Cleansing and consecrating sacred space

I am disabled with a severe spine disease which at times leaves me unable to move by myself for some time. Generally I can move about on my own but have had to curtail many activities that I've enjoyed all my life such as horseback riding and snowshoeing amongst others. I have four grown daughters the youngest just starting college this year.

I have a couple of questions which I hope someone can answer for me. I have read 14 books which I am told are considered to be very good amongst the mountains of them available. I will just mention a few to give an idea of what knowledge I have so far acquired. I have read Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler, The Spiral Dance and The Earth Path by Starhawk,A Circle of Stones by Erryn Rowan Laurie,Bucklands Complete Book of Withcraft, A Witches Bible by the Farrars, and A Witch Alone by Marian Green. I have gotten a great deal out of these and the rest I have read but they have left me with many questions, two of which I need answered, I feel, in order to go on. I will most likely remain solitary due to personal preference and my disability. I feel it might not be possible to due my rightful share in a group due to my disabiltiy.

Question 1: Is there a set amount of time I should continue book reading and studying before I can start to do small things such as asking for help with things I don't understand as well;and creating,cleansing, and consecrating sacred space and tools?

Question 2: I realize that some things will have to be adapted because of my disability but I am unsure what and how to adapt. Like in cleansing and consecrating sacred space. All the books say that you need to throughly scrub the whole room where you will be creating your space. Okay, I can do some, like windows and vacuuming(maybe) but can not do the ceiling and walls as suggested. If I did that I would be laid up for some time. How can I get around this and still have it all be okay?

I am not just skimming these books I have been studying them and continually going back and re-reading things I don't get so easy until I do. I have never been in a rush to do anything in life for the most part. I have always been more concerned with getting something right over getting it done quick. I really feel I am ready for more than just studying now although I will continue of course to study and learn always. It's just a part of who I am to study, I have all my life.

I would greatly appreciate any and all thoughts on this matter as well as suggestions to more worthy reads. I have read most of what I have and will be wanting to order soon.

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What Do You Wish You Hadn't Read?

As inspired by the "What are you not reading" thread.

That thread is all well and good when you have advance notice of a book's awfulness. But what if you were halfway through before its awfulness became apparent?
... you were required to read it for work or school?
... you were lured by a deceptive cover or description?
... you read it to see if it really was that awful?
... you were deeply, horribly let down by the ending?

This is the thread for you.

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Why Do Some Gods Recieve More Attention?

In the pagan community today it’s easy to notice a trend in what deities are most often chosen for worship, here on the Cauldron Apollo appears to have a surprising number of us wrapped around his finger. His twin, Artemis, and her Roman equal, Diana, are also very popular having an entire group formed around what they represent. But they aren’t alone; Hecate, Athena, Brigid, The Morrigan, and many others have found popularity with today’s pagan population.

My question is why them? Of course all of them are great, but why are they singled out to be worshipped? Is there something about them that draws people to them or are they just more active about requiting followers?

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Advice on using the Tarot

Recently I got rid of a deck of Tarot cards that didn't work well with me at all. They were cheap and were part of a gift that someone gave me in a "learn Tarot!" kit. I loved that someone bought it for me, but that deck never gave me clear or even discernible answers, even though I'd had it for three or four years.

My question is, was it that the deck and I didn't work well together, or that Tarot's just not my thing? I already use the I Ching, which I love because it gives me clear, concise answers constantly. I am interested in Tarot; I just don't know if it works with me or if it was just the deck used.

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Help with Charging Stones and Crystals

I know there are tons of resources on the net about this and I have started to look at some, but as with many things the sheer amount available of information can be very over whelming.

Can anyone please give me some good advice on where to find good reliable information on how this is done? Or if you would like/ wouldn't mind sharing some of your own experiences that would be great too. I am really trying to learn more about communicating/understanding stones more, especially since I have started to become interested in and started to learn more about Lithomancy.

Please, any advice/help/comment would be appreciated.

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Experiences with When Someone You Love is Wiccan?

I recently bought this book from the Bristol Renn Faire, and I've read several positive reviews of it, including the one on this site, but I was wondering if anyone had any stories of personal experience with using it? Like if it helped you teach others, and how people you lent it to responded to it.

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Psychedelics and the Astral?

What are people's thoughts on using psychedelic drugs as way into "astral" planes or divine experiences? There are tons of religions/cults that have used hallucinogenic plants for ages. Is this true divinity? And what about, for example, LSD, which is not "natural" but made entirely in a lab? What about people who practically worship these substances as the way to truth and god?

I have mixed feelings about using psychedelics for spiritual purposes. For me, it seems like a cop out or short cut... and therefore would not be as rewarding as the real thing. Also, the matter of choice. You take a drug... and there's no options. Not options like what your trip will be like, but option as to whether or not you trip at all. If at any point you want to *stop* and come back to reality, essentially you can't! That bothers me a lot. People can do what they wish to. I'm sure psychedelic experience is a powerful thing, and I believe they take you into astral planes, but it is no substitute for for producing the same reaction within yourself on your own.

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Animism and Fluffiness

Animism in some form or another has been around in various cultures for thousands of years right? The reason I ask is I got up my nerve to post an answer on this mailing list. Stupid, I know, and it was an animist response, and one of them basically equated animism with fluffy bunny territory.

So my question is, animism isn't necessarily a fluffy bunny category, is it? Not in my humble opinion. But I want to know you people's.

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Uses for Dried Rose Petals?

Can anyone think of any? I've got a ton of them.

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Weirdest Personal Beliefs?

So, what's the weirdest thing you've ever believed? Maybe even random passing thoughts that just won't go away? As a child, as an adult, during your fluffiest fluffy stage?

For me, I've got two. One was that if I ever ate a watermelon seed, I'd wake up one morning with a vine coming out my throat. (tomato seeds, cuke seeds .. those never bothered me. just watermelon.)

And the weirdest reoccurring thought was that if someone ever did an exorcism on me, the *me* that y'all know would get kicked out and some poor sap who's body I stole would wake up and be VERY confused/disturbed. Felt kinda sorry for her.

What's your mental malfunction?

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