The Pagan - A Fat Odyssey

Something I read over at Witchvox the other day really rang a chord with me. I run around daily and see lots and lots of pagans...here in Germany, it's not a problem what you are, just don't broadcast it...and so I get to see a lot. This Witchvox article put into words what I've been seeing over here (and what is going on in the states, as well).

Why are a large percentage of pagans overweight, or really not in shape?

I can ask this because I'm a pagan, and I'm overweight. Oh sure, I can contribute it to a lot of factors: German chocolate (a doozy), 5 hours of commute and eating what I can find when I can find it, weird hours, weekends of eating with the Hubs, but when it comes down to it, I believe I have a lack of willpower.

You got it. I think I had a feeling of "well I'm pagan, I'm special, don't need to worry about all those outer trappings other people use". I was arrogant, and snobby, and I've paid for it.

I've gotten fat and there is no excuse to be like this. It'll end up killing me in the end, and lowering my quality of life. SO.

So, starting this week, I'm going to get up 30 minutes before I must, and do a taped workout. Every day. I'm going to watch what I eat at lunch and snacktimes will be dried apples or other fruits. This is killing me.

Literally.

Countdown

Well, he's coming - it's official, with a day and everything. On the 30th of April. No official name yet; we're calling him Blue. Here are his pics:
Pretty cute.
My buddy (the breeder) thinks that he just grew up, lost the cuteness phase, and combined with the mother of the owner (who hated him and abused him) the owner just fell out of love with him. Tragic.

For her.

Good for us. Little Blue is 2 years old - old enough not to get too horribly pommeled by the Cat - and in a desperate search for love and companionship. We've got it here in spades for him.

It'll be great to finally have him here. ;)

This week on the Copywitch

I always try to make up for the week on the weekend, and my poor misused blog is no exception. I'm working on details to make my life more liveable, and if they work out, then I'll have more time to blog. Can't do it at work; I'm so busy there there is no time except for email-checking. ;) Love it.

I discovered a fine room in Cologne, only to have the hubs dump on it as being "too far out". He doesn't realize the astronomical prices , or anything about it over there, and I feel like we aren't thinking far enough ahead - why move when Oma and Opa (Grandma and Grandpa) are here in Dortmund, we have the place rent-free, and they are ready-made babysitters for the little witch or wizard coming in a couple years?

Most of my tiredness and frustration comes from the three different trains I have to take every morning and the rude people on them. In the morning, I need my time to think and meditate. Can't do that on the train with a person snoring right next to you (or worse).

I'm gonna talk to hubs about purchasing an entirely new automobile (Vespa is, unfortunately, out) so that I can drive to work instead of take the train. I think that will, if not completely cure it, make the drive much more enjoyable and easy long-term. I'm thinking, right now, either a 2007 Honda Civic or a 2007 BMW 1 Series 5-door...I don't know if they are in the US yet (the BMW) but it's a far more chic, cheaper version of a BMW, and they are national cars, so should be cheaper on repairs.

The new Cat from my friend is a go. Hubs knew better than to mess with me on that, so he'll be coming end of this month (April) sooner if we can get a good flight. I'm excited - the Cat will finally have a playmate and we'll also be able to do such a good thing by taking this poor abused baby in. He'll be the hubs' Cat, and he's already really looking forward to "being in charge", so to say, of his very own cat.

Fun times.

Cleansing, Tuning and Charging your Stones

I knew that my crystals and gems should be cleansed of all outside energies after having them, but I long had a problem to figure out how to do it. Your stones are capable of holding your charged energy as well as absorbing energy from the environment around them: a very important reason to cleanse newly-aquired stones.

To charge and purify your stones:

Remember, that always your will and intuition will guide you. Keep the reasoning in the forefront of your mind, if you have a particular reason you are charging this stone. Otherwise, think of the purification and cleansing that the stone will feel.

1. Cleanse your crystal by holding it under running water for awhile. What I read recommended a stream, but as I don't live anywheres near a stream, I used the tap water. If you have genuine sea salt, sprinkle a little over your stone and cleanse it off with the water.
2. Use the sun and the light of the full moon to further charge your stone. What I read said either 24 hours, 3 days or 7 days, but I did one full evening of the full moon and the dark moon after. It seemed right to me. If you are more a "golden sun" person, use the sunlight, a "silver moon" person, the moon.

If you feel like, in a few months, you need to recharge, okay...do the same thing.

Alternatively, you can leave your stone on top of a large piece of amethyst for 24 hours, and that would help as well, amethyst being a cleansing stone.

Programming your stones:

Although I've read about it, I've not ever tried to program a crystal. I've thought about it, and I'm going to program some stone beads (that I'll get at my new stone store, see below) to make into a key chain for the hubs. He's leery of my herb magic, as he calls it, but he'd use a keychain I made for him.

I'm only wondering how I can program for another person. Probably the same way I programmed his ring for him (that he gets on his christian Easter holiday)

To do that, I decided what purpose the ring (now stone) was to have. For him particularly, the ring was a peaceful feeling, with love and calmness as afterthoughts.

Opening my top head chakra, I let white and golden light flow down through the ring that I held in both hands, visualizing the energy being soaked up like a sponge in the ring. The only words I spoke were "For Hubs".

He'll get it this next weekend, and I'm really looking forward to giving it to him. I think that this programming ritual would work equally well for a stone.

Feeling stone energies

Yesterday, on my free Saturday, I happened across a new stone store, chock-full of lovely beads of all my favourite types of stones. So, being somewhat unsettled in mind, I went in and got a few.

I have a silver dragon-head that has, at the end of it, a moonstone, and I got the brilliant idea to make a nice bracelet out of it. I chose (or rather, they chose me):

JADE - helps concentration, develops psychic powers and helps you discover deep parts of your personality;

AMETHYST - transformation and protection, cleansing. Promotes happiness and spiritual awareness. Helps with sleep and deflects negativity;

Tiger's eye - Helps you become more practical. Optimism that means success, and protects against negativity.

Lastly, my silver dragon has Moonstone, which: increases your intuition, helps to balance emotions, and protects against anxiety and stress.

My dragon, a side view:


Dragon and Tiger's eye, top:


From this view, you can see the Amethysts...


I am a big macrame-nut, so I knotted between the stones and the dragon, and used an opposites closure on the other side, leaving the jade free to swing back and forth.

I love it...obviously I need me some negativity protection and stress relief, as I'm feeling very insecure right now, and helping me with my intuition practice and practicality side.

It feels very nice and right on my hand. Looks good, too.

I always was most fond of natural stones when I was younger (doesn't that sound horrible). What I realize now is that they certainly helped me through some difficult times, even when I didn't know they were helping.

It's rather odd to think of a stone helping you out, or holding yourself to stabilize onesself, but it really works. I have a selection of larger ones I got at the Christmas market (I know, but it's rather pagan) that stick around at my computer. I'm thinking of taking some of them with me to work, the more protective stones.

Try it. Go into a gem or stone shop, and let your hand and eye trail leisurely over the selection. Feel a burning sensation, or a feeling of rightness? Let your hand settle on the one stone that seems to call to you. Pick it up, roll it around in your hand. Settle yourself and look "inside" the stone - reaching into your hand to feel the stone. Does it vibrate? Believe it or not, every stone has a different vibration, and the one you just chose stands to have a good chance to be on the same vibrational level that you are.

It's a wonderful feelinng, when it happens. They truly choose you, not the other way around.

Sometimes it's nice to be alone

Like today, f'instance. The hubs had to stay in Leizig this weekend. At first I thought it would be horrible, but actually, it wasn't so bad.

I stayed in my PJs. I had a bath. I don't have to share the computer or the internet this morning.

Of course the Cat, too, thinks that it is ideal. He has taken a position of utmost importance:

Right where he has the most say:

He is, as McDonalds says, "lovin' it".

He is also liking the fact that mummy went to a cat show yesterday and stocked him up on ball-toys that can be destroyed, and a mouse that runs all over the house.

He is very content.