Blessed Yule to You

A wonderful Winter Solstice and a very Blessed Yule to everyone who may pass here, and unless I find time to blog I shall see you in 2012 :)

My Slightly Early Yule Celebration

The First

I had alone time for the first in over 2 weeks yesterday so I had to make the most of it, but I nearly didn't.

I woke around 9am (GMT) my boyfriend and youngest had already left the house leaving my two eldest and myself. I was first up. I went and made myself a cup of tea to drink in bed. So I was sat there in bed drinking my tea internally moaning and complaining that I never had any time to myself.

I realised that right then, right there, right at that moment was the best I was going to get until at least January.

Decision made, I hopped out of bed, grabbed my witchy boxes and set about setting up my alter and casting. I didn't get a ritual bath, I didn't anoint myself, didn't dress in my witchy garb I had all prepared. I didn't even pre-write my words (which I had been kinda practising trying to get them just right), and I didn't put on my special jewellery.

I readied my alter, calmed my mind, called the elements, cast my circle, and called on the goddess. I consecrated a few things and made 2 protection amulets. After a little meditation said thank you and began closing my circle.

It was nothing like I planned. Nothing like it at all. It was in the morning, I made up the words for my callings, I didn't cleanse, didn't dress. I don't even know if I placed everything on my alter in the 'right place'.

Basically, I don't know if I did it right, but it felt right and that's the important bit, right? The words were from my heart and it felt natural. Surely it's better to do 'something' than to do nothing, isn't it?

I'm one of them people that likes/needs everything to be just right. It can be crippling sometimes trying to get everything perfect so it felt good to be spontaneous, liberating almost.

So, so what if I did it wrong, there's always next time. Practise makes perfect so they say.

Afterwards I wrote everything down in my book of shadows and changed a few things here and there, added a few things I didn't do but wished I did.

It felt good, I felt good, but I think that was because I had just gone for it instead of waiting for that 'perfect moment' that never might have been :)

Protection

My eldest was attacked by drunken youths on friday night with no provocation. He's fine, just a few bruises thank the goddess. My middle lad was also set upon while out with friends in Liverpool a few weeks ago by a gang of 7 lads after his phone. Apparently the same group of lads do this every weekend. He had worse injuries but still came off okay, and with his phone I might add :)

Anyone know of a family protection spell or something similar?

Stepping out

I stepped briefly out of my broom closet yesterday. I set up a mini alter on my bedside cabinet. I should have been consecrating my tools and new items but I just couldn't get any time to myself at all. Instead of stressing I did something proactive and organised my witchy box and set up my mini alter :) I quickly disguised it but it's there and I'm happy with it.

Alone time is becoming an issue though :/

Networking

I've set up a couple of profiles on various networking sites but I'm undecided if it's the right thing to do at this stage. I think that they might distract me and the amount of information overwhelm me (it kinda already has). I think its best if I just complete the profiles I've started then leave them be for a good few months until I'm at least settled in my own beliefs, and my own way of doing things before getting confused with other people thoughts and beliefs.

Tools of the Trade

So, as you've seen I already had me some tools, but I never did manage to find an athame and a few other items. I either bought new or picked them up from nature or flea markets, etc. No matter what I needed I would only have items that felt right to me, and at that time not everything did (I may have bought herbs and oils from ebay from time to time). This time round a friend pointed me in the direction of Pagandreams, a uk based online shop, and I did manage to buy a few things. I'm excited for my parcel :) I just need to consecrate them when they arrive. I'm going to also consecrate all my old items which haven't been used in over 10 years; they certainly need it after all this time. I haven't bought myself any more books. I know there'll be hundreds more available than there were 10 years ago; Amazon wasn't around then (I should check this as I can't actually remember. I just know that if it was I wouldn't have bought my books from a book shop where I had to buy them in person if it had). I bought all my books from Borders, and even that didn't have a great selection. I remember though that the selection/section (it had its own little 3 tier free standing shelf and you could often find me there on my knees) did begin to grow. I couldn't tell you what it would be like today because our Borders closed but I can imagine that the section would have been huge after the Harry Potter and Twilight Films.

My first circle is going to be a long one :)

The beginning. Well kinda...

Where to begin? I may as well start near the beginning :o)

I found Wicca sometime in 2001 when I was 26. I can't remember exactly how or why but I did. I'm sure I'll have it written somewhere among my old journals. In fact I know I kept a spiritual journal, my very first book of shadows so I'll have to have a look as I would have hidden it somewhere. I've kept everything from that time of my life in a box. I dip my head in now and again because I just love looking at them. They're not anything special, not really but they are to me. My elemental candles, crystals, incense, runes, my little silver bell and candle snuffer. There's also a box within the box which contains my alter items. The smell when I lift the lid; oh my. Its the best smell in the world.

I studied for just under a year and performed some rituals but I really struggled to find time when I wouldn't be disturbed. I have three children and a partner and alone time didn't exist so after much frustration I packed everything away. Well it didn't actually end like that. It was much more gradual. Over the next 10 years my interest would return but never enough that I wanted to practice again. I would stick my head in the box much more often :) This year... or rather the beginning of this year, saw another return. I started to re-read my wiccan books, and think about the Goddess a lot more than usual but it was only about a month ago when I saw a book by Scott Cunningham in the bag of a friend that it bit me on the bottom and insisted that I finally think seriously about it again.

So I am and this blog is going to be a record of that. I'm really excited and happy. It really is about time that I came home. 

Blessed be )O(