More Catching up.

MA 101: Practical Magic – Basic Energy work

I’ve never really done basic energy work, other than grounding and shielding. And really, I don’t consciously do those anymore either. Taking this class has given me two solid indications that I should get back into the habit. The first time was when John and Rosanne came to talk about centering and grounding. We did an exercise and I felt so much better afterwords. That should have been enough of a warning. But no, Brenda is hard headed and does not need protection, for she is INVINCIBLE! Yeah, right.

I know that I walked out of yesterday’s class feeling particularly agitated with no reason to be. I am very possessive of my time and it aggravated me that we lost our class time. But what we were doing was a good experience for people who have never done energy work before. It was fun to watch. It just took too long but it should not have bugged me as much as it did. I was totally over reacting and I’m pretty sure it was because I was poorly grounded in class. By the time my alarm bells started sounding, I was already feeling agitated. I was able to keep it from getting worse but I needed time to let go of the energy that had already come my way. Lesson learned.


NS101: General Nature Science
Journal Homework
- Play with some animals. Feed the birds and squirrels at the park. Write about your experience.

I am a difficult and opinionated student. I admit it. I try to be open minded to certain things, to find a middle ground. But some things just scream NO!

Feeding animals in the city is one of those things. Actually, feeding wild animals, in general, is a bad move. Sure, we feel all good and generous. We are so nice to make sure the poor little furry creatures don’t go hungry. We’re not doing them any favors. We teach these creatures that humans are a source for food. We teach them not to be afraid. We teach them to stay nearby. We teach them that they don’t need to hunt.

How do we feel when people hurt or kill these animals because they are pests? How do we feel when people have property damage because these animals want to stay near their source of food? How do we feel when people become sick because of animal feces, or worse, because they were bitten? There are reasons why some cities make it illegal to feed squirrels and pigeons.

Some people think that my opinion is extreme, that one person feeding the critters does no harm. And if it were one person, I may agree but it’s not. And we know it. One of the first things we discussed was that Wicca/Paganism encourages us to be aware of the consequences of our actions. So, be aware and do what you like. For me, I’ll go outside and watch the animals, marvel at their colors and grace, but I'll leave them alone.

- Walk through a much wooded park or some woodland. Sit by a pond or a river. Write about your experience.

My experience…it’s cold. I don’t like cold. The trees look pretty with the snow on them. It’s cold. What is it about the forest in winter that makes it easy to believe we have been transported to a magical land? I think I have a hole in my boot, my foot is wet. Squirrels everywhere. Oh cool, a black squirrel. It's quiet. I hear crows, lot’s of crows. It’s cold. Going home now. Where's my music thingie...

- Project: Collect things from nature and make something artistic with them.

I’m having a bit of trouble with this one. Not so much because I can’t make something. More because I don’t want to gather up a bunch of things and make a trinket only to toss it in the garbage afterwords. I have too much clutter already and I know it’s unlikely that I’ll keep what ever I make. So, I’m taking my time.

Updated. I think I’ll make a Yule log candle holder. I found a nice piece of birch and a few pine cones. I’ve got some spruce branches I would like to use, I just need to see how they look after they dry out.