In Wicca, we deal with many different forms of energy. These include the energy within our own bodies, energy within the land, energy we physically raise and the energy / presence of the Divine which we tap into via evokation and invokation.
In working with these energies, wiccans generally follow four main steps. The successful outcome of each step relies heavily on the witch’s own skill, and can take a lot of practice to achieve. The four steps are sensing the energy, raising the energy, manipulating the energy and focusing the energy. Some Wiccans relate these steps to the Witches Pyramid: to know; to will; to dare and to keep silent.
Sensing Energy:
Sensing energy is a very personal skill. No two witches will sense energy in exactly the same way, but there are some common threads. There are also varying degrees of sensitivity. Some witches will be constantly overwhelmed by the energy around them and have to shield it out, others will Know that is there but be unable to Feel it in any tangible way. The five “mundane” senses can be related to, and utilised with, the “sixth sense” that is the awareness of energies and patterns.
Probably the most common “sense” utilised when dealing with energy, is that of touch, of feeling the energies gathering around or within you. The next most common sense would be that of sight. Witches with “the sight” can generally see the currrents of energy they are working with. Some need to be in a light trance to See, either with their physical eyes or with their inner or third eye. Others can See energies and auras as easily as they view what others would call the mundane world.
The abilities to taste and hear most energy is rarer but still does occur. Usually these energy senses would come to the fore when dealing with magic that requires the witch eat or drink a magically charged object, or some kind of music or drumming is involved.
The sense of smell is interesting when related to energy. Some witches find that for them, certain scents will become associated with different energy sources. Usually the scent represents the energy of a particular person. When linking magically to another via the astral planes, no matter what the physical distance, a signature scent will proceed the link being made and will sometimes continue until that link is broken.
The ability to sense energy is often referred to as “becoming aware”. Many witches will have a natural awareness of energy, but as stated before, their sensing of it will manifest differently according to the individual. A good way of discerning how a witch personally perceives energy is to practice grounding and centering visualisations and meditations. How they sense the act of grounding and centering can give a clue to how they will sense energy flows and manifestations.