The Magickal Pen

Hands carefully and tenderly holding a book
Pages thick and full between fingers in
Anticipation of what new kernels
Of wisdom may be consumed
Chewed upon and digested with
Hopes of nourishing a hungry Soul.

Seeds strewn between the crevices of mind
And illumined waterfalls of gentle rain.

A thirsty stream of electrically charged
Idea and sparks of quickening pulsing through
Halted breath just before the sigh and lengthy
Exhale of “yes, I understand!”

The beginning of a new awakening
A swish of pages stirring the excited
Breath of musty history penned by the
Sliding silk caress of ink and paper
Caressing oatmeal colored parchment.

And once again I sit at the table of knowledge
The first stirrings of an insatiable appetite
Invited to the Feast of the Seeker.

I am a book addict. I admit it proudly and will shamelessly give you detail of all the steps of my addiction.  There was a time when I was a young girl that I had very strict standards about what books I read. The thicker, the smaller the print and the more vocabulary dense- the better. You know that scene in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”, when the Beast opens the doors to an endless library? That was my ultimate fantasy. 

When I was younger, I spent hours at the local library with my Grandmother. When I was a teenager, I got a job as a page at that same Library and spent countless hours shelving and stealing away to devour every book I could get my hand on. As a Young woman commuting to New York for Ballet, I read book after book, while happily riding the morning train. When I became a mother, I read hundreds of books over the summer to our five children, each eagerly selecting their own pile to be read on weekly trips to the library. Every book honed my skills of imagination and every book set up a visual library within my psyche that now I use as the reserves of magickal visioning and practce of energetic connection. So, what is the inherent magick in a book?

A Practice of Visioning:

Some of our most successful magick is born from what we envision as we set our intention towards manifestation. Our desires and wishes become the intention of will to action and from that foundation we weave and craft our spell of making. Reading a book stimulates this creative action. We see words on the pages and images emerge that fit the intention. The more involved we become in the story or information, we begin to hear the narration of these words as we read as though the instructor or beloved characters are whispering over our shoulders. I have been told by those who have attended my workshops that they could hear the sound of my voice in narration as they read one of my books. They are actually calling up the holographic energy I’ve put into the writing of the book. The images become the encyclopedic reference we use as we categorize and analyze similar images in our daily or magickal workings.

Tactile Energy:

The tactile sensation of holding a book in your hands, feeling the weight of its pages and turning each page is an experience that engages much more than the physical sensation. Energetically, you have given the signal to the brain that something new is at hand. Your eyes scan the pages of word and image and the brain processes al that it sees and formulates the subtle connections that become the stores of information received from the simple writing of words on a page. Yes, I am proudly old school about books. I love technology, Kindles and the Nook, but there is nothing like a physical in hand book.

One of the favorite exercises I give to my students to do when we begin studies of sensing energy is to suggest taking their favorite book and as they read the pages to imagine what the author must have been feeling and trying to convey as they wrote the words. To allow themselves to energetically connect to the words, beyond simply reading each, but also opening to the sensation of the rhythm and vibration that word is setting into motion. This works at two levels, because not only are you connecting tot eh author’s intent, but also being aware of your feelings and response to what you are reading.

A Book is a Book, Plain and Simple:

You will note that I have not even touched upon the subject matter contained within a book of choosing. The point being that the simple act of reading a book- regardless of subject matter – has impact at subtle levels. Add to this, the reading of a book that relates to spiritual and magickal pursuits and the energy to be gathered has even greater potential for taking the reader on a journey of vision and energetic connection.

Now I write my own books and try to imagine as I am writing what my reader will be hearing and seeing as they read the words lovingly put to paper. My home library is extensive and additions are frequent, despite limited space. Each is like a supportive friend and teacher that has opened my perspective and enriched the inner library of my magickal practice.

I’ve written several times on the importance of developing a personal practice and the work and efforts of fine-tuning what that practice includes and ultimately becomes. But something more is needed that will expand upon those singular and personal threads you’ve woven. That “something” is the expansive catalytic energy created by the intermingling of your ideas, philosophies and practice with that which others have crafted of their own. It is within this space of exchange, safe haven for disagreement and accord and body of enough like-minded individuals that we find the assemblage of what may be defined as a community.

By definition the word Community means:

1: a unified body of individuals as:
a: an interacting population of various kinds of individuals in a common location
b: a group linked by a common policy
c: body of persons of common and especially professional interests scattered through a larger society

2: those who have:
a: joint ownership or participation
b : common character
c : social activity and fellowship

I like these definitions because they give clue to the multiple layers that community is and the varied forms it may take. This simple word encompasses geographic location, societal conditions, historical and philosophical commonalities and interaction among varied, yet like-minded individuals. In the broadest and simplest setting it is the coming together of those with shared interests on common ground. As we narrow it down a bit more, we see that the broader community is composed of smaller groups of individuals, who have even more in common and with shared interests. Moving in closer still, we separate out into the many traditions and practices that comprise the umbrella of what a pagan community includes. And, looking closer still, we see that even within our smaller pockets of community that are our covens, groves, lodges and more, there is yet a smaller community of individuals who share the common experience of expertise, lineage or mundane life. Some may disagree with my drawing the lens in so tightly and still calling it community, but if we use these definitions above we can loosely define community with as few or as many participants as we wish.

I believe that one of the key points of distinction in what constitutes as community or not is the aspect of joint ownership and participation that is at the heart of that community. This implies that there should be a sense of co-creation at work in establishing what we identify as community; and without the active participation from all who wish to claim ownership of what has been created that cluster will soon wither and dry up. I have purposefully omitted comment on the efficacy of communal efforts, power plays and negative ego based agenda that flow as an undercurrent through all communities as this is a topic for a much lengthier essay.

If we take all of the above dynamics into consideration, finding a home within a specific community adds yet another dimension of complexity in that the individual must feel comfortable, safe and identify that home as a place of nurturance and best interest. Becoming part of a group or frequenting the same open communal activities simply out of the need to belong and falsely molding yourself to fit in is not a great option. Nor is holding on rigidly to your own beliefs and remaining indifferent to the scope and breath of others experiences a positive practice. And, in the broader sense, neither of these conditions is a good foundation for creating a strong and resilient pagan community that will stand the test of time and remain viable regardless of what pressures are set upon it.

Remember that definition of joint ownership? I would like to add responsibility to the mix as well. We are ultimately responsible for the life we breathe into our communities; the strength we lend to them and the intent we place upon them to grow in a functional and positive manner. It is our responsibility to ensure that our communities will attract the necessary energy that will move us forward as magickal workers, human beings and stewards of our lives and lands. The function of a healthy community is to be the legacy from which the next generation of seekers can draw upon and take to the next level of evolvement (or involvement).

So, with the goal in mind of finding a community that will serve both your personal needs towards growth and contribute to the ever expanding diversity of that community, finding a place that you call home within this broad spectrum can often be overwhelming in choice. This is where the adage “Know Thyself” and the time spent in personal practice can serve as anchor and scale to weigh the pros and cons to where you choose to hang your hat.

Each of us wants to find a place within community that feels right and is comfortable. A place where we can be our best and at times also be our worst and still remain accepted for who we are. This is one of the primary purposes that community serves. So, explore the offerings and opportunities to participate in summer Festivals, Pagan Pride Days, Open Rituals, Balls, Conferences and anywhere others on a similar path may gather. Meet others, share in common experience and enrich and expand your own connections outwardly. Then, drawing that lens inward, return to the space of your self and evaluate and reflect on how each of these settings felt. Who were the people that you felt most connected to? What are their practices and how do they align with your own? Do your research about those Traditions that you may not know and reach out a little more deeply, probing the waters, of those you do.

Every community has its own nuances and subtleties, many of which are not apparent until you spend some time within them. But, there is also a wealth of obvious strengths and weaknesses if we take the time to open our minds and hearts and fully engage during the time spent in the setting and among the people with whom we are communing. Take the broadest of your experience within the larger community and then narrow it down, step by step until you find the one with which you resonate the most comfortably. This may be committing formally to a group or Tradition and the community they form, adapting communal practices to your solitary practice or participating routinely in select events that completely nourish and enlivens you throughout the year.

The important thing to remember is that where you choose to make your spiritual home and the connections to that community that you weave often become the pivotal factors in how you progress along your chosen path. And, more importantly, the lessons learned from your experiences will ultimately inform what you then have to share with those whom you consider to be part of your larger community.

Definitions taken from The Merriam Webster Dictionary