branches up, roots down

I've been thinking a lot lately about the core tenets of my practice as a Pagan psychotherapist.  Buddhism is currently in fashion in my profession,  mindfulness turning out to be just as useful (if even more) in creating emotional well-being as analyzing family dynamics.   Are there particular things that we earth-worshippers do that inform my profession?  Psychotherapy truly is more art than science, and it figures that many of us who are in the Craft have something to teach other healing artists of hearts and minds This week one of my core tenets has me laughing. I believe, and try to transmit to my clients, that the world wants to be in meaningful conversation with us.  Once we accept this as true, and cock our ear towards it, the world will not shut up.   Under great distress, of course, it's hard to listen to anything or anyone. Anxiety and fear can operate as mighty misfiring car alarms, drowning out any truth of the real threat or danger. The Buddhist gift of  mindfulln...

The Spring Equinox is drawing near, that one day when light and dark, night and day hang in perfect balance. It’s been warm here in San Francisco , one of those glorious weeks of clear skies. The tulips on my deck burst open yesterday, and this afternoon I’m writing on said deck, with some bird twittering away in a nearby tree and the rumble of freeway off in the distance. All week I’ve been ruminating on listening and silence and been thinking about the witch’s pyramid ; to know, to dare, to will, and to keep silent. This is said to be the building blocks of creating magic. But what does this mean? The longer I’m a witch, the less I ascribe or am drawn to magic that involves a high level of secrecy, a feeling that what is being worked with is so powerful it would be dangerous in the wrong hands. I know the power of casting a circle and using the secret names I was given at initiation, but frankly, I’ve found that cleaning my house with intention is more often than not just as ...