First Set of Exercises - Know Thyself

Dear Neophyte,

How can you expect to know the Divine if you don't know Yourself?  You are a part of the Divine and the Divine is part of you.  To know Them is to know Yourself and to know Yourself is to know Them.

"If though findest not withing

You will findest not without."

~ Paraphrased "Charge of the Goddess"

List of Exercises to Know Thyself

Your Good and Your Bad

List all good and bad qualities

Explain each quality, how it hurts AND helps you

Write about your life and how you can improve your life

Write a list of things you've learned and a plan to improve yourself

Questions of Faith

Think of questions you have about your religion and answer them

Define your beliefs

Personal Standards of Living

List your personal code of conduct

Read the Hopi Elder Words to Live By and write how to integrate them

Read the negative confessions- write about how you compare

Write your own negative confessions and plan to look them over regularly

Read about living in Ma'at and make a plan

Read over Random Acts of Kindness and write a list of 20

Mental Health

Why Mental Health is important when studying Magic and Religion

Anger and it's affects on magic and religion
Understanding victimization and how to let go

Starting the Day on a Positive Note

Getting What You Want

Make a list of 100 things that make you happy

Make a "green list" of 10 goals (2 lifelong, 5 intermediate and 2 immediate)

Goal achievements with affirmations

Mental Acuity

Develop a plan for developing Will and the importance of Experience

Practice Intuition

Read about releasing Karma

Practice the exercises for Getting to Know Nature

Choosing a Magical Name

Faith and Life

Read about Living Your Faith and journal the follow through

What is Sacred Hospitality and how do you practice it?

"What Women Should Have"

Define your "roots".  How can you strengthen and maintain them?  How can you put down more?

This list is not a be-all and end-all plan.  It isn't meant to be done in exactly like you see here - if mental health is more important to you then do that earlier in the list.  I started mine out by starting the list of 100 things that make me happy.  As of this writing I am on 49 and have continued further down the list; I add more as I think of them and will continue to do so even once I reach the 100 minimum.  The stiffness of creativity that comes with following lists in their exact order are what scares me off of most "101" courses.  I opted to build flexibility into mine so that I could work on this list while I worked on other parts of my studies.  That way I'm constantly working to better myself but also giving the lessons and changes time to sink in.

Salutations,

Sesh

Restarting Magical Studies

Dear Blacky,

Each time I go through a Dark Night I always fall off my wagon.  I understand what's going on and by now I know to take a step back.  Spiritual isolation is something that effects everyone:

Lonely

I give it my space and I take a break; I develop a new routine and when I do I find it very hard to get back into the swing of things once the Dark Night has passed.

Now, however I am getting back into things and I've come up with a new routine.  It's been so long that I'm starting over again just about from the beginning.  I'm picking up my Book of Shadows where it left off so I won't be copying down the Charge of the Goddess or other liturgy I've already taken down.

I have a LOT of information on my computer that I've amassed over the years.  I spread it out into folder labeled with sections.  At one point I had attempted to organize it all by degrees (as in a three degree system) that had me transitioning from Dedicant to Neophyte to Priestess/Witch and eventually developing my own tradition.  Since then my goals have changed and I destroyed the old system, but still kept a lot of the information.

First, never ever force yourself to learn something just because it's what everyone else is doing.  I don't care about things like divination or astral projection so I took these folders and put them at the end of the list.  I may get around to them someday but I know my foreseeable future so I don't need divination and I may be moving soon so I don't need astral projection.

How I Feel About Divination

I made a new list of only the things I wanted to learn: medication, medical herbalism, ritual components, magic scripts, and most importantly the religious aspect of this religion.  For the time being,and until further notice, I'm following an eclectic Wiccan way of going about things.  So far it's the most complete religious experience I have come across that resonates the most complete with me.

I Want an Altar Like This Someday

Latter on I can squeeze out what I don't like (as most eclectics are like to do and I'm currently doing anyway) and incorporate more of the Egyptian flare:

Kemeticism
Temple of Kemetic Wicca
Kemetic Reconstructionist FAQ
International Network of Kemetics

Most importantly are these links, which will take you to the Kemetic Orthodox Faith, led by Tamara L. Siuda (a trained Egyptologist).  The House of Netjer offers 101 classes in the tenants of their religious practice, the end of which entitles you to become an official member of the faith.  KO doesn't require you to give up previous religious affiliations, however if you wish to become a "card carrying member" (as some religions put it) you will be required to put KO first and promise to follow their leader's every word.  The second half of this is why I have not undergone the Rite of Parent Divination and been officially matched with the Names that created my soul and guide me in this life.

Kemetic Orthodoxy
House of Netjer Forums

So here I am starting again with my path, and during the last three weeks of school when I have so much else on  my plate!  In the next post I will outline my "Wicca 101" schedule.

Salutations,
Sesh