The last two months have been super busy. My last post was done two days before my son decided to be born 2 1/2 weeks early :) Since then, everything has been go-go-go seemingly without a minute to rest. Needless to say, I have seriously fallen behind on the PBP, and haven't quite gotten around to catching up. I hope to begin rectifying that. I have recently found myself with 6 hours a week in which I do next to nothing, and I am planning to put this time to good use.
So what have I been doing? Besides trying to keep up with the house chores, as I mentioned my baby was born. The week we went home we ended up back at the hospital lab the day after, and the pediatrician's office the next two days for his bili tests. His levels continued to rise, and we ended up in the hospital when he was 5 days old for phototherapy. Luckily, it was just one night and his levels dropped and became manageably safe so we could go home again. Oh, and I should mention my a/c quit the day after we went home the first time. About a week later, the a/c completely died, and we had to install a brand-new system, indoors and out. Yikes.
Of course, I kept my commitments to my Coven, and hosted the last several Esbats/Sabbats due to my pregnancy and then the birth.
July was spent attending family events, including planning and carrying out my daughter's birthday party. As far as she's concerned, it was a success, which is good. I was a little bummed because two of my closest friends in San Antonio weren't able to make it, and they are the only friends I have with kids around my own kids' ages. However, some of my fiance's cousin's kids came, so it's all good.
On top of that, my fiance and I made the decision (a very hard decision for me to accept) to send our (well, my) older son to public school at the end of the month. He'll be going into second grade and I am positively terrified that we're going to run into all the same problems we had the first time he went to school. Crossing my fingers that this school is better equipped to handle him. My daughter also wanted to go to school, so I signed her up for the pre-k program, which is a half-day class. I have no worries about how she'll do.
Throughout July, we continued having multiple appointments, both for the kids and myself. My son (7) has been in speech, occupational and physical therapy for awhile now, and for some reason the insurance decided to nix his approval. We had to get a new referral, go to a new agency, and redo all the evals to qualify him for the services he needs. They're still arguing the PT, but did give approval for about 6wks of sessions. They approved the ST and OT with no problems. This is where I found my 6 hours of "down-time". We go 2 days a week, for about 3 hours each for his therapy sessions which are currently back-to-back-to-back, at least until school starts. Then, I imagine we will be going 4 days a week to get the sessions in after school, or we will be missing some (or alot of) school. We're still waiting for the official Autism screening, with a different facility.
Now we're into August, and I'm wondering where on earth the summer went! I was just thinking that I haven't really done anything "witchy" for so long... Then I realized that I have celebrated each Esbat and Sabbat, I wrote several rituals for a friend of mine (healing, travel, new home), as well as writing and planning a Paganing ceremony for my children, which we did at our Lughnassah celebration this past Saturday.
I anticipate the rest of the month being just as busy, what with our almost daily appointments, and plans for every weekend, I don't foresee life settling down anytime soon.
So when I think I'm not "doing enough", I just have to remember I'm doing all I can and then some. I'm sure the Goddess understands. After all, she wouldn't have given me more than I could handle, right?
Monday, August 6, 2012
Friday, June 8, 2012
L is for ... Lavender Lemonade & Litha
The L's have conveniently coincided with Litha, which makes this letter a little bit easier, at least in my opinion :)
Litha is one of my favorite Sabbats. The Earth has fully woken, with green-leafed trees and flowers everywhere; home gardens are beginning to produce fruits and vegetables for the kitchen table; school's (mostly) out and there are children playing outdoors at this time of year. Luckily, it's not too terribly hot yet here in TX.
With Litha, aka Midsummer, falling in the middle of the week this year, my Coven sisters and I plan to gather a week from tomorrow to celebrate. It will be a family event, and finally my munchkins won't be the only kids running around, though they'll still be the youngest. Our newest sister has children of her own, the youngest I think is 9, if I remember correctly. We'll be having a potluck, since those seem to work well for us, probably some activities, and once the families are settled, we'll have our own ritual time set aside to honor and worship the Lady and Lord, as well as recognizing the Fae, whose magic is strong just now.
There are countless locations on the internet to find out the lore and history, associations and crafts for Litha, so I won't go into that now, though I may revisit it for next week. This week I really just wanted to share a favorite Litha recipe: Lavender Lemondade.
My concoction was cobbled together using elements from several different recipes I've found. This is what works for me, but feel free to modify to suit your own taste. Enjoy!
Lavender Lemonade
makes approximately 1.5-2 gallons
12 cups water
4 cups cold water
3 cups of sugar
approx 12 sprigs lavender, buds/flowers optional
juice of 6-8 large lemons
ice cubes
Mix 12 cups water and sugar in a pan and bring to boil. Once all the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat, add lavender and let steep for at least 15 minutes. The longer it steeps, the stronger the lavender flavor.
Pour cold water and lemon juice into a large jug or pitcher. Strain lavender syrup and add to water and lemon juice. Mix well. Taste and add additional water/sugar/lemon juice as needed. Add ice to fill pitcher.
Garnish with lemon slices and additional lavender sprigs/buds/flowers
Litha is one of my favorite Sabbats. The Earth has fully woken, with green-leafed trees and flowers everywhere; home gardens are beginning to produce fruits and vegetables for the kitchen table; school's (mostly) out and there are children playing outdoors at this time of year. Luckily, it's not too terribly hot yet here in TX.
With Litha, aka Midsummer, falling in the middle of the week this year, my Coven sisters and I plan to gather a week from tomorrow to celebrate. It will be a family event, and finally my munchkins won't be the only kids running around, though they'll still be the youngest. Our newest sister has children of her own, the youngest I think is 9, if I remember correctly. We'll be having a potluck, since those seem to work well for us, probably some activities, and once the families are settled, we'll have our own ritual time set aside to honor and worship the Lady and Lord, as well as recognizing the Fae, whose magic is strong just now.
There are countless locations on the internet to find out the lore and history, associations and crafts for Litha, so I won't go into that now, though I may revisit it for next week. This week I really just wanted to share a favorite Litha recipe: Lavender Lemondade.
My concoction was cobbled together using elements from several different recipes I've found. This is what works for me, but feel free to modify to suit your own taste. Enjoy!
Lavender Lemonade
makes approximately 1.5-2 gallons
12 cups water
4 cups cold water
3 cups of sugar
approx 12 sprigs lavender, buds/flowers optional
juice of 6-8 large lemons
ice cubes
Mix 12 cups water and sugar in a pan and bring to boil. Once all the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat, add lavender and let steep for at least 15 minutes. The longer it steeps, the stronger the lavender flavor.
Pour cold water and lemon juice into a large jug or pitcher. Strain lavender syrup and add to water and lemon juice. Mix well. Taste and add additional water/sugar/lemon juice as needed. Add ice to fill pitcher.
Garnish with lemon slices and additional lavender sprigs/buds/flowers
Sunday, June 3, 2012
K is for ... Knowing What You Know
K left me struggling a bit, and I started thinking about what I "know". I have alot of knowledge. I've read thousands of books, on many topics; I've gone to college; I try to keep up with the important current events. Even though I consider myself fairly intelligent, sometimes I feel like I just "don't know".
Whether it's a particular political issue I'm not familiar with, a question my son asks me that I can't answer (such as how many types of fish are there?) or when someone asks me a question about being Pagan.
In the first, if it is a matter that is important to me, I do my research so I can form an opinion, and I talk with other people who may have more information that I do. In the second, it is usually fairly easy to flip on the computer, open up the internet and google an answer to whatever bizarre question my kid wants to know.
Then we come to the last one: when someone asks me about my religion. I know what I believe, I know why and how I came to those beliefs. I am still learning, still questioning, and still growing in those beliefs, and, at times, my specific beliefs may change regarding a specific area. But, here we come to a challenge that's a little trickier than just knowing. It is important to know how to answer questions from others. Giving an answer that boils down to "just because" doesn't benefit anyone. It doesn't help the asker, because they are usually genuinely interested or concerned about your spirituality (or lack thereof, as they may see it). It doesn't help you, because your answer is not backed up with any substance, and therefore lacks credence.
Generally, I try to explain the what, why and how of any given topic. More than simply stating "this is what I think", I try to explain how I came to that conclusion, and what historical or archeological research there has been to support the theory. Sometimes, it is just a feeling, and I admit to that. Perhaps there was a particular book or author or incident that influenced me, and I'll share that.
A couple years ago, I sat down and came up with a list of common questions I heard over and over again, whether from my kids, friends or other people who happened to hear I am Pagan, and wrote out extensive, detailed answers. I think that notebook is actually still in a box since the move, but I am thinking I need to revisit it and see what may have changed, or need to be added to.
So, I guess what I'm getting at is just having a solid understanding of what you believe, and knowing why you believe it, so you have a ready answer whenever someone questions you.
Whether it's a particular political issue I'm not familiar with, a question my son asks me that I can't answer (such as how many types of fish are there?) or when someone asks me a question about being Pagan.
In the first, if it is a matter that is important to me, I do my research so I can form an opinion, and I talk with other people who may have more information that I do. In the second, it is usually fairly easy to flip on the computer, open up the internet and google an answer to whatever bizarre question my kid wants to know.
Then we come to the last one: when someone asks me about my religion. I know what I believe, I know why and how I came to those beliefs. I am still learning, still questioning, and still growing in those beliefs, and, at times, my specific beliefs may change regarding a specific area. But, here we come to a challenge that's a little trickier than just knowing. It is important to know how to answer questions from others. Giving an answer that boils down to "just because" doesn't benefit anyone. It doesn't help the asker, because they are usually genuinely interested or concerned about your spirituality (or lack thereof, as they may see it). It doesn't help you, because your answer is not backed up with any substance, and therefore lacks credence.
Generally, I try to explain the what, why and how of any given topic. More than simply stating "this is what I think", I try to explain how I came to that conclusion, and what historical or archeological research there has been to support the theory. Sometimes, it is just a feeling, and I admit to that. Perhaps there was a particular book or author or incident that influenced me, and I'll share that.
A couple years ago, I sat down and came up with a list of common questions I heard over and over again, whether from my kids, friends or other people who happened to hear I am Pagan, and wrote out extensive, detailed answers. I think that notebook is actually still in a box since the move, but I am thinking I need to revisit it and see what may have changed, or need to be added to.
So, I guess what I'm getting at is just having a solid understanding of what you believe, and knowing why you believe it, so you have a ready answer whenever someone questions you.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
J is also for ... Journey
I was having some challenges with the letter J. There really seems to be alot of topics, however none really resonated with me.
So that leaves me with reflecting on my journey. I've touched on it before, so this will be brief. Everything I've done, everywhere I've been, every choice I've made has brought me to this point in my life. I am not on a spiritual journey. More like, a journey of life. I cannot separate my spiritual self from my mundane self. I am not two (or more) parts - I am just me, as a whole.
Sometimes, I am really connected to my spirituality. I keep up with the moon phases, rituals, teaching my children, my personal studying and spellwork. Sometimes, though, my mundane life takes over, and I disconnect a bit. Between the kids, the husband, household chores, doctor appointments... Life just gets busy. That's the way it is. There are times I think the mundane take precedence, such as when my kids are sick or I need to take care of me. Somehow, I think the Goddess understands. While I may not always observe the Esbats or Sabbats on time or fully, I never forget.
So that leaves me with reflecting on my journey. I've touched on it before, so this will be brief. Everything I've done, everywhere I've been, every choice I've made has brought me to this point in my life. I am not on a spiritual journey. More like, a journey of life. I cannot separate my spiritual self from my mundane self. I am not two (or more) parts - I am just me, as a whole.
Sometimes, I am really connected to my spirituality. I keep up with the moon phases, rituals, teaching my children, my personal studying and spellwork. Sometimes, though, my mundane life takes over, and I disconnect a bit. Between the kids, the husband, household chores, doctor appointments... Life just gets busy. That's the way it is. There are times I think the mundane take precedence, such as when my kids are sick or I need to take care of me. Somehow, I think the Goddess understands. While I may not always observe the Esbats or Sabbats on time or fully, I never forget.
Friday, May 25, 2012
K is for ... Karma
My thoughts on Karma and the Threefold Law.
Throughout all of my years of studying, Karma and the Threefold Law (or Law of Three, whichever) are always mentioned separately, yet I haven't been able to actually figure out what the distinction is supposed to be. It seems in many cases, the terms are used interchangeably, and in others, the dividing lines are blurry at best.
So, here's my take on it.
I don't usually refer to the Threefold Law at all, and simply use the term Karma. It may not be technical, but it works for me.
So what is Karma? To me it's the idea of "what goes around comes around", or, what you dish out will come back to haunt you.
If you're basically a good person, you don't really have much to worry about. If you're not, well, maybe you should think about changing your ways.
If you are consistently polite and considerate, you will find that others return that to you. But, if you are consistently selfish and mean, you'll notice that others around you are that way too. Maybe it's coincidence, and you just notice others who are like yourself; maybe not. Either way, there's something to be said about polite, pleasant people being nicer to be around.
I think that while the little things matter, it's more of a "big picture" thing. Just because you yell at your kid, doesn't mean someone is going to yell at you (unless your kid is yelling back, of course). In other words, the little things add up, and that's what you'll see when it comes back to you.
I also feel there are different levels to how Karma comes back to us. There is the physical level, which means in happens in this world, in this life, and is usually easily recognizable. Then, it can also be reflected in the astral level, which is not so easily recognizable. And last, there is the possibility that certain actions may follow us into future existences, or that our actions in a past life are affecting us in this life. This may be the form of lessons we are meant to learn, that will follow us until we master them.
The word "Karma" often has a negative connotation when used in conversation. While it's true Karma often seems to kick us in the butt, it's usually something we deserved, and should have seen coming if we had been paying attention. But, it is also important to note that many of the good things we experience may also be a result of Karma. They simply are not recognized as such, because Karma tends to be seen as a cosmic punishment. However, it should more accurately been viewed as justice, as Karma is a reward as often as a punishment.
Throughout all of my years of studying, Karma and the Threefold Law (or Law of Three, whichever) are always mentioned separately, yet I haven't been able to actually figure out what the distinction is supposed to be. It seems in many cases, the terms are used interchangeably, and in others, the dividing lines are blurry at best.
So, here's my take on it.
I don't usually refer to the Threefold Law at all, and simply use the term Karma. It may not be technical, but it works for me.
So what is Karma? To me it's the idea of "what goes around comes around", or, what you dish out will come back to haunt you.
If you're basically a good person, you don't really have much to worry about. If you're not, well, maybe you should think about changing your ways.
If you are consistently polite and considerate, you will find that others return that to you. But, if you are consistently selfish and mean, you'll notice that others around you are that way too. Maybe it's coincidence, and you just notice others who are like yourself; maybe not. Either way, there's something to be said about polite, pleasant people being nicer to be around.
I think that while the little things matter, it's more of a "big picture" thing. Just because you yell at your kid, doesn't mean someone is going to yell at you (unless your kid is yelling back, of course). In other words, the little things add up, and that's what you'll see when it comes back to you.
I also feel there are different levels to how Karma comes back to us. There is the physical level, which means in happens in this world, in this life, and is usually easily recognizable. Then, it can also be reflected in the astral level, which is not so easily recognizable. And last, there is the possibility that certain actions may follow us into future existences, or that our actions in a past life are affecting us in this life. This may be the form of lessons we are meant to learn, that will follow us until we master them.
The word "Karma" often has a negative connotation when used in conversation. While it's true Karma often seems to kick us in the butt, it's usually something we deserved, and should have seen coming if we had been paying attention. But, it is also important to note that many of the good things we experience may also be a result of Karma. They simply are not recognized as such, because Karma tends to be seen as a cosmic punishment. However, it should more accurately been viewed as justice, as Karma is a reward as often as a punishment.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
H is also for ... Hell
It might seem to be an odd topic for the PBP, since most Pagans I know state they do not believe in any place called hell & that it is a construction of the Christians.
While it is true that Hell is most often seen/heard in a Christian context, it is not wholly a Christian notion. Most ancient cultures, whether Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Norse or Celtic, have a "hell". It simply is not synonomous with the Christian "hell". In many other cultures, the Afterlife, Underworld, Hades or Summerland was the place the soul went to rest after death, in preparation for being reborn. There are few instances of a "heaven v. hell" scenario that I am aware of. Most of these cultures believed in reincarnation, which today's Christians do not.
So, here are some of my beliefs as they relate to the existence of hell.
I do not believe in a devil that tempts us to do evil. I believe we each have that capacity within ourselves, and it is up to us what choices we make in our daily lives and how we choose to live.
I do not believe that if we royally screw up in this life, we are destined to eternal damnation in some fiery pit of despair. Nor do I believe that if we are perfect, will pass through some shiny pearly gates guarded by angels. I do not think we only get one chance to "get it right". There is too much to learn, too much to experience for that to be a fair expectation of us. No god I believe in would be so harsh.
I do believe that when we die, our souls or spirits or what-have-you will travel to a resting place of some sort, whether it is the Greek Hades, Egyptian Afterlife, Celtic Summerland or somewhere else entirely. This is where we will wait and prepare for our next incarnation.
I do believe in reincarnation. I think that each soul has and will experience many, many lifetimes in order to learn all the lessons required to transcend to a higher plane of existance. I believe there are a few individuals in our history who many have achieved this already; Jesus is one, and Mother Teresa is another. They way they lived their lives indicates that they had perfected all the lessons required to release selfishness, and to truly love their fellow people and be able to truly serve the world.
I have seen this in my own children. The first time I looked into my son's eyes, I had the overwhelming sense that he is an "old soul". This was verified by things he said or expressed later as a toddler. He would suffer night terrors, and I would get strong images that seemed to be of the 2nd World War concentration camps. He also would frequently say to me "Remember when you were my age and I was your age..." and proceed to describe something that sounded straight out of the 1700's. He also went through a phase of being terrified of water, and I got the distinct impression that he was tried and convicted of witchcraft during the burning times, and was executed by drowning in a river. His most recent life, he lived until he was a very old man, and he brought vestiges of that antiquity into his new life. I often thought he looked like an old man in the first few weeks before the veil was fully drawn.
My daughter, on the other hand, has a younger soul. I do not know how old their souls are compared to mine, but I get the sense that my daughter has not had the same tramatic experiences in her past lives as my son was subjected to.
I do not believe that everyone gets to be Cleopatra or Elvis. :)
I do not believe in the brimstone and fire of the Christian hell. However, I do believe that if we are awful people in this life, we will not just get away with it. There will be some form of punishment in the afterlife as we are preparing for our next life. This may be described as a personal hell of our own making; though I really have nothing to back up this theory. Punishment may also come in the form of Karma, "what goes around comes around", or the Threefold Law (however you interpret that; I'm leaving that for a later post).
I do not believe that anyone else can tell me where I'm going to end up when I die. It is not their place to judge me, my action, or my life. I do not believe I can determine where anyone else is going, either.
I do believe that we have alot of say in howwe experience the afterlife, simply by making conscious choices during this incarnation.
If you stuck with me this long, thank you for reading. I hope something of what I said here makes sense to someone other than just me.
While it is true that Hell is most often seen/heard in a Christian context, it is not wholly a Christian notion. Most ancient cultures, whether Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Norse or Celtic, have a "hell". It simply is not synonomous with the Christian "hell". In many other cultures, the Afterlife, Underworld, Hades or Summerland was the place the soul went to rest after death, in preparation for being reborn. There are few instances of a "heaven v. hell" scenario that I am aware of. Most of these cultures believed in reincarnation, which today's Christians do not.
So, here are some of my beliefs as they relate to the existence of hell.
I do not believe in a devil that tempts us to do evil. I believe we each have that capacity within ourselves, and it is up to us what choices we make in our daily lives and how we choose to live.
I do not believe that if we royally screw up in this life, we are destined to eternal damnation in some fiery pit of despair. Nor do I believe that if we are perfect, will pass through some shiny pearly gates guarded by angels. I do not think we only get one chance to "get it right". There is too much to learn, too much to experience for that to be a fair expectation of us. No god I believe in would be so harsh.
I do believe that when we die, our souls or spirits or what-have-you will travel to a resting place of some sort, whether it is the Greek Hades, Egyptian Afterlife, Celtic Summerland or somewhere else entirely. This is where we will wait and prepare for our next incarnation.
I do believe in reincarnation. I think that each soul has and will experience many, many lifetimes in order to learn all the lessons required to transcend to a higher plane of existance. I believe there are a few individuals in our history who many have achieved this already; Jesus is one, and Mother Teresa is another. They way they lived their lives indicates that they had perfected all the lessons required to release selfishness, and to truly love their fellow people and be able to truly serve the world.
I have seen this in my own children. The first time I looked into my son's eyes, I had the overwhelming sense that he is an "old soul". This was verified by things he said or expressed later as a toddler. He would suffer night terrors, and I would get strong images that seemed to be of the 2nd World War concentration camps. He also would frequently say to me "Remember when you were my age and I was your age..." and proceed to describe something that sounded straight out of the 1700's. He also went through a phase of being terrified of water, and I got the distinct impression that he was tried and convicted of witchcraft during the burning times, and was executed by drowning in a river. His most recent life, he lived until he was a very old man, and he brought vestiges of that antiquity into his new life. I often thought he looked like an old man in the first few weeks before the veil was fully drawn.
My daughter, on the other hand, has a younger soul. I do not know how old their souls are compared to mine, but I get the sense that my daughter has not had the same tramatic experiences in her past lives as my son was subjected to.
I do not believe that everyone gets to be Cleopatra or Elvis. :)
I do not believe in the brimstone and fire of the Christian hell. However, I do believe that if we are awful people in this life, we will not just get away with it. There will be some form of punishment in the afterlife as we are preparing for our next life. This may be described as a personal hell of our own making; though I really have nothing to back up this theory. Punishment may also come in the form of Karma, "what goes around comes around", or the Threefold Law (however you interpret that; I'm leaving that for a later post).
I do not believe that anyone else can tell me where I'm going to end up when I die. It is not their place to judge me, my action, or my life. I do not believe I can determine where anyone else is going, either.
I do believe that we have alot of say in howwe experience the afterlife, simply by making conscious choices during this incarnation.
If you stuck with me this long, thank you for reading. I hope something of what I said here makes sense to someone other than just me.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
H is for ... To Harm None, or is it?
We've all heard it. The famous words of the Wiccan Rede: "An' it harm none, do what ye will" - or some variation thereof. Whether you adhere to this tenent or not, no doubt someone has, at one point or another, expounded on the importance of following this rule.
Well.
I admit I follow it to an extent. I certainly believe the idea has value. For example, I use it on my kids (ages 7 and almost 4). Frequently. But exactly how far should one take it? How far is too far?
Do you let a madman attack you for fear of causing him harm by defending yourself? Would you allow an individual who threatens your child to just walk away because you don't want to hurt that person? Or, not quite so drastic, do you refrain from punishing your child for a transgression to avoid harming him or her?
This is why I much prefer this version I came across several years ago: "And it harm none, do as ye will; And it cause harm, do as ye must."
To me, this means that if an action I am considering doesn't cause harm to anyone in any foreseeable manner, I am free to proceed. If an action results in more good than harm, I may proceed cautiously. However, if an action would result in more harm than good, it's a bit trickier. How much is it worth it to me to pursue this course?
Let's return to the above scenarios.
#1) A madman is trying to attack you. Let's say you firmly believe in the rule of "harm none". So, do you let him attack without trying to defend yourself so that you don't cause harm? I guess you could. But look at it this way: If you don't defend yourself, thereby causing harm to the madman, you are still, in fact, causing harm - to yourself. In which case, following the tenent of "and it cause harm, do as ye must", you would defend yourself using only the force necessary, and no more, thereby preventing greater harm to yourself, and mitigating the harm to the madman.
#2) If you're a parent, I am positive your response to a threat to your child is the same as mine. There's no way someone threatening my kids is going to just "walk away". I will do whatever is necessary to protect my children, because, again, it would be causing a greater harm not to. Now, whether that means beating someone over the head with a bat, or simply reporting suspicious activity to the police will be determined by the exact situation. And I am not above using every bit of magic at my disposal to ensure their safety. I would not only focus on work to keep them safe, but I would actively use spellwork to discourage harm from coming to them; such as binding and reversing negativity.
#3) Do I discipline my kids? You bet I do. Do I punish them for things they do that are mean, against the rules or just plain dangerous? Yeppers. How do I justify this harming of my own children? By the simple fact that if they learn now to avoid dangerous, harmful behavior, I am in fact preventing greater harm in the future. Just today, my daughter (the almost 4yr old) insisted on hanging over the arm of the couch. While I'm sure I did it as a kid, as a mom this does not strike me as "safe behavior". So I told her, multiple times, to stop. She got hurt, more than once, by continuing to do so and either falling, or getting caught in the recliner that sits next to the couch. The final straw was when she fell over head-first, straight into the lamp, knocking it against the wall and busting the lightbulb. So she got in trouble for that. Now, she'll probably do it again a few more times, but eventually, hopefully, she will learn to avoid that, and similar behavior in the future, saving herself pain and other consequences. Sometimes just the pain of getting hurt when doing something they shouldn't is enough to teach the lesson; sometimes the lessons must be reinforced with discipline, punishment and appropriate consequences.
So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, just use a little common sense when applying this most commonly known Wiccan Rule.
Well.
I admit I follow it to an extent. I certainly believe the idea has value. For example, I use it on my kids (ages 7 and almost 4). Frequently. But exactly how far should one take it? How far is too far?
Do you let a madman attack you for fear of causing him harm by defending yourself? Would you allow an individual who threatens your child to just walk away because you don't want to hurt that person? Or, not quite so drastic, do you refrain from punishing your child for a transgression to avoid harming him or her?
This is why I much prefer this version I came across several years ago: "And it harm none, do as ye will; And it cause harm, do as ye must."
To me, this means that if an action I am considering doesn't cause harm to anyone in any foreseeable manner, I am free to proceed. If an action results in more good than harm, I may proceed cautiously. However, if an action would result in more harm than good, it's a bit trickier. How much is it worth it to me to pursue this course?
Let's return to the above scenarios.
#1) A madman is trying to attack you. Let's say you firmly believe in the rule of "harm none". So, do you let him attack without trying to defend yourself so that you don't cause harm? I guess you could. But look at it this way: If you don't defend yourself, thereby causing harm to the madman, you are still, in fact, causing harm - to yourself. In which case, following the tenent of "and it cause harm, do as ye must", you would defend yourself using only the force necessary, and no more, thereby preventing greater harm to yourself, and mitigating the harm to the madman.
#2) If you're a parent, I am positive your response to a threat to your child is the same as mine. There's no way someone threatening my kids is going to just "walk away". I will do whatever is necessary to protect my children, because, again, it would be causing a greater harm not to. Now, whether that means beating someone over the head with a bat, or simply reporting suspicious activity to the police will be determined by the exact situation. And I am not above using every bit of magic at my disposal to ensure their safety. I would not only focus on work to keep them safe, but I would actively use spellwork to discourage harm from coming to them; such as binding and reversing negativity.
#3) Do I discipline my kids? You bet I do. Do I punish them for things they do that are mean, against the rules or just plain dangerous? Yeppers. How do I justify this harming of my own children? By the simple fact that if they learn now to avoid dangerous, harmful behavior, I am in fact preventing greater harm in the future. Just today, my daughter (the almost 4yr old) insisted on hanging over the arm of the couch. While I'm sure I did it as a kid, as a mom this does not strike me as "safe behavior". So I told her, multiple times, to stop. She got hurt, more than once, by continuing to do so and either falling, or getting caught in the recliner that sits next to the couch. The final straw was when she fell over head-first, straight into the lamp, knocking it against the wall and busting the lightbulb. So she got in trouble for that. Now, she'll probably do it again a few more times, but eventually, hopefully, she will learn to avoid that, and similar behavior in the future, saving herself pain and other consequences. Sometimes just the pain of getting hurt when doing something they shouldn't is enough to teach the lesson; sometimes the lessons must be reinforced with discipline, punishment and appropriate consequences.
So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, just use a little common sense when applying this most commonly known Wiccan Rule.
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