HedgeWitch

by Silver RavenWolf

  Let’s go back to my lawn mower example. I need to remove both physical and emotional clutter, clearing the way to receive the machine that I desire. In my shed, I have an old gas- powered lawn mower that is more finicky than a Capricorn maintaining a prize rosebush. This machine works only for my father, who doesn’t like the beast because of the amount of time it takes him to get it started and keep it running. Even with the best maintenance (my father is that Capricorn), this mower was the most cantankerous hunk of metal, gears, and gas ever to be built on the face of this planet. It refused to work for anyone else in the household (no kidding—which became a major pain when my father fell seriously ill). So, I wheel this monstrosity out to the curb and slap a sign on it: free—runs but stubborn—good for parts. And away it goes. I’ve done this before, by the way. Ever tried it? Instead of trashing something, I put it on the curb with some sort of fun sign. I’ve gotten rid of more junk this way—free, without hurting the environment one little bit, and making someone delightfully happy in the process!

  Anyway … I’ve honestly cleared physical space in the shed (meaning I didn’t trick anyone into removing the old mower—bad karma—yet I gave someone who might want it the opportunity to take it; this is good Pagan recycling). Then, I review my mental/emotional standpoint on receiving my new lawn mower. Obviously, I need it (or I’ll be fined by the borough for having unruly vegetation—you think I jest!). Second, I deserve having a new lawn mower as much as the next guy or gal; no issue there. Thankfully, neither politics nor religion has entered into the ownership of lawn equipment. Since my feelings tell me whether I’m on track with the receiving end (I feel good about getting a new lawn mower), I’m all set when that imaginary magickal elf (the process of quantum physics in action) comes knocking at my door with my brand-new lawn mower. I don’t think about how I’m going to pay for the machine. I’ve kept money totally out of my visualization process on purpose, because money, for a lot of people, can have its own emotional baggage, which adds unnecessary complications. We want a cut-and-dry scenario here. Instead, I simply concentrate on the item. The universe will work out how I’m going to get what I want and won’t bother me with the finances. (Isn’t it a relief to know that there’s actually a powerful force on this planet that doesn’t want your money?)

  To be more specific: as I remove the old machine from the shed and push it along its last journey across my property, I concentrate on visualizing my new lawn mower and how wonderful it will feel. I take a deep breath and allow myself to connect with the source (that which runs the universe), and I remember to smile. I imagine I’m pushing not the old lawn mower out to the trash but the new one to make the yard look beautiful. I look at the green grass and enjoy the spicy aroma from my herb garden as I walk past, physically pushing “the stubborn one” out of my life. I simply let myself shift into Mother Nature as I trundle along, visualizing myself delightfully tan, my arms and legs getting stronger, and my over-fifty paunch melting away under the gloriously blue summer sky. I smile broadly at that one. Then I say, “I am grateful for my new, green Scotts Elite 16-inch push reel lawn mower or better; it always works; always a blessing,” and I smile again. (Because when you are grateful about something, honestly grateful, you are in a happy mind place.) When I did this, a beautiful butterfly flitted over the old lawn mower—a signal in my mind that my desire was well on its way (I personally use animals, plants, birds, insects, and my physical garden as interpreters of what the universe is trying to tell me about my life). In essence, by the time I pushed the old lawn mower to the curb, I’d mentally and physically released the cranky machine and acknowledged the receipt of my new one. Instead of kicking that nasty, grumpy lawn mower and declaring its foul nature, I said, “I’m grateful for your service,” and I meant it. After all, I could have been living without any mower at all, cutting the grass with a pair of kitchen shears. In this way, I honored what it did manage to accomplish and let it go at that (this actually works with nasty people, especially crappy employers or friends of betrayal, too). Then I walked back to the empty spot in the shed, imagined my new mower sitting there, and said, “Welcome, new lawn mower!” (Another big, happy smile!)

  Okay, so the lawn mower isn’t like the love of your life, and the procedure to obtain it was pretty simple. It’s not like I had to legally divorce the old lawn mower, but you get the idea (although you might like to set your husband, wife, or partner on the street corner with a sign that says free, stubborn, use for parts, this isn’t legal and is certainly not moral).

  The point here: I released (drained) and honored (irrigated positive energy) the old and welcomed the new, shifting into the joy of Mother Nature as I did it. My magickal ritual wasn’t performed in the formal way that you’ve read about before. Here, my ritual was the process of doing—wheeling that old machine out through my yard (which is actually sacred space) and actively meditating (visualizing) what I desired—all done in the arms of Mother Nature.

  Whenever I thought about how soon I might get the new mower, I switched mental gears, smiled at the universe, and said, “Thank you for my new lawn mower,” then changed my thoughts to something else, because the biggest destroyer of getting what we want is actually our own minds and our myriad secondary thoughts on any situation. In essence, you only need to make your request once; however, your request can be altered by subsequent thoughts. If this mower is what I truly want, and I don’t want to change my mind, then I need to keep my thoughts clear of any doubt or worry. In traditional Witchcraft and other magickal disciplines, you’ll often see three-, seven-, or nine-day spells. As a rule, the bigger the problem or request, the longer the duration of the working. This type of timing is to assure the mind (yours) that you are actually doing something constructive, and the repetition helps to solidify confidence in yourself and cement your own belief. Likewise, offerings to the gods, another traditional practice, are simply the act of releasing, accepting, and welcoming. You are physically giving something away in order to make room to receive what you want. Honoring the gods by saying thank you is also a release-and-closure function. When you thank someone, you are basically ending the subject with an act of honor. The words thank you indicate an automatic closure and affirmation that your desire has come to pass.

  Did I get my mower? Yep! Took two weeks. No expense. I named my new lawn mower Elf, put a garden talisman on it, got a great tan, and walked off ten pounds. Sweet!

  Your turn: Review your request from the primal language exercise. What do you need to release to receive your desire? What physical steps or actions can you incorporate in your life to clear the way for your success? Remember to honor what has to leave—being grateful for the good is a powerful act of closure! Remove any doubts in your life about what you do and do not deserve. Be sure to clearly accept and welcome, through your words and actions, the changes you are working for. And don’t forget—smile, smile, smile!

  The Fertilizer of the Mind: Belief

  I’m sure you’ve read many spiritual articles over the past several years that have in one way or another discussed the universal connection of all beings and how we are all an integrated part of the whole. Writers teach about how to access what you most desire by using techniques and ideas that have worked for them. From motivational speakers to magickal practitioners, you’ll find a plethora of information just waiting to be downloaded into your eager brain. Sometimes these tips serve the reader well, and sometimes, depending upon the reader’s belief structure, they don’t work at all.

  Belief, truly, is the key.

  Our beliefs are structured on what we think to be true. Some of us delve into the scientific to give us a firm base of belief, others go the more mystical, spiritual route, and then there are those who don’t believe anything unless it works first (which is rather a conundrum). Finally, everyone’s beliefs are somehow shaped by the boogie-bird in the closet, commonly known as childhood misconceptions, which we either dreamed up o
urselves or were exposed to by parents, caregivers, siblings, extended family members, teachers, spiritual advisors, neighbors, organization leaders, etc., as they peddled through their own lives doing (to be fair) the best they could. Which leaves us a bit on shaky ground when it comes to creating our own reality, which is nothing more than manipulating the world through quantum means. What I’m trying to say is: if you believe it is possible consciously and subconsciously, then it is. Period.

  Each individual functions within the parameters of two types of belief: that which you consciously say to be true, and that which your subconscious has already accepted to be true. Which means you have two very different animal crackers in your head when it comes to what you believe in, and why you can say you believe in something and receive just the opposite. Both conscious and subconscious beliefs have to be in alignment in order for any desire to manifest.

  Your conscious belief can be represented by the above-ground part of a plant, and your subconscious belief can equate to the root system; as you know, if your root system is lousy, you can baby the top of the plant all you want and still it will either die or grow poorly. Conversely, the root system can be great—but if pests or blight attack the above-ground portion of the plant, you can only go so long until the plant weakens beyond saving and dies. Just as the root system and the above-ground portion of a plant must be in alignment to create a beautiful, healthy plant, so your conscious and subconscious beliefs must also match to make a beautiful, healthy you.

  Which brings us to why humans have created a compendium of religions. The various designs have occurred in an effort to create a system that appeals both to the conscious and subconscious minds of a particular culture. Did you ever wonder why you can’t force someone to believe like you do (well, people try), and why the belief in angels may work for some but not for others, and why the Holy Spirit performs like gangbusters for your sister but not for your father? Ogoun helps your best friend dance on the head of a pin, pulling in super sales, and your brother-in-law may swear by snake charming to get those eBay deals, and then there’s your uncle, who claims nothing works like a nice dead relative to provide assistance from the other side when the chips are down. Many cultures, many beliefs … who is right?

  The one you believe in, of course.

  Belief, quite frankly, isn’t as easy as it sounds. Let’s say everyone around you fervently believes that a Great Rabbit runs the universe. You have always been told, and therefore it must be true, that he sits up there, munches on carrots, wants you to be a good boy or girl, has an instruction manual for you to follow, and demands sole fealty. Everyone in town believes in the Great Rabbit (or so they say). They pray to the Great Rabbit and have holidays in his honor. You, however, sane person that you are, have always been a little iffy on that puffy-tailed furball-in-the-sky scenario. Perhaps you’ve outwardly questioned the validity, and you have certainly inwardly gone over it a million times—nothing with teeth that long can be good. You are told the Great Rabbit is also a wrathful rabbit because, if he isn’t pleased, he can cause hurricanes, drought, fires—you know, the normal Mother Nature stuff, which is now bad stuff and not normal because you, you infidel, did not believe deep down inside. So much for the concept of universal love in deity form. Indeed, the worst type of believer is the secret nonbeliever. Do you see where I’m going with this? I’m not poking fun at any specific belief—what I’m saying is if you make believe you believe, it ain’t gonna work for ya, no matter how hard you try. What is worse, we can say we believe, but lo and behold, our subconscious (for whatever reason) doesn’t.

  Then again, we can tell everyone what they believe in isn’t quite right and that they should change their beliefs, or at least tweak them so that we can all really believe now, because if everyone thinks the way we do, then we have created a believable comfort zone.

  Therefore, what we all believe must be true—because we all believe it.

  Except we know we told everyone what to believe without empirical evidence. So, therefore, in our subconscious, we know what they believe in is not true, and therefore, we don’t really believe it either.

  And if you don’t believe, you can’t make nothin’ happen.

  Let’s, for the moment, move this topic away from religion and our All-Powerful Bunny. The same premise works for other things in your life as well: health, income, politics, perceived status, love, friends, working environment (flap hand, yada yada)—religion, really, is just one facet of the totality of your beliefs. Just one. So, even if you work diligently on your spirituality and let the rest go (or ignore them or deny their importance), then all you’ve done is focus the conscious mind in one direction while your subconscious mind is having a banquet—at your expense.

  You’ll not find a truer bait-and-switch scam than what occurs in your own brain each and every day. Money problems? Don’t check what’s in your wallet—check what’s in your brain.

  How do you know that your subconscious beliefs aren’t in alignment with your conscious mind? That’s easy. What part of your life has just gone down the toilet? Or, what in your life could be better? Or, maybe things have been holding steady, but you are bored, bored, bored. Or, where have you been placing your primary focus of thought and activity because you had to? Let’s take a look at what beliefs might be attached to that issue. We’ll keep it simple, one issue at a time. Pretty soon, you’ll see how troubles that seem separate can actually be the result of a single negative thought.

  What’s Growing in Your Belief Garden?

  In a physical garden, you need to test the soil to ensure the chemical balance is right for what you wish to produce. Indeed, you can buy all manner of kits and products to determine the integrity of what you’ve got in that physical garden of yours. Your mental garden also requires specific elements for harmonious balance; the problem is you can’t buy them (although we often try)—you gotta make this mix yourself. Just as in a real garden, where you have to dig nice and deep to see what kind of soil you’ve got down there, so, too, will you have to be willing to test your mental soil, which consists of the totality of your beliefs. Only when you understand the fullness (or lack thereof) of your own beliefs can you plant anything and expect it to grow. Only by testing the contents of what’s hidden in your brain can you determine what fertilizer you’ll need for a bumper crop of a full and harmonious lifestyle.

  Before we begin, I’m going to tell you straight up: this isn’t easy. We have so many thoughts zooming around in our heads at any given time it can be hard to follow a single thread, especially if your subconscious mind wishes to pull that fast bait-and-switch. I think this thought about my past—whoops! I’m having tuna tonight. Wait. Where did that come from? Your subconscious mind will volley the strange and bizarre to center court just to keep you off-guard and away from ferreting out the boogie-bird that resides in the recesses of your deepest troubles. Then, too, it might be that rabbit ... therefore, a concerted effort on your part is required if you truly want to accomplish the good riddance of your woes and create better days ahead.

  Let’s take a few general examples to help you on your way. First, meet Marissa: age twenty-seven; career okay; health general; attractive (she’s got great eyes and knockout legs)—and she has a history of broken romances that would prove enough fodder for at least two full-time romance writers (without the happy endings). She goes to the gym and buys expensive makeup. Yet the love fairy has completely forgotten Marissa exists. For the purposes of this example, the main question we are always going to ask is: what did your parents say to you about love, relationships, and marriage when you were growing up? Or what did your primary caregiver say to you about these things, and what comments did they always make when the subject arose? Here is Marissa’s reply:

  “My father died when I was ten. My mother constantly talked about how he abandoned us. She would say, ‘Good men never live long,’ or ‘There aren’t any good men arou
nd like your dad.’ Even her offhand comments were negative when discussing any male (family or friends) in almost any situation, from politics to spirituality, let alone a serious relationship. To her, the day my dad passed away, all good men abandoned the planet and ascended into heaven—the biblical rapture, only for males. I’ve said repeatedly to myself that her beliefs are her own, but now, thinking about it, I realize that I absorbed those very same beliefs subconsciously and have been sabotaging my own relationships. You know, this is my life, not hers! My mother was not a bad parent—she treated me extremely well and loved me very much—but I realize now that I’ve been living her fears.”

  Let’s move on to Harvey, fifty years old, general health with a few nasty bouts of this or that over the years, particularly during a financial crisis, a product of the Great Depression babies. “I grew up listening to how my grandfather and grandmother lost everything except their home during the Depression; about how my father was ignored and treated badly by his siblings; about how rotten the government is and how they (politicians) hurt and cheat people. How our family name screams that we’ll always be lower middle class—that there was no bright and glorious future for people like us. You know, come to think of it, I never heard anything nice—nothing about love, or caring, or sticking up for each other. Just the same old crap. In fact, my father is eighty-nine, and I’m still listening to the same garbage. He doesn’t tell a single story (and he has a ton) that doesn’t end on a depressive note. A Yank with a broken pickup, a dead dog, and a deceased wife. You know, I was doing really well for a while, and then I let my father move in with us. I just realized that the moment that happened, his beliefs brought our whole family down and kept us trapped for twenty-five years because we subconsciously believed his repeated negative comments about life and personal finances. As a parent, we treated him with respect and didn’t argue. Don’t get me wrong, the man had golden credit and still does to this day, yet I allowed his acid thoughts to almost completely destroy my career. I expected what he predicted about how I would be treated, and that’s exactly what I got. They aren’t my beliefs anymore!”