How Often...

[Red Dragon]

Just wondering how often others practice? Daily, weekly? (Very Weakly? Hee,hee) Just curious :p

[BrightStar]

Hi,
I'm not sure what you mean by practice.I speak to my deities daily.Carry a stone or work with a plant.I do all kinds of mundane things each day the reinforce me as a Witch.
If you mean how often do I do a ritual?Full Moon's and Sabbats and any other ceremonies that might pop up.
Peace and Love
Rain BrightStar

[Niamh]

I"m with Brightstar. I do things on a daily basis, but only do ritual work at the full moons, sabbats, etc. And I don't perform spell work too often. I consider spell work to be a very serious thing; something to speak with the Goddess about and meditate on before making a commitment to do it. I don't just wake up in the morning and say "Hm, today looks like a good day to cast a spell!"

[bluecat]

With me it's just a way of life. I do not do regular rituals or such because of my tradition but I just try to live with the Universe and treat life as it comes. I do carry a small tarot deck with me all of the time and my friends know it. I am one of the curmudgeon types when it comes to Tarot and believe that it should be done in person.

Steve

[SeekerSandy]

I'm with Brightstar and Niamh, the poll is too restrictive. I don't enter into any 'practice' lightly, always clearing mind and spirit before Sabbats and Esbats. But I do try to chat with the Lady and/or the Horned one every evening. Does that constitute 'practice?' I will sometimes do the same communing as the mood takes me.

[Amora]

I am answering only as the mood hits me simply because I'm not sure what you mean by practice. Like the others I do things on a daily basis, such as talking with the Gods, working with my herbs- tending the their growth or carrying some for a purpose, candle work, using essential oils, etc... But as for spell work or rituals I only do them when I feel the need or for the Sabbats. It could be daily or it could be once in a while.

[enwyn]

I'm an "everydayer" Like bluecat said it's a way of life. I can't walk outside witout 'speaking' to the wind, trees, etc....you know! I do ritual occasionally for the full moon but I've never felt comfortable in ritual. It was just too confining. The only time actually is when I meet with Loradana for the Sabbats and that's usually only when we can get together as traveling is involved. The rest of the time I celebrate in my own personal way and honor the Goddess and God in a personal and unique way each time. I haven't dedicated myself to only one way and even less so now because I'm preparing for a search for the next level in my Path right now. I'm not sure of anything right now.

To describe it: I was walking down a mountain road and it led down into a valley. The Path disappears around a corner and trusting fully I follow. Around that bend the Path submerges itself in the waters of a lake, but I still must follow. For in these waters I will find what I seek and be reborn and re-emerge on the other side to be shown where the Path begins anew.

This is why I can never stop, it is always there and always insistent that I listen. And if I don't listen then the search will take longer than it is meant to.

Kind of sketchy yes, but I feel this is the best I can answer the question!

*:D*
****
enwyn

[Dextra]

I'm with everybody else. It's not just a "practice," it's a way of life for me.

And Enwyn, what you said makes perfect sense to me. :) You won't know what it is you're looking for until you get there, but it's a beautiful journey!

[enwyn]

but it's a beautiful journey!" You summed it up perfectly Dextra! All in all it's true and we can all be happy that this beautiful journey is never ending! :)

*Blessed Be Dextra!*
*****************
enwyn

[Red Dragon]

Ok, Ok. By practice I was referring to any interaction with spirit. As far as the word practice itself, Hmm, doctors practice medicine and I'm sure take it seriously, Lawyers Practice Law and also I'm sure seriously. Well sorry, I practice Magick, and I'm very serious about that! Hee,hee. ;)

[bluecat]

Originally posted by Red Dragon
Ok, Ok. By practice I was referring to any interaction with spirit. As far as the word practice itself, Hmm, doctors practice medicine and I'm sure take it seriously, Lawyers Practice Law and also I'm sure seriously. Well sorry, I practice Magick, and I'm very serious about that! Hee,hee. ;)

Red Dragon,

I think amny of us understood what you meant by "practice," and that is how I answered it. Many of us practice daily by having this as a way of life. That is how I practice. My tradition of Witchcraft has it as a way of life, how I treat my fellow human, how I treat the animals (meaning my cats) that are placed in my charge and how I treat myself.

I do very few formal rituals, but I do meditation and I am actually thankful to the Universe for every morning that I am able to get out of bed and join the rest of the world in daily activity.

Right now that is especially important to me because I have been diagnosed with some very serious and life threatening cardio-pulmonary problems which are life endangering. My Pulmonary Doctor had the good sense and grace to tell me that I had a ticking time bomb in my chest and that what we have to do will take some time. There are risks involved, but then there is also a risk in crossing the street.

The basic crux of the problem is blood clots in my lungs and my heart is enlarged and has excess fluid on it and my lungs are retaining fluid. Don't concern thought because I am improving through aggressive therapy and rest.

So, as I said before. It's a way of life and it helps us get through anything that life can throw at us and help us cope with the issues that cannot be handled in another way.

I think the question is really How we practice, not necessarily how often we practice. But, how often we practice is just as valid and important; it's just that for many of us our "practice" is our life right down to our breath.

Thank you for the question, it gave many people an opportunity to examine how they practiced by looking at how "often" they practiced. --- Good job on making the brain cells vibrate!

BlueCat

[Red Dragon]

Thanks for sharing. I feel strongly that you will indeed receive a happy resolution to your health concerns. It takes time, but know that I for one am always here for you as I'm sure are the other members of this community. If I can be of service, please ask. :)

As for the bad word practice, I think some people are confusing it with 'dabble' I am a competent guitar player, but need to practice to maintain my skills and to improve. :p The same goes for spellworking and other magicks. I admit I may have chosen poorly in the word 'practice' in the original context as it might seem confusing, but I was at a loss as to another word to describe what I was looking for. (Pray??) perhaps, it would work, but didn't seem adequate nor appropriate to cover what I was looking for. Ahhh, I don't know. We Dragons do tend to get ourselves confused, Hee,hee ;)

[bluecat]

Originally posted by Red Dragon
Thanks for sharing. I feel strongly that you will indeed receive a happy resolution to your health concerns. It takes time, but know that I for one am always here for you as I'm sure are the other members of this community. If I can be of service, please ask. :)

As for the bad word practice, I think some people are confusing it with 'dabble' I am a competent guitar player, but need to practice to maintain my skills and to improve. :p The same goes for spellworking and other magicks. I admit I may have chosen poorly in the word 'practice' in the original context as it might seem confusing, but I was at a loss as to another word to describe what I was looking for. (Pray??) perhaps, it would work, but didn't seem adequate nor appropriate to cover what I was looking for. Ahhh, I don't know. We Dragons do tend to get ourselves confused, Hee,hee ;)


Nah, I don't think they are confusing it with "dabble," because that is seen as a perjorative term for many of us. Practice, in the context that you used it was a very good choice. Like I said your question made brain cells vibrate and collide and gave folks a chance on how they practiced by responding to your question of how often they practiced. :D Don't second guess yourself! Soemtimes answers come from avenues that are least expected, we just have to recognize the answer.

This sort of reminds me of the old joke about the Baptist Minister who drowned in a flood and went before Saint Peter;

A Baptist Minister was trapped in a flood and the water was rising quickly. He prayed and asked God to save him. While he was praying a man came by in a boat and offered him help and a ride to safety. ... The preacher said, "No, God will save me."

After a short while the water had really risen and he was approached by another man in a boat, he told the man that it was okay, "God will save me."

Finally when he was tired and clinging to a tree a helicopter offered him a rope and a lift out; He insisted that God would save him. The preacher finally let go of the tree and was swept away and drowned.

When he got to St Peter he asked him why God did not save him from the flood and St Peter responded, "We sent two boats and a helicopter, what more did you want?"

I know this is a bad rendition of the story, but the point is the same. The answer is not always obvious, even when it is right in front of us. :)

Peace, Red Dragon, you did good.

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by Red Dragon
Ok, Ok. By practice I was referring to any interaction with spirit.

But gosh, we interact with spirit daily, whether we do it consciously or not.

[Red Dragon]

Yeah, I know, but sometimes I feel guilty in these hectic times for not taking the time to just sit and spend a little moment with spirit. Although I do think and talk to them, Is this enough do you think? Or do they prefer the smoke and mirrors? I think that was what I was after :o Hee,hee

[Mairwen]

Having trouble imaging a god who would prefer smoke and mirrors .... :( You can't fool the gods, and you certainly can't bribe them. You can burn a thousand candles. You can go through the motions. But if you don't feel "it" in your heart, then you're wasting your time.

[Ozymandias]

Loki might like smoke and mirrors.

[Witchbourne]

I do it when i feel i want to do it + if they have anything
new they would like to teach me....

Blessed be*

[Red Dragon]

GEEZ, must you people take everything so literally? ;) By 'smoke and mirrors' I was simply referring to the trappings of ritual. I hold to the belief of the ancients that we are a mirror of the gods, and possess the same faults and virtues. While the creator is itself perfection, the gods and goddesses are (shudder) not. Consider the greek pantheon. They possess a high degree of humor and one of the thing I love about paganism is the fact that it does possess humour and is joyful rather than opressive. I can practice magick, and still find the humour in life. :D I mean just look at us. If god isn't laughing, then I can't imagine why we look the way we do. We laugh, it's what makes life so special. I will never lose the whimsy of the craft. It is to me the essence, the glue of what it is to be...to live!

Enough said, I love you all, (Big manly hug). :o