A Magickal Weekend (Maggie)

First things first: MOON FEVER was #32 on the Times Extended list for the week ending 9/29, and will be at #35 for the coming week. YAY! I love when life gives me even more things to celebrate!

Now, on to the fun stuff. I spent the most amazing, most magickal (and the spelling is deliberate) weekend! It was with a group of fellow Wiccans, all members of local groups. We've made our fall camping weekend an annual event, and this year we found the perfect place for it. Camp Tuscarora in Windsor NY. It's usually a boy scout camp, but no one was using it and we were able to book it. We actually had cabins with flushing toilets and hot showers, fridges, stoves, a microwave, and toaster! Wow! Compared to our usual primitive (tents, an outhouse, and a cold water spigot) camping, this was like a five-star hotel!

Not only was it convenient, it was beautiful. This time of year, with the leaves changing--oh, man, it took my breath away.

It was utterly peaceful and quiet there, so relaxing to sit around the bonfire with good friends. A wonderful break from the real world. And the workshops were fantastic. We had one session on scrying (the art of staring at an object until you have a vision.) Often this is done with a black mirror, a crystal ball, a silver bowl of water, the flames of a fire or candle, etc. I have a crystal ball and two black mirrors, and I had determined that mine must be broken, as I've never had any success. However, our brilliant instructor told us how it took her a year of really persistant, patient practice before she had her first vision, and then it was another six months before she had another. Me? Oh, I tried it a handful of times and gave up. So I came home with a renewed determination and a much clearer understanding of how scrying works, and I intend to try again. Just a few minutes each night in quiet meditation, focusing on the crystal and not demanding or pushing for anything. Eventually, maybe I'll get a vision. If not, at least I've got a solid meditation practice going, and that's nothing to sneeze at. Regular meditation has been shown to improve both mental and physical health, reduce blood pressure, lower stress, and all kinds of good things like that.

Another great workshop was one where actually wove our own cornucopia baskets from reeds. I didn't think I'd be very successful at this, as I'm not "crafty." (Well, "WITCH-crafty, yeah, but not CRAFT-crafty.) ;) At any rate, the instructions were so good and patient and thorough that I wound up succeeding! I was thrilled.

The cornucopia, or horn of plenty, is of very Pagan origins, and represents the bounty we can harvest in our lives if we only let it in, and also our gratitude for that bounty. Mine is sitting on my kitchen table. I came home with a new vision of myself. I can do crafts if I want to. HA! Took me long enough to figure that out.

We also had workshops on the Law of Attraction (which I presented with help from dear friends) and on abundance and bounty, where I learned all that cornucopia history.

But the highlight of the weekend was a group ritual in which healing and belly dance played major roles. I love belly dance, and I was in "sore" need of healing, so this was perfect for me. I was placed on a cot, and draped in sheer veils as the dancers moved around me, raising energy. My injured butt muscle tingled, and then it burned, and later I felt a distinct "POP." Afterward, I joined the belly dancers, and it didn't hurt. And it hasn't hurt since. I haven't gone running again yet, but I might try just a very gentle short jog next week. I have done several workouts, quite carefully, and some of them were heavy on the squats and lunges, but I've had no ill results. I think the healing took!

I was in charge of providing the cake, and this is the one I came up with. Nice, huh?

Ah, yes. I love the fall. I love my friends. I came home to find my dogs were happy and healthy and well cared for, and Sally didn't get sick from stress. She's got one more weekend there, so it's a good thing. But I'm betting the problem is over and she's used to it there and will be fine.

Once again, I've got tons and tons to be grateful for. I start each day by thanking the universe for all the great things in my life, and the list just keeps getting longer and longer.
Oh, and here's one more. Twilight Phantasies, my very first vampire novel, has just been released in Germany! Twilight Memories follows there in May. If you read German, you can see my interview at www.loveletter-magazin.blogspot.com

Life is good. Make the most of it!

Maggie