A Watched Pot Never Boils

Patience is only a virtue when I feel like I need some.  For most of my life, patience has remained one of the qualities of human behavior that I never really cared to possess.  In an effort to hasten most of what I wanted in life, I would resort to ‘vigilance’ as a suitable substitution for patience.  Being reluctant to remove a watchful eye, I preferred to entertain the notion that constant vigilance would at least provide me with something to do!

Needless to say, I had wasted a great deal of time keeping a ‘watchful eye’ on the progress of many of my creations.  Whether it was a simple spell, or a weighted request, it would seem that my impatience grew faster than my desired results.

I was a scorekeeper.  I continually evaluated and reevaluated my creative mastery, as well as the ability of the Universe to deliver what I wanted in a timely manner.  I was one uptight witch.  I had become much like an unforgiving teacher that I once had when I was in high school.  I was issuing a daily report card to the Universe, just like Sister Mary Charlesetta did with her philosophy students.

“Why isn’t it here yet?  Why hasn’t this happened for me yet?  When is it coming?  Where the hell is my manifestation, already!??”

Having to ask yourself questions such as these is usually a good indication that you are placing more of your attention on the absence of your specific desire than on the belief that its arrival is imminent.

We are so often drawn into our own enthusiasm for reclaiming control over the ’story’ of our life, that we may unknowingly place too much of our attention on the process instead of the outcome.   Our focus on the ‘how’ begins to overshadow the ‘what’ of our intentions, and we may find ourselves so wrapped up in the occupation of monitoring, that we no longer recognize the resistance that we are creating.  The more that you ‘look’ for results, the more resistance you produce.  It’s no wonder why watching a pot of water can be so damn frustrating.

Expectation of that which you desire is all in the approach.  Scrutinizing the power of Divine Self to deliver on our request does not exactly instill a sense of trust.  It is one thing to set a desire in motion, trust in the outcome, and relax and enjoy the process as it unfolds.  It is quite another to maintain an obsessive watch over the steady progress of the actual manifestation of your desire.

So now what?!  How do you stop “thinking” about something that you really want?  How does one ‘not notice’ that which you do not yet have?

If you are anything like me, the last thing that you want to hear is a story on the virtue of patience.  I get it.  I do not want any damn patience.  I wanted an alternative.

When your mind insists on being actively engaged in your creative process, it is difficult to combat it with a lecture on patience.  I found that I could begin to redirect my mind’s tendency to monitor the progress of a desired outcome by assigning it a new project to engage in.  The quickest way to manifest something is to move on to another desire.

I realize that this is easier said than done.  It is difficult to “forget” about something that you truly desire!  And yet, allowing yourself to move on to another aspect of your story, at least for awhile, will effectively release the mind’s perceived control over the process of that which you have already set forth as your heart’s intention.

You are a powerful and capable individual.  You are worthy and deserving of all that you desire in life and more.  Focus on the “more” now.  Chop the onions, peel the carrots, and clean the celery stalks, and the pot of water will eventually come to a boil whether you are watching it or not.

As long as the heat source has been set high enough to produce a consistent amount of fire, you can trust that the water will boil:)

I’m a Little Teapot…

My kids still like to remind me of the time that I told them to “shut up and read their tea bags.”

We were in the midst of moving into what would be our fourth home within five years.  With three kids, three dogs, two cats, two birds, a rabbit, and all the crap that goes along with each of them, our moving procedure had certainly become more streamlined since our first relocation adventure.  It was the physical exertion required to conduct the actual event that remained an unavoidable consequence.  I had two full days of sorting, last-minute packing, lifting, unpacking, and being asked a thousand times “Where do you want this? Where can I put this?” and “Mom, have you seen my (something that I have to have right now)?”

This was to be our first night in the house.  It was an early Sunday evening and the kids had school the next morning.  While Durwood was upstairs assembling beds, it seemed a suitable moment to locate the water kettle, rifle through my collection of dried herbs, and make a pot of “welcome home” tea for myself and the kids.

Ever since our children were little Beans, we have enjoyed exploring the magickal and medicinal properties of all the available leaves and flowering herbs that we either grew ourselves, received from friends, or purchased from various establishments.  Through lively consensus, we would choose the appropriate herb, flower, or any combination of these that we deemed eligible to reflect our specific intentions.  We would then brew a pot of our harmonious concoction to share, talk, and laugh with each other.

Now that the kids are grown, we find occasional moments to still share a pot of tea together, but not nearly as often as we did when they were younger.  It would seem that sharing a bottle of wine has become the brew of choice in recent years:)

On the evening that we were to spend our first night in our new home, I do not recall what the appropriate herbs were that I considered worthy to instill a sense of welcome.  I could not find them.  Opened and partially unpacked cardboard boxes were lined along most of the available counter space in the kitchen, so it felt like an accomplishment just to locate the kettle.

By the time that the water was boiling and the kids had seated themselves at the counter, I banged down three cups and saucers on the bar top, and pretty much threw some tea bags at each one of the young Bean’s heads.  I vaguely recall that I had found the tea bags in a random box labeled “pantry.”  Even beautifully wrapped tea bags that are printed with inspirational quotes are rendered fruitless when served by an irate mother.

As they engaged each other in lively conversation, I dismissed their banter with one terse remark.

“Shut up and read your tea bags.”

Although every good witch knows the subtle power of intention that can be weaved within the energy of a palatable brew, this is no way to serve tea.

With the energy of expanding consciousness all around us, the delightfully simple act of having a cup of tea with yourself, a friend, or even your kids remains a traditional method to enhance our human connection between nature’s bounty and our own creative Source.  The wisdom and healing power that comes from our earth in the form of plants and herbs has been explored by our foremothers (and some fathers!) since ancient times when magic and medicine were one in the same.

Now you can walk down the coffee and tea aisle in any grocery store and have an abundance of tea blends to choose from.  Specific herbal combinations that address a variety of physical conditions (from mood to a sore throat) have been carefully selected for us to eliminate the time consuming process of conducting our own research and experimentation.  Of notable value are the “Traditional Medicinal” blends that were developed by the godmother of herbalism, Rosemary Gladstar. (Thank you for that reminder, Candace)

With a trusted herbal blend, or even a simple black tea leaf that piques your senses, a well-brewed cup of tea that is steeped with focused intention can provide the perfect avenue between physical self and creative Source.  As the “tea preparer” you have the opportunity to direct the energy offered by any herb or plant provided by the planet you reside on.

Though you might want to make sure that your original intentions remain intact while serving…

Or your kids may never let you forget it:)

A Weighted Conclusion

“Am I crazy?”

This is quite possibly the one question that we ask ourselves often enough to effectively prevent our creative ability to reach its full potential.  Formulating an idea about certain experiences that we would like to have, and then instinctively weighing the rational nature of this extreme notion, is the one thing that can keep us from ever reaching it.  You’d have to be crazy!

I spent the majority of my adult life wondering if I weren’t playing the role of the main character in the “Gaslight” movie.  When you spend a substantial amount of time, as I have, absorbing the experience and opinions of others, you tend to develop a propensity toward self-doubt.  The idea that you can create your own experiences by personally accessing the magic of Divine Self is rather frowned upon by the general public, if you know what I mean:)

As a child, my dreams were routinely dismissed as ‘unrealistic’ by those whose approval I sought the most.  “Silly Jilly” became the usual response to most of my expressed ideas about creating my life’s desires, so I relinquished my sovereignty at an early age.

Relying on the consensus of other ‘experts’ would continue to define the reasonable limits of my dreams throughout most of my adult life, as well.  Acceptable formulas of logical reasoning, a strong work ethic, education and work experience, and one-in-a-million statistical data on ‘chance and luck’ had successfully permeated my mental framework.  I could easily appear to be relatively sane like the rest of the population! (Not that there is anything wrong with that…)

“I will achieve my dreams by standard and proven means, thank you very much.”

With the help of my overactive brain, I subscribed to the idea that sole creative power is appealing when used on a practical level for daily progress toward rational goals.  Profound miracles that change your life are reserved for rare occasions, entertainment purposes, and external forces of fate or destiny that we may, in fact, have some minor influence on.  Although most people would agree that significant changes are always possible (with hard work, dues, and an overall positive disposition), compelling shifts in life are most commonly bestowed upon those with uncanny luck, or granted to the rest of us if and when the “powers that be” decide that it is our time.

That’s about as damn “reasonable” as it gets.

If this sounds even remotely familiar to you, welcome to the club.  When maintaining an often mundane, always acceptable, sometimes even admirable life no longer suits you, its good to remember that you have choices.

If you have been visiting with me for awhile, you may have read parts one and two on “A Weighted Matter.”  Entertaining extreme versions of your heart’s desires (more commonly known as your “wildest dreams”) so often receives only a small portion of our attention.  Thanks to our own cognitive process, a thorough integration of external ideas, and whatever else we may assimilate as reasonable expectations, we consistently choose to remain relatively close to the center of our virtual see-saws.  Most of the time, we are not even aware of these continual choices, and even when we are, we view our ability to make intentional moves toward our extremes as limited.

Extreme versions of abundance and lack are so routinely dismissed as either objectionable, or implausible, that we base our choices on neither.  (In other words, your “bowl of rocks” is too scary, and your “bowl of oranges” is too good to be true.)

Remember that one kid that we all knew in elementary school?  This is the kid who said that he was going to grow up and become an astronaut, or play in the NFL, or travel the world in his own private jet.  And then he did.

Most grown-ups would attribute his success to talent, hard work, struggle, determination, higher education, and good grades.  These are, of course, genuine actions that contributed to the fulfillment of his dream.  There are those, also, who would attribute his ultimate success to luck.  I know this kid.  Luck had nothing to do with it.

Now you’re going to want to laugh at me if I tell you that he had “heart” (and then that song from the musical “Damn Yankees” is probably going to pop into your head, too.  “We’ve gotta have heart…all you really need is heart…”)  The fact that this kid does have heart is obvious.  C’mon.

What this kid truly DOES have cannot be observed.  It is his undivided attention and acute awareness of continual choice that preceded any observable actions that he took to achieve his dream.  His consistent decision to choose toward the direction of his extreme desire inspired and sustained his participation in any subsequent actions.  This kid did not wait until he was an adult to remember Who He Was.  He knew the difference between viewing choice through logic and justification, and focusing on choice with emotional awareness.  He did it one “orange” at a time, and trusted in nothing, or no one, but his own Divine power to deliver.  He still does.

I do not know what you have accumulated in your bowl of oranges.  But you do.  You’re not crazy, either.  Whatever desires you have placed on the extreme end of your virtual see-saw are being created specifically for you, by You, at this very moment.  The only thing missing is your presence.

Trusting in your Divine Self to manifest all that you desire, and more, is a process that is unique to you.  Don’t “think” about it so much.  Be compassionate with your dreams, and allow the awareness of emotional (heart-based) choices to linger.  Take a “look” at that bowl of oranges a little longer each day without dismissing your possibilities with reasonable justifications, or the fear that you might be losing your mind.  Making the heartfelt and deliberate decision to choose toward the extreme end of your virtual see-saw will require that you DO lose your mind!

If your extreme versions of what you really desire to experience seem unreasonable, or you worry that they are unrealistic, then just don’t share them with any one for now (Creator, Party of One).  Every minute of every day, you have an opportunity to breathe, live and just “be” with your dreams.  Choosing to spend time with your version of abundance, ignites your ability to create it.  The more time that you choose to spend with this extreme version of self, the more that your dreams expand.  The more that your dreams expand, the more that their virtual weight increases.  The weightier that your dreams become, the more that you vibrationally align with your creation…until eventually, that which you choose to envision with consistent awareness becomes your reality.

As if I haven’t watched enough Disney movies with Caroline already, I heard the Emperor in “Mulan” remind us this afternoon that “It only takes one grain of rice to tip the scale.”

Dream away, my friend:)

A Weighted Matter (part 2)

What is “normal?”  Whatever we may perceive “normal” to be, it would seem that most people tend to spend the majority of their time trying to “be” it.  We formulate our own perceptions of what is ‘unacceptable’ on one end of the spectrum, and what is ‘impossible’ (or ridiculous) on the other end.  Then we gravitate toward what we perceive to be the comfortable realm that exists somewhere between these two extremes (as in somewhere we view as “normal”).

When used as a description of human behavior and circumstance, the term ‘normal’ applies not only to our relative view on how we compare ourselves to others, but more significantly, how we personally define our own realm of “usual” experiences.  When we say that something seems “out of balance” or “out of whack,” we automatically make the necessary adjustments to bring us back to a place where we feel stable again.  Spending any amount of time in what we would define as our “extreme” versions of any possible human experience is viewed as so unusual, impossible, or unacceptable that we do not allow ourselves to ‘go there’ very often.

Our perception of ‘normal’ is a personal choice that we are making every single minute of our lives, whether we are aware of it or not.  Being aware of these ongoing choices can change your life’s experiences!

Being a practical witch, I find it useful to develop visual images to illustrate the process of extreme creation.  In a recent post titled “A Weighted Matter-part 1,” I described the property of polarity that exists within any possible human experience that you can imagine.  Every conceivable experience provides us with an inherent contrast that allows us to determine our preferences.  For example, the concept of wealth would be located along a perceptual spectrum, in which an experience of extreme “lack” (or absence) would exist on one end, and the exact counterpart, as in an experience of extreme “abundance” of wealth, would exist on the other end.

Each extreme notion of your personal concept of wealth is represented by a “pile” or a bowl full of accompanying thoughts and emotions.  These thoughts and emotions comprise a level of understanding that is derived from your observations of others, your own experience, or both.  The purpose of evaluating the contents of each bowl full of extreme versions is to gauge the perceptual vibrational energy of each in terms of weight.

If a bowl full of rocks were a visual image of the emotions and thought patterns that you associate with the ‘lack’ of any human experience, how heavy would it be?  Regardless of its perceived weight, know that if you were to consistently practice the thought patterns and the emotions that you view as a lack of something (such as wealth), then this particular human experience would become your dominant vibration, and therefore, your reality.

Whatever our own particular formula for a consistent vibration of ‘lack’ may be (such as despair and hunger), most of us might find it objectionable.  We would instinctively try to move toward the other end of the spectrum, where our version of extreme abundance exists, in order to achieve some sense of “balance” on our virtual see-saw.

So what do we find in our bowl of extreme abundance?  Perhaps you might view the thought patterns and emotions associated with your understanding of an abundance of wealth (like high-risk ventures and perpetual bliss) to be represented by a mound of oranges (coins, stacks of bills, or anything you envision).  Whatever components that you have accumulated throughout your lifetime, know that this is your current formula for abundance, as it is presently perceived by you.  If you were to practice the thought patterns and specific emotions that you have placed in this bowl consistently, this formula would become your dominant vibration, and would eventually create your reality.  There is no exception to this rule.

What would be the perceived weight of this formula-for-abundance?  Is it just enough to balance out the rocks of lack that you have accumulated on the opposite end? Does the virtual weight of it keep your “wealth experience” teetering somewhere along the middle of your virtual see-saw, well enough away from your extreme version of lack to remain in a place that feels most “reasonable” to you?  Or does your mound of oranges consistently receive so much of your attention, that it grows into a truckload, overpowers the bowl of rocks, tips the see-saw, becomes your dominant vibration, and becomes your inevitable reality?

Who wants to stop trying to achieve balance now?!?!?

Let me see if I can guess what you might be thinking:

“This is all fine, Jillian. If oranges were money.”

Well, they can be.  Or rocks, too.  Or grains of sand, marbles, gold coins (!), or whatever you envision as a representation of your accumulation of the thoughts and emotions that you are CHOOSING every moment in time.  The ridiculous, the unobtainable, and the impossible can transform into the plausible, the reachable, and the possible when mindful and heartfelt attention is given to your choices.  All of them.  Every single moment of every day.

It is one thing to comprehend the process of creation on an intellectual level, and quite another to live it in your heart and soul.  Let’s visit the subject of extreme creation the next time (part 3!) to discuss some practical applications of the virtual teeter-totter theory:)

Why Can’t They Get Girlfriends?

Natalie Ellen Bean has a few theories of her own.  On our daily trips home from school, she can offer some pretty interesting perspectives on teenage behavior.  (That is, when she’s in the mood to talk.)  I think it’s been at least one hundred years since I’ve been in high school, so I thought it would be intriguing if she shared a few of her observations with the rest of us.  After all, she is a good little witch:)

Hi!  I’m Natalie.  While mom’s working on her next post, I told her that I would be happy to write an article.  I’m fifteen, I’m home watching Olympic hockey with my dad on a Friday night, and I’m writing an article on my mom’s website….don’t judge me:-)

I just have to talk to the “nice guys” out there who might read mom’s blog.  I have a theory that there are ultimately two types of young men on earth.  Maybe they’re like this when they’re grown-up, too, but at my age, I know that I have come in contact with both types so far.

Young men in the first group are known as the “Nice Guys.” These guys usually fall into a sub-category of “just a friend.”  Most of the time these are the boys we meet in elementary school and grow up with.  They help us through thick and thin, we can turn to them for anything, but we always think of them as “just a friend.”

The “Nice Guy” group also includes the really nice boy that we meet at our new school.  He is someone to laugh with, hang out with, and the one who “has our back” even when we don’t realize that our back needs protection.  But alas, we girls still think of him as “just a friend.”

The second group of young men are widely known as the “Real Jerks.”  These are the guys who play the “Nice Guy” role so well that they end up breaking our heart.  Either they tell us that we mean everything to them, and end up telling the same thing to three other girls behind our back, or they lead us through a long relationship and end it painfully with some ridiculous excuse.

So, girls like me can look at both of these groups and easily decide which group describes the type of young man that we want to date.  It’s obvious that we should choose the Nice Guys, right?  So why do we all get drawn into the gravitational pull of the Real Jerks?!?….I don’t understand it yet.  I’m only fifteen, and yet I admit that I have been acquainted with a lot more jerks than nice guys during my first two years of high school.  Girls my age are constantly finding themselves falling head over heels for these bad boys (who often masquerade as good guys for awhile to suck us in), while the real “Nice Guys” are standing by, patiently awaiting their turn.

WHY?!?  Why are the nice guys forced to wait around and watch us fall in love with all of the jerks?  There may be a reason for this.  It’s because the good guys ARE so nice, that we tend to push them into “the friend zone.”

They aren’t stupid.  They are well aware that we put them there, but they don’t know how to escape our friend zone without harming our friendship.  It’s not like we put them safely in the friend zone on purpose, we just had no idea that they liked us “that way.”  Because they’re so nice, we have no clue that they have romantic motives.  They don’t say anything and they don’t express their romantic interest in us, because being forward (like a bad boy) is beneath them.  So, while we are busy drooling over these jerks, our poor nice guys are in the friend zone, quietly standing by.  After all, they want us to be happy.

I have a message that I would like to share with all of the “Nice Guys.”  You are just going to have to wait it out.  I’m so sorry.  Believe me when I tell you that this cycle that I have just described is not going to end.  (At least not anytime soon, while we are still young.)  The truth is, you “Nice Guys” will always win in the end.  Whether it’s that girl that you have been friends with since preschool, or the girl that you just met at college…you will get your chance.

First, we have to date all of the douche bags before we will finally realize that you are the ones that we have been waiting for.  It’s a sucky cycle, I know.  But we girls will get through it eventually, and learn how to improve ourselves after we make stupid choices.  So that by the time we do “see” you, we will gladly take you right out of the friend zone, and you will mean more to us than any jerk would ever have a chance to.

No matter how much you guys tell us that the guy we are dating is not the right one, or that we should be treated better, this is just something that we have to figure out on our own.  Once we do that, we will be able to realize that you guys told us all of that because you were the ones that really cared.

Thanks for listening.  This has been a guest article from Natalie Bean.  I would just like to tell all of the “Nice Guys” to never surrender, never give up.

A Weighted Matter (part 1)

Balance is the key.  At least, that was the expressed goal of ‘healthy living’ that seemed most prevalent to me while I was earning my undergraduate degree in psychology.  As I pursued an ongoing interest in human behavior and psychology well after my formal education, the theory on ‘balance’ continued to be the common thread presented throughout many schools of thought regarding self-improvement.

I understood the importance of balancing my diet, balancing my career with my family, balancing my checkbook, balancing my mind, balancing my body, balancing my hormones, balancing my work with my play, balancing the spoils with the rewards, and balancing my personal time with my social time.  Balance, balance, balance.

It would seem that under normal circumstances, achieving balance is the widely accepted ambition of those who wish to lead a happy and healthy life.  Then I remembered that I am not normal.

I would agree that finding a balance between opposing forces is a reasonable solution to obtain a sense of stability.  And yet, why be reasonable when you have the option of choosing a preference?

Consider for a moment, the unlimited supply of potential human experiences that are available to each and every one of us.  For every single experience that we could possibly imagine, there exists a complete and perfect opposite.  Even on the most basic level, the concept of something that is “small” cannot be fully realized without having some understanding of what is “big.”  A notion of being “thin” cannot be fully conceptualized without having formulated some perception of what “overweight” is.  This is a pretty straightforward description of our mind’s ability to understand the varying levels in which we perceive our experiences.

As rich is to poor, healthy is to sick, fear is to courage, and joy is to sorrow, there are at least a billion other possible experiences that are available in which we can discern a level of contrast.  Without the property of this exact polarity for each and every human experience imaginable, we could not appropriate the depth of understanding which allows us to formulate our preferences.

So here we are.  We are human beings who live in a world of unlimited contrast.  We are able to make distinctions.  Our distinctions form our personal preferences.  As we gather a certain level of understanding toward that which we DO NOT want to experience, we can ascertain a certain level of clarity toward that which we DO want to experience.

This is an absolute cognitive equation that can be applied to every possible human experience that you could possibly imagine within the physical realm.  It is so certain that it even includes all the possible experiences that you cannot imagine!  This is the phenomenon of conceptual reality known to every creator.  Contrast allows preference.

Now, keeping this principle of polarity and contrast in mind, let’s consider the three basic human experiences that most physical beings regard as significant.  These would include being healthy, wealthy, and in a loving relationship.  Each of these states of ‘being’ can be experienced from one extreme to the other, as well as in many other variations along the space in between.  Within each of these fundamental human experiences, no matter where they exist along the spectrum between their extremes, there are very specific energetic properties that are required in order for these experiences to exist in our reality.

This is what is so fantastic about this principle!  As individuals, each of us get to determine these specific properties through the nature of our personal observations.  So, my concept of wealth will be represented by specific thoughts and energetic vibrations as they are understood by me, and your concept of wealth will include specific properties that are understood by you.

From one extreme to the other, the possible variations that can exist are continually chosen by us.  Our reality is reflected by the consistent energetic vibrations that we choose to practice.

Even though we are capable of perceiving our own versions of wealth, health, and intimate companionship, many individuals believe that their absolute choices concerning the level of these experiences are limited.  This occurs when there is a conscious rejection to entertain any notions that are identified as extreme ends of the spectrum.  The idea of being extremely wealthy or completely penniless is perceived as being so “unrealistic” that often, without even being aware of it, these individuals will consistently choose to remain somewhere in the middle of what they view as “reasonable” expectations.  They vacillate between what they perceive to be an unobtainable experience on one end of the spectrum, and its objectionable counterpart on the other. (As in somewhere that feels most NORMAL.  As in balance, balance, balance…)

For the sake of illustration, let’s consider the standard see-saw that can be found on a child’s playground.  We could represent our particular concept of wealth by viewing its contrasting properties as opposing weights on each end of the see-saw.  One end would reflect our perception of an extreme LACK of wealth, while the other end would reflect our concept of an extreme ABUNDANCE of wealth.

While keeping the image of a see-saw in mind, gather the thoughts and emotions that you might associate with your understanding of “lack.”  Your specifics may include emotions of despair, fear, or resignation.  These feelings may generate subsequent thoughts such as the absence of food and shelter, and perhaps the inability to earn an income.  Whether these perceptions are based on personal experience, personal observations, or both, they are your concept of “lack” of wealth.

Now if you were to envision all of these specific components as one image, what would it look like?  Considering the sheer number of plausible thoughts and emotions that you have identified throughout your lifetime, this conglomeration could be viewed as a pile of sand, grains of rice, pebbles (rocks and boulders!), beans, marbles, apples, oranges, or any other items that could represent your perception of an extreme lack of wealth.  It is your collection.  Visualizing what these components would look like if they were gathered together in a pile, will allow you to gauge the nature of its perceived weight.  Is it heavy?  Is it light?  Only you can determine that.

Now, without making any judgment calls on the content of these thoughts and emotions in your accumulated pile, just accept that this is your current ‘formula’ for the experience of an extreme lack of wealth.

So if you were to direct your full and undivided attention to this acquired formula by CONSISTENTLY practicing all of the thoughts and emotions that you identify as an experience of lack, it would then become your dominant vibration.  The Universe would respond by providing you with the exact manifestations (representations) of that which you are calling forth.  Your understanding regarding an extreme lack of wealth would become your reality.  There is no exception to this rule.

“Well,” you say. “I don’t want that!”  (Good! This is why we have choices.)

Now envision the contrasting collection of thoughts and emotions that you would associate with your concept of an extreme abundance of wealth.  This accumulated pile of beans (or whatever you want to imagine) might include feelings of bliss, arrogance, and lofty expectations that generate thoughts of high-risk ventures, unlimited income potential, or the ability to purchase an island in the Pacific.  I’m just spit-balling here.  Whatever components that you have identified throughout your lifetime to define your version of extreme wealth, this accumulation now occupies the other end of the see-saw.

How would you gauge the perceived weight of this collection?  Is it heavy?  Is it light?  Once again, only you can determine the weight of this conglomeration.  How does it compare to the weight on the other end of the see-saw?

The same creative potential that exists on the other end (regarding lack of wealth) applies to your collection of perceived abundance.  Without entertaining any opinions on the content of these thoughts and emotions that are contained in this accumulated pile, accept that this would be the current formula that you would have to practice CONSISTENTLY in order for you to experience an extreme abundance of wealth (as you understand it to be, at this particular moment in your life).  Do you want this version?  If it were your dominant vibration, the Universe would provide it.  This pile would outweigh the perceptions of lack that you collected on the other end of the see-saw, and it would be your reality.

Here’s the thing.  Most people do not spend their undivided time and attention within their extreme version that is located on one end of their conceptual see-saw.  Creators do.

(Now that we have established THAT,  I just noticed the word count on this post.  Talk about your extremes.  I really appreciate that you stuck it out with me for this long.  Let’s visit the subject of extreme creation some more next time!)

Weekend Warrior

I love the invention of weekends.  One 24 hour “break” from our normal routine is often not enough to rest and regroup our earthly selves.   Whether your weekend includes the standard Saturday and Sunday, or falls on two other consecutive days in a week, it has been my experience that a time period of at least 48 hours is required when seeking to regenerate your entire being.  We may not have the opportunity to take advantage of every weekend in this manner, but scheduling at least one “weekend” for yourself (every now and then) can work wonders.

It is often the “selfish” acts of a good witch that create a benefit to those that she lives, works, and meets with.  Most of us have heard this advice at least a million times before, but often fail to heed these brilliant words.

“It’s important to take care of yourself, first and foremost.”

It seemed that this wisdom was offered to me on a regular basis when my kids were younger.  I always thought that this statement was just a polite method of providing comfort to a young mother who appears to be physically and emotionally spent.  The wisdom was appreciated, but I never really knew what “taking care of myself” would entail.  I had some ideas, but they did not originate with me.  Even if I did have some inkling of what I would require in order to take care of myself, I sure the hell did not have the time for it.

In any case, you do not necessarily have to be a full-time parent to have heard this advice offered on occasion.  A timely message can be communicated through various means.  Perhaps the next time that you hear these words, you could regard it as a reminder from Higher Self to discover (and remember) the appropriate care that your entire being requires in order to expand.

The details of SELF care are determined by you.  For me, the process has produced a more lasting effect when I address all aspects of what I consider to comprise my ‘entire’ being.

There are several theories regarding the particular elements that comprise one’s entirety.   Most of these assessments suggest that our being includes the body, mind, and spirit.  Myself, I have always preferred the notion that there is a fourth aspect that includes the heart (or the core) of an individual.  Some would argue that this is what ’spirit’ is, while I prefer to recognize Spirit in more of a collective sense.

I think of Spirit as the Oneness that we all have a connection to, whereas the ‘heart’ defines my individual soul aspect and the personal nature of Spirit.  When I regard the ‘core’ being as a separate aspect, I find that I am able to wrap my brain around the comprehension of a certain space that resides within.  This space would be where free will, choice, and private emotion exist.  (This is most likely due to the fact that my big, fat, out-of-proportion mind likes to over-analyze everything, and therefore, finds satisfaction in creating a separate element to include for evaluation.)

HOWEVER you may perceive the aspects of your individual being, designating a 48 hour period to take care of yourself is most productive when you address each part of your SELF.  The body may need comfort, the mind may need stimulation (or QUIETING), the spirit may need nourishment in the form of appreciation, and the heart and soul may need the personal attention of your complete awareness.

The first day of your mini-vacation will most likely be comprised of the actual preparation necessary in order to allow yourself the time that you will need on the second day.  It seems that it is within this second 24-hour period that one can actually EXPERIENCE the personal process of effective self-care.  When my children were younger, I know that it was practically impossible for me to unwind and rejuvenate in one 24 hour period.  Being granted a “day off” seemed never enough time.

By the time that I figured out that shopping alone for an afternoon, or taking a bath without hearing someone call “mommy” for a few precious moments, were mere FRAGMENTS of the time that I really needed, it seemed as if my “day off” was over.  It took several years of trial and error to realize that the genuine benefit of “time to yourself” requires that an adequate portion of that time be used to adequately prepare!

When the budget is tight, or the babysitters are scarce, or the roommate won’t leave for two days, this is the time to be a creative weekend warrior.  Consciously project your intention to partake in some “solitary time” and often the opportunities to schedule a “selfish” weekend will appear.  It is often when you expect compliance, understanding, and compassion from any vested parties, that you will get it.  Roommates can mysteriously get invited to join someone on a weekend adventure, or husbands may suddenly feel a need to take the kids to visit Grandma for a few days.

In any event, once you are able to mark your “weekend” on the calendar, the prospect of what you will do with your time is personal.

Enjoy it.  It is your gift to you.

“Not I,” Said The Cat

Since when is suffering considered a hallowed virtue?  There is not a doubt that any well-bred Catholic would probably have the answer to that.  The esteemed qualities that are required for sainthood include forbearance, suffering, and ultimate sacrifice.  Individuals who exhibited these traits throughout their lifetime, and then demonstrated their “holiness” by dying for their faith, were to be held in the highest regard.

Most Catholics (or at least those of us that were raised in the 1960’s) were taught that suffering is “saintly.”  Any time that I was experiencing pain, or unpleasantness of any kind, there was usually a nun nearby to remind me that I should “offer it up as a sacrifice to Christ.”  I was not at all certain how that was going to help me, but I was taught that it was disrespectful to question a nun.  It may have been more clear had she told me to just shut-up and quit complaining.

Along with a hefty dose of guilt, being raised in a large Catholic family usually comes with a complimentary ration of martyrdom.  Any mother who raises her face to the heavens, closes her eyes, and covers her forehead with the back of her hand portrays a classic image.  Of course, my own dear mother was never that dramatic.  This exaggerated depiction comes to mind because at one time or another, all of us were told that we would be responsible for sending my mother to an early grave.  (Fortunately, she is now 83 years old and still alive and VERY well.)

Perhaps this early notion of ’suffering’ is the reason why I once found the tale of The Little Red Hen so appealing.  The intended lesson of the story is to demonstrate the virtue of “sharing in the work if one is to share in the rewards.”  Somehow, I managed to interpret the circumstances of this story to personify the task of parenting.

The Little Red Hen does it all.  The dog, the cat, the pig, and the turkey do not want anything to do with planting the grain, reaping the wheat, threshing the wheat, taking it to the mill to have it ground, baking the flour, and making the bread.  But they sure the hell want to help eat it.  This sounded familiar.

“I just spent all damn day cleaning that floor, and you just walk in here without even wiping your feet.”

“I just ironed that shirt!  You try it on, decide that you don’t want to wear it, and then throw it on your closet floor?!”

Scenarios like these could explain how an overworked, stressed-out, stay-at-home parent could sometimes feel like The Little Red Hen.  Every hen needs an outlet to decline the ancient appeal of martyrdom.

When you tend to your connection to All That Is, you are able to see yourself as Source sees you.  Divine Source knows that you do not have to suffer to be appreciated.

Routinely giving yourself those solitary moments that nourish the heart will serve to remind you of the grandness of your being, and ignite the appreciation of your true nature.  Appreciation is one of the most powerful vibrations that expands in brilliant fashion when directed from within.

Once self-appreciation is allowed to flow freely, people will notice a clean floor, and even turn around to wipe their feet, without you having to say a word.  Almost like magic:)

What A Coinky-dink!

I love coincidences in life.  The recognition of corresponding  circumstances and events that occur throughout one’s daily life are significant indicators of creation in action.  Coincidences are personal message boards provided by the Universe to confirm that your vibrational output is aligning with your heart’s desire.  Just when you start to entertain some doubts about whether or not Spirit knows what the hell It is doing, it seems that an unmistakable ‘reminder’ will show up in the form of an unlikely coincidence.   Substantial correlations, and even the seemingly obscure moments, can provide the mindful observer with those “aha” moments when we are prompted to say, “Thanks, I needed that!”

Of course, intentionally searching for relevant signs that you are achieving vibrational alignment with Source never works.  The conscious mind is an invasive busy-body that likes to screw up the creation equation.  Until we learn how to revoke our mind’s invitation to the creator’s party, significant messages from the Universe will go unnoticed.  It is only when we relax, and allow our natural rhythms to flow from the heart, that those pleasant coincidences can frequent our daily lives.

You might be driving in your car, and suddenly realize that the words of a song (that you have heard at least a hundred times before) will mysteriously reflect the exact thoughts you had earlier in the day.  Without any special purpose to check the time, you may glance at the clock on your cell phone and notice that it is 4:44 pm,  while you just ended a phone call that lasted for exactly 4 minutes and 44 seconds.  Maybe you read something in the morning that made an obscure reference to a particular item, and then later that afternoon, while waiting in line at the grocery store, you overhear a conversation between two strangers who mention the exact same thing.  These are your confirmations from the Universe that everything is proceeding according to Divine plan.  Your vibrational alignment with Source is timely and true.

Durwood rarely, if ever, reads my posts.  His reasoning includes the declaration that he “lives it,”  and since being married to a witch is weird enough, he does not have to read about it.  Whatever.

Ironically (or coincidentally), the one post that he did read was the Catholic Girl’s Guide to Becoming Arrogant.  I was sitting at my computer finishing the draft, when he uncharacteristically offered to proofread it.  Durwood had never done this before, so I accepted his unusual proposal.  When he finished reading my first draft, his initial response came in the form of one word.

He peered at me through the top of his reading glasses and said, “Whoa.”

“What is it?” I wanted to know.

Durwood replied that he thought the content needed some editing.  He explained that my reference to religion, and in particular, the disclosure regarding my adolescent experience with sexually deviant behavior read in a dispirited manner that did not reflect the true nature of who I am.

“Wow,” I replied. “Really?”  The painful memories of old wounds tend to reveal their unsightly scars when you least expect it.

“This just doesn’t sound like you,” Durwood continued.  “I think of your writing as the embodiment of witch light.  The way that you wrote this is too witch heavy.”

At the exact moment when Durwood finished presenting his observation, the Bud Light commercial ran on the television in the next room.  It was loud enough, too, that both of us paused to hear the words.

The beer campaign’s clever reference to situations that are “not too heavy” or “not too light” was unmistakable.  I had an ‘aha’ moment, while Durwood just grinned and nodded.  As if he had something to do with it.

I rewrote the post. The message from both Durwood and the Universe had been received loud and clear.  “Witch Light” is definitely much more appealing and comfortable for me than “Witch Heavy” will ever be.

If I ever needed any confirmation on that notion, it appears that a Bud Light commercial can furnish a most appropriate and timely coinky-dink:)  I will happily let Durwood take the credit for prompting that one.

Grab Your Pointy Hat

Attractive as the striped stockings and trendy ankle boots may be, the most appealing aspect of practicing your own witchcraft is the ever-expanding connection to Source energy.  Exploring the depths of your heart in order to reconnect with the Divine power that exists within each of us is a unique and individual journey of choice.  Whether you approach this endeavor with the company of others, in solitary, or not at all, is a conscious decision.  Regardless of how you define your level of connection to Divine energy, we are all magical beings.  The pointy hat is always optional.

Life is magic.  The essence of magic is simply the natural state of energy movement that creates change in your life.   By opening your heart and descending into the Source of your own energy, the memory of your true purpose unfolds and you rediscover who you are.  You remember that you are the deliberate creator of your own life experience.

It is the heart of our being that follows the pull of magic, and directs the movement of energy to bring that which you desire into your experience.  Defining the properties of manifestation cannot be explained, as there are no adequate words available in the realm of the heart.  It just happens.  That’s why we call it magic:)

Once you experience the creation of your own magic, the awareness of its essence, even in ordinary things, provides a sense of wonder and satisfaction in life.  You begin seeing connections between what you think, how you feel, and what is happening around you.  It seems as if you open your eyes to what you are creating for yourself, and your natural connection to Source expands.

The unmistakable aura that beams forth from one who has rediscovered the nature of their true essence is a lovely sight to behold.  I still smile when I recall an exchange that I had with one of the moms that I had the pleasure of knowing during my PTA years.  Sylvia was a gentle and kind soul, who preferred to avoid the cutthroat business of fund-raising and planning that seemed to define the bitchy character of many of the PTA board members of the time.  I admired her.

We had planned a school carnival, and I thought that it would be refreshing to offer some local fare, in addition to the routine hot dog, snow cone, and popcorn stands.  Since Sylvia’s sister Rosa lived two doors down from us at the time, I knew that Sylvia’s mom made tamales for their family on occasion.  I asked Sylvia if she would be willing to make tamales to sell at the school carnival.  Sylvia was hesitant, but thought that perhaps with the help of her sister Rosa, the three Alvarez women could prepare a sufficient amount to serve.

It had been quite the undertaking.  Sylvia reported that her mother had never prepared such a large amount of tamales at one time, and she and Rosa had not participated in the actual preparation of ingredients before.  The day before the carnival, Sylvia had become overwhelmed with the responsibility of providing tamales for public consumption.  Her mom and Rosa were ready to bow out completely.  Sylvia had to take over.

I was so busy myself on the morning of carnival day, I barely noticed when Sylvia had arrived with her large warming trays packed full of tamales.  What I did notice later, were the hoards of people gathered around her tamale stand.  There were carnival-goers eagerly waiting in line, smiling people carrying stacks of tamale filled containers away, and others standing off to the side eating tamales right off the plate that they were holding.  The tamales were the highlight of the carnival.  Sylvia was beaming.

When I finally had a chance to talk with her later, Sylvia relayed her experience.  In the midst of the anxiety she was feeling the day before, she stepped outside, sat on the front step for a moment, and took several deep breaths.

With a knowing smile, she said, “I closed my eyes, and shifted my intention.”

When she went back inside, she completed the preparation of all the ingredients.  Then she proceeded to fill, wrap, and stack hundreds of tamales.  Throughout the entire process, she said that she thought of nothing else but the love that she was putting in to each and every one that she made.

What an exquisite expression of energy movement from the heart.  And she didn’t even wear a pointy hat.