Magic is being present where you are. -gws You don't need elaborate spells and rituals. Connecting to now and what is can be enough.
Magic is…
Category: Journey of Self
Gentle Mother, Goddess of Light
Gentle Mother, Goddess of Light Who is my provider and peacemaker My guardian and counselor Who is my teacher and my grace I lay my weary head down upon your thigh And relax into your comforting embrace As a child with her mother I release my fears and worries over to your care And float, unburdened, in the warmth of your love I bare to you my imperfections and am reminded that I am exactly as I am meant to be I ask you to guide me to always do the next right thing I ask you to remind me to be as forgiving of myself as you are of me My love and trust in you are perfect As your love and guidance for me is perfect Help me to be where my feet are Help me to manifest strength when I need Help me to think and act with compassion for others and myself Help me to forgive more willingly Help me to know and live my truth regardless of others' understanding of it Help me to set aside my defenses and listen with empathy Help me to find a little more patience when I fall short Help me to know when to stand and when to withdraw May I be humbled and inspired by you And may I manifest your motherly love in all directions I travel in this life -gws
This Moment (I Will)
I will slow and be observant of this moment I will breathe deep and remember that Divinity is suspended within that breath I will release expectations and surrender to the experience of unfolding I will still myself and listen to the music in the rustling of wind in leaves I will raise my face and rejoice in the splashing of rain I will find magic in my children's laughter I will be watchful for the spontaneous manifestation of joy I will allow space for silence so I can leave room to hear my own soul speak I will radiate compassion for myself and others I will love myself at lease as much as others love me I will forgive myself when I forget my grace I will practice replacing anger and resentment with empathy for the other I will stop to replenish my own cup before trying to fill the cups of others I will try shifting my perspective when I am conflicted in order to scout a path through I will accept myself as I am for I am perfectly imperfect as a forever evolving work in progress I will always stand back up despite life's bruises and pain even if it takes me a minute for I am resilient I will remember that strength is also knowing when to rest and relinquish and try again tomorrow -gws
Resentment
Sitting deep in my resentments Realizing they stem from loss and sorrow Of dreams eviscerated Of hard work and sweat made irrelevant Of a vision shattered and danced upon As if it was the wicked witch’s grave Years of work wiped away Passions extinguished leaving a scarred ruin of what was wonderful Hope of resurrection gasping away the opportunity for salvation with each passing day -gws
Step 1: Powerlessness
Accepting powerlessness does not equate to resignation. Accepting my powerlessness over people, places, and things is working to accept the things I cannot change or control in a way which invites serenity and hope for a different way of existing. Resignation is acceptance of what is undesirable, but inevitable. Resignation implies resentment and judgment are involved; a sense of, "I have no choice." Accepting my powerlessness is very much a choice, and an impowered one I'm compelled to make every time I recognize I'm in a situation where I cannot control the details or the outcome. By accepting my powerlessness, I am making two choices: to care for my own sanity, and to live with hope. In accepting my powerlessness, I can release my self-inflicted codependent chains which weigh me down and add to my suffering. By freeing myself from the compulsive desire to influence the outcome of situations that are not mine to own, manage or fix, I can start to regain a sense of peace and calm. I can only be responsible for me and my reactions. I cannot take on the responsibility of others, their behavior, or their reactions. Embracing that truth brings a great sense of freedom. Letting go and letting God, in whatever form I envision God, returns me to myself. I'm not trying to herd cats or conduct the orchestra while rewriting the score to "make it better." That's not my job. That's not my responsibility. I cannot prevent or protect others from the consequences of their own choices. I cannot be someone else's higher power, nor do I wish to be. I strive to stay where my feet are, to check in with myself, and to do my best to only manage me. The rest I have to put into the hands of the higher power of my own imagining, and trust that Power will use my love and faith to bring into being what is in my best interest. I also trust that other people's higher powers will do the same for them. -gws
The Hummingbird
One morning I needed to go buy some cereal. As I left my house, I prayed out loud saying, "Things are tough right now, and I have much fear. I know I am supposed to trust in you, but I am feeling doubt that i am surrendering to your will, and having difficulty trusting that you will catch me when I fall despite experiencing over and over that you always take care of me. Please. I need a sign that you'll see me through this challenge." I prayed this walking from my front door to my car. As I got into the car, I had tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat as I finished up this prayer. I closed the car door, and with a small sob, I looked up to witness the most gentle of Divine communication. Hovering just on the other side of the driver's side window was a hummingbird who was staring right at me. My sob instantly became a laugh as I recognized my higher power appearing before me. I know my higher power was saying, "I've got you. You will be okay." As soon as my soul recognized this tiny being as a messenger from Spirit, the sweet bird flew off, and a bit of weight lifted from my heart. The next day began with conflict and chaos. It felt particularly bad since I was already in such a fragile emotional state. However, that little life's message of, "Just hold on. You'll be ok," blossomed into reality that afternoon as I received a phone call saying that a new position was about to be created, and the manager had only one person in mind to fill it: me. Wow! There's no guarantee that this opportunity will "fix" my problems and challenges, but I am confident that it can only help. There's a lot of space between now and if I get the position, but I am grateful to be reminded that my faith and trust in my higher power is both real and powerful medicine. -gws
Inner Garden
I will water the seedlings of positivity and remove the weeds of fear growing in my inner garden -gws
Soul Cave
There is a place deep within me where I go when the world is too much In that place sounds are muffled Light is dimmed All of the harshness that is too overwhelming is dampened down and pushed away When I arrive in that place, I am already so weary and worn I'm struggling to breathe Struggling to cope Struggling to not give in to the crushing pressure of life No one can reach me there, not really In that dark and quiet place I am safe to process my feelings Safe to release the pressure valve on my emotions Safe to feel exactly what I feel without worry of judgment or contempt Sometimes I wish I could just stay there But I'm a mother and a wife and an employee The real world doesn't stop spinning Responsibilities do not stop needing attention Children do not stop needing guidance and love Husbands do not take leave of their expectations for what a wife should be doing Employers do not stop expecting you to show up and be productive So in that shelter I do my best to let go of what I can To surrender to the sorrows, the tears, the fears, the doubts, the broken dreams, the disappointments I let it all flow out like water into this grotto Hopefully to be cleansed And by releasing these things I pray to be renewed enough to keep going Even as my knees shake and my back aches and my voice quivers And the tears flow I pick myself up Straighten my battered crown Wipe the tear tracks from my cheeks And reapply the mask as I chant a prayer begging for serenity And step back into the bright, loud, ever demanding world again -gws
Gratitude in Uncertain Times
The world is scary and uncertain The unknown is casting a long, dark shadow on life as we understood it It feels like I'm tumbling in rough surf and I can barely catch my breath When things feel big, I need to make them smaller I can do this through gratitude I can reframe my circumstances from a place of grace over fear In a moment where loss and fear govern, I look to the blessings I see all around Like seedlings taking root in the dark, forgotten places Cancer proved to be a blessing It may have introduced it's own book of fears, but it also prevented someone I love from traveling at a time when many people were falling ill, and we had no recourses yet I feel this truth in my gut The Pandemic helped me access assistance that was previously off limits to me It has changed the way I work, making it easier to be available to my family while continuing to be employed and safe It has reminded me to say, "I love you," more To hug my children more To try to forgive and relinquish grievances To live as my authentic self To speak my truth To honor my own boundaries To take stock of what is good To "live life on life's terms" and know that my higher power will have my back To be gentle with myself when I don't live up to my own standards To appreciate my health To sit heavily in the present moment and appreciate all that is good instead of being busy for busy's sake To be able to shift energy from a grinding list of To-dos to what I am able to do in this moment, place, or circumstance It is so easy to fall into a deep despair There are so many reasons to feel hopeless But there are many more reasons to have hope and even to rejoice The world, life, the Universe has shaken us all up I choose to take it as a clarion call I will water the seedlings of positivity and remove the weeds of fear growing in my inner garden Through this effort, I will keep my feet and continue moving through life with gratitude and deep love -gws
Grow
By living we learn, and by learning we grow. -gws As an affirmation: By living I learn, and by learning I grow.
