#it just takes longer and they're usually harder to motivate and they can't focus for long times like some dogs can

[crowshallow]

How to Get Back into the Swing of Things

Everyone in the world goes through what I call a "crisis of faith". You fall out of love with the gods, you wonder if they even hear you, you wonder if magic is real or if it's just coincidences. You liked to cook but now you're starting to feel like it takes more energy to make a simple cooking spell than it used to and you're no longer focused on that path. You see all these different pieces of advice about what is magic what isn't and you can't determine what is different anymore between what you know and what others know. You try other faiths or you just abandon the path together...

And then you want to get back to where you were. You want to do the complicated spells you used to. You want to get back to that closeness that you had before you had your doubts. But usually fear stops you. Maybe you went and tried to do a ritual but it didn't feel right or it felt different. Maybe you doubt your closeness to the gods and you wonder if they'll even listen to you.

Usually, the advice someone gives goes like this: Start from square one

Do a prayer journal

Do a small ritual and see how you feel

meditate more

Connect to the gods more by talking to them more, interacting with them more...

But let's think about something.

What did your relationship look like before you fell off? Was it normal for you to do an elaborate ritual or did a simple candle lighting suffice? Now think about the present: do you have more time and energy to do an elaborate ritual or would a candle lightening still work for you?

When you spoke to the gods, was it in a car on the way to work thanking them randomly for small mercies like green lights and no pedestrians walking in the middle of the road when you were in a hurry? Or did you only speak to them on certain holidays using tarot cards for example? Do you want to start talking to them for small gratitudes or do you still want to have that wine aunt visit you randomly type of relationship? There's no shame in the wine aunt.

Think about what it was like before, and then think about how your life has changed when stopped and what you want more out of it or even less. Do you have the energy and time to do a small ritual anymore? Do you still believe in the gods or do you believe in a different set or in just one? Have your motivations changed? Like you used to be a follower of Athena but lately, you don't feel that connection anymore, but you do with another God.

The thing about humans and people is that we're always changing. It's good to change. It's good to see where your energies and where your focus is and hone in on it. Maybe you used to be a kitchen witch but now you're more into gardening. Who said you have to stick with being a kitchen witch? Just because you were a kitchen witch before you fell off doesn't mean you're tied and true to that method of witchcraft. You can change your mind on any given day. You don't need to have a crisis to pick another path.

Gods are a bit harder. Because we build this foundation of trust and we try to lean and rely on it and we feel like it's a betrayal of some sort to look towards another God for help. Sometimes we wonder if the other God will get scorned. Sometimes we feel like we're going to be judged because we fell off and gosh if we were so dedicated then why did we let doubt fill us and wouldn't they get really mad about that?

The thing is, is humans are fickle and the gods know that. They might feel something towards that God that took your attention, but it's not going to be towards you. At all. If you truly believe that you need to close a door properly then think about it in how you would end a relationship but still want to keep the door open just in case. Just like the flow of time, gods have lost followers as much as they have gained. You are just another follower lost, and another gained.

Your doubts are nothing new. They heard it all before and they're going to hear it again when you've gone into the Shadowlands or reincarnated or whatever afterlife you believe in. What they're going to be looking for is less your apology and more of a simple "okay, where do we go from here? How are you going to connect with me?" What is your next step with the God you are following, whatever God that may be?

What I'm trying to say is, you don't need to start at square one of learning a circle and salt and colors and going through the motions because chances are you have that memorized or you never used it in the first place and you might not start now. I'm not saying that you shouldn't do it. If it helps you re-establish a connection then by all means do it. What I'm trying to say and probably failing is don't fall into this trap of thinking that getting back onto the spiritual path is a one-size-fits-all sure-fire method. It's unique to you. So getting back on it is going to be just as unique. It's just figuring out how much energy you have, what you like to do now, and adjusting accordingly. You have the tools from your past all you have to do now is dust them off and see if they still work or if you need to go find another tool in a different box.

But rarely do you ever need to start back at square one unless you yourself think that is a better way to start or if you're going into a whole new religion and you don't have a clue on the culture there.

#spiritual cleansing #crow's grimoire