Once a "B" Student, Always...

I just took my first few on-line tests through WitchSchool.com, and life repeats itself. I was always a "B" student -- both in high school and in college. Apparently, this is a trend destined to continue.

Raising Energy and Sleeping Through Meditations

One of the big things about witchcraft that I've always struggled with is meditation and visualization. Fellow writer friend Naomi Kritzer and I often talked about our various failures meditating -- falling asleep, getting leg cramps, etc. She even wrote a scene in one of her novles where one of her main characters struggles rather humorously with the whole meditation thing.

Last night, however, I had a kind of break through. I did a "psychic shield" meditation that was suggested in the on-line materials for the First Degree course, and when it came time to ground my energy, I actually would swear I felt a kind of light "whoosh" from the souls of my feet. It was cool. And I can honestly say I've never experienced anything even remotely like this before. I think it might have been that I have always grounded in the past using the "tap root" image because it was the first one I came across, many years ago, from a book called TAROT FOR YOURSELF by Mary Greer. The materials from WitchSchool.com suggested a number of new ones and the image I really resonated with was one of laying in a stream and imagining the water washing away your excess energy. I've always been very attracted to streams and rivers, having grown up in a place where three rivers meet (LaCrosse, Wisconsin). And, of course, one of Mason and my favorite hang out spots is the Minnehaha Creek.

Anyway, it worked! I consider that an awesome step forward on my whole witchy education.

Time Suck

As I wrote over at Something Wicked this morning, my biggest concern right now with WitchSchool.com is how much of my brain it's going to take over. As part of the first degree program I signed up for a mentor and a study group. Lots of emails, lots of on-line chats, lots of communicating with my mentor. Currently, I'm totally up for it, although with two books to write, I'm going to have to really be careful about how I manage my time.

Plus, studying for me is ALWAYS more fun than writing, which could be a big problem. :-)

Speaking of studying, I've been keeping a dream journal as part of my "Intro to Dreams" class. I've always been pretty good at remembering my dreams because Shawn and I have long been in the habit of asking each other about our dreams when we wake up in the morning. It's different, though, when it's this intentional. I find I'm a bit lazy about jumping up to jot things down and try to say things to myself like, "Remember the LEGO thing later." Which, mostly works, though I need to just grab the pen and scrawl something. I remember, on average, four dreams a night this way. So far, most of my dreams are exactly as they've always been: strange nonsensical stories about things that are only connected to my mundane life by a feeling.

Like, last night I dreamed I was a half-Cherokee man (modern day) who became, through various bits of dream logic, the lynchpin in a war between whites and Natives. There was a lot of running around through a forest/small town trying to talk people out of this war. My sense is that my subconscious is a bit nervous about the cultural appropriation issues in taking part in a tradition like the Correllians who are a blend of Cherokee and European Wicca.

My subconscious is rarely subtle.

Life's a Witch!

I mostly practice the Craft as a Solitary, but every once and a while I get a yen to have a teacher of some kind. I've had some pretty disastrous experiences when I've joined local groups (I tend to question authority too much), so this time I've decided to try an on-line course at WitchSchool.com.

The tradition WitchSchool is in is Correllian, which, admittedly, when I signed up thought was perhaps in the flavor of Han Solo ;-), but as you can see by following the link, it's a blend between Cherokee and European Wicca.

There are a number of ways to sign up, but since I'm new to this Tradition (and the whole once bitten twice shy thing) I've decided to only attend on a month-by-month basis, until I'm sure I want to stick with it.

As a paying member (the price is minimal, $5 a month), you are allowed to sign up for as many as eight courses at a time. So I'm taking:

Tarot 101
Intro to Dreams
Russian Paganism
First Degree Training

I've started everything except the Degree Training, and so far it's working for me. I'm particularly enjoying "Intro to Dreams," because I've always had a number of reoccurring dreams that I've wanted to explore further. Plus, dreams fascinate me generally.

But, anyway, I mention this here because I'm thinking that I may start devoting some of this blog to my personal experiences with WitchSchool and the things I'm learning.