🫂 Weekly Witchy CHALLENGE - As Above, So Below

[Mistella]

Happy Sunday to all

I have enjoyed reading everyone’s posts!

I went outside to work this morning in the pouring rain in my jammies and raincoat and let nature talk to me, and this is what I heard.

For my entry “As Above, so Below,” I keep coming back to Mother Nature.
The seasons and observing the phases of the changing seasons. Nature in general.
The foothills of the Cascade Mountains, where I live, have opened my eyes to natural beauty and my soul to healing. I witnessed Her heal my son’s soul from real turmoil and send him on a path of a better understanding of what he needs to do when looking for peace and how to cope with being an Empath. I will forever be grateful to Her for that.
Being in nature during all kinds of weather, the pouring rain, watching things sprout, the birds chirping, and foraging for food. Whether my mood is good or bad, when I need answers I look to the outdoors. To be one with nature calms me and things become clear. I want to be outside or looking out the window, watching the various critters and creatures going about their busy day doing this and that, or pulling weeds, tending to plants, figuring out what to try and grow or what type of garden bed to create. It’s like paying homage to nature when I’m working in it.
What comes down from above has everything to do with how things grow and how we move through our seasons. It’s incredible and magickal, and I love it. Nature is my therapist, my peace of mind, and the reason my soul is free.

“As Above, So Below”

[janis]

As Above, So Below

The last few months or so I’ve been supporting my husband through a nasty UTI that eventually hospitalized him. All good and settling at home now.

During this time I’ve learned a lot about bacteria and while looking at some spectacular photos of them, I was was reminded of the fractal patterns in so many diverse things we see and don’t see. Figured that this was a good reason to connect back with my favorite Weekly Witchy CHALLENGERS

Fractal Fun Facts

• Fractals and Human Biology
  “We are fractal. Our lungs, our circulatory system, our brains are like trees. They are fractal structures.
  The receptor molecules on the surfaces of all viruses and bacteria are fractal.”

Bacterial colonies of proteus mirabilis

• The results of many studies show that exposure to fractal patterns in nature reduce people’s levels of stress up to 60%. It seems this stress reduction effect occurs because of a certain physiological resonance within the eye.
  

  

• “We’ve analyzed the Pollock patterns with computers and compared them to forests, and they are exactly the same.”
  

My fire has been gently fanned by this “awe” some challenge and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed everyone’s entries.

Lovely to be back!
Cheers, Janis

[mary25]

This challenge was really compelling. It wasn’t something I could accomplish in a week. This is me hugely trying to figure out how my spirituality and my witchcraft are linked and evolving.

But I have a starting point, I guess. For several years, I’ve had this kind of…I don’t know what to call it…a personal philosophy? A moral code? I have this thing, maybe everyone does, but this thing is sometimes I feel called to do something for another person, a situation, sometimes an animal. This calling is often very short but it is pressing. I have to drop everything and respond. It seems like a small thing but I just know in my heart it is a big thing. I know that if I walk away from it, I just won’t feel right.

It’s not like a big overall mission or life purpose. It’s different, it’s more like an emergency kind of thing. Of course, I believe in being a good person and helping others. It drops out of the blue. I couldn’t predict it. No one else is really around to do it. It is always for a stranger. It makes me feel like I made a difference. And this may seem weird…but…it makes me feel a little bit like for that moment, I was that person’s or animal’s angel. These experiencs are so powerful to me that I write about them because I want to remember them. And to describe them, they seem trivial. Like one time when I watched over a butterfly until it could fly and another time when I helped an elderly lady to her car. We all do these things. But these moments…they weren’t just times when I felt I was being nice. I wasn’t looking for a medal. I felt transformed. I felt different…like I was more than me. Maybe…is this crazy? Maybe almost like something bigger than me was working through me. As above, so below kind of thing.

And sometimes, I’ve had somebody stop and help me when I really needed it, usually a kind word, when I was feelng hopeless, always a complete stranger, always a really short interaction but one that moves me powerfully and…restores me. Like when my son was having a meltdown and I’m nearly in tears and out of nowhere a little old lady appears tells me how beautiful his eyes are. And she is gone almost as quickly as she appeared. It is just what I needed to keep going another hour. But I remembered it for decades. And there is this strong…I don’t know what to call it. It feels more than good. It feels more than helpful. It feels like a blessing.

So, this makes me wonder, you know how some people say that everyone has a spark of divinity in them? And most of the time, I don’t feel like I do, I just feel like an ordinary human. Like to me, that little old lady was an angel. And I feel like there have been a handful of times when that has been me. When I have been there for someone I didn’t know who just really, really needed help for a moment. And I was there for them. I don’t feel just a sense of self-satisfaction…I feel…gosh, I don’t know. I feel different. Connected, maybe.

I don’t know if I am describing this well but whenever I hear “As Above, So Below” this is what I think about. I think that maybe there is something out there that has this unconditional, caring for us but on earth, there are just ordinary everybodies and they make that caring happen. Maybe. Like we get wings for just a moment.

[Torista]

My bond to the earth is most important to me but my bond with Jacob (my husband) is also very important.

I am extremely sensitive to the emotions of others; especially anger, and sadness; but I feel their happiness, and other emotions as well.

Other than the relationship to those in my house; I have a hard time seeing any that are important to my practice but there definitely at least a few that have that helped shape my practice.

I think my deepest connections would be to water; although I feel strongly connected to wind and earth as well.

Alot of my practice is centered around healing myself mentally and physically, as well as helping the planet.

I was going to do a lot more for this challenge but my husband’s grandpa died Friday morning and life has been very hectic since.

[martje]

Thank you Garnet. Alice in Wonderland that’s a great metaphor. I like what you say about the Greek temple, holding all knowledge . It might be a real place, where we have been, in another time, or a place in another dimension where we can be and meet and share knowledge. I like to meet you there​:wink:

[martje]

This is wonderful, the word earth angel came to my mind. I believe they are real, and it’s a magical experience as you describe it!

[Abs53]

My practice is now almost exclusively linked with Astrology and the Moon’s placement, so “as above, so below” has quite a literal meaning for me.

It’s my daughter’s 8th birthday today and she said this morning she wants to learn more about moon magick so, I’ve decided tonight we’re going to do our version of a witches ladder and tie one knot every night for 9 nights, culminating on the Full Moon 14th June - the idea being the spell benefits from the strength of the growing moon and is more meaningful to her as we’re starting on her birthday.

The only difference from the traditional witches ladder is that we tie the knots one after the other on the yarn and decorate the ladder with beads so the result is like a witches ladder come Pagan prayer bead chain

"By knot of one, the spells begun,
By knot of two, it cometh true,
By knot of three, thus it shall be,
By knot of four, tis strengthened more,
By knot of five, so may it thrive,
By knot of six, the spell is fixed,
By knot of seven, the stars of heaven,
By knot of eight, the hand of fate,
By knot of nine, the thing be mine."

Love & Light

[BryWisteria]

It’s time for a friendly reminder!

“As Above, So Below”- a phrase with only four words, and yet it calls forth such a wonderful diversity of interpretations and applications throughout the coven! Thank you so much to everyone who has shared their thoughts and entry so far- if you want to join but haven’t done so around, there is still time!

This challenge will close TOMORROW

If you would like to participate and haven’t done so already, please post about your challenge experience(s) by the deadline: Tomorrow: June 7th, 7:00 AM CET (Central European Time)

Blessed be!

[MeganB]

I really like to take the time and read through everyone’s entries so apologies if this reply gets really long! I’ve already shared my entry as its own post and you can click here (What's in the Middle? - As Above, So Below Entry) to read it if you want

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@jessica72

I think that the healing prayer for mother earth also seems like a beautiful way to hounor and give thanks for all living things.

Your post is so beautiful thank you so much for sharing those pictures, too. It seems like the lioness is really attracted to you for one reason or another and I love that!

@Phoenix_Fire

i immediately thought of the book of shadows tarot cards that had that theme

Interesting! I’ve never seen those cards before. Just from the image you shared they look really pretty. I’m really glad that your practice and path gives you hope and that you’ve found where you need to be I know you can do it, too! And it’s okay if it waxes and wanes like the moon. Life moves in stages and phases. It’s only natural that our practices would do the same thing.

@martje

I would like to share two video’s

I can’t wait to watch these, thank you!

@carrie4

and I guess that is okay…?

It is absolutely okay! I have my own feelings about “being called” by a deity that don’t really fit in with this challenge but it is absolutely okay to just pick a deity that you want to work with or worship and go from there. I know that’s not everything in your post but I wanted to be sure to point that out I’m happy to hear that you’re enjoying yourself on your path, though! Building connections, learning about our practices (and ourselves) is a lifelong journey

@Garnet

This certainly is a Challenge with deep soul searching involved.

It definitely is, Garnet! I love how philosophical your answers were to the questions You’re right, I think. We’re all connected in one way or another. It could even be tied back to something like the six degrees of separation! Thanks for sharing your wonderful poem, too

@marsha

I highly recommend Why People Don’t Heal And How They Can by Caroline Myss, Ph.D.

Thank you for the recommendation!

@martje

I believe it showed me that everything big is also very small and all small things are also big,

I was just thinking about this the other day! We are a microcosm of people in a macrocosm of planets. We are a microcosm of planets in a macrocosm of universe(s). We are a macrocosm of people in a microcosm of our environment. – Everyone can be both big and little at the same time if I think about it too hard my head might explode

@christina4

You should just call me Clair!!

Nice to meet you, Clair

@Artemisia

I decided to answer the questions in the beginning of the challenge

I very much enjoyed reading your answers to the questions I like how you connected this back to your work with Artemis, too!

@WitchAngel111

Building relationships with my magickal practice has been a blessing.

I feel this deeply for myself, too. The relationships I have forged with spirits and humans alike have been beyond amazing. I’m happy to see that you took some time for yourself and focused on your own self-love that’s a difficult thing for me to do personally but I love to see it in others!

@Amethyst

Words are magic.

Yes They Are – and honestly, it’s so weird to think about, too we write these little symbols down and suddenly anyone that speaks the language or knows the symbols too automatically knows what we’re talking about!

@crystal35

The bonds that are most important to me are home and hearth, helping others to feel better, and focusing on my mental health.

Welcome to the community Crystal! I was very happy to read your answers to the questions for this challenge. You’re not alone in focusing on your mental health, either. I’m happy you’re here

@Ostara

It was a beautiful peaceful cemetery

Reading about your experience in the cemetery warms my heart. I agree with you that gravestones shouldn’t be covered and our dead should be respected Thank you for sharing this with us here, Ostara. I truly appreciate it.

@Kasandra

When I was young, my mother used to say that I asked more questions that the average child.

Always the inquisitive mind! I absolutely love it! I think the dragons appreciate that, too

@Phoenix_Fire

The book is valled the secret.

I’ve never read The Secret but I have heard it’s a very popular book in the Law of Attraction community. I’d be interested in hearing more about your experience with the book if you ever feel like sharing

@Amaris_Bane

By respecting everything in my space, I feel a connection to the universe and the other entities that inhabit it.

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

@Mistella

Nature is my therapist, my peace of mind, and the reason my soul is free.

I love this sentiment Thank you for sharing it all with us! And the gorgeous pictures, too

@janis

All good and settling at home now.

I’m glad he’s doing better now! That must have been stressful I like that you brought this all back to fractals and geometry! Sacred Geometry isn’t really something I know a lot about but it’s interesting nonetheless!

@mary25

I don’t know if I am describing this well

I think you described it perfectly well! I’ve always felt weird about “having a calling” or a purpose in life. I don’t always feel like I have one but if I live my life in such a way that I’m a good person, I do good when I can, and I help whomever I can? That’s good enough for me

@Torista

I was going to do a lot more for this challenge but my husband’s grandpa died Friday morning and life has been very hectic since.

Oh Torista I’m so sorry for your loss. Please take all the time you need! I think your challenge entry is perfect just the way it is

@Abs53

It’s my daughter’s 8th birthday today

Happy birthday to your daughter! I love your adaptation of the witches’ ladder. I think it’s perfect!

[jem1]

My Challenge Entry
This challenge definitley brought me back to my interest in death witchcraft and the duality between life and death. Instead of doing a spell or a ritual, I took aome time to quietly contemplate those two concepts. We see life as this amazing blessing whilst death something to be feared. We see one as good and the other as bad. With death comes endings, with life comes opportunities. Most people don’t switch them around and try and look at them in different lighting. If we’re looking at death from a positive perspective, it can mean the death of a horrible law,policy or government. It can mean the end of something that is causing you turmoil. If you look at life in a negative light, it can mean the creation of a harmful substance,person,animal or plant, It can mean the start of an oppresive government. Life can sometimes be hard to deal with. Both of these concepts have their positives and negatives,ups and downs, but it’s important to recognise all of their associations.
As above, so below my fellow witches and blessed be.

[CelestiaMoon]

This is a fascinating challenge and I’d love to have more time for it, as it’s also a huge one!

Connectedness is something that I’ve been exploring a lot this year. I’ve had some really beautiful soul connections with people, and they feel so good Unfortunately the other side of the connection tends to be that it feels like I lose a part of myself when we’re separated But are we really ever truly separated? I like to believe that we are not, that we are all pieces of a one big, beautiful celestial mirror that reflects the infinite

@BryWisteria

A few questions to get started:

• What bonds are most important to you and your magickal practice?

Definitely love in all its forms
And interpersonal bonds of any kind interest me.

@BryWisteria

• Are you an Empath- one who feels the needs and emotions of others?

I definitely am. I’ve realized I don’t really want to shield myself from it, not even the “negative” emotions. What arises in me as a reaction is where I want my attention to be, it can be very illuminating. The more “positive” higher vibrational emotions of others - love, joy, excitement… those I thrive on

@BryWisteria

• Is a community or other relationships important in your Craft?

Definitely! This coven, circles, tantra nights… I just don’t know how I could have all the same experiences and feelings of connection on my own. Meditation maybe, and connecting with deities, but still, very different.

@BryWisteria

• Do you feel a connection with a deity, element, zodiac sign, etc?

I feel connected to it all. I can elaborate on this in another post with less time pressure

@BryWisteria

• Is healing (yourself, others, the planet, etc) a key part of your practice?

It is, forms of it change but it still remains at the core. Here’s where the theme of the challenge really comes forward I think. When I heal myself the effects of it radiate outwards. And when I heal someone else it also reflects back.

[Amethyst]

@MeganB

Yes They Are – and honestly, it’s so weird to think about, too we write these little symbols down and suddenly anyone that speaks the language or knows the symbols too automatically knows what we’re talking about!

It’s amazing! Especially when you see the Russian alphabet or Sanskrit. It looks so odd, and then I realize that our alphabet must look just as weird to them! Glad you liked my musing!

[Sarafeena_Sage]

Challenge Entry As Above, So Below

I think I am an empath. I feel others pain and more so if I touch them. I have a heightened sense of smell so I might have a clair. I can think about White Sage and I can smell it. I really love the scent of it burning. I haven’t tried to smell other things thats not really there.

My amber glass spray bottles arrived so I decided it was time to make the Empath Shielding Spray and Smokeless Smudging Spray. They turned out great! and smell very good too. On the Empath spray I added 10 drops of Chamomile essential oil to make it more calming and because I just got it in the mail. I am going to make the sunburn relief spray next.
I put my Goddess spray in a spray bottle too and I sprayed it all over the house over the weekend and on myself.
I thought about all my connections throughout the week. I agree we are connected to everything in the universe @MeganB and @Garnet. I loved your entries

[marsha]

My Weekly Witchy Challenge - As Above, So Below Entry
by The Other Marsha

Today is the 6:6:6 Portal allowing us to open up to more love and a higher state of consciousness. ~ On The Energies…

As Above, As Below Deviant Art by Kaiser_Mony

While Mercury was retrograde, I kept drawing the same cards from The Way of Brighid Oracle by Tonja Reichley at WildIrishRoots, Etsy!

I kept thinking that there must be a message here… What is it? Why am I not seeing it? As soon as Mercury went direct, it became clearer.

I am in a Liminal Space here on earth, as we all are, which represents Liminality - For Between Times. I also have a much better understanding of the Liminal Space!

Tuatha de Danaan - For the Ancestors which represents the above and the below. They (we) are one with the ancestors and the fairies. Ancestors and Fairies are my roots, my inheritance, and also my guides who are guiding me. They are always with me.

Prayer For Quieting the Mind which allows me to communicate with the Divine in prayer as I follow my roots allowing stillness and peace into my life.

Then I drew Maiden of Spring which means You are giving birth to a dream. I have a new way of looking at my space in the grand scheme of things.

I feel so much calmer and peaceful, a challenging week has turned into a new outlook.

With much love and magick always…

[Jeannie1]

Hello witches
For this challenge I incorporated purple for royalty and sovereignty!As a whole we can all connect to our inner wisdom and intuitive spark of the divine !
I used purple because my intention is to use my higher self to heal myself and others! I am using “As above so below” to manifest my spark, and use my Bracelet is a tailsman and amulet to heal and use my highest wisdom ! I used a candle that is symbolic and I hope it brings us closer together! I lite this candle and wear this Bracelet to keep us close together even when you’re not there I will always be thinking of you.!
89B0F143-CA4D-444C-A755-37976BDA85FE|375x500
As above so below!

Blockquote

• What bonds are most important to you and your magickal practice?
• Are you an Empath- one who feels the needs and emotions of others?
• Is a community or other relationships important in your Craft?
• Do you feel a connection with a deity, element, zodiac sign, etc?
• Is healing (yourself, others, the planet, etc) a key part of your practice?

Most Importantly my bonds that are important to me is my relationship to Diety writing in my journal to get to know myself on a deep level! Working out the emotions and challenges!
I read myths and stories to find my own inner hero! Practing for me is more challenging cause of my attention span. But just learning about medusa and how she had many snakes on her head and that was her power her kundalini! I like learning correspondences to incorporate with my magick its really important to me to know by heart correspondences & mythology because it helps me connect to the deeper world and plant medicine. Anything that will give me a hence of creativity and help me heal!
Honestly lately I don’t feel so connected because I can’t use my statues and practice witchcraft cause I don’t have my own place yet! I can always connect to earth and the elements.
Honestly with out my coven I would feel lost not having anyone to connect with. I feel I can manifest want I need with digging in deeper into my psyche!
Jeannie

[martje]

@MeganB

I was just thinking about this the other day! We are a microcosm of people in a macrocosm of planets. We are a microcosm of planets in a macrocosm of universe(s). We are a macrocosm of people in a microcosm of our environment. – Everyone can be both big and little at the same time if I think about it too hard my head might explode

I saw your topic Indeed it is the same, magical isn’t?

[BryWisteria]

This challenge is now CLOSED

I’m still reading my way through the entries, but everything I’ve read so far has been absolutely enlightening Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to focus on “As Above, So Below” and explore interconnectivity in their magick!

A Props and Presents post will soon appear with shout-outs and prize details for everyone who submitted an entry. Please keep an eye on the main page of the forums.

Note : This post will remain open for continued discussion for a few more days, but no additional prizes will be given after today.

Blessed be!

[Ostara]

It is a beautiful cemetery. Beside the locked drive through gate there is a gate you can walk through to your right. It is really nice and peaceful out there.

[MeganB]

@jem1

Life can sometimes be hard to deal with.

This is absolutely true Thank you for sharing your entry. Death isn’t necessarily a big part of my focus but I do know a few people for whom death is a major part of their practice.

@CelestiaMoon

When I heal myself the effects of it radiate outwards.

Yes! So much so!

@Amethyst

then I realize that our alphabet must look just as weird to them!

I’ve thought about this before with spoken language. I understand English but I’ve always wondered what it sounds like to someone that doesn’t understand English

@Sarafeena_Sage

I am going to make the sunburn relief spray next.

Oh I definitely need to make this for myself, too. Thanks for sharing your entry! I hope your sprays have turned out well

@marsha

I feel so much calmer and peaceful

I love the picture you chose to share. I know nothing about portals and they don’t really play a part in my practice but I appreciate the link you shared. The mention of liminality is funny too just because of everything that happened last week but I’m glad to see that it wasn’t a card you pulled!

@Jeannie1

Honestly with out my coven I would feel lost not having anyone to connect with.

Aww Jeannie, you’re such a large part of our coven heart and I appreciate you so much!

[Amethyst]

@MeganB

I’ve thought about this before with spoken language. I understand English but I’ve always wondered what it sounds like to someone that doesn’t understand English

That would be interesting to hear!