Rhyd, I love your writing and wish I could read without the damn paywall: this is the first email I've read from you this year because I unsubscribed out of exasperation... I understand the need to be recompensed for your work, but it's terribly frustrating for those of us who are struggling financially but looking for important conversations to be a part of, especially in such overwhelming times as we are currently witnessing. Best wishes for 2025.
“Only by changing the body you can you truly change yourself” Rang a bell with me. Overstatement I think with a whole lot of truth in it nonetheless. Recently I decided to apply John Michael Greer’s triad of ritual, meditation, and divination which in his system is the foundation of magical practice. I ordered a number of his magic practice books. Couldn’t apply them hook line and sinker as I am a charismatic Christian with Druidic nature tendencies. So I devised a circular ritual, inspired by the Druidic Sphere of Protection expressing and applying my own peculiarities. The physical element is an application of standing postural integration along with elements of tai chi and qigong, along with prayer, tongues at times, raising my hands, the name of Jesus the sign of the cross, the Our Father, the Gloria Patri at the end. All in a set pattern. The deliberate conscious settled physical embodiment in good standing posture applying gentle qigong movements (Gathering Heaven and the Open-Close from Sun tai chi) at the center of the circle and at the points of the compass is an essential foundation for a whole being response to and knowing of God, anchoring myself in the life and energy of the creation in His presence. Followed by a chapter of New Testament, discursive meditation on chosen verse from the chapter. And the divination part at the end is seeking and knowing the Spirit’s voice. The whole thing is an application of the will and it has steadied and grounded me. A TSW moment. The W stands for “works”.
A mighty year! It's great getting less scared. I especially like the way telling the truth functions as an act of solidarity: seeing others be braver emboldens one to be braver oneself. Signed, one of those long-time readers
Rhyd, I love your writing and wish I could read without the damn paywall: this is the first email I've read from you this year because I unsubscribed out of exasperation... I understand the need to be recompensed for your work, but it's terribly frustrating for those of us who are struggling financially but looking for important conversations to be a part of, especially in such overwhelming times as we are currently witnessing. Best wishes for 2025.
“Only by changing the body you can you truly change yourself” Rang a bell with me. Overstatement I think with a whole lot of truth in it nonetheless. Recently I decided to apply John Michael Greer’s triad of ritual, meditation, and divination which in his system is the foundation of magical practice. I ordered a number of his magic practice books. Couldn’t apply them hook line and sinker as I am a charismatic Christian with Druidic nature tendencies. So I devised a circular ritual, inspired by the Druidic Sphere of Protection expressing and applying my own peculiarities. The physical element is an application of standing postural integration along with elements of tai chi and qigong, along with prayer, tongues at times, raising my hands, the name of Jesus the sign of the cross, the Our Father, the Gloria Patri at the end. All in a set pattern. The deliberate conscious settled physical embodiment in good standing posture applying gentle qigong movements (Gathering Heaven and the Open-Close from Sun tai chi) at the center of the circle and at the points of the compass is an essential foundation for a whole being response to and knowing of God, anchoring myself in the life and energy of the creation in His presence. Followed by a chapter of New Testament, discursive meditation on chosen verse from the chapter. And the divination part at the end is seeking and knowing the Spirit’s voice. The whole thing is an application of the will and it has steadied and grounded me. A TSW moment. The W stands for “works”.
A mighty year! It's great getting less scared. I especially like the way telling the truth functions as an act of solidarity: seeing others be braver emboldens one to be braver oneself. Signed, one of those long-time readers