G is for Getting Involved and Giving Back

G is for Getting Involved and Giving Back - Pagan Blog Project - Week 15

I know that not everyone would agree, but I believe a very important part of being a witch, and a good human being in general, is giving back some of that positive energy we so readily take from the universe. Altruism is great, but not everyone subscribes to it. For those casters and energy workers out there who are not terribly concerned about your neighbor, I pose a question. Where does that energy come from? We don’t take it directly from ourselves or other people. That would be exhausting. Many witches believe that everything, you, me, that rock over there, even the computer screen you’re reading this from, are connected. We pull the energy from the universe, from the air, fire, water, and the earth and direct it toward our desired goal. If you hold that belief of interconnectedness, then you should also be aware of the Hermetic Principle of Cause and Effect, the whole “every action has a reaction” thing. This is where karma and the Wiccan Rede, “An it harm none, do what though wilt” come into play. By helping others or Mother Earth, you are helping yourself, perhaps not directly, but it will filter on down at some point.

You don’t have to be rich to contribute. You don’t have to have a lot of extra free time to make a difference. You can donate your time or resources in varying degrees to any of the following:

·         Join a local gardening club or committee
·         Participate in park, highway, or beach clean ups
·         Plant a tree
·         Participate in recycling programs
·         Volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club or something similar
·         Tutor a child
·         Shop at local businesses and buy local crops
·         Help a neighbor
·         Volunteer at food pantries, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters or donate resources
·         Participate in food drives or start your own
·         Volunteer at animal shelters or donate resources
·         Participate in 5k runs with proceeds that benefit various charities or medical research
·         Donate blood or plasma
·         Join committees, boards, or community projects
·         Vote

During the endless task to keep ourselves comfortable, we sometimes forget the importance of the world around us. By bettering the environment and aiding our neighbors, we better ourselves.

F is for Fellowship

F is for Fellowship - Pagan Blog Project - Week 12

                I know that there are a lot of solitaries out there who are perfectly happy with remaining that way. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I practiced and celebrated solo for many years. Finding common ground has always been a bit of an issue for me, even within the pagan and witch community. It seemed that each time I attempted to mingle, I always ran into the pompous types. While I most certainly could have furthered my studies with a teacher, I wasn't in the market for a pretentious instructor. What I really wanted was to share experiences and build solid foundations with trustworthy people (see my rant on F is for Fluffy Bunny).

                In the twelve or so years I've been practicing, I've come across exactly two groups of people that I've felt comfortable with. The first was a group of dabblers I happened to network with via a coworker. The connection was unexpected, and I’m grateful that I overcame my antisocial nature and actually ventured forth to meet them. We learned and played together, and they became a family to me, a group of sisters. Some of us would probably still be practicing together today if it weren't for a career change and a hurricane. After the move, I sort of drifted in my practice. I attended a few Pagan Pride Days and mingled with a couple of dabblers, but I just never could manage to make the connection. Admittedly, these failed attempts kept me underground for quite some time. I decided to take the leap again, about a two and half years ago, and it was well worth the wait. Finding this group of people has felt like coming home.

Hecate's Cauldron of Mississippi
Ostara 2013

                I have not entered into a coven. That kind of commitment is not to be decided upon at a whim. But we have formed an organization, a community, in which we learn, teach, share, grow, and celebrate together. I’m very much enjoying the fellowship shared between this new family and myself, and I hope that all you solitaries out there are able to find the same harmony and joy in the group experience at some point in your journeys.