My father's in the hospital, my fault???

[Autumn Wolf]

I performed a money ritual at the new moon. I didn't ask for anything specific, just that we have enough to make life more comfortable, and let me visit my son in Florida this summer. Last night I had some strange dreams, but the one I was having when I woke up this morning haunted me. I was with my family, but the only people I actually recognised were an aunt (my father's sister) and my daughter. There were 3 huge dining tables placed end to end, all matching. I asked my parents (who I never saw or actually KNEW they were there) why they never told me they had more than the one table I'd grown up with. My aunt said that the tables were hers. My grandmother (my dad's mom) told me that they all used to be hers, but she'd given them to her kids. There was a pregnant girl there, and I told her that the table was comfortable for a pregnant tummy, I knew from experience. (I don't have any idea who this girl was supposed to be, or who her guy was) I tried to help my daughter do some shopping in the store inside the ...house?..., but we couldn't find a horse that said Capricorn, only Libra and Taurus. So she didn't want any of them. She wanted something soft and fuzzy, but all we could find were Christmas decorations. That's when I woke up. Weird, huh! Well, I thought and thought, and decided that the three huge tables had to do with family, who I really haven't seen in several years. I decided to call my father and brothers when the long distance rates went down this evening. I convinced myself that I was overreacting, and debated calling. While I was trying to decide, one of my brothers called me and told me that my dad was in the hospital. He'd had a dizzy spell, and his blood pressure was really high. Okay, my problem... This morning, when I was telling my son about my dream and that I was going to call everyone tonight, I started thinking about that money spell. My father isn't rich, and I'm pretty sure that what he does have will go to his girlfriend, but it still popped into my head. "What if I didn't phrase the spell right, and my dream means that my father is in danger because I wanted money?" I kept telling myself that I was being silly, that's probably the main reason I put off calling him. But now I know that he IS in danger. Did I do it? I had planned a full moon ritual tonight, so I added a couple words, "Let nothing I do or say in any way ever harm any living thing. By Your power, my Goddess, so mote it be!" At the end of the ritual, I added "Let nothing I have done or said, or will do or say, in any way harm another living thing. By Your power, my Goddess, so mote it be!" Is this enough? Did I somehow bring harm to my father? He's 71 years old, and has already had a mild stroke and a minor heart attack. My mother passed away almost 6 years ago (11/30/96), and his "girlfriend/caregiver" lives with him. (She's also my ex-sister-in-law, so my father and I aren't real close.) (She was married to my youngest brother, and is the mother of my father's granddaughter, for crying out loud!!) Can anyone tell I don't approve of the relationship?? But she was with him today, and when he had the heart attack, so I guess I should be grateful to her. Anyway, back on track!! Have I done enough to counteract any baneful influence I may have sent out? Is there any more I can do? I do love my father, and I never meant to bring harm to him, or to anyone. And in the future, is there anything in specific that I should say or do to avoid this possibility? Or is the above prayer sufficient? Please, any help and advise would be so Greatlyappreciated!! Blessed Be.

[Kilia]

Autumn Wolf ,

I don't think you did anything in our money ritual to cause your father's hospitalization. not unless you specifically said such in your ritual wording and it doesn't seem so from what I've read.

I would just calm down now and maybe call him at the hospital to let him know that you are thinking of him. I'm sure he would appreciate it. :)

~Bright Blessings to you and yours.

[Raevyn]

To be absolutely honest

++He's 71 years old, and has already had a mild stroke and a minor heart attack. ++

I'm almost certain that it was just coincidence; let's face it, he's an older gentleman who's already had health problems involving his heart and circulatory system.

When you aren't specific there's a tiny tiny chance the universe might do something like that, but then if you ask me I don't think it's really possible to magically physically hurt someone without intending to or at least sending out a lot of nasty negative energy.

In your case I really don't think it was you. In the future though you will want to be careful - we have to remember to keep the universe in mind when doing things, because we don't live in a bubble, you know? I'm sure next time you'll finish every spell with "with harm to none, let this be done, it is my Will so mote it be" just in case.

[Lavender]

"Let nothing I have done or said, or will do or say, in any way harm another living thing. By Your power, my Goddess, so mote it be!" Is this enough?

Your statement shows that you did not intend your spell to hurt anything. I find that in magic, intent is very important. It's not your fault. Like Raevyn pointed out...your father is not in great health to start with. At that age, these things happen quite commonly.

[Aviendha]

Sweet heart...your over reacting. Your father is 71 years old. Things like that happen, plus like the others said, you in no way asked for harm to come to anyone. You did well. And yes, call him so he knows your thinking of him. Blessed be and good luck.

[Autumn Wolf]

MM everyone. Thank you all so much for your support and kind words. My father is doing much better now. They released him from the hospital today, even though they still don't know why he got dizzy and fell. He said they ran all sorts of tests, "with every letter of the alphabet", but no definitive diagnosis. My father tends to be a pain in the bazooka when he can't smoke, I wonder if that had anything to do with them releasing him so soon!!!! At any rate, I want you all to know how very grateful I am for all you said to me. I am new on the Wiccan Path, and I was so frightened! I was wondering if I had made a wrong decision, if this is where I truly belonged. But thanks to you wonderful people, I am able to trust in my intuition that this is right for me. Thank you all so very much.
Much love and many blessings,
Autumn Wolf

[Flar's Freyja]

*nods* What they all said. Your concern is understandable, though, and I'd like to share something that I read the other night in Francesca DeGrandis' Be A Goddess. In a chapter on spell-crafting, she does mention that we should consider all of the other things that could come along with the spell, and do a visual "closing the door" on them. For instance, getting a lot of money but having it cause fights with your mate as to how it will be spent, getting the perfect job but having it be a 90 minute commute, etc. This is just for future reference, and I agree that what's going on with your dad is coincidence.

Glad to hear he's better :)

[Sequoia]

I really agree with everything that's been said so far. Sweetie, I really doubt you could've caused his problems, especially with the way you phrased things. He is an older gentleman, these things happen. Heck, they happen to younger people as well. *hugs you* I'm sure it isn't your fault at all.

[Aviendha]

I'm happy to hear that your father is well! Blessed be!