The wonder of Nature

It is very important for a witch or prospective witch or pagan, to attune with nature and spend time with and observing all it holds.

Any self-respecting witch finds it a necessity to walk by water, stand open-armed and let the wind blow through, lay in the sun and feel it’s warmth and energy or sit in the light of the moon and let her healing powers flow through you.  This is far more important in the understanding of the elements and it’s powers than to worry about getting the words to a long-winded spell correct. You cannot worship nature if you never go out in it.

A witch is a person who is environmental and honours that environment around her. You cannot appreciate the power of nature unless you visit it and can feel it on a regular basis.

I once spent a weekend canoeing; not bad for someone who is scared of water, having been drowned in the past for being a witch! As you go along the river, in the same way as the people of the past, in a vessel to sit in, with two bits of wood to power you, you see where the power of the water erodes the banks of the river but at the same time, deposits new silt and stone on the other bank: constantly changing, constantly moving, taking away the old and making the new. You are experiencing the cycle of life. You cannot see that from a car. You have to be in it, or with it, to understand it.

It also made me appreciate the power of the elements, especially as the power of water threw us from the canoe. It is a very humbling experience to be thrown into the water, the panic as you feel for the ground underfoot to try and get back up to the surface. The water overturned and fully immersed me, the ground gave me footing to get back to the surface, the wind dried me and the sun warmed me. All four elements made their presence felt and in the process made me fully appreciate their strength, power and presence.

I am not saying you must be as rash as me as to get out in a canoe, but you must get out there and feel, see and touch their very being. Sunbathing on the beach can turn into fully appreciating the energy and power of the sun, and the cooling flowing power of the sea. A day trip to the seaside can change your very mood and state of mind. Make your every outdoor visit a magickal experience – it isn’t that hard.  Think about it.

The Magpie; is one really for sorrow…

I must have the unhappiest life on the planet if what I learnt as a child is true. Those of a similar age to me will remember “One for sorrow, two for joy”…the line of the song from a children’s programme. Whenever I see a magpie, which was seldom ever, I look desperately for a second bird to change the firtunes of my day from unhappy to happy! I love looking at superstitions and the likes to see if what we know to be true is!! The magpie thing came to mind since a pair of magpies took up residence in a tree in my garden this summer. One must have been sat on eggs as I only ever saw one, but now at least there are usually two. They used to be impossible to see but seem to be getting more and more common in built-up areas. So, is my life so unhappy because of my new garden occupants or is there more to these myths than it seems?

In the east, a magpie is the sign of good fortune but here it is the opposite. If one lands on your house, then death is imminent apparently, so I am pretty screwed since they are always on my fence or roof!! I prefer the Norse description that says a single magpie is a witch in disguise…and if there are a couple bringing up their young ones in my tree, who am I to protest? Apparently a bow and Good Morning to Mr Magpie undoes any bad luck…phew!! Good job I do this daily then, isn’t it!!