Several weeks ago my next door neighbor was brutally murdered. Needless to say, when I heard the news my emotions ran the gamut from disbelief to anger, from sadness to fear. I took a break from posting to give myself time to process what I was feeling and begin the healing process.
What do magical people do when bad news comes our way? What coping skills, energy work and rituals do we have at our disposal that are helpful during difficult times? Here are a few things I’ve done over the past few weeks that I found helpful. Perhaps they will be useful to you as you deal with traumatic life events.
Give yourself permission to feel what you feel. Don’t suppress your emotions. Find a safe and healthy way to express them.
Remind yourself that you won’t recover quickly. Grief takes time so don’t fool yourself into thinking that you’ll get over bad news quickly.
Justice will not come through the legal system. Even if my friend’s murderer spends the rest of his life in prison, justice will not be served. Yes, I will feel a sense of closure but there is no way to balance the scales of justice when a life is taken before its time. Accept this and let it go.
Ground and shield. Ground and shield. Do I even have to say this? Even if you’re tired, make yourself do this. Invite into your body the healing energies of the earth and ask the Divine Presence (however you name it) to send you healing energy as well.
Meditation is a must. There are a number of exercises on my blog to help you get rid of negativity and “circular thinking” where you just can’t let go of thinking about the tragedy you are experiencing. Even if you only do this a few minutes a day, it will help.
Spend time out in nature. Nature always awakens a sense of beauty and wonder in us. Take a daily walk if the weather permits. The exercise will do you good as well.
Burn some frankincense resin on your altar. Scientific studies have proven what we magical people have always known: frankincense has a strong anti-depressant and anti-anxiety effect.
Carry a mojo bag that helps reinforce healing and/or protection. Everyone has their own way of doing this. Here are a few suggestions that work for me:
Simple Healing Mojo Bag:
Black Kyanite (destroys negative energy and never needs to be recharged)
Blue Kyanite (aids in healing and calms the mind)
Rose Quartz (to promote feelings of love) or Sodalite (for healing, peace)
1 pinch of lavender and rosemary (dried from my garden)
Place in a light blue mojo bag which can be anointed with healing oil. Charge on your altar before carrying it in your pocket.
Simple Protection Mojo Bag:
Black Kyanite (destroys negative energy and never needs to be recharged)
Blue Kyanite (aids in healing and calms the mind)
1 pinch dried hyssop, rosemary and basil (dried from my garden)
Place in a black mojo bag which can be anointed with protection oil. Charge on your altar before carrying it in your pocket.
Use essential oils in anointing oil or an oil diffuser to help promote healing. Never underestimate the power of smell to help restore your emotional and spiritual balance.
Simple Healing Anointing Oil:
4 parts Lavender essential oil
2 parts Rosemary essential oil
1 part Lemon essential oil
I add these to either jojoba or olive oil. You can also use them on a diffuser that’s made for essential oils. Other healing oils you can use are peppermint and eucalyptus.
Find a special ritual to say good-bye if the bad news you receive involves a loss or death. Only you can determine what form this will take. I placed a white jar candle on my altar with a picture of my friend behind it. After it was lit I sprinkled some vervain on it (to help her spirit transition to the other side) and crumbled dried rose petals (for love) that I had harvest from my garden earlier this summer.
Know when to seek professional help. There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking the help of a doctor or counselor when you are overwhelmed by bad news and nothing seems to be making you feel any better.
That’s my list! Dear readers, be good to yourself when bad news comes your way. Trust your intuition in discovering what works best for you. Share any ideas you have in the comment section of this post. Blessed be!
Copyright ©2016 by David Taliesin, http://www.sabbatsandsabbaths.com
In looking for the right book, I came across three that are of interest to magical people. The first is the absolutely stunning Celtic Spirit: Knotwork Designs For Inner Peace by Cleopatra Motzel. I came across it at my local Barnes & Noble bookstore but it’s also available on Amazon. The artwork is nearly museum quality and the book itself is bound beautifully. There are fanciful illustrations of the four elements and each page explores spiritual concepts such as “breaking free” and “coexistence.” Absolutely stunning!
The same day I also found The Ancient Alchemy Coloring Book: Celtic Knots, Mandalas, and Sacred Symbols by Cher Kaufmann. Although some of the images are rather simple there are a number of them that are really beautiful. Kaufmann draws from many diverse spiritual traditions and includes an index of the images at the back of the book for further study. It is also available in both of the places I mentioned.
Finally, there is Goddesses Coloring Book by Mary Noble. There are some really cool images of the Divine Feminine in this one and although I don’t own it yet, it’s on my list. It’s available on Amazon as well.
Dried lavender herb and essential aromatherapy . Source: 
Sabbats and Sabbaths 