Level Up Achieved

1 skill point added to Cat-pathy, I can now sense cats when they are near…

Now, is this a sign that I am getting old and should have lots of them and be a crazy cat spinster? Or is it a new magical power gifted to me by the mighty Bastet?

Walking home and they followed me and I knew they were there before they revealed themselves to me…

Whichever reason for it, it’s odd, it’s bad enough having the thoughts of sleeping people wind their way through my consciousness on my way home without adding an overwhelming desire to run through bushes after mice I can’t see and lap milk, purring by an open fire.

But then again cats are pretty magical, so with the expansion of my powers why wouldn’t they be psychically attracted to me and vice-versa,

Now to curl up on the end of my bed and nap the night away.

Lee – signing out

Mental Exhaustion and Emotional Weariness

So, it’s time for me to join the fold it should have been last week, but organising a pirate parade and training for the Students’ Union kind of took the forefront for a week. The MOST emotionally exhausting week of my life I reckon.

And it is about this topic that led me to think about mental exhaustion and emotional weariness, as the past week involved eating, sleeping, socialising and working all in the same room, this room being a relatively small scout hut in the middle of Norfolk. In which we planned events for new students joining the university and generally team built, there was a lot of learning going on (especially how good I am with an air rifle) and a whole lot of work got done with just over £10,000 raised in 3 days.

This meant that none of us had any time to ourselves to sort out our heads and process anything that had happened in the day, as 14 people sleeping in the same room is a recipe for bad sleeping for anyone, let alone someone tuned in with others’ emotions and dreams. So after a few days we were ready to have a full on argument with anyone who even looked at us wrong, but this was kept under wraps and we all behaved admirably given the situation, but we were all definitely sick of each other by the time Sunday came around.

So, we were all tired, irritable and very ready to get home to our own beds so when I got home it was the best 14 hour sleep I had. However I was still very tired and not in any mood to talk to anyone, however nice they were being to me, so I stayed in my room and moped all day, in and out of sleep, which is where this blog is going, I promise.

So… back on track, the past few weeks I’ve been trying to open myself up to liking and possibly loving another person, which meant I had to make myself emotionally open (vulnerable) so that I could experience a real untainted version of my own emotions, and when Monday came around my brain was so tired and emotionally exhausted that I couldn’t deal with the emotions I was feeling and had to try extremely hard not to re-erect my walls that have held me steady for so many years, it was an experience I didn’t particularly enjoy I can tell you that much, but I persevered and am much happier for the experience.

THE ACTUAL POINT – Be open with your emotions with the people around you and with yourself as even though they get difficult to deal with sometimes they are there for your own good. When experienced fully, emotions create a state where you as a person are content and able to deal with the world in such a better way. I’m still learning this because my skill in empathy meant that I thought keeping my own emotions held in and boxed away would help me deal with others, but it’s not true and it’s a hard lesson to learn and apply to life.

Lee

P.S. New article can be found here: 
http://witchesmix.hubpages.com/hub/Haitian-Vodou-Legba

RITUAL SACRIFICE!!!!!!!!

Right…now I have your attention =] lets dispel a few myths about Ritual Sacrifice.

 

1) A sacrifice does not need to involve killing anything.

2) A sacrifice is simply giving up something valuable – either to you or to the Spirit you are making the offering to.

3) The origins of animal sacrifice are in cultures that had to kill animals to eat them. They couldn’t exactly pop down to the supermarket and buy a joint of beef. So, seeing as they were killing the animal anyway, they ritualised the death as an offering to the Spirits.

4) Continuing on from point number three – unless you happen to rear your own animals which you then intend to kill for food, don’t sacrifice an animal to the Spirits. For one thing, it’s a bit insulting to offer something to a Spirit that you wouldn’t eat yourself…you’re pretty much saying it’s not good enough for you, but it’s good enough for them.

5) If you buy your food from the supermarket, as many people do, make an offering to the Spirits from the food you buy. This is the true meaning of Sacrifice, giving up something that is yours.

6) This is very important – there is nothing big or clever about killing things. It does not make you more of a ‘Real Witch’.

7) Praying is a form of Sacrifice. You are giving up your time, your energy and your feelings in devotion to a Spirit.

8) If you wish to Sacrifice anything to a Spirit -

a) Make sure it is a Sacrifice they will accept, enjoy, and that won’t offend them. (For example, an offering to a Fae containing iron will not go down well.)

b) Research the Spirit in depth – you don’t want to be working with anything nasty now do you?

c) DO NOT KILL ANYTHING! Very few Spirits will appreciate it as technically you are giving up the life of another creature in Sacrifice…IT’S NOT YOURS TO GIVE!…Also, in most places it’s kinda illegal…

I hope this has been helpful, educational and so on =D

 

This is Ed from WitchesMIX signing off!

Fist and foremost, I (Gary) have just been given the job to train my father. I have spent lots of time over the past few years researching nutrition, exercise and many other exercise related techniques, and so he has asked me to help him lose weight, tone up and become badass. And if that wasn’t already enough, my brother has taken up my old sport, boxing, and has decided he’d like help with that too. He has been picked for an in-house tournament and needs to work hard to do well. I’m sure his trainers at Impact Fight Academy are doing perfectly well, but that is just twice a week. He want’s something a little extra in his time off, and as I have once done all this he figured why not ask me about it.

This lead me to a new train of thought. WitchesMIX articles could definitely include sections on health, fitness, sports coaching and so on. It is completely up my street! I have a level one coaching qualification that allows me to coach, in person, for any team sport, but further than that and more importantly I have learned a hell of a lot since then. And in all fairness, physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing are all connected deeper than we can comprehend. Just the simple act of engaging in a sport or physical passtime can increase your mental wellbeing tenfold, through channels such as confidence, happiness, and alertness.  So yeah, look forward to that!

Secondly, I have some profound shizz on my mind about smiles. A single smile can change somebodies entire day for the better! I was out walking the other day with Annalise & Lily (Fiancee and child) and I dropped her off at her nans house. While walking back to our house on my own, I passed many people… Some old, some young, some happy and some just plain rude. While heading down a particularly tight path, I saw ahead of me a man of similar age to me, dressed in the typical “I’m a tough guy” Attire, such as myself, heading in my direction. This was not good, we were heading toward each other, we were both the type to stare so as to not show weakness, and we could very easily create an awkward scenario where we stare each other out and don’t actually do anything about our feelings towards each other as while they appear threatening they are in fact the direct opposite.

I do what I usually do, I’m not one for violence or pointless bad feeling. I hate how the stereotype I fall into automatically puts me in this mindset, where I have to be as pointlessly standoffish as anyone else slightly dressed like me -_- And so, as I was about to say I do what I usually do; I smile. A simple act of kindness that shows you are not that kind of person. You are not posing a threat to this person, and this person doesn’t make you feel negative at all. This muscular, tough looking guy shifted his entire expression into one of the largest grins I have ever seen, and in that millisecond, his whole image came across differently. He was an adult man just out enjoying the sunshine.

I soon realised that the only reason he would have been feeling threatened, was because I wasn’t smiling, and the only reason I wasn’t smiling was because I was feeling threatened, and vice versa. This is concerning. The world we live in is so void of positive emotion that when one single, positive scenario happens outside of your friend and family groups, it sticks in your head all day long to the point where you actually blog about it! Come on people, lets smile! It’s so easy. It’s easier than frowning, and that shit is proven by science! It changed my day entirely, and I’m sure it changed his. For a few seconds, we were two people that instead of being threatening younger males became ‘nice lads,’ the kind of scenario that makes the rest of the day go well. My mood was shifted instantly, and because of this I had cars stopping to let me cross the road and everybody throughout the remainder of the journey seemed to pick up on my positive aura and smile at me also. Even those I would coin as yobs!

So the moral of the story is smile. It’s easy, it’s fun, and it could very well change the world.

Gary, signing off.

New Article!

Yes, we are back on track! With our first article on Haitian Vodou churned out, I am re-inspired to complete this series. Enjoy reading and feel free to ask any questions, vote up and rate!

http://witchesmix.hubpages.com/hub/Haitian-Vodou-Introduction

WitchesFISH!

Say hello to the witches fish! This is just a preview, we are vectoring him correctly as we speak so we won’t be getting the classic space invaders jaggedy lines Just incase you didn’t know, or couldn’t tell, he is made up of the three runes, Laggaz, Eihwaz, Mannaz, That also birthed the MIX part of WitchesMIX. Yeah, we are creative and awesome!

And so we’re back! (From outer space!)

Well it has been a while hasn’t it. It’s safe to say that WitchesMIX has unfortunately had to take a back bench for a while as all three of us have had a rather heavy work load…all we seemed to be doing was planning what to do next. But this has gotten me to thinking, so many people, ourselves included, are so busy planning…but how much stuff actually gets done? It’s so much easier to say lets do this and lets do that…than to actually do it.

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to why this happens…It’s very easy to plan and dream, as there is no risk in this. Actually pursuing your dreams and plans has the very real risk of failure.  But technically…if you haven’t done anything at all, you’ve kinda failed anyway.  And in my honest opinion, if you tried your best, even if things didn’t work out the way you wanted them too, you haven’t failed at all. Because there’s no bigger failure than sitting still your whole life in case moving makes things worse.

There is a great deal of danger in planning too much. If you come up with an idea and try to plan every single detail, you soon start running into problems…the biggest problem being the ‘what if?’ problem. ‘What if this goes wrong?’ ‘What if that’s too difficult?’ When playing the ‘What if?’ Game nobody ever seems to say ‘What if this goes really well?’ And if they do they often laugh it off as a silly dream.

All of these thoughts got me quite depressed…so I’ve decided to do something about it.

No more extensive planning, when I have an idea I’m just going to run with it. After all, I could waste all day today planning what to do tomorrow, when for all I know I might be hit by a bus tomorrow. And then I’d be dead, I would have never done what I wanted to do. At least if I do it today and I die tomorrow. It’s still been done.

I understand that this is a bit of an odd blog to start back with, but it’s what was running through my head at the time.

So….yeah!

This is Ed from WitchesMIX signing off

And guys and gals…if you have something you want to do…go for it! =D

Reading for Jason

A general tarot reading for a friend using the Shadowsacapes Tarot

Tarot du jour

Well I refuse to write une poème acrostiche about my cards, I don’t think they’d appreciate it… and I’m not weird.

Donc, firstly we have the five of swords, this is the card that for me signifies intellectual adventure. It’s time to go and explore something that tests your brain and expands your horizons. It’s going to be fun, and there will be people around to provide you with the resources that you need and carry the excess and extras for you.

Soar into the sky of your intellect and travel through the realms of your mind. 

And now for the unicorns, keeping with the general people theme apparently, I have drawn the Grandparent card, which brings the message “You have a special bond with a grandparent that can never be broken,” it is telling you to trust an older member of your family or mentor, someone you look up to. They can help you a lot and their experience is invaluable to your development, in every aspect of your life.

And that is that for today, hope you enjoyed it.

Wildwood Tarot Of The Day

Today we have drawn The Stag, the archetypal guardian of the forest. Half animal and half human, he stands as a reminder of our inherent connection to nature, and that we to can be great protectors of what we believe in. Some kind of adjustment has taken place in our lives, it is our responsibility to take hold of the situation and move forward with confidence, taking in new information while guarding what you already know.

The Stag

T he stag,

H oused in the forest,

E legant in his duties.

S teady gaze watches calmly over the

T rails that lie behind him.

A sk him politely with an open heart, and the

G uardian will allow you passage.

Tarot reading for today

Well, it is the Page of Pentacles that has chosen me today ( and by chosen I mean,flew out of the pack across the sofa as I touched it)

It signifies that there is unknown knowledge that you need to tap in to on your current journey and when you do manage to tap into it, keep it safe and preserve it whatever way you see fit.

She brings an opportunity for growth and opportunity. A spark with a world’s worth of potential and it is up to you to decide how to use that spark, whether to illuminate the dark parts of your life, or keep it smouldering to warm you. It is up to you. It is time to be trustworthy and diligent with your studies, take time to think before you act but don’t be afraid of embracing new physical pleasures.

Take a step on a journey of knowledge and learning and you will find you will understand it much easier than you expected. It will also reveal how this knowledge intertwines with other aspects of your life.

Wildwood Tarot Of The Day

First off, please forgive my face, I’ve actually just woken up and am not quite feeling the benefits of being awake yet! In any case, today we have pulled the Knight Of Stones, a card that bares the archetypal symbol of the horse.  Today we are encouraged to be rather adventurous, performing in some healthy activities and perhaps having to overcome many peoples fear of losing. Competitive sports are hugely encouraged today, and that isn’t just so you can win. Go with somebody that just wants fun, win or lose. Aside from the health benefits of exercise you could find yourself less stressed, perhaps really enjoying yourself, and maybe even making new friends or strengthening bonds with current friends. What’s the worst that could happen?

Tarot Of The Day

For todays tarot of the day we have landed the ten of bows, bearing a keyword of responsibility. The challenge of dealing with responsibility is not always easy, and should be met with as much determination and willpower you can muster! The responsibility that has been put on you today may not just be for your own good, but the good of your family or friend group. Remember that responsibility is only given to those who are trusted enough to perform the given tasks, you should try hard not to make anyone regret their trust today. Prove how amazing you really are and act out your responsibilities with excellence!

And I’m back (from outer space) Day 2 oracle reading

Today we have the ‘Worth Waiting For’ card, this card comes with the message “Your patience will be rewarded” That card literally tells us to be patient, to wait for what we are wanting, like the ebb and flow of the sea, the thing you want will come to you even if it’s temporarily out of reach. The universe knows you are waiting and it is looking in the same direction. Relax and you will get what you want. Patience is a virtue and the anticipation of something can be exciting or boring, but either way, you must wait and it will be worth it.

So there you are, take a chill pill world and you’ll get something nice from it =D – Lee

My first Tarot/Oracle of the day

Today I shall be using my Unicorn oracle cards and yeah, yeah I know… we try and keep the fluff to a minimum here but there ain’t nothing wrong with some Unicorns in your life, I can tell you that for true.

Now, I’ve been using these cards for about 6 years now and they’re looking pretty worse for wear, or vintage and well loved as I would prefer, all adds to the drama, so I’m pretty good with these and because they’re Unicorns, they don’t have any negative meanings, the Unicorns bring light and magic into the world wherever they go, so within the reading there is always advice that will avoid the negative and put you well on your path to fixing the problems that are brought up. 

So after a quick shuffle, the Brothers and Sisters card was on top, this card brings a message for you to look inside yourself and see the love -and the best- within other people, primarily the people closest to you, or someone you aren’t getting on with particularly well with at the moment and would like to. It doesn’t always mean your brothers and sisters, it can mean the people you feel closest to or you can relate to, it’s about having someone with you in turbulent waters to help you get to where you want to go safely. With that person by your side protecting you, you can do anything you want. 

So that is your Unicorn message of the day from Lee, I hope you’ve enjoyed it, now go and get close to someone you care about =D

Apparently I’m bald today too… no biggie