Lammas Thoughts

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The first harvest of the year, and the first ritual for this year’s class. It’s one of the (several) ways we are very different from other ‘Witchcraft 101’ courses. We believe that you can participate in ritual with very little preparation, that our ancestors didn’t have to work so hard on their spiritual life, but allowed the sacred n, and therefore were sacred.

Last night, we celebrated Lammas by recognizing the first feast of the harvest and giving thanks to the Lord and Lady for the gifts we received throughout the year. The gift of a friendship re-found and re-mended, of deeper understanding of the body and how to heal it, of re-emerging self-esteem, of the students themselves.

All while the sunset and my workroom turned to red and gold, we created sacred space and gave thanks.

May the feast of the first harvest bring you joy.

Having A Headache

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It started on Wednesday, and I have it still. That seems like a long time for a band of iron to be tightly wrapped around my forehead, doesn’t it? It got intensely bad last night, closely resembling what others have told me a migraine feels like. Nausea, throbbing head, light hurts my eyes. . . Ritual had to be rescheduled at the last second, and I hate that.

To be clear: if I get a single headache a year, that’s a lot. I’ve had caffeine, lots of water, food, aspirin, and sleep. Wintergreen (because peppermint gives me a headache) has scented my office. All in an effort to relieve the ache. Today I’m looking into deeper causes, and I’ll be at the doctor’s on Monday if it continues.

The National Headache Foundation (I didn’t know there was one, http://www.headaches.org/) defines a migraine symptoms as:

a dull ache and then develops into a constant throbbing and pulsating pain that you may feel at the temples, as well as the front or back of one or both sides of the head. The pain is usually accompanied by a combination of nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and noise.

Um. Well. That’s it in a nutshell. Neat, something else to talk with my doctor about.

Praying

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My mother’s mother lives alone more than 30 minutes from the nearest hospital, and is in her late 80s. (Yes, I know, the whole family knows, but she has very succintly told us all she wants to be left alone.) Several months ago, she fell down and wound up in rehab for a broken pelvic bone.

She’s been recovering nicely, and yesterday went to the dentist and lunch at a restaurant with my aunt.

Last night she fell while getting up to go to the bathroom and broke her hip. At 9am (PT) they started prepping her for surgery.

I am praying for her peace and praying for the best possible outcome.

EDIT: she did well through the surgery and is back to recovering well. my thanks for the best wishes and positive energy.

Full Moon in Capricorn: A Follow Up

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(To read my original post, see: Full Moon in Capricorn)

Magic is fascinating, especially when it happens in your life unexpectedly.

I found myself in conversation with my sister C. on Friday night. Please understand that my sister isn’t very interested in the spiritual side of her life. She’s not unsympathetic, it just doesn’t have a lot of relevance for her. So I very rarely mention what’s going on with me in that part of my life — including my plans for the FMR.

Out of nowhere, she began to talk to me about the relevance of my stepfather (now ex) in my life. He was there from 7 to 17 when I left home, and didn’t divorce my mom until several years later. He played a part in my formation — good and bad. There are triggers, tapes, that go off because of my life with him.

And I never talk about him.

J. knows I had a stepfather, and his name, but essentially nothing else. He knows more about my step-sister (legally ex, but once a sister, always a sister), in fact. C pointed out that this was a disservice to both of us. J. needs to know why I have certain specific reactions, and I need to remember and honor the man who played a large role in raising me.

Sometimes I think magic works best when you state an intention and allow whatever happens to happen — just get out of its way. At least, it seems that way for me.

Dream: School Protest, Lisa Style

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Last night I dreamed I was in college. On my way into a class, I noticed that the Geography dept had arranged for a dinner for its students in the class just after the one I was going to. There were four lines to get in, each prominently labeled with a type of dress code (bare belly/wide pants; sweatsuit, etc.) and apparent;y certain types of dress weren’t going to be allowed entrance.

This bothered me, so I stayed after class and just hung out as the auditorium filled. There were four ladies who were in charge of this affair — each dressed in upscale business attire. Once things got started, I raised my hand and asked about the dress code. “Oh, our students needed to be given a little help to dress appropriately for the Real World” I was told. How much notice were they given, I asked? No real answer: clearly the ‘right’ people didn’t need to be warned, and the others didn’t get the free meal. I said that. “Excuse me, but aren’t you inappropriately dressed?” I was asked.

I looked down at my loose shorts and slightly stretched t-shirt; sandals on my feet. I shrugged, “I’m here, aren’t I?” One of the women made a disparaging noise and asked the rest of the class about me. A few people spoke in praise of me — which was particularly nice since I didn’t know them. She tried once more to shame me by mocking, but it just made the class turn against her.

Point made, I made my way to the front and thanked her; I had another class to get to.

Marking Manhood

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Feel free to pass this along — I’m hoping for as wide a net of ideas as possible.

I have been asked to help craft a Coming of Age Ritual for a young man who is just turning 13. Not being male, nor having brothers, nor having any young men in my life go through that age, I’m feeling a bit lost.

Any ideas?

What divides a boy from a man?

Thanks in advance.

Comments

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Due to slippery fingers and a lack of attention, all comments for this blog were deleted. (I am losing my mind, I don’t even know *when* I deleted them.) Please don’t take it amiss or as a sign. It’s only an accident.

Subtle Funk

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Alas, the title has nothing to do with music. I realized yesterday that I have fallen into a funk, not quite a depression, but heading in that general direction. A precursive sensibility of malaise has fallen over me.

I call it ‘subtle funk’.

My warning sign? I’ve been losing track of things — objects lost or misplaced and tasks forgotten. About a month ago I lost a set of keys. No big deal, everyone does it, right? Everyone except me. In 40 years I have never — NEVER — lost a set of keys. (Nor a purse or wallet for that matter.) The tasks have been far subtler, but although my desk is neat, I have a three page list of to-dos that I just keep ‘forgetting’ to do.

I feel this is related to my last ritual. More on that later. (Blogging regularly has been one of those unfinished tasks.)