HedgeWitch (3 page)

Because I knew, you know? I knew
exactly
what was going to happen.

His car didn't disappoint me. Everything seized. It turned itself into junk in less than three minutes: ball joints went bad, transmission went out, engine fried and left him stranded.

Now the way was open for the new car—except he had no money, no trade-in,
nada
. No way to work. No way home. (Uh-huh—
that'll
teach ya not to complain.) Releasing anything with negativity leaves you sitting on an abandoned, winding road. Be careful what you're ordering up to the universe and how you do it. Had I gotten into a big argument with my husband over the sofa, or simply took the old one away and bought a new one, his feelings would have been hurt, and I would have done him a great disservice. Now
that
would have been selfish.

Primal language works for all types of energy manifestation, not just receiving material items. You may wish to have more friends, a happy marriage, good health, great job … and it all begins with
I want
. Just remember to preface your desire from a positive mindset.

To receive the most benefit out of HedgeWitchery—working with the abundance of the universe—we must choose to alter the way we think and the way we communicate. Thoughts of worry or fear have no place in this type of universe, because if you give these negative thoughts energy, then that is what the universe will bring to you. To neutralize subversive, fear-filled thoughts when they pop up, try these easy transition techniques:

1. Smile.

2. Repeat “Always a blessing” in your mind until you feel the energy shift within yourself.

3. Begin thanking the universe for things you do have. Rattle off anything great you can think of, and don't stop until you feel an energy shift to a lighter mood.

4. End every
I want
statement with the words “It
always
works.” Say this several times.

5. Go over what you really
do
believe (see page 21). Many times negative, fear-filled thoughts are a result of old belief patterns. Once we recognize them for what they are, then we can easily release them.

Formulate your thoughts and communications, concentrating on what you do want; your desires will be easily fulfilled! We must live like we believe. If we believe that the universe is an abundant place where all manner of success is possible, then that is precisely what we shall receive. Your choice of belief dictates your future. Rather than living like an outsider in our universe, HedgeWitchery encourages you to fully participate in the process of abundance by acknowledging your own fertile ground and adding the rich compost of basic universal communication. You simply have to learn the language—the fertilizer of how to word your wishes—and your desires will grow! Primal language is a succinct formulation of spoken words describing a single desire that translates into an energy stream. It is this energy stream that the universe understands, not the words themselves.

Primal Language Exercise

Unchecked mind chatter or verbal communication complicates your life by sending mixed signals to the universe. Superfluous words can actually block your desires. Negative words will bring you things you truly didn't want. To get what you want, try the minimalist approach—start thinking only in nouns.

Typically, when we want something, we begin listing and constantly repeating what we
don't
want, thinking the universe understands this elimination process to make way for what we desire. Rather than clearing a nice mental garden path, we are instead throwing a variety of weeds in the way that will bring us a jungle of junk rather than the one thing we truly desire.

In the practice of HedgeWitchery, we use the fewest words possible in communicating our desires to the universe through meditation, ritual, spellwork, and even everyday thoughts. The more precise the verbiage, the greater the possibility of success!

Let's say I want a new lawn mower—something simple that works only on me-power (no gas or electric). The machine needs to fit between the paths of my raised-bed garden, be light enough for me to handle easily, and have blades that stay sharp for longer than one season. Since I'm not sure exactly what I want (the problem that muddles most people), I visit several garden stores to determine what might work best for me. Once I choose the mower (a 16-inch Scotts Elite), I ask for a brochure. At home, I sit down at the dining room table with a piece of paper and the brochure side by side. On my paper, I begin describing this mower in very simple terms. To pinpoint exactly what I want, I'm going to begin with only nouns. As I add each descriptive word, I will also include a visualization of the noun or noun sequence in my mind, so I might close my eyes to better focus. If I do this, however, I need to project the nouns outside of myself
and
see myself interacting with them. For example: with my new mower, I visualize myself smiling and merrily pushing the machine back and forth across my property on a beautiful, sunny day over a rich carpet of green grass. To this, I add the aroma of the cut grass and the sound the mower makes as it
shlip-shlip-shlips
across the green grass (vibrating your thoughts by remembering sounds actually helps you manifest your desires faster—especially if you practice listening and then re-creating these sounds often in your mind). I breathe deeply, thinking how this
mower will
provide a very good exercise opportunity for me and what a nice tan I'll have as a result of working outside.

Let's try it. We begin with:

Lawn mower

New lawn mower
(The universe understands “condition”—new, old, antique—because the universe itself works in cycles.)

New push reel lawn mower
(The correct name of this type of lawn mower.)

New Scotts Elite 16-inch push reel lawn mower
(Notice I added the brand and the size.)

New, green Scotts Elite 16-inch push reel lawn mower
(Introducing color …)

New, green Scotts Elite 16-inch push reel lawn mower or better
(Perhaps the universe has something better that can come to me faster, or maybe the store is out of green and they only have red—fine with me!)

Now, I walk outside and look at the beautiful stars (connecting to Spirit by surrounding myself with nature) and slap a big smile on my face. At this moment, I am doing what a HedgeWitch does best: I shift my mind totally into my concept of Spirit through the enjoyment of nature. Being outdoors helps me better connect. I take a deep breath, settle into the moment of the beauty of deep night, and then I say clearly to the universe, “I want a new, green Scotts Elite 16-inch push reel lawn mower or better. It always works. Always a blessing!” I close my eyes one more time, and I visualize all those things I mentioned earlier (sight, smell, sound, etc.), and I smile again. Done!

Although the universe recognizes honor (we'll get to that), it doesn't understand verbal manners, such as “May I please have _______?” This is a question, not a desire. Remembering to say “I want” acknowledges that you really do desire what you are asking for. Don't worry, Spirit won't be insulted.

Time for you to try the primal language formula. Choose something you want to manifest in your life. Begin with the basic noun and then build, being careful to add only enough words to give you a precise description of what you want. Stay away from words like hope, might, maybe, possibly, don't, never, not, perhaps, etc., because they only confuse the translation of your desire. When you have your description finished, go outside and tell the universe what you want (no extra words), and save your description to work on through the next step. Don't forget to smile!

I already know (believe) that the universe will bring me my new mower. My job is to keep the way clear for the mower to come to me
and
accept and welcome the fact that I deserve this mower. Clearing, accepting, and welcoming are actually the hardest parts!

Draining and Irrigating Your Mental Garden—
Release, Accept, Welcome

We've talked about how to enrich the soil of our minds by learning the right fertilizer (primal language) to use. The next step, as in any good garden, is to provide an adequate drainage and irrigation system that allows your desires to manifest. If there is no release, there can be no growth! Your desires will drown in old habits, bad feelings, or negative memories. To keep the garden of your mind healthy and productive, we need to find avenues of release
and
we have to allow this discharge to take place! Think of your life as a great big house filled with all sorts of clutter. One day a magickal elf knocks on your door and says, “I heard you wanted a new lawn mower. Too cool! You deserve it, you do! I have it right here. But, since you already have something in the space where you wanted to put it—well, I won't be able to give it to you.” See ya, lawn mower!

To get what you do want, you must let go of what you don't want.

Although the premise of release works universally, I've noticed its greatest impact (where we can see the necessity of letting go most clearly) in the arena of personal relationships, particularly when folks say, “I just can't seem to find the right person. Where is the man (or woman) of my dreams?” Many times, these people are holding on to old, dead relationships or memories of hurtful moments in human interaction. If they seriously close the door on old patterns and open doors to new ones, sure enough, the right person comes along! Throw away those “nesting gifts” that remind you of lost love, good love gone bad, or whatever. Change your phone number, block your e-mail, try a new hairstyle, build a spiritual garden, buy some new clothes, apply for a new job, tear down a building on your property, clean out the basement
and
the attic, wear a different scent, move your furniture around so it doesn't remind you of “them.” Heck, burn the darned bed and all the sheets if necessary! Even better—move! (That'll keep ya busy and force you to release a lot of junk.) Or, less drastic, find a new hobby: try skydiving, horseback riding, swimming, golf, or bowling; shop at stores you never tried before; take a class at a local college; or get interested in a different cuisine. Work on affirmations, spells, and rituals that are life-affirming and geared toward positive change. Do a thorough house cleansing and a personal ritual cleansing. Pick a new activity where you will meet exciting and vibrant people, and live!
Live! Live! Live!
Let go of the past, because the past isn't really what you thought it was in the first place. (
Star Wars
and the
Scream
trilogy have at least taught us that much!) Even perennial plants don't last forever; they have their proper cycle, too! Just ask my daughter. After a devastating breakup, she did many of the above-listed activities and changes, and in one month—you guessed it—she found the love of her life. She's now married to the man of her dreams, a truly lovely individual that any mother-in-law would be proud of. In essence, my daughter concentrated on what she
did
want in her life (new experiences, people, places, and things), and she was so busy, she let go of what she didn't want—and without the severe, elongated emotional pain one so often experiences after a bad breakup.

Let's go back to my lawn mower example. I need to remove both physical and emotional clutter, clearing the way to receive the machine that I desire. In my shed, I have an old gas- powered lawn mower that is more finicky than a Capricorn maintaining a prize rosebush. This machine works only for my father, who doesn't like the beast because of the amount of time it takes him to get it started and keep it running. Even with the best maintenance (my father is that Capricorn), this mower was the most cantankerous hunk of metal, gears, and gas ever to be built on the face of this planet. It refused to work for anyone else in the household (no kidding—which became a major pain when my father fell seriously ill). So, I wheel this monstrosity out to the curb and slap a sign on it: free—runs but stubborn—good for parts. And away it goes. I've done this before, by the way. Ever tried it? Instead of trashing something, I put it on the curb with some sort of fun sign. I've gotten rid of more junk this way—free, without hurting the environment one little bit, and making someone delightfully happy in the process!

Anyway … I've honestly cleared physical space in the shed (meaning I didn't trick anyone into removing the old mower—bad karma—yet I gave someone who might want it the opportunity to take it; this is good Pagan recycling). Then, I review my mental/emotional standpoint on receiving my new lawn mower. Obviously, I need it (or I'll be fined by the borough for having unruly vegetation—you think I jest!). Second, I deserve having a new lawn mower as much as the next guy or gal; no issue there. Thankfully, neither politics nor religion has entered into the ownership of lawn equipment. Since my feelings tell me whether I'm on track with the receiving end (I feel good about getting a new lawn mower), I'm all set when that imaginary magickal elf (the process of quantum physics in action) comes knocking at my door with my brand-new lawn mower. I
don't
think about
how
I'm going to pay for the machine. I've kept money totally out of my visualization process on purpose, because money, for a lot of people, can have its own emotional baggage, which adds unnecessary complications. We want a cut-and-dry scenario here. Instead, I simply concentrate on the item. The universe will work out how I'm going to get what I want and won't bother me with the finances. (Isn't it a relief to know that there's actually a powerful force on this planet that
doesn't
want your money?)

To be more specific: as I remove the old machine from the shed and push it along its last journey across my property, I concentrate on visualizing my new lawn mower and how wonderful it will feel. I take a deep breath and allow myself to connect with the source (that which runs the universe), and I remember to smile. I imagine I'm pushing not the old lawn mower out to the trash but the new one to make the yard look beautiful. I look at the green grass and enjoy the spicy aroma from my herb garden as I walk past, physically pushing “the stubborn one” out of my life. I simply let myself shift into Mother Nature as I trundle along, visualizing myself delightfully tan, my arms and legs getting stronger, and my over-fifty paunch melting away under the gloriously blue summer sky. I smile broadly at that one. Then I say, “I am grateful for my new, green Scotts Elite 16-inch push reel lawn mower or better; it always works; always a blessing,” and I smile again. (Because when you are grateful about something, honestly grateful, you are in a happy mind place.) When I did this, a beautiful butterfly flitted over the old lawn mower—a signal in my mind that my desire was well on its way (I personally use animals, plants, birds, insects, and my physical garden as interpreters of what the universe is trying to tell me about my life). In essence, by the time I pushed the old lawn mower to the curb, I'd mentally and physically released the cranky machine and acknowledged the receipt of my new one. Instead of kicking that nasty, grumpy lawn mower and declaring its foul nature, I said, “I'm grateful for your service,” and I meant it. After all, I could have been living without any mower at all, cutting the grass with a pair of kitchen shears. In this way, I honored what it did manage to accomplish and let it go at that (this actually works with nasty people, especially crappy employers or friends of betrayal, too). Then I walked back to the empty spot in the shed, imagined my new mower sitting there, and said, “Welcome, new lawn mower!” (Another big, happy smile!)