I think that Witches have the least difficulty with standard mental resolutions than any other type.  We seem to have a natural love of the written word or at least of history and theatre, both of which are conveyed through text.  Most Witches I know have personal libraries ranging from the “just started collecting” to “time to buy another bookshelf”.  Witches love to learn things.  We love gathering knowledge the way squirrels love gathering nuts — it’s half joy and half natural instinct.

So I’d like to challenge you a bit to some different kinds of Mental resolutions.  These are beyond research and implementation, beyond internet surfing and blogging, beyond forums and chat rooms. 

After all, knowledge without application is little more than something to gather dust on the good old brain shelves.

1.  START A NEW, POSITIVE HABIT.  I don’t care which one, just pick one.  Pick something that will directly cause you to change your daily routine.  Pick something that you know you need to do for better health or happiness.  As you cultivate the new habit, witness your mind during the process of developing your positive trait.  There are few things more of a workout for the mind than self-control and discipline.  To develop any kind of deliberate habit requires immense self-awareness and “Now-ness”, listening within for signals of resistance and watching for opportunities to create that new life for yourself. 

2.  READ NON-FICTION BOOKS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR SPIRITUAL PATH.  You know you read plenty of brain candy lit, and you probably spend plenty of time reading about your path.  Choose something totally different yet of interest to you.  You might choose something about eco-systems or political developments or an art movement.  Learn something that makes you more well-rounded and that requires you to develop a skill or knowledge area you currently don’t posses.

3.  READ A BIOGRAPHY OR AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SOMEONE YOU ADMIRE, THEN APPLY WHAT YOU LEARN TO YOUR LIFE.  Do you have a hero?  If not, why not?  The best way to avoid reinventing the wheel is to find out how much progress someone else has already made.  Emulating the best traits of some of history’s finest can bring you great benefits and provide you an inspirational compass when the going gets tough.

4.  TAKE UP CROSSWORDS, WORD FINDS, TRIVIA, OR SUDOKU.  A boss I once had told me that he had read that people who solved the daily crossword puzzle remained mentally flexible and alert later into their senior years than those who did not.  It’s the old “use it or lose it” mentality.  Flex your mental muscles for fun and you’ll be glad you did.

5.  LEARN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE.  This goal is not for the faint of heart but it is one of the best mental exercises you can undertake.  Learning a new language takes concentration, categorization, memorization, and utilization of new information.  Studies have shown that children who grow up bilingual have a significant number more neural pathways than those who only speak one language.  You can benefit in a similar way from learning a new language.  I suppose Enochian could count, but it’s got a significantly higher danger rating than, say, French.

6.  VOLUNTEER AS A TUTOR AT YOUR LOCAL MIDDLE OR HIGH SCHOOL.  One of the best workouts for the mind is teaching someone else.  In this case, you also do a good deed.  You know all that stuff you forgot from your school age years?  Go get it back.  With all the developments and discoveries made since you were sitting at a desk, you’ll probably find that you learn a good bit, too.

7.  MAKE FRIENDS WITH A PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY THAT INTIMIDATES YOU.  Many pagans I know are pretty tech-savvy.  Some decidedly aren’t.  A great way to get up to speed with the times and make your life more interesting is to find a new gadget or computer or piece of software and learn how to use it to enhance your life.   

8.  DEVELOP A “SNOBBY”.  Yes, a Snobby.  That’s my trademark term for a “hobby engaged in by snobs” (you heard it here first!).  For example, wine-tasting, fine art, classical music, croquet, antiques.  Read Shakespeare.  Listen to opera.  Become a coffee connessieur.  Surely there is something you secretly love that the well-to-do’s do.  Find a way to make it part of your life.  You don’t have to be rich to en-rich your life.   

9.  LEARN TO BE PRESENT IN THE MOMENT.  This resolution is one of the best things you can do for yourself, your personal development, and your peace of mind.  It is also one of the most difficult, requiring the most attention, the most honest self-assessment, and the most gentle recorrection whenever you lose focus.  But developing this one ability changes you, changes the kind of magick you can work, and changes the world in which you live.  I highly recommend Eckhart Tolle’s book, The Power of Now. 

These are just a few ideas of ways to exercise that mental muscle between your ears.  A Witch’s most powerful natural tool is the mind — make sure yours is constantly growing in strength, capacity, and health.

Photo by Eddi 07 (via Flickr).