What Makes A Witch Authentic?

Hello my Witchlings,

I've been gone for far too long. You could say that I've been off zooming on my broom but the truth is, that broom has been standing in the corner gathering dust. Bad Witchy. No cookie for me. I truly hope to make more of an effort with this blog by posting at least once a week - although the book reviews will be little rather than often.

I realised I've been spending far too much of my precious witchy time reviewing books, and as enjoyable as it once was, we all know that we head to amazon to check out previous buyers opinions rather than trawling blogs. So I asked my friends what they would like me to do; book review or blog authentically with creations. It was a resounding BLOG AUTHENTICALLY WITH CREATION along with the sweetest "We miss YOU" message. It touched my heart very deeply. I have listened and here I am with a rather brilliant topic and question I think. (Please do let me know your opinions).

 

The other night I dreamt of having animals outside of my bedroom door, I'm still deciphering what this dream actually means based on the animals that were there, but I really believe that there is a deep and meaningful message to it. I have always believed in the power of my dreamtime, and have over the quarter of a century of my existence (goddess that makes me sound old - I'm only 25), had a great many of prophetic dreams that many have scoffed at. The thing is, I never asked for anyone's permission or validation of these dreams, I simply shared them with whom I thought were like minded folk. I know my self, I know my own inner mechanical workings, I have all the validation within. Which, going back to the subject I am discussing with you here means that when it comes to me and my dreamtime - I am authentically assured.

 

But what makes a witch authentic?

 

 

This is a question that I began my day with this morning when my darling little Mr Magick Man woke me up at 5:15am and we snuggled and purred (You do know I'm talking about my Cat here don't you? ;) ) and I grabbed a witchy book from the side and began reading. I began to wonder exactly what does make an authentic witch, and I knew from that moment it would make an excellent discussion here amongst us.

 

So what does make a witch authentic in her/him self, in her/his practice, and perhaps in her/his teachings? Is it the clothes they wear, the jewellery they display, the ritualistic photos that are splashed across social media, or is it even the branch of the craft that they practice? I don't think it is at all. Before, when I was just starting out on my path I thought it was so super important for me to have the elaborate altar in my home, because that would make me a witch, and I thought that if I had witchy items displayed in my bedroom and home and even garden that would make me a witch for sure. I was young, naive, and a beginner. Who hasn't got some "Oppsy" to share about their beginnings in the craft. 

 



Over time I have come to realise that it really doesn't matter how often you miss a lunar cycle ritual, or even that you forget to cast a spell on the full moon, and you don't always have a witchy altar on display, heck you may not even pick up a book on the craft for months. Your pentacle is in your jewellery box, the candles are low on stock, you may even have forgotten some of the theory you once learnt. But NONE of that matters. Not one tiny bit. Not to the Goddess, Not to the God, and it certainly shouldn't matter to You.

What does matter however is the intention and purity within your heart. Do you always try to be grateful? Do you smile at passers by? Do you try to help whenever you can, in whatever way you can? Do you feel fondness for Mother Nature; the trees, flowers, plants, grass? Do you feel the love for the animal kingdom and realise just how blessed you are to share your existence with all of them and the beauty of this world? Then I believe within my heart that all of that is what makes you an Authentic Witch. When you feel a calling to the craft path, and you honour that calling AS and WHEN you can with or without the extras, then you are being authentic in your craft practice, your life as a follower of the craft, and as a teacher of the craft as you go about your day to day living setting an example to those around you. All the other stuff is just glitter. And we can sparkle with or without the physical glitter.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about what you think makes an authentic witch, and how you remain authentic in your craft practice. If you have time, please stop by my lovely friend Lyn Thurman's blog where she's posted a blog of a sister theme to this one on how you can feel more witchy. It really is a most excellent read. Just click on the picture below and don't forget to mention who sent you :)

 

 

Until Next Time, May the Goddess Guard and Guide you Safely

 

Dawn

xXx

 

All written content on this blog belongs to © Dawn Brierley, Life Coach, Love Your Money Coach ©, Intuitive Angel Therapist, Tarot Lover & Hedgewitch.

PLEASE DO NOT COPY ANYTHING WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT FROM DAWN BRIERLEY

Amber ~ Pagan Blog Project 2014

The Pagan Blog Project is back! And this year I am attempting to take part as I re-dedicated myself in Samhain to take my pagan practice up a notch or two. I want to find that inner closeness I have had snatches of over the past few years. So this is my personal journey, and I will be posting about topics I haven't done before or that I haven't done in much detail. This week's post is the letter "A" and I chose to write about AMBER.

Amber is one of the most prettiest stones I have ever seen. I have to admit that it was my Mum who brought my attention to this amazing stone. Mum has always had a close affinity with Merlin, Alchemy and Nature. She still remains in awe at how this beautiful crystal is formed from tree resin which is what gives it that plastic feeling when you rub it between your thumb and forefinger.

Amber is a stone of courage, personal power and harmony - traits every practicing pagan and witch would benefit from and understand just how important they are to have. It's also a great crystal to work with as we approach Imbolc, as we each grow out of the dark and begin to emerge into the lightness of the earths cycle. Amber is also especially brilliant to work with when in our practices, wiccan or shamanic, we are aiming to connect between the realms, amber acts as the gateway.

It's long been associated with the Mother Goddess as it is believed to contain the essence of life - possibly down to the fact that some tree resin Amber's contain insects and the like.

Ways To Use Amber:

On a Healing level, Amber is good to wear upon you for self-healing, and relieving anxiety and depression. It's brilliant for increasing your self confidence and inner radiance. If you are a healer and work with many clients either physically or spiritually at a distance, wearing amber can help prevent you absorbing negative energies. It's a wonderful crystal to aid digestion, and speech problems, it strengthens the spine and encourages cell regeneration.

With Children and Animals, Amber is particularly self healing for animals who are older. I find my Cat like to lie on this crystal which is gentle and comfy and seems to ease her arthritis. For children, you may find it helpful for them if they are prone to being bullied, it creates a barrier against spite (sometimes us adults could benefit from Amber for this reason too).

Protection is what Amber is probably best known for, it gives you the courage to face your enemies be they people, situations, fears, etc. Roman Gladiators used amber for this too! If you place a piece on your altar it will offer power and protection in your rituals.

Money, Money, Money! Amber is a stone of prosperity and success. So it's great to keep some in your purse/wallet, on your desk at work, in your safe at home with your money and valuables, you can even pop a small piece in a money box. I like to keep a piece near my vision board and have even attached it to a vision board.

Spiritually Speaking - Amber is great to use for past life work. Burn an orange candle and hold this crystal whilst gazing into the flame with half closed eyes.

My experiences with Amber

My mum bought me a gorgeous Amber pendant for my birthday one year and it looks truly like a family heirloom. Many people have even asked me if it was my Grandmothers or Great-Grandmothers - yet it is totally brand new. It is just a very experienced stone - at least I like to think of it that way. I've always associated amber with High Priestesses and I tend to work with Jet too when doing magickal work. The deep richness of the colour, I cant help but be transformed to autumnal thoughts of cosiness, and warmth, which is important for self security and inner reflection.

All written content on this blog is the work of © Dawn Brierley, Life Coach, Consultant, Intuitive Angel Therapist, Tarot Lover & Mentor

Every Cook & Kitchen Witch's Dream

Every Cook & Kitchen Witch's Dream ... The Selection of 3 Fabulous Cookery Guides

 

 

I have a very special book review post for you here, I have received throughout 2013 three amazing cookery guides to review, and having spent the year trying and testing out their recipes and adding to my culinary knowledge the results are in - well the reviews are!

 

Cultured Food for Life

by Donna Schwenk

Published by Hay House UK

RRP: 14.99 Hay House Price £10.49

 

This book arrived at such a timely moment in my life. When I was facing having to dramatically change my diet for health reasons, I was lost and although my GP, Nutritionist and handsome Paramedic (my Mr) really helped break it down into the basics, I wanted to know more.

Always a well thirsty for more knowledge, I ploughed on in to reading Cultured Food for Life which taught me so much. When I began reading I had no ide what "kombucha" was, or "kefir, cultured vegetables, sourdough or sprouted flour" but alas after reading the Fermentation Guru Donna's guide to all this and more I am more knowledgeable and equipped with eating more probiotic foods.

 

Donna tells you exactly what eating Cultured Food can do for you, the benefits, and even shares with you her own personal story o how she healed herself and her family wit these foods. She walks you through the step by step preparation techniques for those mentioned above and includes and added 120 recipes that use these foods, to help you create dishes to please any palate.

 

 

 

Crazy Sexy Kitchen by Kris Carr

Published by Hay House UK

Price £18.99

 

Crazy Sexy Kitchen has to be one of the most known cook books out there for plant-based nutrition. This is Kris Carr's follow on book from her huge success of  Crazy Sexy Cancer that documented her quest to live with incurable stage IV cancer by following a healthy diet of plant based nutrition.

 

The book begins by deeply documenting everything you need to know to get your way around your Kitchen - this is something quite wonderful for someone like me that needs the 101 on kitchen cookery.

 

Provided within are 150 plant empowered recipe's that include; juices, smoothies, soups, sandwiches, snacks, main courses, desserts - all with full unbelievable flavour.

 

Not your average cookbook - Crazy Sexy Kitchen helps you to;

• Shop like a seasoned health-conscious barganista
• Fill your kitchen with the "Clean Fifteen" basics of must have ingredients
• Master the cooking lingo
• Whip up drinks such as the Sicilian, French toast, and Chocolate Walnut Cake
• and so much more!

The Mystic Cookbook

by Denise Linn & Meadow Linn

Published by Hay House UK

Price £12.99

The Mystic Cookbook promises to transform your eating into a spiritual practice and enlighten and enrich every mouthful. This is probably the most spiritual based cookbook I've ever come across ( I might not be much of a cook, but I have oodles of pretty cookbooks in my country cottage style kitchen).

The insightful lessons in this book are simply amazing. Denise & Meadow (Mother & Daughter) share with you; how the colour of your food affects your consciousness, how to unlock the secret messages in the foods you eat, how meals can open up your chakras, and how your intentions whilst cooking impact upon the taste and nourishment. They even include what they term to be magical meals that will help you achieve abundance, love and success in your life.

The recipes included are from many far reaching places such as; Mexico, Thailand, France, Italy, Asia, Africa and Britain. You certainly get a taste of the exotic, the homely and the spiritual with this book.


If you find yourself wanting to up the stakes in your culinary skills then these three books should give you a wonderful head start. Make those Cooking Dreams come true in 2014










All written content on this blog is the work of © Dawn Brierley, Life Coach, Consultant, Intuitive Angel Therapist, Tarot Lover & Mentor

Forward Focused Energy Oracle Cards

 

Energy Oracle Cards by Sandra Anne Taylor

Published by Hay House UK

Price £13.99

This 53 card oracle deck is by far my favourite ever oracle deck (and I have hundreds). Sandra Anne Taylor has created a forward focusing oracle deck that I could simply  jump and down about. So many oracle cards are used and focused on discovering what effect the past has had on our present and then a little insight into what might be - our future. But this oracle deck is so much different!

The Energy Oracle deck focusing on the energy around you NOW in the present moment, and then you gain insight into what that energy might manifest into. The suggested spreads contained in the accompanying guidebook are new and exciting (for me anyway), and I have found the clarity and accuracy of the messages to be phenomenal. Every time I have used these oracle cards over the past couple of months (I like to fully try and test the products I review) I have thought that the enquiry might just catch these cards out, and I would finally see their flaw - but NO. These cards went above and beyond in what I expected from them. Each and every reading proved highly accurate in both the interpretations of the energy surrounding the present and then later what emerged as the future.

 

What I simply adore about these cards is the fact that they really endorse the well known saying;

"You can't fix the past, your power is in the present moment"

Each card is beautifully created and the naming's of the cards are unique and welcoming. Even when a reversed card is interpreted it provides such powerful and life changing advice that you fully understand what is going on in your situation that you are enquiring about. Some of the cards are grouped into specific messages, for example you have a selection of "Door's to..." cards, and you have 7 chakra related Archangel Cards that I have found when present in a reading to add extra oomph to the understanding for the client and for yourself.

 

 

A beautiful deck to look at, an inspiring deck to work with, if there is one oracle deck I will always work with (after over 12 years of working with oracles cards - I was 13 when I began working with Doreen Virtue's Messages from your Angels Deck), it will be this one! It is seriously that amazing, and I just know that if you feel called to the deck through the images you've seen here, you will not be disappointed with your purchase.

 

These cards get a full on 10/10 from me.

 

**Images are photos taken by myself and the background is a Country-Chic handmade table-cloth made by Myself & my Mother



All written content on this blog is the work of © Dawn Brierley, Life Coach, Intuitive Angel Therapist, Tarot Lover & Mentor

Soul Path Steps - December 2013

Hi there!

December has been a month! Well in fact the whole last 3 months have been pretty memorable. Not all in a good way either. I've been in and out of hospital - thankfully I'm on the mend. My Mr Handsome Paramedic has had quite a journey too - a theme that is set to continue into next year as we received news this morning that is not good at all. Please accept my apologies for not opening up about this news, but I am doing out of respect for my Mr as we both come to terms with it as it's pretty raw right now. What I can say is that I know that he is going to need my support more than ever next year.

Anyway, I wanted to chat with you about my Soul Path Steps for this month. You may recall if you were reading my blog back then, that I was a member of the Soul Path Tribe with my Soul Coach & Friend Lyn Thurman. Well I kind of faded away from group and I can now in hindsight see why I was drawn away.

There were many soul reasons that I have discovered; needing closure in relationships (not romantic), finding myself, healing myself, being at one with myself and my Mr, and being open to new opportunities. I embraced them, whether I wanted to or not and I've accepted them. The lessons are plain for me to see now.

So, then comes December and after getting home from hospital I start thinking about this year, where it's taken me, the journey I've been on and beginning closure on 2013. It may seem premature but when you're laid up resting with nothing else to do you can't help yourself. So I grabbed my Leonie Dawson 2013 Life & Biz Planners and start highlighting all my achieved goals, and then I grabbed my Soul Path Tribe folder and start reminiscing about everything I've achieved in 12 months and how far I've come within as well as the manifestations. That was when my heart longed for the SPT again. So the 15th (I think) I paid my monthly dues and signed up again. I printed out the workbook for December and told Paul (Lyn's husband) that I was hoping to squeeze in a few goals before the end of the month.

The Goddess of December for SPT is White Buffalo Calf  Woman - a goddess I thought I would easily connect with. I have HUGE love for Native American folklore, traditions and the like. It was only yesterday morning that I tweeted Lyn on Twitter and told her I was struggling to connect with her. This morning I discovered why. There was a far pressing matter playing out in my life that I was unaware of and the Mr & I discovered it today. It was then that I felt compelled to find time to discover White Buffalo Calf Woman more.

So I re-read the myth of WBCW in my workbook again, and did some research online. I discovered that she had in fact been with me all along - helping me find peace again, helping me to be at peace and extending that peace to others. I've been far more compassionate and understanding in my relationship this month, communication between us has been dramatically improved, and I've been more at peace with myself. It seems I was trying to hard to connect with her and I was worrying about not having an altar in place in honour of her. She was there with me all along.

 

Then I decided to peek at my goals I set for this month and surprised myself that I have completed so many already with others either in the 'hopeful' pile or the 'still in process' pile. Let me share with you what I have achieved this month according to my Soul Path Tribe workbook.

 

• Begin a cross-stitch project (butterflies)
• Follow a recipe and cook something I've never cooked before - I did! I cooked shortbread cookies
• Analyse career and business - I did and I've scrapped what I don't enjoy anymore in time for 2014
• Monitor my finances
• Be more compassionate & understanding
• Read a Christmassy Chick-Lit Novel - I did! I read Calling Mrs Christmas and Reviewed it here
• Conduct research into my career and take action steps

 

Not bad seeing as I've spent a lot of time resting and recuperating. I still have goals I'd love to meet by the end of the year, but even if I don't, I'm happy to let those roll away or take some of them with me into 2014. I just want to add a thank you to the Soul Path Tribe for welcoming me back and for the support they've given me this year xx

 

All written content on this blog is the work of © Dawn Brierley, Life Coach, Consultant, Intuitive Angel Therapist, Tarot Lover & Mentor