At the moment I’m trying this new routine where I eliminate one or two things from my diet each month. I’ve so far successfully eliminated alcohol, energy drinks (after consuming at least 1 a day for the last 8 years) and by the end of the month I will have cut out soft drink (soda) from home and work (with the exception of when we get take-out). I’ve almost cut out caffeine completely as after discovering a way to be able to consume coffee again (hence the energy drink addiction) I’m down to one cup a day.

How has this impacted me? I’ve put ON weight! A whole 6 kilos (13lbs) of complete annoyance!

At the beginning of this journey Herne reintroduced me to a particular Goddess who he believes I should work with. I’ve introduced myself to her and she showed me visions and I felt like I was in the company of someone eternally familiar. She is Elen of the Ways.

She is Elen of the Ways, of the trackways and paths that cross both nature and the human soul. She is a physical deity – you must put one foot in front of the other if you are ever to know her. If you are lucky, you can find the ancient pathways she had trod, leaving her energy behind, enticing you further, deeper into the heart of the wood, where the mysteries lie. – downtheforestpath

I found a book online that has many different rituals with different Goddesses, and it excitedly came in the mail today. I won’t name it as I haven’t had a proper read, but the initial feeling is slight disappointment because it feels quite…basic. If I was new to the Craft it’d be perfect, but I’m not. It’s also reintroduced that awful feeling of continental isolation, and my pen is ready to change the dates from Northern Hemisphere to Southern Hemisphere.

One of the rituals is for Elen, so I’ve been quite excited about that, and working through the book throughout the year to help maintain a balance of masculine/feminine. But when the ritual calls for fire and it’s 41C/107F outside, I don’t even feel comfortable lighting a candle with all the fans I’ve got going in the house (because who needs air conditioning when you can blow hot air around with heaps of pedistal fans…yay…). A new challenge is to re-write that ritual so it’s more appropriate to me and how I practice given that it’s Summer and I’m not in Britain.

I also have a feeling that my body is waiting for the next month to begin so I can eliminate the next item from my diet (chocolate) and waiting to know where my next job will be before I kick start the exercise. But again, it’s bloody hot outside, there’s no way I’m jumping on the elliptical! Not when I’ve just had a wonderful hour-long bath of pure cold water while reading through aforementioned book.

So re-writing this ritual should be good so I can kick-start the next chapter. In regards to work, I’m even considering getting a push on the word-of-mouth, and begin advertising myself as a Spirit Medium. This has it’s own challenges, I know, but I’m beginning to get paranoid regarding work and I want to practice psychometry. And I’m not in the broom closet – I never have been. It’s more of a challenge advertising in my own community because many of us are like this, and I don’t want to step on toes.

This is the path that lies before me.