13 goals of a witch

As I mentioned in my first post, I have been wanting to get in touch with the bottom of my faith. So I have considered for a while studying each of the 13 goals of a Witch. I think its a good way for me to get away from the "throw a ritual at it!" way of thinking. I don't mean I only do spells, more like, I don't think I take enough time to appreciate the world around me, to connect with Deity when outside of ritual. I especially need to set aside time to appreciate myself as something the Divine have made, and not a bundle of flaws.

So what are the 13 Goals of a Witch?  I read them in Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham but if you don't have your book handy, or if you want my interpretation read on.
1. Know yourself.
To me this is about knowing your strengths, and using them to your advantage, and knowing your weaknesses and either improving them or compensating for them. Some ways you might go about this are keeping a journal, tracking your dreams, or even going through your old stuff to see the ways you have changed over your life.

2. Know your craft
This one seems pretty obvious, but is it really? I think most pagans have aspects associated with our path that either don't interest us or make us uncomfortable so we choose not to look into them. It might be a good idea to pick up a book or take a class on something you have typically avoided. Maybe even go back to the basics completely, if thats what you feel like.

3. Learn.
This could be learning about something like herbalism or massage, something you tie into your practice, or something that just interests you. Just expanding your horizons a bit can give you a new outlook on what you already know.

4. Apply knowledge with wisdom.
This one speaks to me as partially ethics, and partially common sense, really think about what you do before you do it. Hard to come up with a concrete plan for working towards this goal.

5. Achieve balance.
I think this one is really a combination of all of the other goals. If your life is a wheel, you need to try and keep it even or you'll have a bumpy ride.

6. Keep your words in good order.
Most rituals are done with words, most spells have some sort of verbal component. If the words in the rest of your life are impure you might have some less than desirable results. Watch what you say, and also how you say it. Don't lie, and keep your promises.

7. Keep your thoughts in good order.
Try to be reasonably positive. I'll be the first to admit I can be the worlds biggest pessimist, but try to think of it as something I read somewhere "If you pray, don't worry. If you worry, don't pray". Your spells and prayers might flop if you spend the entire month after casting the spell going "this is never gonna work, I hope it works, it will never work".

8. Celebrate life!
Enjoy the small things, but feel free to party, or dance naked for the big things. Feel the grass, gravel, sand, or pine needles beneath your toes.

9. Attune with the cycles of the earth.
Celebrate the Esbats and Sabbats, yes, but maybe greet the moon as she rises. Consider performing a sun salutation at the dawn, or maybe you'd prefer to celebrate the dawn under your covers, like me.

10. Breathe and eat correctly.
I think breathing could be its own goal, personally. As someone who sings, its obvious to me that often I breathe shallowly. As for food, start with keeping a food diary, or aim to start the morning with a glass of water and some fresh fruit. Or even tea instead of coffee.

11. Exercise the body.
I don't think this means that we all have to spend 6 hours in the gym beating ourselves into looking like models. Go for a walk or a run, or a skip each day. I personally want running to be a way to get in touch with earth, myself, and my body, not a way to become "perfect".

12. Meditate.
This is something I originally felt a slight aversion to, and even had a few awful experiences with. I am just now starting a daily mediation habit. If you already meditate, it might be a good time to explore a new method, or meditate longer.

13. Honor the God and Goddess.
I think this is a cumulation of all of the above goals. The God and Goddess are within us, so by improving ourselves we honor them. Yet, I think it is also important to honor them externally. Maybe a daily prayer in thanks, offerings at a shrine, offerings to the local wildlife, or all three. Celebrate the Divine in all people by donating your time or money (or even blood) to help people in need.

I'm going to work on each goal for one moon cycle, Starting from the beginning. I am already partway through Goal #1. I am definitely seeing that one moon phase is just a chance to dip ones toes into each goal, pretty much as I expected it to be. In everything you must start small so I think it is working pretty well.