Monday Reflections & Exercises - Chapter One- Week Four

We wrap up this week with an easy reading and while it didn’t take me long to get through these sub-chapters, the inspiration and questions provoked by them got my own creative juices going.

This week I got into the kitchen to make one of the recipes shared in the back of the book, a Celtic meal. I also worked with the correspondences and herbs with my Goddess Morrighan to create herbal tea that I will be using in ritual in the next coming months.

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS

At the end of the month, with the reflection of the Full Moon it is always a great time to reflect on what you have learned during the month, and to make note on what worked, what didn’t and what you are ready to let go off and bring into the new month.

The reflective questions and exercises this week ask you to pick up your pen and journal and make time, even if for a few hours to connect with the Celtic magic and sink into the myth by listening to the voice of the sacred [which is you]

*What is your relationship with food and drink and how can you bring it into your circle to heal it and make it a part of your relationship with deity?

*Could you adapt to a Celtic diet to honor your Celtic deities or ethnic preferences? What would you add to your daily spiritual eating [food] or as part of a ritual?

*What is one of the greatest mysteries you have discovered in your practice?

*How do you explore the unknown and what place does it have in your practice?

* How much do you want to leave unknown and mysterious about your deity? How would that affect your practice and path if at all?

*Drawing from the collective and personal experience of other Pagans, past and present, what elements of magic work in your rituals or would you like to try; an offering, a poem, an invocation as an example?

*Do you/ would you use Celtic paganism to develop a connection with yourself, deity or your CELTIC ANCESTORS

*What primal/ ancient questions are you most curious to investigate?

* At the heart of the seeker – where do you believe your path to be at present?

EXERCISES

Like the reflective questions. These exercises ask you to create in a different way and think about the way in which food, herbs and offerings play a role in celebrations, festivals and ritual. Whether created to share with family and friends or alone in sacred space use them in correspondence with some of the questions above for a more powerful pull into the Celtic energy and your own individual practice.

*Research food/herbs that corresponds with your God/Goddess or particular the ethnic preference

*Cook one as the meals recommended into the back of the book and have celebration with family/ friends or in your sacred space: Leaving an offering at the altar. ALTERNATIVELY: You could create your own herbal tea using correspondences with your God/Goddess.

*Tap into the Celtic Collective unconscious by addressing the OTHERWORLD or deity in your journal. Really LISTEN, turn of your analytical mind and freewrite/automatic write with the intent of connecting to the CELTIC UNCONSCIOUS.

Here is a list of ten keywords from this chapter that you can use to connect with the Celtic unconscious. If none of these appeal go through each section and pick out a world, or topic that intrigued you the most that you want to go deeper with, use your dreams, tarot, automatic writing any other creative method that inspires to create a relaxing, and insightful session.

·         OTHERWORLD
·         TRANSITIONS
·         SACRED ANIMALS
· SOVEREIGNTY·         WOODLANDS
·         GUARDIANS
·         SPIRALS
·         SCEPTERS
·   AKASHIC·         TRIFOLD

For all of you who joined me both privately and publicly during the month of January – Thank you. I am working my way through developing a practice that resonates with me, and in the future months I would like to share more of that with you as I journey through the book. While parts of it were disappointing, most sub-chapters have provided me with stepping stones that I look forward to engaging and discovering more about on my path.

Let me know how you found the chapter.

Will you be joining me in February as we delve into attuning with the Celtic Pantheon?

Did you do any of the Celtic Tarot Challenges? I would love to see your posts.

What would you like to see more of in February?

As always you can find me on INSTAGRAM @Bittenbybooklust

INSTAGRAM #CELTICMYTHANDMAGICKSTUDY2016