Putting Things Into Practice

Being a avid reader, it is not unusual for me to have not only a number of books on the go at any one time, but also books on various subjects, especially the numerous techniques and/or magickal practices.  One book that I have finished reading recently and which I have thoroughly enjoyed, is "Abrahadabra: Understanding Aleister’s Thelemic Magick" by Rodney Orpheus.  A strange choice for someone proclaiming to be a Wiccan some may say however within it, I came across a passage which, while I have adapted it to have a more Wiccan focus in the posting below, even in its original format within Orpheus's book, it provides much food for thought regardless of what spiritual path you may follow ...

"One of the keys to Wicca is personal development. This means you have to do the work yourself. Simply reading books and/or web sites is not good enough. While this may increase your theoretical knowledge (or then again may totally confuse you further), unless you do it, you are wasting your time. Knowledge is not the same thing as understanding."

It is only through personal experience that you yourself can access what are termed as the "Mysteries" contained within Wicca - no teacher, regardless of how wonderful they may be, can experience these Mysteries for you ... nor can their interpretation be 100% relevant for you.

With Spring in my Step

How I love this time of the year. The Spring Equinox has passed and whilst we have had a wonderful amount of rain this Winter, it is nice to see the Sun finally out, warming the Earth, encouraging life to spring forth. And so it does with the wisteria that hangs over the Temple bursting into flower. So now, even before we enter the Temple, we are reminded of the beauty and increasing abundance of this time of year

All around the signs of the world waking up can be seen. With daylight savings occuring next weekend, I find that I am waking around 5:00am to the birds who have nested in the trees outside my window. Activity is abound, even those plants whose benefits have yet to be discovered (or remembered - aka "weeds" ) are taking advance of this time of the year.

At first the natural energies at this time of the year may appear to be rather sluggish as they break free for Winter's hold and venture into the exuberant expansion of Spring. In just over a week I have watched the wisteria that covers the porch of the Temple quickly change from catkins to full flower, relasing their delicate scent into the air.