Читать книгу The Real Witches’ Craft: Magical Techniques and Guidance for a Full Year of Practising the Craft - Kate West - Страница 14

Whenever you experience a strong feeling which is inappropriate to the setting you are in, make a point of invoking and banishing each of the four Elements. After you have done this, also take a moment to thank the Goddess and the God for their help. As with the other exercises, write this up as soon as you can.

It is important to remember to use this technique at the right time. You do not need to suppress feelings which are appropriate to the problem and in the appropriate setting. For example, if you are short-changed in a shop then it is right to point this out and to summon the manager if you do not get satisfaction. But if you feel that this is the ‘last straw’ in a day full of niggling aggravations, it is not right to berate the assistant as your first action. Use the balancing before making your point, whatever it be, calmly and sensibly, rather than explosively. Don’t use it to suppress perfectly reasonable comments.

In some Covens knowledge of the Elements is taken very seriously and new members are set specific ‘tests of the Elements’ as a part of their early training. These can involve such things as visiting an underground cave and having the lights turned out, to gain a better appreciation of the sensation of Earth. Or total immersion in the sea for Water. In other groups, individuals are encouraged to set themselves their own ‘tests’ and to report back on what they did and how they reacted. Certainly, it is worth taking any opportunity to increase your understanding of the Elements. Some of the more ‘extreme’ ways include: taking a hot air balloon ride; attending a well-organized fire walking and have a go; taking an underwater swimming class; and getting a trusted friend to cover you up to the neck in a layer of pebbles on a stony beach. Of course, you can also think up your own. If, like many, you have a concern or fear about any particular Element, you will also find that is the experience you will gain most from. Having said that, please do observe safety considerations and don’t take unnecessary risks.

Having worked through the above exercises you may want to work the Elemental Ritual near the end of this chapter. Of course, you could also work this Ritual at any full Moon, but it will be more effective if you have done the preparatory work. It gives you the opportunity to gain a greater experience of one of the four Elements and, if you haven’t done so before, to create the Sacred Space. You can also revisit later to work with each of the other Elements. It can be worked by one person on their own, or by several people together if you prefer. It centres on contacting one of the kinds of Elemental being.

The Elemental Beings, or Elementals, are the ‘life-forms’, or creatures, made directly of the Elements. Sylphs are the creatures of the Air. Salamanders are those of Fire. Undines are the creatures of Water, and Gnomes the creatures of Earth. Try not to confuse these with their fairy-tale counterparts who are often depicted as being cute beings akin to the fairies of childhood. Remember that they are not only made of their representative Elements but that they are capable of being the extremes of those Elements. They should not be invoked casually, but should be treated with respect and should always be thanked, whether or not you feel you succeeded.

To try to contact any of the Elemental beings you need to create the right environment for their presence. Burning an appropriate incense can also help to attract them. In each case it is a good idea to spend a short amount of time focusing all your thoughts on the Element in question, and perhaps to review your notes on some of the preceding exercises so that you can immerse your mind in thoughts of the Element. Then, when you are truly ready to concentrate, you will be set to try to detect the Elemental in question.

Sylphs are the beings of the Air. They are light and are in fact around us all the time, however their presence can usually only be detected in smoke or mist, as it is their moving of the medium which is observed rather than their actual forms. When the smoke from incense moves without a draft or other movement in the room, this is the action of Sylphs. They are most easily attracted to light scents such as Jasmine and Lavender, and to the scents of seasonal flowers. As they dance and play in the winds, your invocation is more likely to succeed on a day when there is only the lightest of breezes, and they prefer an atmosphere which is warm and moist.

Salamanders are the beings of Fire. They can be seen dancing in the flames of a candle or a fire. If you have an open fire then there will almost certainly be salamanders there. They can be attracted to the flame of a red candle, and when the air is completely still you can see them move the flame. They require conditions which are hot and dry. It can also help to burn incense of rose or lotus. Note that these Salamanders are not the same as the lizards of the same name!

Undines are the beings of Water, and are present in all natural waters: rain, streams, rivers and the sea. They prefer water which is moving but can be attracted to still water, so long as it is cold, as they need conditions which are cold and wet. To invoke them, you will need to collect a bucket full of water from a natural source, and to use it within 24 hrs before it loses its ‘life’. Use incense of sandalwood or cedar wood. After your invocation, gently place your hand deep into the water and, if you are fortunate, you will feel the Undines moving in the water around your fingers.

Gnomes, the beings of Earth, are found in all forms of earth. They are the beings which gave rise to the myths of Gnomes in fairy stories, but unlike any description you will have come across before. They are so slow moving that they are almost beyond the reach of

our senses. Probably the best way to come into contact with them is by lying full length on the earth and feeling for their presence with your mind. Place a few drops of musk or patchouli oil onto the ground to encourage them to make themselves known. If you intend to work indoors, then immerse your hands into a large bowl or tray of freshly gathered earth. Gnomes prefer conditions which are cold and dry and are often easier to detect when the earth is cool; winter or early morning.