The body got jacked pretty badly from a number of things, back to neck to that damn headache. It took days this time, more than a week to get decently right again. I surrendered to the twisted pain, engaged in proper self care (mostly).  Finally on oday I have just a touch of tightness from my right shoulder to neck and the brain fog has lifted. I exited my body a lot to avoid the pain and sometimes it takes a long time to get back. 

I have many books partially read and a huge invisible stack waiting in my ereader. As I tried to decide  which one to pick up while I waited for my brain to clear one kept insisting on a reread. Now, I don’t mind rereading, but I have a ton unread waiting for me. Oh well, I’ll not have any peace until I obey the command so I’m reading “Interior Castle” again. Perhaps I skipped a room the first go-round? 😉 

Originally posted here at Dreamwidth

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I recently signed up to take a sacred branding class using spirit animals, created and facilitated by the lovely Kelly Eckert. And to be honest, I was somewhat skeptical at first, as I was thinking “Business branding? With spirit animals?” And I know, I know, you all are probably like “You of all people are skeptical about spirit animals?” but yes, even I have my moments.

But…

The class is really wonderful, and I’m getting a lot out of it. We did a guided meditation to find our spirit animal yesterday, and a totally unexpected ally came to me:  Fox. And Fox is really potent energy for me right now, and totally aligned with the changes I am making with my life and my Life’s Work.

I keep hearing the phrase “crazy like a fox” in my head. I’m hearing that I need to be able to retreat and withdraw when I need to, to stay at the edges and observe. I am learning that Silence is Powerful, that there is Power in Mystery, and that I don’t have to reveal everything. Revelation is something that can’t be forced.

So, yeah, spirit animals for business branding – who knew it would work so well? I’m excited to see what the rest of this class will bring.

Are you working with something that is pushing your boundaries or running into your skepticism? How does it feel?

 And Water decided enough is enough. First was the shower pouring water onto the bathroom floor. Then the toilet not shutting off. Next was the sink in the powder room overflowing to the point that it ran into the basement and over the fridge, splashing the surge protector, and soaking the floor. Finally, I ran the dishwasher through a cycle without water. Oh, I turned it on. Then for some inexplicable reason turned it back off. Hhhmmmmm. Maybe I shouldn’t have written "finally" as the day is not quite over.

At water hazard number three I turned to the hubster and said, "At least it’s not fire trying to get my attention today!" He agreed. I continued, "Well, if it does I have plenty of water."

Sometimes you just have to laugh.

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Some Rights Reserved by CC Chapman

I really want to write something tonight, but I find myself at a loss, with no serious thoughts/observations of my own to share – though I will nudge you toward reading this amazing post by Danielle LaPorte on building a spiritual practice. (So good!)

I suppose I do have this to say:  I am grateful for the pause. The gears feel like they are in sync. Possibility is just around the corner.  And I know I won’t feel this way forever, but right now, I have a needed break in the intensity that comes with growth and change. I have a moment to pause and reflect.

Sometimes, life feels right, and I get a moment to breathe a thank you to the gods.

There is time to reap.  There is wisdom in the pattern.

What part of the ebb/flow cycle are you in? How do you know?

Witchcamp description and link for registration

Camp Intention: We know we must shift or our world will die. Tough as the hummingbird, fierce as the dragon, we step into shadow and emerge with gold. 

July 20-27, 2013
Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary
Artemas, PA

What you can expect at camp

Mornings are for Exploration. You’ll choose a path* to concentrate upon from a variety of offerings, ranging from introductory to advanced skills-work. Your path facilitators, through a variety of methods, will assist your development of a deep connection with the Earth and your companions.

 
*Current path offerings:

Shadow Path: Know yourself in all your parts
The Feri prayer says, "I would know myself in all my parts." Using shadow work techniques we will delve into patterns and beliefs about who we think we are and who we cannot or must not be. We will experiment with some of our many modes: our essential wild nature, our relationship to others as social animals, and our relationship to our divine self, the Black Heart that lies within each of us: Core Worth, Authentic Self.

Music Path
Ritual drummers, singers, instrumentalists are priestesses of the magic, not mere support staff. In this path, we will teach each other how to facilitate a ritual’s workings through the use of sound. Learn ro read the group energy during a cone of power so that drumming and singing contribute to the energy without actively directing it.

Shape-Shirting: Finding our right size
Throughout the long ages there have been many myths, legends, and stories of Shape-shifters. They appear in vastly different cultures and spiritual traditions all across the world. This path will offer us a chance to begin to explore the why and how of Shape-shifting magic and how we might use Shape-shifting to find and maintain our own "right size" as we go about our daily lives.

Elements of Magic
With the art of magic, we deepen our vision and focus our will, empowering ourselves to act in the world. In this class we begin the practice of Magic, Witchcraft, and Goddess spirituality by working with the Elements of Magic: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. Techniques include: visualization, sensing and projecting energy, chanting, trance, creating magical space, spellcraft, and planning rituals.

Afternoons are for Reflection. You’ll be able to talk about what you’re experiencing with the members of your affinity group. You’ll hike through lush woodlands, or bask in the warming sun. And you’ll have opportunities to learn new skills and crafts.

Evenings are for Celebration. You’ll join with the rest of the camp as we co-create a living, vibrant community through rich, deeply moving ritual planned by our ritual arc team, based on the week’s intention and sharing of the ongoing work from the various paths.

Accommodations

Tenting is the primary housing accommodation at Four Quarters. There are limited indoor accommodations, including a wheelchair accessible dorm, which accommodates up to 16 individuals in bunks and is located in the campgrounds near a bathhouse. Two bathhouses with flush toilets and hot showers are located in the campgrounds. If you need help preparing too camp, SpiralHeart has a limited number of loaner tents and equipment available. In addition, volunteers can help set up and take down your tent. SpiralHeart is committed to providing assistance to those who wish to attend but need some help in making their housing work.

Who will share your experience

We Encourage And Celebrate Diversity. So, you can expect to share your week with people of all races, sexes, lifestyles and sexual orientations. The only restriction to participation is a minimum age of 18; and, further, SpiralHeart reserves the right to refuse attendance to anyone the organization feels may threaten the physical and/or magical safety of another attendee.

Transportaion

You will receive complete directions to camp after you register. If you can’t drive to camp, we may be able to find you a ride from someone in your area. More likely, you’ll take a plane, train, or bus to the D.C. area and we’ll find you a ride from there.

Please note: Due to the intense Magic of Witchcamp, Spiralheart is an intentionally drug and alcohol free community.

If you have questions about camp,or for specific information relative to personal needs email info@spiralheart.org .

REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT CLOSES ON JULY 6TH. SPACE IS LIMITED— DON’T DELAY!

There are limited scholarships and 2 work study slots available. First come, first serve basis.

This entry was originally posted at http://pj.dreamwidth.org/378321.html. Please comment here or there there using your LJ ID or OpenID.

Long ago and in a forum far away a friend and I used to go ’round and ’round about the nature of forgiveness and its uses. She was all, “Forgive all the peoples!” I was all, “RAWR! Bullshit!” That is of course an oversimplification of our stances. While I gave her the points that carrying the type of energy necessary to remain angry and resentful against someone harms yourself and not them since they are often oblivious to it I wouldn’t budge on the who in the scenario warranted the forgiveness and how to parse it out.

I felt it was important to forgive myself for whatever piece I was responsible for. Sometimes that piece was was merely not acting differently and that forgiveness of self was needed in those situations, too, to move forward without the heavy stone labeled “I behaved badly”.

I explained that I could forgive myself, let go of the other emotions, and move forward without forgiving the other person. I still believe this to be true with a caveat. I have found that in most circumstances passing a parcel of forgiveness to the other person indeeds frees up another part of me. Not a part that is holding me back from moving forward, but a part that is holding me back from being who I wish to be – my best self. I found that the face of forgiveness had a different look than I had previously envisioned.

This realization coincided with work I began doing about 4 years ago to love people as they are in any given moment. Loving people where they are right here, right now was a hard thing for me to make a habit. Diligence, lots of backsliding when temporarily forgetting to do this, forgiving myself for forgetting, then righting it took more than a year to make it habit enough to stick.

Sometimes I still forget, still fail at it. In the heat of some moments it is so much easier to find reasons not to love someone since doing so requires carrying that love through their worst behaviour. That is the point for me, though. Loving people through their worst behaviour rather than in spite of their worst behaviour leaves me at the other side with who I wish to be. It has greatly reduced angst, anger, and resentments surrounding spousal behaviour that used to hurt deeply. It has done the same for the kids’ behaviours when I think they are harming themselves. It has helped smooth friendship bumps and co-worker difficulties. It hasn’t just helped me be my best self. It has allowed other people to be that, too, because me pouring love out on the ground instead of trying to change them or coerce them out of their bad behaviour frees them to self-correct on their terms and in their own time.

It ends up for me that the act of forgiveness is not so much an act of letting go and moving forward, but a conscious act of pouring love out and over a person, letting it puddle at their feet, and giving them the space they need. Space without my interference in how I want them to be and space without deserting them in their worst moments. It frees them and it frees me.

When I work to be the person I wish to be instead of who I think others want me to be and I extend that courtesy out to those I love forgiveness as I had defined it becomes moot since I am loving them (and myself) exactly as I am in that moment. Gratefully and blissfully we are not stuck in single moments. Remembering that – remembering that worst behaviours are temporary and if I can love others through theirs then I can be loved through mine has opened me in ways I hadn’t imagined. I am grateful for that opening of Self.

(Caveat here – I acknowledge that some relationships are forever toxic and need to be walked away from to save yourself. I am not speaking of those and which those are I leave for each individual’s determination.)

This entry was originally posted at http://pj.dreamwidth.org/377638.html. Please comment here or there there using your LJ ID or OpenID.

I missed the last one for OlderBoy’s birthday after I’d planned around it (unsuccessfully planned as it turned out). Today’s could be up to 3 hours long. I didn’t miss any sleep from daylight saving change, I just slept in, but 3 hours sounds long even for creating the story arc. The other meetings have gone insanely fast, though, so I expect this one will, too. It is a completely new type of process for me being on the ritual arc team for the summer intensive, but is so interesting and I’ve already learned a ton about this style of group dynamic. 

The next meeting is in person in April, but I’m booked on the 21st from an April commitment I made in the fall that got firmed up in recent weeks. So I won’t be traveling for the in-person meeting, but skyping in Saturday the 20th. Oops – starts at 4 – got to go!

This entry was originally posted at http://pj.dreamwidth.org/376847.html. Please comment here or there there using your LJ ID or OpenID.