1. Appeal – Mum, you are my friend and ally, you know me
2. Emotional blackmail – how can you do this to your own son, you want me to be happy right ?
3. Attack character – you lied to me, you are cruel, you don’t care
4. Threaten – don’t restrict me Mum, or you won’t find me

thanks to my 15yr old (wry smile)

After losing a son,
I recommend the following ritual recieve the widest dissemination.
It seems simplistic, but often this is the only way to get through the pain,

Grief Recovery:

Grief can come on suddenly
Grief can take many shapes:
emptiness, anger, depression, crying, apathy
When grief becomes unbearable to the following:

1. Breath in.
2. Breath out.
3. Repeat until concious effort is not needed.
4. Dry eyes.
5. Try to think of something pleasent.
6. Go to step 1 as needed.
7. Continue normal activities.

1. Enter the temple
(Mine is a whole room of my house
But it might be one corner
Or a space outdoors.)

2. Close the door
(I also hang a “Do Not Disturb”
Sign on the outside knob.
You never know.)

3. Take up the wand/athame
(Good to hold and wield,
Its crystal point a laser,
Mine is both at once.)

4. Describe the circle
(Me, I combine Druidry,
High Magick and Wicca
To make a strong, clear light.)

5. Call in the Archangels
(Or nature spirits, or creatures,
According to your training
Or purpose. It all depends.)

6. Perform the core of the ritual
(Make the gestures, say the words,
Create the visuals, absorb
And move the energies.)

7. Close the ritual
(Give thanks for blessings received.
Farewell the Guardians.
Open the circle.)

8. Return to the world
(Put away the athame/wand.
Open the door, take down the sign.
Notice you feel better.)

13/9/09

1. Stop glaring at everything
2. And everyone too, for that matter
3. Take a deep breath
4. Forget about whatever made you mad or sad
5. Smile!
6. Think about your cute little rabbit, cat, or bird
7. Keep smiling
8. Laugh a little
9. Stop worrying whether people think you are nuts
10. Tell a few jokes
11. Laugh some more
12. And do it all over again

1. You stare at each other in class, like they’re a new form of bacteria
Because you have been forced together
By a tiresome teacher- you have ignored each other
In the past
2. You stuff your speech with stiff comments to stay on track, then
3. Relax, let a tiny bit of you escape
Based entirely on your passions of the day
And of course, the weather
4. Class lurches to a grateful halt, a horse finally led to water
5. You part ways, rivers ending in the same ocean.
6. Next class, a smile hedges the lonely houses in your eyes
7. They smile too.
8. But after a while, they are no longer smiling.
9. You give up. You have been hurt too many times before.
10. I mean, come on, you’re fine, you don’t even know this person
11. They’re probably a jerk. You’re probably a jerk. A loser. A fraud.
12. But maybe I could mention how it’s sunnier today.
13. You say something about sunshine
14. They blink.
15. You cringe and rewrite the situation to exclude your innate stupidity
16. They apologize- they’ve had a hard day.
17. They tell you about it.
18. You listen.
19. They notice you listen.
20. You both know that next time, it’s your turn
21. You leave, two feathers on the same bird
22. Rising skyward