witch's wisdom and the blessing moon
Jul. 4th, 2023 10:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkittenYesterday was one of those days when you are so absorbed in a project, going with the flow, expressing your Awen, and don't touch a smartphone or tablet at all.
In 2023 that is truly a beautiful thing <3
The other day, I participated in a discussion on witchtok. People want rational answers, verifiable evidence for magickal operations and the world of spirit communications, etc. This certainly isn't a new conversation in the occult world, but it does get a bit redundant.
My response to this question was as follows:
"You can't be a witch or occultist without being fully comfortable embracing your unverified personal gnosis. Concerning magick and spells, the proof is in the pudding. It doesn't really matter how or why it works."
Someone accused me of being a gatekeeper, because how can babywitches (the new term for fluffy bunnies) know what to do if nobody is explaining it step by step online? How are they supposed to believe if nobody can prove consistent results?
Umm, how about practice and keep a journal??
Experiment with different methods and belief systems.
Find a legitimate coven, grove, or magical order, rather than taking advice from strangers on the internet who charge $200 to learn moon spells :/
The amount of handholding these people require is seriously funny to me. My friend had a Silver Ravenwolf book that she let me borrow on a Friday. The next week was a full moon, and we did our self-dedication ritual in her backyard. Her boyfriend Jay had an old copy of Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson, and we thought we were real witches then LOL at some point we decided to go out at midnight to do the Lord's Prayer backwards and laughed our collective asses off the entire time. We thought it was silly, until a day or two later when Cristina finally had to courage to face her abusive mother and tell her no, she would not be attending church that Sunday. To her surprise, they locked eyes and for the first time, her mother didn't strike back.
I've communicated with spirits and had psychic visions, but I've also accepted that it isn't something I can always control or command. My Chicago coven held a Samhain ritual in which a covenmate's dead ancestor showed up to tell the story of her murder, which was later then verified via research. I've used witchcraft to win an UI case against one of the largest companies in the world. And I may or may not have done some love spells over the years, with very, ah, interesting results.
Magick happens, and sometimes it bites you in the ass.
Have these kids not seen Pumpkinhead?!
I'm not saying people shouldn't question things, believe in science, or read academic studies. We always want to know the why, and there's nothing wrong with that. And yes, obviously different socioeconomic factors or experiences of trauma are going to affect your ability to manifest certain big things or trust in yourself. You will have to work in baby steps. You will have to decide that you want to heal and that you are worthy of more. It may take time to get there, but it all starts in the mind.
At some point, I think one must choose-do I want to live a magical life, yes or no??
If the answer is yes, accept that the majority of your path is going to be your UPG and not "historically accurate" paganism, because we will ever know what our ancestors fully believed or practiced.
If the answer is yes, it doesn't matter where you are at in life. Start there.
If the answer is yes, accept that fact that your life is not going to be "normal" and quit trying to gain acceptance from others.
If the answer is yes, embrace the new gods alongside the old. Or none at all. Pop culture magick is fun!
If the answer is yes, quit worrying about trying to prove that something is or isn't real.
If the answer is yes, quit skipping sabbat and esbat rituals.
If the answer is yes, get off social media and meditate, touch grass, practice your circle casting and energy exercises.
Where attention goes, energy flows. Make your own magick.
In 2023 that is truly a beautiful thing <3
The other day, I participated in a discussion on witchtok. People want rational answers, verifiable evidence for magickal operations and the world of spirit communications, etc. This certainly isn't a new conversation in the occult world, but it does get a bit redundant.
My response to this question was as follows:
"You can't be a witch or occultist without being fully comfortable embracing your unverified personal gnosis. Concerning magick and spells, the proof is in the pudding. It doesn't really matter how or why it works."
Someone accused me of being a gatekeeper, because how can babywitches (the new term for fluffy bunnies) know what to do if nobody is explaining it step by step online? How are they supposed to believe if nobody can prove consistent results?
Umm, how about practice and keep a journal??
Experiment with different methods and belief systems.
Find a legitimate coven, grove, or magical order, rather than taking advice from strangers on the internet who charge $200 to learn moon spells :/
The amount of handholding these people require is seriously funny to me. My friend had a Silver Ravenwolf book that she let me borrow on a Friday. The next week was a full moon, and we did our self-dedication ritual in her backyard. Her boyfriend Jay had an old copy of Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson, and we thought we were real witches then LOL at some point we decided to go out at midnight to do the Lord's Prayer backwards and laughed our collective asses off the entire time. We thought it was silly, until a day or two later when Cristina finally had to courage to face her abusive mother and tell her no, she would not be attending church that Sunday. To her surprise, they locked eyes and for the first time, her mother didn't strike back.
I've communicated with spirits and had psychic visions, but I've also accepted that it isn't something I can always control or command. My Chicago coven held a Samhain ritual in which a covenmate's dead ancestor showed up to tell the story of her murder, which was later then verified via research. I've used witchcraft to win an UI case against one of the largest companies in the world. And I may or may not have done some love spells over the years, with very, ah, interesting results.
Magick happens, and sometimes it bites you in the ass.
Have these kids not seen Pumpkinhead?!
I'm not saying people shouldn't question things, believe in science, or read academic studies. We always want to know the why, and there's nothing wrong with that. And yes, obviously different socioeconomic factors or experiences of trauma are going to affect your ability to manifest certain big things or trust in yourself. You will have to work in baby steps. You will have to decide that you want to heal and that you are worthy of more. It may take time to get there, but it all starts in the mind.
At some point, I think one must choose-do I want to live a magical life, yes or no??
If the answer is yes, accept that the majority of your path is going to be your UPG and not "historically accurate" paganism, because we will ever know what our ancestors fully believed or practiced.
If the answer is yes, it doesn't matter where you are at in life. Start there.
If the answer is yes, accept that fact that your life is not going to be "normal" and quit trying to gain acceptance from others.
If the answer is yes, embrace the new gods alongside the old. Or none at all. Pop culture magick is fun!
If the answer is yes, quit worrying about trying to prove that something is or isn't real.
If the answer is yes, quit skipping sabbat and esbat rituals.
If the answer is yes, get off social media and meditate, touch grass, practice your circle casting and energy exercises.
Where attention goes, energy flows. Make your own magick.