Trading Places Exercise

Objective:To trade places (mentally) with a dog or cat, or other animal.

Setting: Home, Zoo, Wilderness, etc.

Instructions:

1. Relax your body as completely as you can. Calm your mind, eliminating all thoughts which do not relate to your intent and purpose. Sit so that you are comfortable, and as nearly as possible on the same level with the animal you will be working with. Lie down if you like. The important thing is that you are able to comfortably make eye contact with your animal partner in this exercise. It is also important to satisfy yourself that the animal is likewise comfortable and secure with you.

Tense and Release by Dawn Firewolf

If you’ve never tried a relaxation exercise before, you may not know what relaxation truly feels like. That’s the point of this exercise – to show you in no uncertain terms the difference between ‘tense’ and ‘relaxed’. It’s also fun to do, in my opinion.

Suggestions for Exercises – Tarot Lesson 12

Exercise 12.1 – Arcana Cards in the Celtic Cross

Layout One: All cards are minor except the outcome (Position 10). This situation is a temporary personal drama, but its impact will be powerful and significant in some way. (See Jill’s first reading.)

Layout Two: The only major arcana card is in the Past (Position 4). The circumstances of the moment are the result of some major event from the past, or what was once of major significance is now fading.

Suggestions for Exercises – Tarot Lesson 16

Exercise 16.1 – Traditional Position Pairs in the Celtic Cross

Bold phrases refer to card meanings. Italic phrases refer to position meanings.

1. Position 1— Position 2
   (A) Page of Cups — Knight of Pentacles
   My son is a sweet, sensitive guy who takes everything to heart. His teacher is too inflexible and grim. She’s driving my son too hard by insisting on an unreasonable level of perfection.

Suggestions for Exercises – Tarot Lesson 14

Exercise 14.2 – Kings

1. King of Cups: I would sit down with my spouse to discuss his/her concerns. — (caring)
2. King of Pentacles: I would give him five dollars. He probably needs it more than I do. — (supporting)
3. King of Swords: I would ask my daughter for her story before making any judgments. — (just)
4. King of Wands: I would booby trap my car so an alarm goes off if my roommate starts it. — (creative)
5. King of Pentacles: I would tell my friend “Sorry, they need me at work.” — (reliable)
6. King of Swords: I would accept the invitation because I’m an excellent public speaker. — (articulate)
7. King of Cups: I would smile and patiently give my order a third time. — (patient)
8. King of Wands: I would call a huddle and get everyone fired up again. — (inspiring)

Suggestions for Exercises – Lesson 17 Tarot

Exercise 17.2 – Interpreting Reversed Cards

1. Three of Wands– reversed
   I’m in a rut. I rarely break out of my normal routine to seek new experiences.
2. Chariot– reversed
   My desire to get my own way is being thwarted, but my win at work will mean little if my family is unhappy.
3. Ace of Swords– reversed
   I don’t feel like getting too involved in this cause.
4. Tower– reversed
   There is a small chance my run of good fortune could end suddenly.
5. Knight of Swords– reversed
   My cousin is a great talker, but he’s not that knowledgeable about the technical aspects of this field.
6. Four of Cups– reversed
   I’m beginning to lose interest in this relationship. I feel a small, but growing urge to withdraw.
7. Six of Pentacles– reversed
   I’m not sure I have enough physical and emotional resources to support my daughter through this crisis in my home.
8. Page of Cups– reversed
   My feelings of love and tenderness for my baby are begin drowned out by my need for sleep!
9. Temperance– reversed
   I’m pretty low on patience right now. I’m tempted to take drastic action.
10. Death– reversed
    Animportant inner change is struggling to happen, but my fears are blocking

Suggestions for Exercises – Lesson 15 Tarot

Exercise 15.1 – Permanent Pairs in the Major Arcana

1. Devil(hopelessness)……….Star (hope)
2. Sun(enlightenment)……….Moon (bewilderment)
3. Chariot(hard control)……….Hanged Man (letting go)
4. Empress(mothering)……….Emperor (fathering)
5. Fool(beginning)……….Death (ending)
6. Hermit(disengaging)……….World (engaging)
7. Hierophant(group beliefs)……….Lovers (personal beliefs)

Suggestions for Exercises – Lesson 3 Tarot

Exercise 3.1 – What are the Suit Qualities?

1. Cups – negative
2. Pentacles – negative
3. Swords – positive
4. Swords – negative
5. Wands – positive
6. Pentacles – positive
7. Cups – positive
8. Swords – positive
9. Wands – negative
10. Pentacles – positive
11. Swords – negative
12. Wands – positive
13. Cups – negative
14. Cups – positive
15. Wands – negative
16. Cups – negative
17. Pentacles – negative
18. Swords – positive
19. Pentacles – positive
20. Swords – negative
21. Cups – positive
22. Wands – negative
23. Wands – positive
24. Pentacles – negative

EOSTRA LORE

A traditional Vernal Equinox pastime: go to a field and randomly collect wildflowers [Thank the flowers for their sacrifice before picking them, using a collection formula such as can be found in “An Herbal Grimoir” elsewhere in this Book of Shadows]. Or buy some from a florist, taking one or two of those that appeal to you. Then bring them home and divine their magickal meanings by the use of books, your own intuition, a pendulum or by other means. The flowers you’ve chosen reveal your inner thoughts and emotions.
It is important at this time of renewed life to plan a walk (or a ride) through gardens, a park, woodlands, forest and other green places. This is not simply exercise, and you should be on no other mission. It isn’t even just an appreciation of nature. Make your walk celebratory, a ritual for nature itself.

Opening the Hand Chakras

by Anodea Judith

 
To experience what a chakra feels like, try the following exercise.

 
Sit comfortably with your hands pushed straight out in front of you, elbows straight. Turn one palm downward and one palm up. Quickly, with repeated motions, open and close your fists tightly, as fast and for as long as you comfortably can. Switch the positions of your palms and repeat until your hands are tired.