What's in a Magickal Name?

So I had someone send me a question yesterday in regards to what my Magickal Name is. This is something that I came across early on while I was studying Wicca and Paganism. I clearly remember reading about this Magickal Name that you are supposed to adopt and use when you practice your craft. It had to do with shedding the old self, and focusing on the Magickal self. Sort of like a changing of hats so to speak. It was a good idea, and a great way for people that may be just starting to learn to focus themselves. Use your Magickal Name when you practice and you are creating and working with that energy.

Personally I don't have, or use a Magickal Name. After many years with Wicca and Paganism, as well as the Metaphysical I came to realize something very important. Magick is around us all of the time, sleeping or awake, in a circle or in Wal-Mart. No matter where you go it's there so why do we need to put on a different hat in order to adopt a magickal personality? Personally I don't think that we have to. What better name to use, then yours! If we are constantly surround by this energy, this magick, then why only connect to it when you are working. Part of the Wiccan belief system talks about seeing the magick in everything. All things living or non-living have a magick to them. It isn't something that is turned on and off, it's always there. The name game is much the same. Ok, that was a bit more rhyming than I had planned. By using your own name you are working with that magickal energy all the time, practicing or not. You are connecting yourself to the infinite and allowing it to connect to you as well without pushing it aside for any reason. Besides, if we push it aside are we really living by the codes that we work with?

This isn't to say that having a special name, or even a Magickal Name is a bad thing. For all of the Willows, Nightshades, Hemlocks, Lady this or that's out there keep what you got! If it is somethign powerful to you then there is no need to change it, or ignore it. That being said choosing to use, or in my case not use a Magickal Name is up to you! If you do choose to use one, I suggest spending some time meditating on it, find something that speaks to you on a very personal and powerful level. Don't just go and settle for the first cool sounding name that you happen to find while googling 'cool witch names' or something on the internet! Remember, when it comes to Wicca and Paganism there is a lot of room for personal belief and interpretation as well as choice.

When a problem comes along..you must Smudge it!

 

Smudging, also known as sageing or cleansing is a ritual that has been preformed for centuries. It's most commonly known as being used in the Native American culture, but has made its way into the Metaphysical realm as well. The process of smudging is simple, and yet many people still fail to understand the uses. Smudging can be done on a person, area, or even a home or business. The purpose of smudging is to change the energy of the space or person by removing the negative vibrations, and replacing them with positive vibrations. Many times this leaves the person, or place feeling lighter, more relaxed and even "cleaner". This process is also done when preforming meditations or magickal work in order to cleanse the space and create a positive environment in which to preform. The process of smudging has also been popularized through the many different television shows about hauntings as a means to cleanse the home of negative spirits.

In order to keep a home or person clear, it's suggested that a smudging be preformed at least once a month. Obviously there will be times that you may require an additional smudging and that's fine as well. Don't think that you have to stick to the once a month process. It's a suggestion in order to keep negativity at bay. If you are having a particularly bad week, facing many challenges, or find that the  home/person is starting to feel weighed down and negative then by all means do another smudging. The type of sage that you use can alter the energy as well. What is usually used is either mountain sage, or white sage. If you find that you cannot take the smell of sage as much you may want to try the white sage. The scent of it is a bit weaker but still works just as well. There are other herbs and oils as well that can be used to cleans, but we'll save that for another post. You can find most types of smudge sticks online, or at your local metaphysical store (which I always prefer)!

Now the actual process can be done many different ways, and I'm not going to go over all of them here, but I do ask that if you are interested to look them up. What I will go over is the type of smudging that I use personally. Smudging a home takes time, you should be focused on what you are doing through it all. You will need to go through each room of the home, that includes attics or basements if you have them as well. The process goes like this, you will light the sage and go through each room of the house reciting a certain mantra, prayer, or blessing. When you are completed you can put out the sage stick and we are going to toss the ashes outside. Additionally if you have a black and white candle they can be used as well, and I will go over that extra step too.

Smudging a person:

1. You will need your smudge stick, something to catch the ashes (an abalone shell is used most often but anything will do), matches or a lighter, and if you like a feather, or fan of feathers.
2. Have the person stand still before you and outstretch their arms to the side. If they feel comfortable have them remove their shoes as well. This will give them a good grounded connection while they are being cleansed.
3. Light the sage and allow it to smolder enough to create smoke. While doing this I usually tell the person that I am working with to close their eyes, relax, and take 3 deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. This too allows them to center and ground themselves before the smudging.
4. With the feather (or your hands) begin to gently move the smoke around their body. I usually start with the head and then move down one side of the body and up the other. Then I would move up the center of the front of the body and then ask them to turn around doing the same to the back. At the end I ask them to lift both feet (one at a time of course), and I smudge the souls of the feet as well.
5. While cleansing the individual I'm focusing on bathing them in white light and using the smoke of the sage to push away all the negative energy accumulated in their aura. I ask them to do the same as well, seeing the negative energy disperse and watch as it is replaced by positive energy and white, loving light.
6. When you are completed, have the person that you are smudging take a seat, relax and let the energies settle a bit. They will likely feel lighter, cleaner, and more energetic afterward.

Smudging a Home, Business or Space:

1. Start by opening a window or door of the building. You will want an open space where the smoke can escape the house taking the negative energy with it.
2. Prepare your sage stick as you would normally. Something to catch the ashes, a feather etc. At this point as well, if you have a black and white candle you can light them. Light the black one first and then the white. The black candle with help to absorb any negativity and the white will exude positivity. When the candles are done be sure to bury them in the earth somewhere outside of your home.
3. Begin to go through each room of the home with the sage. Move the smoke into corners, closets, drawers all over each and every room. In each room that you cleanse focus on the smoke removing all the negative vibrations and filling each space with white light, love and positive energy. As you are doing this its often helpful to recite a mantra, or blessing.
4. When you are done wait until most of the smoke has been removed from the home and close and shut the window. You will find that the energy of the space has changed quite a bit and should be feeling a lot better at this point.

 As far as the mantra's or blessings go it's best to say something that has meaning to you, as well as mentions clearing the space of negativity and replacing it with positivity. Something quick and easy that you can use are one of these:

"By the smoke of this sage, I cleanse this space of all negative energies and vibrations. Only positivity, and white light can remain here."

 "I send all negativity out and away. You have no place here! White light and positive vibration chase you out and fill this space.

Don't forget as well that when using a blessing or a mantra you can add in your personal religious affiliation or beliefs to it as well.

You're doing it wrong...or are you?

 

 

Living and learning in the Metaphysical world can be a daunting and difficult task. For starters, you never wind up knowing it all. There are no true "experts" in the field. It is a continuing learning process. Granted there are those that have the experience and knowledge behind them, but in a realm where things are continually growing and expanding how can one be an expert at it? I have personally been studying in the Metaphysical and Occult field for 19 years. That's a pretty long time, but I will always refer to myself as a student. To me this is a great thing. I know that there is no way that I can possibly learn all there is about his realm and the only way that I can even experience certain things or learn about them is to listen to those that know. Now I say all this for two reasons: One, it's my blog and I can say what I want; and Two everything that I do say here on the blog comes from my personal experiences and understandings. That being said anyone that tells you that they are an "expert" in any Metaphysical field is more than likely too full of themselves to be of any good use to you. There are far too many ways of understanding and doing things in this spiritual way of life. If you refuse to keep an open mind and at least be willing to learn, then you have already lost.

Being that there are so many different ways of doing things, you are bound to run across many different terms, names, titles, and even instructions on how to accomplish even simple tasks like using sage to cleanse a house. Don't let all of these things intimidate you, but don't be a fool about them either. Unfortunately there are some people out there that crave attention and dream about being renowned in this field. These people are the ones that will attempt to come up with their own terms, styles and even ways of doing things that may not have ever been heard of before. This doesn't mean that what they are doing loses any credit, in fact they may have a very good take and style of things. What it does mean is that you will need to discuss with them exactly what it is they mean when they use certain terms that may be special to them. Be sure that you can get enough answers from them that you can do the legwork yourself and research something that is at least similar to what they are talking about. You really shouldn't let anyone do anything spiritual for, or with you until you are certain that they are going to be helping you and not hindering you.

It is so easy to get swept up in the whirlwind of this field. There are a lot of things that can take you from a grounded individual to a floating ball of goofy in a matter of days. It's important to remain true to yourself and to retain your grounding. Investigate things that you may not know or have heard about. Search out the things that don't seem to make sense with what you do know and be as informed as you possibly can! The important thing to retain here is that there is no right, or wrong way of doing things necessarily, there are however ways that may not be beneficial to you. Take the time needed to make a decision and a choice based on the best information that you can gather, and don't just take someone's word for it....not even mine.