Silver Chalice Wicca 'Zine #17

Invoking Divine Qualities
and
In the Shadow of the Shaman

April / May 2010

Editor's Note

This issue has a very special ingredient... one of the most transformative practices I know.

I wasn't sure it should come out in the 'zine. I'd been saving it for the Magick book's publication. When something is free, and especially online, it's so easy to overlook its value.

I didn't want this to be dismissed easily because it was given freely. It's far too potent for that, and I would be doing you a disservice to make it seem less.

In the end, though, I decided that the purpose of this 'zine is to provide you with some of the best information I can. What you think of it or do with it is, of course, up to you. I realised I must trust that those who are ready for this practice will recognise its potential, and those who aren't -- well, it probably wouldn't matter what format it came in.

Besides, it seemed like it was time to have a practical exercise from the Magick book for a change of pace.

I do hope you use it. I can't begin to describe how much impact it can have on your quality of life.

It turns out, anyway, that the entire process is too long to be published in an online 'zine, so there's a second chance for it when the book comes out, too.

Also in this issue, we peak inside the book, In the Shadow of the Shaman: Connecting with Self, Nature, & Spirit, by Amber Wolfe -- one of the most useful reference books I've found.

And we explore the idea of meditation as a necessary practice for Wiccans.

May you have a fantastic Spring!

With Brightest Blessings,

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Table of Contents

What's New on the Site	-- Online Articles
Book Review	-- In the Shadow of the Shaman
Magick Book In Progress	-- Invoking Divine Qualities
Ask The Priestess	-- Must A Newby Wiccan Meditate?
Fave Quotes
Energy Field Barometer
Word on the Street	-- I Used to Be a Christian
Silver Chalice Details

What's New On The Site

You can find them here.

If you like them and would like to help spread the word, you could take a moment to comment on them (there's a comments link underneath the titles), or even share them with Digg, Stumble, or whatever social bookmarking group you use. I really appreciate your support; thanks!!

So far there are 4 articles:

A Better Work-Life Balance Sounds Good, But What Does it Really Feel Like?

How many times have you felt that you want more balance in your life? Everyone talks about work-life balance these days. But why is it all up in the head? Balance may begin in the body.

Highly Sensitive People - Do You "Freeze" Instead of Fight Or Flee?

Are you one of the highly sensitive people? Do you notice that instead of having a "fight-or-flight" response, you "freeze"? This is the third natural response to danger, one that highly sensitive people tend to have, and a vital survival skill for our species....

Drawing Mandalas - Snapshots of Your Soul

When drawing mandalas, you create snapshots of where you are in the moment: mirrors of your soul state. That's why they're perfect tools to liberate your hidden truths, heal issues, and evolve. Interpreting or "reading" your mandalas gives you precious insights into yourself. And more than that, it can help you find the beauty in each phase of your life, even the challenging ones.

Get Into the Flow of Abundance and Success

If you're like most people, you want to increase your abundance, prosperity, and success... yet you spend much of your life struggling and striving. It feels like you never really catch up, let alone get ahead. That's because you're going in the wrong direction. You've fallen out of the FLOW.

Book Review

In the Shadow of the Shaman:
Connecting with Self, Nature, & Spirit

In the Shadow of the Shaman by Amber Wolfe doesn't sound like a Wiccan book. In fact, it sounds suspiciously like yet another White Woman's exploitation of Native American spirituality.

But if for no other reason than it's amazing collection of charts, it's one of my most used Wiccan resource books...

. . .   Read the Article

Wicca Magick -- Book In Progress

Invoking Divine Qualities

Magick is obviously a very large category, encompassing everything from herb and candle spells to emotions and thoughts.

Here's another way to work magick in yourself and your life.

You can call to yourself any attribute you desires: love, abundance, health, or anything else.

We will look at why this works later. For now, try it out and experience it for yourself.

This is a basic yet incredibly powerful magickal manifestation. Read it all the way through, then try it... as much as possible without reading this.

How This Meditation Came About

You may notice this is much like the Buddhist Metta meditation. In fact, that's how I discovered this practice. In Metta, you meditate on sending these qualities out into the world: "May all beings be happy," etc.

I was doing this as part of my daily practice, but some days I couldn't feel any of the qualities I wished to share.

There was no feeling of peace or happiness within me.

And I knew that whatever energy I felt, that's the vibration I was sending out into the world.

How could it be otherwise? Our emotional vibration radiates out from us just a waves ripple in a pond.

So I realised that I needed to first evoke these qualities in myself, before I could share them with others. Out of that need, and much experience with this work, grew this practice.

The Results Were Amazing

I began to notice after a week or so that the whole energy of my life was uplifted!

After a month or two of this, I was amazed at the difference in my life, and in me...

• how I felt,

• how I thought of myself,

• how my life was working,

• how I interacted with others.

It was so effective, in fact, that I began adding more and more qualities, until I was doing an hour or more a day. (See Appendix for a list of qualities you can work with.)

The Greatest Gift

The ability to generate these qualities in you and your life is the greatest gift I can imagine giving anyone. I hope you try it and let this amazing tool bring joy into your life.

In addition to effortlessly improving the quality of your life, you will be radiating these Divine qualities out into the world. The entire Earth will benefit from your practice!

May you experience peace and joy and everything you desire!

And then may you invoke those qualities for others: "May all beings be happy...."

Invoking Attributes

Find a quiet, peaceful place where you won't be disturbed, ideally somewhere you enjoy. Get into a comfortable position, sitting with correct posture. (You can lie down, if you don't drop off to sleep, but it's best on a firm surface, with no pillow.)

Put your hands palms-up on your lap, with your thumb and forefinger gently touching, on each hand. Or if you prefer you may cup your lower abdomen with your palms.

Let your eyes relax closed. Begin by calming the mind with a few deep breaths deep into your belly, letting your body release and relax more with every exhalation.

To find effortless deep breathing, focus on completely exhaling. Don't worry about inhaling -- when you exhale all the air from your lungs, your inhalation will be naturally relaxed yet deep.

Now breathe calmly and quietly in a natural rhythm -- from your belly if you can access that part of your breath easily. But most important is that it's a calm, slow, natural breath.

This entire exercise is most successful if you remain calm and peaceful: not striving to think or feel or want.

In a calm, slow voice, say to yourself (a whisper or silently speaking in your mind):

"May ... I ... be ... peaceful... Peaceful ... Peace-full..."

Use your breath:

Inhale.

Exhale: "May ... I ... be ..."

Inhale.

Exhale: "peaceful..."

Inhale.

Exhale: "Peaceful..."

Inhale.

Exhale: "Peace-full..."

You may continue to repeat this phrase until you feel at least some peace inside you.

Once you have enjoyed the sensation in your body / mind, or when your concentration begins to wander, go on to the next invocation:

"May … I … be … in … faith. …. Faith, … faith…."

Again, allow the feeling of faith to pervade your entire being. Let your attention go to the physical sensations within you of being in faith. Thoroughly enjoy this sensation.

You may go on to do as many attributes as you like.

The ones I find particularly beneficial include:

• Peaceful

• Happy

• Joyful

• In faith

• Light

• Harmony

• Enthusiastic

• Grateful

• Compassionate

• Kind

• Liberated

You can do this with any quality you desire to increase in your life:

May I be...

• Healthy

• Energized

• Safe

• Light-hearted

• Abundant

• Successful

• Patient

• Clear-minded

• Confident

You can change the words somewhat to allow more qualities:

May I feel...

• Love

• Trust

• Forgiveness

• Flow with ease

• Gratitude

• Self-respect

• Self-love

• Worthiness

There are several ways to increase the potency of this practice [see the book for more].

This is the beginner level of this exercise, and it is the prerequisite for the more advanced invocations. But don't misunderstand: this is one of the most potent and life-changing exercises you may ever do!

Start your day with these invocations of Divine Qualities. Do it every day for a week, and notice how much more strongly your body / mind responds.

Do it for a month, and observe how your life is changing at fundamental levels!

What Do You Think So Far?

I'd love to hear from you… Please write and let me know!

Ask The Priestess

Must A Newby Wiccan Meditate?

Dear Priestess,

I recently started practicing Wicca and I have a question for you.

My mom says that before you can do anything at all you have to learn to meditate. But she isn't a Wicca.

I mean I understand that meditation is a important part but do I really have to be great at it before I do ANYTHING?

M in USA

Dear M,

That's an interesting question...

I wouldn't say that you can't do anything else. Lots of Wiccan practices help you learn to meditate, like groundings and visualizations and stuff.

And if it's Wicca that calls to you, your heart won't be happy if you stay away from it all. You can't put off feeding your soul, right?

I don't even know that a Wiccan can not do Wiccan things.

Every time we revel in a sunset or bathe in the Moon's light, breathe in the scent of earth or send a wish or blessing out, we're being Wiccan. Every time we listen to the quiet Voice that guides us, we're being truly Wiccan.

So in that way, you are right.

It is true, though, that meditation will make your Wicca much more powerful, and even more fun. The more you meditate, the better. And the sooner you start, the sooner you will harness its great power!

So in that way, your mom is right.

Anyway, these are my opinions. If you're going to be Wiccan, you'll need to follow your own inner guidance. What does your heart tell you?

If you want to read more, here's an article on meditation in Wicca.

I wish you all the best on your journey!

Do you have a question you'd like answered? Email the Priestess and your question could be answered in a future issue.

(Note: questions may be edited for brevity or clarity. No real names will be disclosed. For reasons of legality, all questions become the property of Wicca-Spirituality.com.)

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Word on the Street

What People Are Saying About Wicca-Spirituality.com:

I have found your site inspiring.

I used to be a Christian, and I have been recently finding fault with my beliefs and questioned them. I first thought, maybe there is no God, and the world was really made by random occurrence.

That quickly faded by just seeing the beauty that surrounds me every day.

Then I started writing a fiction novel and needed to look up some pagan symbols.

That's when I came across your site. And I really started to see a change in my spirit. I was uplifted by the mounds of positive information.

I found that Wicca really has my heart and the things I find true in myself seem to be true in Wicca also. So, I guess what I am saying, is Thank You for what you bring by publishing this site.

I have only began practicing Wicca, but I know that this site will help me along the way.

Blessed Be! -- K in USA

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