Day One 2018 – Great Release Program – Silver RavenWolf

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Day One of 2018 Great Release Program – 1 December – Saturday
By Silver RavenWolf

4^th Quarter Moon in Libra
Saturday – Saturn Planetary Ruler

Welcome!  Welcome! to this year’s Great Release Program!  I am delighted to spend time with you this year!  The Great Release Program is one of my favorite community activities.  For 31 days I am privileged to share my voice with you (if you want to hear it) and in turn, I am gifted with your ideas, comments, and company as we power through releasing negativity or removing what no longer serves us well.  The program works through mental and physical challenges — incorporating change on many levels.  This is a process we do together with a collective goal of personal empowerment as we ring in the New Year on December 31.  This year I have some new energy practices that I would like to share with you – ideas that I have included in my spiritual cleansing seminars and personal work that work well for me.

The Rattle Bath

While practicing Yoga, I learned a Nidra that I incorporated into a rattle practice.  Basically, you pass the rattle over various points of the body to clear away negativity and heighten healing, spiritual vibrations.  The technique uses the standard seven chakras, as well as minor energy points. I have created a card for you to put on your altar if you like that may be helpful as you incorporate the rattle bath into your daily routine.  If you find intoning the sounds bothersome or irritating – you don’t need to do it. Just stick with the rattle, and you will be fine.  Let’s do a walk through with sound and rattle points.

Use this chart as a guideline.  You can also recite the written charm before or after the rattle bath.

Begin by shaking the rattle over your Crown Chakra and intoning the sound “Om” in your throat.  If you can, visualize purple light (if this is too much, no worries).  Incorporate one deep inhale, rest for a one-count, and exhale at each chakra point.  Next, shake the rattle at your Third Eye (in between your eyebrows), visualize indigo light, and repeat the sound “Om. “ Remember one deep inhale, rest, and exhale.  Shake the rattle at your Throat, imagine blue/turquoise and intone with the “Ham” sound.  Inhale, rest, exhale.  Move the rattle to the Heart Chakra.  Visualize green light and repeat the sound “Yam”while shaking the rattle.  Don’t forget the deep inhale, rest, and exhale before moving to the next segment.

We are now going to “light” up several energy points.  As you shake the rattle over each point, visualize white light literally popping and sparkling over the area.  Right shoulder, right elbow, right wrist, right palm, right fingers (one, two, three, four, five – one at a time).  Continue back to palm, right wrist, right elbow, right shoulder, and heart chakra.  Repeat the sound “Yam.”  Inhale, rest, and exhale deeply.

Let’s move to the left.  Shake the rattle over each point, again visualizing the light popping over each point mentioned.  Left shoulder, left elbow, left wrist, left palm, left fingers (one, two, three, four, five – one at a time). Continue back to palm, left wrist, left elbow, left shoulder, and heart chakra.  Repeat the sound “Yam”.  Inhale, rest, and exhale deeply

Move the rattle to the Solar Plexus Chakra, intoning the sound “Ram” and visualizing YellowLight.  Remember the deep inhale, rest, exhale breath.  Next, shake the rattle over the Sacral chakra, intoning the sound, “Vam.”  Visualize an orange glow.  Inhale, rest, and exhale deeply. Move the rattle to the Root Chakra, intoning the sound “Lam” and visualizing a red light. 

Again, we are going to “light” up several energy points. As you shake the rattle over each point, visualize while light popping and sparkling over the area.  Move the rattle to the right hip, the right knee, the right ankle, the center of the right foot, the right toes (one, two, three, four, five – one at a time).  Continue back to the middle of the foot, right ankle, right knee, right hip, and over the Root Chakra, intoning the sound“Lam”, inhaling, rest, and exhale deeply.

Move the rattle to the left hip, left knee, left ankle, left center foot, left toes (one, two, three, four, five – one at a time), back to the left-center foot, left ankle, left knee, left, hip, and pelvis (root chakra). Intone the sound “Lam”, inhaling, rest and exhale deeply.

Now it is time to “closeup” the cleansing work you have done. Work upwards with the rattle, centering on each chakra, remembering to breathe deeply at each energy point – Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, and Crown.  Hit the rattle on the ground or table 3 times to finish. This is the sealing “sound.”

In all honesty, this practice takes a lot longer to read than it does to do!  The rattle bath is perfect for any time or for any purpose, even when you are feeling just a bit sluggish.  I’ve incorporated this practice into the release program as a daily segment that can follow your Morning Ritual (see introduction post).  Tomorrow we will learn another method for cleansing and clearing the chakras that doesn’t make any noise, lol.  You can use your hand, or you can tie a string to a favorite crystal.

Nightly Review

Another new technique for this year’s program is the Nightly Review. You sit down, breath deeply several times, and then review the day as if you are watching a super-fast-forward movie. You don’t dawdle over any event because that defeats the purpose.  For example: I got up, took the dog out, took a shower, ate breakfast, emptied the dishwasher, ran errands, met a lovely lady, dropped off food at the food bank, ate lunch, got gas, packed candle orders, wrote the release program intro, made dinner, stacked the dishwasher, threw out my one release item, and played MarioKart 8 video game.  The purpose is to move the daily clutter out of your mind so that you can fall asleep easier, and rest better.  Tomorrow, I will give you a Sleep Sachet Formula for you to put under your pillow to help you rest well.

Your Challenge for Today:  Learn how to do the Rattle Bath.  Throw out one thing (no give away this week – trash, trash, trash!) Write down your main program goal and place it on your altar, in a sacred area, or even tack it to the refrigerator!  Chose and write down one weekly goal.  Mine will be to rearrange my clothing cabinet (which I have been ignoring).

Mercury is indeed retrograde (lucky us).  This means that for the past two weeks or so we’ve been revisiting stuff, wondering about our purpose in life, and possibly making insane postures to fix something that decided to break itself (the dastardly nerve!)– like a washing machine, a car,a computer, or whatever (so annoying). The interesting thing about a Mercury retro is that you knew the “whatever”was on its last, teetering mechanical breath – but, you ignored it.  Lucky for us, Mercury will turn direct on 6December, and after a few days (the storm or shadow period) we will be motoring right along as normal.  However, let’s take advantage of this Mercury retro and stop to consider what we need to fix, rearrange, or reorganize before the planet stations and turns direct.  Make a list. Check it twice.

The Three-Minute Dash! – I love this one!  Simple – set a stop-watch (your phone, whatever) for 3 minutes.  Run around like a mad person picking up anything on the floor, on tables, stuck in corners, etc.  The goal:  Remove clutter.  Clutter is de devil.  Clutter eats positive energy.  It sucks you dry.  It defeats you.  It paralyzes you.  Clutter is bad, bad, bad.  No clutter? No trip (except over your own feet or tongue).  The 3-Minute Dash gets you moving and adds a bit of excitement to your life (no kidding). Kids love this practice – 3 minutes and yer done!  Everybody happy.  Give yourself an extra gold star.

The Five-Minute Dust Buster –Like the 3-Minute Dash except you set the clock for 5 minutes and dust, spray, or wash every surface you can get to in five minutes.  No streaks.  Give yourself an extra gold star.

Gold Stars – Speaking of….I forgot to mention them!  Here is how the system works:

First, you will need a calendar page to hang somewhere for the month of December.  Normally, I provide you with one, but my computer program is being difficult.  So, find a pleasing calendar page for December and go with that.  Let’s mark some important days:

December 6^th– New Moon and Mercury turns direct
December 21^st (when Sun enters Capricorn – Winter Solstice)
December 22^nd – Full Moon
December 31^st – Whoot!  You completed the Great Release Challenge!!!!
Add any other religious holidays your family celebrates

Here is the Star system to use on your calendar:

Throw one thing out (or give away) every day and you earn one gold star.
Do a 3-Minute Dash – earn one additional gold star.
Do a 5-Minute Dust Buster – earn one additional gold star.
Now and then other tasks will earn you gold stars.
Earn ten (10) stars and you do something super cool for yourself.  Gotta. Must.  Absolute.  Reward is necessary for your well-being.

For the record, if there are words running together in this post, I apologize.  I pulled from Word and put in WordPress and some of the spaces aren’t recognized — argh.  Mercury retro at its best.

Summary for Today

1.  Do the Morning Ritual – earn one gold star.
2. Incorporate the Rattle Bath – earn one gold star.
3. Set up your Great Release Calendar
4. Do one 3-Minute Dash – earn one gold star.
5. Do one 5-Minute Dust Buster – earn one gold star.
6. Write down and post where you can see it your one main goal for the program.
7. Write down and post where you can see it this week’s goal (to be done by next Saturday).
8. Find a picture of your Special Symbol and put it where you can see it.

Tonight, remember to practice your Nightly Review

That’s it for today!  I know you can do this!  Be sure to add your comments below.  We love to hear from you.  A community builds healing for all.

Peace with the Gods
Peace with Nature
Peace Within.

Silver

2018 Great Release Program Intro – #silverravenwolf #greatreleaseprogram

Get ready for this year’s Magickal Release Program — 30 days of helpful tips, guidelines, and creative ways to get rid of the junk, clutter, negativity, and unhappiness in your life!  Each day we will work on a new challenge, dancing our way to a delightful new you!  Don’t miss this once-a-year holiday treat that begins on 1 December and ends on the 31st.   Best of all?  Its FREE!  You can do it!

What You Will Need to Work Through the Program:

Courage
Willpower
An Open Mind
Cleaning Supplies
A Main Goal — something you wish to work on this year — it can be anything you desire
Weekly Goals – you will have 4 total – something you want to complete each week
Various colored candles.  White is okay.  We’ll use them on different occasions.  However, candles are not necessary.
A place to donate things you no longer need
A ritual cup (something you can put water in)
A rattle (for the daily rattle bath)
One Word Symbol that means peace, healing, love, joy and healing to you.  We will use this symbol frequently throughout the program.

The next few paragraphs are a repeat for those who have been involved in the program before.  These are guidelines for the basic morning ritual and the basic planetary powers chant.  If you already use these, you can skip to the New This Year section.  Or, you may like to do a bit of refresher and scan through the info.  Your choice.   And that is the point of the entire program — you choose.  This is freedom to release!

The Basic Morning Ritual – I like to do my morning ritual outside while walking the dog.  We face the sun together.

The Great Release Program is based on a short, daily Braucherei ritual designed to bring blessings and enchantment into your life each and every day.  By practicing this Five Minute Braucherei ritual each morning upon rising (whether you are first, second or third shift — when you wake up is fine) you will have a better grip on the day.  The practice takes about seven (7) days to set in (you might see small changes in your life right away); and about 30 days to bring about greater change.  If you are ready to take charge of your life, let go of the crap, and accept the abundance of the world around you, then this is the ritual for you!

Tools: You will only need yourself and a cup, and fresh water daily.  You can also use colored candles, or incense — that’s fine, too. Whatever spiritual practice that facilitates calm and relaxation within yourself can be used here.  We use a cup of water that you will change and empower each day.  Spring water is great, tap water is fine.  I have added a Rattle Bath to cleanse and balance the chakras at the end of the Basic Ritual.  You can do this bath immediately following your ritual, or you can use it mid-morning or other time convenient to you.  The Rattle Bath takes only 3 minutes or less and focuses on the chakras (energy vortexes) of the body.  On Day One I will introduce you to the Rattle Bath.

Preparation for the Morning Ritual:  Find a place where you will not be disturbed.  As the ritual only takes about five minutes, you won’t need to lock yourself in the attic.  I know, though, what it is like to be a busy person with family members assuming its okay to interrupt you just-any-old-time.  So!  If the only place you can find peace is in the bathroom while taking your morning shower — that’s okay!  Just lock the door.  The beauty about Braucherei is that you whisper instead of speaking in a normal voice.  With the water running?  No one will hear you. In fact, the running water adds wonderful energy to the chant — try it!

Let’s go through the ritual so you understand exactly what you are doing.  The first chant is a general blessing charm that is quite old (see Storms), and recited while facing east.  You can use hand motions (or not) while intoning the charm.  Speak slowly, with feeling and with a sense of grace.  You are doing a spiritual thing — it is okay to open up and accept those energies.

Step One:  Fill your clean ritual goblet with water.  Set aside.  Face East.  Take three, deep, cleansing breaths.  Draw energy up from the ground to the top of your head, and expel that energy with your breath into your hands.  Take a second breath, drawing energy from the sky, and expel that energy with your breath into your hands.  Take a third breath, drawing energy into your heart chakra, and then expel that energy into your hands.

Step Two:  Intone the following chant nine times — if you are super pressed for time — three repetitions will do.

Eastwards I stand
For favors I pray
From Goddess Divine
And Lord of the Day
Earth lends Her power
And breath sends the spell
Days end will reveal
That all will be well.

Let’s quickly cover what this chant means and exactly what you are calling.  Eastwards I stand (the place of beginnings and the power of the sun) for favors I pray (you are asking for all the good stuff of this world and all others).  From Goddess Divine (feminine deity, crone/mother energy, moon energy) and the Lord of the Day (male divine, sage/father energy, the sun AND the planet that rules the day).  Together the two deities make One — the Balance.  Earth lends Her power (the spirits of nature, the elements, that which is physical) and breath sends the spell (holy breath, Spirit, and your effort).  Days end will reveal that all will be well.  (You are agreeing that by the end of the day, no matter what, you will accept the favors given and be thankful for them.)  This chant is to be said nine (9) times, slowly, with feeling, and experiencing what you are saying deep within yourself.

Step Three:  While you are still facing East — intone the Planetary Powers chant  9 times.  Three if you are pressed for time.

The Planetary Powers, is extremely simple.  First, you intone the name of the day you are experiencing, for example, Tuesday, and then follow through with the rest of the chant.  Here is the chant:

Tuesday, Lord of the Day
Bring me Good Fortune in Every Way!

Here are those daily planets (the Lords of the Day) in case you are new or have forgotten:

Monday — Moon
Tuesday — Mars
Wednesday — Mercury
Thursday — Jupiter
Friday — Venus
Saturday — Saturn
Sunday — Sun

Although very easy, this is a powerful chant.  You are asking the planetary energies of the day to tune into your life and you are agreeing that you will accept the flow of what you have asked for — in this example — Good Fortune.  You can change this chant in to match what you need.  Let’s say you are working on a chronic illness, then you might say:

Tuesday, Lord of the Day
Bring me Good Health in Every Way!

Or, let’s say you are just so stressed out lately:

Wednesday, Lord of the Day
Bring me sweet peace in Every Way!

Like the first chant — take your time.  Say it slowly and with confidence.  Know in your heart that what you have asked for, you will receive.  Remember, that this second chant changes with the day.  If today is Monday, then you intone —Monday, Lord of the Day!  As you speak, reach out and connect with the ‘Lord’ of the day.   Repeat this chant nine (9) times.

Candle Burning Magick.   I make candles.  I love candles.  I adore using them in magick.  I am a candle fanatic!  If you enjoy candle burning rituals, you can burn a small candle (chime or tea candle) that is the color of the Lord of the Day.  Colors vary in ritual traditions.  Here is a list, if you need an idea of color associations:

Monday — Light Blue, Silver
Tuesday — Red, Yellow, or Gold
Wednesday — Dark Blue, Silver
Thursday — Purple, Blue or Red
Friday — Green or Pink
Saturday — Brown, Gray or Black
Sunday — Gold, Yellow or Orange

White is a basic go-to color, and can be used for any practice in this program, including lighting the way for the Lord of the Day.  If you plan to use a candle each day, hold the candle in your hands as you say the chant, rubbing the candle back and forth between your palms.  As you light the candle, call on the Planetary Power of the day.  For example, if today is Monday, the Planetary Power of the Day is the Moon.  So, you would say:  “By the Power of the Moon, I charge the field within me and around me with success in every way.”  Blow on the candle three times, envisioning that you are blowing success energy into the candle.  Light the candle.  If you wish to have specialized candles (formulas for specific needs) please see my new book The Witching Hour – – Spells, Powders, Formulas or visit my website http://www.whispermagick.com

Step Four:  End your ritual with a sentence that focuses on your special goal that is repeated three times.   The most important words in this statement?  “I know”.   You can say a general statement, or one that is very specific.  For example:

“I know that I will meet all my goals in this thirty-day period.” or…

“I know I will find a solution to…” (and fill in the blank).

Then, blow softly across the top of the water in the ritual cup.  You are infusing the water with your wish.  Each and every day you will change this water before you do your ritual.

Complete your ritual with this statement (or one like it that you prefer)

Only the Good Remains
Peace with the Gods
Peace with Nature
Peace Within.
So Be It!

That’s all there is to it.  After you finish simply draw an equal-armed cross over the water to seal the working.  At the end of the day, give thanks to Spirit and the Lord of the Day for the favors you have received.  Sometimes, we are so busy during the day, we don’t realize that we’ve been given a gift if we don’t stop and think about what happened to us, or what we really spent our time on.  By concluding the working by giving thanks, you allow yourself time to review your experiences.  Be careful not to dwell on negative situations, even though they occurred to teach us something.  Although that kind of review is good and necessary, it isn’t a part of this particular working, which is designed to teach you and continue to aid you in drawing positive energies toward you.  Release the negative — welcome the future!  Leave bitter behind, so that you can be better!

What to do with the water?  If you have nothing to it — you can drink it.  You can give it to your plants, use it to bless objects in the home or work environment, or take it outdoor and pour it on the ground as a libation to the Gods — your choice.

The 2018 Program

The theme of the Release Program each year is to get rid of the negativity in our lives — to release what no longer supports our goals.  This release includes physical, mental, and spiritual things, feelings, or choices that are no longer working for you.  The program works incredibly well if your partner, husband, wife, and/or family members work right along with you.  My family does the program, too!  Every year I change the challenges slightly so that you can enjoy new material.  Part of the fun of the program is that you don’t know what I’ll have you working on next!  Each day is a surprise.  If you can’t get everything done in a particular challenge?  No worries.  Do one thing — just one thing per day.  If you can do it all?  AWESOME!  If not, don’t give yourself a bad time — do what you can.  As long as you do something?  You’re golden!

I’m looking forward to seeing old friends (those who have done the program before) and new friends!  Please feel free to post your comments throughout the program.  We are a magickal village and every post is important and unique.

Are you ready?  I know I am!  I’m super excited about this year’s program!  Please join me this year!  My greatest desire is that your dreams come true!  Please feel free to blog or tweet about the program — the more the merrier!

Today — Set your Main Goal and consider what four (4) goals you would like to add to this year’s program.  The four goals can change throughout the program.  For example, you may start the program by thinking you want to clean all the upstairs closets, the garage, the basement, and the attic, and then realize after you got the closets done that due to time constraints, all those hefty goals aren’t do-able.  No worries.  Change your remaining goals.  Just remember that on Saturday, when you set your new weekly goal, the goal you choose for that week should stay in place until completion.

What Happens If You Get Sick? – Over the years this question has come up many times — there are individuals that get sick during the Great Release Program — it is winter here in the States and too much activity/stress can take a toll.  No worries.  If it is a small sick (cold) just skip those days’ activities EXCEPT try your best to do the morning ritual, the rattle bath, and throw out one thing.  That’s it.  Leave the rest of the stuff for another time.  If you get super sick — drop the program and work through it in January.  Quite a few folks have done that with success.  There is no failure, there is simply your time frame for completion.

Power Outage — I live in the woods –  yep — Witch in the Woods, and on occasion I have power outage problems.  If for some reason a post for the day doesn’t manifest — make something up.  Yes, you read that right.  Use your intuition to release whatever you feel is right that day.  Sound good?  Cool!

Summary

1.  Practice the Morning Braucherei Ritual
2. Choose One Main Goal
3. Think about Four Weekly Goals
4. Meditate on your one-word symbol — Choose a One Word Symbol that means peace, healing, love, joy, and healing to you.  We will use this symbol frequently throughout the program.  Mine is going to be Yellow Rose.  Yellow Rose corresponds to joy, delight, friendship, and The Sun.  Each morning, as soon as you wake, repeat your symbol word several times before you allow any other thought to enter your mind.  This is an excellent way to start the day with positive energy.
5. Throw out one thing today!

In service
Peace with the Gods
Peace with Nature
Peace within,
Silver