Confessions of a Hedge Witch

I grew up in a nominally christian household. My family identified as christian, though religious attendance was restricted to easter and christmas. What I remember of the small instruction I received was a focus on listening to the still, small voice…of god.

Often this still, small voice was suppose to warn me of some sin I was about to commit, or how to say no to sin. Either way, the still, small voice was associated with guilt and shame.

It took me years to break free from this interior shame and hear the voice as my OWN. To free Her from the internal prison placed upon her by dominant culture, which in the west is shaped by a christian world view where the idea of sin plays a significant role. Now that I know the sound of my own intuitive voice, and realize just how weakened she was by the decades of shame and guilt, I strengthen her with nourishment; with Mana.

There are many ways to feed the souls with Mana, one of those avenues is to Listen, even in small things. If I am about to walk out the door and suddenly I have a feeling to reach for my umbrella, even though outside it may be bright and sunny, I reach for it. If I am leaving for a presentation or workshop and suddenly have the feeling to grab a pencil first, even if I take notes on my laptop, I stuff a pencil in my purse. Almost every time I pay attention to this feeling I discover that the item was needed, if not by me by someone else, or that the street I didn’t take ended up being flooded, etc.

After all, we know that young children left without emotional or physical interaction will wither and die.  So imagine the state of our malnourished intuitive Self after struggling to grow in our restrictive cultural landscape?  What ways do you feed your soul?