Thursday, December 22, 2011

A Witch Is ...

~Author Unknown

a healer
a walker between the worlds
... a weaver
a shaman
a wise one

Witches weave all these thread together. Witchcraft gives you a frame of reference to experience the world by being open to all possibilities. He or she borrows from many cultures and is encouraged to find the path that works for him/her, the individual.

A witch is also ...

a therapist
a priest or priestess
a herbalist
an environmentalist
a mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, friend
a counselor
a researcher
a writer
a psychic
a teacher

Nothing is prevented or forbidden. The path of the witch is the path of knowledge and wisdom. It changes and adapts as new information is discovered. Witchcraft is a LIVING religion.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Kitchen Witch

Every Fall I turn into a Kitchen Witch.  There's something about the change of seasons that brings me to the hearth.

This is also the time I bring the last blooms of the season to my kitchen altar.  Very little about my altar screams witch, but it is my place of celebrating & honoring the bounty in my life.

My kitchen altar sits on a shelf hovering over my medicine-making table.  During medicine-making times I remove the mortar & pestle & place a Moon Goddess as the center piece, add incense & a lit candle.  In the plate she holds, I can place a bit of medicinal herb as a representation of what is to be blessed. 
 
In her place of honor, she transforms a simple shelf into a full-blown witch's celebration!

Goddess presides over & blesses the medicine for my family, my friends & Mountain Gypsy Herbs stock.  When not in her place of glory at the center of the altar, she sits in the medicine cabinet watching over a variety of herbs & remedies. 

As a hidden witch, I need to get pretty creative in how I honor deity, I really haven't had many statues up until now.  But...she called my name, so I brought her home. 

Recently, I stumbled upon Confession of a Kitchen Witch's Kitchen Altar e-course.  If you're new to creating a kitchen altar, it is a lovely start.

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

Thursday, November 24, 2011

The Iroquois Thanksgiving Address

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

To Listen

Listening is a special kind of magic.  It is a blessing we bestow.  A communication of respect.

Everyone wants to be heard.  We are social beings who long for connection with each other.  In today’s hurried world, filled with distractions, being a good listener can be a rare & important skill.  By listening well, we offer others the gift of being truly heard.

Are you a good listener?

Assess your listening skills by thinking about how often each statement below is true for you:

I make regular eye contact with the speaker

I ask questions for clarification

I show concern by acknowledging feelings

I seek first to understand, then to be understood

I respond non-verbally, with a smile, nod, frown, or touch if appropriate

I don’t change the subject without warning

I interrupt often

I jump to conclusions

I finish other people’s sentences

I find my mind wandering or am easily distracted during conversation

I respond to the beeps & buzzes of my cellular phone while listening

I am parental & answer with advice

I make up my mind before the other person is finished speaking

I don’t give any response

I lose my temper        

I think about my reply while the other person is speaking


By now, you should have a pretty good idea of how to improve your listening skills if they are lacking.
Listening is a skill, like any other that can be mastered through practice.  If you are not a good listener today, you can be a better listener in moments by following four simple guidelines:

The Four Basic Rules of Active Listening
1. Seek to understand before you seek to be understood
2. Suspend judgment
3. Focus your full attention on the speaker
4. Allow for silence

If you continue to struggle with effective listening, try this:
  • Catch yourself in the act – recognizing your unwanted behavior is the first step towards correction
  • Stop yourself! – As soon as you recognize a poor listening habit has appeared, stop yourself, acknowledge the error & apologize “I just interrupted you, I’m sorry” or “I drifted off there for a moment, sorry, could you please say that again?”
  • Replace an old habit with a new habit – Focus on one method of improving your listening & work to include that skill into every conversation
  • Cut yourself some slack – No one is perfect, self-improvement is a life-long project.  As you find yourself sliding back into an old habit, just start over without condemning yourself


















The Chinese symbol “To Listen” has deep meaning.  This lovely symbol explains the difference between simply hearing and truly listening. By integrating representations of not only our ears but of our eyes, our heart, and the selfless act of undivided attention, the Chinese have truly captured the essence of listening. By doing this we show respect and value for the other and leave ourselves open to understanding a larger truth. 
Wild & Bright Blessings,
~*Rhi*~


Saturday, October 15, 2011

Moving to Facebook for now

Well, magical friends, I'm officially overwhelmed with
  • School
  • Work
  • Starting an herbal business
  • Friends
  • Family
  • Home
  • Drumming
  • Dogs
  • Cooking
  • Blogging
So, for the time being, I'm moving HiddenWitch to Facebook.


This way, I can quickly post fabulousness without the depth required of a blog. I'm leaving HiddenWitch up & will continue to post occasionally in this format, when I'm feeling long-winded, but for now, you can follow me by "Liking" HiddenWitch on Facebook.

Or, by "friend-ing" Rhi HiddenWitch on Facebook.

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Florida Water

Ok, I'll admit it - I despise Florida Water.
It reminds me of a brothel.

Unfortunately, last year I caved into witch-peer-pressure (really, what was I thinking??) & bought a bottle.  I have never used a drop.  It just disgusts me & takes me totally out of my nature-witch mindset.

Being a conservation-minded gal, I still couldn't stand to throw it away...but no one wanted it.  What's a witch to do?
Today , being October 1st, my Fall Cleaning Fever hit hard & I knew it was time to discard the whore-house perfume that has aggravated me for a year.  So I made a decision & sprinkled the stuff around our property as protection & cleansing water (I hope the plants don't mind!!! Oh MY GODDESS, I didn't think about offending them!!!).

Only one problem:

I ended up sprinkling my feet & now I smell like...
well, you get the point...

Headed to the shower now.

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Edges

Witches are walkers between worlds, communicators with spirit, manipulators of energy that exists in multiple dimensions. We employ many techniques & tools in our work. The best tool, for me, is edges.

I do my best magic at the edges. The symbolism of edges opens a portal in my mind.

Some of my favorite physical edges are:

Shorelines
Hedgerows (including the forest edge)
Mountain tops
Horizon lines
Doorways
Windows
Garden borders

Other edges are powerful as well...

Some of the most powerful edges are lunar & astrological. The edges of the lunar month are, often, a witch's favorite times. We are famous for our Full Moon antics! The most fun is Full Moon at midnight...quite an edge there (even though our ancestors often measured their days by moon & sun rise, not our clock).

Are you working with edges in your practice? They are great places & times to do witch-work.

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~


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Thursday, September 8, 2011

Stirrings of Fall

It is still in the 90's here in Central Florida, but the stirrings of Fall have begun.

Today, the sun is shadowed by dark, rain clouds. Many around me are complaining. I celebrate!

The season of the witch is drawing near!

Fall brings to me the signs of abundance, along with the caution that abundance must be appreciated. Stewardship is important in the Fall. Historically, root cellars were filled & abundance was preserved in the Fall to sustain the community through the Winter.

It is tempting, in today's big-box grocery world to forget Fall's chores. We can bop down to the store & grab fruit & veggies from Equador, Mexico, wherever.

There its great benefit to returning to the old ways. By preserving today's fresh harvest, we preserve the vital nutrients in these live foods. Did you know that once a crop is picked it immediately begins to degrade, losing nutrients?

Before I began practicing witchcraft I never thought about seasons (in Florida we don't really have real seasons like the rest of the U.S.). I never really thought about eating seasonally or preserving abundance.

Fall has now become a time of preparation.

And CELEBRATION!

As I bring apples, acorns, berries, squash onto my altar for blessing, I am reminded of my connection to the earth. As I preserve (usually in the freezer out of sheer laziness & busyness) I am reminded of the work required by or ancestors to simply survive.

These actions prepare me for honoring activities in upcoming sabbats.

Oh, & it is almost time for bonfires! Woohoo!

Happy Mabon my fellow witchy friends! Fall is coming!!!

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~
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Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Oil of Earthworms!

I just discovered a wonderful video series called the Victorian Pharmacy.  One of the ancient recipes they offer is Oil of Earthworms. 

Ewwwwww!  Gross!

Other than that yicky recipe, it is a wonderful series full of beauty, herbal lore & the promotion of natural remedies from our ancestors.

I invite you to watch The Victorian Pharmacy



There are 4 episodes on youtube. Enjoy!!!


Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

Friday, September 2, 2011

Mugwort Smudge

It is way past time to harvest the mugwort! Much of mine has gone to flower & unless I want a whole yard full of this lovely friend I need to gather mugwort bunches.

Because there was so much, I decided to create smudge sticks.

The bundles are bound & blessed & drying. My whole house smells of this dreamy herb today...how lovely!

Wild & Bright Blessings,

Rhi
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Monday, August 8, 2011

Oh Dear Goddess, Make Me a Better Witch...

After my rant yesterday & in the name of becoming a more critical-thinking witch, I thought it best to provide some framework for abandoning rules. 

Sounds like a list of rules, huh? 

Actually, it is a list of questions:

  
Will ___________________________ make me a better person?

Will ___________________________ make me a better witch?

Will ___________________________ help me connect with _______?

Will ___________________________ help my spell work?

Does __________________________ improve my life or the lives of others?

Some examples to fill in the blanks:

  • An athame/wand/cauldron/etc.
  • Community Ritual
  • The latest book (omg...take away my credit card!)
  • Wearing black/hippie skirts/pointy hats, whatever
  • Reading blogs
  • Working in the garden
  • That awesome stone
  • A new tarot deck (another great weakness, right behind books)
  • A class at the witch shop (oh, why must I ask these questions?)
  • A class at the local college
  • Running naked in the forest (ok, of course it would make me a better person!)
  • Going to the beach (uhm, duh.)
  • Celebrating a sabbat
  • Meditation
  • Exercise
  • That blueberry muffin
  • That sip of Absinthe 
You get the point.  We have choices.  Choices guide our lives.  Make your own choices.  Make them wisely.

And Remember:

Do not believe everything you think.
Do not believe everything you are told.
Do not believe everything you read.
Do not believe everything on the internet.

Use wisdom & discernment. Do not drink the Koolaid

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

Critical Thinkers ROCK!

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Witch Enough

I'm done being a lemming.  I felt such joy in witchcraft before I found out about all the RULES about being a real witch.  I thought I found a religion & practice where I could shine as my true self. 

Today I'm throwing out the rules.  I will no longer follow the Official Guide to Being a Witch.  Oh, dear Goddess, here comes the high priestess to tell me I'm not a real witch, but just a fluffy bunny.

Why did I just spend 3 hours standing in a circle (inside a New Age shop) with a bunch of people I don't really like celebrating the first harvest while my garden wilts under the Florida sun?  Isn't the Wheel of the Year about connecting with natural cycles?

I did it because that's what real witches do.  We dress in black.  We collect expensive tools.  We buy stuff.  We build elaborate altars.  We join hands (even with people we don't trust).  We say just the right thing.  To just the right deity.  We celebrate the right thing at the right time.  We aspire to become the High Priestess almighty standing in the middle of the circle collecting energy.  We follow the rules.

Wait just a minute.  That was such bullshit!  I've never followed the rules for very long.

My witchcraft was much more connected & powerful when I didn't know all these rules.  I practiced solitary ritual weekly.  I connected with deity daily.  I used my body as my tools.  I dug in the earth.  I opened my heart.  I made things happen in accordance with my will.  I taught others.  I inspired others.  I was a witchy role model. 

So what happened? How did I become a lemming?  Should I never have tried to learn all the rules?

There really is great value in learning about the ins & outs of ceremonial witchcraft.  Witches need to know the rules.  The rules help us have a point of community & a basis for conversation. Rules are like scaffolding.  The scaffolding is necessary until the structure is solid.

Rules are training wheels.  They help us keep balance when we don't quite have the strength & coordination to keep ourselves from falling.

But at some point the scaffolding becomes redundant.  The training wheels need to come off.  We have to ride the bike & risk falling.

We begin to make decisions about risk & reward, finding our own boundaries.  Which rules are right for us?  Which rules are oppressive?

For some, fundamentalism is a comfort.  The rules of ritual bring them safety & therefore allow larger exploration.

Others need to color outside the lines.  We need to be free.  We learn best from our own experience.  We are the ones on the edge.  With strict rules & boundaries we wither.


I loved connecting with the Wheel of the Year as a new witch.  I felt excited to be celebrating holidays so often.  The Wheel introduced me to cycles of nature.  It brought ceremony & celebration to a life muted by technology & disconnection.  The Wheel was my trainer. 

But my broom will not fly with training wheels.  They are too heavy.

So I'm creating my own customs.  My own celebrations.  I'm going back to my beginning.

Nature made me a witch.  It is Nature I follow.

I don't care if I'm a real witch. Standing in my garden I'm witch enough.

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

Oh, & P.S. Follow your bliss!!!

Monday, August 1, 2011

Spiritual & Medicinal Herbalism

Over the past 2 years, I've been studying Western Herbalism & have recently finished my Family Herbalism Certification.  Now, I move on to Community Herbalism & clinical practice.  
 
All of this study, practice & research has led me to a theory:
 
There is little difference today between the practice of medicine & the practice of folk healer or shaman:

Physician
Shaman
Begins study in teen years & maintains professional knowledge through continuing education
Recognized by early teens & apprenticed/studied since that time; modifies practice based on experience & further study
Prescribes medications & behavior modification for healing
Prescribes medicinal/magical herbs & behavior modification for healing
Uses ritual to establish authority during healing process
Uses ritual to establish authority during healing process
Bases decisions on tests & intuition
Bases decisions on tests & intuition
Knowledge is based on experimental data & tradition that is tested for validity
Knowledge is based on experimental data & tradition that is tested for validity
Has varied success rates
Has varied success rates
Treatment carries risks
Treatment carries risks
All patients eventually die
All patients eventually die

Now, obviously, there are GREAT differences in the way these healers think.  Those immersed in conventional Western medicine are rooted in science, where traditional healers are rooted in mystery.  

Wise men & women of the past & present were & are very connected to the land.   

Most of our modern medicines have their roots in the practices of these respected healers, but have completely abandoned the mystery & spirit of the land from which their practices are rooted.

Most of us have been living immersed in the idea that these experts are responsible for health.  We have forgotten that 80% of the time, our bodies will heal themselves if we just support them & get out of the way.

We have been so disconnected from our own bodies & nature that we have developed a collective amnesia.  We have forgotten how to commune with nature, how to recognize healing & nourishing plants.   

Even we, who call ourselves Witches, tend to rely on the study, experience & advice of others rather than our own intuition & experience. 


So, what are we to do?

It is time we reconnect!

The best way to know nature is to spend time with her.   

Plants have spirits, unique energy.  They WANT to connect with us.  Our genes are programmed to connect with them.  Together, we can heal.

It is high time that we, witches, women & men of the Earth, start chatting up our plant allies.

If the thought of having a chat with a daisy makes you feel silly, think of this:

Plants and people, actually all living beings, have, at the very core of their being, within their very DNA, particles of light that can become coherent.  These particles of light are called biophotons.  Biophotons are ultra weak light rays, that do not break apart, but maintain a beam of light that radiates out & interacts with other biophoton rays in the surrounding environment. The theory, presented by Fitz Popp, German biophysicist, is that this light carries with it a certain intelligence that is the foundation for communication between living things.   So, when you’re with plants, animals, basically any living being, you ARE communicating!  Biophotons are only one method of communication.  We also know that everything carries with it a vibration from the movement of atoms & sub-atomic particles. 

Using these principles, it is pretty easy imagine our communication with any living being.

But, even if we acknowledge the possibility of communicating with flora & fauna, we are also conditioned by our upbringing & society to classify everything using a system of hierarchy. 


Typical Western Hierarchy:
Deity
Self
Other Humans Like Us
Other Humans Unlike Us
Mammals (divided into edible & non-edible animals or predator & prey, etc.)
Avian Creatures
Sea Creatures (also divided)
Reptilian/Amphibian Creatures
Insects
Plants
Bacteria & Fungi & Viruses

One of the biggest impediments to our communication with plants, animals & even other humans is this notion of hierarchy.  

As soon as we start to classify one person or life form as being greater than another, we begin to distance ourselves from that living being. 

In order to open ourselves to the wonders of the world, we need to abandon our ideas of hierarchy & think less of food chains & higher levels of evolutionary development & begin to think In terms of the interconnectedness of all, the web of life.

So, it's time to reconnect, how do we go about it?


A Few Activities to Connect with Nature

      Take a walk in nature
      Grow plants
      Visit a local nursery
      Taste fresh herbs
      Head to a botanical garden
      Meditate in a garden
      Take a Wild Weed Walk


Connecting With a Particular Plant

       Abandon Hierarchy – remember we live in a Web, all connected
·         Spend Time & fully connect (lay directly on the ground)
·         Maintain skepticism, but suspend disbelief
·         Use all your senses
·         Consider the automatic connection that occurs with respiration –                   oxygen/carbon dioxide
·         Be aware of the tendency to anthropomorphize – useful to a point
·         Notice & Identify your feelings using feeling words
·         Observe aerial view of the habitat –  a clue to plant’s properties

Sun
Shade
Partial Sun/Shade
Drying
Moist
Balancing
Warm
Cool

Masculine
Feminine

·      
           Use a 10x magnifying glass to observe the details
·         Touch
·         Taste
·         Smell – most stimulating to memory (genetic memory also)
·         Observe throughout cycles (day/night, seasons)
·         Communicate
o   Meditation works nicely at first
o   Verbal communication isn’t usually effective unless you are a "natural" plant communicator
o   Use light, breath, sound, care, offerings
·         When you get bored, stay! Only then will you open to the next level
·         Record your experiences
o   Journal your feelings & findings
o   Photographs
·         Return & Repeat

If you continue these exercises & those that come to you from your intuition, you will soon find plants calling to you in your dreams...honor them, look them up.  You may be amazed at how accurate plant dreams become once you deeply connect with these allies!

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~