Wessex Research Group Network

Imbolc

25/01/2022

Part of the Celtic ‘Wheel of the Year’ (a seasonal calendar), Imbolc or Candlemas marks the beginning of Spring and falls on February 1st or 2nd. Imbolc means, literally, 'in the belly' (of the Mother). This is Brigid’s season, the Celtic goddess who in later times became revered as a Christian saint. The powerful figure of Brigid the Light-Bringer plays a role in both pagan and Christian celebrations. 

Like many festivals, the Imbolc celebrations centre on the lighting of fires. Fire is perhaps more important for this festival than others as the lighting of fires celebrates the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months. For the Christian calendar, this holiday was reformed and renamed 'Candlemas' when candles are lit to remember the purification of the Virgin Mary. 

At this time rituals are performed for the security and protection of the fertility of the fields. The success of the new farming season was traditionally of great importance. As winter stores of food were getting low Imbolc rituals were performed to harness divine energy that would ensure a steady supply of food until the harvest six months later. It was also a time when divination rituals took place to forecast the weather for the year to come. 

At Imbolc the Earth is no longer still, but stirring with buds forming on trees and spring bulbs pushing up. This is a time to prepare for changes ahead and a time of healing. It is the time to get outside and reconnect with the Earth, traditionally by visiting holy wells and weaving Imbolc rings from tree cuttings. When visiting a holy well take a piece of ribbon with you to soak in the water, make your promise, prayer or intention, then tie your ribbon to a nearby tree. Ask the tree permission to take cuttings to weave your ring. 

Human actions are best when they reflect the actions of nature, so as the world slowly springs back into action it is time to tackle any small tasks that are neglected through the busy year. Rituals and activities might include the making of candles, planting spring flowers, and the all important spring clean! Make your own Brigid’s crosses and hang them up, especially in the kitchen where her influence can bless your food. Meditate upon what you would like to see grow in health and strength this year: for yourself, your family, your community and the Earth.

Man Know Thyself

17/01/2022

The ancient commandment “Man Know Thyself” was inscribed above the portal of the ancient Greek Temple at Delphi, and it is no less important today than when it was written in the First Millennium B.C. Everyone is hungry for "self- knowledge"; character analysis, personality tests, astrology, various “self-realisation" techniques; all have widespread appeal in an age where personal values are increasingly being threatened. Yoga, religion, meditation etc. all aim to increase awareness of the deeper levels of our being. 

Increased concern with "self" in the highest sense (eg. respect for life and individual freedom) has led to an awakening (or should one say re-awakening) of a concern with the whole planet as a similarly living conscious “self”, the “Earth Goddess”. Increasingly people feel respect, even reverence, for the earth as a living being. They feel that there is a limit to how much we can violate her with our life-destroying technological practices before she decides to shake us off her back. 

It is not difficult to see that the outer threats to human dignity that are currently in the news; disease, climate change, warfare, terrorism, famine, waste of resources,  corruption etc. are, at least in part, a reflection of our own inner violence, greed, selfishness and apathy (naturally, we ourselves are not responsible - it is always these qualities in others, never ourselves!) 

The ancient saying: "As above, so below!" can be expressed in many ways. Essentially, we are all told that the whole cosmos is reflected in man; everything which is outside man (the whole of nature) can be found inside him too, and vice versa. Hence self-knowledge leads to knowledge of the world, and other people, while true knowledge of outer things illuminates our own essential nature.

To get to know ourselves a little better is inseparable from getting to know the world, but in addition, if we proceed in the right way, we gain the power to be more useful, to serve more effectively the needs of the world. 

If we consider that we are spiritual beings grounded in a physical body and therefore multi-dimensional; we can attune to a web of universal energy and consciousness. By raising our consciousness to operate on the highest spiritual level, we can communicate through love, resonating with the universal energy that unites us all. This is the key to understanding who we are and why we are here.

Communicating with Spirit

09/01/2022

Communication with spirit is often a natural gift that people are born with, interconnected with the six sense, but it can also be developed with practice. Meditation is one gentle way of developing ones communication skills and may entail no contact with spirit, although it trains you to listen to yourself and the inner voice. 

Working with your own energies and practicing Psychometry (speaking information which comes to you through holding an object such as a photograph, ring, keys, necklace or pen) or learning to read people’s auras are other enjoyable and informative ways to learn. Spiritual development courses and groups can also provide safe learning environments.

The next step of progression on your spiritual development path would be to learn contact skills and to allow spirit to work with you, through safe practice of grounding and clearing negative entities after connection. When working with spirit and energy it is important to be as clear a channel as possible and only to use these abilities for the highest good of all concerned. 

Mediumship describes the different ways by which we can communicate with guides, spirit helpers and returning loved ones. It encompasses Clairvoyance (clear seeing of spirit), Clairaudience (clear hearing of spirit), Clairsentience (the clear sensing of spirit and the auric field) and Clairgustance (tasting). The power of clairvoyance may also be experienced through mind linking, trance speaking and Psychometry (mental mediumship or objectively seeing as in the physical plane). 

Under certain conditions a medium can be the vehicle for relaying information to the living and they may use one or a mixture of skills to communicate with spirit, enabling them to describe loved ones, spirit guides, in the other dimensions and also describe visually things around your environment and family, providing valid and valuable help and advice for your life (present and future).

Communicating with spirit can be challenging but also rewarding. We are reminded we have the potential to live our lives as multidimensional spiritual beings; grounded in physicality yet also part of a universal web of non-physical creative consciousness. Enjoy walking your spiritual path with love and light, walking in the light of spirit and universal unity.

Six Starts to the New Year

03/01/2022

1. Learn to love yourself 

We might look in a mirror and see that our bodies are ageing, getting fatter or that our hair is beginning to disappear, appear in unusual places or change in colour. 

The form that we have is the one that we chose so rather than being at odds with it, we should aspire to completely love the self in complete acceptance of everything that we can perceive. Until we do this, we are not loving ourselves or indeed others, merely performing acts of love. The energy of the spiritual self resonates with pure love and we must bring that energy into the human experience. If we can achieve this we reach that place of non-separation (a unification of the physical and spiritual) where human “being” replaces human “doing” or “performing”. 

In the visible world we come to identify ourselves and say that this is who I am. We give ourselves names and labels and an identity. From an esoteric perspective we are identifying the “non-self” the being that is the human illusion of the self which gives us a way of living life from a point of reference. Whatever we perceive as the self we should learn to accept it. 

2. It is never too late to implement change 

Don’t let the conscious mind find a reason not to initiate change. Each time we prevent ourselves from moving forward we restrict ourselves, limiting our growth and horizons. Remember that the universe requires us to learn through experience rather than relying upon existing templates of human reality. 

Each time we go with what is in our hearts we start a new journey. The inner journey never ends and there is no right or wrong just consequence. Always allow for the possibility of belief and remain open to new experiences. 

3. Make it matter 

Decide on what really matters and concentrate on these themes rather than be distracted by what doesn’t matter. By concentrating on what matters we manifest change around things that are important to us. As the embodiment of living energy we have the ability be the cause and the masters of our lives, but when we become distracted we begin to merely counteract the effects of chaos (often other peoples). As each moment is precious – make it matter. 

4. Let go of what isn’t needed 

We live in a time of information overload. When someone is talking don’t allow yourself to be caught up in the story or the drama of their chaos. Instead step back from this and attempt to look at it from the perspective of a spiritual being separate from the drama of the third dimensional human situation. Look at the energy behind the words; is it yours or someone else’s? 

The same principles can be applied to letters, emails, texts and media broadcasts. Be discerning and teach yourself to look at what lies behind the messages. If it isn’t important, let it go. 

5. Support through love 

Don’t give your empowerment to any forces (or people) that do not support you in the celebration of your love, joy and truth. 

Don’t allow yourself to carry around emotional (or other) baggage whether it is yours or that of other people. Remember that E-motion is energy in motion. 

6. Remind yourself that you are a spiritual being having a human experience 

New Year is often a time when we seek further clarification and direction from spirit; for example through a consultation with a medium or clairvoyant. 

Remind yourself that you are also a spiritual being, having a human experience and not just a human being receiving the occasional spiritual experience. Take time during the year ahead, to step out of the world of form and matter and connect with that part of you that is not inphysical form. Use this time to reassess and review your Earthly life from the perspective of the “spiritual self.”