Grey School Summary :: June 2019

I've had some health issues this month, and have had trouble sitting in an upright chair (i.e. at the computer) very much, but I managed to finish a couple of assignments. I'm still having trouble with the final essay for Core Energy Practices, on my experiences of meditation and visualisation practices. I decided to start meditating every day again, in the hopes that it would inspire me, but it's been difficult to find a routine.

I'm working on 4 classes at the moment, but I'm thinking of reducing to 3 once one of them is finished. Perhaps this will help me focus better.


Classes In Progress:
✷ Core Energy Practices 102
✷ Colours of Magick
✷ Herb Use & Safety
✷ Path of the Lorekeeper


Assignments in Progress:
✷ Final Essay (Core Energy Practices 102)
✷ Skills Assessment (Path of the Lorekeeper)


Classes Completed:
✷ none


Assignments Completed:
✷ Classes to Take (Colours of Magick)
✷ Self-Assessment (Path of the Lorekeeper)
✷ Herbs in Everyday Life (Herb Use & Safety)



Credits:
✷ This month: 0 Total: 11
(24 credits are required to finish Level 1)

Grey School Summary :: May 2019

I had a slow couple of months, study-wise, and there wasn't much to report up until this month. I was working, then I had an exhibition to organise. I finally had some free time towards the second half of May though. I'm happy to report that I finished a class: Wizards Don't Whine. It's a jokey title for a class that has a very important lesson -- having a positive attitude to life and taking action can take you so much further.

Students can take up to 6 classes at a time, but I try to stick to 3 or 4 so I don't get overwhelmed. Because I finished Wizards Don't Whine, I signed up for Path of the Lorekeeper, the introductory class to the Department of Lore. I have a strong affinity for lore. I love writing, both blogging and stories, I love reading, and I work in information management by trade. I don't know yet if I'll major in Lore, but it's a possibility.

I'm still procrastinating on writing the final essay for Core Energy Practices 102. I haven't meditated for nearly 6 months, and it just feels a bit hypocritical to write an essay on how meditation has benefited me when I'm not even doing it! This class is my last compulsory class though, and I need to finish it in order to do certain other classes, so I need to get past this block. I've decided I'll start meditating every day, for a week, then perhaps I'll be in a better position to write the essay.



Classes In Progress:
✷ Core Energy Practices 102
✷ Colours of Magick
✷ Herb Use & Safety
✷ Path of the Lorekeeper (New)


Assignments in Progress:
✷ Final Essay (Core Energy Practices 102)
✷ Herbs in Everyday Life (Herb Use & Safety)
✷ Classes to Take (Colours of Magick)


Classes Completed:
✷ Wizards Don't Whine


Assignments Completed:
✷ Manifestation Painting (Wizards Don't Whine)
✷ Final Essay (Wizards Don't Whine)
✷ Personal Learning Style and Interests (Colours of Magick)



Credits:
✷ This month: 2 Total: 11
(24 credits are required to finish Level 1)

Grey School Summary :: February 2019

The first half of this month, I was 'between jobs' (I'm a contract worker so that's normal for me). I had plenty of time but little motivation to study. Well, to be honest, I watched a lot of educational/spiritual Youtube videos, but I didn't do much written study. Then I was offered a job, and suddenly I became very enthusiastic about studying again! When I had all the time in the world, I didn't feel like studying, but as soon as that was taken away, my motivation returned. Does everyone's brain work that way, or is it just me?

I have almost finished my last mandatory class, Core Energy Practices 102, so I thought I'd earned the right to sign up for another subject-specific class. I chose Herb Use & Safety. I love working with herbs, and this class is a pre-requisite for many other herbal-themed classes, so I wanted to do it early. I also decided to sign up for Colours of Magick. I wasn't going to do it, but the class focuses on the different courses of study at the Grey School of Wizardry, and I'd been having trouble deciding which course to go with, so perhaps it might give me some insight.

The other good news is that my new work is in the same building as a library. It's a specialist library that only covers certain subjects, but I've been able to find some books that will help me with my studies.


Classes In Progress:
✷ Core Energy Practices 102
✷ Wizards Don't Whine
✷ Colours of Magick (new)
✷ Herb Use & Safety (new)


Assignments in Progress:
✷ Final Essay (Core Energy Practices 102)
✷ Manifestation Painting (Wizards Don't Whine)
✷ Personal Learning Style and Interests (Colours of Magick)
✷ Herbs in Everyday Life (Herb Use & Safety)


Classes Completed:
✷ Basic Divination


Assignments Completed:
✷ The Power of Words (Wizards Don't Whine)
✷ Meditation (Core Energy Practices 102)
✷ Exploring Basic Oracles (Basic Divination)


Credits:
✷ This month: 1 Total: 9
(24 credits are required to finish Level 1)

Grey School Summary :: October 2018

I renewed my tuition with the Grey School of Wizardry on the 9th of October, so technically this wasn't a full month. I was pleasantly surprised however, to find that I was closer to finishing off some assignments than I'd remembered. I had the satisfaction of completing a whole class as well! This brought my credit count to 8. I need 24 to finish Level 1, so I have quite a long way to go, but I'm not feeling discouraged.

The next thing I want to focus on is finishing the meditation assignment for Core Energy Practices 102. I've read the lesson and it involves trying several forms of meditation over a number of weeks. I'm looking forward to trying different types in a more formal way, but also a bit nervous as I still have that little voice inside me that tells me I'm 'no good' at meditation. But I'm willing to give it a try.


Classes In Progress:
✷ Core Energy Practices 102
✷ Basic Divination
✷ Wizards Don't Whine

Assignments in Progress:
✷ Meditation (Core Energy Practices 102)
✷ Exploring Basic Oracles (Basic Divination)


Classes Completed:
✷ Online Communication


Assignments Completed:
✷ The Power of Thought (Wizards Don't Whine)
✷ Communications Essay Questions (Online Communication)
✷ Exam (Online Communication)
✷ Shielding (Core Energy Practices 102)


Credits:
✷ This month: 1 Total: 8



T.O.R.C.H. Award Progress:
✷ Classes completed: 1 of 4
✷ Forum Monthly Check-Ins: 1 of 2
✷ Forum Conversations Participated in: 0 of 1 (not for a couple of months but I hope to change that)
✷ Take initiation oath -- NOT YET

Grey School Summary :: June 2018

My last 'monthly' update was in March, so I guess this is really an April/May/June update!

I took an unintentional break from my studies for a few months. Grey School is self-paced, which is great for people with busy lives, but on the other hand with no deadlines it can be hard to find motivation to complete assignments. Work has been very busy and I've had other personal projects that I've been working on. Some of them have been spiritual, some related to art and craft. I've studied most days -- mainly watching speakers YouTube -- but not had the capacity to write much.

The last few weeks I've been feeling very motivated again. I'm not sure why. Perhaps because it's Winter here and I want to stay indoors and read/write more. Perhaps because I've had some physical injuries which have confined me to my house and desk. Perhaps because the end of my first year at Grey School of Wizardry is looming, and I'm very aware of being nowhere near finishing Level 1 yet!

In fact, today marks one year at GSW for me. I have to admit, for a while I was considering taking a break and not renewing my membership until I was feeling more motivated again. But motivation appeared just at the right time and I want to continue straight away. Here is where I'm at right now:


Classes In Progress:
✷ Core Energy Practices 102
✷ Basic Divination
✷ Wizards Don't Whine
✷ Colours of Magick

Assignments in Progress:
✷ Shielding (Core Energy Practices 102)
✷ Exploring Basic Oracles (Basic Divination)
✷ The Power of Thought (Wizards Don't Whine)

Classes Completed:
[None.]

Assignments Completed:
✷ Believing Equals Receiving (Wizards Don't Whine)
✷ Other Oracles (Basic Divination)

Credits:
✷ This month: 0 Total: 7


T.O.R.C.H. Award Progress:
✷ Classes completed: 0 of 4
✷ Forum Monthly Check-Ins: 1 of 2
✷ Forum Conversations Participated in: 1 of 1 (not for a couple of months but I hope to change that)
✷ Take initiation oath -- NOT YET

Grey School Summary :: March 2018

March a slower month for me. With the heat of Summer winding down into the hazy days of Autumn, I found myself with more free time to concentrate on my studies. I managed to complete two assignments and start two new ones. The dice divination oracle came up with some interesting results, and I learned some new things through researching cleansing techniques.

Meanwhile, I earned 8 merits for my Lodge by answering questions about my star sign, my favourite oracle deck and my daily rituals/habits, among other things.

I wrote a few months ago about completing the T.O.R.C.H. Award (Level 1). Ideally it should be completed over the course of once semester (semesters are 6 months running from equinox to equinox at Grey School). I thought about whether to rush and try to complete it by the Autumn equinox. I still had to complete one class -- consisting of 3 assignments -- to be eligible for the award. I didn't think it was feasible to do that in three weeks, and give it the proper attention it deserved, so I decided to let it go and re-try for the award next semester. To that end, the goals at the bottom of this post have been re-set.


Classes In Progress:
✷ Core Energy Practices 102
✷ Basic Divination

Assignments in Progress:
✷ Shielding (Core Energy Practices 102)
✷ Exploring Other Basic Oracles (Basic Divination)

Classes Completed:
[None.]

Assignments Completed:
✷ Cleansing Self and Space (Core Energy Practices 102)
✷ Daily Oracle of Choice (Basic Divination)

Credits:
✷ This month: 0 Total: 7


T.O.R.C.H. Award Progress:
✷ Classes completed: 0 of 4
✷ Forum Monthly Check-Ins: 0 of 2
✷ Forum Conversations Participated in: 1 of 1 (several, actually!)
✷ Take initiation oath -- NOT YET

Grey School Summary :: February 2018

Things were 'back to normal' this month, in that I barely had any time to work on my studies! In fact, I did work diligently on them, but I have very little to show for it so far. I started the class Eternity's Gamble: Basic Divination and am working on the first assignment, which is to keep a daily oracle of my choice for a week and document the results. Perhaps I'll write a blog post about it if it turns out to be interesting enough.

On the other hand, I did quite well in the monthly challenges, earning 10 merits towards the semi-annual House Cup awards.


Classes Completed:
[None.]

Assignments Completed:
[None.]


Classes In Progress:
✷ Core Energy Practices 102
✷ Basic Divination

Credits:
✷ This month: 0 Total: 7


T.O.R.C.H. Award Progress:
✷ Classes completed: 3 of 4
✷ Forum Monthly Check-Ins: 1 of 2
✷ Forum Conversations Participated in: 1 of 1 (several, actually!)

Grey School Summary :: December 2017 - January 2018

I had 3 weeks of holidays over Summer, but strangely didn't do any study during that time. I had plenty of time, but just couldn't get into the right mindset for it. It wasn't until I went back to work in the new year that I've been enthusiastic about studying again. I guess that's just the way my brain works!

I finished off my final essay for Core Energy Practices 101, discussing my experiences with the class. I'm amazed to find that I've gone from being someone who "just can't meditate", to looking forward to meditating every week!

I enrolled in Core Energy Practices 102, which covers cleansing and shielding. I've started the written component of the first assignment, but, being very busy right now, I won't be able to do the practical activity for a few weeks. I'd like to get further into this class before I enrol in any more, but that doesn't stop me from perusing the class list, trying to decide which one to do next. There are so many!


Classes Completed:
✷ Core Energy Practices 101
✷ Magickal Ettiquette

Assignments Completed:
✷ Final Essay: Your Experiences (Core Energy Practices 101)


Classes In Progress:
✷ Core Energy Practices 102

Credits:
✷ This month: 3 Total: 7


T.O.R.C.H. Award Progress:
✷ Classes completed: 3 of 4
✷ Forum Monthly Check-Ins: 1 of 2
✷ Forum Conversations Participated in: 1 of 1 (more than 1!)

Grey School Summary :: November 2017

I skipped the October summary because, to be honest, I didn't do anything towards my schoolwork that month. I did have time for a few things in November. I'm pleased to say that I completed Wizardry 100 with 100% on the final test. I made progress on Core Energy Practices 101 and enrolled in Core Energy Practices 102. Once I've finished these, I'll be able to start the elective classes, which I'm really looking forward to.

I didn't participate much in the forums or any challenges this month because I've been sick the last few weeks. Hopefully I can start fresh in December. I'll have plenty of time at the end of the month as I have some time off work at Christmas/Yule (or Midsummer/Litha as it is here in the Southern Hemisphere). I might even be able to join in some of the club meetings on the virtual campus on Second Life, if I can get my laptop configured a bit better.


Classes Completed:
✷ Wizardry 100: Becoming an Apprentice

Classes In Progress:
✷ Core Energy Practices 101
✷ Core Energy Practices 102

Assignments Finished:
✷ Exploring your Magickal Senses (Core Energy Practices 101)

Credits:
✷ This month: 2 Total: 4

Merits Earned:
✷ Academic: 2
✷ Non-Academic: 2

Grey School Summary :: September 2017

Unfortunately I didn't make much progress this month. At the start of the month I finished one assignment for each of the two classes I'm enrolled in, but then my mundane life got in the way. (Or not so mundane, as the case may be!) During the month I applied for and was accepted to exhibit in an art gallery. I am creating 5 new pieces for the exhibition, so much of my focus has been on that. I'll write more about it soon in my official announcement post.

I have to admit, too, that knowing our Lodge is coming dead last in the House Cup stakes was a bit de-motivating when it came to earning extra merits. No matter how many challenges I participated in, we weren't going to win, so I decided to conserve my energies and wait until the new term to re-double my efforts.

I managed to make some progress with meditating this month, however. After I finished the grounding meditation assignment, I decided to continue with the practice, meditating 1 - 2 times a week. It's been difficult to find somewhere quiet to practice, but I'm not letting that discourage me. I've been enjoying using the Insight Timer app.

Some non-school-related things have come my way this month as well. I decided to become a Rune Soup premium member. Since I discovered this blog at the start of this year, I've dedicated myself to reading the archive of posts -- which I estimate to be over 750 posts! While the more recent posts are mostly announcements of podcast releases and interviews, many of the older ones are blindingly enlightening. Speaking of the podcast, I've been catching up on that as well -- it consists of almost 100 episodes. I'm at the stage now where I'm more than convinced that I like what this guy has to say, so I decided to give him some money. I've been spending my lunchtimes listening to the podcast while I walk in the park, and reading a blog post or two on the train on the way home. Gordon fills my days.


Classes In Progress:
✷ Core Energy Practices 101
✷ Wizardry 100: Becoming an Apprentice

Assignments Finished:
✷ Grounding Exercises (Core Energy Practices 101)
✷ Magickal Name Essay (Wizardry 100)

Credits:
✷ This month: 0 Total: 2

Merits Earned:
✷ Non-Academic: 1

Grey School Summary :: August 2017

Unfortunately not much happened this month as I've been sick with a virus. I'm pretty sure I also suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). So this month's summary isn't a very eventful one.

My copy of Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard arrived in the mail early in the month. It's overwhelmingly jam-packed with information, as befits a textbook that covers such a wide range of topics. I'm tempted to read the whole book at once, but I've restricted myself to only reading the introduction and the sections relevant to my classes so far.

Class-wise, I've nearly finished the last assignment for Wizardry 100, choosing my magical name. Then there's only the exam to go. For most of the month, I was too sick to work on my Core Energy Practices assignment -- I just couldn't concentrate on the meditation. This week I've been feeling a little better and have made a renewed effort to work on it.

End of semester is coming up soon (the semesters run from equinox to equinox) and the House Cup is awarded at the end of each semester. My house is coming last so I made an effort to participate in as many challenges this month and earn as many merits as I could. Challenges involved divination, a practical activity or creative endeavour. Some of them might appear as blog posts soon.

Classes In Progress:
✷ Core Energy Practices 101: Centring, Grounding and the Senses
✷ Wizardry 100: Becoming an Apprentice

Credits:
✷ This month: 0 Total: 2

Merits Earned:
✷ Non-Academic: 6

Grey School Summary :: July 2017

Today marks the end of my first month as a student of the Grey School of Wizardry! Unfortunately, work on most of my classes has ground to a halt because I haven't yet been able to obtain a copy of the required textbook, Grimoire for the Apprenctice Wizard. It's been a bit of a saga! It's on the way now though, and hopefully it should arrive this week. Meanwhile, I've been keeping myself busy by participating in non-academic challenges to earn merit points for my Lodge. Merits can be earned for activities such as book reviews, writing about various aspects of magick, craft projects, etc. At the end of the year the Lodge with the most merit points wins the House Cup, so I really want to earn as many as I can!

I've still been working on the class that doesn't require the textbook: Core Energy Practices 101, but that's also been slow going because I'm not used to meditation, working with energy, etc. I have done the exercises several times, but I'm hesitant to write them up because I'm not confident that I'm "doing it right." Already, I'm finding the School challenging in more ways than I'd anticipated! But that's a good thing.


Classes Completed:
✷ Technomagick 101: Internet Safety
✷ Writing and Citing: How not to Plagiarise

Classes In Progress:
✷ Core Energy Practices 101: Centring, Grounding and the Senses
✷ Wizardry 100: Becoming an Apprentice

Credits:
✷ This month: 2 Total: 2

Merits Earned:
✷ Academic: 2
✷ Non-Academic: 7