Whoot! Let's make our mark on 2024 -- and kick that negativity right out the door! It is that time of year again! Get ready for Silver RavenWolf's Magickal Great Release Program?— 31 days of helpful tips, guidelines, and creative ways to eliminate the junk, clutter, negativity, and unhappiness in your life! Each day we will work on a new challenge, dancing our way to a delightful unique you! Don't miss this once-a-year treat that begins this year on 1 December and ends on 31 December. Best of all? It's FREE! You can do it!
Before we dig in - Posts for Day 1 and Day 2 usually have the most prose. This is where you check out the guidelines for the program and give yourself a practice run. After that, posts are relatively short and hopefully to the point! Let's go!
This program's first and most important purpose is simple: every day, give, trash, or re-purpose just one thing. That’s it. The rest? Is empowerment! So, if you're looking at this blog entry and feeling a bit overwhelmed, don't worry. You don’t need to read all this. To complete the program successfully, you just have to give, toss, or re-furbish one thing…
You just have to give, toss, or re-furbish one thing…
Every day…
For 31 days.
That’s it.
What You Will Need to Work Through the Program:
A Main Goal — something you wish to work on this year — it can be anything you desire
Weekly Goals – you will have four total – something you want to complete each week
Something You Want To Let Go of This Year – for good!
Other Stuff:
Courage
Willpower
An Open Mind
Cleaning Supplies
A place to donate things you no longer need
A ritual cup (something you can put water in)
A rattle (for the daily rattle bath)
A Calendar Page of December 2024-- you'll want to decorate it with the stars you earn, make notes, and set goals -- a calendar page is a good way to do this, and the bigger the better. You can even make it into a colorful vision board!!!
General Guidelines:
The next few paragraphs are a repeat for those who have been involved in the program before. These are guidelines for the basic morning ritual and the basic planetary powers chant. If you already use these, you can skip to the New This Year section. Or, you may like to do a bit of refresher and scan through the info. It's all about your choice. And that is the point of the entire program -- you choose. You are in control of your journey.
The Basic Morning Ritual -
The Great Release Program process hinges on a short, daily Braucherei ritual designed to bring blessings and enchantment into your life every day. By practicing this Five Minute Braucherei ritual each morning upon rising (whether you are first, second, or third shift — when you wake up is fine), you will have a better grip on the day. The practice takes about seven (7) days to set in (you might see small changes in your life right away), and about 30 days to bring about more significant change. If you are ready to take charge of your life, let go of the crap, and accept the abundance of the world around you, then this is the ritual for you! I encourage facing the sun and stretching during the calling process.
Tools: You will only need yourself and a cup of fresh water. You can also use colored candles or incense — that's fine, too. Whatever spiritual practice that facilitates calm and relaxation within yourself can be used here. What type of water? Springwater is excellent, tap water is fine. I have added a Rattle Bath to cleanse and balance the chakras at the end of the Basic Ritual. You can do this bath immediately following your ritual, or you can use it mid-morning or other time convenient to you. The Rattle Bath takes only 3 minutes or less and focuses on the chakras (energy vortexes) of the body. On Day Two, I will introduce you to the Rattle Bath.
Preparation for the Morning Ritual: Find a place where you will not be disturbed. As the ritual only takes about five minutes, you won't need to lock yourself in the attic. I understand what it is like to be a busy person with family members assuming its okay to interrupt you just-any-old-time. So! If the only place you can find peace is in the bathroom while taking your morning shower — that's okay! Just lock the door. The beauty of Braucherei is that you whisper instead of speaking in a normal voice. With the water running? No one will hear you. The running water adds terrific energy to the chant -- try it! If you have the luxury of not being disturbed, I suggest going outside and facing the rising sun which is excellent for your mental, spiritual, and physical health.
Let's go through the ritual, so you understand what you are doing. The first chant is a general blessing charm that is quite old (a variation can be found in Anglo-Saxon Magic by Dr. G Storms, available on Amazon – see link below) and recited while facing east. You can use hand motions (or not) while intoning the charm. Speak slowly, with feeling, and with a sense of grace. You are doing a spiritual thing — opening up and accepting those energies is okay.
Step One: Fill your clean ritual goblet with water. Set aside. Face East. Take three deep, cleansing breaths. Draw energy up from the ground to the top of your head, and expel that energy with your breath into your hands. Take a second breath, drawing power from the sky, and expel that energy with your breath into your hands. Take a third breath, drawing energy into your heart chakra, and then expel that energy into your hands.
Step Two: Intone the following chant nine times — if you are super pressed for time — three repetitions will do.
Eastwards I stand
For favors, I pray
From Goddess Divine
And Lord of the Day
Earth lends Her power
And breath sends the spell
Days end will reveal
That all will be well.
Let's quickly cover what this chant means and exactly what you call. Eastwards I stand (the place of beginnings and the power of the sun) for favors I pray (you are asking for all the good stuff of this world and all others). From Goddess Divine (feminine deity, crone/mother energy, moon energy) and the Lord of the Day (male divine, sage/father energy, the sun AND the planet that rules the day). Together, the two deities make One — the Balance. Earth lends Her power (the spirits of nature, the elements, that which is physical) and breath sends the spell (holy breath, Spirit, and your effort). Days end will reveal that all will be well. (You agree that by the end of the day, no matter what, you will accept the favors given and be thankful for them.) This chant is to be said nine (9) times, slowly, with feeling, and experiencing what you are saying deep within yourself.
Step Three: While you are still facing East — intone the Planetary Powers chant nine times. Three if you feel pressed for time.
The Planetary Powers practice is straightforward. First, you intone the name of the day you are experiencing, for example, Tuesday, and then follow through with the rest of the chant. Here is the chant:
Tuesday, Lord of the Day
Bring me Good Fortune in Every Way!
Here are those daily planets (the Lords of the Day) in case you are new or have forgotten:
Monday — Moon
Tuesday — Mars
Wednesday — Mercury
Thursday — Jupiter
Friday — Venus
Saturday — Saturn
Sunday — Sun
Although very easy, this is a powerful chant. You are asking the planetary energies of the day to tune into your life, and you agree that you will accept the flow of what you have asked for — in this example — Good Fortune. You can change this chant to match what you need. Let's say you are working on chronic illness, then you might say:
Tuesday, Lord of the Day
Bring me Good Health in Every Way!
Or, let's say you are just so stressed out lately:
Wednesday, Lord of the Day
Bring me sweet peace in Every Way!
Like the first chant — take your time. Say it slowly and with confidence. Know in your heart that you will receive what you have asked for. Remember that this second chant changes with the day. If today is Monday, then you intone —Monday, Lord of the Day! As you speak, reach out and connect with the 'Lord' of the day. Repeat this chant nine (9) times.
Super Busy! What if you are so insanely busy that you have to break up the above-listed procedure – something like this: Roll out of bed, take out the dog, stand facing the sun, intone the "Eastwards I stand" chant. Zip back inside. Take a shower and intone the Lord of the Day chant while the water is pounding. Jump out of the shower and take the rattle bath with one hand while toweling off with the other…
Yup. It is do-able!
Step Four: End your ritual with a sentence that focuses on your specific goal repeated three times. What are the most critical words in this statement? "I know." You can say a general intent or one that is very specific. For example:
"I know that I will meet all my goals in this thirty-one-day period." or…
"I know I will find a solution to…" (and fill in the blank).
Finish with: “Today I will have the most wonderful, marvelous, magickal day where I will succeed in every way!”
Then, blow softly across the top of the water in the ritual cup. You are infusing the water with your wish. Change the water every day before you do your ritual for clarity in your work.
Complete your ritual with this statement from my HedgeWitch book(or one like it that you prefer) available on Amazon.com (see link below).
Only the Good Remains
Peace with the Gods
Peace with Nature
Peace Within.
So Be It!
That's all there is to it. After you finish, draw an equal-armed cross over the water to seal the working.
Speed Review -- At the end of your day, try to take the time to give thanks to Spirit and the Lord of the Day for the favors you have received. Sometimes, we are so busy during waking hours that we don't realize a gift we may have received. We might not stop and think about what happened to us or what we spent our time on because we are motoring on automatic.
When we conclude our workings by giving thanks, we allow ourselves time to review our experiences. Such a review need not be time-consuming or detrimental. I've found the best way to incorporate a review of the day is a speed review - one word for each experience so that your mind zooms through the day. For example -- "Dog, Shower, Walk, Woods, Grocery, Lunch, Dog, Gym, Babysit, Quilt, Dinner, Walk Dog, Laundry, Dishes, Video Game, Walk Dog." This helps you release negative thoughts because you aren't dwelling on any single experience. Instead, you are doing the fast-forward technique as a cleanser. Be careful not to dwell on negative situations, even though they occur to teach us something. Although that kind of review is valuable and necessary, it isn't a part of this particular working, which is designed to teach you and continue to aid you in drawing positive energies toward you. Release the negative — welcome the future! Leave bitter behind so that you can be better!
What to do with the water each day? If you added nothing to it -- you can drink it. You can give it to your plants, use it to bless objects in the home or work environment, or take it outdoors and pour it on the ground as a libation to the Gods -- your choice.
What Happens If You Get Sick? - Over the years, this question has come up many times -- some individuals get sick during the Great Release Program -- it is winter here in the States, and too much activity/stress can take a toll. No worries. If it is a small sick (cold), skip those days' activities EXCEPT try your best to do the morning ritual, the rattle bath, and throw out one thing. That's it. Leave the rest of the stuff for another time. If you get super sick -- drop the program and work through it another time. I leave the entire program up throughout the year. Quite a few folks have done that with success. There is no failure; there is simply your time frame for completion.
Power Outage -- I live in the woods - yep -- Witch in the Woods, and occasionally, I have power outage problems. If a post for the day doesn't manifest -- make something up. Yes, you read that right. Use your intuition to release whatever you feel is right that day. Sound good? Cool!
The Treasure Hunt -- Many years ago celebrated Llewellyn author Ray Malbrough, taught me the path of Spiritism. Except Ray? He did it his own way! His form of teaching was to give you a task, idea, or mission -- and you had to complete said work to move to the next step of the training. This was the most fun I've ever had in magick and the most impactful way of learning I have ever experienced. His unique style brought the material I needed to know into my life in the way I would never forget it.
I have since added Treasure Hunts to our yearly Release Program to throw a bit of spice into the works! Because this is a super busy time of the year, only some days will have a hunt. Gotta give a breather, particularly on the days that you'll be aiming for that deep, dark, boggie-filled closet. The Treasure Hunts are in no way a pre-requisite to completing this program. They are for fun!
Release Program General Theme
The theme of the Release Program each year is to eliminate negativity in our lives — to release what no longer supports our goals. This release includes physical, mental, and spiritual things, feelings, or choices that no longer work for you. The program works incredibly well if your partner, husband, wife, and family members work right along with you. My family does the program, too! Every year, I change the challenges slightly so that you can enjoy new material. Part of the fun of the program is that you don't know what I'll have you working on next! Each day is a surprise. If you can't get everything done in a particular challenge? No worries. Do one thing — just one thing per day. If you can do it all? AWESOME! If not, don't give yourself a difficult time — do what you can. As long as you do something? You're golden!
Speaking of gold, for every 20 gold stars you earn in completing tasks, you are encouraged to reward yourself. It can be significant (a new snazzy something) or small -- a piece of chocolate cake—your call. Be sure to mark your stars on your calendar page.
New! This Year! The 2024 Spirits –
This year, I created over forty small Spirit Dolls during the summer months. Each day, I will draw a random doll from my divination box– the Spirit of this doll will have a message for you – sharing what you may wish to focus on that day because the energies are “just right” for that application. Don’t like what the doll has to say? No worries. Follow your intuition. You may wish to start a journal that contemplates each day's message. Today's missive is from the Spirit of Release.
What Can You Do Right Now?
Today -- Set your Main Goal and consider what four (4) goals you would like to add to this year's program. The four goals can change throughout the program. For example, you may start the program by thinking you want to clean all the upstairs closets, the garage, the basement, and the attic, and then realize after you got the closets done, due to time constraints or changing circumstances, all those hefty goals aren't do-able. No worries. Change your remaining goals. Remember that on Mondays, when you set your new weekly goal, the goal you choose (Monday to Monday) should stay in place until completion, if possible.
I'm looking forward to seeing old friends (those who have done the program before) and new friends! Please feel free to post your comments throughout the program. We are a magickal village, and every post is important and unique.
Summary
1. Practice the Morning Braucherei Ritual -- Earn one gold star
2. Choose One Main Goal that speaks of what you wish to change in your life this year. -- Earn one gold star
3. Think about Four Weekly Goals and sketch them out – one for each week (remember, these can change) - 4 gold stars
4. Treasure Hunt! Set up an empowered item in the center of the home (or on your altar) representing your goal this year. This can be anything -- you choose, new or old, evident or secretive. Seek and go find what item will most embody the theme of your main goal. - 10 Gold Stars!
5. Let's get started! Throw out, give away, or re-furbish one thing today! -- 5 Gold Stars6. Take a moment to meditate on Today's Spirit Message: Release. How does it apply to you? 1 Gold Star if you consider the message. 5 Gold Stars if you Journal About it!
Possible Gold Stars Today? 26
You are on a roll! Make your mark!
In service
Peace with the Gods
Peace with Nature
Peace within,
Silver
I have been a magickal crafter for many years and love sharing my how-to ideas with folks in my books, blogs, and websites. And, for years, I never thought of affiliate programs. Being almost 70? I’m having a great time embracing my Bucket List! And one of my goals is to work with affiliate programs – I mean, why not? I’ve sold a lot of books over the years, right? So! If you make a purchase after clicking on one of the affiliate links, I’ll earn some herbal tea money, which I promise to share with my friends while continuing to support your magickal journey. You do not pay a higher price. All tools, supplies, or books mentioned are those I favor in my own work. Sometimes the links are funky -- that's just the landscape of today's technology. If you can't get there with the link provided and are still interested, just go to Amazon and use the search bar. Happy Crafting!
Links That You May Be Interested In
Silver’s On-line Store: https://www.whispermagick.com
Book - The Witching Hour by Silver RavenWolf:
Book: HedgeWitch by Silver RavenWolf:
Silver’s Newest Book! Runic Sorcery! A marvelous workbook for beginners as well as experienced practitioners.
This book is also in Silver's online store.
Anglo-Saxon Magic by G. Storms
I think this is my third Great Release adventure. But this time...I'm retired and have more time!! It would always get away from me before. Not this time!!
I am looking forward to this 🥰 There's so much that's happened in the last year that I feel really disconnected. I feel like this program will help me not only to release the negative but reconnect spiritually ❤️