Be A Goddess: Lesson 11

Merry Meet and Welcome to you magickal souls!!!!

I'm sorry I've been so absent but I needed a break after everything that October held for me. But now I'm back and what better way than to continue with the Be A Goddess book/course by Francesca De Grandis?

This Lesson is titled The Ethics & Laws of Wicca. While I admit that after my own research Wicca is not the religion for me, I still have respect for it and so I went through this Lesson with my eyes and heart open.

I did love the connection with the Laws of Nature which in a roundabout way implies that spells are natural and made me think of a script-quote I have yet to hang up on one of my walls.

This quote excited me when I saw it and I love being able to share it. Each of these moments where I am reminded of it is another poke at me from the Universe to get me to hang it up. It will be done but I am not talented at hanging things up so I will need a professional to do it for me which will take time to save up for. I also believe that it will happen when it is meant to so I'm not worried or stressed about hanging it up as quickly as possible either.

The Law of Psychic Physics was introduced next which, from my take-away or understanding, may be the same or equal to the Laws of Magick because actions have consequences. This reminded me of annother quote: "All magic comes with a price" which is said many times by Rumplestiltskin in the show Once Upon A Time. I have this quote on a bracelet that I don't wear but is never far from my thoughts.

The ethics of magick are not the same as the Laws of Nature but they can be woven together. The Laws of Human Nature can bring morality in, especially when others or our own selves might be physically or emotionally hurt.

According to Wicca, doing harm with magick means there are natural consequences that follow. I agree with this on the principle that actions do have consequences and if I take action by doing a spell, then there will be consequences to that spell regardless of what the intention is behind the magickal working.

"If you wouldn't do something in 'real life', don't do it in a spell" is something I would agree with on an ethical level but I know it is up to each magickal practitioner to decide for themselves. That's because Free Will is important on all levels; not forcing someone to do something magickally when we wouldn't try to do the same in 'real life'.

Even if I think I know beter, I know that I don't know everything about someone's situation because I only get told one side or perspective of it or I witness it.

If a loving Goddess created all things, then creation must be moral at its heart too. This adds to the idea of Free Will because we have to be given the space to make mistakes, to learn, and we can only do that with true love. We all deserve the chance to live our own lives, even if that means making mistakes along the way. We all have lessons to learn in life and we can't learn them if we don't mess up on occasion and have the space to make those mistakes.

Wicca has the Three-Fold Law, which decrees that what a Wiccan does will come back to them multiplied by three. So if a Wiccan gives out good, three times the amount of good will be returned. But if they give out bad, then three times the amount of bad will come back to them.

On a personal level, I only do spells and readings for others with their permission. I have offered spellwork and been turned down but I didn't take it as a personal slight or insult because that wasn't the energy given off. Instead, I've made sure that whoever I have offered spellwork to knows that they can ask at any time.

Not all situations warrant doing a spell so knowing what to do and when is important. We don't have to react to every situation we face in life, so we don't need to do the same when it comes to magick.

On the same level, doing more spells might not be as helpful as we think. The same can be said of elaborate and long spells - magick doesn't need to be showy and 'in your face'. It can be as personal and intimate as we want it to be. I have learned this myself as my most successful spells are the ones that have had the fewest elements in them, while the biggest failure was a spell I literally did everything I could do within it,from the lunar cycle to herbs and candles and oracle cards.

Francesca posed a question: whether it is a witch's duty to protect our loved ones. She then answered it, while leaving space for me to have my own opinion if I wanted to. her answer was that protection is not a duty but a privilege and doesn't equate ongoing renewable spells or just in an emergency because each witch can decide on their own.

The idea of protection threw up an idea of living with others. If I were to share my ome with other people, they would likely be included in any home protection spells I did, even if I wasn't aware of it.

In another part titled "Make A Wish, Then Desire It Strongly", Francesca said that honouring a desire for a goal is sacred but it is important to cleanse myself of any fears that could stop me from achieving that goal. My wish or intention should affirm my abilities and capabilities. Being strong-willed is important because it is needed to fight for what I want in life and what I am passionate about.

However, a misuse of will can be unethical. Without knowing what I truly want or desire (or the same of whomever has asked for a spell) to have in life, things can backfire. I can easily be deluded by unhealthy fears, low self-esteem or obsession, which could lead to forcing the truth about events to come out in a way I may not want them to. But even if I did achieve my desires, I might not be satisfied with them.

True Will goes hand in hand with Greater Will, and serves as a reminder that material things in life won't bring happiness, especially if I am motivated by unhealthy drives. This makes me think of a mug I have kept over the years as it has this saying on it: "Do what makes you happy".

If I'm confused about what my True Will is, then I can turn to divination methods or Ican talk to someone I trust. By clarifying my passions, I can come to know my True Will and avoid misusing it. However, I know that I need to be flexible and go with the flow so that I am not kept from my fullest happiness. As a Witch, I value flexibility and serenity/peace the same as developing a strong will because it is natural, just like a river moving through the land.

The difference between True Will and false desires can be challenging to know but patience is definitely the key. That's because over time, clarity of mind and being becomes easier and can purify me from self-destruction and false desires.

Francesca did say that it was important to decide what my own personal ethics are because it is key that I own the responsibilities of my own actions (magickal as well as mundane). I have to be able to explore my own morals, goals and beliefs because committing to what I trust is trusting in truth. I need to consider what is right and be guided by a pure heart.

According to the media, passion can be obsessive, sexual destructiveness. However, passion can (and should) drive me forward in a healthy way. Too often I was told to tame my inner wild energy because it is bad, shameful or the 'root of all evil'. To combat this, I need to remember not to self-shame as this is a healing journey that I am on. Healing from any injury to my mind, my body and my spirit.

Each individual has the right and responsibility to do whatever we can to heal ourselves from wrongs that have been done to us. At the same time, we are not meant to be thoughtless of others so that we don't end up causing wounds.

Francesca re-presented the idea of duality and polarities. Just like with the God and Goddess, there is light and dark hearts. Darkness is a basis of sound, virtuous and practical morality, which some might not think of because it is darkness and not everyone likes it. Neither the God of Goddess is light or dark but a combination of both. Just like the God isn't just fierce and aggressive and the Goddess isn't just nurturing and receptive - these are just aspects of both of them as they are shared.

Both the God and Goddess have female or feminine principles as well as male or masculine ones. Just as women can be tomboyish and outdoors-y and men can be feminine (and drag queens). The ideas of male and female are manifestations of the same thing, because of this, neither needs to be balanced or brought together. Balance is an ideal not a true goal.

This was rather a deep Lesson but I was glad of it. Perhaps when I first read through it, I still needed to integrate these ideas before I could write about it so that could explain why I haven't been writing so much recently.

I hope this has been as thought-provoking for you as it has been for me. I would recommend looking into acquiring your own copy of "Be A Goddess" by Francesca De Grandis if you are interested in doing this for yourself.

Peace and love to all!!!!