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Centering, Grounding, Visualization, and Meditation

© Karen Mitchell

Learning how to ground and center is arguably the most important skill an energy worker will need to master, second only to learning how to meditate and visualize. These four things are the basis of almost all energy work and spell work, yet they're often glossed over by authors of beginner books and rushed through by beginners themselves. I know I didn't take a lot of time to learn how to ground or meditate when I was a newbie Wiccan. I just wanted to hurry up and get to the fun stuff. I soon learned that these four skills were the cornerstones of effective energy work, and have spent the rest of my years as a Wiccan honing and developing them.

Let's start with the most basic and fundamental of the four: centering. You may have heard the term "center of balance" before. This describes the point within you where your weight is equally distributed. Though you can't see the point, it is definitely a physical area in your body, and it may be in a different location for other people, depending on their physical make-up. In the same manner, your energy center is also a physical (yet invisible) point in your body. It may even be located in the same general area of the body as the center of balance/center of gravity.

It's difficult to describe what this center should feel like. We're familiar with how our center of balance feels, because it's a distinct physical sensation. When we're off balance, our body tells us. The energy center is a bit more subtle than that. When this center is "off balance", you may feel frazzled, or stressed, or like you're disconnected from yourself. We "center" ourselves by sinking down into this energy center, becoming aware of the flow of our internal energies, and calming them. When I sink into my center, I feel very heavy and relaxed, similar to the way I feel after a good yoga workout. I feel very connected to myself. I'm calm. My energy center is near my belly button. The free Dragon Clan Witchcraft course online has several exercises designed to help you find your center, starting at http://www.annwnscauldron.com/temple/les...

Centering is the first skill you must master. If you can't learn to focus your own personal energy and still yourself, your spell work or other energy work will be unfocused as well. As within, so without. Fortunately, centering is very easy to practice. Try to devote a few minutes a day to practicing this skill... in your car on the way to work, or in the shower, or on the bus, wherever. The more you practice, the quicker you will be able to reach this state when you need to. Plus, it's a good stress reliever.