On the 15th, my Kindreds nudged me to sign up for a ritual on Feb 17th. Non-COoR style. Focusing on Love, Friendship, and Healing--with oneself.
Monday I had a weather-caused migraine. Tuesday I realized that the ritual was that night, not today. Actually, writing went really smooth. I'm glad it was Non-COoR, because I really wanted to focus on Self-Love. Although my COoR rituals tend to be long, you can do them quickly.
Druid in the City: Minimal ADF Core Order Ritual
Last night, after I wrote the ritual and was working on my sigil (because I was opening a well of source energy, I wasn't going to be able to do my sigil with them), I was possessed by the Kindreds who wrote a message for the Druids.
Basically it was telling us to Shine Brightly. Be not afraid. Use our voices. To let our power flow.
Because of that, I was tired going into the ritual an hour later. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to open the well for the group because it is draining. Thankfully, it was a smaller group...although I went straight to bed after.
Here it is...OH, also before we started, when I was looking at my Zoom box, a spirit was actually picked up by my camera! I can usually sense or see them on my own, but this was the first time my web camera actually picked one up.
Unfortunately no one else saw it because they weren't looking at the Zoom when it happened. And we don't record our rituals. Figures. lol
Pre-Ritual:
I posted a short list of some Proto-Indo European Entities of Love and Healing.
I also posted a list of Affirmations, including some that I use, such as "I am supported".
I also asked them to think of things they love about themselves. As well as things their Shadows Selves tell them. I didn't want this ritual to be about spiritual bypassing and toxic positivity, nor did I want to risk triggering things in people, either.
Onto the ritual:
"We're going to make sigils and I'll open the Well of Source Energy so yall can slurp up that energy and use it to charge your sigils, instead of using your own energy.After the ritual, be sure to drink water and eat something. Even if you're not using your own energy, you're still doing energy work–you need to replenish yourself."
1) Purification: First, purification. "With this Spirit Stick, I cleanse this space of all unwanted energies and entities. 3 taps to Ground. 3 taps to Clear. 3 taps to Connect." 9 taps. "This space is cleared, connected, and protected."
2) Opening the Rite: "Today is a Dark Moon, a time of endings. For others today is a new moon, a time of beginnings. It's also the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Fire Horse…
Last month, when I finally enrolled into the Pre-Clergy Program, I was stopped in my writing tracks by a faithless naysayer who drilled me with questions. This person was me in the guise of Imposter Syndrome.Who am I doing this for? Me or my family's approval? What the hell do I even have to give to…to anyone?
When I told my loved ones about the PCP, I even had family tell me that I didn't have what it took to become a spiritual leader–look, I have dyslexia, I stutter, I'm terrible at public speaking, I'm a drop out. Who could I help? "You don't have what it takes."
When I was younger, my gma had a Wall of Heroes, and basically only athletes, First Responders, and military mattered. No one else's achievements were worthy, no matter how awesome. I was an artist who wanted to use my work to help people. Civilians like me weren't worthy in their eyes. After high school, I tried, though. I tried to join the Air Force and the police academy, but I struggled with my weight. I also wanted to become a therapist, and I let them talk me out of that (although to be honest, I wasn't mature enough to be a therapist–I had a lot of infected raw wounds). I constantly dealt with their negativity and judgements–they never had faith in me. Which caused me to not have faith in myself. It took a lot of years of shadow work and therapy to see my worth, and to love and accept myself. To do Inner Children work, to find and get these traumatized mini-mes to trust me, and everything that goes with that long series of emotional journeys and mental health appointments.
Your Shadow Self isn't your enemy. Once I gained my Shadow Sister's trust, we came into alignment. Every once in a while, she brings me things that I need to work on. The Imposter is a part of that Shadow. Trust issues. Worth issues. I pay attention when the Imposter bubbles up with their fears and doubts. I explore those roots and work to heal those wounds. The Shadow wants to protect you from anything that may harm us. But sometimes the Shadow can't see that they're also killing you, holding you back from living. You have to prove to them–yourself–that you're capable, disciplined, strong, brave, and worthy. It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of failures, but it's possible. I still have a lot of work–it's never ending, life long, but it gets easier once you get the hang of it.
When dealing with something like Self-Love, you have the problem of spiritual bypassing, and I didn't want to do that. Can't just heal with toxic positivity. You have to do the work, however that looks to a person. However, I'm also no therapist and I don't want this working to trigger some deep stuff in any of you, although I do urge you to seek a support group or some kind of mental health professional if you're in need of one. Perhaps there's someone within ADF who can help? Might not hurt to reach out to clergy for some direction, if you need it.
I want yall to take some time and think about your Shadows, your Imposters. What do they say to you? Stop thinking about them as the enemy, something that needs to be destroyed and conquered–these entities are a part of you–they are you. Wounded terrified parts of us. Think of them as an ally, who's trying to show you what needs to be worked on.
When I stopped and examined what my Imposter was asking, I realized that those were some great questions. Am I doing this for the right reasons? What do I have to give? What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? What can I improve on or just accept? I explored them. I found a lot of hurt and resentment and just wanted the faithless to see me and to celebrate me, too! …then I realized that I was the 4 of Cups: 3 cups stood full of liquid and the 4th was knocked over. I was focusing on the 4th, unable to see the 3 still standing.
When my Imposter asked those questions again and again, I thought about who I'd want to be present for my ordination or celebration–those 3 Standing Cups–my chosen family–people who support me. The faithless have their ideas about me—and it's not my job to fight that. I can't control what they think, only myself. I choose to refocus on those who genuinely have my back and want to see me succeed, and will support me even if I don't.
Who am I? The Imposter asks.
Who am I? I ask.
Am I the worthless loser living in my brother's shadow? Or am I a powerful, badass, compassionate, smart, worthy person who has done incredible things and will continue to do amazing things in the future?
I am.
Who are you? Anothers Fears or Your Potential?
Think about it. Write down thoughts as they come during this ritual.
3) Grounding and Anchoring:
4) Hearth Kindreds: "Hearth Kindreds, I invite you to this Self Love Ritual. Fill our homes with light and warmth. Hearth Kindreds, accept this offering." I lit the candle and sprinkled the offering into the bowl (normally, I'd sprinkle into the flame, but some of the ingredients were larger than usual).
Earlier in the day, I had made a Love Mixture of pink salt, rosemary, and powdered rose that I received last Friendship Day.
5) Allow the attendees to invite their Kindreds. I gave more offerings. One of the rose petals landed in the flame. Apparently the Hearth Kindreds wanted some directly in Their flame.
6) The Working: "Have you been thinking about it? Who are you? Who do you want to be? Your worth? Or perhaps things your Shadow has brought to you to work on? Whose opinions matter? Are you being a 4 of Cups and too focused on the wrong things?"
I walked them through how to make the sigil, and gave them time to put theirs together, while I prepared the Well of Source Energy. Once they were finished, I told them what to do after I opened it. When it was time to close it, what to do. Then we got to it. I opened and monitored it, and when it was time to close, I told them. I saw their energy straws retract...although there was an extra straw and I wasn't sure who it belonged to...although they also retracted theirs. Once closed, I made sure everyone was feelin good, and then we moved onto the Omen!
7) Omen. The Norse Goddess of Healing Eir used The Path of the Divine Feminine Empowering Goddess Oracle Volume 1 by Kat Shaw. The Hellenic Goddess of Love Aphrodite used (Ditto) Volume 2 by Kat Shaw. The Irish Goddess of Love and Banshees Cliodhna ("(KLEE-nah)") used the European Goddesses and Spirits Oracle by Johanna Polle.
- Eir - Banbha - Release what doesn't serve you anymore.
From Willow's recording of the Eir channeling: "Good job! Slow down and breathe. You will be seeing a lot of messages about the fire horse year it's quick and impulsive fire energy. Slow your horses and ground. Be observant and patient, don't let the fire control you, use the fire as a tool, as with previous omens. The same with shadow work, you'll fall if you rush, it's a tangled mess you have to pick apart slowly or you'll make the knot worse. Take your time. Wood burns to ash--it is not your time to rise from those ashes, first we must prepare the hearth and burn later--too soon, don't ride a burning wooden horse. Save that fiery steed for another time, not when you're working on self love and healing and confidence. You can come to a conclusion quickly but it'll take time to sink in, and you gotta sit after you've fallen and acknowledge what you stumbled over. Keep trying you'll find your footing."
- Aphrodite - 2 Jumper Cards - Wisdom and Temple - Be your temple your body or a sacred space that makes you feel great, do something positive for your mental health--something that feeds your soul. She was pressing that we "treat ourselves" to water-based self-care.
Willow's recording of the Aphrodite channeling: "There's a war going on inside of you between guilt and self love, to forgive yourself for not feeling good enough. It's OK. You're human with a lot of stuff going on. Rec to take special shower or bath with herbs and salt, make or buy, something eith Her name in it, allow Her to wash away your burdens. Blessings of release, relax, rest. Go for a swim, go bathe, treat yourself to a spa. Jumper card. Ireland. Banbha, release. Like a wave, release and bathing and self care with water. Mother Mary, nurturing. Jumpers are Ancient Spirit Warrior, wisdom, and Mandala goddess, temple.
Spirit warrior. Listen to call of your heart, rituals and moons and foregoddesses. What have you always wanted to learn?
Mandala goddess. Gorgeous and resplendent. Her body is her temple. No beginning and end, honor your temple space whether your body or space in your home. Enjoy the holy space."
- Cliodhna - Marzana - Cycles. Instead of using your own energies, use the energies of the season, the month, moon phase, day, numerology. Lately the Kindreds have been having me open up Wells of Source Energy for people to "slurp" in order to charge sigils and energy balls, instead of their own energies. If you're able, perhaps learn how to open your own well? The Kindreds are urging us to drawn on energy from other sources, given that so many of us are exhausted in various ways.
Willow's recording of the Cliodhna channeling: "Seasons of different tides. Inhale and exhale. All of life is cyclical. The wheel will keep turning whether you are feeling high or low. You can use the creative energy of whatever season you find yourself in. Dark moon ending, new moon growing, waning part of winter. Slow down, take a bath! Self care! Wait for the cycle to change again. Use the energy of the times. You could do magic by day of the week, numerology of the day's date. What energy can you use instead of depleting your own?"
10) Thank the Kindreds and Spirits.
11) Rite ended.
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Normally I do a whole self care ritual after possession and energy work, but I was so tired. I drank a cup of water, a cup of purifying tea, and went to bed. This morning, I'm still tired and had a headache--doesn't help that it's supposed to be 60F today. I'm self caring, though.
I'm proud of last night's ritual. I think next Well Opening, I need to open my small well first to draw on it. Im also thinking about maybe walking people through a guided meditation and teaching them how to open their own, since the Kindred are stressing that people do it. I was taught by Shiva years ago when He was teaching me some healing techniques.
I'm also working on a ritual to honor Seers--the Deity and Spirit kinds, as well as the human kind.
But my next planned ritual with Virtual Fire is March 31, 2026 for Trickster's Day.
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Thanks for all of the support. I really do appreciate it.
Face to the Sun.
Trust in Joy.
Follow the Foxes and the Bees...
- Priestess Foxlyn