(No children were harmed in the making of this blog post.)
Part of casting spells and practicing magick is offering sacrifices in return for our conjure. This is where Hollywood makes Pagans and Witches look a tad more sinister than the nature-lovers that we are. Here are five easy ways to show your reverence for nature and the universe without having to lure children to your house Hansel-and-Gretel style. ;)
Burn a favorite candle or incense
This is the easiest way to offer something to the universe. If you're anything like me, you have a candle or two that you've been hoarding for a special spell. Well, that spell has come! Instead of using it for yourself, burn it as a sacrifice to the universe. Let the Goddess and God know it's for them and designate a specific amount of time to let it burn. I also include a candle sacrifice during a Sabbat in conjunction with any spell work.
Plant a tree or bush
Simple enough! Add beauty to your landscape, air purification to the world, and food & shelter to all the little critters living in your yard. Toss in a little steer manure instead of chemical fertilizers (you can find this at any gardening or home improvement store and it's dirt cheap), and Mother Nature will thank you for your thank-you!
Leave Nature Alone!
Did anyone else hear that in the "Leave Britney alone!" voice? If not, I've failed as a blogger...
Anyway, that perfect rose bloom you've been eyeing? That first fruit from your raspberry bush? Leave them for nature. Let the bees enjoy the pollen. Let the birds enjoy the tasty bounty. Let nature enjoy a little bit of your hard efforts as a thank-you for all that Mother Earth does for us!
Time
I live in a basin where the winds routinely reach thirty miles an hour for days on end. You know what that means besides bad hair and horrific allergies? Trash. Trash goes EVERYWHERE. And it's not because people aren't handling it correctly. Garbage cans blow over. The truck dumpy-arm-thingy (technical term) lifts the can slowly so a certain amount of crud falls out before it ever makes it into the truck. And unless you have my super awesome garbage man who gets out and picks it up, you're going to have trash everywhere. (Yay, Elbert!.....yes, I know my garbage truck driver's name! I think he's fantastic!) Take twenty minutes or a half hour to walk around your neighborhood or local park and pick up anything that is rolling around. Even if you did this once a month, it rouses a sense of pride in your community and teaches your children (if you have them, stole them, etc) to take responsibility for their neighborhood. Not only will Mother Nature thank you, but your neighbors just may be inspired to do the same!
Meditate outside yourself
I meditate daily. It calms my mind and purges all the mental static built up from working with electronics all day. Otherwise, my mind races and I find myself waking up at 3 A.M. with a song already stuck in my head (Lately it's Cam's Runaway Train). Like, really....how the hell does that happen when I was JUST dead asleep?!
Anyway, something I've started doing about once a month is meditating for someone else (often referred to as energy healing). Sometimes it's someone I know who needs some positive energy. Sometimes it's for my family (fur family included!). Sometimes it's just a blanket feeling of positivity I picture radiating off myself in colorful ripples, being released into the ionosphere. The world is in a jacked-up state. I suspect it always has been, but we're just more aware due to technology. Whatever the cause, there's always someone or something out there (even nature!) that could use a little extra love! Send them some! It takes as little as 5 minutes and is a nice way to give back to the universe.
Above all, as Pagans and witches, we need to remember there is a balance to everything. We have to be conscious to show gratitude and give where we've received, even if it's as simple as saying thank you!
What are your favorite sacrifices to make to the universe?
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