Silver Chalice Wicca 'Zine #21

Magickal Detachment -- Giving Magick The Freedom To Work
and
Magickal Eating

December 2010 / January 2011

Editor's Note

As we swing around the darkest point of the year, I can feel the planet's energy field shifting -- and none too soon!

The past several years, the world's vibration has been ramping up... every year getting busier and even more intense than the one before.

This year, the Year of the Tiger, has been the most intense so far, but in a good cause. It has been helping us develop courage, strength, and inner power. All fine stuff, but SO arduous!

And now, finally, a change is in the air.

From Making A Living To Making A Life

The energy is moving away from the craziness of doing doing doing, and becoming focused more on being complete. At least, complete enough.

We are now being asked ...

• To slow ourselves.

• To find peace within.

• To focus on our relationships to each other and the Earth.

• To appreciate all the bounty we have.

• To relax and make enjoying life a priority.

It's All About Ease, Harmony, and Peace ... Soon!

The Earth's energy is supporting this now: feeling ease and abundance, connection with loved ones and with the Earth.

However, it's not always easy to let go of our long-established habits of fretting, overworking, rushing, and feeling a lack of everything from time to happiness, from money to health, from fun to fulfillment.

Also, as the Year of the Tiger nears its conclusion, it gives a final, furious push... so you may not be noticing much of the slowing down or peace yet! When the Chinese New Year changes on Bridgid's Day, February 2, 2011, we will be entering the Year of the Rabbit, which promises to be much more gentle.

In case you're wondering, I could feel the energy changing to a more serene and harmonious direction before I found out what the Year of the Rabbit is about... and I've noticed that other people have been speaking of it too.

This tells me that the energy is real, and the astrology reflects it accurately.

At any rate, the Year of the Rabbit doesn't guarantee inner peace, but shows that it is the new goal.

The goal for Year of the Tiger was achieving long-delayed, hard-earned goals and developing greater strength for worldly work. The goal for next year is to stop forcing things in the outer world, and develop our sense of being at peace with life.

An Affirmation To Aid This Shift

There is an affirmation that has been up lately, as a step toward that goal.

" I am enough.

I do enough.

I have enough.

There is always enough."

Work with this for the next month or two, and you'll start to feel the shift within you.

This is an especially radical affirmation for the season of Great Consumerism!

Wishing you the best of the season!

With Brightest Blessings,

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Table of Contents

What's New on the Site	-- Wiccan Rituals
Special Offers	-- Discount for Spiritual Guidance Readings
Magick Book In Progress	-- Magickal Detachment -- Giving Magick The Freedom To Work
Ask The Priestess	-- Magickal Eating
Fave Quotes	-- Being At Ease
Word on the Street
Silver Chalice Details

What's New On The Site

Well, there's been over a dozen new articles at Wicca-Spirituality.com since last issue!

Most of these articles belong to a brand new section on Wiccan Ritual. Some, still on the theme of Wiccan Ritual, are elsewhere in the site.

Wiccan Ritual starts off with the basics -- Ritual as magick; the benefits of ritual, and an introduction to the 3 basic types of Wiccan rituals.

Elements of Wiccan Ritual describes the steps and methods involved in doing a successful ritual.

How to Make Ritual That Is Magick explains how to really empower a ritual so that it's more than empty phrases and actions, but a truly magickal experience.

Participatory Ritual, or, When Ritual Doesn't Work looks at why some rituals are flops, and how you can turn that around.

If you're going to lead a ritual, you want to read Being a Ritual Leader first. It explores the roles that the leader of a ritual must fulfill, as well as the details that make for a good leader and great ritual.

Planning an Engaging Pagan Ritual continues the information for ritual leaders by offering suggestions on how to get people involved and participating.

Along the same theme (though not specifically in the Wiccan Ritual section), is this article on what makes a Wiccan High Priestess? It explores the qualities and services offered as a Wiccan high priestess.

Why Magick Ritual Works gives insight into what's really going on in a Wiccan ritual, and how that works to create magick.

Ritual Etiquette is especially useful for beginners -- or anyone who is self-taught. It guides you through the social niceties and necessities, to avoid those dreaded ritual faux-pas.

House Cleansing Ritual & Blessing is where we get into some Wiccan ritual plans that you can practice. In this article, you are guided through a house cleansing ritual that incorporates a house blessing ritual, including a blessing for mirrors. This ritual is great for a new home, or if you want to clear out negative energy from any place.

Honouring the Death of a Witch gives ideas on Wiccan memorial rituals (to be done by Wiccans, or non-Wiccans who have lost a Wiccan loved one). Also includes tips for non-Wiccans who are wanting to support a Wiccan who is dying.

We also have some Wicca rituals that are not in the new section, but under Wiccan Holidays and Sabbats. These were seasonal articles for Day of the Dead.

The Day of the Dead -- _Celebrating Those Who Have Passed is an introduction to the meaning and purpose of this holiday, celebrated by many Christians, Pagans, and other cultures around the world.

The Day of the Dead -- An Inclusive Wiccan Ritual outlines a Day of the Dead ritual that can be shared with non-Wiccans. It's also appropriate as a Samhain ritual for the ancestors.

Whew! That should keep you busy reading and ritualising for a while!

Special Offers

Discount On Psychic Readings

• Feeling lost and confused about your direction?

• Needing some advice on life issues?

• Wanting insight into why things are happening to you?

• Seeking to understand your Mission in this life?

A psychic reading from Erin Dragonsong gives you valuable spiritual guidance.

Using Tarot Cards and other aids, Erin channels messages from your Higher Self or the Divine, to guide you through the turbulent waters of life ... and help you understand the deeper meaning of your situation.

Now, for a limited time, you can get this unique service at a special discount.

The first 12 clients will get 25% off the cost!

(As this offer came out in the Wicca Spirituality Community on Facebook and Follow Wicca Spirituality on Twitter, some spaces are already taken.)

That's only $ 75 for a full hour reading, by phone or Skype.

Here's what some clients have said about Erin's psychic readings:

"Erin is a great reader, she is really able to cut through to the heart of things, removes her own ego from the question (which is almost IMPOSSIBLE to do for yourself) and really channels the Goddess wisdom you need to hear. A bargain at twice the price! " -- Vanessa LeBourdais

"I would recommend it, it helped a lot and answered my questions. It really helps to hear what I need to do. " -- Julie Medley

Wicca Magick -- Book In Progress

Magickal Detachment -- Giving Magick The Freedom To Work

We've talked about detaching from the outcome as a necessary step in manifesting magick. But what does that really mean?

It means two things…

1. You must let go of any negative emotional reactions around the result (eg, fretting, impatience, doubt, unworthiness, etc.)
2. You must let go of expectations (eg, deadlines, how it will manifest, etc.)

Unless you practice this magickal detachment, your magick spells are hobbled and far less able to fulfill themselves.

But the real trick is... how the heck can you practice detachment, at the same time that you are holding the desire and intention firmly?

Ah, well that's what this article explains.

Detaching from the Outcome

First, let's clarify what we're talking about. Magick, magick spell, and manifestation are all different ways of saying you put an energised intention out into the world, to call something you desire into your life.

The outcome is, of course, the fulfillment of that desire.

Detachment is the ability ...

• to stay in faith and joy that your desire is now being irrevocably drawn to you ... indeed, that from one perspective, you have already achieved it

• to let go of your magick once you've set it in motion, giving it completely to the Universe to fulfill

• to refrain from interfering or dictating how you think it should happen

Emotional Counter-Actions

If you feel anxiety about the result taking too long, doubt that the magick will work, or any other negative emotion, you send out certain vibrations. And they are not conducive to magickal success!

Magick is essentially a process of sending a certain vibration out into the universe. As the Universe is like a big vibrational mirror: it reads the vibration of what we want, and sends it back to us in physical form.

And emotions are all vibrations. In fact, every emotion is a magickal act.

The more you send out emotions of worry or scarcity, the more worrisome scarcity you will attract.

This is something that people have such a hard time understanding! On the level of the intellect, we all say, sure, I understand that — like attracts like, and the Law of Return, and all that.

But deep down, we keep thinking that somehow fretting can keep us safe.

Unfortunately, quite the opposite is true.

Being In A Non-Magickal State

There's another way that emotions interfere with your magick spells. When you dwell in negative emotions, you are living in a state of strong ego. And that is perhaps the best way to sabotage your magickal intentions.

Ego is the most mortal, limited part of you. It is, essentially, the animal body/mind that you live within, concerned with comfort and survival and not much else.

It's most definitely not the part of you that can work magick.

So the more you dwell in ego states, the less magickal power you have... simple as that.

Expectations

Expectation means you are demanding that your desire be fulfilled in a certain way or by a certain time.

Expectations are just as deadly to magick as fear and doubt and scarcity-mentality.

Expectations Micromanage The Universe

When you overplan how your magick should work, getting caught up in the details rather than the end result, you constrain the Universe to giving you only the solutions you can imagine from a very limited human awareness.

Your magick should focus on the goal, not the strategy and certainly not the tactics. If you want a reliable means of transportation, don't tell the Universe what that means. You can make a list of everything you need -- cost efficient, fits your whole family, etc -- but leave the rest up to the Universe.

If you imagine that a particular year and model of car is exactly what you need, and you ask for that, the Universe is restricted to providing just what you ask for ... even if there's a better solution in another model!

In other words, don't micromanage the Universe, when it knows far better than you ever could how to best fulfill your needs.

Tell it your needs, and let the Universe handle the details.

Taking You Out Of The Present Moment

Another way that expectations sabotage your magick is by removing you from the power of the present moment.

Remember that a key to magick is that you must perceive it as already accomplished. So when you have expectations that something should happen, you separate yourself from the reality in which that something has already happened.

In other words, you end up projecting your imagination into a future in which your desire will come to you. But the Universe and your subconscious have no concept of "future."

The more you think something WILL happen, the more you're telling your subconscious, "not yet."

Experiencing Scarcity Rather Than Fulfillment

Another thing that happens is that if you are expecting to have something in the future, you are feeling that you're NOT having it now. You separate yourself from the sensation of already enjoying your desired goal.

Again, your sensation is the vibration that the Universe works to match -- the experience of either having, or not-having.

When you experience yourself as lacking rather than enjoying, you are living in the magick-deadening ego-state.

Detached Passion?

Okay, here's the really confusing part. For magick to work, you must be passionate about your desire, yet you must be detached from the outcome too.

How do you detach from something that you wish for, ask for, intend, and desire passionately?

Isn't passion the opposite of detachment?

Here's the trick. If you understand this one point, you can begin to shift toward detachment naturally.

There's a difference between passion for what you love and already have, and desperate lust for what is unavailable.

Do you see the distinction? You must be passionate about your magickal goals, and not about your emotions -- wanting, needing, missing....

You must develop a certain quality of passion that is enthused with the joy of whatever-you-magickally-call, and completely leave behind the sort of passion that cries out in longing for something that is far away.

To Disengage From Ego's Needs

In our culture we have no training in detachment whatsoever. In fact, we're specifically trained to cultivate attachments....

• Always getting more stuff,

• Collecting everything from knick-knacks to Facebook friends,

• Hoarding instead of sharing,

• Holding on -- via regrets and grief -- to relationships, youth, situations, even people who have passed on

• Getting for ourselves rather than tithing and caring for others, and so on.

So detachment is a foreign and somewhat perplexing concept. It seems akin to surrender, submission, letting go ... which in Western terms pretty much equates with failure.

Detachment really has nothing to do with giving up your goals. It's only giving up your ego's emotional addiction to want, scarcity, worry, security, and control.

Attachment is an ego-game; detachment is spiritual power.

And the magickal process works for just that reason. The practice of magick helps you step out of your ego-identity long enough to set magick in motion.

Then you help that magick along by staying as free from attachment, and ego, as possible.

What Do You Think So Far?

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

Ask The Priestess

Magickal Eating

Dear Priestess,

Hello Priestess, I would like to ask you if you are aware of eating certain types of food & how it effects your ability for psychic awareness & working spells.

I have read that certain types of foods can hurt one's abilities & I was wondering if you know more about this.

I will appreciate any information you can give me.

Blessings to you,

R. in USA

Dear R,

A very good question! There are four ways that the food you eat can affect you on a magickal level.

1. Direct Interference with Magick

The simplest version is that some foods may have energy that counteracts a magick spell you are working... in the same way that donuts negatively affect an intention to be trim and healthy.

Say you're wanting to do a spell to feel more clear and light inside, for instance. Dairy and to a lesser degree soy products both clog up the body by creating mucus. Obviously, this will impede your spell's effectiveness.

I'd like to point out that it's not only on a physical level that these foods would interfere. The etheric energy of dairy and soy are such that they inhibit clarity in the body. (You can tell that this is so, by the physical manifestation of mucus building.)

So you wouldn't even want to include dairy or soy products in the magick spell itself, even not taken internally.

This isn't usually a big problem, because most foods don't really interact with most spells.

2. Troublesome to the Body

The second version is that some foods are more difficult for the body to digest or purge. When your body struggles, however subtly, to deal with substances within it, some of your energy that could otherwise go to making magick are diverted.

Both your power and your focus suffer, hence your magick is weaker.

The tricky part here is that often we aren't aware of what is troubling the body because there are no drastic signs. Worse, sometimes the very thing the body craves are the things that affect it poorly. Common examples of this are alcohol, breads, meat, etc. Some people say chocolate falls into this category, but personally I'd need to see a lot more proof! (Which likely indicates that it is unhealthy for me.)

Anything you can't seem to live without is likely to be in this category.

Even otherwise-healthy options that agree with your body can be made unhelpful magickally, by contamination with pesticides and other chemicals, or by over-processing, or being contaminated with genes from other organisms.

In other words, non-organic products are always troublesome to the body, to some extent.

Also in this category are environmental contaminants, like perfumes, soaps, household cleaners, most commercial make-up, etc. The worst, and growing, culprit is scented candles and air "fresheners."

These will dilute your health significantly, even in the short term disrupting your magickal power.

3. Fasting for Purification

To a lesser extent, all food keeps you grounded in the mundane level of existence. This is not a bad thing ordinarily, but it's the reason that every culture advocates fasting before strenuous spiritual challenges.

When you are digesting, your blood — your energy, your life-force — goes to your guts. It's busy there. It's distracted from whatever mental or magickal work you want to do.

If you've ever had a fever or something where you couldn't eat for days, you'll have noticed the feeling of lightness and transparency you achieve. The limitations of the body feel more distant, less intrusive. And you can access realms that the body can't go.

I really hesitate to mention this, since under-eating is epidemic among young women. The last thing I would want is to encourage that kind of self-sabotage.

There are right ways and wrong ways to fast. Done poorly, it can injure you. Even done well, under some conditions, is dangerous... that's why you should check with your doctor first.

And in the longer term, excessive fasting will deplete your magickal energy, as it depletes your physical energy.

However, in most cases, your magickal energy can be enhanced by skipping a meal or two beforehand.

4. Disrupting your Connection with your Spiritual Self

It is also true that certain foods limit our ability to connect with Divine energy... the Power that makes magick work.

This is the final way that what you consume affects your magickal ability. It builds on all three earlier versions.

Some substances, by their very nature, inhibit your connection with the Divine.

• Alcohol or other intoxicants.

• Meat, especially beef.

• Sugar.

• Stimulants such as caffeine.

• Highly processed foods.

• Excessive quantities, even of "pure" foods.

• Smoking falls into this category as well.

For most people, this is hardly noticeable. Most people lack a fine sensitivity for subtle energy and divinity. These are the people that insist that such things don't adversely affect a person.

But everyone who attains a refined level of spiritual awareness agrees. If you want to go beyond a certain level of human awareness, then you will want to purify your intake of foods.

What Increases Your Magickal Potential

The bottom line?

For most magickal work, what you eat isn't a critical factor. It generally won't make or break your magick.

However, bringing consciousness to what you eat and when can make your magick more potent!

The best bet is to eat always healthy foods that agree with your body. In general, the healthier you are, the more life force flows through you, and the more magickal energy you can wield.

That means... Simple, pure, whole foods, in moderation.

This kind of spiritual "diet" offers you multiple magickal benefits...

• It helps your body run at peak efficiency.

• It gives you high energy -- physical and magickal.

• It heightens your senses.

• It allows you to FEEL on a deeper level,

• It allows clearer access to the Divine and the magickal realm.

This is why in Wicca, and other religion traditions, we conclude our magickal rituals before we eat. The food then grounds us back in our bodies, helping release the magickal work we've done. It also celebrates the joy and abundance of being alive and sharing community.

When we eat before the ritual, the magick is not as potent. We cannot shift as deeply between the worlds.

So even such a short term partial fast as abstaining from dinner can be very good for the body, and for spiritual connection.

(See also this related article: Preparing Your Sacred Chalice.)

Conclusion

The upshot is, all foods interfere to some degree with magickal ability, when eaten before working magick. Some foods interfere greatly, even when eaten days before.

Most magick benefits from being performed on a clear stomach.

Thanks for asking. Bright Blessings to you!

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.)

The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!

~ Henry Ward Beecher

Be Yourself. Life is precious as it is. All the elements for your happiness are already here. There is no need to run, strive, search, or struggle. Just Be.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

There is always something to celebrate, so long as life is being lived. Seeing your cup as half full rather than half empty is more than a sappy aphorism. It is the key to enduring happiness.

~ Neale Donald Walsch

I am worth loving. I do not have to earn love. I am lovable because I exist. Others reflect the love I have for myself.

~ Affirmation by Louise L. Hay

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

~ Melody Beattie

I used to set goals. Now, I open to intentions.

~ Susan Bernstein

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-- M.P. in USA

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