, although in days after we might recount the game with a little more “lift” than it actually had. Little did I know that this simple party game was really a window into the realm of magic. Real magic. It certainly seemed rather magical at the time, especially when it worked. But it wasn’t until I was much older and deep in my craft that I began to realize the correlation between this mind over matter “trick” and the way I use my mind in magical workings. Our consciousness is powerful. It can take us places we never thought possible, can shift our body functions, can tap into the energy in the world around us and can even let us receive messages from that energy. I remember when I heard magic described as “the ability to change consciousness at will” and thinking this felt a little more mundane than what I had thought Witchery was all about. Yet over time I discovered that changing my consciousness at will meant I was interacting with the world around me in a different way and in turn the world was interacting with me differently too! This is why meditation and visualization are at the heart of my witchcraft. (The elements take a close second, but more on that in a minute). Yes the tools and tarot cards, the herbs and crystals are all amazing too! Yet at the end of the day these are all just things I use to amplify or channel my thoughts, energy, intention. My body is home to my mind and it is in and of itself an embodiment of the elements. As the well known chant goes: Earth my body Water my blood Air my breath And Fire my spirit We even find threads of the elements in our slumber party game, light as a feather (air), stiff as a board (earth). Simple Practice Imagination- Using your imagination can help you deepen your ability to vision, to shift consciousness, to receive. Choose an object- as an example let’s use a lemon Close your eyes and imagine every facet of a lemon, the details of it’s skin, the texture the smell, the taste (think lemon zest) Then imagine cutting it open Envision and maybe even “feel” the fruit, the intensity of the scent, the sourness of the taste. When you are done, release the image and try another. This may seem easy, or maybe even not magical at all, but I assure you that this type of work can assist you in your other visionings and deepening your meditative and journey workings. (I learned a similar exercise early on in my studies. Although I can’t say for certain, I think it was an exercise done with an apple and that it may have been in a book by Starhawk.) The Wheel is Turning Fall is making itself known here, in the cool and foggy mornings and evenings, while the Summer is clinging to the final days of her reign, during the daytime hours. As autumn arrives, so too does the second harvest. The Equinox is weeks away, but the promise drifts in the air. It’s never too early to begin your equinox/fall celebration planning. In the final installment of our FREE seasonal guidesheets, Erin and I offer you some ideas for celebrating the Autumn time. Grab your guidesheets today! And finally my friends, the 3rd annual Season of the Witch Virtual Conference is coming your way, October 7th and 8th. We have 10 presentations, over 13 hours of content, giveaways and of course a whole lot of magic! This year I am excited to get to teach you all about the elements in the class You are Elemental! I am just pulling together a few last minute details, but as soon as I do registration will be open. So keep your eyes on your inbox, for a full lineup, schedule and registration alert. (You will want to take advantage of early bird pricing)! 
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You know the one where one person lies down in the center of the group and everyone else puts two fingers of each hand beneath them then begins to chant “Light as a feather, stiff as a board”, while lifting the prone volunteer into the air.
We played it at slumber parties. A LOT! It was silly and a little creepy and totally magical and it rarely ever worked. When it did the lift was subtle. There were no levitating peers at these events, although in days after we might recount the game with a little more “lift” than it actually had. Little did I know that this simple party game was really a window into the realm of magic. Real magic. It certainly seemed rather magical at the time, especially when it worked. But it wasn’t until I was much older and deep in my craft that I began to realize the correlation between this mind over matter “trick” and the way I use my mind in magical workings. Our consciousness is powerful. It can take us places we never thought possible, can shift our body functions, can tap into the energy in the world around us and can even let us receive messages from that energy. I remember when I heard magic described as “the ability to change consciousness at will” and thinking this felt a little more mundane than what I had thought Witchery was all about. Yet over time I discovered that changing my consciousness at will meant I was interacting with the world around me in a different way and in turn the world was interacting with me differently too! This is why meditation and visualization are at the heart of my witchcraft. (The elements take a close second, but more on that in a minute). Yes the tools and tarot cards, the herbs and crystals are all amazing too! Yet at the end of the day these are all just things I use to amplify or channel my thoughts, energy, intention. My body is home to my mind and it is in and of itself an embodiment of the elements. As the well known chant goes: Earth my body Water my blood Air my breath And Fire my spirit We even find threads of the elements in our slumber party game, light as a feather (air), stiff as a board (earth). Simple practice Imagination- Using your imagination can help you deepen your ability to vision, to shift consciousness, to receive. Choose an object- as an example let’s use a lemon Close your eyes and imagine every facet of a lemon, the details of it’s skin, the texture the smell, the taste (think lemon zest) Then imagine cutting it open Envision and maybe even “feel” the fruit, the intensity of the scent, the sourness of the taste. When you are done, release the image and try another. This may seem easy, or maybe even not magical at all, but I assure you that this type of work can assist you in your other visionings and deepening your meditative and journey workings. (I learned a similar exercise early on in my studies. Although I can’t say for certain, I think it was an exercise done with an apple and that it may have been in a book by Starhawk.) The Wheel is Turning Fall is making itself known here, in the cool and foggy mornings and evenings, while the Summer is clinging to the final days of her reign, during the daytime hours. As autumn arrives, so too does the second harvest. The Equinox is weeks away, but the promise drifts in the air. It’s never too early to begin your equinox/fall celebration planning. In the final installment of the FREE seasonal guidesheets, Erin and I offer you some ideas for celebrating the season. Grab your guidesheets today! And finally my friends, the 3rd annual Season of the Witch Virtual Conference is coming your way, October 7th and 8th. We have 10 presentations, over 13 hours of content, giveaways and of course a whole lot of magic! This year I am excited to get to teach you all about the elements in the class You are Elemental! I am just pulling together a few last minute details, but as soon as I do registration will be open. So keep your eyes on your inbox, for a full lineup, schedule and registration alert. (You will want to take advantage of early bird pricing)! In my house you will find a semblance of order, with stacks of papers and notebooks (and sometimes laptops and mail), overflowing bookcases, and the constant refrain of "Honey have you seen my (insert word of the day here)?" It's not that I don't want to be organized or clutter free. When I walk into spaces that have neatly shelved books and organized office spaces, I take a deep breath and feel my shoulders drop down a few inches. A few times I year I call in my mom for help clearing out and getting organized and for a blissful week or so afterward I am basking in the gloriousness that is structure. Then it falls apart. My dishes still get done and meals prepared and laundry folded and put away, but the organization, the beautiful decluttering of a space, suddenly becomes awash in piles and stacks once more. (and don't get me started on the closets and cupboards) My Sagittarius fiery brain is ALWAYS thinking and planning and creating and as a result I am often way too many steps ahead of where my body is at in space and time. I literally have a reminder on my phone to come into presence twice a day. So when Virgo season comes in, I am ecstatic about the shift of the waning Summer, I am thrilled with the idea of getting organized, I am buying school/office supplies I am certain will do just that in fact! But underneath my exuberance is a general sense of unease. There is a rebel inside of me screaming "We will not do this, this is not how we work!" and also "You can't make me!" and then another part that is somewhat moody and melancholy rolling her eyes and saying "Here we go again." What does Virgo season mean to you? What shift does it create in your body? The New Moon in Virgo is happening this Saturday and tomorrow, Friday August 26th at 9 am PT I am hosting my monthly New Moon ritual. Together we will be using intention and action as the heart of our ceremony honoring the beginning of this lunar cycle. Do you want to join us? I am opening this circle to all of you. For just $13 you can join the livestream and ritual in real time with us and will receive a replay of the ritual as well. All you will need is a Tarot or Oracle deck and a pen and paper. You can sign up via my paypal and I'll email you the link to join and the replay after we complete the ritual I wish you all a blessed beginning to this Virgo season.  This week on the Witch Next Door Podcast, Veronica and I delve into some of the deities we have worked with, some we have avoided and discuss the way our relationships with deities has changed over time. Listen in! (and remember, if you like want you hear, you can rate, review and subscribe to help others discover the podcast too!) New Moon Magic The New Moon in Virgo is right around the corner. How do you celebrate the New Moon?
Have you been curious about joining in a ritual with me? This months New Moon Circle is this Friday, August 26th at 9 am PT. If you would like to join in, I am opening up the participation to everyone in the Wise Woman Witchery Community. Registration includes the live ritual as well as the replay which will be emailed to you once the ceremony is complete. $13 for livestream and replay  Can you feel it? This time of year is often referred to as the dog days of summer. These are those hot and sleepy days that begin sometime in mid August. The reference to the dog is actually to Sirius the “dog star” that makes its appearance this time of year. This star is quite bright and has been used to mark time and for navigational purposes throughout history. Nature has always offered guidance for humans who were open to listening. Even with the heat of these last weeks of Summer, I can smell Autumn in the air. The dry grasses and the first subtle signs of dying leaves are heightened by the sun. Harvests have begun and even as I type this to you my house is full of the scent of drying apples in my dehydrator (thank you Gravenstein windfalls for your bounty!) Kiddos are making their way back to school and the last vacations of Summer are being planned or are already in progress. In the past few weeks I have been making some much needed forays deeper into nature and remembering this end of Summer shift, in the land outside of my concrete and asphalt neighborhood and my small plot of land around my house. When surrounded by the space of nature the promise of Fall amplifies. The familiar plants and trees I gaze at each day mark the time in one way, yet when that view expands, the seasonal shift intensifies and offers a deeper connection to the rhythm of the earth. What are you noticing where you live? What is dying away? What is being harvested? What is the wildlife doing to prepare themselves for the coming change? Or perhaps you live someplace where the seasons turn subtly, where the bleeding of Summer into Fall is not so obvious. Yet even when this is true, there is still a shifting of energy. No matter where you live, as time passes the natural world around you will reflect this in one way or another. So will your inner world. This is part of your magic. How are you connected to the natural world? What is happening within you as you move through the cycles of the seasons? Discovering what parts of the year increase or decrease your energy, influence your creativity, invite you to reflect or to bring your focus outward are all parts of discovering your own energetic ebb and flow. When you make the connection between these and the seasons, you are finding the pathways to deepen your own magic. If you know that your energy increases during a certain season, you can use this to plan manifestation magic during this time. If you find a certain time of year feeds your creativity, this is a great time to craft magical tools and create incantations. Part of Witchery is working with the natural world around you. I invite you to get outside and reflect on your relationship to the seasons. You might be surprised by what you discover.  You may have noticed in your own life how many people retreat from anger, or quickly try to “fix” whatever is causing it. My Dad though could always meet mine. Either with his own or with permission to have my anger, he did not shy away or immediately go into fix it mode. This was a gift he gave me. By meeting me where I was at, the message I got was that it was ok to have my anger. I also learned to push against his and to not hide from the anger other people were feeling. As a result I can usually tolerate anger in myself and in others. Sometimes we need an ally to help support us in our rage. Someone to meet us there and help us channel it and transmute it. These allies could be living people or deceased loved ones. They might be deities or fictional characters. They will be the energies that stand beside you in your rage. They will help you tolerate the sensation and move it through. Not sure where to turn? Here are a couple suggestions- 1.Sekhmet is the Egyptian warrior goddess of war, destruction and conversely healing and she is a psychopomp. Her role is one of protection and yet she is also a powerful force of destruction. Two sides of the same coin. She is a solar goddess and often depicted as having the head of a lion. In one story we find Sekhmet in a rage where she goes on a killing spree (uncontained rage), she gets so carried away she is destroying all of humanity. Ra the sun god puts a mixture of ale and pomegranate juice in her path and mistaking it for blood she drinks it. Her rage is quieted once she sleeps off this brew. According to Amy Sophia Marashinksy in the Goddess Oracle, Sekhmet is here to remind us of the power of our anger and that “Rage is accumulated anger gone out of control”. Sekhmet invites us to embrace our anger and give it voice before it becomes rage. She invites us to make anger itself our ally. 2. Kali is the Hindu goddess of war, destruction, anger, time, change and power. She is born from the anger of the goddess Durga and becomes a protector and destroyer. She is fierce and unyielding. Kali is an ally not only in your anger but also in facing your fears. So often our anger and rage can be scary for us. It can feel overwhelming and uncontrollable. Kali can lend you her strength to embody your anger, to help you move it through and to not run from it (or the anger you experience from others). When we find allies in anger we feel supported in our experience. We do not need to quash our anger or hide from it. But we do need to learn how to channel it and work with it in ways that are not self destructive or harmful to others. What is your relationship with your anger? Who in your life can meet you in your anger? What stories do you hold about anger? Want to work some anger magic? Come to the Honoring Sacred Rage Circle. This virtual event creates a sacred and safe space to explore the journey of frustration to rage, to move these energies and understand your relationship to them. Using the tools of Tarot, meditation and movement along with some good old fashioned self exploration, we unlock our rage and give it room to transform. You will learn magical and mundane practices to help you with this process and will leave this hour and a half gathering with new tools for your toolbox. We gather Friday August 12th at 4 pm PT on Zoom. Karena Osborne of the Witch’s Inn and I will be co-hosting this event. Register here! Sliding scale with a base rate of $33 Canadian. 10% of the profits will be donated to Planned Parenthood. See you in the Circle!  Inspired by a listener question, this week on the Witch Next Door Podcast, Veronica and I delve into a few of our favorites. Favorite crystals, herbs and magical tools. Bet you have a few favorites. Wonder if they are the same as ours? Listen in! Rage on Wise One Honoring our Sacred Rage is just over a week away! Circle with Karena of the the Witch's Inn and I, as we make space for moving and honoring our rage, in a sacred space. In this hour and half gathering we will use the tools of Tarot, Meditation and Movement to work with our rage, to witness and be witnessed (if we choose). This is offered on a sliding scale with a base rate of $33 Canadian. 10% of proceeds will go to Planned Parenthood. Circle with us! And finally, registration for the Diving Deeper Membership Circle is open for a just a few more days. Anchor yourself to the cycles of the earth and the sky through monthly rituals, seasonal classes and a massive library of meditations, classes, workshops and ceremony. Plus join the community and make new connections! Let's make some magic together. Get 50% off your first month when you use coupon code DiveDeep50 at checkout. Join today  |
Emily Morrison MA, MFTArchives
December 2024
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