Thanksgiving

Oct 2019 #Spiritwork #Domagick Day 12

Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving this weekend. The exact day varies depending on your family, with some ending up with multiple turkey extravaganzas from Saturday till Monday. That’s a lot of bird! My family avoids the poultry and steers towards vegetarian recipes instead. That doesn’t mean this holiday isn’t about us spending time together and giving thanks for what we have. After years of wishing, we’re very grateful to have our own home.

I’m taking the house sprite’s advice to balance work with pleasure today, and will keep my efforts around the property to some light cleaning. The main plan is to enjoy an afternoon of spooky movies with the clan. When I touched base with the house spirit this morning, its energy seemed a tad more chaotic than it does during the weekdays. I’ve noticed this trend whenever more people are in the house. It doesn’t seem upset, simply stirred up (excited?) by the presence of more people.

I tried to ask the house sprite how it it preferred that we show it our appreciation, but the response I received was not what I expected. I wanted a concrete answer: what incense to use, or whether I should go out an find certain adornments… That kind of thing. What I received was a wave of affection – and the feeling that we should share such we each other and the house. No more than that. It makes sense, but it was far more simple than I’d predicted.

Balance

Oct 2019 #Spiritwork #Domagick Day 11

My congestion cleared — and, with it, my ability to communicate with the house sprite. Today, I concentrated on our home as opposed to the land around it, and asked the house sprite how it felt about the new residents.

The house appreciates our eye for progress. It likes that we want to maintain what works but also make changes that will update and even improve how it functions. However, it pointed out that it enjoys ours offerings too. I shouldn’t view these as extras or indulgences on top of our regular hard work. Those moments act as vital points of connection and should not be ignored as I move forward. Both must be kept up in equal measure for a content house spirit.

Moreover, the sprite cautioned I shouldn’t given into my anxiety and work all the time. I should make an effort to enjoy what the house is for instead: fun and family. These aren’t extras but necessities. Again, it’s a balance I must be mindful of going forward.

Sore and Recovering

Oct 2019 #Spiritwork #Domagick Day 8

After making my offerings to the house and land sprites this morning, I checked in to see how they felt about yesterday’s efforts. Truthfully, I was anxious about the sheer amount of tree limbs trimmed way and tiny creatures uprooted during the yard work. Although it’s all for the good of our home, I couldn’t help but be aware of the ecosystem I’d trampled.

Their reaction was mixed. They appreciated our hard work, how we stuck with it until the task was finished even when we got tired. Despite that, they are sore today and recovering. The front yard’s energy seems fixated on rebuilding this morning. (What is still awake, that is. Much is slowing down with the coming snows.) I sense no anger or urging for us to stop, but I’ll continue to be sensitive to what I’m uprooting in the future.

Pink Poppies

Oct 2019 #Spiritwork #Domagick Day 7

Spotting a new plant in my front yard hinted I’m on the right track with the land spirits. I was feeling off today, unsure if I was on the correct footing with my work with them. However, when I returned from picking up some new supplies for the house, I spied a bright pink poppy growing along our front walk. We haven’t planted any of these flowers and neither had the previous owners. From what I can see, nearby neighbors haven’t grown any, either, so the seed must have blown from some way before it sprouted up. I simply didn’t recognize the flower before it bloomed. Still, there it was, waiting when I got home: the unofficial symbol of our family. It gave me quite the grin, especially when I noticed the plant was ready to send out two other flowers, three in total for the three of us. It definitely encouraged me in my work for the afternoon. So, after offerings, back to the yard work and practical efforts around the house!

Nameless Spirits

Oct 2019 #Spiritwork #Domagick Day 6

This morning’s spiritwork started with offering coffee, tobacco, and incense to the house. The sun finally made an appearance as I told the wight about my plans for the day. From there, I passed into a light meditation, asking it how I could better tune into the land and its spirits this week. What I heard it seems repetitive at this point, but reassuring. I just need to make time and take the effort. However, when I try to reach out for names and faces, it seems like I’m forcing the issue. I feel as if trying to anthropomorphize something that doesn’t need it or doesn’t want that. Perhaps I’m the one who needs such a box for reference sake alone.

This Sunday afternoon will be spent working round the house and taking care of errands. Despite yesterday’s labors, we still have trim back the yard before winter, besides a few other things. So, from spiritwork I move to physical work again.

Responsibility and Persistence

Oct 2019 #Spiritwork #Domagick Day 4

Yesterday, it was my schedule which kept my work with the house and land spirits short. Today, it was my energy level. I felt a tad under the weather, so it was more difficult to apply myself to the task of meditation than usual.

Despite this, the house urged me to be responsible and to continue to make regular time for connection. Even though it seems eager to be worked with, it pointed out that this is a relationship with two parties. The subtleties of the house’s message won’t be heard if someone doesn’t go out of their way to make an effort to listen. The spots of neglect left by the previous owners prove that.

When I asked how I could be sure I’ll a land or house spirit was present when I sought connection, I was again struck by warm, invitational energy. It seems I just have to keep trying, at least in this case. Moreover, the more I work with the house, the more I love it, regardless of whether the work is spiritual or physical. Thankfully, that ends up as highly beneficial for both parties.

A Quick Coffee

Oct 2019 #Spiritwork #Domagick Day 3

Today, for my spirit work I was short of time so I simply sat with the house. I didn’t ask it any questions or press it for information. I simply talked to it and shared my coffee and tobacco. Since one of my cats decided that was the time to meow his head off, I also decided to formally introduce my pets to the property. I indicated I want to meet any creatures that might also live on the land, just like the plant spirits. It was a quiet time out before a busy morning.

Untended Land Spirits

Oct 2019 #Spiritwork #Domagick Day 2

For the second day of working with our house / land spirits, I offered up tobacco and shared the coffee I was drinking. I also continued with the incense offering and unscripted dialogue, discussing the difficulties we’ve had in finding a certain type of repair service. From there, I moved into a meditation / journey where I concentrated on the borders of our property. Its energy felt scattered, as if it has been undirected for some time. I sensed the land is impatient to be tended, especially in some areas. It was looked after once and longs to be so again.

Our beautiful monster of a rose bush is one such candidate, with arms that reach out in every direction. It’s hardy enough to have spawned a sibling in the neighbor’s yard that is growing wild behind their shed, well over 6 feet high. They don’t seem to care, and I can’t do anything for that particular plant, not that the giant rose bush seems to need much of my help. Our own wild-limbed beauty needs to be looked at before it takes over the whole yard, lovely as the rose bush is. With any luck, some of its rose hips will go into teas this year, and I will get to know the plant on another level, and understand our land yet deeper as well.

When I felt prompted to ask the land spirits about elemental associations they might have (besides the obvious), they indicated a connection to air. It seems I was on the right track with the incense offerings! However, I had thought fire would come up since we have a fire pit in the backyard, but again the neglect shown by the previous owners caused an issue there. The bricks are in need of repair, so rather than the powerspot it could be, it is one needing attention, both physically and spiritually. Again, they impressed their impatience to be looked after. I have a lot of work to do!

House and Land #Spiritwork – Oct 2019 #Domagick Day 1

Hello again! I’ve been away for several months, wrapped up in the minutiae of a family move. Although I’ve shifted from one apartment to another more times than I care to count, this is our first time buying a home. It took us two attempts, with one offer that fell through, before we found the house we wanted. Now our stuff is mostly unpacked, we and our pets have settled in, and it’s beginning to feel like home.

Still, it remains a little strange. I’ve lived in apartments most of my life, so it is unusual to have anything more than a concrete balcony for a backyard. Now, I have a front and back yard filled with plants, some I have yet to identify. I’ve been focused on those repairs that need to taken care of before winter – another thing that is new to me. The landlord has always taken care of repairs before, and now I am the landlord. Oh anxiety!

But I know it doesn’t have to be that way. When I sit on my back deck in the autumn sunlight, I feel peace in the way I used to only in city parks. Now, I have a tiny patch of green right outside my back door.

I want to get to know the spirit of this land and the house on it. I’ve done this and previous apartments, making offerings to the land-wights / spirits of place, and then meditating on their presence or journeying to meet them in the Middleworld version of the apartment. I plan to do the same with this space over the next 30 days for the Domagick Spiritwork challenge in October.

Today, I started off with a simple incense offering and an unscripted prayer / dialogue with the house. This segwayed into a meditation where I tried to both sense any response and the general nature of the house. Its energy seemed warm and what I would deem generous or giving, even invitational. At least, it felt that way until my partner turned on the TV. Then I lost the shape of the meditation to the noise of the distraction. Even so, I wanted to make my offering in the main room of the home, the heart of the place. I just have to broker better time management tomorrow.

Spring Awakening

I continue to work on my personal oracle over this last week, painting portraits of Leviathan, Eurynomous, and Astaroth.

I’m particularly pleased with the work I did on Astaroth’s painting, as I’ve struggled to capture her on paper for some time. I also began canvases for Unsere, Verrine, and Amducius. I still have at least eight more cards to go, but I do not think I’ll be able to finish that many by April 1. Even so, I’ll keep at it so that I will have the oracle deck for use for at least part of the next Domagick challenge.

However, I must now set my painting on the back burner and concentrate on a couple of different tasks over the next week instead.

First, I must prepare for the Spring Equinox and the First Rite to Lucifer. In this ritual, I will celebrate him as Lord of the air, enlightenment, and new beginnings. At other times in my life, I have participated in shamanic journey circles dedicated at this time of year to Waking the Bear: a harbinger of spring where I live who begins to emerge from the dream of hibernation around the Equinox. I do not typically associate Lucifer with this animal, fierce and powerful as it is, but I will undoubtedly still journey deep within the Bear’s cave this week to see what both may have to say to me. Now is when the world reawakens and all can be reborn anew.

Right after the Equinox, I’m taking part in a Spring Novelama from March 22 to 25th. The goal is for each participant to produce twenty-five thousand words from the comfort of their own writing cave. I may not hit that target, but I’m dedicated to completing at least one story I have on the go. I’ve set up my entire schedule to focus on those four days.

Wish me luck, and Happy Equinox!