Friday, May 29, 2009

lack of posting

Well, I'm thinking about doing away with this blog...again. I seem to be spending most of my time on the other blog. It just seems that I have very little to say of a "witchy" nature lately. There is so much going on that I find myself not posting much at all.

In addition to working on a big home remodel that involves packing out everything in my house, I'm also in the process of expanding my little side business. I have finally purchased a domain and am working on the website. I'm also preparing goods to be sold at a 'shop local fair' that is coming up in July.

I took the day off today and have been working on some of these projects. I cleaned out my bedroom closet today. I ended up with half the clothes in bags to take to Goodwill. I've still got to sort through the shoes, but should be done soon. Then I'll get to work on a new knitting project. I'm making a baby blanket for my sister in law's sister's new baby. Her shower is in a month but the baby isn't due until August. I'm hoping I'll get the blanket done by the shower...but we'll see.

I still on the fence about closing this blog. When I set it up originally, I had grand ideas of it being a witchy, spiritual site, but it didn't work out that way. I guess I'll leave it until things settle down later this summer. I'll post when I can and hope that you won't all get bored with my lack of new posts.

Blessings
~*~

Monday, May 25, 2009

change

I found the below to be particularly interesting this morning when I opened my inbox. I am off to spend the day with family members that I would rather avoid. Several I utterly despise and many I just wish to not associate with. I'll have to pay careful attention to the day and my reactions to these people.

From: The Daily Om

May 25, 2009
The Start of Change
Breaking Family Cycles
It is easy to believe that in leaving our childhood homes and embarking upon the journey of adulthood, we have effectively removed ourselves from harmful and self-perpetuating familial patterns. In looking closely at ourselves, however, we may discover that our behaviors and beliefs are still those that were impressed upon us during our youth by our parents, grandparents, and the generations that preceded them. We may find ourselves unconsciously perpetuating cycles of the previous generations, such as fear of having enough, not showing affection, and secrecy patterns. Yet the transmission of negative patterns from one generation to the next is not inevitable. It is possible to become the endpoint at which negative family cycles that have thrived for generations are exhausted and can exert their influence no longer. Breaking the pattern is a matter of overcoming those values imprinted upon us long ago in order to replace them with pure love, tolerance, and conscious awareness.

Even if you have struggled with the cumulative effects of family cycles that were an expression of established modes of living and a reflection of the strife your ancestors were forced to endure, you can still liberate yourself from the effects of your family history. The will to divest yourself of old, dark forms of familial energy and carry forth a new loving energy may come in the form of an epiphany. You may one day simply realize that certain aspects of your early life have negatively affected your health, happiness, and ability to evolve as an individual. Or you may find that in order to transcend long-standing patterns of limiting beliefs, irrational behavior, and emotional stiltedness, you have to question your values and earnestly examine how your family has impacted your personality. Only when you understand how family cycles have influenced you can you gain freedom from those cycles.

In order to truly change, you must give yourself permission to change. Breaking family patterns is in no way an act of defiance or betrayal. It is important that you trust yourself implicitly when determining the behaviors and beliefs that will help you overwrite the generation-based cyclical value system that limited your individual potential. Many people are on the earth at this time to break family cycles, for all of you are true pioneers. In breaking negative family cycles, you will discover that your ability to express your feelings and needs grows exponentially and that you will embark upon a journey toward greater well-being that can positively impact generations to come.


Blessings,
~*~

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Wise Woman Ways



This year I signed up to take a course about wise woman healing. It is an apprenticeship type course, where we meet once a month for nine months. This year is part one of the course and there are two more years after this one.

Today was class number 4 and we made motherwort tinctures and st. joan's wort oils. I am having a wonderful time with this course. We have been shown how to make tinctures, oils, decoctions, infusions and balms/ointments. I've been introduced to plants I've not come in contact with before, like stinging nettle (it really deserves that name too). I've also been introduced to permaculture gardening, which is something I'm going to have to research.


{angelica}

I've been adding to my herbal garden, finding plants like stinging nettle, joy pye weed (also known as gravel root), anise hyssop, holy basil, self-heal, job's tears, calendula and comfrey. It's been fun adding plants of both medicinal and magical uses.

All these plants are of course causing me to spend most of my time in the gardens. If the weather is not bad and the sun is still shining, I'm to be found in the garden. I still have lots to plant and lots of sections to clear out before I can plant. It is good for me, it helps me exercise, it allows me to work out some frustrations (pulling up and clearing out sections) but best of all, it helps me to reconnect to nature and the earth.



I'm not sure that I want to become an herbalist, but I think that the things I'm learning will help to make me a better witch. :-)

Blessings
~*~