The Ramblings and Wanderings

Archive for the ‘Life of a Hedgewitch’ Category

The Energetic Home

“And what is a man without energy? Nothing – nothing at all.” ~ Mark Twain

“Energy and persistence alter all things.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

If the home is a place where we can feel safe to draw the shades, put on some music and dance around in our pyjamas, then surely it is also a place where we can pull down the shades, put on a drumming CD, and dance ourselves into a trance.

A home is filled with energy, from people to pets to sentimental objects, from spirits of the land, to plants and trees, household spirits, the odd god peeking in and ancestors watching out for us, the home is fairly bursting with activity on all planes!

The two best places for any witch to practice connecting with the energies and spirits of the universe are in the wild, and in the home. In the wild we are taken out of our comfort zone and immersed in nature and the wild, surrounded by the spirits of the land. Home is our comfort zone, and here we are surrounded by the energies and spirits we spend most of our time with.

Before a witch can hope to create effective change through magickal and spiritual means, a witch must first learn how to affect and balance the energies of the place we call home. If a witch cannot build a working relationship with a small household spirit or land guardian, how can that witch hope to develop a working relationship with a god, ancestor or spirit guide?

The daily routines, the thoughts and feelings and energies of the household members all create and affect the energy or vibe in a home. Being more aware of when we might be spilling out negative energy, or when a family member may be, can help us to not react to it negatively but be able to shield and/or deal with it.

Giving a room a light sweeping or cleaning with will and intent behind it can help clear away the negativity from a fight, a bout of the flu, or stressful day. Making a conscious effort to fill a home with joyful and content energies can be very rewarding. Even just lighting a candle in a room to remind you to be positive and to think before you react to situations can have a small, but significant effect.

You will probably not be aware of spirits and energies within your home until you first acknowledge that they might be there. This is one of the reasons why we will begin with invitations and gifts, not only to show any spirits that we are interested and friendly, but to also help make our minds and hearts open enough to know when there really is something there or not.

Making an effort to add little spiritual moments into our daily routines is the very essence of living a spiritual life.

“Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character.” ~ Stephen Covey

There are many methods of raising and manipulating energy. Some more hearth and home-related methods may be:

Raising:
Dancing around the bonfire in the backyard, or simply dancing around the coffee table with a few candles on it.
Banging on pots and pans, while going on parade around the house and yard (do not wake the neighbors)
Jumping over brooms and mops, dancing with brooms and mops (you know we all do it, admit it)
Clapping, stomping and singing
Running around the yard
Holding hands and dancing in a circle, chanting in unison
Stirring a pot
Connecting with the land’s energies
Lighting a fire

Directing:
Sweeping and mopping
Stirring a pot, adding ingredients
Tapping objects or the ground
Laying on hands
Stomping the energy into the ground, floor etc
Hugging and kissing
Laughter, directed
Breathing/blowing on to
Lighting a fire, wafting smoke
Conducting (like with an orchestra) using a wand, spoon, or knife
Washing and scrubbing

“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” ~ Kahlil Gibran

My life operates in cycles. Surprising right? heh

This week has been a tough cycle, not horrible and shattering, just stressful and tiring and tough.

And now the Moon is full, and you know what that means my dear female pagan readers … I hate cramps and headaches.

*end rant*

To make it up to you, here are some quotes. Quotes are fun.

Any connection between your reality and mine is purely coincidental. ~ Anon

Black magic operates most effectively in preconscious, marginal areas. Casual curses are the most effective. ~ William S. Burroughs

Growth in wisdom may be exactly measured by decrease in bitterness. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Conceptualizing reality is pointless, as its all a matter of perception, which is based on the knowledge and experience of an individual. For example, I will probably totally disagree with myself tomorrow. ~ Juniper of Walking the Hedge

We ought not to treat living creatures like shoes or household belongings, which when worn with use we throw away. ~ Plutarch

There is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors, and no slave who has not had a king among his ~ Helen Keller

We can welcome responsibility
like a long lost friend,
and reestablish laughter
in the dolls house
once again.
~ Dead Can Dance

Some say the Gods are just a Myth… But guess who I’ve been dancing with? ~ The Waterboys

The moon is back tonight
I say
To a beagle named Lacey
Who races out ahead of my sled and I
As if in perfect agreement

In a crisp and clear winter-y night
A thin silver sickle illuminates the sky
The snows down below
Where I’m walking you know
Glow in a soft pearlescent white

My little hound, my blue sled and I
Raise a hand and a snout and give a shout out to
The hunter and the bull upon southern skies
The stars and the moon hang low and close
When walking upon my mountainside

The glow is so clear and so bright
I do not bother with my flashlight
From her journey around the Earth
Silver moon once again returns
And acts as my guide

In the cold and the snow I cannot help but to smile
And decide to go with the feeling
It can be rather difficult, you know
To dance in the moonlight
When pulling a loaded blue sled
In new moon light

• Start by reading Juniper’s article “What is a Hedgewitch?”

• And the older version of it called “What the Heck is a Hedgewitch Anyways?” on Witchvox or here at Mysticwicks Magazine

• As well as The History of “hedgewitch” by Juniper

• “Hallmarks of a Hedgewitch” by Juniper

• And “Hags and Hedges” by Juniper

• “Hedge Witchery” by Sarah

• “The Hedgewitch (Hagwychia variegata)” by Louise P.

• “What is a Hedgewitch?” from House Shadow Drake

• “Being a Hedgewitch” by Sally Morningstar

• Check out Hedge Magick

• Here’s a book list worth checking out

• Check out our fourm, where you will meet some great people, newbies, elder and in between.

That should get you started, happy reading!

Contact Juniper at juniper@walkingthehedge.net

What I am reading right now:
Tree of Enchantment: Ancient Wisdom and Magic Practices of the Faery Tradition by Orion Foxwood

My current arts & crafts project:
I am crocheting a rather hippy-ish poncho thingy, in pink, purple and grey. It is about halfway done and looks like a mad woman is making it. Maybe so…

Something I just don’t get:
Giving gifts to grown ups

What’s keeping me busy right now:
Puppies!!
Fixing my forum

What I am watching right now:
Lost and Battlestar Galactica

What I am listening to right now:
Alan Watts lectures
The Unnamed Path podcasts

One of many dreams:
I dream of being one of those people who has the big piece of land filled with zany sculptures, random shrines, interesting gardens and bizarre folk art peeking out at you from the trees and shrubs. I have my land now. Time to get started.

I had something cool happen last night
I’ve been working on writing about my treks at night. It’s a ¾ km walk downhill the mountain to moms. 1/2 km as the crow flies, but its down, around, down, around, up around. I have a lot to share about the long walks in the dark, in the woods, on the mountain. But I have been storing it up, working it out.

However, last night something happened, and before I have the time to fully over analyze it, I wanted to share it was rather fresh and raw.
Here it is.

Mom’s collie Athena started having her pups. So I grabbed my bag and my sled and started heading down the hill
Now, as a way to earn the trust of various spirits or what have you on my new land, I figured I’d give them my trust. So I’ve been doing lots of walking back and forth around the property without any light. I also wanted to show that I won’t be intrusive, or as little as I can.
But the moon was not out last night as it was cloudy. And I was in a hurry to help mom. So I reach in my bag for my flashlight and its not there and I’m half way to moms by then. I go around the corner to where the hill starts to get steep and the trees are closer so it’s real dark
And I can’t see my footing at all. Now, I should mention that I tend to chitchat with, well either nothing or everything, I suppose as I walk along.
So I’m walking real slow and careful and say out loud “I need light, Im in a hurry, there’s babies coming, I have a broken toe, a broken hand and I don’t want to fall and be out here in the cold and injured”
“I need light”
A suddenly, like someone flicked a switch a light goes on, at the base of a smallish, bushy pine tree, at the side of the trail. At the base of the tree! It was bright enough to light up the tree and cast just enough light to walk on the trail. It was blue, white and very soft light. As if there was a 40-watt light bulb on the ground, at the base of the tree and behind the tree.
I couldn’t hear anything because of the sound of my sled and I didn’t want to stop walking. Plus my heart was pounding a little.
The tree was not far away. I could have thrown a stone and hit it.
So I’m walking towards the tree, along the trail that runs beside it and suddenly on the side of the tree opposite me a figure moves, very quickly, from one side of the tree to another, from the dark, into the light and out into the dark again. It was a dark figure, like it ate the light or was somehow back lit. And it was not my shadow because I had no light behind me. The tree light was the only light at all. The figure was shaped like a person but tall. And striding.
Now my heart is really pounding and I’m looking around and checking around and behind me to make sure it’s not my mind or the light playing tricks.
By the time I’m parallel to the lighted tree the figure is gone.
So when I get just past the tree, slightly beside but starting to pass it, I put my hand on my heart. In honor, thanks, and greeting. The very same moment I put my hand on my heart, the light goes out. Flick

I checked out the tree today, nothing there, just some deer tracks

Now, strange things tend to happen wherever I’m at. And I’ve seen lights in the woods before. You know, the little flashes, the “fireflies” out of season and in different colors, the sparks floating on the wind that isn’t there etc, but no lights quite like this, so blatant.