Chapter 3

Knowledge is power.

Francis Bacon

Personal Power

Now that your intuition is up and humming, we can turn our focus to personal power, the next step in natural witchery. Here is where we begin to make the magick more individual. I mean, honestly, don’t you want your magick to have some character? Just a little something special that separates you from everyone else? Of course you do. By discovering your personal power, you’ll crank up the level of your expertise and put the focus on your own individual style of magick.

We are going to accomplish this by taking a deeper look into the elements of earth, air, fire, and water, and how they play out and affect our magickal selves. Our personalities are a wonderful mixture of the qualities of the four elements. And while it is certainly true that we each feel an affinity to a certain natural element or elements from time to time, we need to be in balance to harmoniously employ all four. It is important to reflect on each of the elements and to consider how you individually experience magick through all four of them. Then allow those elements to flow into your life.

To boost your personal power and to have it up and running at top speed, you will need to get—well, for lack of a better word—“personal,” and do a little soul-searching. After all, the best individual to transform your life and help you reclaim your own powers is, of course, you.

The power of the elements and all of nature is deep and infinite, and the following elemental information is not a 101 rehash. Truthfully, this type of knowledge is vital for everyone; this includes the more experienced or advanced practitioners too. For years I always thought that to be an “advanced Witch” meant you had somehow discovered all these phenomenal mysteries of the cosmos—when in actuality what you begin to discover is that those basic lessons you first learned have many hidden layers. The longer you study and practice, the more of those levels you will begin to explore and uncover. There truly are worlds within worlds.

Study and take the time to search inside yourself and to uncover the hidden, layered powers of the natural elements. These lessons will be a bit different for everyone. That’s what makes this type of magick so special, because you are adding dimension to your craft.

By using your intuition—and stretching out those psychic abilities that we worked on in the first section of this book—you will begin to see how each of the four natural elements play out within your magickal personality. Why is this so darn important, anyway? Because you will gain an understanding of your elemental strengths and your weaknesses. For your magickal power to be its most effective, you have to take a little private inventory and then remove any imbalances or blocks. This in turn allows you to focus and fine-tune your magick, and turn up the level of your personal power. To begin our lesson of self-discovery, look over the following elemental personality traits and see which ones you most closely identify with.

Elemental Personalities

I say the whole earth and all the stars in the sky
are for religion’s sake.

Walt Whitman

Earth

Our first element, earth, is associated with the planet, fields of ripe grain, the forest, woodlands, and the garden; it also corresponds to the Witch’s Pyramid adage “to be silent.” Earth magick is a feminine energy (think of Gaia, the earth mother), and its power can be accessed through herbs, plants, flowers, and crystals. To be an earth person is to be practical, realistic, and tactile. These grounded folks who are “down to earth” care about what is real, physical, and what they can do and experience for themselves. Earth people are methodical and patient as they work toward their goals. Tactile people, they enjoy working with their hands and may be into various arts and crafts like floral design, woodworking, painting, and knitting. They like to be able to touch what they create, and texture and beauty are important to them.

Earth people are homebodies and create beautiful, welcoming homes. They are marriage-minded and go for long-lasting, solid relationships. They are physical and unabashedly enjoy their sexuality and love to laugh. Earth people are the touchers of the world—a pat on the back, a welcoming hug. Negative earth qualities may result in their being called a “stick in the mud.” Other less-attractive traits include being very resistant to change, stubbornness, and being bullheaded.

Physically, earth people need to be careful, as they tend to have round body shapes. It’s not that they are lazy, it’s that there is a lot of fire energy in hard exercise—so an earth person would rather not exercise. An earth person’s idea of exercise includes a nice leisurely stroll through the park or tending to their yards and gardens.

I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Air

The air is associated with the sky, wind, clouds, mountaintops, and birds of all sorts. This element corresponds with the Witch’s Pyramid adage “to know.” Air symbolizes freedom and spaciousness. It is light, expansive, and damn near impossible to truly measure or contain. Air is ever expanding, like breath. Ideas are said to come from the element of air, as does inspiration—a word that means “to breath in.” The element of air is one of intellect. It reflects the metaphysical principle of life. Air is associated with new life and beginnings—anything that “dawns,” whether that’s the day that dawns or a thought that suddenly dawns on you. Through the magick of the element of air, you receive the inspiration for deciding which direction in life you wish to take.

People who have a lot of air qualities in their personality will think before they feel; they are rational and intelligent. Some folks who have strong links to this element can be the academic type. They are also fluently clever, witty, and express themselves clearly, whether it’s through speaking or writing. Air is the element of communication, so these folks may be fabulous lecturers, entertaining teachers, and sharp and witty conversationalists. Air people like to have several things going at one time; they are the ultimate multitaskers.

However, too much air energy can make them seem like they are absent-minded, or that they appear to have their heads in the clouds or are airheads. Air people may be brilliant but out of step with the world around them. They may be incredibly smart but not be able to remember or complete the most mundane of tasks. These over-airy individuals may spend too much time in their own heads and simply ignore the physical world around them.

The fire upon the hearth is low,
And there is stillness everywhere,
And, like winged spirits, here and there
The firelight shadows fluttering go.

Eugene Field

Fire

Fire is associated with the sun, volcanoes, wildfires, deserts, tropical climates, and rock gardens. This blazing element corresponds with the Witch’s Pyramid adage “to dare.” Traditionally, fire is the element of illumination and transformation. It is associated with the divine spark or the spark of the soul. Fire magick can be accessed through candle, color, and solar spells. People who have a lot of fire qualities in their personality will be warm, passionate, and courageous. Fire is sometimes linked to intuition, and it’s definitely part of taking the initiative to bring about positive change.

Fire represents both the light of intelligence and the flash of courage that allows you to follow through with your dreams and ideas. Sunlight is also within the realm of the element of fire. The strength and power of the sun should not be overlooked in this element. After all, the sun does bring light and illumination to our days, does it not?

Individuals with plenty of fiery energy are often strongly intuitive. They believe in and fight for a worthy cause. Fire folks are natural leaders, the movers and shakers. Someone who has lots of fire energy will compel others to pay attention to them. Fire people are fascinating and sexual. These individuals make impassioned lovers and may be flamboyant and romantic.

If someone carries too much fire energy, they can be impulsive, quick-tempered, display violent tempers, or be prone to rage. They may also be the type who silently hold a grudge and carry around anger for a long time. They simmer, stew, and occasionally boil over. To carry too much fire energy is to run the risk of becoming obsessive.

Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep.

Shakespeare

Water

Water is associated with streams, rivers, springs, oceans, lakes, and life-giving rain. This element corresponds with the Witch’s Pyramid adage “to will.” Just to keep things interesting, the moon is closely linked to the element of water, as the moon affects the tides of the oceans and all life on the planet. Water is in all life. It brings freshness and fullness. Water is also the element of dreams, the subconscious, trance, vision, and clairvoyance. Psychic abilities and loving emotions are said to come from the element of water and from the moon. Emotions are naturally linked to this element, as they are often described as “welling up” or “springing forth.”

Water people are sensitive souls. They are the natural empaths, and their emotions rule them. Also, other people’s feelings are of utmost importance to a water personality. Water people have open, romantic hearts and are generous, sympathetic, and empathic. They are the mystics, the romantic lovers, and the dreamers. They may become artists, therapists, healers, mystics, and musicians. These individuals have a sensuous grace; they are elegant and prefer flowing, soft clothes.

Folks who carry too much water energy are brooders, moody and deep. They can be overly sensitive and become overwhelmed or drown in other people’s passions and emotions if they don’t shield properly. They may also be prone to struggles with depression. This type of “water overboard” energy can be a serious problem for some magickal people. For an immediate fix, try grounding and centering, which uses earth energy. Also, try a little sunlight therapy (for fire energy), or try the old reliable smudging technique with incense smoke, which pulls in air energy. These will help to muscle those elements back into balance quickly.

Elemental Strengths and Challenges Worksheet

Here is a worksheet where you can quickly jot down your thoughts on your magickal personality and how it relates to the four natural elements. Once you’ve done that, then decide which element you feel is most compatible with your character. Also note which element or elements you feel aren’t well-suited to your personality. Finally, there is a space provided for you to note any elemental challenges that you may be experiencing. Once you’ve completed the worksheet, use it as a tool for personal change.

	My Strengths	My Challenges
Earth
Air
Fire
Water

For the elemental creatures go
About my table to and fro,
That hurry from unmeasured mind
To rant and rage in flood and wind …

William Butler Yeats

Personal Power and Elemental Blocks

So, what did you discover about yourself? Did you get the outcome you expected? Which element is the one you feel the least attracted to? Perhaps you should consider that you are experiencing a block in your personal power with regards to a particular element. There is nothing more frustrating for creative people than a block. And before you think, “Well, I don’t consider myself artsy or creative,” consider this: magicians and Witches are creative people because they create change. All magick seeks to transform or change a situation or an outcome. That’s the essence of why we cast spells and work to raise our levels of personal power—because we are all working to create positive manifestations of change with our magick.

Now, personal power can become blocked for a variety of reasons. When it does, you can either whine, sulk, or mope about it, or you can take a ruthless personal inventory. Then you go to work to transform the problem into a magickal lesson and a personal strength. (Oh, and in case you are wondering—I have done all of the above. Once I was finished feeling out of sorts and frustrated, I turned the elemental blockage around and gained a better understanding of myself in the process.)

Furthermore, I discovered an important magickal lesson: in order to be an adept practitioner, your personality must be balanced with all four natural elements. It’s not enough to just assume they are. Perform a bit of personal magick and pull those elements into balance. This way, your magick will flow, and you will get better results with your spellcasting.

Elemental Blocks—Who, Me?

Even the best of us occasionally find our personal power low or face elemental blocks. The reason for it may come from several different sources: everyday stress, a change in your routine, moving, a different job, having a cold or recovering from an illness, family squabbles, relationship troubles, or even post-holiday blues can make us feel out of sync and disconnected from our magick, which makes it more difficult to access our personal power.

Not everyone is a perfect balance of the elements; it is normal to have more personality traits from one element than the others. It is true that invariably one of the four elements will call to you more than the others. That’s to be expected. The trick is to take a hard look at your personality and how you work your magick. Then make the effort to put all four of those elements, and all their enchanting qualities, into a better working balance.

So, how do you know if you are experiencing a block in regards to your personal power? Check out the following symptoms.

Earth Block

This element corresponds to physical reality, such as wealth, health, and your personal belongings. The financial side of an earth block is a tough one for everyone, since money relates to survival. We all have concerns in this department, and no one likes the thought of being in a tough financial situation. Symptoms of an earth block are when you hold on to items or possessions that are unnecessary or disruptive to your goals, like having trouble sticking to a budget because you never can resist a sale or are going out to eat all the time. Resistance to change is another trait. When you disconnect from your physical senses and stop paying attention to your body or taking care of your health is another. If you have trouble being grounded, responsible, or dependable, these are classic earth block symptoms. A good start for you would be to consider releasing your old habits. Accept that everything is in a constant state of flux. Change is a positive thing, and it will allow you many new opportunities.

Air Block

Symptoms of an air block may be that you are holding on to old ideas or outdated beliefs that no longer serve you. Your creativity fizzles out and concentration becomes difficult. A classic example would be writer’s block (shudder). The element of air embraces mental powers, intuition, and your creative ideas and concepts, for when you believe in something you are giving it life and creating the power that it has. So an air block can be one of the most frustrating blocks to work through, since this element represents your mind. This is especially troublesome as the down-and-dirty definition of magick is “mind over matter.” What can you do? Distract yourself with other physical projects. Take a walk and enjoy nature, which is linked to the element of earth. Try igniting a little fire energy and make love, or link into the element of water and go for a swim. Bottom line: distract yourself, turn off your brain, and stop thinking so damn hard! Take a break, and allow the inspiration to flow back into your life in its own way and time, without any expectations attached to it.

Fire Block

A sign of a fire block is not having enough energy and passion to complete your goals—basically that you feel as though you have lost your spunk and spark, and that you can’t get fired up or enthusiastic about projects or events that once delighted you. Should you find yourself wondering what ever happened to your sexuality, you definitely have a fire block. If working to create those positive changes all seems like “too much trouble or work,” you are again dealing with a fire block. Both on a personal and a magickal level, this is exasperating. Fire is the element of transformation, and if you are blocked here, you will find it difficult to transform your wishes into reality. Are you holding on to old hurt feelings and unresolved issues? It’s time to shed some light on the problems. A prescription for you to consider is to do something constructive, like exercise, and to release your anger in a affirmative way. If you feel disconnected from your sexuality, then do something positive just for you—something that will transform your self-image and make you feel better about yourself. Whether you are male or female, you can change your look, get a new haircut, color your hair, try different body care products or a new personal scent. Buy new sexy underwear or a whole outfit. Treat yourself to a massage. Get a baby sitter and take your partner out for an evening of romance. Use your imagination, and you’ll get those juices flowing again.

Water Block

The sign of a water block is emotional turmoil. Since the element of water classically represents emotions, this can be an especially uncomfortable block. Here we are dealing with the more negative emotions, such as sadness and anger. Now it’s certainly true that none of us likes to admit when we are behaving badly. But being pent-up emotionally is the equivalent of a being a walking, ticking time bomb. Eventually all that anger and emotional frustration will spill over—and probably at a socially inappropriate time. These emotions may run deep. But unless you take a hard look at why you feel it’s so important to repress the feelings and hold on to them, you won’t move forward. Study those murky emotions, climb out of that swirling pool of hurt, and start to release that frustration in healthy ways. Claim your emotions, and admit when you are upset or your feelings are hurt. Have a nice cry, and then wash your face and start dealing with the issues. Try journaling. Or you can have a little chat with a friend or partner—that’s a positive talk, by the way, not a shouting contest—and clear things up. If this isn’t an option, then consider finding a therapist and talking about your troubles. Therapy can be a positive tool for change. Don’t dismiss the idea.

Removing Elemental Blocks

Probably you will discover that you have a combination of the above blockages. And if so, you’ve got work to do, my friend. This situation calls for soul-searching, some personal transformation, and then banishing those elemental blocks. This will probably be some of the most challenging spellwork you will face, for many reasons. First off, it’s very personal, and your fears and emotions are involved. It’s tough to let go of fear of failure, frustration, old ideas, or unhealthy habits. But this type of purge is a positive step and can become a powerful tool for self-transformation.

I know that when I faced a blockage to my personal power there were a few of the elements involved. Which ones did I have blocked? Okay, I’ll give. They were air and fire. I had way too much water energy and earth energy, and they had smothered the other two. So did I figure this out all by my amazing little witchy self? No, I had a talk with a dear friend, and she gently pointed out that I needed to take a closer look at my personal energies and see if I was experiencing a block. Actually, she gave me a “mom” type of lecture, which was the magickal equivalent of getting a loving whack! upside the head.

But you know, once I really thought about her suggestions, I was able to figure out what the problem was. Then I rolled up my sleeves and worked to put those elements back in balance. I felt so much better afterwards, lighter and clearer-headed. My family and other friends noticed a change in my attitude as well. But I worked damn hard on pulling myself and my personal energies back in line.

You can’t just announce, “Oh, I have some unresolved anger. I have a fire block,” and poof! problem solved. Nope, it takes a few steps. First you’ve got to sit down and figure out what started the block. Second, admit the problem. Third, work through the emotions that go along with the issue. Finally, work magick to pull things back in line.

Hey, we all go through tough times, and then our personal power and magick goes out of whack. The tough part is working through all those steps. It takes time and perseverance. Don’t beat yourself up emotionally about it either. Blocks and imbalances happen to all of us. So suck it up, figure out what the problem is, start to make the necessary personal changes, and then get to work. Challenging? You betcha. But I’ll wager that you are more than up to the task. The following is a ritual that I designed when I faced down my own elemental blocks.

A Ritual to Pull those Elements
Back in Line

Timing and Directions

To banish those blocks and obstructions, work in harmony with the waning lunar cycle. Try a Monday to add extra lunar power or a Saturday to bring in the closing energies of the week and the protective powers of Saturn.

Supplies and Directions

Gather together a copy of the worksheet on page 62 and a simple natural representation of each of the four elements, such as a feather for air, a seashell for water, a crystal for earth, and a white tealight candle for fire. Finally, set the tealight in a holder, and arrange the other components around it. Light the candle, take a few moments to focus on the elemental blocks that are obstructing your personal power, and then repeat the opening verse:

Come earth, fire, water, and wind,

Not to break but only to mend.

Pull the four elements in line equal and true,

Bring harmony and balance to all that I do.

Next, take the copy of your elemental worksheet, and read over what you have discovered about yourself. Take a few more moments to meditate and consider all the personal work you have already done to bring the elements back into a harmonious, working balance.

When you feel ready, continue with these lines:

By the elements earth, air, fire, and water,

I will remove all blocks and reclaim my power.

Now, remove all doubt, negativity, and fear.

I ask that the path to my goals be gently cleared.

Allow the candle to burn in a safe place until it goes out on its own. Ground and center, and then close the ritual with the following lines:

By all the powers of land and sea,

As I do will it, so mote it be.

Now that you’ve started the process of pulling the elements into balance and removing any blocks, let’s discuss ways to raise and work with your personal power.

While with an eye made quiet by the power
of harmony and the deep power of joy,
we see into the life of things.

William Wordsworth

Finding and Raising Power
the Natural Way

Ooh, I said the magick word, didn’t I? Power. There’s the ultimate goal that captures people’s attention and makes us search and study like crazy to gain this elusive quality.

As we’ve seen, magickal power comes from the elements and the constantly changing energies of the moon, sun, and stars. It grows from nature, and springs from deep inside of you. Everyone’s personal power is as distinctive as a fingerprint. We are not all like little witchy cookies cut out of the same mold. Honestly, power is a funny thing. You either carry it or you don’t. Here’s another big surprise: no one can give you power and you don’t “take it” from someone else either. Power is naturally in everything, and it is everywhere. This energy is literally a force of nature. The trick is to identify it—and to coax it into working harmoniously with you (which we have been diligently working on in this chapter). So celebrate this, and be proud of your individuality! It is important to recognize that each of us will find our power and direct it in our own way.

Here the heart may give a useful lesson to the head,
and Learning wiser grow without his books.

William Cowper

Lessons Learned

I have a story I’d like to share with you. I think it will help you to understand and to remember a few important magickal lessons. Also, it will probably make you chuckle. Many years ago when I attended an intermediate class on Wicca, the leaders of the class asked us all to get up and to demonstrate our circlecasting abilities, one by one. Now, if memory serves, this class topic was on circlecastings—so I was surprised the class started off with this magickal show-and-tell instead of a lecture.

I watched with interest as the other students took their turns. Everyone seemed to be casting their circles in a similar fashion, but that didn’t surprise me. They had all just taken a Wicca 101 class together. Only myself and a man were the new students here. As my turn rolled around, I stood up, walked to the center of the room, and closed my eyes. I silently asked the elements to lend their power to mine and began turning in a slow clockwise circle, stopping at each quarter. As I made my way around the circle, I pointed my finger to the ground and visualized a blue circle of flame running along the ground, totally surrounding me. I finished up, centered, and opened my eyes to look at the teachers.

The teachers seemed miffed, and a few members of the class were staring at me like I’d suddenly grown two heads. Embarrassed, I fell back on my best defense: attitude. “What?” I demanded.

“That’s a lot of power to just be tossing around.” One of the teachers looked at me like I’d committed a horrible crime.

“You told us to show you how we cast a circle,” I said carefully.

“What energy are you using?” the first teacher asked suspiciously.

“Well, basically, I am using my own, along with—” I began.

“No, no, no, dear.” The first teacher interrupted and proceeded to look down her nose. “You never use your own power, and where are your gestures?”

She hadn’t picked anyone else’s performance apart … so how come I was so lucky?

“My what?” I asked.

At this point, the second teacher let loose a deeply annoyed sigh, accompanied by an eye roll. “Your gestures. Your salutes at each quarter.”

Jeez, they didn’t have to be so snotty about it. “I suppose I am just a gesture-free kind of Witch,” I shot back with a grin, thinking immediately of one hand gesture I’d love to show both these teachers.

The request had been to show them how each individual would cast a circle. And hey, my circlecasting always worked for me. Who were they to tell me I was “wrong”? It was a nasty surprise to get up, do my thing, and then get harshly critiqued in front of the rest of the group. Thoroughly embarrassed and offended, I sat down so the next victim—I mean student—could nervously take their turn.

As I sat back down, a fellow classmate, the only other new person, leaned over, put his hand on my arm, and whispered to me. “You did fine. I think you really surprised them. So, you’re a natural Witch, right?” Laughing softly at my stunned expression, he patted my arm in support. “You just called on the elements in your head.” He made that last bit a statement.

Wow. How did he know that? “Yes, I asked them to lend their power to mine,” I admitted. Now I was very intrigued. He was in the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids … maybe his knowing was a Druid thing.

“Thought so.” He grinned at me. “I could feel them in the room. Girl, you raised the hair off my neck.”

When it was his turn, he also cast a circle silently and without any hand gestures. The difference between his circlecasting and mine was that he moved around with a sort of grace that reminded me of martial arts.

Well, I thought to myself, isn’t that interesting how our techniques are so similar? It was simply awesome to experience, and it was the first time I ever felt someone else’s power radiate out in a room. Impressed, I looked at him with new eyes, as the importance of this discovery about personal magickal power hit me like a ton of bricks.

Raising magickal power has nothing to do with your magickal tradition, fancy words, or grandiose gestures. Power comes from within (the heart and mind), and it comes from without (the four elements, nature, and the sun, moon, and stars). Whatever witchy flair or positive personal spin you choose to put on this is perfectly fine.

The idea here is to focus on how you raise and direct power, and how you interact with the four natural elements and the magick. Everyone has the right to express themselves differently with magick. This is something I call “magick with personality.” So be yourself. That distinctiveness and individuality add something special and extraordinary to your magick.

Skill comes from practice.

Chinese proverb

Practice makes Perfect:
An Energy Ball Exercise to Raise Power
and to Focus Your Intuition

Here is an exercise that helps students learn to raise power, to sense it, and to practice moving energy around. This exercise will help you tune in to your intuition and psychic centers, and teach you how to focus your personal power. Plus this is also a great ice-breaker and a wonderful way to help a class, circle, or coven get to know each other better. For this exercise, you will need a partner, a pen, and some paper to take notes on.

First, you’ll both need to ground and center yourselves. For this exercise, you and your partner should sit on the ground and face each other. Then focus your power at the solar plexus area (just under the rib cage and above the navel). Tighten up those muscles and envision a bright yellow ball of energy there. Now one person begins to build an energy ball by raising and shaping their personal power.

Start by briskly rubbing your hands together. As soon as you feel your palms grow warm, slowly begin to pull your hands apart a few inches. You will feel some resistance, as if you were pulling taffy. Shape and mold the energy into a ball. The approximate size of the energy ball will vary, but think tennis ball or softball size.

Your next step is to program the energy ball with something positive. Since you are passing this to another, it has to be positive and enjoyable. It would be spiteful to fill an energy ball full of stress or anger, so you need to promise that you won’t build anything that you wouldn’t like to receive yourself! Visualize what lovely thing you want the ball to become. Some simple and elemental suggestions are twirling green ivy leaves, gossamer and multicolored fluttering butterflies, cool, blue waves of water, or warm, dancing flames.

Try other themes from nature, too, such as red rose petals, yellow daisies, white clouds, shining stars in a nighttime sky, etc. Just pick an upbeat and fun image—even something as simple as swirling pink paper hearts would be fine—as long as it is a positive image you feel that you can load into the energy ball easily.

Now that it’s loaded, pass it to your partner. Once they have it in their hands, turn away and write down a few keywords, then tuck the paper out of sight. Give your partner a few moments to sense it. When on the receiving end of an energy ball, keep these points in mind:

• Go with your first impressions—don’t overthink the process.
• Close your eyes as you sense the energy ball. (That forces you to gather impressions through your psychic senses instead of your physical ones.)
• You may find it helpful to focus on your third eye area (center of the forehead or the solar plexus), where your intuitive centers rest.

At this point, the recipient has the option of passing the energy ball back, taking it inside themselves, or giving it/ grounding it back to the earth. If they pass it back, the builder may then ground it in the earth. If the recipient chooses to keep it, they should simply press their hands to their chest, absorbing the energy. Lastly, if they wish, they may turn their hands over and give it back to the earth.

Now the receiver tells the builder what their impressions were. The builder should take out their notes so they can compare what the other picked up on. Finally, both the builder and the receiver should ground and center. Then switch roles. The recipient becomes the builder, and vice versa.

Once you get things rolling, see what results you get from mixing things up. Keep the pace quick, and if you are working with a group, have everyone switch partners and begin the exercise again. I have noticed over the years that sometimes established couples do wonderfully together. They can be impressive to watch. Since they already have a bond of emotion, they can be very quick to catch on and tune in. And then sometimes they just butt heads. So keep people switching around and the atmosphere light. This is a fun and quick psychic exercise; it doesn’t take long. It makes people laugh, learn to build power, sense energy, and trust their own intuitive abilities. Plus, it really gets the group in a great positive mood.

Keep the energy ball images upbeat and happy. That way, everyone has a fun experience. Also, first impressions are usually the most accurate. So go with the flow, trust your intuition, and see what you discover.

First impressions are often the truest …

William Hazlitt

Trusting Those First Impressions

Recently, I had one student partnered up with her husband for this exercise. These two were acquaintances of mine; they were recently married, and she was very nervous. The husband had a dominant personality, and she was a sweet girl, but a little naïve. She became frustrated with the exercise very quickly. She looked over at me from where she sat on the floor facing her husband and started whining, “I can’t do it!”

The husband began making soothing noises and hushed her immediately. He then told her that because he was so powerful with energy manipulation, this was the reason she couldn’t pick up any information. (Which, as you already guessed, is a huge contradiction.) The whole class looked over at them in amazement, and a few people chuckled. If he was as powerful as he claimed, then it ought to have been a snap.

Surprised at his behavior and his condescending attitude toward her, I bristled. About a dozen rude comments ran through my head as I heroically fought against the urge to go and smack him upside the head.

So I settled for a different option. Being the gentle, patient soul that I am, I quickly stepped in and firmly grabbed her hands. I pulled her up off the floor and led her over to the opposite side of the room, well away from where her husband was sitting.

I explained that this time I would build the energy ball and she would receive it. It was up to her what she did with it after she “looked it over” and sensed it. She could hand it back, take it inside, or give it back to the earth. It was her choice, and no matter what, I wouldn’t be offended.

Quickly, I built an energy ball between my hands. In my mind, I envisioned it as being a ball of fluffy white clouds, soft, free floating, and soothing. I handed it to her, and her face went soft. I turned away and quickly wrote down what I had envisioned, then turned back to her. After a moment, she began to frown. “I can’t get it,” she complained.

“You are thinking too hard,” I said and then suggested, “What were your first impressions? What words or pictures came into your mind immediately?”

“Oh.” Her shoulders dropped and she relaxed and pulled the energy ball into her chest. She stood there a moment, humming softly, and then smiled beautifully. “It was soft, fluffy, and warm … like white cotton balls.”

I laughed and handed her the paper where I had written down what I had envisioned when I built the energy ball: white, fluffy, and floating clouds.

“I did it!” She was thrilled.

“See?” I said to her. “You can do it. You just need to believe in your own power, and trust those first impressions.” She walked back to stand next to her husband, who immediately started to critique her first attempts. She looked up at him and sweetly told him to shut up. Which he did.

I hid a laugh with a cough.

Personality is the supreme realization of the innate
idiosyncrasy of a living being. It is an act of high
courage flung in the face of life, the absolute
affirmation of all that constitutes
the individual . . .

Carl Jung

You’ve Got Personality

Personal power is the key to your magickal experiences. Now that you have worked your way through this chapter, you have learned a little bit more about yourself and grown along the way. Sometimes to become a more powerful magickal person, we need to embrace who we are, become happy with our individuality, and learn to laugh at ourselves and to gain knowledge from life as we go along.

Effective personal power occurs when you tap into the elements, use your creativity, and then allow yourself to enjoy its benefits. Personal power that is balanced can strongly influence your life, and other people will be drawn to you and influenced within their own free wills by that positive force. Applying personal power to your daily life is an exercise in free will. You have the choice to create and to experience all the positive changes that you dream of.

Embrace your personal strengths, work to balance out any weaknesses, and watch for the positive changes that will manifest in your life. The tools for transformation are within your own two hands and within your heart. Celebrate your individuality, style, and personality. If you are willing to work hard and to believe in yourself, then nothing will be impossible for you.

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