How to Make a Recovery Bundle

Take the time to recover — use your creativity.

How to Make a Recovery Bundle
by Silver RavenWolf
copyright 2013

Every year the great release program teaches me something new, or makes me look at life from a different perspective.  This year I realized just how important the cycle of recovery can be, and how we need to take the time and allow the recovery process to gently flow through our daily activities.  If we try to rush it, then it is highly likely we’ll stumble, fall, and have to start the process all over again.

Many of us realize the importance of recovery time when we talk about surgery or long-term illness; but, for other issues or shorter illnesses, we can be impatient, push too hard too soon because we’re starting to feel good, and wouldn’t you know it — we’re back feeling lousy again, or worse in no time at all.  With a cold or flu, we say to ourselves, “Yeah, yeah, I know, I know” and at least recognize we did too much too quickly, yet we motor on because that’s over now.  Oddly enough, on other issues, we don’t think of the recovery process at all, and if we do, we just give it a cursory nod.

Recovery is an amazing cycle all in itself, that heals the body, mind, and spirit.  Rather than trying to ignore it or rush it, take a step back, and enjoy the fallow time.  Indeed, it may look frozen from the outside; but inside?  The new you is in the gestation process.  Some magickal healers believe that the more severe the illness or problem, the more spiritual and harmonious you will become, particularly if you take the time to honor the recovery process itself.

Recovery isn’t just about sickness.  You can be recovering from financial hardship, from the loss of a loved one (whether in death or they move away), from a terrible court case (like a major battle over child custody), from a move of house, change or loss of job, etc.  There is even a recovery process in happy events — holidays, traveling, birth, finishing a big project, and vacations (we’ve all heard that one — I need a vacation from my vacation) — anything that required a high level of energy and focus — down time is needed so that you can more fully enjoy that which the future has to bring.

There is no timing on recovery.  One issue may leave you feeling blue, irritated, or sluggish for weeks or months, where another situation may take only a day or two until you bounce back.  Ask yourself the following questions when things don’t seem to be going your way:

1.  Am I recovering from something?  Only you know.
2.  I should be feeling joyous about this or that — how come I don’t?
3.  Do things that normally make me feel happy now appear to be lackluster?
4.  Am I tired or disinterested a great deal of the time?

Yes, you should be going to see a doctor if you think your feelings are an indicator of sickness or illness; but, if you’ve done that and still feel blue — maybe you are not giving yourself the right amount of time for yourself to heal.   Maybe you are not embracing the recovery process.  Why not try it!

Choose today to celebrate your recovery!  Acknowledge that you need time to grow.  Observe this time with peace in your heart.  Search for joy.  Talk to the universe about how grateful you are that you have this time to heal mentally, physically, and spiritually.  Think of an activity that you would like to do that honors your recovery.  What do you already have that may facilitate the process?  I decided to make candles and wax melts (something I haven’t done for awhile) and create a recovery bundle out of felt.  Creating with spiritual intention, for me, was a perfect way to honor my recovery.

For the recovery candles, I chose lemongrass fragrance and lemongrass from my garden.  I blended lavender fragrance for a more uplifting scent.  I chose purple dye.  During the brewing process I recited the Braucherei Morning Ritual, and then sung the names of the Goddesses while pouring the candles.

A magickal bundle can be made out of anything.  The bundle celebrates the purpose and acts as an attraction vehicle.  I made the one shown, out of felt.  Here are a set of pics that outline the process.  When completed, put something very special to yourself (or the person you are making it for) in the bundle, along with herbs, trinkets, charms, spices, etc.  Recover bundles can be burned when you are done using them, or they can be cleaned out, re-empowered, and used again.

I traced a pattern for the bundle on plain piece of white paper using a plate as a guide.

Your bundle can be made out of a variety of materials or colors. I used a turquoise to remind me of the sea of potential.

Pin the pattern to the material and cut out your circle.

For this bundle, I did not choose an inside lining as I wanted to keep the bundle from being to bulky. I then choose what beads or embellishments that I felt lent themselves to the theme. Orange is an odd color; but, it felt right. In making healing items I’ve learned to “go with your gut”.

For this bundle I did a blanket stitch around the edges to keep the felt from fraying and added orange beads. I then cut out felt pieces that spoke to me of recovery and transformation — all free hand — let your creative power go!

To give the bundle tactile depth, I put a small amount of stuffing in each purple shape.

So that you can easily close the bundle, I punched holes in the felt and ran a ribbon through, securing the ribbon with a wooden button.

When the bundle is closed, it looks like this. Now I’ll add herbs, charms, or spices, perhaps a feather. What you put into the bundle is entirely up to you.

When the bundle is open, it looks like this.

Finished bundle and candles.

How do you know when the recovery process is almost complete?  The universe will let you know.  One or two opportunities will unfold.  You’ll be led in the direction of healthy living by events, situations, circumstances, family or friends.  For example, the first batch of recovery candles I made flew out the door in less than 24 hours.  No, I didn’t make any money off of them, rather, it was unexpected friends and family members that came to visit — each with a situation where recovery, and allowing it, was their focus.  I tuned to the kitchen table each time and said, “Well!  I just happen to have something that you may find helpful.”

Gotta love the universe.

What will you do for your recovery process?

Peace with the Gods
Peace with Nature
Peace Within.

Silver

After the Great Release Program — Week One

After the Great Release Challenge – Week One

by Silver RavenWolf copyright 2012

For me, the day after the new year always brings a sigh of relief.  The whirlwind schedule of activities, dinners, parties…done!  Our Great Release Challenge?  Done!  I sat on the front porch, a cold eye on the thermometer – the temps in the twenties.  Definitely a bit on the bitter side.

Sipping my coffee, I thought about what I should be doing next, while at the same time reviewing the last thirty days.  My mind wandered over how thoughts truly become reality, and how, once again, one should be mindful of what one thinks and what one says aloud.  This year, I stressed the Sea of Potential that exists around us, and how by purposefully utilizing that power you can manifest what you need.  By practicing the exercise given in the program each day, you learned just how amazing life can be by utilizing this knowledge.  The exercise takes you to the door of your personal power and opens it – showing you that the reality you desire can and will unfold.

As with all things of the mind, learning first that you really do have control and then understanding how that power applies to your own life can be…interesting. Many people have a taste of the knowledge, and then quickly walk away.  “Oh no!” they say, “I am in no way responsible for that event!  It was circumstance, coincidence, or the result of someone else’s actions.  Magick is not that easy.  It simply can’t be.”

But, it is.

As I have often mentioned, as I write the Great Release Program each year, I also do it.  That means that when I write about cleaning the bathroom, or organizing shelving, or clearing out the shed – I’m doing it at the same time.  This way, I have an idea about how much I can get done in one day, and what can happen to distract you from a task.  I observe the way my family reacts to different challenges, and whether or not they want to jump on board with the program, when they get bored and want to give up, or what kind of resistance or acceptance I receive.  By the time the program is done, everything suggested, I’ve done right along with you.

Except this year.

Don’t panic.  It was only one day.  And it did get done.  In a very strange way.

At the beginning of the program I sat down on that same front porch with my coffee, and said to myself, “This year I don’t want to be so stressed while writing the program.  I want plenty of time each day to write with focus.  I know I need to get the blog entries up the day before because I have people all over the world doing the program, which means there is a big time variation between my time and their time.  What I want most of all this year is peace and quiet while I work on the program.”

Ah-hem.

On Day Four of the program, I finished my blog entry, left the house, and motored into town.  I’d promised my son I’d mail a package to him and I needed to do a few other errands.  As I left the post office, I vacillated on going to get gas, or going to pick up my granddaughter for her karate lesson.  Although I had enough gas to get where I needed to go, the weather report hadn’t been favorable and I didn’t want to be in traffic in bad conditions and run out of gas.  I decided to go to the pump first, mussing to myself that cleaning your vehicle was one of our program topics during the month and how on that day I would be really busy cleaning up my car.  You know how those thoughts zoom through your mind, you acknowledge them, and then your brain skips to the next track.

Sigh.

I pull into the parking lot.  I see pump number nine is open.  I drive forward toward the pump and BOOM!  What the?  I blinked.  Several times.  A guy leaning against a Ford F-350 at pump number eight started walking toward my car.  “Hey, Lady!  Are you okay?”

I blinked again.  My brain said – What the hell just happened?  My mouth said, “I think I’m fine.”

I looked to my right, only to discover that a young lady had plowed into the passenger side of my car.

You gotta be kidding me.

She’s outside of her vehicle, prancing around like a reindeer, wailing about her fate, am I okay? And how this wasn’t her car, she’d borrowed it because she blew out the tire on her own car this morning.

I wanted to say, “Perhaps the universe was trying to tell you to stay the hell home, you dumb ****”.  But, I didn’t.  Instead, I said, “I’m fine.  It will be okay.”

Argh in a handbasket, you know?

Shaking head.  Many, many times.

December is not the best time to have car repairs completed.  Snow storms delay parts, parties delay workers, and so, throughout the entire month of December, I had lots and lots of time to finish my program.  The Witch in the Woods without wheels stays in the woods, writing, cleaning, and cooking.

I didn’t mention the accident during the program on purpose.  I decided to let the entire incident play out, and see what became of it.  Eventually, right before the first of the year, I got my car back, in mint condition, and detailed.  That’s right.  The car repair shop felt so bad for taking so long, they cleaned my car inside and out, and it looks brand new.  I didn’t miss the vehicle challenge day, it was just a little late getting it completed – by someone else.

Once again I was reminded about the power of our thoughts – about how you fix your fate with what you think, and the choices you make.  Although the situation was highly irritating, I wasn’t hurt and I didn’t think of it as this awful, terrible thing.  I knew darned well what thoughts I’d put into the sea of potential, and what I got back.  Taking responsibility for what you think, even though it pisses you off at yourself, is the first step in understanding the vast power that surges around you every single day, every single moment.

So, this morning, while I’m contemplating what I want to do next, I’m reminded to channel my thoughts wisely.  I’m going to spend the day finishing leftover projects from December and make some Dragons Blood candles to help me move forward.

And I’m going to remember to be mindful of what I think and what I say aloud.

Yes indeed!
How about you?

Peace with the Gods
Peace with Nature
Peace Within.

Silver