Exploration

Image from totaltravel.com

One of the things that appeals to me most about this area is it's natural beauty. We haven't been living here for very long and a favourite past time is just walking, looking, absorbing the energy of the place. We walked our dog the other day in an off leash area which ran beside the river which was pretty much dry with pockets of water along it and it felt surreal to be walking along a river bed, surrounded by greenery and beauty on all sides with no one else in sight but for my daughter and dog. The delight we took in both each other's company and that of our puppy is indescribable. The sheer joy of watching our dog bound along the river bank, sniffing and exploring and leaping into the water to explore was exquisite! The fact that I had a long skirt and boots on which ended up filled with sand and water only added to the fun.

It's been literally years since I've been able to take my shoes off and feel nature between my toes - such a grounding, connecting thing. I'd forgotten how good it felt. The power of the place is amazing. Not only in the more isolated areas, which leave me speechless - places like Dr George Mountain, Mumbulla, the bush past Eden and even Tathra beach, but also the built up areas like Candelo, Bega and Bermagui all have a magic of their own. I wonder if the energy flowing here is what makes the people so amenable and easy going?

While I've not yet spent time alone in these places connecting with the energy on a more contemplative level, I've begun to explore and question, to reconnect with that which is magical in my life and to put my sorrows into perspective. I can feel my empathy re-awakening, which is both a good and a bad thing for there are some for whom I have great admiration who are going through some pretty tough times at the moment. This can make it pretty painful, but it's nice to be re-connecting with who I am - it's been a long time.

The Lost Soul

How did it come to this?

I used to be a spiritual person, able to rise above the rough and tumble of the everyday world and see the greater order of things. I used to be able to intuitively key in to people's thoughts, feelings and passions, often without thought and in such a way that I couldn't tell where they began and I started. When my daughter was very young and I was in a pretty bad space, I wandered into the Adyar Bookshop in Sydney one day and there I found a book by Silver Ravenwolf. While some in the witchy world regard her as a "fluffy bunny Wiccan", the concepts embodied in her book "To Ride A Silver Broomstick" felt like coming home to me.

For the first time in my life I felt that there really was at least one person in this world who thought and felt the way that I did - that living the way we do is entirely artificial and that there has to be a more spiritual approach to life, where one can practise unconditional love and respect for all living things (notice I said "practise", not perfect!) and follow in the footsteps of their forefathers, albeit from a more modern perspective.

Between now and then I have walked many paths and undergone many experiences that have enabled me to grow as an individual and refine my thoughts and approach to life. Somewhere along the way I seem to have lost contact with what I valued most of all - my connection with the spiritual. At one stage many years ago, I joined an online discussion group in order to explore Marion Green's book, "A Witch Alone: Thirteen Moons to Master Natural Magic". I can't remember why, but for some reason the discussion never eventuated. This, then, is my Book of Illuminations as described in her book and hopefully the instrument that I shall wield to enable me to reconnect with all that I valued so long ago.

Please, feel welcome to post and join me in my explorations. I do not consider myself "Wiccan" any more, even though so many, many moons ago I dedicated myself to the Goddess and God. I still hold my dedication true - I just perceive the "Goddess and God" very differently from the way I did when exploring with Silver Ravenwolf. It is my hope that not only will this grimoire lead me back to my own personal connectedness with universal energy, but that it may also assist others who may be seeking the path that is right for them.