Lady Victoria Eclectic Pagan's blog: "Pagan Presentations"

The following is a guideline I used to present a workshop to my local group at our Imbolc Celebration. I hope you enjoy as the rest of the group did... Medicine Wheel teachings are among the oldest teachings of First Nations people. The teachings found on the Medicine Wheel create a holistic foundation for human behavior and interaction; the teachings are about walking the earth in a peaceful and good way; they assist in helping to seek healthy minds (East) strong inner spirits (South), inner peace (West), strong, healthy bodies (North). A Medicine Wheel can best be described as a mirror within which everything about the human condition is reflected back. It requires courage to look into the mirror and really see what is being reflected back about an individual's life. The term "Medicine" as it is used by First Nations people does not refer to drugs or herbal remedies. It is used within the context of inner spiritual energy and healing or an enlightened experience, in other words, spiritual energy... The Medicine Wheel and its sacred teachings assist individuals along the path towards mental, spiritual, emotional and physical enlightenment. A good starting point to determine where you are on the Wheel is by birth date. The Medicine Wheel is walked in a clockwise direction (the direction of the Sun). The time needed to walk a complete circle is whatever time it takes - time, in other words, is relative to the process. There is no right or wrong way to walk the wheel or live your life, because as the ‘Old’ People say, "The Great Mystery does not make mistakes, therefore as each person is a 'perfect soul' that reflects the central essence of the medicine wheel, where they are at this point in their earth walk is where they are supposed to be. Eventually each person will return to their starting place ready older and hopefully a little wiser to begin the process of walking the Wheel again, this time with new understanding, insight and inner strength. DIRECTION BIRTHDAY EAST March 21 - June 20 SOUTH June 21 - September 21 WEST September 22 - December 21 NORTH December 23 - March 20 FOUR MAJOR ARCHETYPES ALSO KNOWN AS THE FOUR REALMS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE TEACHER (EAST) – WISDOM When we express the Teacher, we develop our capacities for detachment: we honour our heritage; we become flexible and fluid, like the ocean; we demonstrate wisdom and its four major components of clarity, rightness, objectivity and discernment. We find our inspiration from our Ancestors, immediate family, friends, inspirational and historical figures. We sit in the sweet territory of silence. Immutable laws include: Whomever is present should be there; When it begins, it is the right time; Whatever happens, it is the only thing that could have happened; When it is over, it is over. Avoid the following fears: loss of structure, loss of turf, feeling out of control, and feeling abandoned, looking always at a bleak future. Turn to your Healer Self to correct these things. HEALER (SOUTH) – LOVE Pay attention to the heart and its meaning. We attend to the condition and well-being of the four-chambered heart (full, open, clear, strong); when we extend acknowledgement and the arms of love to ourselves and others, when we hold a balanced view of health we can experience all kinds of love; Love between mates and lovers, between parent and child, between friends and colleagues, between professional alliances, Love of self, Unconditional or spiritual love. We embrace the sweet territory of Storytelling, Singing, Dancing, Silence. We cradle ourselves in our own self-love and acknowledge our strengths, and the qualities we like about ourselves. We acknowledge the contributions we are making and that we have made. We acknowledge the love we have given and received and the love we are currently giving and receiving. When we recognize ourselves as persons of worth, we can do the same for others. Avoid the following addictions: living intensely (lighten up, in other words), seeking perfection, concentrating on what is not working instead of what is working; you simply don't have to know everything. VISIONARY (WEST) – INTEGRITY Tell the truth without blame or judgment. Honor the power of prayer and humility; when we give voice to what we see internally and externally and when we bring forward our creative spirit and life dream we bring with us intuition, perception, insight and vision. Stand in the sweet territory of dynamism, magnetism, integration and strength/vigor. Meditate either standing, lying down, sitting up or walking. Align your right words with right action; Honor yourself in equal proportion to others. Avoid the following addictions: Free yourself from patterns of denial and self indulgence. Never say, "I'm just a housewife, I'm just a postal clerk, I'm just a veterinarian. The word "Just" does not exist within the context of the Visionary. Avoid, in other words, self-abandonment, always seeking approval, love, trying to keep the peace, looking for harmony at any cost. WARRIOR (NORTH) – LEADERSHIP We come into our leadership skills by staying in our power, by extending honor and respect. We do this by showing up and being responsible and accountable. In other words, we do not hide or hold back. We respect limits and boundaries. We do not, in other words, power ourselves into someone else's world without being invited. We demonstrate always the right use of power. We listen to the messages from Father Sky and the four great winds. We empower ourselves by using a rattle, dancing, meditating while standing, connecting to nature and finding our power animals. Watch out for the shadow aspects of leadership: rebellion, power-over mentality, riding coattails of powerful people. Stand in the sweet territory of presence, communication, responsibility and position. THE CIRCLE First Nations people believe in a creation-based form of spirituality which has at its centre, the symbol of the sacred circle. It is believed that the circle represents a harmonious relationship with nature and with all living things that are our relatives and that all things are connected and equal because there is no beginning and no end. Mother Earth is often referred to as a Medicine Wheel or Sacred Hoop because she is circular who also turns in a circle. Birds make their nests in circles; we dance in circles, the circle stands for the Sun and Moon and all round things in the natural world. The circle is an endless creation, with endless connections to the present, all that went before and all that will come in the future. ALL THINGS IN THE NATURAL WORLD COME IN FOURS YET THERE ARE SEVEN SACRED DIRECTIONS The teachings are anchored by the Four Great Directions (East, South, West, North); then there is, UP: Life above the world (Father Sky, Star Nation, Planets) DOWN: provides balance, cohesion and connections with the earth mother INWARD: we must learn to honor ourselves, for that is the medicine wheel journey. These directions also include the worlds below Mother Earth. The directions, in turn, are anchored by the centre, the place of The Great Mystery, the essential self of each human which is ever-changing and transforming, that moves beyond time and beyond seasons. The Medicine Wheel teaches people not only to talk the talk, but more importantly, to walk the walk. As individuals move along their healing path and embrace the unlimited teachings and resources available to them on the medicine wheel, connection to culture, personal and collective vitality, identity and spirit will once again be an everyday occurrence. This is what Indigenous Renewal Ceremonies and Teachings are all about, this is why legitimate Traditional Teachers and Elders are needed -- sacred connections to each other and to all things in the natural world. Mitakuye Oyasin, which is Lakota Sioux for "All My Relations." It is a prayer of oneness and harmony with all forms of life: other people, animals, birds, insects, trees and plants, and even rocks. It reminds us that we are connected to these other aspects of Creation, that we share a common kinship in the Circle of Life. The following are some general beliefs but do not represent the whole collection of varied colors, animal totems, and uses of the sections of medicine wheels. Different tribes use different symbols. I personal think we should use the colors and symbols that best represent what we believe. Here is just a small fraction of possible animal totems, plants, growth patterns, and colors. I think there are no 'right' and 'wrong' colors and animal totems. EAST (Yellow) - Air - Flight Beginnings starts in the east - from where the sun rises we begin a new dawn. Each day is a good new day with a fresh beginning, a new start. East is the direction of the physical body and newness including children and newborns. It is the time of change for all is a new beginning. New ideas and seeing the light. Change. Spring is the season when all things begin to grow and awaken. Yellow is the path of Life, to begin the walk as a warrior, to shine in all that you do. The sun rising in the east empowers each of us. The energy to do and to begin the action of the mind and heart is there. Animals Animals of wings and flight include hummingbird, the owl, and the hawk. Our words are given to the east that the smoke in the air or the voices in the air may be carried to Spirit. SOUTH (Red) - Fire – Passion Growth in the South it is the time of summer. From the bloom we transform into the fruit of the labors. It is the time of mid-day, the hottest part of the day, the part when the sun is overhead and no shadows are cast... Maturing and growing into an adult to be that who was are. It is the time to accept the change and learn, to understand. Animals The animals in the South represent pride, strength and courage. The eagle with keen sight and strong wings. The lion for the strength and courage to speak out and roar. The wolf so proud to be a team member of a pride. WEST (Blue) - Water - Emotions Later adulthood the time of fall, the time of the setting sun - twilight. The daylight fades and brings a new awareness in this time of gradual change. When the darkness comes we must look inward to find the light and have courage. To understand what we see in the darkness may not be real but only shadows. This is the emotional part of ourselves, like the flowing water we must learn to go with the flow of life. Animals The Beaver shows us of the team work and preparedness needed for the winter coming. The snake reminds us to shed our skin to grow and change. NORTH (Green) Earth - Wisdom As we get older our hair turn white, as we come to our time of winter. White (and purple) also symbolize spirituality. With experience and age we gain wisdom. Now we have time to rest and contemplate the lessons. North is purity and wisdom, a great place of healing. This is the time after midnight, a dream time. The time to be grounded within yourself and deep within, like a bear in a cave. Animals The white buffalo, Moose and Bear. Each prepared and have a layer of fat to sustain them through the winter. They are also the primary source of meat during the winter time for people. They rest and take things slow, not wasting energy, and with the understanding of what winter brings. BUILDING A MEDICINE WHEEL A 'standard' Medicine Wheel consists of between twelve and thirty-six stones. It all depends on the depth of knowledge of the person leading the building of the Wheel. The breakdown of a thirty-six stone Medicine Wheel is as follows: The Centre Stone (stone #1) is the 'Many worlds' stone that contains the essential person - the deepest inner soul. Some post-European descriptions of this stone refer to it as 'The Creator' stone, a concept born out of the notion of a Supreme Being which was imposed by Christianity on the belief systems of many First Nations. This stone can also be called the Cosmos or Universe Stone (1); Four Directions Stones (stones 2-5): East (Teacher), South (Healer), West (Visionary), North (Warrior) (within these stones are the four colors of the elements, Air, Fire, Water and Earth); These stones sit at the outer 4 directional points of the centre stone. Seven stones (stones 6-12) surround the Centre stone, and stand for: Father Sky, Mother Earth, Grandmother Moon, Grandfather Sun, Star Nation, Other Worlds (Planets), Wolf Road (Milky Way) Three stones between each Direction on the outer perimeter of the circle: - Northeast: Earth Crawlers, Flying Beings, Reptiles (13-15) - Southeast: Rooted Beings, Earth Walkers (4 leggeds), Amphibians (16-18) - Southwest: Ancestors, Stone Beings, Underground Dwellers (19-21) - Northwest: Rainbow Spirits, Water Beings, Totems (22-24) Three stones between each direction and the Universe stone, with the "Element" stone closest to the Direction stone: - East: Illumination, Wisdom, Clarity (25-27) - South: Trust, Love, Growth (28-30) - West: Emotions, Experience, Introspection (31-33) - North: Body, Purity, Renewal (34-36) The following diagram shows all 36 stone positions in a Medicine Wheel. There is a Spirit Keeper at each of the four Cardinal directions. Each one has certain "gifts" to aid us as we walk the Circle of Life, and to help us reach the Center and Oneness. You'll note that there are three stones laid between each Spirit Keeper and the Center Circle. These stones are for these gifts and make a "path" from a Spirit Keeper to Creator.

The Druids were a Celtic priesthood, who live in the British Isles around 1000BC. They used a lunar calendar of 13 months each of which had 28 days on one intercalary day to calculate their year and their important holidays. Centuries later the medical knowledge of herbal medicine relating to trees and plants were found in Ireland. The Celts and others in the old world thought that certain types of trees held special significance. They could be user for building shelters, heating the home, cooking the meals, and weaponry. Many woods that held a most powerful presence would differ from culture to culture and from location to location. Trees which were considered to be “sacred” all shared similar type of traits. Beauty, size and materials provided by the tree or spirit of the tree would or could place it in a central place in the local folklore or mythology of a culture. Trees are living things and are filled with essences and energies of all the elementals and Mother Earth. Power from these trees were only visible to those who are or were completely balance and in perfect harmony. Lore that would surround a particular tree or wood reflects the powers of the elders and drew from them, their presence. The 13 signs of exist within our 12 sign zodiac they represent the “shadow zodiac”. Let’s look now at a few trees and what they stand for. 1. BIRCH - Is known as Lady of the Woods, Paper Birch and White Birch. - Carefully gather strips of the bark at the New Moon. With red ink, write on a birch strip: "Bring me true love." Burn this along with a love incense, saying "Goddess of love, God of desire, Bring to me sweet passion's fire." The specific name of a god/goddess may be added. Or cast the bark into a stream or other flowing water, saying: "Message of love, I set you free, to capture a love and return to me." ***Remember*** It is unwise to use this incantation and ritual directed toward a specific person as that would violate the rule. If a love is to come to you, it must be of that person’s free will to do so. The wand made from this tree represents the will of the seeker. The Ruling Deity - The Celtic Warrior God Lugh, inventor of all arts and crafts, rules this sign. The Druic Animal - The white stag symbolizes high ideals and aspirations. Planetary Ruler – Sun, Ogham Word - Beithe - Some notables under this sign include: Louis Pasteur, Galdstone and Richard Nixon. 2. ROWAN - Also known as Mountain Ash, Witchwood and Sorb Apple has long known as an aid and protection against enchantment. Sticks of the Rowan were used to carve Runes on. Rowan spays and crosses were placed over cattle in pens and over homes for protection. Its lovely red berries feed the birds in winter. The berries have a tiny pentagram on them and are especially poisonous. Rowan tree indicates protection and control of the senses from enchantment and beguiling. The Rowan was sacred to the Druids and the Goddess Brigit. It is a very magical tree used for wands, rods, amulets and spells. A forked Rowan branch can help find water. Sprigs of Rowan are the clad badge of Menzies, Malcom and Maclachlan. Wands are for knowledge, locating metal and general divination The Ruling Deity - Brigid, the Goddess of fertility and poetry, rules this sign. The Druic Animal - The Dragon symbolizes inspiration and imagination. Planetary Ruler - Uranus Ogham Word - Luis). Charles Lindeberg, Charles Darwin and Jules Verne were born under this sign. 3. ASH - Another tree held sacred by the Druids. The Druids would make their wands from this tree because the grain was so straight. Wands made of ash are good for healing, general and solar magic. Putting fresh ash leaves under a pillow will stimulate psychic dreaming. . Ash people are quick witted, spontaneous and gregarious. They have a lively curiosity and are intelligent, persuasive speakers, enthusiastic, inquisitive and communicative. They love discussing new ideas and projects. The Ruling Deity - The Magician, storyteller and trickster. Gwydion rules the sign. The Druic Animal - The. Planetary Ruler - Neptune Ogham Word - Nion Albert Einstein, George Washington, and Michaelangelo are born under this sign. 4. ALDER – The name comes from the Old English word EALDOR meaning chief. The Alder sacred tree to the Druids. You can bundle several of the shoots together with some type of cord, then trim to a desired length for producing a sound to entice Air elementals. The superstition from “whistling up the wind” came from this. A wand made of the Alder is used to attract and communicate with faeries. Alder people are courageous, energetic, impetuous and determined to make their own way in the world. Self-reliant and adventurous, they love taking risks and are tenacious workers. Affectionate and charming, they inspire great loyalty in others. The Alder is also known as the wood of spiritual protection. The Ruling Deity - The God of the spirit world, Bran the Blesses, rules this sign. The Druic Animal - The Fox symbolizes skill in diplomacy- Planetary Ruler - Mars Ogham Word – Fern. Some rather well known characters born under this tree sign: Mata Hari, Houdini and David Livingstone. 5. WILLOW – Or White Willow, Tree of Enchantment and Witches' Aspirin. Once of the seven sacred trees of the Irish, a Druid sacred Tree. The willow is a Moon tree sacred to the White Lady, Its groves were considered so magickal that priests, priestesses and all types of artisans sat among these trees to gain eloquence, inspiration, skills and prophecies. For a wish to be granted, ask permission of the willow, explaining your desire. Select a pliable shoot and tie a loose knot in it while expressing what you want. When the wish is fulfilled. Return and untie the knot. Remember to thank the willow and leave a gift. A wand made from this tree is used for Esbat workings and Fertility workings. The Ruling Deity - The Celtic Moon Goddess Ceridwen rules this sign. The Druic Animal - The Hare symbolizes adaptation and intuition. Planetary Ruler - Moon Ogham Word – Sail. Noted people born under this sign Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx and William Shakespeare. 6. HAWTHORN - Also known as May Tree and White Thorn. Wands made of this wood are of great power. The blossoms are highly erotic to men. Hawthorn can be used for protection, love and marriage spells. A symbol of psychic protection due to its sharp thorns. Faery spirits were thought to live in Hawthorn hedges, which were planted as protective shields around fields, houses and churchyards. Hawthorn people are mercurial, innovative, creative and confident. Easily bored, they crave mental stimulation and challenge. They are eloquent and gifted performers, exuding natural charm. The Ruling Deity - The summer flower maiden Olwen rules this sign. The Druic Animal - The Owl symbolizes wisdom and patience - Planetary Ruler - Vulcan Ogham Word – Uath. Noted folks born under this tree include: Marilyn Monroe, John F Kennedy, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 7. OAK - Oak has been considered sacred by just about every culture that has encountered the tree, but it was held in particular esteem by the Celts because of its size, longevity, and nutritious acorns. The oak was the "King of Trees" in a grove. The oak was the tree of Zeus and Jupiter. Magick wands were made of its wood. Oak galls, known as Serpent Eggs, were used in magickal charms. Acorns gathered at night held the greatest fertility powers. The Druids and Priestesses listened to the rustling oak leaves and the wrens in the trees for divinatory messages. Burning oak leaves purifies the atmosphere. It can be used in spells for protection, strength, success and stability; the different varieties will lend their own special 'flavour' to the magic. A wand made from this tree is known as a Priapic or Phallic wand. The end of the wand is generally tipped with an acorn or pinecone. The Ruling Deity - The Father of all Gods, The Dagda rules this sign. The Druic Animal - The Wren, the Celtic king of the birds, symbolizes wit. Planetary Ruler - Jupiter Ogham Word – Duir. Notables of this sign are W.B. Yeats and John Wesley. 8. HOLLY - A beautiful white wood with an almost invisible grain; looks very much like ivory. Holly is associated with the death and rebirth symbolism of winter in both Pagan and Christian lore and is important to the Winter Solstice. In Arthurian legend, Gawain (representing the Oak King of summer) fought the Green Knight, who was armed with a holly club to represent winter. It is one of the three timbers used in the construction of chariot wheel shafts. It was used in spear shafts also. The qualities of a spear shaft are balance and directness, as the spear must be hefted to be thrown the holly indicates directed balance and vigor to fight if the cause is just. Holly may be used in spells having to do with sleep or rest, and to ease the passage of death. A bag of leaves and berries carried by a man is said to increase his ability to attract women. It was a crime punishable by death to fell one The Ruling Deity - The Smith God Govannon rules this sign The Druic Animal - The Unicorn symbolizes purity and strength. Planetary Ruler – Earth Ogham Word - Tinne. Those under this tree sign: Henry Ford, Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother. 9. HAZEL - Wands made of this wood symbolize white magick and healing. Forked sticks are used to find water or buried treasure. If outside and in need of maigckal protection quickly draw a circle around yourself with a hazel branch. To enlist the aid of plant fairies, string hazelnuts on a cord and hang up in your house or ritual room. Hazel is connected with death. The hazel is also associated with the Goddess Brighid, who is the goddess of wisdom and divine inspiration. The hazel is used during otherworld journeys to gain knowledge Wands that are made from the wood of Hazel are used for Magick, Healing and Divination. The ogham letter for the Hazel is C (Coll). Napolean, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and Lawrence of Arabia. The Ruling Deity - The Sea God Manannan Mac Lir, a master of disguise, rules this sign. The Druic Animal - To the Celts, the Salmon is the oldest and wisest animal, symbolizing inspiration - Planetary Ruler - Mercury Ogham Word - Coll 10. VINE - The Grapevine requires care to bear fruit in the cool Celtic climate and became a symbol of sacred knowledge and spiritual initiation. Vine people are discriminating, authoritative and set high personal standards. They appear cool and detached but are secret romantics and can be sensitive, vulnerable and self critical. Keenly perceptive, they have an eye for detail and refined aesthetic taste. The Ruling Deity - The Tuatha De Danaan Gods of Light rule this sign. The Druic Animal - The Swan symbolizes grace and beauty. Planetary Ruler - Venus Ogham Word – Muin Under this sign: Tolstoy, Lord Nelson, and Greta Garbo 11. IVY - The power of the Ivy to cling and bind made it a potent symbol of determination and strength. Ivy can strange trees and was a portent of death and spiritual growth. Ivy people are restless, sociable and good natured. Cheerful, expansive and magnetic, they win friends easily and dislike offending others. Although often indecisive, they are not weak willed and tackle difficult tasks with infectious optimism. The Ruling Deity - The faery bride Guinevere rules this sigh The Druic Animal - The Butterfly symbolizes faery faith. Planetary Ruler - Persephone Ogham Word – Gort. Those noted people under this tree include Oscar Wilde, Margaret Thatcher, Ghandi 12. REED - The Druids believed the Reed was a tree because of its dense root system. Cut Reeds were used as pens and symbolized wisdom and scholarship. Reed people are complex, tenacious and fearless. Proud and independent, they have great strength of character and rarely compromise. They thrive on challenge and have an innate belief in their own destiny. The Ruling Deity - The Celtic God the Underworld, Pwyll rules this sign. The Druic Animal - Hound or Dog was a title of honor for Celtic Chieftains as the Dog symbolized enduring loyalty. Planetary Ruler - Pluto Ogham Word – Ngetal. Cleopatra, Voltairie and Madame Curie are Reeds 13. ELDER - Also known as Ellhorn, Elderberry, and Lady Elder. Sacred to the White Lady and Midsummer Solstice. The Druids used it to both bless and curse. Standing under an elder tree at Midsummer, like standing in a Fairy Ring of mushrooms, will help you see the "little people." Elder wands can be used to drive out evil spirits or thought forms. Music on panpipes or flutes of elder has the same power as the wand. Remember the words of the Rede. Elder is the Lady's Tree, burn it not or cursed ye be! Their branches were hung above stables to protect horses from evil spirits. It was unlucky to burn Elder and an omen of death to bring it indoors. The Ruling Deity - The crown Goddess and Celtic tribal mother Cailleach Beara rules this sign. The Druic Animal - The Raven symbolizes healing and protection Planetary Ruler - Saturn Ogham Word – Ruis. Beethoven and Churchill were born under the Elder tree sign.

The term “grounding” refers to bringing one’s self into a state of feeling physically present, balanced and connected to the Earth. In itself, it can be a state of rest or readiness depending on what work you are about to do. When you bring in the purpose of protection, grounding becomes a state of stopping, bracing, closing down vulnerabilities and drawing up energy.Grounding is the foundation upon which everything else is built. It is very simple and very powerful... Rituals use this technique in some form. Since there are various ways to ground. Grounding is the act of consciously creating an energy connection as spirit (sometimes visualized as a cord) from your body into physical reality/Mother Earth. You are a spiritual being, and by your nature have a great deal of power and energy. Your vibration is rapid and can be intense. You have a body (yippee!!) which is an expression of you that exists in mundane reality (hopefully), but since it is made of matter the energy moves at a slower vibratory rate. (Hmmm, this sounds like a public television physics program!!) In any case when you bring your spiritual energy into the physical body more fully it can be quite a shock to the system. Grounding helps keep the body (your sacred temple) a safe place for you to inhabit and experience life through, prevents it from becoming overly stressed. It helps to keep your energy system safe when you are doing magic or other spiritual work. It acts kind of like an "electrical ground" ( keeps you from getting "zapped" by an overload of energy). The act of grounding also brings power to your work because it aligns you as spirit with your physical body, so that you can be present and attend to what needs to be done. In addition to all of this it increases spiritual and energetic awareness. It is good to ground before doing a ritual, if you don’t your energies may not flow the way they should. Also your energy could be unpredictable and the majick you wish to perform might not do what you want it to. Have you ever been at a ritual and felt slightly nauseous afterward or had a headache? Many times this is a reaction of the body to the more intense energy moving through it and not having quite enough grounding to shunt off the excess flow. This brings us to the next aspect of grounding that is important. Grounding is a technique that assists you to release energy! This is a wonderful thing. When you ground you release unwanted or excess energy, and it gets transformed within this amazing living planet, our Mother Earth, and it returns to you renewed. It reminds us of recycling in a way; you let go of what you are done with and you get it back transformed. Also, if you are releasing someone else's energy that you took on for some reason, that energy gets returned to them as well. It works out well all around. It can be seen as a connecting web of moving and shifting energy, of which we are meant to be a balanced part. The more people who remember and use their grounding, it will begin to revitalize the whole system as the energy begins to flow again. You can ground anytime. You can ground while playing, eating, making love, shopping, working, driving, etc., as well as during ritual, or while meditating. Grounding brings you more fully present and conscious in your life, so that you can respond to situations rather than reacting from past experiences (many of which might be unpleasant). It will enhance whatever you are experiencing, assist you to be aware of your path, and also assist you to move through uncomfortable times more rapidly. Something that people sometimes notice when they ground for the first time, is that they become aware of aches or pains that they could swear weren't there moments before. The reason for this is simple, if you think about it. If you come into the body more fully, you are going to start to become aware of what your body is actually feeling. If you spend most of your time with your mind in fantasy or off in the future somewhere you aren't going to be very present to what your body is going through. The minute you ground, though, you align with the body and begin to tune in to what's actually going on. You might ask why anyone would want to feel tightness in their shoulders if they didn't have to? If you know what is happening and know how you feel, you can begin to take steps to release and heal whatever is causing the problem. The body has much wisdom to teach us if we will but listen. If you ignore the body it will get louder and louder in an effort to get your attention. Many people have begun their spiritual work because some physical ailment caused them to stop and pay attention. You do not have to wait, you can begin the process before you are "forced" to by circumstance. The good news is: when you are grounded things that are pleasurable are even more pleasurable. You also begin to raise the vibration in the body by grounding it and being more consciously present in it; this will allow an even greater capacity for experiencing the wonders of this planet. It will in turn increase your power and awareness, making you more effective in where you choose to direct your energy. One of the example is this: "Think of all the different books and techniques out there, all the things you can do as being like a great wall of expensive stereo equipment. It has all the bells and whistles, the CD player and the VCR and the cool speakers. It looks great there on the wall but none of it will do you a bit of good if you don't plug it in!! It really doesn't matter how much you acquire, how many components you buy, if you can't access it. It will just collect dust. Grounding is analogous to taking the power cord and plugging it into the outlet. Then you can use the system. Grounding gives you a way to access your power, because it brings you as spirit (which is the power source) into the picture. None of the techniques will do you much good if you aren't grounded." There are many good ways to ground. One was is grounding from the first chakra because that is the energy center that relates to physical reality. The first chakra contains information on how to survive and thrive in this reality, and since this is where we have our physical experience and where we want our healing and magic to manifest. Enjoy your exploration with connecting into this planet by grounding. Remember, as with anything, that the experience will change with time. Bring your willingness to explore and allow yourself to be open to your own deepening awareness. The easiest and most helpful thing to imagine when you are trying to ground yourself is tree roots! Just imagine you have great long sturdy roots coming from the base of your feet (which should remain flat on the floor during the visualization), or, from the base of your spine if you are sitting directly on the floor. Just let these roots go right down in to the earth below and let them anchor you onto the earth So why is it so important that we ground/earth ourselves? • Brings life in to matter and to be able to bring our healing abilities into the physical. • Increases balance and stability in our physical and our emotional state. • Helps bring acceptance that we are here to fulfill a purpose. • Brings strength. • Helps in creating a bridge between Spirit and matter. • Provides an outlet making the release (of energy) easier. • Allows the attainment of higher Spiritual levels • Brings strength. • Helps in creating a bridge between Spirit and matter. • Provides an outlet making the release (of energy) easier. • Allows the attainment of higher Spiritual levels. How will you know if you are grounded or ungrounded? Some of the more common symptoms of being ungrounded. Usually each person will come across the same one or two symptoms each time they are ungrounded. 1. Dizziness 2. Daydreaming 3. A feeling of being 'Spaced Out' 4. Feeling sick 5. Heart palpitations 6. Eyes flickering 7. Weight gain 8. Clumsiness 9. Static shocks 10. Falling asleep when meditating 11. Noise and light sensitive 12. Having brilliant ideas that never happen 13. Arguing and unable to get your point across 14. Feeling “beside yourself” 15. Feeling racy, restless, anxious, or unfocused. 16. Confusion/lack of focus. 17. Grouchy/irritable/volatile temper. 18. Insomnia and lethargy. 19. Forgetfulness Different Techniques for grounding: (1) Sit comfortably in a straight back chair or on the couch (as long as you don't tend to nod off to sleep) have your hands and feet apart and feet flat on the floor. Close your eyes (this helps you to focus inward). Take three nice deep breaths, breathe down into your belly and soften your belly as you breathe. It can be helpful (although not essential) to breathe through the nose, while keeping your tongue resting lightly on the roof of your mouth. This is from certain Yoga traditions and is said to help encourage the flow of energy through your system. Relax as you breathe, noticing how you feel, how your body feels. Be aware of your first chakra. This is simply an energy center (vortex) that is located in the general area near the base of the spine. For women the center is usually near the area between the ovaries (note: the chakra positioning doesn't change if you have had your ovaries removed for any reason). For men the location is slightly lower in the body because the chakra placement is associated with the testicles. Be aware of this area, and allow a cord of energy to flow downward from your body: Through the chair you are sitting in. Through the floor and down through the building you are in. Through the foundation and into the deep earth beneath. Allow your grounding to flow down into the earth past all the rocks and layers of the planet, past the water, deep deep into the earth, into the heart of the Mother. Until it reaches the center of the earth. Allow your grounding cord to connect securely into the center of the planet. Be aware of your grounding cord being securely connected also to your first chakra. Breathe and relax and experience your grounding, your spiritual connection to this beautiful planet. Notice how your body responds to you grounding and becoming more present in it. Release tension and discomfort down your grounding, allow it to simply drain away. Your grounding belongs to you and you can create it in any form you like. (2) Change your grounding into a waterfall, flowing and cascading from your first chakra down through all of physical reality to the center of the earth. Experience this, release and relax, breathe. Take your time. (3) Try to shift your grounding so that it is now a laser beam of light, shining though everything straight down to the center of the earth. How does this feel? Be with this for a moment or two. (Remember you can use any of these groundings at any time, they are simply different ways to experience this connection.) (4) Create you own grounding flowing from your first chakra to the center of the earth. It can be any one of the three you used before, or something completely unique, it's up to you. This is your very own grounding. Breathe, relax, and experience. (5) Use your breath and release down your grounding cord, any tension, distractions, or discomfort. Notice how you feel as you do this. Be still, as you ground and relax. If you have questions this is the time to ask and listen for the answers. Or simply allow yourself to be. When you are done, open your eyes, bend forward and touch your hands to the floor, as you relax your neck, and release any built up energy around the head and shoulders into the earth. Slowly sit back up. Tree Visualization This visualization tends to suit people who view their lives primarily in an emotional manner. Those who tend to learn through kinesthetic experience and those who find it easy to focus their thoughts and to visualize. Breath in through the nose and out through the nose; gently and evenly. Mentally travel inward and toward the base of your spine or the soles of your feet. Imagine that the energy or light inside your body extends from there and down into the ground. Push down into the ground toward the center of the earth, where there is liquid life. Stick your “roots” into the flowing life of the earth and begin to drink the fluid in, drawing it up your roots into your feet. Continue to pull the energy up through your legs, torso and arms, using your breath to do so. Fill your neck and head with the energy of the Earth, using the breath to direct it, breathing in and out the nose. When you feel full, allow the energy to flow out the top of your head and back to the Earth. Inhale through your roots the living, fluid breath of the Earth and exhale what you no longer need, allowing it flow down the outside of your body and back to the land. Breathe steady and gently for a time. When you feel ready, stop the breath practice and let yourself relax with the sensations of being connected to the land. Two-Breath Grounding Technique As you exhale, send your awareness deep into the Earth, right to the molten core of the Mother. In the moment where you pause between exhalation and inhalation, open yourself to Her. As you inhale, allow that Earth energy to flow in and up, filling you, and continuing up through the top of your head high into the Sky, as energetic branches. In the pause, notice the Star light gathering on your "leaves." As you exhale, allow the Star light to flow down through the top of your head, filling you as it goes, and continuing on deep into the heart of the Earth. In the pause, be aware that you are a conduit for the two-way flow of energy between the Earth and Sky. As you inhale, allow the mingled energies of Earth and Sky to rise from the core of the Mother, flow upward into your heart centre, filling it and warming it. And you are grounded. Quick Grounding If you do not feel like you particularly in need a full grounding exercise, but feel like you have unspent energy built up there is a simple exercise. Simlply clap your hands a few times, quite hard. Then stomp your feet on the ground firmly. Some aids for grounding Crystals/Stones: Crystals can be very helpful in the grounding process. It is best to carry them in a trouser or skirt pocket (or sock if you can make it comfortable!).You must remember to cleanse and dedicate your chosen crystal for this purpose before using it. A small piece of tumbled stone will be sufficient to carry with you. There are grounding crystals that have eight edges surrounding the largest sloping face. They are quite rare and not always easily available. Grounding crystals help you deal with practical matters in a realistic way. They connect you with the earth and keep your energies from being scattered. A few easy to obtain crystals that could be used for this purpose: Red jasper (most jaspers are good as grounders) Smoky Quartz, Bloodstone, Hematite, Gold tigers eye, Carnelian, Garnet, Pyrite, Copper, Amber, Unakite, Tigers Eye (representing the grounding energies of the earth). Colors They can also be quite helpful, deep earthy colors such as red, brown, green, black and terracotta are always good. You need imagine whatever color you choose surrounds you. You can imagine it as light or a bathrobe or a blanket, whatever is easier for you. Aromatherapy Will help Stabilize and Ground you so you may deal with reality in a logical and peaceful manner. To help with grounding using aromatheraphy you can use: Chamomile Blue, Hyacinth Absolute, Lavender, Marjoram, Sweet Myrrh, Oakmoss Resinoid, Spruce Needle and Patchouli.

The following is a presentation I made to my local pagan group 11/28/07. I hope you find it as informative and interesting as they had. The Pentagram The pentagram has long been associated with mystery and magic. It is the simplest form of star shape that can be drawn unicursally, with a single line, hence it is sometimes called the Endless Knot. Other names are the Goblin Cross, the Pentalpha, the Witch Foot, the Devils Star and the Seal of Solomon (more correctly attributed to the hexagram). It has long been believed to be a potent protection against evil and demons, hence a symbol of safety, and was sometimes worn as an amulet for happy homecoming. The old folk-song : Green Grow the Rushes, O! refers to the use of the pentagram above doors and windows in the line: Five is the symbol at your door. The potency and associations of the pentagram have evolved throughout history. Today it is an ubiquitous symbol of Neo-Pagans with much depth of magickal and symbolic meaning. The pentagram symbol today is ascribed many meanings and deep significance, though much of this is very recent. However, it has been used throughout history and in many contexts. The earliest known use of the pentagram dates back to around the Uruk period around 3500BC at Ur of the Chaldees in Ancient Mesopotamia where it was found on potsherds together with other signs of the period associated with the earliest known developments of written language. In later periods of Mesopotamian art, the pentagram was used in royal inscriptions and was symbolic of imperial power extending out to the four corners of the world. Amongst the Hebrews, the symbol was ascribed to Truth and to the five books of the Pentateuch. It is sometimes, incorrectly, called the Seal of Solomon (see Hexagram) though its usage was in parallel with the hexagram. In Ancient Greece, it was called the Pentalpha, being geometrically composed of five A's. Unlike earlier civilizations, the Greeks did not generally attribute other symbolic meanings to the letters of their alphabet, but certain symbols became connected with Greek letter shapes or positions (eg Gammadion, Alpha-Omega). The geometry of the pentagram and its metaphysical associations were explored by the Pythagoreans (after Pythagoras 586-506BC) who considered it an emblem of perfection. Together with other discovered knowledge of geometric figures and proportion, it passed down into post-Hellenic art where the golden proportion may be seen in the designs of some temples. Early Christians attributed the pentagram to the Five Wounds of Christ and from then until medieval times, it was a lesser-used Christian symbol. Prior to the time of the Inquisition, there were no evil associations to the pentagram. Rather its form implied Truth, Religious Mysticism and the work of The Creator. The Emperor Constantine I who, after gaining the help of the Christian church in his military and religious takeover of the Roman Empire in 312 AD, used the pentagram, together with the chi-rho symbol (a symbolic form of cross) in his seal and amulet. However, it was the cross (a symbol of suffering) rather than the pentagram (a symble of truth) that was used as a symbol by the Church which subsequently came to power and whos manifest destiny was to usurp the supreme power of the Roman Empire. The annual church feast of Epiphany, celebrating the visit of the three Magi to the infant Jesus as well as the Church's mission to bring truth to the Gentiles had as its symbol the pentagram, (although in present times the symbol has been changed to a five-pointed star in reaction to the Neo-Pagan use of the pentagram). In the legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the pentagram was Sir Gawain's glyph, inscribed in gold on his shield, symbolizing the five knightly virtues - generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry and piety. In Medieval times, the Endless Knot was a symbol of Truth and was a protection against demons. It was used as an amulet of personal protection and to guard windows and doors. The pentagram with one point upwards symbolized summer; with two points upwards, it was a sign for winter. During the long period of the Inquisition, there was much promulgation of lies and accusations in the interests of orthodoxy and elimination of heresy. The Church lapsed into a long period of the very diabolism it sought to oppose. The pentagram was seen to symbolize a Goats Head or the Devil in the form of Baphomet and it was Baphomet whom the Inquisition accused the Templars of worshipping. The Dominicans of the Inquisition moved their attention from the Christian heretics to the Pagan Witches, to those who only paid lip-service to Christianity but still followed an Old Religion and to the wise-ones amongst them. In the purge on Witches, other horned Gods such as Pan became equated with the Devil (a Christian concept) and the pentagram, the folk symbol of security, for the first time in history, was equated with evil and was called the Witches Foot. The Old Religion and its symbols went underground, in fear of the Church's persecution, and there it stayed, gradually withering, for centuries. In the foundation of Hermeticism, in hidden societies of craftsmen and scholarly men, away from the eyes of the Church and its paranoia, the proto-science of alchemy developed along with its occult philosophy and cryptical symbolism. Graphical and geometric symbolism became very important and the period of the Renaissance emerged. The concept of the microcosmic world of Man as analogous to the macrocosm, the greater universe of spirit and elemental matter became a part of traditional western occult teaching, as it had long been in eastern philosophies, As Above, So Below. The pentagram, the Star of the Microcosm, symbolized Man within the microcosm, representing in analogy the Macrocosmic universe. The upright pentagram bears some resemblance to the shape of man with his legs and arms outstretched. In Tycho Brahe's Calendarium Naturale Magicum Perpetuum (1582) occurs a pentagram with human body imposed and the Hebrew for YHSVH associated with the elements. An illustration attributed to Brae's contemporary Agrippa (Henry Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim) is of similar proportion and shows the five planets and the moon, at the center point, the genitalia. Other illustrations of the period by Robert Fludd and Leonardo da Vinci show geometric relationships of man to the universe. Later, the pentagram came to be symbolic of the relationship of the head to the four limbs and hence of the pure concentrated essence of anything (or the spirit) to the four traditional elements of matter, earth, water, air and fire - spirit is The Quintessence. In Freemasonry, Man as Microprosopus was and is associated with the five-pointed Pentalpha. The symbol was used, interlaced and upright for the sitting Master of the Lodge. The geometric properties and structure of the Endless Knot were appreciated and symbolically incorporated into the 72 degree angle of the compasses, the Masonic emblem of virtue and duty. The origins of Freemasonry are lost in the depths of history, obscured by the traditional Craft secrecy of the order, but there are signs throughout history of the associations of craftsmanship and ritual and symbolism that have remained known only to a few, and the history of the pentagram has remained occluded in the same kind of mystery. The women's branch of Freemasonry uses the five pointed Eastern Star with two points up as its emblem. Each point commemorates a heroine of biblical lore. No known graphical illustration associating the pentagram with evil appears until the nineteenth century. Eliphas Levi Zahed (actually the pen name of Alphonse Louis Constant, a defrocked French Catholic Abb) illustrates the upright pentagram of microcosmic man beside an inverted pentagram with the goats head of Baphomet. It is this illustration and juxtaposition that has led to the concept of different orientations of the pentagram being good and evil. Against the rationalism of the 18th century came a reaction in the 19th century with the growth of a new mysticism owing much to the Holy Qabalah, the ancient oral tradition of Judaism relating the cosmogony of God and the universe and the moral and occult truths of their relationship to Man. It is not so much a religion as a system of understanding based upon symbolism and the numerical and alphabetical interrelationships of words and concepts, the Gematria. The Golden Dawn did much to advance and disseminate the roots of modern Hermetic Qabalah around the world in its time of strength (from 1888 to around the start of the First World War), and through the writings and work of a number of its adepts and adherents have come some of the most important ideas of todays Qabalist philosophy and magick. In the 1940's Gerald Gardner adopted the pentagram with two points upward as the sigil of second degree initiation in the newly emergent, Neo-Pagan rituals of Witchcraft, later to become known as Wicca. The one-point upward pentagram together with the upright triangle symbolized third degree initiation. (A point downwards triangle is the symbol of First Degree Initiates). It was not until the late 1960's that the pentagram again became an amuletic symbol to be worn. Co-incidentally with the rise of popular interest in Witchcraft and Wicca and the publication of many books (including several novels) on the subject, there was a reaction to the Church. In its extreme, one aspect of that reaction was in the establishment of the satanic cult - The Church of Satan - by Anton LaVay. For its emblem, this cult adopted the inverted pentagram after the Baphomet image of Eliphas Levi. The reaction of the Christian church was to condemn as evil all who took the pentalpha as a symbol and even to condemn the symbol itself, much as had been the post-war attitude to the swastika. The distinction between the point-upwards and point-downwards pentagram forms became accentuated in the minds of Pagans and led to the concepts of white Witchcraft and black. Those who took on board the strong personal ethical code of Wicca, the Wiccan Rede of 'An it harm none, do what you will' did not wish to be tarred with the same brush as the Satanists whos philosophy is one of the domination of the spirit by the physical body - the priority of matter and physical existence. Hence, despite the use and the different meaning of the inverted pentagram as a symbol of Gardnerian initiation, other Wiccans, notably in the USA where the fundamentalist Christians are particularly aggressive to those who do not share their beliefs, are against any usage of the symbol. It is sad to say that even the use of the upright pentagram gives rise to social discrimination against Pagans in some communities. Otherwise, the pentagram or pentacle has become firmly established as a common Neo-Pagan and Wiccan symbol, acquiring many aspects of mystique and associations that are today often considered to be ancient folk-lore! The antiquity of the pentagram is certain; its meanings and associations have evolved and richened throughout its history. Its use within modern Neo-Paganism as a group symbol is as important as the cross has been in the history of Christianity and it is in the ubiquity and the attributed meanings of the symbol that its potency lies rather than in its antiquity. From the Earth aware attitudes and respect of life of modern Pagans has already come the movement towards protecting and conserving the ecology and resources of our planet. Perhaps they will see the dawn of a real new age of hope or perhaps just the end of an age of humanity.