This week has been filled with work on my personal path. I've renamed it Pathway of the Gods (on the suggestion of someone on Covenspace.com; I was clear out of ideas) because Walking With the Gods is just...not poetic at all. I've done a lot of work on the actual *path* part of it. Designing and working the bugs out of curricula, deciding on appropriate coursework, and actually *doing* the coursework myself. On top of that, I've written the Dedication and Initiation (both forming a two-part Initiation Rite that I am planning to do myself on Samhain.) This was a challenge because, it had to be significant not only to myself, but to any seekers that might come my way (I'm not taking on any students until I've done all of the coursework myself, though, and maybe more). I wanted the ritual to be as "standard" as possible while still allowing for personal elements to be added in that would make it meaningful to everyone.

On top of all of this, I've been slowly separating the actual Pathwork from the things I've written in my blog so far. Basically this involves keeping separate in my head "Pathwork and Coursework" from "essays written by someone on the path". I haven't removed anything from my blog yet; there are a few things I'm thinking of adapting to pathwork but I don't think I'll actually remove anything that's already there.

I've been getting a lot of help on all of this from Mari, who is an elder priestess of the Gwyddonic Order and the founder of the College of the Blue Butterfly. I've actually been giving a lot of thought to joining the Gwyddonic Order myself as their beliefs very closely match mine (to the point that it's downright scary.) I've decided that I really need to get my Pathwork done before I consider doing work on any other path; it may well be that I *never* end up becoming a Gwiddon; or it may be that in a few years, I've devoted myself entirely to that path. Only time will tell.

I went shopping today and before I went, I asked that I might find a robe suitable for ritual use. I should have been more specific; I had envisioned a dark blue, or purple, or green or even black robe, plain, and open up the front (to be tied). Or at least a solid dark color. What I *got* was a handmade and used (so slightly stained), WHITE robe with embroidered pink and purple flowers!! It's nothing like what I wanted, but it's perfect. Damnit, the Gods have a sense of humor! Could this be payback for my crack about the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Love Bug? (long story, don't ask LOL)

On a more mundane note, I'm still jobless. Turns out Dave really DID only want a subcontractor. No fault of mine, just a misunderstanding. I can't do that job obviously, unless I have a shop to work in, which I don't. I did get ahold of William Poust, who is a blacksmith in the area. He doesn't have anything for me either, but he seemed really cool, and he said he'd keep and eye and an ear out for me. If I don't get any leads this week, I'm going to start looking into different jobs, saving up money and trying hard to get a shop set up. This is not going as planned! I only hope that I don't forget everything by the time I have a chance to start working again!! Either way, I am NOT going to work at one of the busier locations in town. I really do enjoy working with people; but only in small doses. I can't handle another experience like this past winter.