#practicalreflection

Taken from: Thea Sabin, ‘Wicca for Beginners’ (pp. 45-46).

 Crystals are natural batteries so their energies tend to be easier to feel. Sit comfortably, relax and pick up the stone or crystal in your hand. Hold it gently and see what you feel. You may not feel anything in your hand at all but instead may “feel” the sensation in your head. You may get a mental image instead of a physical sensation. Or you may just feel the crystal zinging in your palm. Is their energy different? If so, how? Are some easier to sense than others?

I will explain my experience with each rock, from left to right.

Far left: This one was the last of the four minerals which I attempted this exercise. I felt that I connected with the energy almost instantly. It felt universal, like it wasn’t as attached to the earth as the other minerals. I visualised myself zooming through the cosmos with its vibrancy all around me.

Centre left: This was the first mineral I tried this exercise with. I saw it in my mind as surrounded by energy which appeared wispy and white, and I felt an association with the moon. I also felt that it was a serene energy capable of healing, light and calm protection.

Centre right: This was the second mineral with which I attempted this exercise. This one was harder for me to pick up. I was expecting to see and feel the energy in a similar way to how I’d picked it up from the first rock, but instead of seeing energy, I was visualising a forest setting with a stream running through it. It was a very grounded feeling, and I sense the the rock is very connected with the Earth.

Far right: This was the third rock I tried the exercise with. As a little test, I closed my eyes to pick the third rock so I wouldn’t be able to see what it looked like. I felt that it was possible my visualisations were being impacted by what the rocks looked like (as opposed to its energy alone). When I picked this one up, I could feel the smooth exterior. The energy I got from this was strong, defensive, protective, impenetrable. In my mind, I saw images of armour.

I don’t really know what these visualisations mean. I know that it feels I am sensing their energies but the sketpical part of my brain says it is just my imagination. To be quite frank, even if it is my imagination I experience it as if it were real and I believe I can experience benefits either way. I find the sensation of trying to feel the energies of these rocks quite calming. I would like to do some more research into different crystals and their meanings.

Taking inspiration from theories around visualisation and energy work found in the literature I've read on Wicca, I've decided to try some practical work of this nature. The aim of this practice was to try and push out the negative energy in my body and to pull in a better, purer energy to revitalise me. Over the past few months, my depression has gotten progressively worse and I am struggling. I don't want to let it overtake me.

I pulled myself out of bed and ran myself a warm bath. I sat in its warmth and washed myself as usual. I felt the the bath would be a good place to try this exercise as I find them incredibly soothing. As I washed myself, I tried to imagine that I was also washing away my sadness and fatigue.

Once I'd washed myself, I took my right hand (the hand I feel is stronger at directing energy) and faced it downwards toward the water. I took my left ha d (the hand I feel absorbs energy better) and turned it upward towards the days light Wah was shining through the window. I tried to imagine that I was pushing the dark energy of my depression into the bath water and taking in the radiant energy of the sun. The dark energy was quite literally black and the energy of the sun was white. I tried to imagine the ener inside my body becoming lighter and lighter.

I did struggle with this exercise. Perhaps I was jumping too far ahead in terms of what I am capable of. I'm not sure if it did or didn't work, but I do know that if it did work, it didn't work as strongly as I would have liked. It is possible that it did help though. Even though I felt disappointed as I was trying the energy work, I got out of the bath feeling fresh and more energised. I made a healthy breakfast, did the laundry and cleaned my room - it doesn't sound like much, but I've been so low that I hadn't done either of these things for two weeks. When I imagine the energy inside, it's no longer black, but a gray - and I suppose some positive change is preferable to none at all.

Taken from: Thea Sabin, ‘Wicca for Beginners’ (pp. 43-44).

Find a place you can sit quietly and undisturbed. It's important for you to be able to relax. Sit up straight if you can do so; some find that energy work can be enhanced when the spine is straight. Once you're comfortable, rub your hands together gently for several seconds until you feel the warmth between them. Then, hold your hands together in front of you as if praying, and slowly move your hands apart. As you do this, see if you can feel the energy you just raised zip between your palms of fingers. For some people, the energy feels or looks like you are playing cats cradle with string between your hands. The energy will be subtle and tingly.

As I was waiting for a class, I found a quiet nook in the university courtyard where I sat beneath the shade of a large tree. I took some moments to calm my mind and began the exercise. Rubbing my hands together, I felt warmth and a momentum of energy building. As I moved my hands apart, I instantly sensed the subtle, tingling sensation described and I felt the energy more strongly than I had felt it when rubbing my hands together. It also felt much stronger around my fingers than my palms. I received a visual of the energy I was sensing - it was luminescent and a pale shade of periwinkle purple. Lines of energy, similar to what you might see when using a plasma globe, connected my hands by their fingertips.

Next, try moving your hands gently and slowly back together. As you do this, see if you can feel any resistance between your hands. For some people, it will feel like the push that happens when you put the wrong ends of two magnets together. Don't be discouraged if you don't feel anything the first time you try this. If you practice this exercise, you will feel it eventually.

I had quite the opposite experience. As my hands drew apart, there was a strong sense of them wanting to come back together. It was as if I was stretching the energy out and it wanted to come together again. I'm not really sure what this means, and Sabin doesn't explain why we're supposed to feel a push instead of a pull. I felt content with the pulling sensation and am interested to hear why feeling a 'push' between the hands might be preferable to feeling a 'pull'.

Some Wiccan's believe they have a 'receptive'  and an 'active' hand. The receptive hand is better at feeling energy and the active hand is better at directing it. Others feel that both hands work for both things.