Culling Year

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Every few years, and very cyclical, I seem to experience a culling year.  This year is clearly one of those years,  Today, I heard about another death from a coworker.  I didn't know this person well, but saw him every day in the halls.  He was always smiling and always said hello.  This is the third death in three weeks of people at our office.  It is the fourth one this year.  

What do I mean by a culling year?  There seems to be a large amount of death around.  I'm sure that other people experience them in other cycles though.  These years are hard to get through.  I rely heavily on my friends and family to help distract me, get me out of my house and remind me that I have survived them before and will again.

I believe they hit me a bit harder than many people because I am an empath.  I typically do not miss those who have passed.  But I feel the sadness and grief of the friends and family.  With this happening at work, I'm surrounded by 400+ people who are grieving in some way.  

Over the years, I've learned how to build some pretty substantial walls to protect myself and to stay above the fray.  Every now and then, they simply aren't substantial enough.  Two weeks ago, we had two deaths in one weekend.  By the time Friday had gotten here, I just couldn't do it.  I was exhausted.  

So how does one protect one's self from this bombardment?  It's a little different for everyone.  You have to figure out what your source of power is.  For me, it is the solar plexus chakra.  Every day, I pull energy up through the earth and my body to my solar plexus and make sure that chakra is bright, clear, and spinning.  The light from there extends out from my solar plexus and creates an orb similar to an egg shell shape around me.  I see it as being inside a bubble of this energy.  Typically, it is fluid and clear and opalescent.  When I'm being bombarded with others' emotions, it thickens and hardens to prevent them from getting in to me.  

This is all part of Grounding, Centering, and Protecting.  I use simple visualization techniques to accomplish it.  But because it is a visualization exercise, each person has their own way that this manifests.  My recommendation is that you use meditation time to find and grow your own methods.  Once you find the visualization that works for you, hone it until you do it without even realizing that you are doing it.  As witches, we are so open to energy, use energy, and feel energy that it is important to know how to keep unwanted energy out.  

Keep breathing and stay centered.

All the best, 

~Lapis

Weekend update with Lapis

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We are wrapping up a long weekend... Well, it is Saturday night and tomorrow is the housework day for us so most of the fun is over.  I'm going to try to do regular blog updates on either Wednesday night or Saturday night.  Those are the two evenings when I get the most peace and quiet.

Thursday, I pulled up the Herb Fairies info and reviewed it.  I printed up copies of all the materials for five of us.  I don't think I'm going to be doing that again though.  I think I'll just download the PDF files and email them out.  I can Chromecast them to a TV if we need the info on a larger screen together.  However, there are a couple of journal pages and a coloring page.  I may print out those or key pages that we may want to write notes on.  I'm really looking forward to starting this fun little study.  

One of the things that we focus on are the Paths of Power.  In our Trad, we have eight paths of power.  They correspond to the Wheel of the Year.  Typically a person has a particular affinity to one of them and delves deeply into it.  It is good to work through all of them though and have a bit more than a passing knowledge of all of them.  

Herbology is one of the Paths of Power.  It can be implemented not only in spellwork and healing but simply in decorating your home, creating better air for us to breathe, food for us to eat and the preparation of seasonal foods to connect with the land.  If you prescribe to Feng Shui, then you also know live plants can help improve the flow of energy through your home, clear out some of the energetic clutter and stagnation.  Certain plants bring certain energies.  Delving more and more into herbology can help just add a little bit more of living your path into your day to day life.

Tomorrow, I'll get to practice a little more of what I preach and work on the lawn and gardens with my family.  We have some weeds to pull, water the gardens, mow the lawn, and do some weed whacking around the edges.  

Until next week then.

All the best, 

Lapis

 

 

Pagan Movie Night

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Wellspring hosts Pagan Movie night on the first Friday of the month.  This month, movie night is on July 4th.  With Con, BBQs and fireworks, we are skipping it.  We'll be back next month for it.

Pagan Movie Night is a way for us to foster community, support each other as pagans and have some fun.  It's been mostly at my house (Lapis) but sometimes happens at Miel's.  We like to gather about 7pm and start the movie shortly thereafter.  Kids are welcome, unless the movie is not kid-friendly.  So far, they've all been kid-friendly.  We always have popcorn, water, tea, and milk available.  Often times, I've ordered in pizza (including GF and vegetarian as attendees want/need), set  up other snacks, and drinks.  

On Facebook, I set it up as an event, poll for movie suggestions, and then send out a final post with what we are watching.  

Sometimes, it is nice just to hang out and relax.  This is one of the ways we do that.  

~Lapis

 

Our First Blog Post

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Although Wellspring has been around for a few years now, we are just now really opening up our doors to new people.  Many of our founding members have moved to other states and we are down to just a few of us.  

We are seeking people who are ready to do some work.  Personal growth and personal responsibility are two big things for us.  We've met lots of people who have used Paganism as a point of rebellion from normal society.  For us, it is simply another religion.  We expect that people will have or are willing to see their faults and issues and own them, that they want to grow and to be better people.  We want you to be the best you possible.  But we can't make that happen.  You have to do the work.  

That said, we know that we are not perfect either. We are still growing and developing into our best possible selves as well.  Just keep working!  

And as serious as all that sounds, we also like to have fun.  We giggle.  We make mistakes and laugh at ourselves.  We are often laughing in ritual.  We firmly believe in the MIRTH part of mirth and reverence.  We like to play, find our joy, and share it.  

We are still building the website (clearly) but feel free to email us if you have any questions.  Stop back to check out the Seekers Survey, Curriculum and Bylaws. We hope to have them posted soon. 

~Lapis