Wicca/Paganism

[DoctorShoe]

Bright blessings to all!

Wiccan here. Just wondering if there are any more of us around. :) I don't have a coven, and there doesn't seem to be too much opportunity for it in Ireland, even in the medium sized cities.

DP is not a Wiccan. I'm a hospital doctor. We enjoy Dr. Who and Star Trek. I was raised Catholic.

I have had a lovely Beltane. Didn't get to celebrate quite as soon as I'd have liked, due to work, but it was beautiful.

My sick orchid is budding, my Book of Shadows is growing... Thinking about a nice walk in the woods tomorrow afternoon.

Would love to hear from others. :) I have so many questions.

That's good to hear velvet.

I think ritual is importany in calming the mind- the Japanese knew what they were doing with their tea ceremony. Ritual need not be complicated, indeed as simple as taking time out to sit and have a cup of tea.

It sounds as if you are on a positive healing path. X

THis is a lovely thread doctorshoe- thanks for starting it. It's so nice to chat to like minded people without having to justify myself.

Talking about tea, I have just seen this on fb

Those recipes sound amazing!

I always get stress headaches so I'm thinking organic camomile tea with fresh lavander, rosemary and mint from the garden . Also homemade lemonade with fresh mint in is so nice and can make icelollies with it for the children too.

Its very sunny here today so I'm in a summery/good mood

It's sunny here and I can smell the nearby sea. A nice walk and some wine later, methinks.

I feel very peaceful today.

Good evening coven
Guess what I found in my garden today? The cutest little dormouse... . I was soooo relieved the cat was asleep inside as it made its way across the lawn!

Herbs...I love my herbs. I grow bay, thyme, mint, sage, parsley, basil and coriander. I also keep a good stock of rose petals, lavender, cinnamon sticks, orange blossom, jasmine flowers, mugwort, agrimony and yarrow. If anyone wants a little sample to try out, let me know!! I make teas, incense, dream pillows, I use them in ritual baths, add a touch now and then to a stew, dress candles with them, make sachets and stuff toys and knitted items with them, it's endless.

Does anyone use a lot of crystals in their practice? I recently bought a gorgeous selenite tower lamp for my office at work..

Wow witchy your creativity is inspiring! I had a little cushion as a child with six different herb pictures and stuffings. It was wonderful. I wonder if that ignited my interest?

Daisy you are right. When things get bad and you get depressed/low then the only way you can go is up. Reinventing yourself and your life exactly how you want it. Its not easy but its affirming to feel you are on a path to love yourself.

At the moment, just popped onto the thread to say hello, I've not read everything so I'll come back later when I've more time.

I'm pagan and have done nothing for ages. The friend I used to work with (for rituals) moved away just over a year ago, and I've had many issues to contend with which have left me with little free time. I don't belong to a coven, and I'm not aware of any nearby wiccans/pagans.

Welcome pedestriana- Most of us here seem to be working alone too.
Pop back soon.

WitchyStitches Crystals are about 40% of what I do. I love Selenite and have a large piece of it I use for room clearing. It's one of the self-cleaning crystals - handy since it's water soluble and one of my lazy natural ways to clean crystals is to put them out in the rain.

I have a selenite piece in my healing kit. It's good for just after you've done clearing/ cleaning work to work slowly through the energy around the body with selenite as it mops up any residual energy.

One of my mini-epiphanies happened after meditating with selenite. I think we were about 5 weekends into the diploma course and I was getting the hang of the facts:

a) OK there seems to be something real about this
b) There were a couple of very gifted people on my class and I was a bit of a plodder.
c) Some people have amazing experiences meditating, but others me aren't quite there and have to accept that.

And then came the selenite. It felt lovely and gentle -hahahahaaa-- and I felt like I was in a peaceful clear bubble. Nothing out of the ordinary to my other meditations. Until we stopped meditating and I opened my eyes and everyone in the room were in bright bubbles - which I could see. I don't do it automatically, but if I look above people I can see a sort of heat-haze and sometimes I can see if it's bright or dark.

There's also a large piece of it in the Natural History Museum. I'd never do this with another public crystal in case it has a ton of negativity, but I held up my hand to feel the energy off it. DH (practical electronic-nerd ex-soldier type) held up his hand, nodded to me and walked away. I followed and he said 'Should I have felt that up to my elbow?' another victim for the alternative/pagan ways.

Amazing story elycat.

Wish us well this morning- DD (15) is having two teeth extracted at 11am today in order to make room and have braces fitted. It saddens me a little because the teeth are perfect, and although her smile is wonky it isn't medically necesssary. Society dictates we must have straight teeth unfortunately.
I would have supported her whatever decision she made, but she wants to go ahead and have them done.

Fingers crossed- I am wearing my most precious piece of quartz from Gozo ( the one that has also healed my familiar and saved her life - a black cat called Kali)

And deep breaths.

elfycat- sorry typo.

Teeth are a recurring conversation in our house. DD1 may need some work later (she's 6 and just beginning to grow her first adult teeth) as she has a severe upper lip tie - a thick cord going from her lip to behind her centre top teeth. She'll have a gap, which I don't think is a bad thing, but it will be up to her later. There would have to be surgery and then braces.

At the moment I point out people with gaps on TV (singers more than actors) and we discuss how the gap doesn't detract from their attractiveness, if anything it enhances it. I'm aiming for a core of rock hard confidence in herself (and DD2 in herself) and she can make decisions based on that rather than what others think she should be doing.

At the moment I have DD2 (4) on indigo essences 'Confidence' as she seems to be having trouble at swimming/ karate. Usually she's an active participant, but she's been reluctant to join in recently. DD1 went through that phase too and I'm a bit concerned by the correlation that both times it was as my DDs were being 'assessed' in their speech by nursery.

Interesting elfycat.
My DD has overcrowing and is developing prominent "vampire" teeth.

I am sure it will be for the best. My DD dances- started ballet at 5 years old. A quiet, very shy and speech dalayed child she has blossomed like a swan, and dancing is a huge part of her life.

Spending positive vibs to your dd.

I don't think I'm on the right wave length to work with crystal's but I keep trying. Its nice to read such a positive story and I wish you all the best along your path. With regard to the heathaze that's what I see when looking at peoples auras. If you sit a person agents a white background/wall and look about an inch or two around the edge I see a heathaze that is pale white then at random places there will be pale blues, greens, yellows and pinks. I think its related to how they feel emotional at the time and their health. Once I know what I was looking at now I can see it whatever the background is.

Millllli I have read about divining rods but used for water or lay lines so I have not needed to use them. I did play with wooden sticks like that as a child and could feel the pull of them so I was shown how to make and use but wasn't very interested.

Its my 8th wedding anniversary today and I'm feeling a bit down and my Ds has his last three roller hockey games on Saturday so I'm washing team shirts and checking kits when lo is at nursary.

Happy anniversary daisy

Blessings on your Anniversary daisy.

Blessings and good vibes to you, Daisy. Hope you feel better soon.

How frequently do you lot cast circles for spells, and why?

And do you bathe before casting?

I was more formal at first, but moving away slowly.

elfycat - your daughter put me in mind of the model Ruth Crilly who blogs at www.amodelrecommends.com - she has a prominent gap in her front teeth and is absolutely stunning - I think the tooth gap is what made her such a successful model. See also the gorgeous model turned pastry chef Lorraine Pascale..

Happy anniversary Daisy - will include you in my thoughts today.

DoctorShoe I used to cast circles a lot more - these days I tend not to, unless I have a specific ritual planned. I've been trying to work my practice into the everyday and so I tend to do less ceremonial ritual these days. It's also a bit dependent on when I have the house to myself as I feel too self-conscious otherwise! If I haven't bathed beforehand then I will wash my hands and face or use a crystal or incense with intent to cleanse myself.

Thanks all for answering my crystal curiosity! I do love them - but I'm no expert. I just like having them around me. I use moonstone for tarot readings and moon magic. I use citrine to attract happiness and abundance, and amethyst for healing and soothing anxiety. In my office, I also have pieces of fluorite (for clarity) and, green and orange calcite (to help me get shit done) hidden about. I thought I had a piece of black tourmaline here too (to clear negative energy and protect) but it seems to have gone missing! Crystals often do that with me, I figure that they've gone to be somewhere where they are needed more

Does anyone have anything exciting planned for the dark / new moon?

Not yet. Ooh, we could do a distance ritual together. Little bit of healing for those who need it, sending out good thoughts, herbs and crystals and all sorts...

I love my crystals too. They make me feel positive.

Those tea recipies sound amazing, thanks for posting them :)

elfycat Thanks for mentioning Indigo essences! I've just had a look at them and ordered some 'Champion' for my 8-year-old, who's being bothered by a bully at school and is going through a 'Nobody likes me' phase :( I love flower essences - I used the most amazing one to prepare for childbirth and it calmed me no end, and then when I had a retained placenta and the midwives were all flapping around phoning ambulances, I took two drops of it and the placenta practically shot out! The midwife took down the name of it to recommend to her other mums! :)

My 17-year-old niece has a gap between her teeth as well and she's grown to really like it. Yo can see it here - doesn't detract from her natural beauty at all -

Ooh I love the thought of a distance ritual! I am totally up for it, great idea DoctorShoe

Anyone here have requests for good vibes for certain interviews or life events coming up?