As we approach 2021, I'm reflecting on the past year.... It would be easy to label this past year as the worst in my life. But if I were being truthful, as bad as 2020 has been, I've experienced just as much good. And... I've had years that were much more challenging overall.
I've been asked recently, how do I continue to stay in good spirits? While I haven't been in a pandemic/shelter in place situation before, the resulting situations are ones I'm VERY familiar with. This isn't the first time I've been unemployed, or the first time I've had a mountain of debt. Though I am thankfully NOT homeless (or in danger of becoming homeless), that is a situation I'm all too familiar with as well. But those past situations have left me with the knowledge that I CAN and WILL get through the financial part. The mental and emotional parts are more of a challenge.
Like everyone else, this pandemic has affected my life in a lot of ways. I miss the bar and my amazing work community there. I miss friends, family, and the simple joy of being around other people. As an extrovert, this is extremely difficult for me. I am lucky to be with my family, but skin hunger has many flavors... And as an energy worker, there are many layers to the loss that I feel. I never realized how a crowd of people can energize me.... Not in the way of, say, an energy vampire, but something about all the life energy surrounding me helps me connect better to my own. It's like it raises my frequency... That loss has been quite difficult to bear.
So how DO I keep up my spirits? The first thing is making a conscious choice. Please understand, when I say this, I am speaking for my own experience ONLY. This is not any kind of shame for anyone else. I just know, for myself, I can make the choice to be angry ( Let's face it: fear, despondency, depression... those all translate into anger for me), OR I can choose to use grace and humor to deal with the situation.... Grace and Humor, that's how we deal with any bad situation.
Then next thing is that I have been experimenting with "channeling" (for lack of a better term) life force from other things. I don't siphon the energy, just really trying to connect enough so that I can find my own higher frequency. It's hit or miss sometimes, but it helps.. There are a few ways to try this. The easiest way is if you are able to be outside. The nuances will change, depending on you. Are you most at home in the peace and quiet of nature? Or are you more comfortable in the city, with all the lights and movement? Whichever helps you connect better. Then close your eyes. Take a moment to feel the energy around you. (This may take a bit of practice)
If you are out in nature, listen to the sounds around you. Perhaps there is a stillness... keep listening and other things will creep in, the wind blowing, leaves rustling, perhaps birds calling. As you listen, try to connect to the energy around those sounds. Sometimes it helps me to visualize the movement behind it, then I can "see" the energy flowing. Once you've connected to the energy, try to find the frequency of it. Are there long, slow energy waves? Or are they fast and close together? Then feel for your own energy. The vibrations may seem like a buzzing on your skin. Try to match whichever energy fits the mood you are looking for. Need some peace and calm, match that type of energy. Or perhaps you need a mood lifter, try and match something more along those lines.
If you are more connected to an urban environment, the principal is quite similar, though I find it easier to think of the frequency in terms of electrical currents. Regardless of which method works for you, be sure to acknowledge the energy you are connecting to and express your gratitude for its help.
What if you are inside, and not able to go out when you need the energy boost? In this instance, I find good visualization very helpful. It's hard to find a quiet spot in my house lately, so I usual employ this method in the shower. I think of the elements, then give each one a visual representation. Water is easy because... Shower... I try to have incense burning, as that combines Fire and Air. For Earth, I push my thoughts through the floor and into the earth itself. As I think about each element, I visualize the physical sensations of each, as well as the sounds. Also, I think about what smells may accompany my visualization. WATER is ocean waves running over my feet. I hear the roar of the waves, and smell the sea air. FIRE is the crackle and heat, plus the scent of a bonfire. AIR is a windy day on a San Francisco hill. I feel the wind moving my hair, smell the grass and hear it rustling through the trees. EARTH is more sensation based. I visualize plunging my hands into the earth, and vines wrapping around my wrists. The earth is damp and cool, and the vines pulse with their own energy. The smell of the soil increases as I dig deeper.
Once you have the imagery set, seek out the energy of the elements and match their vibrations. Feel the hum of their energy and reach out with your own until the two share a common space. Once you feel like you have matched the frequency, you can withdraw, keeping the new energy you have created together. Don't forget to acknowledge the help you have been given, and give an offering when you can.
This is something I may not have tried, had I not been in a pandemic/shelter in place situation. But this is the time for SAFE exploration and experimentation our magick. Time to see how much we can expand, and how far we actually can grow. Oftentimes, we get stuck, walking down the same well worn paths... And we don't even realize it. Don't get me wrong, I think the paths laid down by those who have gone before us are important. They create a strong foundation for what we do. BUT, we have to ask ourselves, who taught the first witches? Everything we have been handed down, at one point in time, was someone else's experimentation. Someone else's trial and error. Some of you may not be comfortable with this. You may not be that person, and that's okay. For those of you who are, have fun with it. Just be safe and smart about your experimentations. There's a whole universe out there FILLED with possibilities for us to find!
If you are an explorer/experimenter, please share your experiences with us! We'd love to hear how it works out!!!
I wish all of you an incredible 2021, a year filled with Love and Laughter, Joy and Happiness, Health and Prosperity.... and of course.... MAGICK. xoxo, Nikki
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