This post will be a bit of a catch all: I won't call this an essay, but rather how I have been actually doing my weekly work.
I am using the DP Through the Wheel of the Year guide to keep me on task, and I am only slightly behind on my reading. That's ok, I have time to get caught up, if I manage to budget myself this week, haha! Yesterday was Lughnasadh, and I was unable to celebrate that holiday on the day. I am, however, going to celebrate it this weekend. I am a little sad, since my friend has gone back to the States, so this might be a bit solitary, unless my husband and sons want to participate/attend.
Last week I was supposed to work on the 2 Powers meditation, but I was unable to do so. However, I do a daily devotion/meditation in the morning before breakfast, and will journal what that entails to be used as part of an essay. Here it is in a nutshell:
I first clean the incense burner off, and replace the water in my small bowl. I set up new incense, and then light my candle to Brighid, while reciting the first part of the flame lighting prayer from Clann Bhride https://clannbhride.org/ . Then, I light the incense, and continue the prayer, blowing out the flame on the incense at the line, "give me the power to bear Your light"... it was one of those Imbas things that I had months ago when starting this devotion practice. I then recite the rest of the prayer, holding my hands partially folded, using my thumbs and first fingers to create a circle over my belly. I didn't intentionally start doing that; my hands kind of naturally ended up that way, and I have kept it. I take a deep breath through my nose, hold, then exhale, relaxing my shoulders and back (I am almost always standing when doing these devotionals), and then I start the Caim of Brighid that I have memorized, using visual elements throughout to create a protective aura around me. I learned how to cleanse my aura while in Viriginia, patching holes and whatnot, and found that the words of the Caim worked well with it. At the end, I take another deep breath through the nose, hold, then release from the mouth. I have added a third prayer, the Hearth Keeper's Prayer from the Saint Brigid of Kildare group in Calgary, Canada. I started using this prayer after the Uvalde shooting, and intend to memorize it as part of my morning devotions. At the end of the prayers, I do one more breath in and out, and stand silent for a time. Some mornings are more connected than others, but they are never bad. I don't do this every single day, however; some days I need a break, or have early morning appointments/obligations that get in the way of doing them. It's ok, though, as sometimes one needs a break, and She knows I think of Her even away from the altar.
So, the notes here are to be my reference when I do my meditation essays and journaling. I haven't officially started noting them down, although I should, as I need 5 months of "practice". The nice thing is I already have this habit of devotions, which are meditations, and I just need to get into the habit of writing down how it is working for me. Coming up in the next couple of weeks will be the learning, and mastering, of the 2 Powers Meditation, which I have used, modified, in the past in Open Circle, to help center the students for the ritual at hand. Getting better at leading meditations is a good plan.
I will, this week, get the ritual for Lughnasadh together, and do it probably on Saturday. I will probably use Skip Ellison's solitary ritual for it; he lays things out very neatly, and it is easy to follow. One day I will be comfortable enough to write my own.
Today I shall use for catch up on writing, and reading, with a bit of housework thrown in for good measure. I am determined.
Oh Brighid, I pray You help Your daughter in her studies and life! Blessed Be!
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