Last weekend I went to The Herb Shoppe with a friend for a medicinal oils and healing salves class. The class was taught by the owner, who is also a naturopath. It was a nice balance of learning about herbs and having a chance to make a few things.
The class started with everyone choosing a tea to enjoy. With so many choices this was a difficult decision, but I finally decided on a lemon blend. Then we spent some time talking about herbs to use for different ailments and deciding on our personal blends. As I was talking to the instructor, she also suggested that I drink peppermint tea for half the month and chamomile tea for the other half to help regulate cycles. I like both of these teas, and realized that I had recently been craving chamomile tea. It seemed my body was intuitively telling me that I should switch from my usual peppermint tea to chamomile. Since I have been trying to focus more on being in my body it was nice to have my intuition confirmed in this way :)
After the class we stopped at the Hawthorne Market Stand where I picked up some kale and potatoes to make soup. I've been experimenting more with soups lately - rainy winter weather seems like the perfect time to warm up with a bowl of soup, and there's just something about adding a bunch of random things to a big cooking pot...
Overall the day seemed like a good balance of body, mind, and spirit. And the soup was yummy :)
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Reconnecting to the Body
I’m a little behind in the Pagan Blog Project. I had hoped
to get this post up yesterday, but was having trouble getting motivated. This
may be related to the topic I had chosen.
Let’s back up for a just a minute. I had several ideas
floating around in my head about what to write about for the letter B:
beginnings, beliefs, besoms. But these seemed very focused on the mental (even
besoms, which I think of as brooms for cleansing mental/spiritual energy, as
opposed to physical energy). I was noticing that, in general, I have been
feeling less connected to my body. So I started thinking about how to feel more
grounded and centered. But there’s the problem – I was thinking about writing this post, instead of actually connecting to my body. Sometimes it’s difficult to just be.
This morning I baked scones for breakfast. I find baking to
be grounding, especially kneading dough. There’s a physical connection to the
food that you are making, and then physically taking in that same food when you
eat it. I also enjoyed my scones with local honey, which seemed like a further
connection to the physical place where I’m living.
While baking is one way to connect to the body, another way
to connect is by simply breathing. Though this often seems easier said than
done.
I first started practicing mindful breathing in grad school.
We talked about as an aspect of counseling theories and practiced before we
started seeing clients in practicum. I found it helpful to center myself before
I went to meet with clients. As a therapist, I have helped clients practice
breathing techniques to help reduce symptoms of anxiety. Breathing can be a
powerful way to reconnect to your body and begin to recognize emotions you may
have been burying. If you would like to explore this further, I encourage you
to find a mental health therapist who uses mindfulness techniques. You may also
want to look for a certified Hakomi Therapist. I am not certified, but have
friends who have completed the training. (May be time for me to look into the
training again!)
So, that is my professional disclaimer. If you have symptoms of anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns, please find a qualified mental health professional.
That being said, similar mindfulness techniques may be used as part of a spiritual practice. I practice mindful breathing and meditation as part of my personal spiritual practice. As a Priestess, I have
led guided meditations to help fellow Pagans prepare for ritual. When I lead a
guided meditation I make sure to allow time to relax the body before moving to
the mental images and connecting to the spiritual self. Body, mind and spirit
all work together. At the end of the guided journey it’s also important to
bring awareness back to the breath and then back to the body as a whole. Pagan
spirituality is based on the physical world, not in an after-life. We seek
divinity in Nature, finding magick all around us. When I start to forget this,
I take a moment to follow my breath back into my body. There’s no wrong way to
practice mindful breathing, you simply have to be.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Catching Up
I started this post a couple of days ago but hadn't gotten around to finishing it. So, catching up on the blog and on projects.
After spending more time on papercrafting, I started feeling like doing some more knitting. I started by finishing up a pair of socks that I had started back in October. I had finished the first sock pretty quickly, and started the second right away, but then got distracted with holiday knitting. I've also noticed my least favorite part of sock knitting is picking up stitches along the foot. I've only knit socks cuff down so far, with a short row heel, so might be time to experiment with some other constructions. Any way to avoid picking up stitches?
Not the best picture, but it's hard to take pictures of socks when you're wearing them!
In addition to finishing up WIPs, I've been knitting from the yarn stash. I started knitting a few wash cloths out of some organic cotton yarn I've had for awhile. Also pulled out the patterns from last year's Rose City Yarn Crawl and some stash yarn to work on a couple of those projects. There's a KAL on Ravelry to get ready for the next yarn crawl, so seemed like a good time to knit with some of the yarn I bought last year!
And in case you were wondering, I finally decided to sign up for the papercrafting class, instead of the knitting class I was considering. The class ended up getting postponed because the teacher was sick, so turns out I could have taken the knitting class after all! I thought about calling the yarn store to see if I could still attend the knitting class, but it would have been pretty last minute. Instead I made some progress on cleaning out my closet. Not as exciting, but it did need to be done!
What projects have you been working on lately?
After spending more time on papercrafting, I started feeling like doing some more knitting. I started by finishing up a pair of socks that I had started back in October. I had finished the first sock pretty quickly, and started the second right away, but then got distracted with holiday knitting. I've also noticed my least favorite part of sock knitting is picking up stitches along the foot. I've only knit socks cuff down so far, with a short row heel, so might be time to experiment with some other constructions. Any way to avoid picking up stitches?
Not the best picture, but it's hard to take pictures of socks when you're wearing them!
In addition to finishing up WIPs, I've been knitting from the yarn stash. I started knitting a few wash cloths out of some organic cotton yarn I've had for awhile. Also pulled out the patterns from last year's Rose City Yarn Crawl and some stash yarn to work on a couple of those projects. There's a KAL on Ravelry to get ready for the next yarn crawl, so seemed like a good time to knit with some of the yarn I bought last year!
And in case you were wondering, I finally decided to sign up for the papercrafting class, instead of the knitting class I was considering. The class ended up getting postponed because the teacher was sick, so turns out I could have taken the knitting class after all! I thought about calling the yarn store to see if I could still attend the knitting class, but it would have been pretty last minute. Instead I made some progress on cleaning out my closet. Not as exciting, but it did need to be done!
What projects have you been working on lately?
Friday, January 18, 2013
Crafting a Book of Shadows (Pagan Blog Project Week 3)
Time for another Pagan Blog Project post. This week B is for Book of Shadows. I thought about titling this post building a Book of Shadows, but crafting seemed a better way to describe the way I have incorporated my Book of Shadows into my spiritual practice.
Briefly, a Book of Shadows (or BOS for short) is the spiritual book in Wicca. When I first started reading/learning/studying about Wicca, most of the books mentioned starting a Book of Shadows as a personal journal to record experiences practicing the Craft. Throughout my life I have kept various journals to record thoughts/feelings/experiences, so it seemed natural to start a notebook to record experiences along my spiritual path. I still have several notebooks for writing about different aspects of my life, including reactions to rituals and recording tarot readings. However, several years ago I decided I wanted to create a special Book of Shadows.
I started by compiling handouts I had gathered from various workshops and information I had printed from online sources. When I started more seriously studying Wicca I decided I wanted to write more of my own rituals, and truly craft my own Book of Shadows. I ended up buying a scrapbook, so I could add my own pages as I go.
As I have worked on my book, it has evolved into a place to record my personal correspondences. I have pages for each of the elements: air, fire, water, and earth plus spirit. This is the title page for the elemental section:
I have also created pages for each of the full moon esbats. This one is for the month of January:
and I'm working on pages for each of the sabbats (holidays), like this one for Samhain (Halloween):
As you can see, I have used a combination of scrapbooking paper, stickers, found images and rubber stamping to decorate the pages. I have included written information about the theme of each esbat or sabbat, and ideas about colors, fragrances, and foods that I associate with each celebration. I compiled information from books I have read and wrote down the associations that resonated the most for me.
I have also been handwriting all of the information as opposed to typing and printing it. I'm not against typing ritual information, and it is easier to read typewritten pages (especially by candle light!), but I believe handwriting the information adds more of my energy to the book. It also helps me memorize the chants and poems I include in the book (most of which I have been writing myself).
In addition, I have a separate binder where I keep notes from coven rituals. I like having a scrapbook of our past rituals and a source of ideas for future rituals. Part of what I enjoy about Wicca and Paganism is the opportunity to create rituals that are meaningful for me. I'm not just learning from someone else's experiences or reading a spiritual book someone else wrote, I'm truly crafting my own.
Briefly, a Book of Shadows (or BOS for short) is the spiritual book in Wicca. When I first started reading/learning/studying about Wicca, most of the books mentioned starting a Book of Shadows as a personal journal to record experiences practicing the Craft. Throughout my life I have kept various journals to record thoughts/feelings/experiences, so it seemed natural to start a notebook to record experiences along my spiritual path. I still have several notebooks for writing about different aspects of my life, including reactions to rituals and recording tarot readings. However, several years ago I decided I wanted to create a special Book of Shadows.
I started by compiling handouts I had gathered from various workshops and information I had printed from online sources. When I started more seriously studying Wicca I decided I wanted to write more of my own rituals, and truly craft my own Book of Shadows. I ended up buying a scrapbook, so I could add my own pages as I go.
As I have worked on my book, it has evolved into a place to record my personal correspondences. I have pages for each of the elements: air, fire, water, and earth plus spirit. This is the title page for the elemental section:
I have also created pages for each of the full moon esbats. This one is for the month of January:
and I'm working on pages for each of the sabbats (holidays), like this one for Samhain (Halloween):
As you can see, I have used a combination of scrapbooking paper, stickers, found images and rubber stamping to decorate the pages. I have included written information about the theme of each esbat or sabbat, and ideas about colors, fragrances, and foods that I associate with each celebration. I compiled information from books I have read and wrote down the associations that resonated the most for me.
I have also been handwriting all of the information as opposed to typing and printing it. I'm not against typing ritual information, and it is easier to read typewritten pages (especially by candle light!), but I believe handwriting the information adds more of my energy to the book. It also helps me memorize the chants and poems I include in the book (most of which I have been writing myself).
In addition, I have a separate binder where I keep notes from coven rituals. I like having a scrapbook of our past rituals and a source of ideas for future rituals. Part of what I enjoy about Wicca and Paganism is the opportunity to create rituals that are meaningful for me. I'm not just learning from someone else's experiences or reading a spiritual book someone else wrote, I'm truly crafting my own.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Altering Consciousness with Altars (Pagan Blog Project Week 2)
It's Friday, which means time for another Pagan Blog Project post. Since last week's post served as a general introduction to this project, I wanted to focus more specifically on my spiritual practice this week. We're still working with the letter A, which, this week, stands for Altar.
I use my altar as a way to alter my consciousness and prepare for ritual. Having a permanent altar set-up helps me perform mini-rituals to connect with the divine during the day. Of course, an altar isn't necessary to perform a ritual, but having a designated sacred space can make it easier to get into the proper mindset for a ritual.
I also created a mini altar on my desk at work:
There are small bottles filled with gemstones: rose quartz (for self love), mixed gemstones, carnelian (for courage and strength); a small piece of obsidian for grounding and stone with the word "respect" etched on it.
I find the stones grounding - they are physical objects that I can hold when I want to feel more grounded and centered. Seeing the stones on my desk is also a visual reminder to take a moment to breathe and center myself.
At home, I have an altar on one of my bookshelves in my bedroom. Currently it has a malachite owl (a birthday present from a Wiccan friend a few years ago), a small fairy statue (a gift from my aunt a long time ago), a candle inscribed with the word Wonder (a gift from the YMCA I volunteered at in college) and a small sea shell. I like including items that were gifts or have special significance, though I also have items I have bought more recently because I wanted a specific symbol. For example, I also have a stone etched with an image of the Greenman, which I bought recently, a small hematite bead in the shape of a Goddess and a stone etched with a pentacle. Then there are items that I have made, such as a knit bag that contains mementos from my first degree initiation and coven initiation.
Also on my altar is a card from the Wisdom of the Golden Path oracle. I rotate oracle and Tarot decks, and this is the one I have been working with recently. I try to draw a card every day, and then place the card on the altar for the day. In this way I interact with my altar on a regular basis.
Now that I have a dedicated Craft Room (and I use craft in a broad sense, in the same way I define it on this blog) I also have an altar set-up there. This altar is a small table, which also has a drawer I can use for storing magickal items when I'm not using them. I like to keep the altar space itself simple and less cluttered. The rest of my life is cluttered enough, so, for me, part of keeping the space sacred means keeping it simple. I place items intentionally because I want specific energy on the altar.
This is a previous version of my altar, which mostly included items I had made (including the clay triple Goddess symbol, wand, and centerpiece):
I try to rotate different objects and symbols, depending on the season or on my mood since I don't want my altar, or my spiritual practice for that matter, to get stale. I don't update my altars on any set schedule, just whenever they seem to need freshening up. As I have been thinking about this post I have also been thinking it's time to update both of my home altars again. Writing this has taken longer than anticipated though, so that will be tomorrow's project!
I use my altar as a way to alter my consciousness and prepare for ritual. Having a permanent altar set-up helps me perform mini-rituals to connect with the divine during the day. Of course, an altar isn't necessary to perform a ritual, but having a designated sacred space can make it easier to get into the proper mindset for a ritual.
I also created a mini altar on my desk at work:
I find the stones grounding - they are physical objects that I can hold when I want to feel more grounded and centered. Seeing the stones on my desk is also a visual reminder to take a moment to breathe and center myself.
At home, I have an altar on one of my bookshelves in my bedroom. Currently it has a malachite owl (a birthday present from a Wiccan friend a few years ago), a small fairy statue (a gift from my aunt a long time ago), a candle inscribed with the word Wonder (a gift from the YMCA I volunteered at in college) and a small sea shell. I like including items that were gifts or have special significance, though I also have items I have bought more recently because I wanted a specific symbol. For example, I also have a stone etched with an image of the Greenman, which I bought recently, a small hematite bead in the shape of a Goddess and a stone etched with a pentacle. Then there are items that I have made, such as a knit bag that contains mementos from my first degree initiation and coven initiation.
Also on my altar is a card from the Wisdom of the Golden Path oracle. I rotate oracle and Tarot decks, and this is the one I have been working with recently. I try to draw a card every day, and then place the card on the altar for the day. In this way I interact with my altar on a regular basis.
Now that I have a dedicated Craft Room (and I use craft in a broad sense, in the same way I define it on this blog) I also have an altar set-up there. This altar is a small table, which also has a drawer I can use for storing magickal items when I'm not using them. I like to keep the altar space itself simple and less cluttered. The rest of my life is cluttered enough, so, for me, part of keeping the space sacred means keeping it simple. I place items intentionally because I want specific energy on the altar.
This is a previous version of my altar, which mostly included items I had made (including the clay triple Goddess symbol, wand, and centerpiece):
I try to rotate different objects and symbols, depending on the season or on my mood since I don't want my altar, or my spiritual practice for that matter, to get stale. I don't update my altars on any set schedule, just whenever they seem to need freshening up. As I have been thinking about this post I have also been thinking it's time to update both of my home altars again. Writing this has taken longer than anticipated though, so that will be tomorrow's project!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Paper or Yarn?
I have mentioned in previous posts that I do some papercrafting (scrapbooking, visual journaling, collage, etc.), lots of knitting, and a little spindle spinning. I knit several holiday gifts, and then last weekend was inspired to do some more papercrafting.
For me, papercrafting is more free-form than knitting. When I'm knitting I tend to follow a pattern and haven't tried designing patterns. With scrapbooking and collage I tend to play more with different papers and stickers/stamps. I also like decorating journal pages, and using collage along with creative writing (some of this is also related to my spirituality, so more on that in a future Pagan blog post).
I also got inspired to try some more card-making. I have made cards during classes, but haven't made too many on my own. My mom has made her own holiday cards the last few years, so I was also inspired after watching her finish her cards over the holidays (apparently procrastinating runs in the family ;) It was fun using a few of my rubber stamps again, and now that I have a template I'm planning to make some more to have on hand when I need them. Not that I've made more yet though!
Now that I've spent a few days papercrafting, I feel more undecided about what I want to knit next. I have a few things on the needles to finish, and plans to knit a few things for friends as "unbirthday" since I have too many friends with late fall/winter birthdays. I would like to pick a project to knit on the train to work tomorrow though. Making collages on public transit doesn't seem as practical!
My other dilemma is whether to take a papercrafting class later this month, or take an intarsia knitting class. Of course, both classes are on the same day at overlapping times! Haven't decided which one I want to take yet. Anyone want to decide for me? ;)
How do you balance different types of crafting projects?
For me, papercrafting is more free-form than knitting. When I'm knitting I tend to follow a pattern and haven't tried designing patterns. With scrapbooking and collage I tend to play more with different papers and stickers/stamps. I also like decorating journal pages, and using collage along with creative writing (some of this is also related to my spirituality, so more on that in a future Pagan blog post).
I also got inspired to try some more card-making. I have made cards during classes, but haven't made too many on my own. My mom has made her own holiday cards the last few years, so I was also inspired after watching her finish her cards over the holidays (apparently procrastinating runs in the family ;) It was fun using a few of my rubber stamps again, and now that I have a template I'm planning to make some more to have on hand when I need them. Not that I've made more yet though!
Now that I've spent a few days papercrafting, I feel more undecided about what I want to knit next. I have a few things on the needles to finish, and plans to knit a few things for friends as "unbirthday" since I have too many friends with late fall/winter birthdays. I would like to pick a project to knit on the train to work tomorrow though. Making collages on public transit doesn't seem as practical!
My other dilemma is whether to take a papercrafting class later this month, or take an intarsia knitting class. Of course, both classes are on the same day at overlapping times! Haven't decided which one I want to take yet. Anyone want to decide for me? ;)
How do you balance different types of crafting projects?
Friday, January 4, 2013
Living Authentically (Pagan Blog Project Week 1)
Today is the beginning of the Pagan Blog Project. The format is simple - focus on each letter of the alphabet for 2 weeks, moving from A-Z over the course of the year. However, deciding what to focus on for this first entry proved more difficult.
A stands for air, Akasha, ancestors, archetypes, Athena... you get the picture. But how do I want to start this year of spiritual blogging? What is my intention in participating in this project?
Then it hit me - Authenticity.
au·then·tic·i·ty
A stands for air, Akasha, ancestors, archetypes, Athena... you get the picture. But how do I want to start this year of spiritual blogging? What is my intention in participating in this project?
Then it hit me - Authenticity.
au·then·tic·i·ty
n.
The quality or condition of being authentic, trustworthy, or genuine.
(As defined by the Free Dictionary)
To further reenforce this idea, the oracle card I drew for the day says: "I am Truth" (from the Wisdom of the Golden Path oracle deck.) I want to use this year of blogging as a way to live authentically, by speaking (or writing as the case may be) my truth.
Part of expanding my knitting blog to include spirituality was a was to become more authentic. Being Pagan feels authentic to me. Creating and participating in rituals helps me feel more grounded and present int he world. Connecting with my authentic self is a way to connect with the Divine.
While I don't believe that being Pagan is the only way to live authentically, I do feel that spirituality and authenticity go hand in hand; I can't say which one comes first, but I believe spiritual practices can help us live more authentically. I plan to share more about my specific believes and spiritual practices through the course of this year of blogging. Authenticity felt like the appropriate place to begin this journey, and set the tone for the year to come.
As a mental health therapist I see my role as creating space for clients to discover their authentic selves, and I hope my posts will allow you a chance to reflect on your own spiritual journey and live more authentically.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Redefining Craft
Since it's a new year, I thought I would try reviving the blog again. I made it 4 months last year posting at least once a week. I don't want to spend a lot of time looking back on why I stopped posting, but I did realize that I enjoy having blog or knitting challenges. I like working on goals with a community of other people also working on the same goals.
This year I thought I would try the Pagan Blog Project. I thought about starting a new blog for Pagan posts, but that seems like too much work ;) And it also made me think about how I define craft in the first place.
I originally started this as a craft blog, to focus on knitting projects and fiber related events. As my craft interests have expanded, I've also added some entries about papercrafts, stamping, and even a little baking. Crafting also overlaps with my spirituality - for example, I'm slowly making myself a set of runes. I've also done some work with Soul Collage, which overlaps not just with my spiritual self, but my professional self as well.
At some point it just gets too complicated to keep all of these different facets of myself separate!
And Craft can also be used as shorthand for the Craft of the Wise or Witchcraft. So really, this will still be a craft blog, I'm just expanding the definition to include my experiences practicing the Craft as well as making crafts.
My plan right now is to post once a week about crafts and once a week about the Craft (following the prompts from the Pagan Blog Project). Though sometimes these entries may overlap more than others.
I hope you'll enjoy sharing my crafty journey this year :)
This year I thought I would try the Pagan Blog Project. I thought about starting a new blog for Pagan posts, but that seems like too much work ;) And it also made me think about how I define craft in the first place.
I originally started this as a craft blog, to focus on knitting projects and fiber related events. As my craft interests have expanded, I've also added some entries about papercrafts, stamping, and even a little baking. Crafting also overlaps with my spirituality - for example, I'm slowly making myself a set of runes. I've also done some work with Soul Collage, which overlaps not just with my spiritual self, but my professional self as well.
At some point it just gets too complicated to keep all of these different facets of myself separate!
And Craft can also be used as shorthand for the Craft of the Wise or Witchcraft. So really, this will still be a craft blog, I'm just expanding the definition to include my experiences practicing the Craft as well as making crafts.
My plan right now is to post once a week about crafts and once a week about the Craft (following the prompts from the Pagan Blog Project). Though sometimes these entries may overlap more than others.
I hope you'll enjoy sharing my crafty journey this year :)
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