I light a small candle while nodding to my grandmothers whose faces smile out of framed pictures displayed on the table that serves as my home altar. Words of prayer and whispered gratitude are my offering along with some candy. Also on the table are nature treasures given to me by my children and my partner, seasonal flowers, plant matter tincturing in jars, and, in the center, a large candle waiting to be lit.
I’m here this particular moment because I’m writing and I’m stuck—rather I am not writing, but spinning my wheels. I’m researching folk magic traditions in Appalachia these days. The reading is fascinating, and endless, but I need to start putting words on paper. I’m starting to forget things and lose the thread of earlier energy bursts. I have some precious moments to do work on this pet project and I don’t want to waste them by cleaning out my kitchen cupboards or reorganizing my underwear drawer. My energy is diffuse and my mind won’t settle.
So I call my energy back. While thinking of my grandmothers, I visualize a soft, yellow light, a light that encircles me with their love and protection. A light that fills the room. Once I feel safe and my mind starts to calm, I do some hatha yoga—not a traditional Appalachian practice, perhaps, but it’s gaining ground in these parts. These exercises use and channel some of that diffuse energy and help me to feel grounded in my body. I then light the large candle on my table and visualize calling my energy back. By calling my energy back I disentangle myself, for a few protected moments, from all that causes distraction.
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