HedgeWitch
Page 2
The easiest way to begin using primal language is to say I want ________ (and fill in your desire). Examples: I want a new sofa. I want a new mattress. I want a job that pays more. I want to get well. (And no, you are not being selfish in saying I want. As children we are told you can’t have everything you want and that it is rude to verbalize what you desire by using the word want. Wrong. When you are happy, everyone around you is happy. When you get what you want, you can provide others with what they want. Wanting leads to giving. Giving leads to happiness. Happiness leads to harmony … you get the picture.)
Saying what you want aloud speeds up the process. So! Go someplace right now where you will be alone and no one can hear you, and shout out loud what you want ! Say it three times and really mean it. If you believe you will receive what you desire, you’ll get exactly what you stated. A note of caution here: do not ask for something. The words ask for imply that you need permission from someone or from something somewhere, which becomes a muddy psychological mess. Simply state I want, and leave it at that.
Timing
What if what you want doesn’t come right away? As soon as you utter what you desire, the universe goes about filling your order. To help the universe do this, you need to:
Believe (see page 18 for more information)
Don’t confuse the issue by adding more to it or changing your mind (see the haggling appendix for an example of this)
Remove any blocks by releasing old, negative thoughts or habits (review pages 14–18)
Accept and welcome your desire (read about this starting on page 14)
If you don’t believe, if you don’t release, if you don’t welcome change—your order to the universe goes in the Cancel bin. Further on in this section we’ll talk about belief, release, and acceptance, and how to handle them to make your desires occur faster. Right now, there is only one other block (perhaps) to your success that I’d like to talk about, and that is other people.
Circle of Influence
No HedgeWitch is an island. We have friends, those we love, perhaps children, significant others, parents, partners, co-workers—people that we allow to exert influence over our lives because we like them, because we love them, or because our environments somehow overlap. All of these people are in some way affected by our behavior, and our behavior is somehow affected by them. This influence doesn’t automatically disappear just because we want to do magick. Life and magick (for good or ill) are a bit more complicated than that.
In magick, we’ve always been taught to know (belief), to will (I want), to dare (open the way and accept change), and to be silent, because if every Jane, Lisa, and Abby in the world heard about what you want, they might try to block your desires—just by being jealous, they can mess things up for you, especially if your belief is shaky. Yet there is always an exception to any rule; on occasion, you will have to verbally agree with someone in order for the change to happen. By agreeing on any subject, then the stage is set for action. If you disagree, even subconsciously, failure is a possibility.
Let’s try an example.
You’re reading this book, working through the exercises, and you’re feeling really good about the whole thing. You live with someone (significant other, spouse, your child, mother, whatever), you are merrily doing the primal language thing, and you decide you want a new sofa. For brevity’s sake, let’s say the other party involved here is your husband.
Every day, you say: “I want a new sofa in my living room.” Day after day, you repeat these words. You’ve followed all the other suggestions on manifestation in this book, and so you think you’re good to go. Except days progress into weeks, and somewhere along the line you become convinced that primal language doesn’t really work, or at least isn’t working in this case, because you can’t seem to get your mitts on a new sofa. You are stuck with the same old, threadbare, smelly couch—which, by the way, you refuse to sit on.
This actually happened to me until it dawned on me that I wasn’t receiving my new sofa because my husband hadn’t let the old one go ! Heck, I’d have burned that blasted couch in a heartbeat, and I’d released the image of it in my mind just fine. But he hadn’t: not physically and not in his mind. And, yes, we’d discussed how we needed a new one, but evidently we weren’t really in agreement. You see, my husband, blessed man, loves that sofa. He takes Sunday naps on it. Cuddles into the cushions. Sips his coffee on it. Wrestles with the dogs, watches the Friday night fights …my husband loves that sofa and hates change to his comfort. (Taurus moon, need I say more?)
Which, of course, resulted in keeping the old sofa just where it was. This was a totally duh moment for me. No wonder the universe couldn’t fulfill my desire for a new sofa. Only one couch could fit in that living room at a time, and it still sat there—physically and, more importantly, mentally—through my husband’s adoration of it. He simply wasn’t emotionally ready to part with it.
Okay, I thought, new line of attack. Haul out all the good wifely reasons why we need a new sofa, concentrating on, of course, his comfort. Bingo. He mentally released the old sofa, and a brand-new one finally trundled in the door.
My point here is this: those that you love influence you, therefore they will influence your desires if you allow them to. And you usually do … because you love them! (To read more about agreements with others, check out my MindLight book, which discusses various facets of human interaction and thought [especially partnerships], and how, simply through conversation, you manifest the circumstances of your own life without even realizing it.)
Dollars and Cents Aren’t Always Required
Your response to my sofa story may have been, why didn’t you just go out and buy one? Except the kind of sofa I wanted was a large purchase, and that costs money, doesn’t it? In a marriage, you usually agree on large purchases, or maybe we just didn’t have the money for a new sofa whenever we pleased. At the time, a new sofa was a luxury item, not a necessity (well, I thought it was necessary, but he didn’t). The very, very cool thing about using primal language is that you don’t worry about the money. Ever. You don’t ever think about how much anything costs. Isn’t that cool? You just say what you want, and visualize the thing. As long as you believe, one of four things happens …
You either get what you want for free, or
You get what you want at a price you can afford, or
You get the money to get what you want, or
You get something better than what you originally wanted.
Be Careful How You Wish for Something
Be careful what you simply state and what words precede and follow your statement (which is why I advise setting aside a few moments to place your orders with the universe). For example, my son kept saying “I want a new car.” He meant he wanted it when he was ready for it, but he didn’t express it that way. Instead, he would say “I want a new car” and then surround that statement with complaints about the car he had. I kept trying to convince him that your life is how you talk it; watch what you say and when you say it.
But I’m a parent, so what do I know, right? He just kept complaining about the car he had and how he really wanted a new one. Indeed, he said some mighty nasty things about his current vehicle—over and over again. I cringed at the frequent torrents of how much he didn’t like his car.
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 g
otten 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.