On the Genius Loci

In going back to my roots there are a few truths that i feel every craftworker needs to at least approach as their practice evolves; and the foremost of these is the incorporation of the genius loci.

I believe, or rather i know from my own work, that all of nature is sacred and can teach us. In this, no one place is inherently more sacred than another. The presence of the divine can be felt in the entirety of creation even if we fail to notice. It is the ephemeral thread that we call the web of life and also the primal force that gives rise to the power behind the craft.

I say this and i ask that you hold two images in your mind. The first is the heart of any city you choose in all it's concrete splendor. The second is the heart of an ancient forest. Both beautiful in their own ways, both bound by inherent rules, and garner specific emotional reactions when you enter them.  These feelings are felt to varying degrees by everyone, practicing or not, and are our spirit's reaction to varying forms of the genius loci; the spirit of the place.

I do not claim to know various dryads, gnomes, fae, etc. Actually i'm not even saying they exist (thats up to your experiences). What i do know is that just as we have consciousness, so to does nature and there are places where that consciousness can be readily accessed for assistance. These are places as i will describe shortly per my own experience, that you know your in when you've entered on.

Now i will differentiate some vocabulary: Sacred v. Consecrated  v. Powerful

Sacred Space (SS) So I did my duty as it were several years ago now and studied everything i could get my hands on in terms of Wicca, no particular tradition, and one of those things that bothered me was the whole use of the Compass to create "SS." My studies indicated that the circle holds three key purposes, namely:

     I. Create a cleansed and consecrated space to focus you will and energies
     II: Create a spiritual barrier to protect/filter out any neg. spirit or energy from interfering
     III. Create a pocket reality of sorts where you are between this world and the otherworld, there by making accessing and channeling energy, or communing with the divine much easier. (takes a breath)

So first, while i like this explanation its a bit watered down for simplicities sake. As i said, all of nature is sacred, even where we've muddled it royally. So if i need to work in sacred space, my kitchen or the woods are equally sacred, but my kitchen has a stove, and heat in the winter, and a roof... you see where I'm going. Would i go out if i wanted to.. yes and i do but its not necessary for much of the work i do. (See my circle casting section for a more complete explanation.)

Now consecrated space is a bit different. We humans like to delineat jobs for ritual areas (like my kitchen).  a better example of this is a church or cemetery. Nature doesn't function this way, that beautiful glen where you did that ritual an hour ago might just be a dining room for a hungry bobcat, or shelter for a herd of deer. The best we can do is borrow the space from the species that call it home and to do this you should convene with the Genius Loci.

This brings me to the idea of powerful space. Places where the spirit of the land is so strong its palpable. Think about the chill people feel when they talk about hauntings. Or better yet, think of a time when you were out in nature and experienced something so beautiful everything else in your life just stopped for a minute. This sensation of awe is the retain of our etheric bodies sensing the genius loci.

An Experience ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As an undergradate i often found myself studying beneath a particular oak tree on campus largely because of the focus it appeared to instill in me. During renovations is was pruned extensively and that feeling that i had sensed began to recede back into the earth. When it was gone, i moved on and forgot about it for a year. My last year in college was far from stressful and i wasn't on campus much between classes. i had been walking as i had on many occasions to the campus center from the theater and crossed part of the campus i had rarely cut through if at all. nothing outwardly special i thought, but i suddenly got goosebumps and that familiar feeling came over me. It had stopped me dead in my tracks. 

By this point id say about half of you know the feeling I'm talking about. That sensation when your in the thick of ritual within a circle. The other half, well you're probably thinking I'm crazy, but meh. back to the story.

So i look around, getting my bearings and i notice it. There in the middle of the campus is a ring of oak trees and I'm talking naturally occurring from before the school was built. Sure there was a tarred path through part of it at an odd angle but it was there. The energy of the place as palpable as someone standing just a little too close to you.  That was and is a genius loci, and about as close to a Gibbs slap up the backside of my head as i've ever experienced from one.

Working with a Genius Loci - Powerful, Patient, and Conscious ----------------------------------------

Nature spirits are fickle by our standards, remember that they are not bound to physical laws. IF you cut down a forest and build a shopping mall (twitch), the spirit of that forest isn't going to die, it'll be pissed but it will find another way to express itself and try to teach us youngsters a lesson. Think about those tree roots cracking the sidewalks or the picture above, it'll find a way and it certainly has the time to do so.

This being said all that creative energy is an exceptional opportunity for us to augment our craftwork with a spiritual turbo drive of energy and understanding of a spirit that may have existed for as long as the earth itself. But in order to do so requires mutual trust. One cannot go around ordering and commanding spirits of nature to do their bidding. I always cringe when compulsory action comes up in a ritual i find on the net or in a book. I mean really, if you were at a hotel and needed assistance getting from point a to b. Would you call up the concierge and demand they assist you..? Do i need to tell you what will happen..? I know its a broad generalization and that not all backgrounds act this way, but i ask you. would you invite any person, let alone spirit, into your home without... i don't know, have some sort of rapport with them to begin with..?

Connecting with a local spirit takes time needless to say.  baby steps is my advice to a beginner. Find a spot out in nature that speaks to you and is safe for you to be at. Have a picnic (clean up after), meditate, read a book, or simple observe with all your senses. look for signs that the Genius Loci may have noticed you and take a mental note, record your immediate feelings. When you leave, thank the land for its time in a way thats comfortable for you. This is a spirit we're talking about so words aren't necessary its the feeling you leave behind that matters. But promise to return. Time isn't all that important to a land spirit but this is a friendship your building above all else.

The next time you visit, begin the same and spend some time just embracing the green earth. Lie back and feel the sun, feel the earth beneath you. One particular exercise that might be helpful is to place your palm on the trunk of a nearby tree, or the roots if your sitting, and visualize your consciousness as energy mingling with that of the tree and traveling down into the roots, connecting to the rocks and streams, flowers and stones. All the while focusing on your intentions, friendship, understanding. Don't force a conversation this is just saying hi a bit louder. At this point if you haven't already, you've got its attention. But again, our relationship with the green earth is a bit muddy so relax and be honest there are no secrets at this point. After a few minutes (only if nothing happens), politely ask for a more overt indication of awareness. Again be mindful of all your senses.

I would suggest you practice this over several weeks, slowly introducing yourself to the spirit, perhaps bringing a recording of a favorite song, or singing. Talking to it about you day, etc... And when the day comes that you walk into that area and get an immediate sensation, like when you walk into a room and see a friend you haven't seen in ages and they're as glad to see you as you are to see them. Then your ready to talk about borrowing energy for spellwork and/or assistance with a particular problem.

As Always,
Solstice

Going Back to the Basics

So its been two years, and i really don't have much of an excuse. I finished my masters though so props to me. But anyways i though id get back to blogging and resurrect this niche, i also have a slightly newer blog, "thecardreaderscorner.blogspot.com" dedicated to cartomancy and my exploration into HTML coding... lol.

 But to the point. If your like me and spend a considerable number of years studying the craft and all things witchy, you undoubtably have a mishmash of beliefs, a small library (virtual and bookshelf) of related books, and a small handful of BOS's in various degrees of completion; i have about five, and a knack of procrastinating when it comes to organization. lets not mention the "bookmarks" of shadows (copyright me) on firefox... now thats a real mess. given this i decided that now that i have the time to do so i should realistically start to whittle down my beliefs and practice in my current BOS as it still contains my year and a day study of Wicca, which although beautiful in many ways, is just not of me.

Now as i sat there posts out of my book, reference materials at the ready, i realized id bitten off way too much for one sitting. For example lets take a look at herbalism. I happen to love my herb garden and change it up every year. Granted i don't make sachets or dream pillows, but i make all manner of teas, lotions and salves. Now when it comes to recipes I've got a bit jotted down just about everywhere but the basic information... no. you would think that at some point id copy it down and looking back i think i did back in grammar school but do i have it... no. and thats just the beginning. 

My hope is that i can use this blog to record myself as i rebuild my practice and help anyone else in my boat or just beginning to do the same. The goal is a post every few days, id say everyday but.. well, you know. Tomorrow ill be starting off with a large part of my own work while i was on campus; the Genius Loci, as well as the place of ancestral spirits in craftwork. 

-Solstice 

 PS: also, and i realize very few people have perused my little corner of cyberspace, if theres anything in particular you'd like me to discuss in a post, or questions you'd like to ask, please do so. Id be happy to help.

Music Theory - "M"Theory -

This won't be a post about chord construction or the applications of the circle of fifths; it's going to be about how i connect to the world around me and, by that virtue, to magic, to god, and to the great web that encircles us all.

I've always fancied myself a musician. i can play the piano, and sing, and even my latest love, the violin, i play fairly well, but its the reason that im drawn to music that is the topic of discussion here. I believe that in the beginning god, whatever god is, (lets look at the divine here as simple a sentient power in the void) reached out and in doing so sent out a ripple of power, a vibration in the stillness, a sound that would condence and be modled by new sounds, some its own, some its echo, some likewise from the divine. this this would have been the first song, the first chorus, from which the Creation myths of the world are derived. The voice of god manifest as the physical universe. Now, bear with me, in christianity, the christ is considered to be the word of god (who was present in the beginning). note that words are by definition constructs of the will, shaped by power, and directed by sound to become understood.  This is how i believe the divine functions in the physical universe; by way of song.

Thus it stands to reason that each aspect of creation is composed, of at least, one piece of a greater composition, each new aspect coming into existence to subtly or magnanimously alter the tonal quality of the whole. Now you may be wondering how this applies to the topic at hand and its actually quite simple for anyone who's read sheet music. You can call out the beauty, sadness, jubilation, or frenzy of a composition if you have the skill to do so, and likewise i believe that every aspect of creation has a corresponding musical value. By tracing tonal paths along the web of life, and connecting to those aspects which are involved you can draw their influences closer to you. This is simple form of magic, the power of words, of vibration. But it's more than that as well.

I seek out the divine in beauty, which in and of itself is a complicated discussion, but suffice it to say i find music to be beautiful. it is our small, sometimes futile, sometimes exceptional means of magnifying the chorus that surrounds us. Music, you must understand, in connecting to creation, in adding to its beauty, is to me, the most perfect form of prayer ever conceived of. God is above all else a grand architect and composer. we are all instruments in that way being led, and leading off in new directions. Entropy is after all another from of beauty. The harmony of dissonance. none of us can truly know the mind of god, and truly i dont think i would want to. But still, i find it funny, that even now as i type, these worlds which i derive in my mind are turning and becoming real, and even before i post this a new strand of music is calling out. this my creation, to be read and understood, or be tossed aside. either is beautiful, one is preferable. The choice is yours and yet it isnt, because either way your reaction will ripple in the ether as a new note in the grand chorus. In this way i think that god fixed the election. no matter what we do, and this is the dangerous part of my theory, could be considered beautiful by the mind of god. because there is beauty of creation and destruction, and all of it adds to the chorus which ultimately is praise to god. In this way i believe that Anne Rice got it right in Memnoch the Devil  , i cant seem to find the quote but it was something to the effect of, [the universe is being run by madmen..] i really have to find the rest of it. Lestat was explaining his experiences of having traversed between heaven and hell. maybe ill look for it again in the morning; these late nights are not my favorites.

Pleasant Dreams All,
Solstice                 

The Circle: On Constructing Sacred Space

Well, I'm back in Florida and can I find the essay I wrote up for this post...

Anyways, the circle is a basic component of magical systems derived from the western traditions and can be broken down into several layers of corresponding depending on the tradition you are working in. As i see it, the basic circle has three functions; 1. to provide a place within which to focus, raise, and ultimately direct energy back into the universe. 2. as a place of protection, cut off energetically from whatever might cause you harm or interfere while working, and 3. as a place set "between the worlds" where you can commune with the divine. I'll begin next with a break down of its physical construction followed by its psychological underpinnings.

To clarify i should state that i generally don't construct a circle for ritual purposes but on occasion will if i need the extra focus or protection, either way I use the East South West North : Air Fire Water Earth alignments. Begin with physically cleaning the area, a besom is best i think, especially if it was a gift ( i don't believe in having things if you cant use them for a practical purpose), but i use an old orange dry mop and a dust cloth. you want to cleanse the area and stir up any stagnant energy and blockages in the room. Having a window open is always a plus, as well as a door.  Similarly, you can use floral sprays (florida water) to much the same effect. 

With the room ready, gather any tools you need and place them on your working table. 

(disclaimer: this is one of my methods and is not in any way the only way)

Once grounded, the basic circle, often called walking the compass, three or more times deosil (clockwise) around a central fire. the number three because its the number of manifestation being the sum of power, wisdom, and understanding which we will investigate further in a later discussion involving Kabbalah. The central fire relates to the place of the hearth as a seat of protection, energy, and light.  It is the energy of the hearth that we channel initially to construct the shape of the circle and sustain it. 

It's sometimes called walking the compass because you are symbolically creating a miniature of the universe, demarcating the 4 cardinal directions and becoming the axis mundi of a microcosm (insert scan here). In essence you are becoming the world tree Yggdrasil, your roots reaching down to tap the wisdom of your ancestors, your mind reaching out to the heavens and the realms of the divine, and your trunk, your arms reaching out to the four corners of the universe and connecting to the web of creation. In doing this you center your physical and spiritual being in preparation for your working.   

Once grounded and centered, this is then proceeded by a ritual purification of the circle, usually by smudging with sage or using salt water.  Calling quarters, beginning in the east, and inviting the guardians of each quarter to attend aid and watch over your work. And finally by calling upon the divine and consecrating the circle to the task at hand.

As a tradition, the circle is ceremoniously taken apart in reverse to release the energies gathered and ground any excess that may be present. I should not here that ultimately the purpose of ritual is to achieve an altered state of consciousness within which we can tap into the web more effectively. this is also why it is a good practice to do something entirely physical afterwards, usually eating or drinking something to reassert yourself in the physical; otherwise you end up a bit like someone half awake and not really all there. So with that in mind i put emphasis on the "cakes" in what we affectionately call the cakes and ale portion of post ritual celebrations. its like a buffer between working in the physical and spiritual worlds... Think of coffee hour after church.  Even if you don't fall into the shamanistic side of things and remain firmly planted in the psychological underpinnings of ritual, the donut is still a nice way to tell your subconscious its over, time to take a break.   

As Always,

Solstice  

July - The Blessing Moon

Blessed Be to all who wander into my little corner. I may be stereotyping here, just a bit, but it is true. Ultimately i believe that the goal, the charge of all witches is to honour and preserve the balance. this of course means we accept the good and the bad of life. July brings us the Blessing moon, a tranquil companion and a great time for reflection and mediation on the blessings in our lives. For me, my family obviously, my nephew on the way, (although signs point to it being a niece despite the ultrasounds), good health, and more recently thrifting for witchy finds. it may sound funny but i think its one of those things we all do. you'd be surpised just what you can pick up at thrift stores, from tools to full cabinets, bottles of every shape and size, and candles of course. Did a simplified esbat in the pool under the moon  listening to some music. Actually got to see the moon rise and arc across the sky, which was actually a first for me as its not possible from home.

Contemplating a small besom i opted not to buy while i was out... my mom's friend jean actually bought me a bleated birthday present. Its a rustic, sudo-gothic jewelry box straight from one of grimms fairytales. really just a small cabinate with 8, 5x6 drawers. great for stroing little things i come across. not really deep enough for storing bottles, maybe essestial oils, maybe, but i doubt it. all the same i love it and will find a purpose for it when i get it home.

gonna end it here and continue on in the morning with a brief discussion on circles.

all the best,
Solstice 

Beltaine

Granting that most, if not all of you reading this already know about this wonderful festival, i'll be brief. Beltaine, no matter the pronunciation, is a cross quarter day that falls between Imbolc (the Spring Equinox) and Lughnasadh (the summer solstice), and lies directly opposed to Samhain. As such it is a feast day of love and life. It is the rise of summer to greet spring and take the throne as God, embodied in the life giving sun, joins in union with the earth below to grant life.

Workings related include fertility, prosperity, blessings, and purification. This is a time of joy and mirth no matter where you are, which is hard at present, as it's been raining since this morning and through the night. I would have entirely missed it had i not been presented with an over the top and in your face reminder of its power. There is a bush i pass every day on the way home from work, the gym, or the grocery store. I remember it because it blooms incredibly vibrant purple flowers, which it had not yet...  until today.  i had been stopped at the stop sign down the street and was taken aback by it. Up until then i had been straining against the tiresome and depressing atmosphere outside, and the work i still have to do. But then, in that small instant, everything was good. It suddenly hit me that it really was Beltaine and there would be no ifs ands or buts about it. I had no party to get to, or shmancy ritual prepared, but all in all, it was a good day, and that's enough for me to be grateful for.

Solstice

Divisions and New Beginnings

Easter has come and gone and i have to say that it finally feels like spring. the trees finally have that golden green glow that means new life. So far, my garden is lackluster and truth be told, im not sure what im going to do with it just yet. my blueberry bushes are sprouting leaves, as are the blackberries, and the wedding-bells are just over a foot tall. They had been spreading like crazy over the years and earlier, around mid march, i corralled them in with a recycled brick circle ( affectionately called a crop circle by my sister).

But on to Easter. To the ancient greeks, it meant that Prosephone, daughter of Demeter, had once again returned to the world, and to the (pardon the generality) wiccan community the goddess is once again youthful and full of life as the now reborn god is growing into adolescence. The generic myth is actually quite poetic and beautiful. To Christians, this is a time of rejoicing in the Resurrection of Christ after his crucifiction and death. Again, the promise of life.

Now you might be asking where i'm going with this. In the Orthodox Church there is a great emphasis on Mary the Virgin Mother of God, who we call the Theotokos. Always she is referenced as our greatest protector, consoler, and emmisary to God.  She takes the role of the balancer in my mind. There is iconography of herself arms open, the infant Jesus within a circle within her. It is through her that we were given a mortal born but deified creation; and i cant help but wonder if her role would have been different had the church not been patriarchal.

In any event,  ive gone off on a completely different tangent that i had planned... i was actually going to talk about powders and folk beliefs... meh, next time. But anywho, i gues what im working on conceptually is the nature of the holy spirit as a femenin principle. In the way the Trinity, for me, gains some clarity. God as Father, Child, and Spirit, where that spirit gives rise to creation and takes on the role of Mother.

... I'll get back to you
Solstice