Doing Nothing
August 2nd, 2010
There are days when one is overcome with an urge to just sit back and do nothing. Absolutely nothing. And in our modern world, this urge — this basic need — has become something about which we are conditioned to feel guilty over. To feel we are not worthy of it; that everything and everyone else is more important than the simple truth that we, too, need “time out” — need time to just sit, just be, just kick back and relax. To do, very simply, nothing at all.
Today has been one of those days for me. I have, effectively, shut out the world and just concentrated on me, myself, I. This has meant that all I have done is sleep in most of the morning, fixed myself a lunch of what I wanted to eat as opposed to what I should eat, and then curled up on the sofa this afternoon to spend time thinking — but not about anything in particular. Just thinkin’. If I was a kid, it would have been called daydreaming — and I suppose that’s what it has been. I’ve daydreamed part of the afternoon away, then watched a movie. I had intended to knit, which is one of my preferred relaxation methods (I view it as rather an active meditation), but instead I simply sat and held the yarn, letting the feel and texture and sensation of it slide between my fingers and offer up comfort and peace. And for that time, I felt content.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that your lifestyle doesn’t enable you to do this — to do nothing. Literally nothing. To ignore the chores, to push back the should-do’s and the could-do’s and the have-to-do’s. To draw a veil over the responsibilities and restrictions we place on ourselves in order to appease others, or to do what we feel others would require of us. But while you may feel this, somewhere deep inside is probably a yearning, an urge, to have some time for yourself, in which you can just … rest. In which you can just do nothing, in order to come back to centre, to calm. To your own innate sense of balance and divine harmony.
This is difficult for us to do. I know that; a lot of my early morning was spent trying to convince myself that I not only needed this time, but I deserved this time, and that yes, I could claim it. That the world would not end for me claiming it. But we do come up with so many reasons for why we cannot claim it; for why we feel we do not need it, much less deserve it. And there’s a whole lot of bullpoopie in that sentiment.
Truth be told, we all function better when relaxed, when filled with energy, when feeling renewed and rejuvenated. A lot of us compartmentalise this, working flat-out all year for that essential week or two in the sun during which we attempt to recharge our batteries. But happens when we can’t get there? When that break away from work and stress and fatigue evades us? What then?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could live feeling rejuvenated, or feeling that whenever we needed an energetic pick-me-up that we could just take it? Make time in our busy schedule and allow ourselves the possibility of an hour here or an evening there, or an afternoon or even full day doing exactly nothing? Just to do the things that recharge us, that fill our beings with energy and renewed vision and passion… Like taking a long bath or sleeping in, or watching movies or cartoons all day. Things that, quite easily, can be classed as “doing nothing”.
In actuality, “doing nothing” couldn’t be further from the truth. In “doing nothing”, we are taking active steps towards ensuring our personal storecupboard of energy is being replenished. We are allowing our emotions and our minds time to rest, to heal. Our bodies are able to relax, to release the tensions that have been building up while we shoulder our share of worries — and everyone else’s. And we are allowing our spirits to simply be.
For some of us, though, this doesn’t come easy — whether we give ourselves “permission” or not. Sometimes, we need a helping hand, a gentle nudge in the right direction. I know I do, especially when I feel that I am not worthy of such important time. And that’s when I turn towards some tools, some gifts, I have been given over the years by intuition, dear friends, trusted teachers, and beloved companions on the path.
Curled Deer
I’ve already spoken of one of these gifts — curling up on the sofa. In The Endorphin Effect: A Breakthrough Strategy for Holistic Health and Spiritual Wellbeing, Dr William Bloom tells us that:
When the human body is allowed to rest, it naturally regenerates itself and absorbs nurture, vitality, and strength. This is built into its biological and energetic structure.
Furthermore, one of the key strategies in The Endorphin Effect shows us how to relax, to rest, to allow ourselves such regeneration and rejuvenation. It is called Curled Deer. It’s a strategy we already use, whenever we rest — it’s as natural to us as breathing if we allow it to happen. But most often, we don’t — or we feel that we are not worth it. But we are — and we can use this technique, this gift, whenever we feel we need to. Whenever there’s that urge to rest, to do nothing, to relax and heal, and we’re unsure how, we can use Curled Deer. And you use it regardless of how you feel — whether bouncy and energetic, or sluggish and lethargic; whether in a positive frame of mind or in a negative one. It can be used at any time, by anyone.
Curled Deer is exactly as it sounds — an image of a deer, curled up and at rest. That doesn’t mean that you have to be curled up in a foetal position or attempting some yogic asana (posture). Rather, as long as you are comfortable that is fine — whether it be lying on your stomach in bed or curled up under a blanket on the sofa, or wrapped around a favourite toy or pet.
Once you’re comfortable, close your eyes and take a few minutes to just breathe quietly. Consciously relax your abdomen (you may find it easier if you rest your hands lightly on your abdomen when first doing this, to help you focus).
When you feel ready, take the time to think of someone, something or someplace that truly makes you happy. Let that sensation of happiness, of love, fill you up — let it make you smile. A gentle, sincere smile that is born from wonder and joy and wisdom, not smugness or ego. Allow this smile to radiate throughout you — to settle into your cells and bones, your muscles. Let your face relax.
Allow your eyes to soften, to hold compassion. Turn their gaze inward, so that you are the focus of their love and compassion and affection. Let this feeling merge with the pleasurable sensations you’re already allowing to permeate your body.
Breathe softly, slowly, quietly, deep into your belly. Keep your abdomen relaxed and easy. Just breathe nice and deep, and allow yourself to feel this pleasure and affection towards yourself.
After a while, become aware of the heaviness of your body — as if you were loosening up, collapsing into yourself. Let all the tension go, and just imagine yourself collapsing inwards in a supportive, loving, compassionate way. Let yourself feel comforted, supported, loved.
Imagine that your forehead is connected with the base of your spine in a circuit — an invisible, humming circuit running from the centre of your forehead down the front of your body, under your groin, touching the base of your spine, and then up your spine again to run over your head and back to the centre of your forehead. Feel this circuit hum.
Let your neck, chest, and abdomen sink down gently. Relax them. Let your spine relax, lengthen, open. As you do, imagine a warm flow start to loop around the circuit, filling you with warmth and peace. As you do this, hold the feelings of pleasure and affection and comfort and let them all come together. Bask in this feeling of connection, contentment, peace, relaxation. Rest.
Stay like this for as long as you want/need.
Now, some people may find that they are in a really bad mood and unable to get focussed enough to fall into Curled Deer. I have those days myself, so you’re not alone. But on those days I allow myself to crash underneath a duvet as soon as possible and simply “hide”. I stay there for as long as I can, sometimes falling asleep, sometimes grumbling to myself over and over until I work it all through. And eventually, the bad mood lifts and I find I can focus — and then, I go into Curled Deer.
Essences
However, sometimes we may need an extra nudge to get to Curled Deer — sometimes we just can’t settle. And this is where we can turn to Momma Nature for some good old fashioned, natural help. 
As I’ve said before, essences are the healing vibrations of plants captured in water. They are powerful healing tools and catalysts for change, and they provide us with gentle support through all of life’s ups and downs.
When it comes to resting, Dr Edward Bach discovered an essence that aids those of us suffering from exhaustion, whether it be mental or physical. Dr Bach’s original description of this essence, in his work The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies states,
Olive: [for] those who have suffered much mentally or physically and are so exhausted and weary that they feel they have no more strength to make any effort. Daily life is hard work for them, without pleasure.
While this describes the crux of the essence, it doesn’t say how else it can be used. Yes, it is wonderful for those who are exhausted after doing something or after an illness or — critically — after pushing themselves too hard. This is something we all do, so even when we allow ourselves time to relax, to rest, to “do nothing”, we find it difficult. What Olive, one of Bach’s Seven helpers, does is helps us to reconnect with the energy within ourselves and enable us to tap into that need to rest in order to replenish those energies. Initially, it may give us an extra boost if that is what we need — but ultimately it encourages the body to reconnect with its energy stores and refill them, providing us with the release we need in which to find rest, to allow relaxation to occur.
As we work with Olive essence, we find that our inner strength is replenished, our energetic storecupboard is refilled. But also it allows us to return to a place of rest, to withdraw within ourselves and cradle our needs — to adopt Curled Deer and reconnect, reharmonise, rebalance. To do nothing.
An essence combination that works in a similar way is the Rest and Relax blend from Wild Earth. Created shamanically, Wild Earth essences instead contain the healing energies of animals held within water. No animals are hurt during this process, which is conducted in deep honour and reverence to Mother Earth and the animal spirits. Rest and Relax combines the essences of Dragonfly, Sloth and Sparrow to encourage a deep place of rest and relaxation where we can heal, connect with our inner selves, and replenish our energies.
The individual essences work together in a very gentle and supportive way to cradle us as we allow ourselves to return to a place of relaxation. Dragonfly brings with it a very light, spiritual energy that is all at once very airy and spacious. It is daydream, wonder, a pleasant haze on a summer’s day. In this case, it brings about a deep sense of calm and rest after experiencing busy periods. It supports as you let go of tension and eases you into a dreamy state.
We are all familiar with the sloth, a creature which moves slowly and sleeps for around 10 hours a day. Sloth essence taps into these qualities, bringing about a profound sense of slowing down on all levels — physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. It helps us literally stop when this is needed, and encourages us to focus on slowing down, quieting down, and to an awareness of acting with great care.
Sparrow essence blends wonderfully with Dragonfly and Sloth to ease us into this quiet, slow, dreamy state with a sweet sense that everything will be fine. Sparrow’s main quality is a very gentle release of worry, an awareness of peace. For such a little, joy-filled bird Sparrow has a huge gift in this for us! By enfolding us in this sense that everything is going to be all right, Sparrow allows us to drift into this quiet time — this time and space of relaxation and rest — that has been offered up by Sloth and Dragonfly. Together, they are an awesome trio and supportive network for those still times, those moments of “doing nothing”.
I’m not going to tell you to “take care of number one”. I am going to ask you whether you feel it’s time you started being a little more gentle with yourself. To start considering that you have a responsibility not only to others but to yourself. How would you handle a tired friend, a sick relation, an emotional child? With compassion, with affection, with gentleness and love. You’d tell them to curl up, take some time, rest, relax, heal. To reconnect. To simply be. To do nothing for a time.
So why aren’t you doing it yourself?
Go on — take some time in which you can just … rest. In which you can just do nothing, in order to come back to centre, to calm. To your own innate sense of balance and divine harmony. And then get up, and get on — and feel rejuvenated, passionate, enlivened once more.
‘Til next time — blessed be.
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The Memory of Plants
July 14th, 2010
BBC News reported yesterday that scientists have discovered that plants “can think and remember”. Significantly, they “are able to ‘remember’ and ‘react” to information contained in light”.
This is nothing new to Flower Essence Therapists who are continuing with the work begun in the early 1900s by Dr Edward Bach — but it is interesting that modern science has “discovered” something we’ve known for almost a century. Indeed, one of Dr Bach’s methods for creating flower essences relied heavily on light — the light of the sun.
Known as the “sun method”, this technique was developed by Dr Bach after seeing how dew collected on plants contained the plants’ energetic blueprint (their essence) and he set to devising his own method of such containment, rather than attempting to collect dew or produce the his Bach Flower Remedies via more homeopathic means (such as boiling). Out of the 38 Bach Flower Remedies, some 20 were originally made via the sun method, which is — as in the nature of flower essences — very simple. It was, after all, Dr Bach’s vision that anyone could create these essences from plants growing in their own gardens, whenever they needed them.
To make essences via the sun method, a bowl is filled with fresh spring water. The flowering heads of the plant in question are gathered, and then placed gently onto the water’s surface. This is then left in full sunlight for at least three hours, during which time the healing vibrations of the plant are transferred through the heat and light of the sun into the water. After this time has elapsed, the flower heads are discarded (usually into composters) and a ratio of brandy — Dr Bach’s preferred preservative — is added to the water. This is then known as the “mother tincture” of the essence, and this is further diluted down with more water/brandy to the stock and dosage bottles we know from the shelves of our health food shops and Flower Essence Therapists’ cupboards.
Isn’t Momma Nature wonderful?
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Bring on the wonder…
July 14th, 2010
I don’t have the time for a drink from the cup
Let’s rest for a while ’til our souls catch us up
Bring on the wonder, bring on the song
I pushed you down deep in my soul for too long
These lyrics form part of the song Bring on the Wonder by British singer/songwriter Susan Enan — and listening to this a short while ago brought me somewhat abruptly to the concept of wonder. And, specifically, the wonder of our selves — our own personalities and strengths.
In today’s modern world we all know of the dangers of stress — for the business person, this could be from corporate communications (or lack thereof) or the daily commute; for parents, this could be juggling home and work, or striving to maintain clear boundaries with their children whilst retaining that delicate relationship. For all of us there’s the trials of simply living in such a modern and highly-technological world, miscommunication, and the act of trying to please everyone without betraying your innate self.
It’s not easy.
How many of us actually put others first to the detriment of our own selves? How many times do we fail to see the wonder of our own talents, abilities — our own beauty — because we’re stuck in the rat-race or just trying to make ends meet? How many of us fall into bed exhausted and wake feeling unrefreshed and unsatisfied the following day?
We’re so busy trying to fit everything in that one could argue that we’re not living — we’re existing, and there’s a difference. We go from day to day, attempting to keep as many balls in the air as possible, whilst depriving ourselves of the things that could rejuvenate and revitalise ourselves. We often don’t have the time for rest, relaxation and connection with the world around us on a daily basis. Many of us feel disconnected and disinterested when, deep inside, there’s a childlike sense of wonder struggling to experience the world around us, or even express our understanding of said world. Quite literally, we push ourselves “down deep in my soul for too long”.
You may be thinking that it’s very easy for me to say this — but, in the interests of transparency, I do this too. I can ignore what my soul needs in order to fulfil the wishes of others, and then crash and burn after doing it for too long. It’s something we all need to re-learn and occasionally even those of us who think they’ve got it right find themselves crashing and burning along with everyone else. And it’s times like that when we’re at the bottom, trying to work out how we got here, that we then see all the warning signs we had previously ignored — that cough, how it dragged on for weeks on end; those near-misses in the car; those days when nothing went according to plan — for weeks on end. And so on.
Often, many of us force ourselves back onto our feet at this point. We attempt to carry on going, attempt to convince ourselves and those around us that everything is just fine. And then it happens again. And again. Each time, we may crash and burn more spectacularly than the last — first it may have been a flurry of tears in the morning shower; then a cold that threatened to send you to bed for days; now it may be a full-blown chest infection, broken leg, emotional breakdown, or worse.
How much of ourselves do we push down, down into the depths of our souls in order to “succeed” or to make others happy? As a friend of mine has told me again and again, “If you never say ‘No’, how much is your ‘Yes’ worth?”
There may be all sorts of reasons we may do this — obligation, maybe. A feeling of responsibility. A wish to keep a loved one happy. Perhaps also a feeling that we are not worthy of such self-care, that such responsibility and love does not extend to our very selves. That, simply, erroneously, “I am not worth it.”
Well, you’d be wrong.
Every one of us is worth caring about — perhaps even more than that which we extend to others. I’m not saying that we should become narcissistic and self-centred; I’m saying that we need to pay attention to our own feelings and worth. When we care about ourselves we can tend to the needs of those around us so much better, because we’ve done the ground work. We feel calm and content within our own selves — what better place from which to help others?
So… Just ask yourself: What would it take to keep you on an even keel today? Perhaps it’s something simple — like using a favourite shower gel in the morning, or taking five minutes quiet time in the garden or local park during your lunch hour. Perhaps something creative — like knitting a few more rows of that jumper you’re working on, or creating up a graphic in Photoshop. Perhaps it’s something spiritual — lighting a candle, speaking the rosary, meditation. Perhaps it’s taking a yoga class or going to the gym. Perhaps it’s something more intensive than that. We’re each our own person, and if it’s important to you, then it’s valid.
Take five minutes and see what you can come up with — and then do it. I’d love to hear about how you get on. Leave a comment, and soon I’ll be sharing some of my favourite techniques that I use on a day-to-day basis to help myself remember that I am a wonder-filled being in this wonder-filled world.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Hekate Chant
July 14th, 2010
Following on from my last post regarding the Hekate workshop I recently had the pleasure to attend, I wanted to share one of my favourite short devotional chants to this goddess.
Concentrating on Her roles as torch-bearer, companion, and saviour, it is a chant I use when needing to reconnect with Hekate’s strength and presence.
Hekate Phosphorus, guide me through your darkness
Hekate Propolos, stand with me always
Hekate Soteira, keep me strong…
(copyright Heather K Veitch, 2010)
For those of you connecting with this wise Lady of the Underworld and crossroads, may it bring you closer to Her mysteries.
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Workshop Review: Hekate
July 14th, 2010
At the start of June, I was able to attend a workshop on the goddess Hekate, offered by Witchcraft Limited, at their Cat and Cauldron store. The workshop was one of the Dark Goddess workshops being offered this year — other Ladies included are Skhmt (Sekhmet), the Morrighan, and Callieach. I was drawn to the Hekate workshop as I’ve been working with this goddess for a number of years now and I wanted to be able to share in Her mysteries with a like-minded group of people without distractions.
The workshop was led by Dr Liz Williams, an experienced priestess and workshop facilitator (and author of some rather excellent science fiction), along with Jamie Alexzander, one of Witchcraft Limited’s knowledgeable and experienced staff members. The workshop space at The Cat and Cauldron had been transformed into a full shrine to Hekate, complete with burning torches, keys, masks, horse skulls and snakes — various symbols that are sacred to this complex deity. There was the later addition of a whole lamb’s heart as an offering.
The workshop began with a discussion of the appearance and role of Hekate in history and mythology — some viewing Her as an aged crone goddess, others as a terrible maiden. Often depicted as Hekate Triformis, this wise goddess of the crossroads is shown with varying faces — horse, snake, human, canine, draconic — and rules over such supposedly diverse areas as birth and death. However, if one thinks about the world in which the ancient Greeks inhabited, these two were more closely linked than in our world of modern medicine — often birth was accompanied by death, and so a goddess who was midwife to the newly-born and dying/newly-dead was highly appropriate.
Most commonly known nowadays as a goddess of Witchcraft, magic, spirits and the Underworld (mainly due to Shakespeare’s Macbeth, but with earlier associations in Ptolemaic Alexandria), Hekate seems to be today represented as a crone goddess rather than the original maiden who appears in Hellenic myth with Her dogs by Her side. Both beautiful and terrible, it is said that She can see past, present and future from Her stance on the crossroads of life, and holds both the secrets of life/death and the keys to unlock one’s inner wisdom. She was frequently mentioned in the works of Hesiod, Athenaeus, Homer, Euripides and others, while today there is an ever-expanding collection of literature about Her.
Hekate’s titles are many, and reflect her complexity — Soteira (“saviour”), Kleidouchos (“key-bearer”), Chthonia (“earthly-one”) and Kourotrophos (“child’s nurse”) being several, though in modern-day Wicca and Paganism She is considered simply as a goddess of magic, as protectress of Witches, and guardian of the dead. It is a shame that She is regulated to these roles, as there is so much more to Her than these aspects! As midwife to the newly-born or those dying, She aids in the journey between worlds and in transitions as a whole. As guide and torch-bearer, She is highly appropriate for when dealing with the shadow-side of the human persona and working through one’s “dark night of the soul”. Given Her connections to the Underworld, She is also noted for Her guardianship of the dead and also of the darker, more intuitive aspects of consciousness — and so divination, intuition, mediumship, magic and spells also fall into Her domain. Her protection is not limited to Witches; rather She favours those who are connected to the boundary of life and death — for instance, healers, midwives, magic-users, the dying, labouring mothers and children.
Despite being viewed in contemporary society as a “dark” goddess, Hekate is neither this nor all sweetness-and-light; She rules the boundaries, the twilight-paths, and as such will heal as well as hurt. Exacting change wherever it needs to occur, for good or ill, many of Her sacred plants are those with a dual purpose — for instance, aconite (often used in homeopathy) is also a deadly poison. In death comes life, and in life comes death, and this is what Hekate understands all too well.
In addition to discussing Her history and roles, those attending the workshop also looked at working with Hekate in ritual and magic, and in devotional rites to Her. I have long had an altar to Hekate in my home, upon which appropriate offerings are left — meat, honey, blood, alcohol, flowers, incense and candles all find their way onto Her altar at various points in the year. Whether viewed as a crone goddess or maiden, She is a shadowy figure whose worship is a delicate balance of shade and shadow. In the workshop itself we created and burned incense blends containing herbs and flowers sacred to Her — from mandrake to sandalwood to mugwort and much more besides.
Meditations and internal journeys to meet Hekate and visit the Underworld were also very much in evidence at the workshop, as was a walk to and from Glastonbury Tor in the manner of silent priestesses using movement as a meditative practice. Standing on the Tor with my consciousness sinking deep into the earth beneath my feet to physically connect with Hekate’s earthly domain was a thrilling experience and one I hope to experience again in this sacred place. Tracework was also covered, as was a (re-)dedication ritual for those present who desired to align themselves more formally to this Lady. One of the other staff members, Jack Snell, ritually painted hands and/or feet with devotional symbols in henna afterwards, which made me smile for days (and days, and days…).
I came away from the workshop acutely aware of Hekate and Her roles — and of Her presence in my life. As my matron goddess, She is one who I strive to know and understand better despite the many years I have worked with Her. The day was intensive and comprehensive, and at all times I felt safe and in the companionship of honest and experienced priests and priestesses able and willing to help others experience this magnificent goddess further. I heartedly recommend this workshop and the other courses run by Witchcraft Limited to anyone interested in the Craft or its many varied deities and want to thank Liz, Jamie, Jack and Trevor of Witchcraft for such a fabulous contribution to esoteric education — and the goddess Hekate Herself, for Her touch on my life.
Io Agios Hekate!
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