Energy... and the lack thereof

                A few weeks ago, I was sitting in the Wiccan circle watching the guys prepare to begin ritual. It was the sight of everything written down on paper, from Quarter Guardian calls to the closing of the ‘circle’ that made me want to cry, and not in a good way. 

                While I appreciate their efforts, and know this is all they know, seeing an entire ritual done by reading it off paper is rough. It’s pretty much the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard when I see nothing coming from an in-the-moment internal place, when voices are monotone, and when the energy is as flat as the floor. I know they are trying, and that’s important. I know it can be scary to put the paper down. But I also know that there is so much more. Without putting the paper down, you don’t leave any room for the Gods to come in and do some work, you don’t leave room for spontaneity, magic or mystery. It can be very rote, monotone and doesn’t create that spark that keeps you coming back. 

It was while I was thinking about all this that Cathy started her talking part of the day, asking all sorts of questions about magic, whether the guys thought it was real, what it is, etc. Somehow (it’s been a few weeks so my memory is rusty) she brought up the fact that something was lacking in the circle and that there was no power. My ears perked up. Could my wish possibly be answered here? Could she see what I’m seeing? As a matter of fact, she did, and there was suddenly a spark of hope that some changes could happen in order for there to be some real magic happening and energy being raised. And that’s just what I suggested when the guys had no answer for her when she asked what they felt was lacking. 

                They don’t know how to cast a circle. They think they do… but walking around the space with salt and water, and then the stick of incense isn’t casting a circle. You could reinforce your circle with the elements, but etheric energy creates a circle and that’s not happening. I don’t feel much when the Quarter Guardians are called. I don’t think it helps that each guy is reading some lines off a piece of paper that someone else wrote. I don’t think they’ve ever explored these realms to know who they are asking to be present. Deity invocations are the same. No oomph. I’ve not seen one moment where real energy is being raised. Once, they ‘sent energy’ to some guys who had gotten out, as well as some people who were ill, but just holding your hands out over the altar and saying ‘we’re sending energy to…’ isn’t really sending energy. At least not a good healthy kick of it. They simply haven’t been taught anything different.

                I was pretty stoked to hear that Cathy wanted to explore this with them, because I didn’t really know how to bring up some of these issues I was seeing. This circle, after all, is not my Ministry. It’s hers. While I am a Chaplain there, I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes.

                The following week, I brought them a whole list of Pagan chants that can be used for energy raising. I was making a list for myself, and then figured they should each have a copy. Hopefully they will keep and refer to this in the future. I only got about 20 minutes to work with them on it and without a real circle in place or a focus for the energy that was somewhat raised (Cathy just had them attempt to feel it to start off), not to mention that these guys were very self-conscious, it was a slow start, but it was at least a start. 

                My plan for the next meeting, which is Beltaine, is to just go balls to the wall and lead them through a different kind of circle casting and Quarter calling than they’ve done before. It’s one we typically use at Novices events – using the etheric energy via the throat chakra as well as a quarter call where the directions are chanted in succession. Without the scripts, I think these two techniques will give them a really great opportunity to feel the energy instead of focusing on what’s written on the paper in front of them. 

Fingers crossed.