"Tucking Away Spirituality" -- A question

[Anonymous]

I have been gleaning wisdom from this site for a couple of years, now, and now I have a question that is too much for my mind to sort out.

As a solitary eclectic, I learned that spells should not be performed when the witch is sick, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or is very depressed.  It is the depression part that I don't understand.

When you are sick, it takes too much of your personal energy to manifest a change or desire.  But when you are truly, deeply depressed, and you can't visualize, can you actually cast without seeing what you need?

On the one hand, that might be the time that you need help.  But if you can't see what you need nor have the energy to do it, what do you?

[branwen]

One answer might be to call on the gods/goddesses that you trust and ask for their help.  The depressed or ill person may not be well advised to attempt spellcasting at the time, but that doesn't prevent him from asking for spiritual help...and receiving it.

[Anonymous]

Thank you Branwen.  I guess I never thought about it as different things -- one spellcasting, another just asking for help.  The doctor prescribed lots of anxiolytics and other meds, but I wanted to find my own way first, without all the meds.

Thank you for being so wise.

[Rowan CedarWolf]

I agree with Branwen, I also consult a  good herbal book. St Johs's wort works really well for depression i woul recomend consulting a homeopathic phamacist.

[Gryphon]

A note of caution on St. John's Wort. It is for mild to moderate depression only.

DO NOT I repeat DO NOT take this herb without consulting with an experienced professional. This herb/drug interferes with the action of several prescription medications amoung them birth control and heart medications.

Remember when using an herbal remedy that just because it is a PLANT product does not mean that automatically safe or for every patient. Herbs are drugs, some are toxic if used incorrectly.

Just as you wouldn't take a medication your friend recommended without a doctor's advice, don't rush out and use herbs because someone somewhere said it fixed this or that.

[Rowan CedarWolf]

That is why i recomended consulting a homeopathic pharmacist!

[Anonymous]

Also, depression does interfere with spell casting in a way that it clouds your judgment. I know this from experience. It worked yeah, but i wish that i never casted the spell....because it caused even more pain then before... :cry:

~Twistedfeather~

[Anonymous]

I see this kind of thought all the time:  "Don't do magick when you're in condition X."  And I always find myself asking:  exactly HOW do you not do magick?

OK, you can not perform ritual acts in a consecrated circle while burning incense, robed or skyclad, with candles lit and wand or athame in hand.  But 99.999% of the magick I do on a daily basis isn't done under those conditions.

When I meet someone, I can't help touching minds with them empathically.  I routinely cast my vision forward along possible timelines to guide my actions, and shape the flows of fate almost inadvertently.  It's second-nature to me to adjust the hormonal flows, circulation, and other activities of my own body.

I could no more stop doing this sort of thing than I could stop breathing.

So, granted that being depressed or ill can bollix up spells -- HOW do you not do them?