Week 24: Two Powers (part 2)

Related to Requirement:

• #5 – Two Powers 

Suggested Reading:

• "An Advanced Two Powers Attunement" by Linda Demissy  
• Ian Corrigan, "Working Magic with the Two Powers" mp3's, 
• "The Two Powers: an Alternative for Large Rites" by Rev. Kirk Thomas
• "Bungee Cord Two Powers" by Bert Kelher, 
• "Two Powers on a String and a Prayer" by Anne Lenzi, 
• Sacred Fire, Holy Well by Ian Corrigan, p. 82-85 
• The Fire on Our Hearth by Three Cranes Grove, ADF, p. 80-81 

• How has this meditation felt to you? Do you do this meditation as your daily meditation, or as part of daily rituals? 

The Two Powers guided meditation as presented in OOD and Corrigan's audio tracks and writings feels really artificial and forced. I'm not saying it doesn't work, just that it doesn't work for me. I'm slowly re-working the basic concepts into something that does work. I try to do a full two power's meditation as part of my daily devotional at least once a week. It doesn't always happen, but that's the goal. 

I'm going to try putting together another prayer string and see if that helps me remember to do it.

• Can you describe how it feels? What parts of the meditation move you the most? The least? Does one power or the other seem stronger? 

Dropping into the Earth power is like settling into a hot tub a bit too fast. Sending tendrils down into that heat, soaking it up, and then drawing it up into myself. 3 breaths down, 3 breaths soaking, 3 breaths drawing up.

Reaching up for the Sky power is harder. Feels like I'm straining, reaching on tiptoes for something just out of my reach. And it's cold, the space between the world, running outside without a coat in January, swimming in a lake during February cold.

Earth power is easier to connect to and feels stronger. But I don't think it is, it's just closer.

• Many people will come to feel that one of these powers is masculine and one is feminine. In your Dedicant Notebook, write a short paragraph on how the Sky Power is masculine and the Earth Power is feminine. Now, write another short paragraph about how the Sky Power is feminine and the Earth Power is masculine. Can you make both arguments? Which one convinces you more? Is either worth arguing? The Sky Power is sometimes described as "ordering" and the Earth Power is sometimes described as "chaotic". Do you feel this is an accurate description of the Powers? 

Masculine/ Feminine are bullshit. The sky and earth have no gender or sex. They are both greater than that and encompass both (and every other possible permutation). I can see the catagories of organization and chaos, however, both Earth and Sky have aspects of both.

The explosion of a star going nova, disordering the sky's orderly dance and motion. A perfect gemstone forming in the molten chaos of the earth's mantle.

• If you have chosen a hearth culture, how does the mythology of that culture embrace the Two Powers? 

Yggdrasil has 3 roots which are in 3 wells: The Well of Urðr (the well of fate, around which the Norns sit), the Hvergelmir (the source of rivers, and filled with dragons and snakes), and the Mímisbrunnr (Mimis' Well, the well of wisdom). It's branches support the 9 worlds.

• Can you write a chant or a prayer about the way the cosmos looks when we're in ritual? Try writing one and using it as a meditation aid, and write down your results. 

coming later. It's written, but I've not had a chance to see if it helps yet.