Sulum Factum Magus

I was feeling a bit down in the dumps this morning, and wanted to get some insight into the reasons why. Of course Pagans have their ups and downs as much as anybody – myself included. Indeed, it has been my experience that the more one commits to following some path of spiritual development, the more ups and downs one has. Of course it could just be me, but I believe that one of the reasons is that most paths of genuine spiritual development involve attunement to something greater than and outside ourselves, and the growth of awareness and sensitivity. This automatically puts one at odds with the human world that we have created and have the pleasure of living in – which encourages lack of awareness, the dulling of sensitivity, and a robotic existance in service of the employer. Sensitivity and awareness leads one to the conciousness of pain – there is so much pain in this world, so much unrealised potential, so much thwarted desire for expression of the true self, so much hunger and poverty, so much destruction and abuse of nature, so much mechanisation of all aspects of life.  The pain of people is not the only thing. The pain of the non-human world also comes crashing through when the gates of sensitivity and awareness begin to open. The pain of slavery, the pain of clear felling, the pain of destruction. I was talking to someone the other day who mentioned that they’d been reading a book by someone whose main thesis was that depression and despair are unavoidavble in today’s world, because at a deep level, all of us feel the depression and despair of the destruction that is being wrought upon our dear Mother Earth. Of course many are successful in shutting off theses feelings, and immersing themselves in their egocentric existance, making a virtue of seperation and independance. Yet every genuine spiritual path that I know of makes it its business to broaden the consciousness, to break down the egocentric self conception, and open an awareness into the collective intelligence that embraces all.

Dealing with these feelings that well up from the deeps can be over-whelming for people who first set their feet on the path. Especially so for paths that embrace the modern Pagan world view, that the world is alive, and the body of Our Goddess, our dear Lady, our Mother. There is only one thing I know that can counteract these feelings, and that is to embrace and fulfill one’s true nature – the path, in my view, laid out by the Blessed Mother, which leads to that point where inner and outer meet and become one. In this, there is the cure  for the wound, and for the wasteland, the inner distress, and the outer distress, respectively. I’ve written much more about this in my book “The Great Work”, so won’t further belabour the point here.

Back to my story – I decided to draw a tarot card in order to gain some insight into the melancholy condition in which I found myself this morning. It was the page of coins. The deck I chose to use this morning is “The Circle Tarot”, put together by Ann Franklin. It is a very Pagan deck, featuring a lot of traditional British, Wiccan and Druidic symbolism, and the interpretations are very alligned with my own Pagan spirituality. It is always an education to draw one of these cards, which feature the sacred sights of the Brittain and Ireland, herbs, trees, totem animals and God forms familiar to Celtic and Wiccan pagans.

The interpretation for the Page of Coins was the need to pay attention to balance in the physical body – a balance of exercise and relaxation. The implication being that I had become out of balance. This was fair enough, and a welcome reminder. The next card that came up was the seven of cups. In the Sacred Circle deck, this card is associated with delusion, and the need for careful choices. I am no stranger to this card, and its message. One of my regular stumbling blocks is trying to do too many different things, and being unable to choose one direction over another – for fear of loss. Yet life will force the choice that isn’t made pro-actively, after much distress, usually, and failure in many directions for want of focus and commitment.

Of course, being a Pagan, I have several Tarot decks, so naturally I felt like checking on things with another deck. What card should be first up? You guessed it, the Page of Coins! What card should come up second? None other than the seven of cups! OK, OK, Ancient Ones, I get the message!

However the interpretations given by my second deck (The Dragon Tarot by Peter Pracownik and Terry Donaldson) are a bit different. Page of Coins is given the intepretation “the desire for a new line of work”, and the seven of cups “The need to choose among several options”.

It is interesting to note the different interpretations, especially of the page of Coins. How can these be reconciled? Both interpretations are expressions of the Page energy (Air, changeability), applied to the Earth element (Physical Body, Money matters, Job). Yet another traditional interpretation is of Good news (communication – air) about a job (Money – Earth).

For me, perhaps it is an indication of needing new beginnings in the Job world – of finding a job that more closely alligns with my Nature. The inattention to this need then leads to physical imbalance in the body. I will keep you posted how I go!

I wrote the above almost six months ago, but somehow didn’t get around to posting it. In the interim, I have been offered, and accepted, a voluntary redundancy package from my workplace. Page of Coins and Seven of Cups indeed!

BB,

Rob

I recently bought a motorcycle, after about ten years out of the saddle, due to travel and then putting all spare finances into buying a house. Partly, the reason was to try and use less petrol, and do my bit for global warming, and save on my monthly transport bill. But of course a major motivation was simply to enjoy riding again!  Of course it is quite an exercise buying a motorcycle – gathering information, deciding on a budget, and what type of bike to look for. To cut a long story short, I eventually made my decision, and bought a bike. However after some weeks, I found that I was getting a sore back – something that has never happened to me before. Perhaps it was age catching up? I tried all sorts of things. Different riding positions. Putting weight on the pegs going over pot holes. But nothing seemed to be working. The problem was getting worse. So, what to do?

I fell back on the principles of the previous post – energy and attention. First, I began to ride with some attention on the painful areas. I noticed that there was a lot of tension there.  I was holding the muscles of my lower back in a state of tightness and contraction. Every time I went over a bump, my whole back was being jarred, due to the tension, leading me to tighten the muscles even more, and make things worse.

I then began to allow some energy to flow into the area, and with that energy, the muscles could unwind and relax. My back and pelvis began to mold and fit themselves into a more natural position that suited the design of the bike and the saddle.  Now the bumps aren’t so jarring, as with more relaxation, I can move with the bike, instead of against it. The back is now much better! Of course you don’t have to be a pagan to figure out the necessity of relaxing – but using attention and energy can cut short what otherwise might develop into major difficulties.

BB,

Robyn

There is quite a difference between the way the ordinary person looks at the world, and the way that an occultist or magical practitioner looks at the world. And this is nowhere more manifest than in the way that one approaches a problem. For the ordinary person, a problem is something to be ignored until it gets so bad that an expert has to be consulted! Well, at least for a lot of people! However for someone on a path of magical and personal development, a problem is an opportunity to grow in all sorts of different ways.

Firstly, it is a chance to develop personal qualities such as courage, integrity and perseverance. Secondly, it is a chance to develop magical skills.  Problems almost always have a direct cause. We manifest them ourselves, with the energies and thoughts that we habitually construct around us and within us. Of course many people reject this assertion, believing it to victimize the unfortunate as being the cause of their misfortune. However the adept doesn’t apply this maxim to others in judgement – only to him or her self.

So a problem in your life is a chance to use magical skills of perception to discern the underlying cause, in your own mind and emotional body, that has been the seed for the problematic circumstance to manifest around you. This concept appears in the Arthurian corpus as the relationship between the wounded king and the wasteland of his kingdom.

One key to this kind of discernment is the use of focussed attention. Many schools of body work hold that emotional wounds are held in the body as tension, pains and knots, where energy is tied up and unable to flow freely. A technique that can be of great value is to go into a meditative state or light trance, and place your attention on an area of your body where there is pain or tightness. Breathe slowly and deeply, and visualize the breathe entering and leaving your body through the pain or area of tension. Allow whatever happens to happen. You may find that certain images come to mind. Allow them to, but don’t seek to grasp them, or hold on to them. Just acknowledge them and allow them to pass. The same may occur with feelings and emotions. Indeed, you may be shocked at the intensity of feelings that can arise. However acknowledge them and let them pass without becoming absorbed in them.

Another tool that can be used is the direction of energy. Where attention is placed, anergy will follow. There are two currents of energy which I mainly work with at this time – the Earth current, and the Source Current, associated with the red and white dragons. The red current is hot and comes from deep in the Earth, and is wonderful for healing the physical body. The white current is cool, and comes from deep within the Spiritual realms, which I conceptualize as being at the centre of the universe. It is wonderful for healing the spirit and mind. Once you have breathed into a location of pain or tightness for a while, and unlocked the locus so that images or feelings are released, allow the flow of feelings and images to naturally come to an end. Then open up one of the energy currents by dividing your attention in two. Place one half of your attention on the source, the centre of the earth for the red current, or the centre of the universe for the white current, and the keep the other half of your attention on the place of pain in your body. The energy will begin to flow.  This flow of energy can dissolve the templates that have been formed in our body-mind-spirit system, which manifest as pain and tightness in the body, as negative thoughts and poor self image in the mind, and gradually manifest around us problems in relationships, job, etc etc that sooner or later come to a head.

These templates are somewhat like beliefs that we hold about ourselves, or the world, little scripts that give us direction, that we play out in every facet of our lives. To the magical practitioner, any problems we might have can only be temporarily solved, unless these templates are removed or re-written. The flow of energy can be used to dissolve these templates, simply by intending to do so.

Thus we come to the second part of the magical approach to problems. The creation of new templates that better serve  our ends. In contrast to some eastern paths, which seem to seek to transcend or remove such templates, the western path as I understand it is about taking charge of these templates, and energizing them in a constructive manner.

Once the flow of energy comes to a stop, and the templates have been dissolved, which may take one a number of occasions over months or even years, one can begin creating new templates. One way to do this is through affirmations. An affirmation can be enhanced by expressing it in symbolic language, and visualizing it as it is repeated. A practice to try after you have worked with an area of pain or tightness in the body, and become aware of the release of energy and thought patterns and old images therein contained, is to use those images and energies as the basis for a positive template reconstruction, an antidote, as it were, that corrects the negative pattern and transforms it into a positive pattern.

Express this positive template as a short sharp sentence – an affirmation – such as “I deserve prosperity, health and love”. Allow the correct affirmation for you to present itself in your light trance state. Ask the help of your guides or Deities. Then express the affirmation as a symbol. Use runes, astrological or alchemical symbols, or whatever symbols system you are familiar with. Another method is to take the consonants from your affirmation, only once for each, even if some letters are used more than once, and arrange them into a connected design which you can visualize. With your mind’s eye, place the symbol representing the affirmation at the location of the pain or tightness you are working with, and once again open the flow of energy. This time allow the energy current to flow through the symbol into your being.

This is just a beginning of course. As you work with these ideas, you will find your own wisdom, your own guidance, and your own way of best working with energy and attention to solve problems. Magic is seen by most who first come to the path as about effecting change within the world through application of focussed will. However after a while, one realizes that this natural process is going on all the time, twenty four hours a day. The wise person takes charge of what she is manifesting in this way. You may well find that there is little else that needs to be done in the way of magic!

Blessed Be,

Robyn :)

There are many changes afoot in the world today. I heard some people talking about the new generation the other day, and about how their language is completely changing. “They don’t seem to talk in sentences anymore,” said one person, “it’s all ‘like’ and ’so’, and leaving things off half way through a sentence that the other person has to finish.”

“I don’t know what’s becoming of the education system these days. Don’t they learn anything at all?”

Well, it started me reflecting on the changes facing the world, and the spiritual dimension behind them, that is hidden from the ordinary person’s view. Not because of any great secrecy, but just because most people don’t recognise that it’s there.

Astrologically, and numerologically, we have entered a new millennium, typified by new spiritual currents and a new orientation to life. I am a bit more comfortable talking about the numerological significance, so I will talk about that. We have gone from a “1” millennium, to a “2” millennium. Whereas the “1” signifies the focus on beginnings, and by extension progress, and is a masculine energy, “2” signifies a focus on relationship, and by extension stability, and is a feminine energy.

How will this change of spiritual focus play out? Well, that depends on us, individually and collectively. We may already observe the great changes in the way society is organized, as patriarchal structures have made way for more equality between the sexes.

Now we are beginning to also observe fundamental shifts in the values of the younger generations. Old style patriarchal values of hard work, single minded-ness, determination, focus, hierarchy, intellect and linear career progression, which have underpinned our education system, our scientific endeavour, and our business culture, are making way for new style matriarchal values of relationship building, multi-facetted attention, allowing things to take their own course, work-life balance, non-hierarchical organisation, and a more intuitive approach to life.

This, very naturally, is reflected in the way people speak! The new generation’s use of language is sometimes as much an expression of relationship and intuition as it is a logical conveyor of information with well defined intellectual content. Those who don’t get intuition and relationship, and see language as by necessity conveying logically structured information, don’t get the way the new generation speaks.

Of course there is still logical structure and information content – it’s just that this can sometimes take the back seat. Especially when the person you are talking to gets what you are saying, and you know they’ve got it, there’s no need to labour the point by completing the sentence. However, people who don’t get it, because they are not tuned in to the conversation, and don’t have a habit of using their intuitive faculty in communication, will just hear an incomplete sentence that appears devoid of meaning.

The times are changing, and with the changing times, communication styles are evolving. It’s not regression, or a failure of the education system, but vocal expression of the value of relationship and intuition and empathy.

This is a very encouraging sign to Pagans, of course, whose work with the feminine archetypes enlivens and encourages these collective developments. And of course with the challenges of peak oil and climate change upon us, both of them a direct result of the “drive to progress” of the masculine “1”, it is very timely to be tuning into the “2” energy, of relationships and intuition, which will be needed for our survival.

Blessed Be,

Robyn

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they must decide who or what they serve. Do they serve only themselves, do they serve their Deities, do they serve some ideals, their family, their country, the company, or what? Most people bumble along doing what is expected of them, without making any particular conscious choice, and this is fine as far as it goes. But sooner or later one is always confronted with a situation where one must choose. Whose interests will prevail?

Human beings are very good at aligning their personal interests with those of the people around them. Often there is no conflict between one’s own interest and the interest of one’s family, country, employer, etc etc. But sooner or later there will be, and in making the choices that must follow, we show what kind of person we are.

For the most part, it is a juggling act, trying to satisfy the different interests that we have given a stake in our lives – children, partners, work, hobbies, charities, community, wider family, friends, and also for Pagans, we often have relationships with Deities and other-world contacts to consider as well. Some people manage to keep juggling for much of their lives, before being confronted with the necessity of choice. Others are driven to it much sooner by the impossibility of satisfying all these potentially conflicting interests.

The way of the wise is to know thyself – the true self, the soul intelligence that struggles, usually, to exert its guiding influence over one’s life, which for most is managed from the seat of reason, according to the scripts learned in child-hood. When one is in contact with the true self, the conflict between one’s own self interest and the interest of others, human and non-human, disappears. There is simply the right thing to do, at the time. The Buddhists have the concept of “Right Action”, or Dharma, which transcends principles, laws and moral guidelines. Right action is perceived directly by the luminous intelligence which is both individual and collective. It may take considerable courage to enact it. Indeed, in respect of Right Action, we may say there are three sorts of people. Those who don’t see it at all. Those who perceive it, but aren’t able to follow through with it, for whatever reason, and those who see it and act upon it. Most are in the first category. Those who begin to work on themselves spiritually, and start opening up their hidden faculties, first find themselves in the second category. That is they begin to perceive their right action, but lack the means, the commitment or the courage to act upon it. Thus begins a long, difficult and painful journey, of putting what they perceive into practice, of living their right action. At the end of this journey, with the blessing of the Ancient Ones, they may find themselves in the third category, of living the Right Action that they perceive. Such a one appears to others as a Mage or Saint, or a person of accomplishment and integrity, having achieved alignment between their lives and their spiritual vision and faculty. The rest of us struggle on, as best we may, aware of the gulf between our perceptions of right action, and the lives we actually live, but committed to closing the gap as we gain in skills, confidence, understanding, and spiritual independence. And in this journey, we are assisted by our Deities and inner world contacts, who provide a mechanism for contacting the numinous sphere of existence, and opening the perceptions to the true self.

BB

Robyn :)

Here is a second installment in my series of suggestions for developing magical practice for busy people. The secret is to make magic and magical awareness a part of everything you do. In this post, I suggest how you might deepen your relationship with the elemental energy of Fire.

Fire is the second of the four elements in the cycle of becoming, and represents the transition to action. Where Air is cold, Fire is hot, representing the addition of energy, passion, enthusiasm, and enlivening spirit to put plans into action.

Fire is the source of heat, and an Earthly representation of the heat-giving, and hence life-giving energy of the Sun. Fiery personalities don’t stop and think, they jump right in, doing or saying something without pausing to consider the consequences. In magical terms, Fire is often associated with the magical will, which is the impulse to effect change, the magical prime mover of all that takes place through magical means. Fire is energy. In terms of the human body, fire represents the blood, and the cellular metabolism which burns Oxygen to Carbon Dioxide, releasing energy for action in the body, and creating heat. Someone who has the will to succeed, a real go-getter, is sometimes said to have a “fire in the belly”. Fire is associated with the human passions, such as anger, sexual attraction, and any other type of burning enthusiasm. Like a fire, these passions can burn us and those arround us when we let them rage out of control. When kept in check and expressed in a controlled fashion, they serve us every bit as usefully as Fire itself. Where Air was associated with superficial things and appearances, Fire is a little deeper, concerned with the energy and motivation beneath appearances. Fire is associated with the hottest part of the day, midday, and the hottest time of year, mid-summer. Bright colours like orange and red are said to be warm, and encourage activity and enthusiasm. In Pagan terms, they are associated with Fire.

Todays’s exercise is to adjust the level of the Fire element whenever necessary during your day, by means of focussed intention and visualisation. You may find yourself feeling unmotivated, and lacking in energy for a necessary task. Say to yourself, “I call thee element of Fire, I call thy energy and motivation, energize me to perform necessary task (name task) for the greatest good of all.” Visualize a flame burning in your belly, filling you with energy and enthusiasm, and the impulse to action. It should take no more than a few seconds. It can be done eyes open or closed, depending on your circumstances. You may be part of a group where people seem to be endlessly talking (Air), and nothing actually is ever done. Next time you meet, call in some Fire energy, and be prepared for action!  For example, visualize a circle around the people meeting, and visualize a fire burning and radiating its energy out from the centre of the circle. Always have “for the greatest good of all” as part of your intention, and respect people’s free will and personal integrity. It goes without saying that to work in this way is a declaration of responsibility for adjusting and constructing the subtle atmosphere in which you are operating. We all have this responsibility, but few have the awareness or desire to act upon it. There is a delicate balancing act, as in any act of magic, between creating a constructive and enthusiastic atmosphere, and manipulating the way people feel to achieve one’s own ends. In my view, the way to successfully juggle this is to adopt a personal ethos of respect for each person’s integrity, and right to self determination. 

The same visualization can be applied to oneself of course, if you  feel the need for more fire energy in your day. But do remember the importance of balance. The Lady Brighid of the blessed flame, is also the Lady of the healing well. 

When the seems to be no enthusiasm, or motivation for something important, it is sometimes worthwhile to reflect on the possible reasons, rather than to seek first to increase the energy of Fire.  Perhaps the time isn’t right, or feelings and intuition suggesting an alternate course are being ignored. Sometimes we need to recognise that Fire follows Air in the cycle of manifestation. If Fire has trouble getting started, perhaps it’s because there has been insufficient planning…Fire needs Air! If so, perhaps call some Air and do some planning first!

Let me know how you get on!

Blessed Be,

Robyn

I am currently putting together a course of instruction in pagan magic and self development for busy people. I thought you might be interested in trying out a few of the ideas…. first up is an exercise that almost anyone can fit into their day, focussing on the element of Air.  Stay tuned for further installments!

A fundamental tool for seeing the connections, relationships and energy of everything arround us, is the system of the four elements, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. These form the basis of the magical correspondences that work to empower spellcraft, and guide our understanding of the growth and decay of all natural cycles. Air as an elemental concept begins with the physical medium of Air, which we breathe. Breath is synonomous with life, and the point of death is referred to as the last breath. A fire will die without sufficient air. A room without sufficient air is stuffy. Air is invisible, unless it carries something like smoke in its currents. Air can be moved into great winds which can cause much damage. The ancients considered Air to be cold, light, mobile, and easily moved.

The Hermetic dictum, “As above, so below”, may be applied to transpose these qualities to other dimensions of life. For example, the mind can also be characterised by the coldness of thought, changeability, and lightness, in the sence of easily moving from topic to topic, like a breeze blowing hither and thither. So thought, and the mind may be seen as having the elemental quality of Air. Beginnings are also light and changeable, times of infinite possibility, and so beginnings also may be assigned the elemental quality of Air. The surface of things is most easily touched, most easily changed, most easily moved or altered. Thus the surface of anything has the elemental quality of Air. Air is drying – the washing dries quickest on a windy day. Thus drying things have an elemental quality of Air – even a dry sence of humour is quite cerebral, and the “dry” branch of the polital conservatives is more intellectual, while the “wets” are more compassionate. The morning corresponds to Air, as it is the beginning of the day. The spring corresponds to Air, as it is the time of awakening growth.

Air can have both positive and negative influences, according to whether it is in balance and harmony, or whether it is out of balance. For example, some people over intellectualize everything – too much Air! Other people don’t bother with even basic planning or fore-thought – leading to failures and disapointment – too little Air! A basic principle of spellcraft is to correct the elemental balance. Where there is too little planning, bring in more of the Air element. Where there is too much intellectualizing, dispel some of the Air element, to make room for other qualities.

Today’s exercise is to adjust the balance of Air, using the power of visualisation, in any situation you find yourself in today. Sitting at your desk writing up a teaching plan? You need more Air! As you work, pause briefly for fifteen seconds, and say to yourself “I call thee element of Air to bless my planning with Clarity, Sharpness of Mind, and Logical Thought. For the highest good of all, so mote it be”. Visualise as you do this a gentle breeze of clear fresh Air rustling the papers on your desk.

You may find yourself in a conversation which is overly intellectual, and so missing the heart of the matter. Too much Air? Say to yourself “I dispel thee element of Air, intellect and analysis, blow now away, and make space for heart and soul.” Visualize a gentle breeze blowing away the overly intellectual atmosphere. In fact a visualized gentle breeze is very useful for blowing away any unwanted situation or person, and freshening up the mind! You get the idea! Let creativity be your guide – and make friends with the element of Air – using intent and visulaisation to adjust its qualities in each situation you find yourself in during the day.

Let me know if you have any success with this way of working!

Blessed Be,

Rob :)

Here is an exercise that you might find useful with your work in the tarot. Indeed, the following method can be used with almost any symbolic representation, in order to contact the astral and spiritual energies and forms behind the appearance. I will describe the exercise in terms of using a tarot card, but you can adapt it as you see fit. To gain the full benefit from this exercise, you should have some ability to move the attention, to visualise, and some experience with activating the third eye chakra. Here is what I do.

Select a card from the major arcana that you wish to work with. Many authors recommend starting with the fool, and working through in sequence. Sit in a comfortable and warm position. Sitting up in bed just before lying down to sleep for the night can be very effective, as the exercise will also then create an impetus to dream on the same subject.

Hold the selected card in front of you, and stare at a focal point of the card. For the cards with human figures, stare at their third eye chakra, just above and between the eyebrows. After awhile, your vision will begin to play strange tricks, as the cells of your retina become habituated to the image. Keep staring at the same point, and allow your vision to do what it will. You may find yourself involuntarily moving your focus, which resets your vision to normal. Don’t worry, just keep staring at the same fixed focal point.

When the vision has started to shift due to the phenomena above, begin the following breathing sequence, keeping the eyes focussed on the focal point you have chosen in the card. As you breathe in, place your attention between your own eyebrows, on your own third eye chakra. As you breathe out, place your attention on the third eye chakra (or focal point you have selected) of the figure in the card. Keep breathing slowly, deeply and smoothly, in a relaxed manner, alternating the attention as described. It may help to visualise a white thread linking your third eye to the third eye of the figure in the card, with your attention moving between the two ends like a bead on a string.

Continue the breathing, with the alternating of the attention for up to ten minutes, all the while keeping the eyes focussed on the third eye (or chosen focal point) of the figure in the card. Now allow your eyes to close, and try to see the card in your mind’s eye, and continue the breathing and alternation of attention. However, now your attention moves to the card you see in your mind’s eye, rather than the physical card. If you can’t see the card with your mind’s eye, no matter – just visualise the card as best you can with your imagination. As you visualise, sooner or later, you will begin to catch glimpses of the card with the inner sight, which will seem to poke through your visualized imagery. If it doesn’t happen on one occasion, it will certainly happen at some stage as you continue working with the attention, visualisation, and the third eye chakra.

After another five minutes or so, or the length of time which feels right for you, transfer your attention to the personage in the card, and leave it there. Allow the experience to unfold in the way that is right for you. You may find yourself receiving impressions, images, or communications from the personage. You may find yourself viewing things from the perspective of the personage. You may find yourself “inside” the tarot card, looking at the card from the inside. Each person will be able to carry on the experience in their own unique way.

When I have done this exercise, I have found that the subsequent day or two becomes powerfully influenced by the energy and archetype of the card, and the resulting experiences have provided profound insight into the corresponding aspects of life. I hope that you will find the same, and that this method helps you to grow towards your true nature and its full and ecstatic expression.

To finish the exercise, express thanks for the experience, and whatever learnings you may have received, and take your leave of whatever energies or personages you may have been interacting with. Focus the attention on your own third eye chakra, for both in and out breaths, for a few minutes, and then move your attention to the point between the top lip and the nose for several deep breaths, with the intention of  grounding and returning your attention and energy back wholly within your own etheric field.

BB

Robyn :)

I work with the Lady Epona as part of my personal pantheon. When I first came into the pagan path, I made my dedication vows to the Lady Epona. The first time I recall specific mention of her in my life, was upon reading the book “Celtic Gods, Celtic Goddesses”, by R.J. Stewart, where there is a beautiful painting of the Goddess, riding, of course, a pony, accompanied by sheaves of wheat, dogs and birds. She has long straight black hair, and dark eyes, and of course rides a white horse. As soon as I saw the picture, I knew that she was my Goddess.

Once in my circle work, which I do as part of my regular practice most mornings, and which usually involves some  inner work with a particular deity or two, it came to me that the Lady Epona has been with me since childhood, and was responsible for the lady’s voice I would hear as a child, calling my name. So I have a strong feeling for the Lady.

The Wikipedia article on the Goddess Epona is well worth reading. From it I summarize some of the following facts. Evidence of the Lady Epona has been found throughout the Roman empire, where it appears she was adopted by horsemen in the Roman legions. From apparent origins in France (then Gaul) she was carried west to Britain and east towards the Balkans, and northwards towards Germany. Shrines were common in stables, and her feast, at least in one location in Italy was celebrated on the 18th of December, around the time of the Winter Solstice. She is often  depicted with a basket of fruit, or a cornucopia bursting with the abundant produce of the fields.

When I first started working with Lady Epona, I felt that nothing really very much was known about her. However the small amount of specific information can be considerably rounded out if we begin to explore the significance of the Horse and Horse Goddesses in Celtic culture. Jannet and Stuart Farrer have written a very good essay on the Goddess Epona in their book “The Witches Goddess”, exploring the themes arising from the spiritual significance of the Horse and related Goddess figures. In Irish mythology, for example, the Goddess of the Land is portrayed as a mare, and Kingship was conveyed by ritualised mating with a sacred mare representing the Land and its Goddess. This theme is also echoed in the story of Epona being the beautiful offspring of such a union, which is told in Plutarch’s Life of Solon. (See the Wikipedia entry for Epona!)

There are a number of Goddesses in Irish and Welsh stories associated with Horses – including Rhiannon, who is depicted in the Mabinogion as riding a milk white mare, and who is forced to carry visitors into the city on her back (like a horse) as punishment for supposedly killing and devouring her baby. Of course, she was being wrongly punished, but that is another story! Also the Irish Goddess Macha was made to race the King of Ulster’s horses, although heavily pregnant. She beat them, and gave birth to twin sons on the finish line. To these we may add other mythological currents that have become entwined with the Lady Epona, such as the stories of Lady Godiva, who rode a white mare naked through the streets  of coventry, in order to redeem the people from onerous taxes. Interestingly, the name Godiva means “Gift of God”. The nursery rhyme 

“Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes”

Although ostensibly referring to Queen Elizabeth the First of England riding a white cock horse to Banbury Cross, one can’t help noticing that the cock horse which the implied subject of the imperative rides, and the white horse that the lady rides are different horses. The Queen of Fairy traditionally rides a white mare, and is accompanied by the sound of bells – so to me the nursery rhyme is also an expression of the mythic complex associated with Epona and the Horse Goddess. The White Horse of Uffington is a testament to the importance of horses in pre-Roman Britain. Though not specifically linked directly with the Goddess Epona, the figure is similar to horses appearing on pre-Roman coinage, and is perhaps evidence of a widespread Horse Goddess archetype which later emerged as Epona.

Across these stories, some interconnected themes emerge – the connection with the personification of the land; the sacred marriage with a king figure; a resonance with lunar symbolism; the battle between the bright and dark lords (the divine twins) for the Lady’s hand; and the wrong done to the Lady through the patriarchal institutions of kingship and law.

In my own work with the Lady Epona, she is the principle Goddess that I work with for magical workings, particularly those involving the sacred marriage. In my personal Pantheon, she holds sway with Lord Cernunnos as her consort, over the workings of magic, and particularly of magic concerned with the realisation of the true gifts, the abundance of nature, and the abundance and prosperity that follows from the giving of the true gifts to life. 

The Empress card in the Tarot is in many ways a harmonious energy and resonance with the way that I work with the Lady Epona – involving a Venusian aspect that honours and encourages the positive expression of sexual love, as well as independance from any form of subdserviance to the male or patriarchal institutions, and presiding over the bounty of nature. For of course it is from the Womb of the Goddess that all bounty and abundance flows, and in order for that bounty to grow and manifest, the seed of the God is required, for which in my work the Lord Cernunnos happily obliges.

One way that  I work with my Deities is by projection and invocation. In the context of concescrated space, with elemental portals opened and guarded, I invoke the Lord into myself, through concentrated visualisation associated with a regular form of words that over times becomes imbued with evocative power. I then evoke the Lady into the space – through visualisation and her own regular form of words. As the God, and with the Lady, the sacred marriage is then performed. For a male, this may be acoomplished by visualising your hands (the hands of the God) holding the hands of the Goddess, followed by a gentle merging and interpenetration of the two energy fields. For a woman invoke the Goddess, and allow your hands as her hands to hold the hands of the evoked God. Invite and allow the sacred union, but do not impose or force it, or the form it should take. Leave this up to the Gods, and I am sure that you will be, as I have been, surprised, delighted, and humbled by the result.

Although sexual energy is a part of this magical work, it is not in itself a physically sexual practice. The union is energetic and etheric, and while physical arousal may develop, physical stimulation is neither required nor helpful, as it represents a distraction from the point and culmination of the practice. Likewise, the mind should be purified of lascivous or lusty thoughts or immaginings, which are a distraction, and an unwelcome imposition upon the Goddess. She must be given the space to touch you as she will, without the mind trying to impress its desires and fantasies upon the situation.

Often times, if the above guidelines are respected, I find that this practice leads to rapid eye movements, associated with physical arrousal, deep trance states, and the opening of the inner window. This transformation can be assisted by gentle attention on the third eye energy centre, just between and above the eyebrows. In this kind of state, the physical arrousal is akin to the erection that men have while dreaming, in so called REM sleep, and the similar arousal that women experience whilst dreaming. In spite of the physical arousal, it is not inherently a sexual state, but a visionary state. In the olden days, I fancy it was referred to as “riding the broom stick”.

To my way of thinking, this is just the portal of the mysteries presided over by the Lady Epona. Across that threshold, lies a vast territory that though once well known, has been much forgotten by our modern age. It is our birthright to re-explore, and renew our association with these regions. For as the ancients knew, the world arround us is a reflection of the worlds within us. And as the world arround us is, these days, full of hardship, suffering, conflict and exploitation, both of nature and others, so must the inner worlds be filled with conflict and disharmony. Thus the healing of our age must start with the inner journey, and the resolution of the conflict within. Let those who are ready and able take up the task.

Blessed Be,

Rob

We all need to work within our limitations, despite what the proponents of infinite abundance might say. It is almost an article of faith in certain New Age circles that the bounty and abundance of Divine Spirit is infinite, and this extends to the physical conditions of one’s life – money, shelter, possessions, experiences and so on. The only limitation is in our our own minds, is the way such people construct their philosophy. This kind of idea, in my view, is born of the idea of an infinitely powerful and good God. If one is alligned with an infinite power, then the logical conclusion is that nothing is impossible, and if anything is found to be impossible, the fault is in the seeker, rather than the infinite power that they seek to allign themselves with. The idea of the infinitely powerful and good God is one side of a very old coin, that has its roots in the Gnostic conception of the world and existance – as created and controlled by two opposing principles – the principle of ultimate Good, and the principle of ultimate Evil. This philosophy is at the foundation of Western culture, and expresses itself through mainstream Christianity as the battle between Good (God) and Evil (the Devil). 

However those who observe nature and its workings observe that there is never infinite abundance of any resource. All life works within limitations. When the limitations of any environment are reached, life must srtrike a balance. Likewise in our lives. The resources available to any one person are limited. Limitations of time, money, physical health and enthusiasm are obvious. More subtle limitations also arise, like whether others are willing to play along with you to bring about what you desire. Even the richest person in the world is not completely free, but must work within the limitations upon them, or soon lose their wealth, or their health, or their relationships. The art of life, and in my view, the art of magic, is about making the most of what is, and where one find’s oneself – even though it may fall short of the lofty ideals born of infinite immagination. Making the most of things requires a keen sence of the limitations one is working under.

Another important lesson that can be learned from observing nature is that what is good for the Lion is bad for the Zebra, and vice a versa. Yet together, the balance of nature is maintained, and life goes on. Good and Evil depend on one’s point of view, and are not absolutes, and cannot, in my opinion, be attached to their respective Deities of infinite Good and Infinite Evil. The pagan concenpt of Deity is much more complex – our Deities can embody the contradictions of life, and recognize and help one become attuned to the natural cycles of life – the times of abundance, and the times of scarcity, the times of felowship, and the times of isolation, the times of joy, and the times of sorrow.

When one observes nature, one observes that much of life revolves arround the union of male and female genders to create the new generation. So the Neopagan viewpoint sees the world as created from the womb of the Goddess, and fertilised by the seed of the God. God and Goddess are not a duality of good and evil, but a duality of male and female, seed and womb, cup and blade, or yin and yang to use the Taoist terms to denote these energy principles.    What is born from the union, takes shape, grows, reaches its natural fulfillment, then fades and passes, making way for the new. The key here is that everything in this world, and everyone, has a nature, which we may grow into and fulfill. The acorn becomes only an Oak Tree, and never an Ash or a thorn. A pumpkin seed becomes a pumpkin vine, and never a tomato bush. Yet it seems that people make their lives revolve around becoming something at odds with their nature, taking to heart dreams and aspirations impressed upon them by parents, society, advertising or the latest fads and fashions.

The way of the wise is to seek to know and understand one’s true nature, to accept it, and allow one to grow into its fulfillment. To some, this may appear to be the way of limitation, accepting that we can’t be or do anything we want. To the wise, it is the way of freedom – for in fulfilling one’s true nature, one most truly makes connection with the deep magic of alignment, fulfillment, and becoming, the deep magic of allowing the child of promise, the off-spring of the God and Goddess, to fulfill its destiny. The way is to keep the mind, its goals, and its aspirations harnessed to the deep knowledge of self that is deeper than the thoughts, closer than the heart, and flows ever upon the cord that connects us to the Great Mother, so close as to be imperceptible, which recognizes no ‘otherness’, only life in its becoming and transformation in the ever whirling spiral dance of life.

Blessed Be

Robyn :)