It's almost here!! My personal favorite holiday. Halloween!!! Each year my celebrations vary. Short an simple to long an complicated. For many rituals I'd sit down and write out the whole thing, from the items I needed, the words I planned to say. Each item would have written next to it the reason or meaning for it's use. Now as many of you know it's a lot of work putting every thing down, the planning of every step.

Now most of the time I used the  items as planned. But the words, now that�s a different story.  When it come time to speak those carefully thought out and written down words poof gone, not so important or didn�t feel right. What comes out instead was what I was feeling right then and there from my heart. When all was said and done I�d sit down with that carefully written out paper and wonder why did I go to such lengths. Did it do me any good? Did I waste my time? No not really, it helped clarify my thoughts.

This year all I�ve done was make a list of the things I would need, and made a simple outline of how each part should go. Thursday evening I have set aside time to meditate. An Friday night like all the other rituals I do I�m going to let what ever I have to say come from my heart.

Now when I decided to go this way at first I thought I�d record it so I can later write it down because for all the others all I�d have for later use would be the written words that I didn�t use. Then a very clear voice/thought came to my mind, those words I did speak where for that moment an that moment alone an that�s where they�ll stay. Because at the next rite/ritual/celebration new words will come for that moment and they like the others will stay.

With this new insight to how things work for me is to trust in myself and the feeling and emotions I have. An to allow them to flow freely from my heart. An this also easies my stress of getting it just right.

Odd how one can do the same things for years and then in one moment you can get some clarity and insight to yourself. For me this is also growth of my inner self, more understanding of who and how I am. An seeing changes along my path. Keeping the lists will help bring some of the memories of that rite/ritual/celebration back and thats enough for me.

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Item list for this years Samhain Celebration:

{To let go, to clean and clear out, to remember and to heal}

5 candles
Green-Earth
Yellow-Air
Red-Fire
Blue-Water
Purple-Spirit

Incense
Sage-purification
Sweet Grass-Spiritual Energy
Eucalypyus-Healing and Protection

Cauldron (of rebirth)-pleasure
Stone (of destiny)-power
Staff-courage
Sword-knowledge

White candle
Glass of milk
(remembrance rite)
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Blessed Samhain, Happy Halloween

I routinely write lists that I forget to take with me .....I think just the conscious act of writing them forces me to organize them in my head... To be sure there are times when I have to make a second trip that I wouldn't have made if only I had taken my list with me, but most often I get what I truly needed.
The same thing is true I think as far as changing the words, we change with every moment so it makes sense that you would modify the words to fit the time as well as the occasion....most likely the intent is staying the same and you are simply amping up the energy with a few well chosen changes.