I have been thinking about what I could do to improve my service to the online community.
Be more supportive.
I am subscribed to a lot of youtube channels and follow a lot of blogs, but I need to express my support more by leaving comments that help people feel appreciated.
Don't get irritated.
It's easy to get annoyed by things people say in comments or videos or other frustrating things they do. It's easy to get into arguments with people and start bickering over stupid things. I must not let anyone embroil me in their drama.
Be copyright aware.
I had a conversation with someone, well actually several conversations with several people, about copyright lately. I have used photos and artwork in my videos, with the belief that this constitutes "fair use" or "fair dealing" of copyrighted material for non-profit educational purposes. However I'm not entirely sure about the legalities and I want to promote copyright awareness as much as I can. This is why I want to remake my old videos to a higher standard, especially as youtube has changed its policy when it comes to music, and youtube seems to be revoking permission to use a lot of the music tracks that I set to my videos.
Don't preach.
I really want to avoid coming across as "preaching" and let people know that they are free to come to their own conclusions. Wicca is not an authoritarian religion, every coven and every solitary witch makes their own decisions. I must be mindful of stating "this is my personal opinion only" rather than dictate what people should believe.
Practice Magic
I want to focus more on using magic to help others through the internet, by giving instructions on my blog or in videos. As Gerald Gardner said, magic is really just hypnotism. I want to concentrate more on hypnotherapy and guided meditation as a magical practice of inner transformation. I also want to help people understand the practical skills they need to work magic in their own lives. I have a very naturalistic understanding of magic, not as a supernatural ability, but as a psychic ability.
Get Psychic
Psychic ability has nothing to do with the supernatural, from my perspective, "psychic" simply refers to the "psyche" which means "consciousness". We are conscious beings, therefore we have psychic abilities, and understanding the way our own psyche works is key to living a more productive and fulfilling life. I want to make more videos and/or blog posts about psychology, particularly Jungian or analytical psychology.
Offer Study Aids
When I first started making videos, I made them in "lesson" formats, intended to be followed chronologically. After a while I realise people weren't likely to follow the lessons in the order I produced them. What people appreciated most was references and recommendations for good books or websites that could help them understand more. With a lot of my videos I didn't have the time to include as many details or recommend books. I think the best way to study is to learn through activities, not just by sitting and listening/reading. I want to offer more constructive tips for people who are interesting in studying. I have been thinking about making my youtube channel and blog like a kind of "school" that people can choose to particpate in, with "homework" tasks that will benefit them. I don't want to be handing out certificates or grading people's work, I think study should be more self motivated. I can't tell people what they must do, I can only offer advice, and they can follow that advice if they feel it would be helpful for them.
I found my old blog by accident. I forgot all about it. Apparently I have to pay a subscription fee to be able to access the same features that used to be free. Maybe that's why I stopped blogging. I've been using instagram as a blog for a few years now. So it's been almost a decade since I last logged in here. What can I update you with? There's a little bit too much to say. I split up with the boyfriend I was blogging about last. He was a lovely guy, but it ran its course. I found a little studio flat in the centre of town and lived by myself for a year. That was a really nice experience. While I was there I met a new guy and started a whole new chapter. We moved to Weymouth in 2021. It will have been 4 years in August. The time has passed quickly. I turned 40 last year. I don't feel any older than when I was 30, but I feel frustrated that I could have done more with my time. The state of the world hasn't gotten any better, and I'm increasingly aw...
The tarot card I pulled today was The Knight of Swords. This card provokes us to consider activities we want to do, travel, being out and about, getting things accomplished. I feel lately that I just don't have the time or energy to do all the things. I am feeling tired, a little lost, somewhat fed up. I am trying to connect with what brings me joy, my passion. The Knight points to a need for silence and space to deepen our understanding. Clear cut answers are revealed when we focus our minds in meditation. The oracle card for today is Mystic Mermaid. She reminds us to pamper ourselves with a heavy dose of self-love. I think it's been difficult for me to remember to look after myself with the most basic things like a healthy diet and good sleep. I am having to remind myself to drink water and stop doomscrolling on my phone.
Back in the Middle Ages, life revolved around folk religion, devoted in most of Europe to the Mother Mary. The beliefs of common people gradually changed as literacy increased and they were able to read the Bible for themselves and make their own interpretations. The printing press was a cultural revolution which allowed all kinds of previously forbidden books to be mass produced. I think that era would have felt similar to the emergence of the internet, and the way that suddenly new ideas could spread. Then as now there were a lot of conspiracy theories driving folk mad. Fear of physical and spiritual attack increased the intensity of Marian worship among all classes. With the dissolution of the monasteries and the Catholic church losing influence, public shrines to Mary became increasingly popular in England. Some conflated all the Marys of the Bible into one "mother of all". Mary represented every woman, and everyone was a child of Mary. She is explicitly linked to Eve, bu...
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts )O(