Be A Goddess: Lesson Seven

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

It's that time again where I tell you about my personal experience of the seventh lesson within "Be A Goddess" by Francesca De Grandis. This Lesson was titled "Finding Endless Sources of Power".

This Lesson started with a reminder from previous lessons that there are forces and/or power all around me and a new idea that I am also filled with power. Because of this, I need to refuel just like plants (and cars) if I want to be able to achieve the changes I wish to be in the world.

Admittedly, I live on the edge of my town so I am able to enjoy a particular kind of peace and quiet, or at least, I hear the noises of the countryside which don't disturb me or interrupt my day. I am close to nature but I'm also not too far from any necessary amenities. I can also see and/or hear Red Kites on a daily basis from my home, both inside and outside of it on my little balcony. I feel at peace and comfortable with where I live and I feel like I have the best of both worlds.

I thought it was also important to note that "Be A Goddess" is meant to help me to enjoy life and not make me unhappy. To be honest, I haven't felt unhappy with any of the lessons and am looking forward to learning and implementing more helpful knowledge and practices.

Back to energy, because everything has life power within it but this life power is known by many names like chi or manna. This life power energy is the most basic tool within spellcrafting as it can be used to shape reality but I would need to have a healthy flow of energy both within my own self and outside of me. This is why Francesca gave a purification ritual as it is just one step towards achieving a healthy flow of energy in order to channel it and through myself.

I loved the reminders that the book is about vitality. It's not about transcendence but just enjoying the life power and energy I have, see, and experience around me. Everything is living, full of this life power/energy/vitality, and is aware of everything else around.

Magic in and of itself is poetry, just as poetry is magic too. They are just two different expressions of it. Life is poetry, and therefore life is magic also. If life is magic then power must be too becuase they are both the same in a way - maybe different expressions of it, if the main idea is a little too far-fetched.

Some questions were asked within this Lesson that I wanted to cover here so that you can see how I answered.

What do you think of when you hear the word power?

Initially, I think about politicians, monarchs and presidents - the people who would control a country or at least a group of people. But then I thought about confidence which can show through in the way I live and emanates a kind of power from me. Because I'm a bit of a nerd and/or geek, the word power also makes me think about how magical powers are portrayed in TV shows and films, with all of the special computerised effects.

What negative things does this society say about power?

Honestly, I think it's more about power going to people's heads and giving them a huge ego, making them feel like they are invulnerable and untouchable. But there's an element of villainy about power, like it turns someone from a good and honest person into a nasty dishonest one.

What negative things does this society say about power and women?

Speaking only from my own society, there's no limit to how much power a woman could hold as there have been three female British Prime Ministers and one Scottish First Minister. However, at the same time, there is a dislike of women being too "powerful" and making decisions without seeking the advice of at least one man.

What negative things does this society say about power and men?

There are a lot fewer negative things said about men having power or being associated with it. Sometimes there might be an allusion to some kind of mental breakdown, that a man is crazy or just ill and not in control of their mental and physical faculties. But that's about it.

What are your personal problems about power?

My personal problems come from abusing power to suit one individual's desires (not needs or it wouldn't be an abuse of it). I was controlled as a child, as in I lived under someone else's power, someone who made decisions on my behalf without any input from me at all. I have to have an inner power in order to be a Witch but I really do not like it when I am mislabelled by others or assumptions are made without anyone getting to know me.

What are your powers, strengths?

I hate to brag but I think I can manage a few of these. I feel like one of my strengths is words, expressing myself in various ways from stories to poetry and even writing this blog. I feel like creativity is also a strength because I love to do cross-stitch, whether my own design or following someone else's. Another is that I am able to recognise a person as a whole, but I will hold space for them to be one aspect. This might be a strange strength but I genuinely don't care what anyone thinks about the way I live my life, what I do in my home, or how I have my home decorated and furnished because it is all meant to please me and not anyone else who has no bearing on any of those things.

What do you like about power?

This is the strangest out of all of these questions, in my opinion. I think perhaps that power to me is a sense of self-confidence and so this means that I have power over myself. It's less of a "I want to run the world" kind of power and more an internal/inner sense of power.

The final part of this Lesson mentioned that "magic is to use in order to live a good life" and this is definitely something I would agree with and want to integrate into my practice as much as it could help me to live a happier life. If magic is power, then power should also be used to live a good life, but what makes a life good is different to each individual so it's not a "one life suits all" kind of deal. However, I know that my version of a good life is being comfortable and able to afford the things I need first and have a few non-expensive "luxuries".

I hope this inspires you to consider what power is to you and what might need to change in order for you to feel some kind of power within your own life and Craft.

Peace and love to all!!!!