W.F.T.M.I - Meditation
DISCLAIMER:
The information below is based upon research done by Autumn White. Any unoriginal thoughts or facts are cited next to the research. Any original thoughts will be made based on personal experience with the exception of interviewed witches who will be credited next to their experiences and opinions.
AT THE END OF THE DAY WITCHCRAFT IS BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT IS NOT A CURE ALL. PLEASE, IF YOU ARE HAVING ANY CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR AND SEEK HELP.
TRIGGER WARNINGS WILL BE POSTED BEFORE CERTAIN STORIES ARE SHARED.
I stuffer from PTSD from childhood trauma, severe depression and severe anxiety. I’m currently taking depression medication every day and an anxiety medication as needed for panic attacks. I also self medicate with marijuana.
So my PCP’s advice is: Meditate, self-care, take time for yourself each day to keep to yourself to calm your mind. Get 8 hours of straight sleep and eat at least 3 meals a day without missing this. Make a schedule to make this easier.
Meditation Benefits To Mental Health
“Meditation, particularly mindful meditation, teaches those who practice it to focus on the present moment, breath by breath. According to these studies, meditation can help individuals sleep better, cope with some symptoms associated with mental disorders like depression and anxiety, reduce some of the psychological difficulties associated with chronic pain, and even improve some cognitive and behavioral functions. “ - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/balanced/201907/meditation-and-mental-health
“In a review published in March 2014 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers reviewed more than 18,000 scientific studies looking at the relationship between meditation and depression and anxiety. (1) Forty-seven trials with data on 3,515 patients met their criteria for well-designed research. The results showed that mindful meditation programs over an eight-week period had moderate evidence in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
In today’s modern world, stress seems to be a normal part of everyday life. But a number of adverse health effects have been associated with stress, including an increased risk of headaches, muscle pain or tension, fatigue, changes in sex drive, gastrointestinal symptoms, anxiety, and sleep difficulty. Uncontrollable stress can also increase the risk of chronic health problems, like heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.” - https://www.everydayhealth.com/meditation/how-meditation-can-improve-your-mental-health/
Meditation In Witchcraft
“You need to understand that learning about witchcraft is not the same as practicing the craft. You will need focus, clarity of vision, and a clear understanding of your own self. That is where meditation comes into play. Now, you may have heard about having a spiritual experience whilst meditating, or astral projections and such—to be honest, that can happen, however; if it doesn’t that doesn’t mean you should stop meditating. Meditating isn’t about these things happening, it’s about focusing and calming the mind—having a silent and still moment. This practice will allow you to do the same when actively casting spells, contacting spirit and other such crafts. “ - https://exemplore.com/wicca-witchcraft/Why-is-meditation-important-in-witchcraft
“Meditational skills and knowledge will be useful to those of you who are just beginning your journey along this path. The ability to center and ground yourself easily is crucial to being effective in your Magical workings as well as in achieving balance and harmony with Nature and Universal energy. These exercises will also help in developing your ability clearly visualize and focus which will also be of great importance to your future success within the Craft.” - https://www.wicca.com/meditation/meditation.html
My personal opinions
Meditation is one of the beginning steps of witchcraft that can be useful to seek answers. It is also a very heavy and helpful relaxer. I have insomnia, and after just 1 session I was already relaxed and in a perfect position to fall asleep. I’ve also joined in a guided group meditation. It was intense! I was so impressed at the things I could just barely make out, and I got to admit, I was skeptical at first because I didn’t know if I was accurate in my seeings. As soon as others stated what they saw and it was similar to my experience, I was floored with excitement. Do I recommend giving meditation a try?: Absolutely. 10/10 recommend you give it a go tonight. Here are some links you can try tonight when you have some time to yourself. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4jWo5kiyOCt4PnvF4jbaLg - The Honest Guys
Please give a chance to subscribe to my youtube as I will post extra findings of my research there, and it’d be nice to share experiences! :)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y0l3XPQ11hJVyxYdmCOUw?view_as=subscriber
