The Busy Witch: Stepping Outside Our Boundaries

Last updated on: January 20, 2015 at 1:46 pm by Jen McConnel

The Busy Witch: Stepping Outside Our Boundaries 2015-01-20T13:46:09+00:00 Jen McConnel

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“Before I built a wall I’d ask to know / What I was walling in or walling out…” from “MENDING WALL” by Robert Frost

Boundaries are comfortable. They keep us secure in our space. However, they also isolate and cause division. In the past few years, I’ve worked to expand my boundaries, striving for new experiences and stepping outside of my comfort zone, since that’s where the magic tends to happen. Lots of things can change when you push your boundaries, and I’m still sifting through the continued effects of this stretching. Because of my gentle pushing, I’ve now become a huge fan of splurging on a massage whenever I can justify the expense, and I’ve embraced the power of sacred self-care. I didn’t always feel that way, however; the first time I made an appointment for bodywork, I was positively terrified.

I know many women who have regular massages, and I had often wondered how they do it. Other than my husband, no on touches my bare skin or sees my curves. But because a little voice told me to try a new experience, to indulge in something that would have never have seemed like an indulgence to me, I showed up at the small spa, unsure of what to expect.

The masseuse was skilled and kind, and although I couldn’t turn off the chatter in my mind, I was able to ignore the voice that kept reminding me I am somewhere between Willendorf and the Renaissance; a Venus without precedent. As the woman slowly worked lotion into my tired muscles, a voice deep inside me whispered, “She is your sister.”

With that sudden knowledge, my reservations melted away with the tension in my shoulders, and I silenced my inner critic. Who cares if my thighs aren’t svelte? I wasn’t lying on that massage table to impress anyone: I was there to connect to my deeper self, and in doing so, I felt the thread of energy that binds us each to each other active and strong, reminding me of the common bond I share with all women.

An hour and a half later when I stood groggily from the massage table, the masseuse smiled at me, an expression of joy and warmth. I drove home in a bubble of bliss and made a decision: this was not my last massage, and if my sister was willing to use her skill to bring me joy, I would try to follow her example and attempt to spread joy through my work and day to day existence (and I’d get another massage as soon as I could afford it!)

I have found that the best way to spread joy is to be joyous, keeping in mind the deep connection that binds us to each other and the earth. We are all made up of the same beautiful energy: we just don’t always recognize this. Cultivate ways to make yourself joyful, and challenge yourself to stretch your boundaries from time to time; you might be astonished at what happens!

How can you stretch your boundaries this month?

photo courtesy of shutterstock.com

The Busy Witch is published on alternate Tuesdays. Follow it via RSS or e-mail!

Previous Post

January 16, 2015

The Zen Pagan: Gods Save Us From Glorious Struggles

Next Post

January 21, 2015 Socially Responsible Magic: Why I'm Excited about BRINGING RACE TO THE TABLE

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Lakeside Hearth Adventures in Wortcunning Alone In Her Presence Arts, Crafts & Cooking Birthing Hereditary Witchcraft Book of Blackbirds Book Reviews Born-Again Witch Cauldron, Sword, Spear, & Stone Cermony and Liturgy Columns Community Dandelion Seeds Dear Jasmine Druid Thoughts Editor's Picks Everyday Pagan Family & Household Practice Family Traditions Full Frontal Magic Gateway Goddess Guest Articles Happily Heathen Health and Wellness Hearth of Hellenism Heathen Woman Hills of the Horizon History Holidays Horse Goddesses Interfaith Interviews Irish-American Witchcraft Jewish Witch Lamp & Labyrinth Letters from Midgard Literature, Media, Film, Music Loop of Brighid Love, Sex & Relationships Magic or Magick Making Light Naturalistic Traditions Nature News Outside The Circle Pantheisticon Politics Prayers, Poems, Blessings & Stories Queer Femme Mystic Queer of Swords Recipes Ritual and Practice Science and Research Seekers and Guides Seeking the Grail Socially Responsible Magic Spear of Athena Star Made Witch Syncretic Electric Technology The Blooming Staff The Busy Witch The Cartomancer The Crow's Nest The Dance of Pagan Recovery The Hearth of Hellenism The Lady's Quill The Other Side of the Hedge The Path of She The Rantin' Raven The Witches Next Door The Zen Pagan Theology, Ethics, Philosophy Tree City Witch Urban Earthwitch Wayfaring Woman Witch on Fire Wyrd Words

Select a Month January 2026 March 2025 December 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 August 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the king of Israel known for his wisdom?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Hezekiah Saul David Solomon