My life, as I prepare for Yule

My husband and I are moving this weekend, so I haven't blogged here in a few days.  I apologize.  Life is just a bit crazy.  We're planning to be out of our apartment by the end of the day on Sunday, so we have a lot to do between now and then.  And I'll be doing a lot of meditation to help keep me grounded and at peace, and to not let the hectic-ness and anxiety of everything get to me.

Fortunately, once we get settled, I'll be back to some semblance of a normal life and I'll be back to blogging regularly.  There's a lot I want to explore as I learn and read about Wicca and Paganism.  And though my new living situation will be a little difficult to adjust to (even if it's only going to be briefly), it will provide me an opportunity to continue to learn and grow.  That's invaluable to me.

I posted a few days ago about the results of my first candle spell (well, really, my first spell ever).  I didn't give any details, really, but I can tell a little more now.

My candle spell was an "easy" one.  I charged the candle and spoke with the Goddess as I lit it, then meditated as the candle burned down.  Once it did, I left it on my altar for a couple of days, and every time I saw it, I was reminded of my intention and took a moment or two to meditate again on the issue.

Afterward, I spent a lot of time thinking about it, wondering how it would play out.  There was part of me that was sure it wouldn't work simply because it was my first spell.  I told myself I don't know enough to do spell working effectively.  But, there was also a big part of me that said it would work because spell working is so often about intention, and I was incredibly clear on my intent.  In fact, my meditation during the spell working lasted quite a bit longer than I expected.  (I ended up meditating for over an hour!)

Then, I got very clear confirmation that my spell was successful.  At first, I was ecstatic about the issue, but after the initial excitement faded a bit, I realized that this was the issue my spell was dealing with, and I was ecstatic that it worked!  It made me feel more confident about spell working, and I'm really looking forward to my next spell working!

Because our home situation is changing right before Yule (and Hubby's Catholic family will be in town for Christmas), I haven't decided how I'm going to celebrate the Sabbat.  For Samhain I did a ritual, but I don't know that I'd be able to cast a circle and do a full ritual for Yule this year.  So I'm going to see, once I get in our space, how I can modify the ritual I have, or decide if I want to write a new ritual that will accommodate the situation.

For now, though, I need to concentrate on packing, I think.

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(Photo source)

It worked!

I got confirmation yesterday that my candle spell worked!

Meme

I've been tagged by Granamyr over at The Pagan Page, so here goes.

The rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on his or her blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

The randomness:

1. I had chicken pox twice when I was a child, and I don't remember either time.
2. My favorite color is green, as long as it's not neon green.  I hate neon green.
3. I would eat corned beef and cabbage every day if I could.
4. All the pets my family and I have ever had were adopted or strays that we took in.
5. I love going on cruises and being in the middle of the ocean at night when it's so dark you can't see the horizon and you feel so small it's almost overwhelming.
6. I may be pregnant. (Squee!)

The tags:

1. Mrs. B of Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom
2. Pagan Dad
3. Randlin of Between the Ticks
4. Unbalanced Libra of The Journey to Here
5. Farm-Witch
6. ~Witchy Mama~

It's Official...

Hubby & I are moving in with his parents for a little while, just until we can have a more stable financial foundation.

It will be interesting, considering Hubby's parents are devoutly Catholic and I am...less so, but it'll be fine.  It will definitely take some pressure off, will allow Hubby to focus on getting healthy, and will give me a little more free time.

In other news, I found a necklace I'd love to have, so I'm making Hubby get it for me for Yule (well, we're celebrating a traditional Christmas with family).  Or I'll buy it anyway, and he can find something else to give me.  Nearly all the jewelry I have is Christian, and while I still wear the medallion for the patron saint of writers occasionally, I'd really love to have at least one Pagan necklace to wear.  (That site also has an athame I'd really like to have!)

This is going to be an interesting couple of weeks as Hubby & I move and get settled at his parents' house.  Hopefully, we'll both be a lot more relaxed by Yule.

Travel is Possible

Hubby, fur babies, and I may be moving.  There's an apartment complex nearby that has a rent that's more reasonable for our living situation, so if the numbers fall into place as they're supposed to, we'll be packing everything up and moving down the road.

I'm conflicted about it.  The initial cost of moving is a bit high, but in the long run it would be a better solution for us.  Not only that, I feel like the change in location would give us a much-needed fresh start with a lot of the stress in our lives.  It would also (again: in the long run) get us in a better place financially.

We'll know more tomorrow about whether or not this move will be financially feasible.  Until then, I guess there's nothing I can really do.

My First Candle Spell

Yesterday I did a spell I wrote on Thanksgiving.  It's my first spell (both writing and working), and I'm eager to see how it will play out.

It was a candle spell.  I love working with candles, so it only made sense for me to use a candle in my first spell.  I feel like I put a lot of thought into it, but the self-doubt in me is wondering if I should've spent more time writing it, or if I worked it properly.  I know I put my intention into the spell, which was the point of working it.

I know I need to be confident in my skills.  If I always doubt whether or not something will work, it never will.  I need to believe I can do it.  And as for whether or not this spell will work...well...I have to start somewhere.  If I wait until I "know enough" to work magic, I know I'll never feel ready.  There's always more to learn.

I think in this case, learning by doing is a good method.  Most people I've talked to have said magic either works and you know it, or it fizzles out.  I don't foresee any huge backfiring of this spell.

I'm also trying not to think too much about it because I don't want my thinking/watching to change how I view signs that may come about from the spell.  I want the spell to reveal itself.  It's sort of the same thing as thinking you're going to get a cold, then you start feeling sick.  I don't want to convince myself of anything one way or another.

We'll see how the spell goes.  I'll definitely report back on it!

"Nature" is what we see (668)

"Nature" is what we see--

The Hill--the Afternoon--

Squirrel--Eclipse--the Bumble bee--

Nay--Nature is Heaven--

Nature is what we hear--

The Bobolink--the Sea--

Thunder--the Cricket--

Nay--Nature is harmony--

Nature is what we know--

Yet have no heart to say--

So impotent Our Wisdom is

To her Simplicity.

--Emily Dickinson