When one has been away from their craft for awhile..

[Ellisari]

Due to extreme tension in my home situation, a really poorly planned move, a second move shortly following after that.... I haven't had the time, nor the means, nor the willpower, in all honesty, to keep up with my craft. It's been a stressful past 6-7 months, and now that I think I'm finally settling down again [until, of course, I graduate high school, but that should be a far better planned relocation] I think the proper way to really balance myself again is to resume witchcraft once more... but I am unsure as to which way I should ease myself back into it, as I've been gone for quite awhile.

How have you all struggled through periods where you've felt blocked from your path? How did you inspire yourselves to once more?

I am wanting to resume it, but I almost dare not touch any of my ritual supplies. I almost feel like they're stale, and devoid of energy now.
What should I do?  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

Energy tends to stay in tools, at least in my experience, unless they've been used for other things.

I think it sort of depends on what your witchcraft is like as to how you pick it up again.  

[kyndryana3]

Over the years, I've had several breaks of varying lengths. Normally, I get inspired one day to start practicing again, often quite a while after whatever caused me to take the break in the first place is long over. I almost always come back with a personal re-dedication and a little introspection. I'll meditate for a while on where I want to go now, and my short and long term goals are often quite different than they were right before I took the break. Then I'll make a personal commitment to start doing something towards those goals. It might be a simple thing (such as daily meditation) or something larger (like working on learning a new skill or studying a new subject).

When in doubt, you can always go back to your roots as well. Think about what you did as you were first starting out, and walk yourself through it (although this time, you can avoid any mis-steps you might have taken!).

I've never had a problem with my tools after a long break, but if you feel something off, you can always re-cleanse and charge them.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

I guess I'm a little confused by the concept of having a break. How are you defining witchcraft, that you can put it down and pick it up again later?

I mean I'm aware it's a craft, and for many it's a way to practise their spirituality or whatever, but it's not just spellwork and so on. It's being aware of the energies around you and interacting with them. I suppose I don't understand how one would turn that off, or why you'd choose to do so unless it was troubling you in some way.  

[Lady Keigh]

Sanguina Cruenta

I guess I'm a little confused by the concept of having a break. How are you defining witchcraft, that you can put it down and pick it up again later?

I mean I'm aware it's a craft, and for many it's a way to practise their spirituality or whatever, but it's not just spellwork and so on. It's being aware of the energies around you and interacting with them. I suppose I don't understand how one would turn that off, or why you'd choose to do so unless it was troubling you in some way.

Well, she could just not have the energy to not see the energy and spirits around her. I myself once had a block like that, where I just didn't have the willpower to reach out the the energies around me and not communicate with the spirits.  

[Ellisari]

I think the way Rose stated it was accurate.

I've felt really disconnected from the energies around me. It's hard to feel them anymore.  

[Ellisari]

kyndryana3

Over the years, I've had several breaks of varying lengths. Normally, I get inspired one day to start practicing again, often quite a while after whatever caused me to take the break in the first place is long over. I almost always come back with a personal re-dedication and a little introspection. I'll meditate for a while on where I want to go now, and my short and long term goals are often quite different than they were right before I took the break. Then I'll make a personal commitment to start doing something towards those goals. It might be a simple thing (such as daily meditation) or something larger (like working on learning a new skill or studying a new subject).

When in doubt, you can always go back to your roots as well. Think about what you did as you were first starting out, and walk yourself through it (although this time, you can avoid any mis-steps you might have taken!).

I've never had a problem with my tools after a long break, but if you feel something off, you can always re-cleanse and charge them.

This is a great help, thank you.  

[Ellisari]

Sanguina Cruenta

I guess I'm a little confused by the concept of having a break. How are you defining witchcraft, that you can put it down and pick it up again later?

I mean I'm aware it's a craft, and for many it's a way to practise their spirituality or whatever, but it's not just spellwork and so on. It's being aware of the energies around you and interacting with them. I suppose I don't understand how one would turn that off, or why you'd choose to do so unless it was troubling you in some way.

To me witchcraft is a craft, but somewhat a way of life as well. I guess I don't really know how to explain. =/

What I mean by 'a break' [although it was more like a 'block']--It was like I felt really numb to all energies for quite awhile. I didn't continue any of my practices- meditation, spellwork, rituals, divination... none of them.  

[Ritual at Dusk]

When I am demotivated to do something, I often try to hypnotize myselt todo it. And I'm not talking about putting myself into a zombie-like trance, it is just more like a calling to myself to do whatever I hypnotize myself to do, like homework or studying. You could always do that to try and get back into witchcraft, and then afterwards you can start by charging your tools again. Here is a link for how to hypnotize yourself.
http://www.spellsandmagic.com/hypnotism.html

I hope this works. If you have any other questions, I would suggest messaging me, because I rarely visit the same forum twice. Blessed be and good luck!  

[Xaolu]

Sanguina Cruenta

I guess I'm a little confused by the concept of having a break. How are you defining witchcraft, that you can put it down and pick it up again later?

I mean I'm aware it's a craft, and for many it's a way to practise their spirituality or whatever, but it's not just spellwork and so on. It's being aware of the energies around you and interacting with them. I suppose I don't understand how one would turn that off, or why you'd choose to do so unless it was troubling you in some way.

Life burns you out, and if you weren't worrying about something along those lines to begin with it tends to get pushed to the back of your mind when big problems or stressful situatiuations come along. you just get kinda side-tracked. It's especially bad if you live in a house that you kinda have to hide it from the other people you live with.