Running Shrine

Hi and Merry Meet,
In December my friend tried to talk me into running a half marathon with her. I told her I would start to train for it but we'll see about it.

The half is April 29th. I started training lightly back in December. A week before my trip to Colorado the training schedule my friend sent me started. I started training for real.

I have realized that I really want to do this. Copies of my running schedule are posted around the house and at work. I can't miss it. I talked a good friend into running the shorter stuff with me. She even did my first longer run with me last Sunday.

When we were in Colorado, we found lots of shops with hindu gods and goddess in them. I have never really been drawn to that but one of the shops had each god or goddess with their own shrines. They were not all mashed together and they had signs telling you their name and what each one's specialty is. I found a small elephant for the god Ganesh. It said he was the remover of obstacles. My husband wanted to know why I wanted him when normally I follow the Celtic gods. I told him I was called to him and I think he will support my training for the half.

Now in my witchy room I have a small shrine to Ganesh to help me overcome the mental obstacles I have while running. He sits on top if my training schedule and has rice and some jasmine incense near him too. Behind him I place zebra stones which are good for physical strength and body. I placed my shoes that I was going to swap for the ones I have been using at the base of it.

April 29th, here I come!
Blessed be,
Autumn

Learning and Running

Hi and Merry Meet,
Last night I finished reading Green Witchcraft II by Ann Moura. I enjoyed her ideas and thoughts. I have done the recommended meditations and I am waiting to do the Dark Moon ritual.

I thought a lot about the balance of Life and Death in doing these meditations. You can not have one without the other. That's the way it is. It's like have a pancake (hang in there with me, this should make sense in a second or two.). Pancakes have two sides. One side is always more burnt (well, when I cook, it is) and one side is always less burnt or more golden brown. You butter the pretty side, put your syrup on it and eat it. However, the butter and the syrup soak down though it to the other side. So, you get both sweet and butter and burnt all in one bite. Just like life and death. One side is sweet and butter, and the other is burnt, but the syrup is soaking though it make it as much an adventure as the other side was. Does that make any sense or only to me??

Anyway, I've started the third Green Witchcraft book and I really like it. It is using the first book as a textbook to work though. There are quizzes and assignments to complete. I love things like this because it makes my reading more interactive! Just like my Silver RavenWolf books. I am more motivated to do the work and readings if I know there is a quiz or something coming up. Although, her books are very easy reads and I have enjoyed them a lot!

In other news, I have decided to run a half marathon this September in honor of my mom. I have been running for about a year now. I started because I wanted to run a 5K before my 30th birthday. I made that goal and have been running ever since. This half supports the Arthritis Foundation. My mom has it really badly in her hands and feet. She is talking about giving up skiing because it is getting too painful for her. She is getting help medical, and so this is something that I can do publicly to show her my support. It has become very important to me and I started training seriously for it last month. Please send me your positive thoughts as I train so that I can reach my goal of being able to run the whole thing and cross that finish line still running.... it's only 13.1 miles to the end of the race. I'm gonna need some support! ;^)

Hope you all are having a wonderful Monday!
Blessed be,
Autumn