I'm cutting potatoes for planting. I have a few that are about to go to rot, and I want to save the sprouts. I would have liked to wait until the 3rd Qtr Moon; but, either I throw these away, or I do something with them. I turn to say something to my granddaughter and my hand brushes across the potato chunks, scattering them every which way.
Across the counter. On the floor. And...under...there. Oh, Glory Be.
My granddaughter says, "Ama, some of the pieces flew under the island." She points to the kitchen cart that I have shoved against the wall because I keep smacking into the corners with my hips. Do. Not. Go. There.
On hands and knees, side of her face pressed against the floor so she can reach further, she starts fishing under the cart. I screech, "Do not put your hand under there without looking! You have no idea what lies beneath!" She turns slowly to face me, eyes wide, left eyebrow cocked in peculiar fashion (its a hereditary thing). Her tongue flicks across her lips. "Why? What's under there?" she whispers.
"Dust bunnies from Hades," I said, "along with a few dead bugs, and other sundry forgotten items that leap from kitchen counters to their deaths. Maybe even an octopus." I wiggle my fingers over her nose.
"Ama!" she squeals, jerking back and scrambling to her feet. "Should we retrieve the potato?"
"Not right now. I want to finish cutting these. After I wash my hands, we'll go investigating. Unfortunately, that's one place I always forget to clean so we can't venture under the cart of doom without cleaning supplies."
While I finished the spud prep, I thought about what lies beneath and out of sight within ourselves. And how we ignore those things until we are compelled by circumstances to deal with those dark places. The pandemic is forcing all of us to change. Almost every household is affected. Even if you worked from home before, you have new action cards to examine from the deck of life in the form of other people's choices, mandates, and requirements. This can be pretty overwhelming, particularly if you are allowing past, painful memories to piggyback on your present fears.
One of my friends was smack in the middle of 9/11 in NYC. She says she can feel the panic rise in the city again, just like that horrendous day, and she's having trouble dealing. This friend is no light-weight on the courage side, let me tell ya! When an associate of hers was being accosted on the subway? She took out her pentacle, got in the face of the robber, and started screaming the Witches Rune. The one by Doreene Valiente? I kid you not! Scared the ever-loving snot right out of that guy. He ran so fast his face hit the concrete. Ya just don't mess with a New York Witch. Right? Now, she has to take that boldness, that power that we know she holds, and use it to let go of her fear by moving forward in new directions -- concentrating on actions that fulfill herself and her family. Handling an outside villain is one thing; but, wrestling with the beast within? That's quite another. But, you can do this.
Your Challenge Today -- What Lies Beneath -- Compose a personal ritual to release your fears, worries, and past associations that are haunting you. Take a lot of deep, cleansing breaths as you set-up your ritual area. Concentrate on opening the way to good fortune, healing, and delight in handling new and different pathways to success. The challenge is.... all ritual items must come from the bathroom. No "magickal tools." You can only use what you find in your bathroom.
In keeping with today's challenge, (using what you have) here's a great book you might want to read while under quarantine. This is a new author, and he absolutely writes from the heart.
Summary
Give or throw one thing away -- earn 1 Star Today's Challenge - Use What You Have! 25 stars! Do six 3-minute dashes. Earn 30 stars! Don't forget your rattle bath! Look around the house or apartment -- is there a place like under my kitchen cart? If you clean it -- earn 50 stars! Big Hugs Peace with the Gods Peace with Nature Peace Within!
Silver!
