October 7th, 2011

Today's weather is absolutely gorgeous. I'm sitting at my desk writing this with all my windows open, enjoying the gentle breeze and fresh air. One of my two Pagan friends, Hazelnut, is coming over around 4:30 this afternoon, and I'm super excited. More on that later. :) It occurred to me today that some people, particularly those new to the Craft, might be left confused after my post on Wednesday, where grounding and centering is concerned. So, I thought I would do a (hopefully) brief post on how this is usually done. Note that I say "usually": I am here presenting the method that I use, and that I have seen used in books and rituals most often. That does not mean it is the only way to ground or center. Without further adieu:

~~~~~~~~~~

To ground, begin by sitting or standing with the back comfortably upright. Utilizing a straight-backed chair can be particularly helpful if you're inclined to slouch. Plant both feet firmly on the ground, and imagine that you are a tree: roots travel down from your feet far into the earth, gathering nutrients and energy from the soil. Try and hold on to this image for at least a minute, and really soak in the feeling of stability the earth energy gives you. Centering is usually done after grounding, though I suppose one could center first. Imagine your body's energy gathering into a super-concentrated ball of gold energy at your solar plexus, an area just above your belly button. One is literally centering one's energy in their body. Again, hold this image for about a minute. Then continue on with your meditations.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Grounding and centering is also important in magick. It is wise to do this both before and after a spell, ritual, etc.