On Monday, I started quitting smoking and cutting down the amount of coffee I drink. What I found after just a few hours is that I shouldn’t talk to people while I am going through this process. The level at which I begin to get frustrated is so low that I actually shouldn’t be allowed to do anything at all for fear of throwing whatever it is across the room.
Not realizing this at first, I found a really interesting project to do based on archeological finds unearthed in Demeter’s sanctuary in Corinth. I’ve never seen anything like it suggested for modern pagans, though it would be a fantastic addition to a shrine, altar or home; not to mention the revival of an ancient practice. The project involves clay and working in small detail. What I intended to end up with is called a likna in Greek; what I ended up with, thanks to my lack of patience, was a large ball of mottled black clay with streaks of the other colors flowing through it.
After that incident and a few others, I decided to be quiet. Since Tuesday morning, I have not spoken unless it was necessary, I haven’t been online, I haven’t even tweeted. I have exercised, meditated, cooked, read, wrote and waited while this initial stage of withdrawal passes. I could say something deep like, “Being quiet has allowed me to hear things that have gone unnoticed” but that would be a lie. Right now, being quiet has simply stopped me from raging. 
The likna will rise again, maybe Monday or perhaps Tuesday.
