Post No. 3,196 - Symbols/sigils

Something I have touched on recently is Reiki, a form of nonphysical energy healing that involves the use of specific symbols for the healing. 

When I was doing some self-healing recently, I wondered what symbol or sigil (I use sigil in a broader sense than some do in the occult world) would help my self-healing, and, after a little experimentation, found that the rune Berkano, which is generally accepted as representing nature (including the birch tree) and the Goddess, was the symbol that works best for me. 

Given my heritage, and my initiations, that should come as no surprise.  

However, I suspect “what is best” will vary over time and circumstances - and not only with respect to self-healing. 

By the way, remembering to work with symbols is part of the healing involved in undoing the damage done by nearly half a century in the corporate world. 

(There is also damage done to my willingness to use runes because of the repeat misappropriation of them by n__-N_ z_s and other white supremacists.) 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below, and there’s also other options. Also, I am now on SubStack 

Note that I am cutting back on aspects of my posts - see here. 

(Gnwmythr is pronounced new-MYTH-ear)  

Remember: we generally need to be more human being rather than human doing, to mind our Mӕgan, and to acknowledge that all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk & accept that all insistence on the use of “trans” as a descriptor comes with commensurate use of “cis” as a descriptor to prevent “othering” (just as binary gendered [men’s and women’s] sporting teams are either both given the gender descriptor, or neither).

#PsychicABetterWorld   and  

Copyright © Kayleen White 2007-2025     NO AI   I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise  replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product.     Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-ShareAlike basis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/  

 

Post No. 470 - Reading

G'day, Hello, Howdy, Hi, Zdravstvujtye (some of my work colleagues are Russian, including an absolutely invaluable administrator who has recently taken maternity leave - may she and young one and family be blest), guten Tag (where I have connection owing to a recent past life), sveiki, Czesc (I have friends, not just colleagues, at work who are Polish), bonjour (colleagues at a former workplace were French, and we practised my woeful and limited range of this language), selamat pagi (one of the best junior engineers I ever worked with was Malaysian, and she taught me a few words), annyeonghaseyo, pryvit, Como vai (a friend of mine a few years ago, although not Brazilian, had Portuguese ancestry), ¡Hola (a former work colleague and friend, a VERY talented artist - with a Mexican sensibility to her artwork, particularly around the Day of the Dead - used to teach me Mexican Spanish), Selamat pagi, ni hao (ah, my work trips to Asia, and the many wonderful, wonderful people I have met there - and some excellent work colleagues and friends here, as well),  

Well, it is time for a few more links, but first ... congratulations to Robinsons: I was perhaps spoiled living so close to that store, but I certainly haven't found anything I would regard as a decent bookstore since I moved to the northern suburbs: http://gnwmythr.blogspot.com/2009/12/shades-of-exorcism.html.
Now, this post's reading links ...

• this is a "wow": http://www.upworthy.com/watch-the-first-54-seconds-that-s-all-i-ask-you-ll-be-hooked-after-that-i-swear;

• http://www.shamanlinks.net/Soul_Retrieval.htm#returning pieces (found initially at http://spiritrescue.ning.com/forum/topics/soul-retrieval-great-information-in-this-article), which includes the following:
  "There are various reasons for soul loss.  If a person was in an abusive situation part of one's soul may leave to protect itself from the abuse.  Sometimes as a child, fighting parents may prompt the soul part to hide because the child is scared.  If a traumatic accident is about to occur such as an impact or accident the soul would leave so that it wouldn't be effected by the force of the accident. If a loved one is lost, the soul part may go until the person is ready to deal with their grief. All of these are very healthy mechanisms of protection.  In some cases the soul part will return on its own.  But if it does not realize how to return, or if it does not know that it is safe to return - the shaman may need to assist the return of that missing piece.       Another way to lose ones soul is to give it to someone.  When two people are in love, or when they are in a family, it is sometimes occurs that they will give portions of their soul to their loved ones.  A mother may give some to her child because she wishes to protect him or her.  This type of soul exchange may seem acceptable because of a person's desire to share themselves with another, but it is generally not a good idea.  An individual can't use another person's soul, because simply: it is not their soul.  The person must then deal with this unusable energy in addition to his or her own problems.  In addition, the persons who have given a piece of their soul away have disempowered themselves.  The giver's journey is made more difficult because they are not fully present to do the living of their life.  It is a lose lose situation.       Because we are not taught about soul loss we do this soul sharing unconsciously.  As individuals becomes more conscious of this dynamic they can find more empowering ways of sharing love and affection in their close relationships.  You can see the language of soul loss in everyday speaking, people referring to how they "lost a piece of themselves" when they parted with a lover, or people saying "you stole my life from me."
  The article also recommends "Soul Retrieval: Mending the Fragmented Self Through Shamanic Practice, Sandra Ingerman". See also http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/silencing-the-demons-of-the-tortured-lambs-20130802-2r4lx.html;

• http://spiritrescue.ning.com/forum/topics/symbols-in-the-shamanic-journey;

• very good article: http://paganactivist.com/2013/07/21/ritual-physical-accessibility-transgender-inclusion-and-more/, and I am contemplating posting about those well meaning, patronising idiots who think it is acceptable to use wrong pronouns to stimulate a "discussion" on being trans ... or even just refer to trans matters outright ... the people I've buried because of cretins like them!;

• finally, someone else pushing my line! http://www.llewellyn.com/blog/2013/07/when-theres-nothing-you-can-do/;

• and another one following my arguments :) : http://richardlouv.com/books/last-child/;

• http://www.happyplanetindex.org/;

• http://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbeckett/2013/07/fate-the-gods-and-free-will.html;

• http://www.llewellyn.com/journal/article/2390, which includes the following
  "Meditation is the practice of complete disassociation of body and thought. It refers to taking the body into a state where you can experience an essence of complete freedom physically and emotionally. When you reach this state, you become aware of a deeper energy that releases you from pain and suffering. Meditation is practiced in different ways: lying down, sitting, or from practicing deep concentration in postures. Meditating can be difficult and requires discipline. The difficulty with meditation is that people try to jump right into it. In order to meditate effectively, there has to be a preparation for silence and stillness. Meditation can be practiced in every moment of your day. By learning how to be mindful of negative and positive behaviors, keeping the body tension-free to sit through meditation, breathing with presence, and practicing concentration, you ease into a meditative state that is natural."
  which I partly agree with, partly disagree with;

• http://www.llewellyn.com/journal/article/2376;

• http://www.llewellyn.com/journal/article/2375;

• http://www.llewellyn.com/journal/article/2390;

• this is not a view that I consider relevant in this case, but it merits some consideration for other situations: http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/the_power_of_a_word/;

• this is VERY GOOD: http://thecocowitch.com/2013/08/dont-wine-and-cheese-your-rites/;

• http://wildhunt.org/2013/08/social-justice-as-spiritual-work-in-paganism.html;

• http://wildhunt.org/2013/08/patterns-histories-and-tendencies-of-place.html;

• read this to the end, and think about the point made: http://wildhunt.org/2013/08/facebook-witch-hunts-and-the-stand-for-human-rights.html - can you think of anything to do, here? Write a letter or email? Light a candle? KEEP doing energy work, perhaps? I've read quite a few other articles about this problem, and it is one of the reasons I won't work in some parts of Africa (which costs the local people my skills around wastewater treatment, sadly, but that is the price of their bigotry/fear);

• some of this I disagree with, actually, but the main point at the end bears consideration: http://paganactivist.com/2013/09/01/hypocrites-culture-of-waste-and-the-environment/;

• very true! http://bansheearts.com/2013/08/whose-ancestors/;

• http://www.incitingariot.com/2013/09/pagans-copyright-infringement-and.html#more;

• http://www.thorncoyle.com/blog/2013/08/29/some-days-love-looks-like-anger/;

• http://www.thorncoyle.com/blog/2013/08/28/choosing-a-dream-of-love/;

• http://paganinparadise.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/harvesting-fruit-of-discord.html;

• http://www.norsemyth.org/2012/05/elf-kerfuffle-in-iceland.html;

• http://www.norsemyth.org/2011/04/almost-interview-with-kenneth-branagh.html;

• http://www.norsemyth.org/2010/09/stephen-hawking-myths-and-critics.html;

• http://www.norsemyth.org/2013/01/questioning-loki-part-one.html and http://www.norsemyth.org/2013/01/questioning-loki-part-two.html, which I don't necessarily agree with, but it is useful for the commentary on historical sources and modern thinking;

• http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/09/the_most_important_negotiation.html. 

[1] BPF = Balanced Positive (spiritual) Forces. See here and here for more on this.

[2] Please see here and my post "The Death of Wikipedia" for the reasons I now recommend caution when using Wikipedia. I'm also exploring use of h2g2, although that doesn't appear to be as extensive (h2g2 is intended - rather engagingly - to be the Earth edition of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"). 

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr 
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear"; ... aka Bellatrix Lux?)

My "blogiography" (list of all posts - currently not up to date) is here.  

I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue (see here and here), and it grew ...  See here for my group mind project, here and here for my "pagans for peace" project, and here for my bindrune kit-bag.

• One size does NOT fit all. 
• May the world of commerce and business be recognised to be a servant, not a master, of the lives of people.
• A home is for living in, not feeling, becoming or being rich or a “better” class than others.
• The secret to being (financially) rich is not to have lots of money: it is to have an income above the poverty line, and then make whatever sacrifices are necessary in order to live within 90% of your means.  
• Like fire to the physical, emotions to the soul make a good servant, and a bad master. 
• Armageddon is alive and well and happening right now: it is a battle between the indolence of "I only ..." and/or "I just ..." and/or "Everyone knows ... " and what Bruce Schneier [2] calls "security theatre" on one side, and perspicacity and the understanding that the means shape the end on the other. 
• The means shape the end.  
• Sometimes you just can't argue with a biped that is armed with a sharp stick, a thick head and not too much in the way of grunts.
• Spiritual love is far more than just an emotion - it is a concept, thoughts, actions and a way of living. 
• One of the basics of serious spiritual / psychic work is that the greatest work is that which we do on ourself, which seems trivial to many. Our own Innermost Essence, which is our Higher Self / Soul / Spirit, has the power to do so much, and is actively participating in the creation and sustenance of this physical reality. Some mote of our conscious or unconscious knows that, which is why we seem inclined to be dismissive of Self Mastery - which is a bit like the child who sees an adult spending money to buy toys, and fails to recognise the daily grind of work which has led to having the money. 
• My favourite action movie of all time is "Gandhi". However, I loathe the stereotypical action movie - and, for similar reasons, I loathe many dramas, which are often emotionally violent, more so in some cases than many war films.

Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger [people]. JOHN F. KENNEDY 

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing. (based on writing by) EDMUND BURKE

Your children are not your children. ... They come through you but ... they belong not to you ... for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow KAHLIL GIBRAN

We didn't inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we only borrowed it from our children ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Those whom we cannot stand are usually those who we cannot understand P.K.SHAW

Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, and the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change." SENATOR ROBERT F. KENNEDY (US Attorney General 1966 Speech)

People I'm currently following or reading, or have considerable respect for, include:

• Red Catherine, a Romani woman living on Artemis, in South Australia; 
• T. Thorn Coyle;  
• Fire Lyte; 
• http://paganinparadise.blogspot.com/; 
• The Wild Hunt;and
  
• the Order of Scathach. 

You can find news sources I use here. 

Tags: activism, anger, attitudes, deities, discrimination, energy, environment, family, free will, happiness, history, honour, love, meditation, myths, reading, rituals, science, shamanism, symbology, 

First published: Manadagr, 9th September, 2013

Last edited: Monday, 9th September, 2013

Post No. 080 - Symbol songs

At the last study group of the Coven I'm in, I had another one of my crazy ideas: a "song", or more properly a "melody", made from a sequence of symbols, rather than a sequence of notes. The following is an edited email I sent to a member who wasn't able to attend (in part so she could also have the joy of the homework we set ourselves :D ... ).

There is a book called "The Glass Bead Game", by a German author Herman Hesse (who was a pacifist, and left Germany in the 30s because of Germany's rising militarism), for which he won the Nobel Literature prize in 1946. To simplify a whole lot, many of Hesse's books have a spiritual theme, and this one is more or less about the contrast between living in the "commercial" world, or withdrawing to focus on - in this case, the literary device of - the "Glass Bead Game". This game is based on the use of glyphs or symbols (on glass beads) which can be used to represent various things like mathematical formulae or musical themes etc. The game is a progression of symbols, each of which is meditated on, which - in my
words - is a bit like a melody.

Each musical note has a particular, unique meaning on its own: but when combined with other notes, there something created which is greater than the whole: a melody, which can be uplifting, sad, rejuvenating, thought provoking, moody, etc.

So ... my crazy idea is: why not string together a whole sequence of things, symbols, crystal types, oils/incenses, etc, to create a "song of symbols", where, in addition to the meaning associated with each component, there is a greater meaning associated with the sequence of
symbols. I suspect there could be considerable potential benefit from seeing the use of symbols etc as something which is dynamic, rather than just applying them all at once, or at a single point of time.

I had made one example up when I first tried working with this idea, which is as follows (for ease of writing, I've used the words (names/descriptions) rather than the actual symbols (or actual crystals or incense: for a final version, perhaps a small chunk of crystal, and a dab of each oil, could be incorporated). I've also included a commentary.

Saturn - severity, sternness, discipline
Taurus - strength and solidity
Square (the astrological notation for a 90 degree angle) - testing
Geburah - strength
Opposition - lack of harmony, conflict, testing
Conjunction - the opposite of an opposition: harmonious joining
Taijitu (the "yin-yang symbol") - flow from one polarity to the other,
the essence of one polarity is held within the other, growing from the
tension between opposites
The rune Uruz - strength, an outcome from said growth
Isa - stillness, the steadiness of strength

so ... this "song" flows from severity to strength

During study group, we had a go at writing a couple more "songs of symbols". At this point, we discussed the potential value of using this to help with Coven study: basically, we could work with the various symbols/elements of the various pathways we are studying, and actually use them in a way that is meaningful to us - which, when we discussed them, helps develop the ability to know, understand and use these aspects. It also gives a purpose to researching symbols & aspects of paths other than "work".

My "songs" from the study group are:

Christian cross - sacrifice (this was the nominated starting point)
Amethyst - the spiritual perspective that can lead to one choosing to make a sacrifice for "the greater good"
The Zoroastrian sacred flame - the "light of divinity", which can inspire to sacrifice for others' good
The rune Kenaz - light, fire and communication
Mars - energy
Thoth - amongst other things, communication (through the means of writing)
Mercury - communication
Ka - the Soul, the part of oneself that is communicated with when being inspired (by amethyst, etc)
Myrrh - communication (amongst other things)
The Tarot card "The Lovers" - partnerships
Ka - the part of oneself one can form a partnership with
Slippery Elm Bark (I lost the association for this)
Ka
Gemini - the twins, the partnership between oneself and one's Soul
The rune Mannaz - community - the partnership, in a sense, between oneself and others more generally
Ace of Swords - new beginnings, which a great self sacrifice can lead to, partly through improved partnership with oneself and with community

New Moon (nominated starting point) - commonly considered the lowest energy point of lunar cycle (which is debatable)
Isa - stillness, which seems to be low energy to many
The rune Barkano - healing and growth, which can happen in the quiet, still parts of cycles
Lemongrass - for tiredness and exhaustion
Orange - penetrates depression, using focus
the third eye chakra - perception
The rune Stan - a sacred space
Yesod - foundation
Pink tourmaline
Isa - stillness
The earth sigil - seems steady or still, but very rich, fertile, and a
springboard for growth
Angles - in the sense of the watchers
Lauviah - angle that refreshes at night time, helps musicians & poets
Patchouli - balances & unwinds the mind
Cypress - meditation, balance & stability
Mindfulness - relaxed alertness & focus
The Ogham Muin - introspection
The Ogham Nion - developing rebirth & peace

I was less successful with this one: I wanted to develop a sense of being relaxed and watchful from a safe, secure place.

It was easier to discuss these verbally than to try to put the concept into words now, several days later.

As a late thought, perhaps the "song" which goes with the "melody line" of symbols above is the meditation and discussion we can have on each.

Hopefully someone can build something out of that: I know people have attempted to develop a Glass Bead Game: this idea is not so general. I am thinking of this as a device for exploring symbology, and learning new ways to work with these. It led to some interesting discussions on the night, and I am looking forward to the member who was away being present, as she knows far more than the rest of us on many paths, and could contribute quite a bit to this.

It would also be good to see people thinking about dynamic sequences generally, rather than just a single treatment/symbol/healing technique/meditation technique.

Well, I'll see what comes of this (I hope!).

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

This post's photo is yet to be posted.

Tags: cross-fertilisation (ideas), symbology, Herman Hesse,

First published: Monday 26th October, 2009

Last edited: Monday 26th october, 2009

Post No. 047 - A new symbology for invocation

I like to try doing things differently from time to time, and something I tried recently, and quite like, is a set of hand gestures for the various quarters to invoke the Goddess. Basically, I use my two hands to draw a crescent Moon in the east for the Maiden, and the west for the Crone, a full Moon in the north for the Mother, and simply point to the south (for invocation of either the God, or more frequently now, Lilith). To invoke, I commence drawing at the top; to devoke I commence the drawing from the bottom (and use an open palm to the south).

(By the way, the issue of balance is something to be viewed, in my opinion, in a broad context: if, for instance, a woman has lots of recent past lives expressing masculine energy [which doesn’t mean “was male”], she may need to focus on the female to get the balance at a soul level right. Or, if she is living in a male dominated society, she may need to invoke more female energy to get the balance of energy in her life correct. Or, a male may feel the need to invoke more male energy in ritual because his personal circumstances result in an excess of feminine energy. Now reread that swapping the gender of the person I have referred to, but not the energy.)

I have got into a habit of drawing the crescents “facing” into the full moon (I’ll post some diagrams in the near future), whereas they should, to be accurate, be “facing” away from the full moon. I have tried both ways, and feel more comfortable as I have been doing it: if you try it, try both (or other variations: I’m in the southern hemisphere, so those in the northern may want to swap my associations for north and south).

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

This post's photo will be a diagram, when it gets posted :)

Tags: correspondences, inventiveness, invocation, symbology,

First published: Thursday 7th August, 2008

Last edited: Saturday 26th June, 2010

Post No. 034 - Doing things differently [Content Warning: automatic/unconscious biases are criticised]

Something I have never had much time for is following stupid restrictions - there are a lot of good rules and conditions that I DO follow, such as speed limits. However, others, such as always doing things in certain directions prescribed by others I don't necessarily follow: I will think about the matter, and judge it on it's merits. I don't just do something simply because book such-and-such, or alleged authority so-and-so, say so.

I sincerely hope everyone reading this blog has the same attitude. 

In my life, probably one of the first areas this showed was in the topic of associating elements with particular directions. In my initial workings, I genuinely could not feel any reason to associate a particular direction with an element. Now, a couple of decades later, one of my teachers has made the comment "where does a radio receiver have to be placed to work?" Well, calling in the elements is a bit like tuning a receiver; DOES it matter where it sits in the room?
The answer is basically no, not as far as the energy is concerned. The significance is in the mind of the beholder.
When I was learning, I worked out my own method of working where I called the four elements plus spirit from each quarter (by drawing a pentagram and calling one for each point). Is that less valid than the other, more traditional systems of calling one element from each quarter? No. 

It has the disadvantage of not connecting to the energies that traditions have built up over thousands of years of workings, but if that grates with whoever is doing the working, that discomfort FAR outweighs the advantages of connecting to a tradition. (As far as connecting to "built up energies" go, there's quite a bit of energy/thought form being developed around some film spells through sheer volume of [almost completely undirected] thought-energy: are you connecting to that?) 

If someone has been taught to use a particular form of working (e.g., doing invocation counter-clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere to follow the Sun) and is set on that method, there is no point in trying to change it. However, that does not mean the preferred method is more valid. 

I personally get annoyed when people in the Northern Hemisphere make no allowance for the difference of seasons and direction of the Sun in the Southern Hemisphere, and will dig my toes in on doing things to match the southern seasons to make a point against "Northern cultural imperialism". (I almost wrote "comrade" ... and when staff in Australia Post offices try to use American spelling on money orders ... !) 

However, if I am doing a working for myself, the direction I work with respect to things like direction of invocation, I am likely to tie that to the (desired) directions of spin of chakras that I am working with (which also means I will devoke in the same direction, to keep the desired direction of spin going; ironically, that often means invoking in a clockwise direction [as per common Northern Hemisphere practice] and devoking in a clockwise direction [as per common Southern Hemisphere practice] to connect to both spirit and earth). 

I do things as best suits me (keeping in mind the Rede "an' it harms none, do as ye will" [and countless other variations of wording]). I'm very wary believing there is one "perfect" way to do something: in the real world, "perfect" is a word in the dictionary. 

May the Goddess bless you in your search for your perfections. 

Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo was taken at Ocean Grange, in Werribee.
Tags: about me, chakras, energy work, cross-fertilisation (ideas), interpersonal interactions, judging others, personal characteristics, symbology,
First published: Thursday 17th January, 2008
Last edited: Thursday 17th January, 2008 

 

Post No. 013 - Superheroes [Content Warning - bullying, harm, self harm]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have to admit to having a weakness for a good superhero/ine film or book - a "superhero/ine/ix" story can be quite inspiring, I find. BUT .... I can and do recognise when they are a story that may not have much to do with the real world.

Magical book series may be quite entertaining, but they have little relevance to the magical work most witches, Wiccans, etc I know do. Casting a spell to bring calm and/or enlightenment to a political world leader may not be as spectacular as some of the things in books, but it is no less special or lacking in the right to be considered a "superhero/ine/ix" act.

Actually, some of those fictional events raise an issue I would like to touch on: "keys". Keys, in the magical sense, are - I was taught - anything which can help you to change your state of consciousness. They can be things like incense, music, moving in a ritual way (e.g., the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram [see my post at http://gnwmythr.blogspot.com/2007/06/psychic-attack-energy-protection-and.html], or Tai Chi or a circle dance or some sort of physical hobby that puts you into a reflective/meditative mood [such as painting or gardening]), chanting, visualisation, wearing robes or any of the aspects of ritual work. In my case, one of the earliest things I used as a key was to build an association between a word and a thought form/visualisation.

The act I wanted help with was what is called flaming: using visualisation or similar skills to cleanse one's aura of negative or disharmonious energies (see the post I have already given a link to). In my case, I used a visualisation of bright golden light flowing from my centre outwards through my aura and flushing/burning it clear. I would meditate, using the alternate nostril breathing exercises of Lobsang Rampa (a VERY controversial person - I'll post of Rampa and the breathing exercises at some stage down the track), and also (mentally) chant the word I wanted to build the association with - in this case, the God name associated with the Qabbalistic sphere Kether, which is Eheieh.

Effectively I was creating a thought form which I could activate by (mentally) chanting Eheieh (if I had built the association with a spoken word, I would have had to speak the word - not always possible when in a stressful situation such as a confrontational meeting at work). I found it effective then, over 20 years ago, and I have continued to find it effective and it is still effective today. I have also created the same sort of thought form with objects such as crystals I wore, or perhaps a ring, which I tended to use when I wanted to work on some aspect of my personality (that's a topic for another post in the near future).

The technique worked very well for me, and it seems to also work for at least some other people (I commend it to you). In fact, as a species (or smaller groups within the species), we seem to have created such associations - and to have changed them, from time to time. As examples of this, consider the associations with the Christian cross, the pentagram (whether inverted or not) and the flag of whatever your country is: would those reactions occurred had that object been seen a century ago, a millennium ago, or ten thousand years ago?

I am going to be interested to see if any of the phrases used in popular series start to develop some potency of their own. (There is an interesting article at Witchvox, "Say the Magic Words: From Movie Magic to Personal Power" by witchdoctorjoe , at http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usca&c=words&id=10815, which touches on something similar to this.)

I actually like the learning that is there in some series of books for those who look. Particularly interesting to me is the illustration of what people's actions can do to others - character arcs can be quite illustrative. (There is another excellent article on this at Witchvox, "The Peril of Solipsism in Magical Practice" by Taylor Ellwood, at http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usor&c=words&id=11855, which I STRONGLY recommend you, dear reader(s), peruse.)

This issue crops up in everyday life frequently. I was recently abused by a woman walking down a street near my workplace: she was obviously being as deliberately offensive as she could, trying to hurt me enough to provoke a reaction. The simplistic reaction would have been to bite - to say something to her which was also hurtful. However, tuning in to some of the energies involved showed she was actually suffering from self loathing, and was seeking to hurt herself in as many ways as she could to punish herself (possibly out of guilt). I think she would have been, in a perverse way, happy if I'd crossed over the street and hit her.

That very real woman, and some of the fictional characters, are very good examples of how deciding people are "bad" is not as simple as it seems.

Something I learned from Buddhism, which was reinforced by my Wiccan studies, is that we all have a negative or shadow self: all the parts of ourself that either a potential weakness or are what we wouldn't like paraded around the dinner table at a family meal. Not some of us, or most of us - ALL of us. There is a parable (claimed to be American Indian) about the two wolves inside us: one good and one evil; the one that grows and is strongest is the one that is fed most.

ANY one of us, if we are not aware and alert, could potentially be driven to commit acts that we consider wrong, bad or mad. If I remember it correctly, criminals in Tibet used to be (before the Chinese invasion and occupation) locked in stocks and unable to feed themselves, but did not starve to death because other people would feed them - partly to earn "good" karma, and partly because the Tibetans recognised something similar to the sentiment of the saying "There, but for the Grace of God, go I". On this world, we are not that far away from serious errors: a moments carelessness when driving could lead to someone else's injury or even death, and that could possibly land us in jail. I get very wary of people who are smug, and see themselves as inherently different or superior to others who commit acts of great evil. If you had been in their shoes, how different would you have been? (There are people who I am confident would NOT repeat the mistakes of such people: without exception, those people are not arrogant about their difference/"superiority".) In fact, have you committed acts which you consider innocent or harmless "fun" which may actually have contributed to someone else's character being harmed?

And this leads us back, eventually, to the topic of superheroes/superheroines/superheroixes. In the world of the superhero/ine/ix, things are always fairly clearly black and white - even in the case of flawed so-called "anti-hero/ines/ixes". What I would like to see, is a superhero/ine/ix who lives in a recognisably everyday, mundane world, dealing with everyday, mundane stresses such as working to pay the bills, who uses whatever super powers they have and has to deal with the consequences, and learns from the mistakes.

As an example, perhaps they force a brash loud-mouthed yobbo at work to be quiet, and then find that this was an act to help the person to cope with being picked on, bullied or abused as a kid (if I wanted to make the story particularly poignant, perhaps the person concerned would commit suicide after the superheo/ine/ix's intervention). Or maybe they stop a boss at work being so arrogant, and as a result the company doesn't win as much work and goes bust. If I chose an environmental example, perhaps they bring rain to one part of the country which needs water, and as a result somewhere else suffers drought. (This point is emphasised in the Earthsea series; and the heroines in Kate Forsyth's excellent Witches of Eileanan series [see http://members.ozemail.com.au/~kforsyth/] are very human.)

Everything is interconnected, and everyone and everything has layers of meaning and motivation. (I read an interesting science fiction story years ago, which I think has been turned in to a film, about people who travel back in time to hunt dinosaurs which would have died just after the hunters killed them anyway; one of the hunters steps on a butterfly, and creates a sequence of events which changes - destroys - the time they came from.)

I personally would still find such a superhero/ine/ix inspiring; in fact, I may just happen to find them even more inspiring. (In fact, I found the idea so inspiring I started work on such a story some time ago :) )

May you find and manifest the superhero/ine/ix in your life, and may it be a wise, inspired and understanding manifestation.

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

This posts photos are of the "Australian Standing Stones", at Glen Innes, NSW. See http://www.australianstandingstones.com/ for more information.

Tags: cross-fertilisation (ideas), cross-training, myths, symbology, keys, personal characteristics

First published: Saturday 1st September, 2007