Moving on ~ Show me the Magick

Yes. I haven’t updated since May. Why? Life changes. People change. Spiritual practices change – whether we are paying attention or not.

I discovered a thing. My personal patron gods? They don’t give a crap about devotion, altars or offerings.   What do they want? For me to do some goddamn magic

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And that’s pretty much how it happened. Once I stopped trying to be a witch/magician/whatever – and just did the damn thing? Well, life got interesting and I stopped posting. It’s kinda hard to write a slice of life piece when you have three major spiritual experiences in one day.

By the way, if the Goddess Bridget even talks to you, even if it’s snark? You are truly blessed.

I have to hand it to Taylor Ellwood, his book Pop Culture Magick and his Facebook group with the same name. Why? Because I struggled for years with self doubt. I thought I wasn’t a real “witch” unless I understood how things were done “back in the day.”

Not anymore.

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Yeah, that’s what it was like that first few weeks. Now I don’t pat myself on the back. I don’t look to get my photo taken. I don’t make the “Look at my magic work!” posts (Unless it’s for business). I’m too busy showing the gods that I am not wasting my talents.

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What about you? What magic are you making? What are you showing the gods? Me? I got work to do.

God Hopping & Spell Casting ~ Pray

In my first decade as a witch, I’ve seen some things.  Some of it blows my mind. Here’s one:
Many pagans, young and old, of all cultures have patron deities, the one or two gods that they feel shapes their spiritual and mundane lives.  I, too, have patron deities that I  am devoted to solely.
Now this is where I start scratching my head.
Few pagans of any flavor have gone without casting a spell of some kind – hex, blessing or curse.  Every one of us has been in a spot where we have to use our gifts to enact change on some level. However many wiccan/witchy spells from a myriad of sources (cough *the internets * cough) have the practitioner working with gods they don’t normally petition or have a mutual relationship of any sort. Candle
Umm what?
If you need to ask a favor, do you call on your family and friends? People who know you and can trust you? Or do you ask a celebrity that doesn’t know you from a hole in the ground?  Yes, yes, I’m sure the “Love and Light” brigade will take me to task for this. However, not everything is love and light when it comes to our deities and everyday life.
I am sure that a spell for love would work great by calling on the the great goddess Aphrodite. Since I don’t work with Her, what is Her incentive to answer my plea? Some offering that was dictated in a book and put out only a payment of services rendered?  Yeah – NO.
The real lesson here? If your spells aren’t working, there’s a reason. Do you have a relationship with the gods or spirits you call on? If not? Well there’s your sign to start again.  Develop some kind of relationship with the deity you’re calling on or don’t call on them at all.
What about  your own deities? Why can’t your own guides help? These are some great questions that you can answer. What are you experiences?
Rev. Terrie

Don’t Call Me Reverend ~ Pray

No Reverends Allowed
Yes. I am officially clergy. Yes, I have earned the title. No, don’t call me that. Not yet.
The term “reverend” has been around since the 1400s. Under normal circumstances, it’s used as a title of respect for members of the clergy. See that word “respect”? I haven’t earned that just yet. I’m working on it.

To earn the respect of others is a big deal to me. Anyone can study spirituality. Some can pass the tests dictated by their belief systems. Few get to invoke their Higher Selves to tap into the powers of the Universe… That doesn’t mean squat when it comes to respect from their fellow humans and peers.

Earning the respect of others is my ego check incarnate. I may think I’m the best thing since communion wafers – but when things get hard I don’t want to break. I want to be the kind of Reverend that gets those Psychic 911 calls. I want to be the kind of Reverend that goes out drinking with you as the designated driver when you want to drown your sorrows in cheap scotch. I want to be the kind of Reverend that rarely answers Facebook pleas or Kijiji listings for house blessings, readings, mini magic or handfastings. To show respect, to earn that title of “Reverend” means that the people and community I serve know me. They know who I am, what I am and what I can do. My community will recommend me for anything that is needed.

To be clear, this is not to be confused with fame. I know a few famous people and Reverends. I wouldn’t recommend them for giving you the time of day. Sure they are usually favorably know and placed high among their peers…. But that doesn’t mean a thing to me. They didn’t earn my respect either through their actions or attitude. Bad behavior and news travels fast everyone. And in a community as small as mine? Everyone will eventually know a version of the dirty details.

So I know there will be the talk behind my back. I know that there will be rumors. I endeavor to at least get people to spell my name right when it happens. I also encourage those who have a bad story about me to tell me about it! I want to know what the scuttlebutt is! If the dirt is true, I’ll confess. I have no more illusions of my own infallibility. If the gossip isn’t true? I at least know where I stand and where the misinformation is coming from. Who knows? I might have a bit more gossip to spread just to see where and how the information flows. Yes, that is rather low. I’m ok with that.

So for now. Just call me Terrie. I’m fine with “Priestess.” But, don’t call me Reverend…. Not yet.