Mistakes

Mistakes. We all make them. I would say how we learn from our mistakes, can, in part, help define us.

A common mistake I make is to not center after craft working, spell crafting, whatever you and yours might choose to call it. I have been taught that, before doing work, to make sure that you are centered, and prepared. That all of your tool are cleaned, and readied. That your materials are meditated over, and the thought of what you wish to achieve is a firm thought, and your intent clear.

All of these things I am prepared for. What I seem to forget is to nourish myself, and center AFTER my work! I have read many an account in which it is described that after a coven has done spell crafting together, the have "wine and cakes" A ritual on may levels. It help to bind together a group of people, it helped top talk over things, and help to renergize.

This is especially important, I find, when you are solitary practitioner. You are not relying upon others to keep you strong, only your own singular willpower. It makes sense, looking back upon it, that, energy out, should equal energy in. It's like putting fuel in a car. After a long drive, it makes sense to refill the tank. I mean, knowing that you must go to work the next day, its good to have a topped off tank, is it not?

Translation and perception

I spoke of translation in an earlier post. By that I did mean how do I, as a Hedgewitch communicate with the wild? Well, I will share some of muy ways in hopes that you may learn from them.

I have two decks of cards I use. I find that work the best for me.

Shapeshifter Tarot http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/shapeshifter/

The heart of Faerie http://www.amazon.ca/Heart-Faerie-Oracle-Tarot-Cards/dp/0810988232

Now, I am told that these two decks are not traditional tarot decks, in fact the Faerie one is an "Oracle" deck. But, to me, they have both lead me to find truths within myself, and y life. I use the when I need answers that I cannot see clearly, I use the for advice on a possible path to take.

In the end, they are guides, NOT the be all and end all that I have heard some people take when using a tarot deck. In the end , as a guide, I make the final decision as to the path I take.

One of the problems on my chosen path is perception. How does a tree perceive? How long would you need to wait till a tree, a being that lives by seasons, will notice you?

Or a Fox? A being that walks on four legs, where we walk upon two! How do we, as people, perceive what they, the animals, perceive?

Patients, an open heart and mediation. Sit near the tree, and think like it. Think of water in the ground feeding you, of the earth holding you securely. The sleep of winter, and the heat of summer. And, wait. Continue to do this mediation, this exercise, and try to understand.

As the fox mediation? Open yourself to all that is animal in you. The necessity of the hunt, the scent of your environment, the success f finding a mate. Look around, the environment, look from the point of view of the animal, Imagine the scents you recognize as being stronger, the sights different, even how you hear things. And ask yourself, knowing these things, what does a fox need, or, for that matter, want?

Perception is a very big thing, to me. How do you "perceive" as something not Human? As a tree, as a fox? I feel you need to open yourself, and look, and feel. Accept that not everything revolves around you that you are part of a bigger whole, part of a system, not that the system stems from you. Is the face of a clock more important? Or the hands? Perhaps the gears! Or, is the clock itself, as a whole what you see?

As a Challenge, I suggest that you sit down somewhere comfortable, somewhere you feel safe, and try to let go, and perceive your world differently.

Hedgewitch

I am a Hedgewitch. I realize that this might very well need some explanation. I do not attempt to define what this word means to anyone else, and hope that my meaning may help another find their path, or, even help them to define that what i do is not what they do.

I believe that a Hedgewitch can be defined as such. A Hedgewitch is one, male or female, that speaks for both wild and civilized. A translator in fact, allowing discourse between 2 different ideals

Wild and civilized? What do I mean by those terms? Well, I feel that we, as people live in a world of balance. There are wild, but natural elements that we live beside. We have Foxes, hawks, rabbits, even healing herbs in our civilization. Many of us do not see these things unless they become, what many would consider, pests. In our careful cultured gardens, and in our trash. As well, the wild must coexist with us, Our roads, our Parks, or gardens, our homes. These places overlap, Example? A Public Park, there are wild animals there, and, well, if you knew what to look for, wild edibles! Yest, in a public park, we keep the trees trimmed, the grass cut, and playgrounds for our children.

There is , I feel, a huge esoteric, or, magic element at work here! If you believe, whats to say that at your park, that tree has a spirit that is hurt by the constant cutting of its limbs? Those Rabbits, who eat your gardens? Perhaps they are sendings of Small gods taking their tributes for the further health of your garden?

And what happens when all of those things become unbalanced? The small gods taking to much? That we trim the tree to much?

Thats where someone like myself might come in. I Might help the gardener listen to the wild that encroaches their garden, and help them, by, say, telling them what they need to give the rabbits to stop taking to much. Or that Tree? I might help it understand that the trimming of its branches will prevent rot farther down the road.

This is the path I have chosen, This is the path I find rewarding in that I can assist understanding of both the wild and the civilization.

The Hedge aspect? Well, look at it like this. There will always be borders, borders between the wild and the civil. I choose to call the border I see a "Hedge"

In another Post, I will discuss HOW I translate, what methods I have been using, and how successful they have been

Definitions

Please, read the next words carefully. It is NOT my intention to minimize, in ANYWAY, anyone's belief, faith or path. I am only trying to demystify what words mean so that you as a person are better informed and can make informed decisions for yourself!

I will be offering several different definitions from several sources, the bolded Italicized words are meant to be emphasis that I have placed there!

What does the word Paganism Mean?

From Wikipedia: Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller", "rustic"[1]) is a blanket term, typically used to refer to polytheistic ( Many God/Goddess like Figures worshiped at once) religious traditions.

Odd, I don't see anything about demons, or hell bound there, as many have told me when they have heard of my path.. I see a word representing someone who lives in the country, and another meaning of someone who believes in many divine figures.

Shall we try another?

Dictionary.Com: pa·gan

 

–noun

1.one of a people or community observing a polytheistic religion (Many God/Goddess like Figures worshiped at once), as the ancient Romans and Greeks.

2.a person who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim.

3.an irreligious or hedonistic person.

Well, this is a bit more to the point, defining both a meaning as in number One, and having a comparison. As in number Two As well, I see that there is a Third Meaning. How interesting, hedonistic? Its odd that A pagan is described as a Pleasure seeker, is it not?

The Miriam-Webster Dictionary:Definition of PAGAN

1heathen 1; especially : a follower of a polytheistic religion (Many God/Goddess like Figures worshiped at once) (as in ancient Rome)

2: one who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods : an irreligious or hedonistic person

I find myself resentful that a spiritual path that I follow is defined in the dictionary as having "Little or No religion" When did pagan, heathen, and atheist become synonymous? I mean, do not then mean the same as presented here? Someone who has little or no religion?

I, myself prefer to say that I am a Pagan, a branch of Wicca, in fact, who IS religious in the sense that I have faith in something greater than myself!

Tell us here, what issues have you had in defining some of the words and terms surrounding your path?