Hello! Good day, soul friends! Hope you all had a wonderful week.
Today's guidance comes from the Gospel of Aradia deck by Stacey DeMarco.
Which card(s) do you feel drawn to today?
Left - 1, Middle - 2, or Right - 3..
Focus on the image and chose which cards you feel drawn to before scrolling down.
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Did you choose your card, yet?
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almost there!
If you chose Card 1:
Ecstasy - Ecstasis
Let go! Allow the wildness back into your life! The ability to freely embrace our pleasures is part of being human. Travel deeper, through joy, into profound mindfulness. Ecstasy helps us connect with the Divine.
Aradia taught that worshipping Diana and the Horned God and the lares or genius loci (spirits of place) should be a joyful affair. She instructed her disciples to connect with Diana by dancing wildly together under the moonlight - and also to run through the forests and wild places, as Diana once did. She also demonstrated how dancing could be used to changes one's state of mind.
Those who follow Aradia learnt there is a synergy in raising power together - joyously, with happiness and laughter - and that that synergy creates more energy than when an individual raises power alone. The energy raised communally, combined with singing and chanting, was used to invoke friendly deities and spirits for healing.
While these days such a scenario is considered a stereotype of witchcraft and ritual, it is a scene very much grounded in history. Today, witches may use ecstatic dance to commune with deities and particular spirits (if this is part of their tradition), as well as to raise power for spellcraft. However, one doesn't have to be a witch to find a kind of extreme happiness in dancing! Turning on the music at home and having a dance or going to a place where many dance such as music festivals are great ways to experience some positive energy.
If you picked Card 2:
Hierarchy - Ordo
Seek equality in all your relationships - both intimate and professional. Our patriarchal Western society has not allowed women full freedoms and rights. How do you contribute to this? Power belongs to all, not just the wealthy. Justice requires change.
The pagan path was one in which the interplay between the masculine and the feminine resulted in two equal halves. The onset of a one-god religion (monotheistic) that was masculine in nature created a new paradigm that was heralded by revised laws. Those laws did not bode well for those of the feminine sex, and especially for those who followed the Goddess' path.
According to the Aradia legend, she did not come here just to teach magic. She was also committed to helping the poor raise themselves up and resist the wealthy. At the time of the creation of this mythos, many were living a hard life under a feudal system that gave them few rights. People could be forced into indentured slavery or put to death by their masters. The Church was not necessarily seen as a kindly, spiritual force but, rather, an institution that owned much property and was bent on increasing its riches while expanding its grip on the people.
In this context, Aradia was seen as a kind of Robin Hood, taking from the rich and giving to the poor. There are many stories of her bringing justice to the people and teaching women the power they had in magic. These stories were both comforting and reassuring to those shoved to the bottom of the hierarchy of power.
If you selected Card 3:
Peacemaking - Pax Facienda
Peace comes from within. Do not rely upon others or outside influences for permission to be peaceful. Never make decisions when you are angry or are experiencing any other intense emotion. Learn how to ground yourself. Forgiveness is something you do for yourself, not for the other person.
Peace truly comes from within us, and its waves ripple out from us. But all too often, we think we will achieve peace by conquering something external to us: Oh, if only I could get this done or that done, I would have peace, we tell ourselves. Or, if I could only convince this person or end that relationship, I would be at peace. I call this "doing the head miles," fighting battles - with ourselves and with others - inside our own heads. It's kind of like mental chewing gum! We chew and chew and chew things over, but get no nourishment for all that work!
Rather than doing those head miles, learn to ground and shield yourself. These are some of the most basic of witchcraft skills, and together they give us a secure platform that helps us stable in difficult circumstances. From there, we can find peace - and its catching.
The Gospel of Aradia also takes us to nature to find peace. In fact, the night women were also referred to as "women of the outside" because they practiced in the open. Even science agrees that spending time in a natural setting promotes peace and wellbeing and yet, as modern people, we are rapidly losing our connection with the natural world. And we can find support for our personal peace by weaving the energies of the elements of earth, air, fire, and water into our magic.
Thank you for participating in my card drawing for today. I hope that you enjoyed it! Did the card(s) you felt drawn to give you some guidance to think about.
Don't forget to check back next week for another card drawing!
