#deity from above please give me the energy and focus to write in one sitting

[yostresswritinggirl]

𝑊𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑀𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝐹𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒

Even the wisest of men are no strangers to the addicting feeling of love. A feeling no darshan can explain, an emotion that can make even geniuses such as them - crumble into irrationality, moronic actions unexplainable, acting like fools pining for love.

Sumeru Men Story Teasers : Cyno x Reader; Tighnari x Reader; Cyno x Reader x Alhaitham; all gender neutral

(Read: teasers for my WIPs that I'm too slow to work on)

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𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬

He should have been stronger.

Cyno was no stranger to prejudice and judgment, but he had the greatest patience and the iron will to not be moved so easily. It came naturally as a desert dweller among the sea of Akademiya scholars, their side glances and hushed whispers in the dark.

The forest never took kindly to those born over the scorching sands, so when you came up to him with innocent excitement and unadulterated passion, he was unprepared by the strength of your heart.

Against his iron walls, they turned into sand dunes easily swept away. He was no stranger to prejudice and judgment, nor to temptations and vices, so easy to whisk him away in your presence so welcoming of him.

He should have been stronger.

He should have been strong enough to resist your warmth. To refuse you despite you accepting him wholeheartedly.

He should have been strong enough to refuse your reckless offer.

He should have been strong enough to keep you safe.

But Cyno is just as human as any other person in Sumeru, he was no iron wall. There in the depths of the ruins his wails echoed with raw emotion as he gripped your motionless body closer, growing colder against his chest.

He freely cried in desperation knowing there were no audience to his vulnerable state, only the constructs that caused both of you to bleed, and the remnants of a spirit you were deadset on knowing. The main reason the both of you had fallen into this place, and soon, the reason you fall.

"Please, someone," the desperation in his hoarse voice felt foreign even to himself. "Save them, please. Anything... I'll do anything, just save them."

Cyno swore to no religion or deity, but that day even a stranger would have owed his life if they were to save the one he loves. Was it a blessing or a curse for his prayer to be answered?

"Your heart is light, worthy to be a vessel." There is a weight on his shoulder and power behind him, stealing the air from his lungs in waiting tension. "I will give you the strength to save them, human, but from then on your heart will be weighed, judged until you are no longer worthy."

Cyno was a man that can't be moved easily in the face of danger and temptation.

Yet when his hand went to cradle your bloodied cheek, he knew from the very beginning that he would move the stars, the moon and the sun to keep your warmth alight and aflame. He seals his promise with a bloodied kiss.

And with a steeled gaze, he lifts his head with voice filled of pure devotion. "Anything."

You offered an inch, he's willing to sacrifice a mile in return.

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Komorebi

At one point he thought to ask, since when did he care so much about anything beyond his darshan? When, oh when did anything beyond plants ever intrigue him like this?

"Box wrench, 8 points," your gloved palm reaching out brought him out of his musings, his own hand scrambling to pick up the tool from the table, hoping that was the right one. "Thank you."

Tighnari never imagined that he would find himself here, inside a workshop devoid of the greenery he'd loved, the scent of grease and rust in the air so foreign to him. Cogs and metal scraping grating in his sensitive ears.

Why was he here? Right, to accompany you on your current project.

Inside your room that became your garage of inventions, it smacked Tighnari on the face just how different you two are.

Kshahrewar and Amurta. Metals and plants.

"That should be it," he watched as you removed your googles, planting it atop your head. It gave way to your wide eyes, practically glowing in contentment. That was always the best part of coming here, watching you in your natural environment, in a place you fit in so easily.

Perhaps this was how you see him when he talked about the successful growth of the flowers assigned to him in Pardis Dhyai.

"Thank you for the help as always, Tighnari." While you worked on removing your gloves, you can't seem to peel your eyes away from looking at him. "There's something on your face."

What? "Here?" The ravenette furrowed his brow in confusion, rubbing at the spot you were eyeing with the sleeve of his robe. A dark spot now stained it.

"Here, let me." Tighnari's eyes widened as you licked your thumb without hesitance before rubbing it on the spot where the grease stain dirtied his light skin. "There we go, much better."

The damp touch had his tail, ears, and the hairs at the back of his neck stand straight. Tighnari was never shy, never quiet. Yet he couldn't stop himself from burying his face in his hands, his embarrassment ever more apparent from the warmth he felt from it.

What is he supposed to do? Especially when he's with you?

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𝐄𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐲𝐬

Alhaitham wasn't one to dwell on regrets regarding his decisions, especially not one this long.

But he couldn't help but wonder how things would play out in an alternate timeline where he had chosen differently, where he didn't adhere to his principles and instead taken what he was first offered. A guiltless, unrestrained pursuit of knowledge —

Would he be so willing to give that up just for you? Just for you to look at him again?

At the very least, his choices had lead him here, to not be the victim of your cold, indifferent gaze.

Quietly he followed your line of sight to his companion standing next to him, the General Mahamatra. "Former General Mahamatra." Cyno's grip on his staff tightened like his scowl. "Surrender yourselves right here and now."

From the short time that they had been forced together, the Scribe knew that expression were different from the irritation of stalling culprits, nor rage for the Akademiya minions that recklessly used the lives of the Village Keepers. This was not a bitter look shared between enemies, or those one perceived as enemies.

Then and there the lunatic realized that perhaps the both of them had at least one thing in common.

Clearing the pained expression from his face at the sight of your red Akasha and polearm readying to fight, Cyno (with great reluctance) readied himself for a fight next to Alhaitham, the air holding its breathe as the your gaze continued to size them up. In that moment, the two men shared a look -

Before dispersing their weapons away in favor of their fists and raw strength.

Dispose the Akasha terminal in your ear, quick and painless.

"If I ever see one cut on them," Cyno's voice was borderline murderous. "I'll make sure to give you tenfold of their pain."

"We may be temporary allies right now," Alhaitham's voice was taunting and confident, paired with a smirk that contrasts Cyno's scowl. "But that doesn't mean I'm letting you win."

And the long, dreaded fight started the moment your controlled self triggered your Delusion, forcing them to dodge as you made the first strike.

They'll free you from the vile control of the Akademiya, there is no doubt on that.

It's just a matter of who can do it first.

Based on my brainrots here and here. I'm quite the sapiophile - ohhh that's a potential title right there. I've changed Cyno's story title too many times and I'm still not satisfied.

[violetwitchcraft]

Moving Forward (And backwards, left, right and upside down) With Divination

What’s up friends, It’s your local human disaster here to give you some more neato tips on how to do the thing!

Tarot, runes, oracle, we love them. They’re great, yeah? But some of us don’t know where to begin with that kind of thing. Or feel too intimidated by it. Or it just never clicks with a person. So here’s what I propose we do. 

Make our own rules! 

Yep, the concept of this seems super scary. But you’ll find out after a while that it’s some of the most fun you can have with divination. I’m not telling you that you have to sit and paint an intricate pack of cards and create an entirely new divination system and meaning for them. What I am saying is, don’t be afraid to take inspiration and guidance from stuff that seems weird. As you can see in the photo above, I have made my own set of ‘runes’ using pumpkin seeds, planetary symbols and words in my elementarium alphabet. 

Did I sit and think this out? Did I seek cosmic guidance from a nameless deity above? Nah, I just started writing things on seeds. Not being afraid to try new things; sometimes that’s enough. The beauty of doing things like this is that you can decide how to interpret things for the first time without any outside influence. It will inherently be directly connected to your thoughts, wishes and desires because well.... you made it. You can custom tailor your divination experience to you. You’re the driver in this car friend. 

Still too spooked to make your own stuff? 

Ok, so let’s take things that already exist in the world and make them our own. Make them witchy. Reach into that draw in the kitchen you throw all of the odd bits and bobs and pull out the first thing you touch. Boom. This is divination. This party candle from your birthday cake 4 years ago now has a meaning. And you can decide what it is simply from the feeling you get when you hold it. Open a book. What is the first word you see? Out of the hundreds of words on this page why did you decide to read this one first? There has to be meaning. I refuse to believe there isn’t. You’re outside having a cigarette. While you focus on the smoke, what do you think of? Can you see any shapes in it? You’re scrolling through your gallery and open a photo on your phone by a mistake. Was it really a mistake? It’s your decision.

Every object in the world contains energy and vibrates on a cellular level. When you think of it in this way, finding divinity in everything seems a little less crazy.

Say it again with me. There are no rules. No one is going to come slap the back of your hand with a ruler if pushing the food around your plate shows you what emotions you’re going to be feeling next tuesday. The tarot fairy isn’t going to swoop down and scold you if you combine the cards of 2 different decks and mess them around. Please have fun with divination. It wants to have fun with you :)

[unifycosmos]

The Complete Guide to Budh Mantra [+Free Printable Puja Guide]

The significance of Budh Mantra finds root in the grandeur of the planet Mercury, which is symbolic of intelligence. Thus, Budh or Mercury is invariably representative of intelligence.

3 Free Printable Puja Guides to help you chant Budh Mantras

I’m so proud of these puja guides, so I couldn’t be more excited to share them with you today!

As you may know by now, I like to write long and helpful posts for my readers. Sometimes, however, I get an idea to do something more, something even more useful.

That’s why I decided to prepare something that people could have in hand while reciting mantras. Something printable, easy to read, and that could act as a puja guide.

That’s how these guides were born.

Each guide has a big picture of a divinity that you need to devote to, a mantra, and a how-to guide to help you prepare yourself for reciting. It’s in A4 format, and all you need to do is to print it.

These Budh mantra puja guides are completely free; all you need to do is to enter your email in the box below to unlock them.

Just click on one or all of the links below and the free PDF file will download immediately!

Budh Navgrah Mantra Puja Guide – Click Here to Get It

Budh Mantra Puja Guide – Click Here to Get It

Budh Gayatri Mantra Puja Guide – Click Here to Get It

What is Budh Mantra?

Budh Mantra is a powerful mantra associated with Budha Graha, the planet Mercury. It is one the most influential means to receive the bountiful blessings of Budha Graha.

Our Hindu astrology consists of nine planets which are collectively known as Navgraha. Out of the nine planets, Budh is one of them and represents the planet Mercury. The term synonymously identifies itself with names like Budh, Budha, and Budh Beej Mantra.

The planet Mercury represents various modes of our human faculties like intelligence, speech (including communication skills), logical aptitude, empathy, humor, and senses. Planet Mercury also represents various streams of knowledge, trade, and skills like science, analysis, commerce, research, education, writing, mathematics, cinema, sports, and other arts.

All the above faculties and the streams of knowledge, trade, and skills interplays with one another depending on the position of the planet Mercury in the Horoscope. Mercury also possesses the zodiac signs of Virgo and Gemini.

The zodiac sign Virgo is symbolic of the exaltation of planet Mercury, and the zodiac sign Pisces represents the weakness of planet Mercury.

Therefore, we believe that the proper and improper alignment of Mercury affects our wealth, health, peace of mind, and fortunes in our lives.

So, if the alignment of Mercury is bad, it can give rise to health problems like memory loss, gastritis, skin problems, insomnia, mental problems, speech impediment, nervous breakdown, asthma, deafness, and other issues.

For this purpose, we do the puja to cast away all sorts of evil from our lives and to endow us with good health, prosperity, and happiness.

Besides, the movement of Budha not only affects human beings but also the conditions of the weather and the prevailing circumstances in the nations, which we believe falls under the scope and ambit of the spiritual science which we refer to as Vedic Astrology.

Thus, to eliminate any adverse outcome of irregular alignment of the planets in our horoscope, we recite this mantra.

We can also use it for the following purposes:

To achieve success, fame, and renewal of vigor in commercial pursuits.

For intensive meditation.

To gain more energy and focus to concentrate better.

To remove obstacles and hurdles in our lives.

To help in connecting with our divine source of power.

Who exactly is Lord Budha?

In Indian Puranic mythology of the Hindus, Lord Budha is a deity. In Vedic astrology, he is Mercury who is benign as well as malefic depending on whom it associates with.

Budh is the most intelligent God. He belongs to the Vaishya caste. Wednesday belongs to him, and the gemstone of Budh is Emerald.

Importance of Lord Budha for Hinduism The importance lies in the astronomical benefits that he endows us with. Wealth, wisdom, and abstinence from evil thoughts flow from him on us, his devotees.

His appearance The appearance of Budha as having the form of a celestial body finds mention in the text of the Vedas known as Pancavimsa Brahmana.

You can buy this rare book here.

Besides, we can also find the planetary description of him in astronomical texts like Lalla’s Sisyadhivrddida, Brahmagupta’s Khandakhadyaka, Varahamihira’s Panca Siddhantika, Latadeva’s Romaka, and Aryabhatta’s Aryabhatiya.

The other appearance of him is the depiction of a deity in various forms. He appears riding a lion with four arms in some illustrations. He also appears riding a lion with wings holding a shield, club, and a curved sword.

He also appears as a deity wearing yellow clothes riding a chariot of fire and air. Wind horses numbering eight pulls the chariot.

His story In the mythological stories of the Vedas, the Moon gave birth to Budha or Mercury. The myth narrates how the Moon, filled with lusts, proceeds to abduct Tara, who was the wife of Jupiter or Brihaspati.

The abduction of Tara led to conceiving Mercury or Budha thus giving birth to Budha, the intellect.

Other names There are other known names like Tunga, Rauhineya, and Saumya.

Symbolism Above everything else, he is a symbol of intelligence. From intelligence flows the other qualities many of which are an outcome of the application of mind involving logic and mental ability.

How to chant Budh Mantra?

We should chant the Budh Mantra “Om Bram brim Broom Sah Budhaey namah” in the early morning hours for 108, 216, 324 or 1008 times for 45 days with Goddess Durga’s idol/image.

The simple meaning of “Om Bram brim Broom Sah Budhaey namah” is “Om, I bow down before Mercury.” However, the real meaning behind worshipping Mercury lies in the following translation:

“Whose body is so revered that it is like darkness, whose image takes the embodiment of intelligence, whose nature and character is magnificent, to Mercury, the hallmark of intelligence, we bow down before you in deep devotion. Om, we bow down before Mercury, the emblem of intellect.”

In order that the puja achieves its desired results, we must follow some fundamental rules and etiquettes –

Before we begin to chant, it is important for us to wash our feet and hands or take a bath to purify ourselves physically.

Since our position is important while chanting, we should make sure we sit in the direction facing the East. Our backs should be straight, and the pronunciation of the mantra should be accurate.

We should also be serious about how devoted we are while chanting. If our heart and mind are not in the right place, the blessings will not reach us.

Therefore, we should entirely devote ourselves to Lord Budha, free from all distractions and impure thoughts, to feel the positive energy and the protection of the Universe.

Along with steadfast devotion, we should recite it for at least forty-five days if we want to receive his blessings.

Wearing white garments with a few pieces of the yellow and greenish color will show our absolute devotion.

Though we can do the puja during noon as well as sunset, the best time to chant the Mantra is in the morning.

Even though we should chant it daily, if we fail to chant the mantra every day, we can chant it every Wednesday as that day belongs to him.

It’s important that we chant this mantra on the beads of a rosary daily for 108, 216, 324 or 1008 times.

There are also different types of Budh Mantras which we should chant. They are –

Budh Gayatri Mantra

“Om Gajadhwajaaya Vidmahae Sukha Hastaaya Dheemahi Tanno Budha Prachodayaat.”

Gayatri Mantra comprises of three parts. The first mantra is the chanting of the Mercury, the second part is the proper mantra, and the third part is like a summary of the energy that comes with the mantra.

We can chant the Gayatri mantra when the sun rises, during the noontime, and after the sun sets.

Budh Gayatri Mantra translation in English: “Om I meditate on the one with the elephant on the flag, Oh the one who has authority to grant happiness, give me intelligence, and allow Budha Dev to enlighten the mind.”

Budh Navgrah Mantra

“Priyam gukalikaashyaamam Rupenaam prathimam Budham Saumyam Saumya gunorpetham tham Budham pranamaamyaham.”

Budh Navgrah Mantra translation in English: “I bow down in obeisance before Budha whose darkness and blackness resemble a blackened tulip, you are incomparable in your appearance with extraordinary intellect and wisdom, the son of Soma who has pleasant and propitious qualities.”

We believe that if we pray Navgrah Budh Gayatri for eleven times on every morning and sunset of a Wednesday, we will please Budh Graha.

Therefore, doing the Navgrah Budh Gayatri puja will allow us to get blessings such as reduction of health problems especially the ones related to sugar and blood pressure, improvement in communication skills, fewer skin diseases, and sharper intelligence.

Although we should devote ourselves to chanting it every day, if we cannot do that and we still seek the benevolence of him, we can practice other modes of rituals as well like –

We can do fasting on Wednesdays. We believe that fasting on Wednesdays can bring prosperity and peace to our lives and lead to a reduction of all negativity arising from improper alignment of the planets.

We can also do charities on Wednesdays. Charities can take the form of donating green vegetables, gold, and green color bangles all of which pleases him.

Even wearing clothes with the green color can please Mercury as the color is auspicious before Budha.

Our daily interactions and dealings with females should be respectful.

We can also give presents and other gifts for our siblings to please him.

9 Fantastic Budh Mantra Benefits

Since Budh is the epitome of intelligence and represents various fields like commerce, law, banking, accounts, and trade, chanting Budh Mantra will ensure beneficial gains in these fields.

Unceasingly devoting ourselves to Budha will grant the following Budh Mantra benefits:

Intellect: Proper alignment of the planet Mercury in the cosmic system will give intelligence on us, the chanter.

Our minds will be sharper, and our memory will also improve which allows us to become more creative.

Communication skills: Lord Budha controls communication and language and is an expert in interrogation and storytelling. So, chanting it gives us the power of oratory skills which we can use in our line of works to gain success.

Healthy relationships: By chanting it, our relationships with our family members and friends will also strengthen as Lord Budha’s positive energy will fill us and allow us to be more patient and understanding.

Good health: This is one of the immense benefits that Lod Budh grants us for our devotion and worship. All of us are prone to sickness as we are all human beings. What makes this worse is the wrong alignment of planet Mercury.

As we already know now, the wrong alignment can bring, amongst others, many health-related problems which none of us wants to face. Thankfully, by chanting it with utmost devotion, we can get rid of any ill health effects.

One important thing to note will be that if we are suffering from weak health, then that may be a sign that our Mercury is fragile and we need to be more devout towards Mercury.

Spiritual growth: Chanting it also allows us to grow spiritually as a person and individual. This spiritual growth motivates us to become a better person and be an influence to anyone around us.

All sorts of negativity surround our lives. But the spirituality of Budh Mantra enables us to overcome them, and we are compassionate towards others, even to person we do not know.

Presence of mind and wit: Besides intelligence, it benefit also includes wittiness and significant presence of mind to deal with any situation and circumstances positively and optimistically.

Learning ability: This benefit bears a close association with intelligence. With higher intellect, we are also able to learn and understand things quickly. So whatever field we may be in, learning new things will not be a problem with Budh’s blessings.

Success: Once we are receiving the blessings of hi, everything will translate to success. Be it a job or career or academic pursuits we will face success in all field of science, education, law, commerce, trade, writing, show business, and many others.

Wealth: One of the most important benefits is the wealth that comes with ardent devotion to him.

As many of our hurdles and obstacles get out of our way, success in terms of wealth will start to pour into our lives.

Final Thoughts

Of all the Gods, Budh is the most intelligent. By chanting Budh Mantra regularly with dedication and commitment, we invoke the blessing of intelligence and good health that emanates into our lives and onto others. But, chanting it with a corrupt mind and heart will work against us. Therefore, a pure mind and heart, free from evil inhibitions, will take us closer to the majesty of Lord Budha.

Related articles: The Complete Guide to Shreem Mantra [Secrets of Money Mantra] The Absolute Guide to Surya Gayatri Mantra [Blessed By Lord Surya] The Complete Guide to Chamunda Mantra [Feel Miraculous Blessings] The A-Z Guide to Vakratunda Mahakaya Mantra [Blessed By Ganesha] A Complete Guide to Ram Mantra [+Free Printable Puja Guide] The A-Z Guide to Parvati Mantra [+Free Printable Puja Guide]

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Click here if want to learn more!

[thepatchworkcrow]

I had been hoping to film part of my eighth YT Pagan Challenge video outdoors in one of my on-campus sacred spaces, but it seems the weather is just not willing to agree with me. So, so I can give you all a bit of a visual, this post will be jam-packed full of pictures of the places I was talking about in the video.

First thing’s first: my on-campus sacred spaces. I am blessed to be going to a university that is filled with small garden spaces and has a sprawling expanse of wooded ravines hugging along the side of campus. In my five years here, I’ve been able to find a number of places to relax, be one with nature, and perform a few rituals and magical workings in. Three of the major places where I tend to hang out and do my workings are the arboretum, the garden behind the religious center on campus, and a grove back in the ravines behind the art building.

In each of these spaces, I’ve found little places to leave offerings, quiet spots to sit and meditate, and have even done a few rituals there.

The arboretum is full of places to explore, and I admittedly spend a lot more time there than anywhere else. There’s a stump I’ve found a short distance off of the path that I use frequently for spell work, and have left offerings at over the past few years. It happens also to overlook a ravine in a pretty straight shot to the grove I’d found in the woods as well.

In the little garden behind the religious building on campus, there’s a statue of St. Francis that seems to have a presence and an energy all its own. I’ve made a habit of leaving little offerings in the hands of the statue whenever I go there to write, drum, meditate, etc.

And then, of course, there is the grove in the ravines. It’s just off the path, and was shown to me by a good friend who graduated a couple of years ago. It’s often where I go if I’m looking to communicate with the Wylde Hunt while on campus, and has been the site for a couple of rituals. There’s a large three-trunked oak that sits in its center, and there are a few places to sit in little nooks between its roots. I like this place because it is a little further away from the main part of campus, and therefore quieter. You can’t hear the bells from the clock tower and are a lot less likely to see people wandering by. There’s also a fantastic view of the stars on clear nights.

Aside from these natural spaces, I do tend to do much of my ritual / meditation / etc. within the safety (and warmth!!!) of my dormitory bedroom, as well. My room is almost always decorated with pictures that are sacred, beautiful, inspiring, etc. to me and I try to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for myself to live/study/rest/etc. in and for my friends to visit.

My altar space is situated by the window, which overlooks a little courtyard and the woods beyond.While I’m at school, this is the most sacred space to me, and I work really hard to keep it that way while I’m here.

Of course, when I’m home for winter / spring / summer break, I have places where I go to practice as well. Due to the nature of the space situation in my parents’ home, most of those places are outdoors.

In my own backyard, I am again blessed to have a great expanse of land full of trees and a big ol’ forest beyond. In particular, there’s a small grove hidden among a bunch of pine and cedar trees where I do some more private rituals, and then there’s Treebeard, a cottonwood tree where I leave offerings, prayer ribbons, etc. and spend time enjoying the space on the shady hill just beneath him.

I’m also blessed to have other little places of beauty within my hometown such as the local state park, my local witchy shop, and my aunt’s gorgeous and wild garden. These are places that really make me feel attuned to the energies of the universe and the natural world, and where I like to perform tarot readings, have debates about different witchy/spiritual topics, etc. with my friends.

And of course, there are a number of places in Michigan that have spiritual significance to me. The biggest one is the Boyne/East Jordan/Charlevoix area up in the northern part of our lower peninsula. Over the years, it has been a place full of childhood memory as well as shared memories and explorations with one of my best friends, Mark.

Being a pagan who follows a primarily Celtic path and lives within the United States makes it a little difficult to visit holy sites associated with my practice. There are, no surprise, remarkably few here in the states. There are Native American sacred sites, but because that runs along the slippery slope of what is culturally appropriative and what is respect for the culture and traditions associated with those sites, you’ll note that none of the places I’ve shared above are tied to those places. I was fortunate enough, four years ago, to visit the United Kingdom and places like Stonehenge, Avebury, and Glastonbury. These are memories that I hold really dear to my heart, and feel very privileged to have experienced in my lifetime.

Two of my very favorite memories from my trip to the UK came from my experiences on the weekend we went visiting various sacred sites. While in Chalice Well Gardens, I’d sat down by the well head to meditate and get away from the rest of the crowd of students I was with for a while, and man and his young daughter sat down alongside of me. The little girl had to have been about 4 or 5 years old at most, and as most 4-5 year-olds are, she was a little rambunctious and was bouncing around a bit. Rather than be upset with her, or harsh, I heard her father very calmly explain this was a special place, and saw (much to my amazement and admiration really) her nod in understanding, and sit down to meditate with him.

The second vivid memory I hold dear from that trip (as far as sacred space and that goes) occurred while we were in Avebury. It was rather late, the sun was setting, and we really didn’t have much time to spend there, but I remember it being a much more tangible feeling of presence there. Perhaps it was because we could actually approach the stones; maybe it was just the liminal time of day we were there or the place itself. I couldn’t quite say.

As we wandered about the stones, we saw an older gentleman with rather wild grey curls sitting at the base of one of the smaller stones. He had candles, incense, etc. and was using dowsing rods. The rest of our group gave him sort of a wide berth, and I (as the sort of unofficial pagan authority of the crew) stood a respectable and out-of-earshot ways off, explaining to my roommate that he was probably using the dowsing rods to look for ley lines in the area. He then turned to look at us and asked: “Have you two got good imaginations on you?” We were a little surprised, but answered that yes, we supposed we did. “Do you know where the word imagination comes from?” We honestly weren’t sure. “I. Magi. Nation. A nation of magicians. Merlin is one of my guides, you know.” He then proceeded to tell us this tale about Merlin performing his first magic trick in the stone circle in which we stood: he’d turned a friend invisible and was unable to turn him back again. He also told us about how the Druids had used that place as a place for their initiations. I wasn’t at all sure on the historical accuracy of those things, but in the moment, you sort of wanted to suspend your disbelief. Awen was flowing, and you could almost see what he was describing in your mind’s eye. He then looked at us again and said: “I get Druid from both of you.” I was a little shocked because, of course, I was. I told him so, and he simply turned, and went back to his business of dowsing as though it had never happened. And for the life of me, I swear no one else seems to have seen or heard him say these things but my roommate and I. That is no doubt a mystery and a feeling I will remember for quite some time.

And finally, the last part for this prompt: circle casting. I’ll be honest, I don’t perform circle casting in my own work. For one, I’ve been studying off-and-on with a Druid organization for some time that doesn’t utilize them in their ritual formats. But, more importantly I find them to be distracting and a waste of energy and time. Circles, to my understanding, function for a few general purposes:

To contain and thereby magnify energy raised during a working until it comes time to release it at the end of the ritual.

To protect the individuals within and the magical working from the influence of any nasty / negative energy.

To create a sort of liminal and marked out place in which a ritual can occur and entities (spirits, gods, whatever) may be more easily contacted.

However, as I’ve mentioned above, I don’t generally feel a need to do this. For starters, I always cleanse a place before I use it, and if appropriate might make small offerings to any outside spirits that might be poking about to say “Hey, please let me use this space for a bit.” I don’t perform rituals in places where negative energy is hanging about, and I certainly am confident enough in my own ability to raise and manipulate my own energy to not feel a need for the circle of protection, or the circle that focuses energy in an external space. I also work with many liminal deities. I think it’s very safe to assume I don’t need liminal space for them to get messages across. When I do a particular magical working, my own personal energy field acts in the way a circle might: raising, containing, and releasing energy for my working. It eliminates the need for a physical circle- which means less time/resources marking it out, and I don’t need to cut a door in it should I forget something (which I often do!). It also helps hone in my focus on the working at hand. I often find that by the time I draw and cast a circle, call the quarters, etc. I’m quite distracted from what I was originally intending to accomplish.

Please note, I’m not bashing on anyone who uses circles. They can be quite useful to one’s practice especially when you’re just beginning! I just don’t feel a need to use them.

And, thus concludes a very long blog post. Thank you for hanging in there and reading if you’ve made it this far.

Love and blessings to you all -Rachel

YT Pagan Challenge: Sacred Spaces, Holy Sites, and Circle Casting I had been hoping to film part of my eighth YT Pagan Challenge video outdoors in one of my on-campus sacred spaces, but it seems the weather is just not willing to agree with me.

[madigabz]

8-02 Hey baby, I was doing some reading yesterday & earlier today. Wanted to share some stuff just so you can read about some interesting things. Like chanting. It's pretty intriguing to me but idk if you'll like it. I was going to journal before work but I didn't give myself enough time. I slept in bc I didn't sleep the other night lol. My life is a mess but at least I have fun with it. Well I try to anyway. I wish I could have you here to relax and calm me down before work. I get so anxious sometimes about things. Never realized how much shit gets me going..worked up I guess you could say? Not really but I'm just OCD af and always on tip. I took a quarter of an addy bc I wanna study a lot tn. But it gets my heart racing still lol. I can definitely concentrate and focus more bc I truly do have adhd but I think it fucks w that heart murmur i have. Idk I like taking it & smoking too. I was emotional & soooo horny the last couple of days and I started my period i think? It might just be light but that's good! I hate how periods fuck up your hormones and make you so emotional lol. A little hope to not be negative & thinking I can't have kids. Even tho you said you can't bc you've blown in a lot of girls and nothing's happened -.- you're the only bf I've ever felt protective over. I think it's bc you're promiscuous:p. It'd be nice to have a conversation about life and share a bowl w you. Get fucked before work and be in a better mood ;) ughhh I can't wait! Do you remember sending me a pic back in like November I think? It was on our fb mssgs & it makes me wet just thinking about you bending me over the bed D: I was sad this am just in pain from yoga yesterday and I just want to be fit and healthy. Hate that one workout takes a week to not be in excruciating pain. Makes me stick to my diet more tho. Yoga and meditating with you:) Alan you're the best thing that has ever happened to me and I can't wait to be the mother of your babies one day<3 I reread your last letter again. Makes me have a piece of you in the day. Woke up and read it, it gets me through a lot of days. I feel like I can't be as positive as can be if I don't smoke. You've been sober since before New Years... and I'm just so fucking proud of you, dealing with everything the way you have been. I mean it when I say that it has proven to me that you really have grown up and became a man. I know you aren't the person you were 5 yrs ago, a yr ago or even since January... You are still my rock & strength even though you're locked up. Still my reason for my effort in life. Thank you for making me feel like everything is okay. Even if you don't say it all the time, I know you're a hard headed, strong mother fucking person and I'm in love with you. I think I make you a better person and you do the same for me. You're my motivation babe and I thought about that while I was bummin' out earlier. It's why I read your letter :) but when I had that thought "Fast Car" came on and it was like a sign :b not trying to sound gullible and silly but it was like a "relax your shoulders, breathe, you're going to get what you deserve. Everything is going to be okay." It was like I had you pulling me in and reassuring me I'm not kidding. I remember standing in front of the mirror or cooking in the kitchen and you'd wrap your hands around me from behind. God I love you... I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Please don't fuck me over. I gotta get to work:( but it's my ticket to come see you!!! I'll link everything later to this letter... I take pics through out the day and wanna just check in like you're apart of my everyday life. Love you so fucking much!! 4:20 & I think I might play with myself before work(; write later babes:* 8-07 so it's been a couple of days now and I'm sorry I haven't wrote to you. Im doing a bunch of interviews and what not through out the day still. I just got hired at bdubs & it's the closest restaurant to campus so I know I'll make good $!!!! I have a couple interviews this week for nannying & massaging. Things are finally coming together!! We have both weathered the storm and I truly believe we are going to get rewarded for being so positive and understanding our circumstances. I'm at my first day of training at bdubs..I was doing paperwork and I saw that sammi requested to follow me on instagram, I seriously got tears in my eyes. I didn't know if she hated me or not. I told her to call me sometime when she is able to, it has made my whole day! I'm hoping you call tonight but idk what your sanctioned days were. I'm guessing fri-sun but idk..so many meetings and stuff rn I'm trying to stay on top of everything. Irdk how moms do their daily stuff, their husbands stuff, housework, providing/ working, bills, baby, drs, everything! I need to learn how to manage my time better. I wish i could teleport to you & spoon you in your bed tn. Please stay positive about October Alan, it's the only thing I'm holding onto. I hope you like all of the stuff I'm going to share w you. I thought it might make you think a little more hopeful. I've been talking to your mom quite a bit lately, would you want me to ask her to come when I visit the weekend of the 24th? We are about to start touring & what not but I wanted to check in w you. I love you so much Alan<3 -Chanting protects us from negative energies: In the state of meditation the mind is thoughtless. In this state, some negative energy can trouble us. On the other hand, a protective sheath that wards off negative energies is formed around us when we chant.-Nowadays many people practice meditation as a psychological self-improvement technique rather than a tool for spiritual growth. the benefits derived from such meditation are also at a psychological level. Based on the above comparison, for spiritual growth in today’s era, chanting is of greater value. If you already meditate with the intention of achieving spiritual growth, we recommend you complement it with the spiritual practice of chanting.-Om Mani Padme Hum:The two syllables, "padme", meaninglotus, symbolize wisdom. ... Thus the six syllables, "om mani padme hum", mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha"-Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu mantra: "May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.” *(I used to "pray" or ask the universe everyday to for 'the world get happier and safer each day. & whatever happens to me, I'm able to walk away with a smile on my face' I have said the same thing since I was like around 10 yo.) -You should reach the large bead (or tassel) after 108 repetitions. When you do so, it is traditional to turn the beads around and continue in the opposite direction. Now repeat your mantra silently 108 times, moving one bead at a time, as before. Meditate for a few minutes. Do this by sitting quietly and envisioning your chosen form of the divine within your heart or at the point on your forehead between your eyes. If thoughts come, let them come, but realize that you are not your thoughts, and gently dismiss them.!!!!!!!!*(THIS IS THE BEST SENTENCE I HAVE READ) -Increase the number of mantra repetitions and amount of time in meditation as you have the time and inclination to do so, and are able to do with concentration.You may also repeat your mantra silently throughout the day as often as possible!- Mantra recitation, which is called japa (“muttering”) in Sanskrit, has been an important aspect of Yoga practice since Vedic times. It consists of the repetition of the same mantra, which can be composed of a single syllable (e.g., om) or a string of mantric sounds (e.g., om namah shivaya). As Patanjali reminds us, the yogic path is propelled by practice and dispassion, and significantly, the Sanskrit term for practice—abhyasa—means “repetition.” Through repetition we create either positive or negative habit patterns. Mantra japa produces positive mental tracks, helping us to gradually overcome spiritual darkness. It is a powerful technique for focusing the mind and for harnessing the body/mind’s subtle energies in completing the yogic path of self-transformation. As stated in the concluding chapter of the Kularnava Tantra: “Japa is so-called because it removes the sin accumulated in thousands of lives and because it reveals the Supreme Deity.” The greatest “sin,” of course, is ignorance of our own true nature.-I will put the Law of Least Effort into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps: " 1. I will practice Acceptance. Today I will accept people, situations, circumstances, and events as they occur. I will know that this moment is as it should be, because the whole universe is as it should be. I will not struggle against the whole universe by struggling against this moment. My acceptance is total and complete. I accept things as they are this moment, not as I wish they were. 2. Having accepted things as they are, I will take Responsibility for my situation and for all those events I see as problems. I know that taking responsibility means not blaming anyone or anything for my situation (and this includes myself). I also know that every problem is an opportunity in disguise, and this alertness to opportunities allows me to take this moment and transform it into a greater benefit. 3. Today my awareness will remain established in Defenselessness. I will relinquish the need to defend my point of view, and I will feel no need to persuade others to accept my point of view. I will remain open to all points of view and not be rigidly attached to any one of them."- Least effort is expended when your actions are motivated by love, because nature is held together by the energy of love. When you seek power and control over other people, you waste energy. When you seek money or power for the sake of the ego, you spend energy chasing the illusion of happiness instead of enjoying happiness in the moment. When you seek money for personal gain only, you cut off the flow of energy to yourself, and interfere with the expression of nature's intelligence. But when your actions are motivated by love, there is no waste of energy. When your actions are motivated by love, your energy multiplies and accumulates , and the surplus energy you gather and enjoy can be channeled to create anything that you want, including unlimited wealth.-This leads us to the second component of the Law of Least Effort: responsibility. What does responsibility mean? Responsibility means not blaming anyone or anything for your situation, including yourself. Having accepted this circumstance, this event, this problem, responsibility then means the ability to have a creative response to the situation as it is now. All problems contain the seeds of opportunity, and this awareness allows you to take the moment and transform it to a better situation or thing. Once you do this, every so-called upsetting situation will become an opportunity for the creation of something new and beautiful, and every so-called tormentor or tyrant will become your teacher. Reality is an interpretation. And if you choose to interpret reality in this way, you will have many teachers around you, and many opportunities to evolve. Whenever confronted by a tyrant, tormentor, teacher, friend, or foe (they all mean the same thing) remind yourself, "This moment is as it should be." Whatever relationships you have attracted in your life at this moment are precisely the ones you need in your life at this moment. There is a hidden meaning behind all events, and this hidden meaning is serving your own evolution.-There are three components to the Law of Least Effort: three things you can do to put this principle of "do less and accomplish more" into action. Acceptance simply means that you make a commitment: "Today I will accept people, situations, circumstances, and events as they occur." This means I will know that this moment is as it should be, because the whole universe is as it should be. This moment -- the one you're experiencing right now -- is the culmination of all the moments you have experienced in the past. This moment is as it is because the entire universe is as it is.- If the karma is complete, this will be part of what you release. If it is not, patterns can be reset this month to reflect a higher vibration so that unfinished business and karma can be completed or continued in a way that comes from a place of more love, compassion and forgiveness. This includes self-karma, those deep hard lessons we all came in with this lifetime whether they are physical conditions, emotional or intellectual challenges, or just simply difficult personality traits. Whatever has been anchored through your childhood wounds and imprinting has become part of your patterning. That energetic patterning is your belief system that informs the quantum field around you to manifest certain aspects of your life. Much of this becomes automatic and unconscious until you have an opportunity like we do this month to go within, dig it up, re-evaluate its relevance, and make a change. So, the bottom line is that this is a great month to reset and recreate who you are, what you want to manifest, and how you want to show up in the world. It is going to take work, commitment, discipline and a true willingness to change.- You may also find yourself resurrecting old hobbies or projects or even collaborations with others especially around the arts and music. That garden that you dreamed of planting a few years ago may suddenly manifest because it is the right time. Or that business deal you gave up on will come around again with fresh energy and new insight. Be inspired by the possibilities and be creative in your problem solving and reconfiguring of what runs your physical life. It may be time to retire some aspects and rekindle others. Take a risk and take advantage of what comes your way, always willing for reevaluation and reset.- *(there's a total solar eclipse where the moon blocks the whole sun aug 21st) And speaking of eclipses, even if you are not in an area where they are visible, it would be very very wise to honor them in some way as powerful allies for reset. Try to take time around the eclipses, especially the solar one on the 21st, without interference from your schedule. “We will not actually see the results of what these eclipses have offered us until later in the fall. But you can be sure that if you put the intention into what you want reset, you will get their support.”-When you become defensive, blame others, and do not accept and surrender to the moment, your life meets resistance. Any time you encounter resistance, recognize that if you force the situation, the resistance will only increase. You don't want to stand rigid like a tall oak that cracks and collapses in the storm. Instead, you want to be flexible, like a reed that bends with the storm and survives. Completely desist from defending your point of view. When you have no point to defend, you do not allow the birth of an argument. If you do this consistently -- if you stop fighting and resisting -- you will fully experience the present, which is a gift. Someone once told me, "The past is history, the future is a mystery, and this moment is a gift. That is why this moment is called 'the present'." If you embrace the present and become one with it, and merge with it, you will experience a fire, a glow, a sparkle of ecstasy throbbing in every living sentient being. As you begin to experience this exultation of spirit in everything that is alive, as you become intimate with it, joy will be born within you, and you will drop the terrible burdens and encumbrances of defensiveness, resentment, and hurtfulness. Only then will you become lighthearted, carefree, joyous, and free. In this joyful, simple freedom, you will know without any doubt in your heart that what you want is available to you whenever you want it, because your want will be from the level of happiness, not from the level of anxiety or fear. You do not need to justify; simply declare your intent to yourself, and you will experience fulfillment, delight, joy, freedom, and autonomy in every moment of your life. *Literally, I believe I got you back into my life bc I wanted it so bad. You are proof that you can "get whatever you want bc you want it from the level of your happiness" I knew I would have you back one day honestly, I just had doubt. I knew it even before last April when you told me I couldn't let you go bc you were the one for me. You just had to grow up. I moved to Colorado to let you do that. -research tells us that every thought and emotion creates a chemcial reaction because it immediately changes our neurochemicals that affect our mental, physical and spiritual health,Your mantra should be your own; something that resonates with you and helps you recenter in the moment. Keep in mind that what de-stresses one person may not be calming for another. So stick with what works, even if it’s something as silly as “Hakuna Matata.” How could this 90s mantra not make you smile? Plus — it means no worries ... for the rest of your days.:) “This Too Shall Pass.” While it’s important to live in the present moment, it’s also comforting to remind yourself the stress you’re enduring now is temporary — clear skies are on the horizon.“Make It Work.” Tim Gunn’s power phrase is poignant: Take a deep breath and remember that you’re in control and there’s always a solution. Don't worry be happy(: & ofcourse from bob Marleys song "3 little birds" Don't worry about a thing, Cause every little thing gonna be all right. Singin: don't worry about a thing, Cause every little thing gonna be all right! It's gonna be be alright man. Rise up this mornin, Smiled with the risin sun, Three little birds Pitch by my doorstep Singin sweet songs Of melodies pure and true, Sayin, (this is my message to you-ou-ou:) Singin: don't worry bout a thing, Cause every little thing gonna be all right.Singin: don't worry (dont worry) bout a thing,Cause every little thing gonna be all right! * hope you sang that with a Jamaican accent too :) alright who knows how many stamps this will be but this was the best way for me to show you that I'm thinking about you and doing everything I can to help you be positive & assured. I'm by your side baby. No matter what I'm going to wait for you. 8-08 i love you