Part A
Chakra Colors.
A color is associated with each chakra opening. Although you may find that the colors differ for you, here is the most common chakra color chart:
7---Crown-----Top of Head----------Violet
6--Third Eye--Middle of Brow-------Indigo
5---Throat----Over Voice Box-------Light Blue
4---Heart-----Middle of Chest-------Green
3---Power-----Plexus/Belly-----------Yellow
2---Womb-----Over Womb-----------Orange
1---Root-------Pubic/Tail Bone-------Red
*---Palms------Palms of Hands-------Light Blue
*---Soles -----Soles of Feet---------Light Blue
Your Chakra Assignment this week is to begin sensing the color in each of your chakras with meditation exercise 2.
( Click here for the Advanced Assignment.) Write up your responses for this assignment .
Advanced Assignment.
Complete exercise 4.
Write up your responses for this assignment .
Part B
Spiritual Work: The Nitty Gritty.
So far, we have discussed some general tools and techniques useful for the Path of Prayer and the Path of Magick. This week we will get down to the nitty gritty: I will share with you the details of the work I do on each of these Paths. As always, take what you like and leave the rest.
The Path of Prayer
The tools I find most useful in my prayer work are: a prayer bowl, candles (big and small), and prayer beads. My prayer bowl is a simply carved wooden bowl, oval in shape, that reminds me of a Buddhist begging bowl. I found it at an import store. (A prayer bowl should be of natural material and should be of a pleasing shape.) I keep the bottom of my bowl lined with bay laurel leaves. Prayer requests written on strips of beautiful paper fill the bowl, and a charged green stone rests on top. (I date each prayer request, and go through the bowl about once a week.)
Two glass votive candles burn on either side of the bowl for these requests. In addition, small "tea light" candles burn for those closest to me. When I pray, I gather the prayer slips in my hand and chant out the names. I also hold my hands over the small candles as I pray for those requests. I feel the energy gathering in my hands, and at the end of my prayer ritual each day, I send the energy up and off into the universe. I always give thanks afterwards.
I also use prayer beads during times of personal prayer and meditation. Nearly every ancient religion includes prayer beads of some sort, but today Catholic and Buddhist prayer beads are the most common and the easiest to locate. I use a modified rosary for my prayer beads. Prayer beads can be very calming and very comforting, because like all tangible ritual, just the touch of them anchors me into a peaceful state of mind. The beads are used to count repetitions of each prayer, and also to meditate on the mysteries.
Where to find prayer beads? One option is to make you own.
There is a recipe for making your own rose-petal beads in the May 13
entry of 365 Goddess. Silver Ravenwolf gives detailed instructions
for stringing your own rosary in her book Angels : Companions in Magick.
She also suggests modifying a Catholic rosary by removing the crucifix
(unless that is a holy symbol to you) and replacing it with a pentagram
and/or a miraculous medal. (I opted for the miraculous medal myself.)
If prayer beads are not available at a local spiritual supply store near you, I suggest the following two suppliers:
Shasta Abbey Buddhist Supplies
800-653-3315
Catholic Supply
800 325 9026
I have done repeat business with both of these companies. If you don't see what you're looking for online, request a print catalog.
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How to design your own sequence of prayers and mediations? As always, look for what is most meaningful to you. I have put together a few of my favorite prayers here on The Prayer Page. Perhaps they will give you some ideas. I also suggest you scan your textbooks and other print and cyber- sources for prayers.
As for the mysteries, ask yourself what you feel the great mysteries of Life are -- perhaps the energy that makes plants grow or the dynamic principle of change in the Universe. Silver Ravenwolf suggests the following mysteries in her Angelic Rosary: Unconditional Love; Gift of Magick; Your Holy Oath; Reincarnation, Birth, and Death; and the Gift of Wisdom and Power. The traditional Catholic Mysteries include: Charity, Courage, Patience, Faith, Hope, Love, Eternal Happiness, and Devotion to Mary.
Prayers to the Goddess
Making Your Own Goddess Prayer Beads
This week, expand your prayer ritual in some way, considering the suggestions offered here. Write up your comments.
On to Part C
The Path of Magick
My spell work most often takes form in magickal pouches, an all-purpose medium for any spell. Different traditions call these pouches by different names: conjuring bags, mojo bags, gris-gris bags, charm bags, even amulets or talismans. For the sake of clarity, I will call them pouches. What are magickal pouches? They are simply tiny cloth bags created during spell rituals, containing items of sympathetic magick.
Sympathetic magick works by association and symbolism. Remember the tables of correspondence we created at the end of Level 1? (Candle colors, herbs, scents, days of the week, phases of the moon, astrological phases.) Well all of those associations come into play in sympathetic magick. In addition, sympathetic magick uses concrete symbols of what is being attracted or repelled. For example, money attracts more money; a red heart-shape attracts love; a picture of a smiling face attracts joy; and so forth. If a spell is being done for a specific person (with his or her permission, of course), hair clippings, cloth s/he has worn, and/or a photograph or handwriting sample give power to the spell.
A magickal pouch is simply a little bag that holds all these items and concentrates the spell. Often the bag is kept in a relevant place (like in a car for protection, or under your pillow for love) and may be re-charged on a regular basis. Magickal pouches that repel are often buried off of your property.
The cloth a pouch is made of should be significant -- everything counts in sympathetic magick -- but it only needs to be significant to you. I frequently rummage through my rag bag of cast-off clothing for pouch material. It is best if the material is either brand-new or has been worn by you or the participant. Consult your color associations for cloth and thread color in creating a pouch.
When creating a spell pouch, I generally gather all of the materials around me that I think I might use: cloth, needle, thread, scissors, herbs, spices, oils, symbols (coins and crystals are great in pouch magick), candles, water, salt, and incense. After I cast a circle, I meditate on my intent. I create the bag while in a light trance, grabbing the needed items, making up chants as I go. As I sew up the bag, I concentrate on binding the spell. (By the power of three times three, this spell bound around shall be . . . ) After I bind up the bag, I always bless it by the 4 elements (dip in water, sprinkle with salt, swish through smoke and candle flame). When I finish, I am sure to place on a rider "for the greater good," and to thank the Goddess who empowers my work.
Along with candle magick, magickal pouches are my most frequent form of spell-work. But I have some more-traditional spells that I perform frequently as well. I have outlined six simple favorites here on The SpellWork Page. Take some time to look over them.
This week, try out at least one of the spell ideas suggested here, and consider which ideas (if any) you'd like to try in the future. Write up your comments.
Part C
Daily Tarot Practice.
Continue your daily practice of drawing Motherpeace Tarot cards and exploring the cards through visualization, dialog, and meditation. This week, we will continue with the 3-card spread that will be at the heart of our longer reading:
Significator - Atmosphere - Cross-Current
Next week, we will add onto this spread and begin drawing 5 cards.
Part D
Tarot Studies.
In the Motherpeace book, read Chapters 21 - 23. Take notes on The Sun, Judgement, and The World in your Tarot Journal. This will conclude the Major Arcana, and next week we will begin studying the Minor Arcana, the Tarot Suits. Please write one or two paragraphs in response to this reading. Write up your paragraphs.
Part E
Grandmother Moon
Read the Moon Tale for the current Lunation and write a paragraph in response.
Part F
Level II Final Project.
It's time to start thinking ahead to your Level II Final Project, which will be due in 2 months or at the end of the Level. The Level II Project will be very similar to the Level I Project in detail, but the focus will change slightly.
For this project you will again choose a specific Goddess -- this can be the same Goddess you chose for your last project or a different Goddess -- the choice is yours. You may wish to choose a Goddess mentioned in Grandmother Moon or in the Motherpeace Book who has sparked your interest.
Your research on this Goddess will center around how She plays a role in prayer, magick, and/or divination. For example, if you chose Brigit, your project would included special prayers to her, the types of prayers She is famous for answering, and traditionally how folks have prayed to her (often over their hearth ashes for the evening). And/or you may include magick spells associated with Brigit, or the type(s) of divination associated with her (scrying). To sum up, instead of focusing on your Goddess's history and festivals, you will instead be looking at how She interacts with the spiritual work of her followers.
Again, you will need to include some original work and to document your sources and obtain permission for graphics. To review those details, Go Here.
Explain which Goddesses you are considering at this time.
END OF WEEK VIII
Namaste' My Dear Sister!
Please feel free to e-mail about how your lessons are going.
If you are on the payment plan, your tuition payment is now due.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Hugs!
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