Category Archives: magic

Seeker: A witch or something else?

Jul 17

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The topic of this post is meant to bring questions to your minds.  What I am about to post here are thoughts I have regarding why I consider myself to be a witch and why I define witchcraft the way that I do.  In time I plan on having each aspect of my definition as its own series of essays which I hope in time will become a book.

So as I write these essays I have a question that I ask myself and I would like you my readers to ask yourself as well.  It is only by asking myself these questions that I am able to really define my own practice and my own philosophy.  The development of ny philosophy is the most important thing for me as I am a philosophy and anthropology major whose primary interests are Northern European cultures (Norse, Celtic, Germanic, ect) as well as the native magical religious traditions in the US (this is where anthropology comes in as occasionally anthropologists become part of those groups and can really learn their ways).  Any way the goal of these essays are to explore my thoughts and get my self and you to think about and help develop your own path.

To define a seeker:

These essays come from the eyes of a seeker.  I consider a seeker to be one who explores many different paths in order to discover the “truth”.  A true seeker knows that the truth of the universe will be different for every one as no two people can have the same perceptions of the world.  That doesn’t mean we don’t question our selves or others.  It is actually just the opposite.   As a seeker one must learn to be a skeptic.  A true skeptic is one who will give and question all facts until they have come to their own answers and decisions,  So in essence these essays are going to be written with the understanding of questioning what I say and also being willing to accept what I have to say by testing it yourself.

The primary focus of these essays will be paths that relate to witchcraft in some way as I identify as a witch.  I am not that familiar with other magical traditions.  As I study and explore more views of magic, mysticism I will add them to my topics.  For now I stick with witchcraft.  It is what I know yet do not know and what I am.  I am a witch and I am proud to call myself a witch.  I have only recently really accepted my self as a witch and have come to terms with what that means.  Now it has started to become little by little a part of my day to day life.

Defining Witchcraft:

Witchcraft is defined as many different things.  In reality the statement ask ten witches what witchcraft is get twelve different answers is not far from the truth.  In most of the supernatural forums I belong to and post in I become one of the central authorities on witchcraft.  Over time I have come to have my own rather broad definition of witchcraft.

By the nature of the craft, there is no way that there could be one united definition of witchcraft.  Through out history no two witches or two groups of witches ever practiced identically.  While many of them may have had the same tradition or same basic back ground, how each of them were taught or learned is not the same due to the very nature of perception (which is a topic to be dealt with at another time).  For this reason I decided to cover all of the definitions I have come to understand and accept as part of my development as a witch.

For the sake of this essay and all future essay’s by myself witchcraft shall be identified as:

Witchcraft:

A religious,  mystery, spiritual, philosophical, magical, and craft where by working magic and manipulating the subtle energy of the universe the practitioner is able to manifest direct changes to their reality at will.  Will here is meant as desire or force of interest.

As you have seen there are many aspects to the definition of witchcraft.  That was the simplest definition I could come up with that encompasses everything I know about witchcraft from personal experience, research, and conclusions based on the experience and research.  The following segments define what each of those sections mean.

Religion:

For many people witchcraft is essentially a religion.  The rites and rituals they do are done as an act of worship towards their deities.  The rituals they enact have highly religious over tones to them.  In many cases the religious aspects are different.  A Christian Witch who used her witchcraft to worship Jehova would have different religious overtones than a witch who practiced Asatru whose spells would be an act of worship towards the deity.

The central theme of religious witchcraft is that the spells and the craft is about an act of worship or service to their deity.  There are several well known witchcults out there.  None of them have anything in common aside from the use of witchcraft to access the mysteries and commune with the deities.  The most commonly known witchcult is Wicca (and most calling them selves Wiccan, or a member of Wicca are not actually Wiccan).  Wicca is a witchcult, and there are specific reasons it is a witchcult.  Again that will be dealt with in an other essay when I cover the religious aspects of my own witchcraft.

Other witchcults include:

  • Strega
  • Cabbot
  • Temple
  • Trinitarian
  • Dianic
  • Reclaiming
  • Feri
  • Traditional * more on this later*
  • Black Forest Clan

In the above discussion I mentioned mystery and mystery aspects of witchcraft.  That is where I add in yet another addition to my definition of witchcraft.

Mystery Tradition:

In many ways witchcraft traditions and practices are mystery traditions.  A mystery tradition is one where the practice helps you come to your own understanding of how the universe works, what deities are, and the like.  The mysteries are the central themes of these religions and are the lessons that can not be learned through a book, but must be experienced.  The temple tradition is a Mystery tradition in that regards.

Spirituality:

Witchcraft for many is a spiritual path but not necessarily a religious path.  A spiritual path is one where a person as they practice their path are trying to better themselves and become something more than they are.  It may or may not include beliefs in spirits and other realms of being.  Spirituality like witchcraft is a personal thing.  One central theme though has been becoming something more than you are right now.  This is in many ways what AA has in mind when they mention having a relationship with God as “you know him”.  They simply mean to try your hardest to find your way to become more than what you are at that moment.  Self improvment.

Philosophy:

Philosophy and magical practice are both intertwined as magic is by it’s nature a philosophical concept.  The concept however is a specific philosophy which is why they addressed as separate points.  I feel that it is the core philosophy that leads to the explanation as to what magic is and how it works.

Witchcraft is a philosophy.  In this case it is a way of looking at the universe and of reality in general.  It is a way of being able to manifest changes in your own world and your own life.  By thinking about the philosophy of witchcraft and working and acting as a witch you are in control of your reality.

Philosophies are essentially how you look at your life and the world around you.  Each witch is able to practice witchcraft due to having their own understanding of how magic works.  The essentail goal of philosophy or the study of philosophy is knowledge and truth.  One of the most famous sayings about witches is when asked about how magic works and what we “believe” is :

“Witches don’t believe.  We know”

Knowledge is a philosophy and way of gaining knowledge.  There for philosophy once again comes into play.  Philosophy does mean love of wisdom.  Knowledge and knowing how to use what you know are the keys to wisdom.  Witchcraft when used as a philosophy is a way of gaining wisdom.  It is a way of knowing and understanding the world and how you play a part in it.

Some forms of witchcraft are based directly on a specific worldview.  A person’s world view is one of the many philosophies that they will engage in their lives.  For my own practice my central worldview is based on different cultures and personal gnosis.  It is a world view simaler to that found in The Witching Way of the Hollow Hill  and Hedge Rider  with the flavors of  Hermetics as understood in the Temple and Cabot traditons as well as Wyrd and the nine worlds found in Asatru.

Magic:

Magic is how witchcraft manifests changes.  Magic is the practice and process of manipulating energy and force directing it to the universe through various means ingestion or release/use.  That is why witchcraft is a philosophy and a magical practice all in one.  Magic only works due to a person’s understanding of the nature of reality.  There are many theories and philosophies as to how magic works.  Each witch will most likely have their own understanding of their magical practice and how magic works.

For myself I have a hermetic view of magic.  I have made an earlier post about hermetics and will post more thoughts about hermetics as I continue to review and reread the Kybalion for at least the 10th time.  I am developing magical training exercises to help understand the hermetic principles and find ways of using them in my witchcraft.

Craft, skill, and practice:

For many people a craft is the same as a skill and a practice.  In this case specifically for witchcraft I would have to agree that they are essentially the same being.  In order to become good with a skill you need to practice the skill.  In order to use the skill effectively for a craft you need to practice a craft.  This it’s self is an example how Craft,skill, and practice are tied together.

There are many people out there who identify themselves as witches that have no religious or spiritual aspects to the actions.  It may be a philosophy/magical tradition for them.  In some cases the craft maybe simple family folk remedies and folk beliefs.  To some the above may be considered spells and witchcraft and others it would not be.

The craft in this case refers to how the spell is written, created, and enacted.  The spells could be food based, potions, candle, poppets, or take many other forms.  There are as many ways to cast and create an effective spell as there are witches out there.  That is why there are no specific ways of casting spells.  There are types of spells, but every witch and magician for that matter needs to find their own way of casting spells.

Identify as a witch:

As I pointed out above there are many reasons a person would be confused as to what witchcraft is.  For myself witchcraft is all of the above and maybe more.  I call myself because my beliefs are aligned with some of the above listed religious witchcraft traditions.  I also feel that my philosophy aligns well with witchcraft.  Every magical practice I have tried has been under the name of witchcraft which is yet again why I identify as a witch.

Could I call myself a magician?  I could as I work magic.  Some aspects of my practice have been influenced by sources which are in general not considered to be witchcraft such as the LBRP which I learned from the HP of the local OTO a few years ago.  The LBRP has influenced my ideas as to how to banish energy from an area, and also works when I am doing a ritual with a christian flavor (for my christian family).  That I would not consider by it’se self (meaning the LBRP) witchcraft, though many rituals used in religious or ceremonial witchcraft are based somewhat off the OTO.

Some day I may add magician onto my identification.  For now I am a witch.  I have done rituals to dedicate myself to witchcraft.  Some people say that only a witch can make another witch.  In some cases and traditions that is true.  If I am to identify myself as a member of the Temple tradition I must have done the proper rites to do so.  I am a dedicant of the Temple tradition recognized by my teacher and co-founder Chris Penczak.  In initiatory traditions in order to become a member of that tradition you must be formally made a member of the tradition.  Initiation into Traditional Wicca makes one a witch and a wiccan.

Many of my friends consider me to be a priestess.  Once again that is a label I deny.  I am training to become a priestess and hopefully one day a fully trained reverend in the Temple tradition.  As of this moment I am not a priestess nor a pastor of any sort.  I would consider myself sort of an acolyte or hand maiden.  I am able to preform rituals for myself but not for others.  I can preform a ritual with my family, but I do not feel comfortable leading strangers with ritual.  When I have gained that status I will identify as a priestess.

In the end if you identify your magical tradition as witchcraft then most likely it is witchcraft.  If you identify as a witch you are a witch (unless you wish to belong to a specific tradition).  I can not myself say you are a witch.  If you asked me if I considered your practice to be witchcraft most likely I would say that it is.  All I can do is give you my idea and understanding of witchcraft from personal experience and study.

 

 

 

 

Posted in magic, Metaphysics, Occult, Philosophy, Religion, Spirituality, Witchcraft

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Winding Way Intro-A pagan Meme

Mar 9

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I saw this meme on Angus’ blog and thought that answering this would help anyone who reads this blog.  Most of these questions will be expanded on in future blogs.

Please describe briefly your Path:

I would say I am a seeker.  A lot of my work does involve the other worlds.  I have had some influences from traditional witchcraft (by authors like Robin Artisson and Paddington) which shows the underworld tradition.  As I am a member of the Temple tradition that tradition plays a lot into my beliefs and practices.   I have also worshiped the Norse Gods.  I feel I should start that over again.  There is some influence of Germanic paganism in my religion.

I worship a 5 fold God and Goddess.  The Goddess may be Frau Holda.  I have yet to confirm that through folk tales and UPG.  I believe in fate or wyrd.  I also believe in all deities. I am a hard polytheist.  I believe all deities to be seperate individuals and not faces of one supreme being. I work heavily with Dragons in my practice.  I have been working under the Hermetic philosophy as outlined in the Kybalion.

My path is constantly twisting and turning, with some criss crossing.  I am a seeker as such my path will change and evolve as I gain wisdom.

Please describe briefly how you practice it:

I practice by holding rituals.  Lately I have been lax in my practice.  I am working on getting back into practice.  Meditation and trance work are essential practices.  When I don’t hold a ritual I typically try and do a bit of journeying through the use of Drums.

When did you first commit to your Path?

I started to explore paganism when I was 13.  My practices back then were quite odd.  I incorporated a lot of the anime I was watching at the time to my practice.  At the time I was moody and quite odd.  I was confused about a lot of things, add to that most of my information came from Teen Witch and my delusions of being those charecters in this day it makes for an entertaining story now.

When I was 18 I first learned exactly what Wicca was and how it was not what I thought it was.  I got in contact with a local coven (now disbanded) which I later found out was associated with Oath breakers.  For a while I looked at being a Hellenic pagan.  Then I just started to read any book I could find on the subject.

I was 21 when I found the Temple tradition through the books.  The next year my mother and I took a weekend workshop with Chris Penczak.  It was after working with him and having some of the most vivid experiences that I have ever had that I knew I wanted to learn more from him and seek the deeper mysteries.  Last year I was enrolled in Witchcraft 1.  I was unable to continue for personal reasons.

It was at that time that I began to remember what I had read from Artisson.  Those things have begun to become included in my path.  If I had to say I would say it’s only been the last 3 years that I have really committed to trying to follow a specific path.  One of the things about the Temple tradition is that I can add in some other practices as I learn and explore.

Why did you choose to follow a path of paganism?

At first I wanted to get out of Christianity.  I was angry at Yaweh or Jehova and thought I should explore other things.  I went through my confirmation, but it was then that I realized I did not agree with the central doctorine of my church.  I was not a trinitarian.  I had always believed in other gods and knew that I should leave the church formally and go my own way.

That was when I was 14.  During my teen years I was at church on a regular basis.  I assisted in the nursery and as a Sunday school teacher.  That church had been family.  So I had a dual faith for a while where I tried to combine Christianity and generic neo-paganism sometimes called “neo-wicca”  a term I hate with a passion.  Though I would call it extreme fluffy bunny.

Today I still believe in Jesus and Jehova.  I am learning about Jehova through a bible study at the local Kingdom Hall.  I feel it is important to understand what other Christians believe.  I consider myself pagan as I do not worship Jehova but I do honor him nor do I follow Yaweh or Allah.  I choose to be a pagan because I feel my core beliefs do not resonate with Christianity.

How is your practice different now than it was then?

I grew up.  I no longer hold the views I did then.  I no longer blindly follow rituals and practices outlined in books.  Today I basically question everything and work based on what I see as truth.  Due to my constant questioning of myself I am constantly changing or revising my views.

Is your practice different today than how you thought it would be back then?

Very much so.  I feel I have learned a lot but I know that there is so much more to learn and explore.  I have my own beliefs and I no longer follow cultural misapropriation.  I have gained wisdom.  I see clearly where I once saw only shadows and clouds.

Does your Path and core belief system differ now than how it was when you first started?

In some ways very much so.  I used to believe in one divine being that was expressed as a God and Goddess who were seen through the faces of all other deities.  That changed when I actually started to read core myths and saw just how different the Goddesses were from each other.  I did see some similarities but nothing to say they were all the same.

I now believe in one being known as The All which is an all enompassing living mind.  We live with in the mind of The All.  I believe in different planes of existence where we learn lessons until we can move to the next plane.  The highest plane is being in full union with The All.  The universe is infinite and there are myrids of reality.

I also believe that the other planes of existence are seen in the other worlds.  In this specific  reality the three worlds are one yet viewed seperate.  We are all part of one reality connected through an intricate web.  Yet we see ourselves as seperate.  This is the key to understanding fate.  I am still working on getting into my full and true self.

My concept of the soul has changed quite drastically.  I include many different philosophies in my view of the soul.  Many of them tie into the concept of Wyrd.  Though I feel there are a few components missing from Wyrd.

What is your heritage and how does this inform your Path?

It wasn’t until I read and seriously took the time to explore Asatru that I felt a need to get back to those roots.  I felt that I should explore those paths seriously.  I have read the Eddas several times and they resonate deep within my core.  I feel close to Odin as well as Niord and Nerthus.  From that point I felt that there should be some element of the religious beliefs of my blood ancestors (and quite likely my Franco-American ancestors as well) in my religion.  I quickly inserted ancestral veneration into my practice.

What are your main influences for your Path?

For books I would have to say:

  • The Kybalion
  • Aradia or the Gospel of the Witches
  • Poetic and Prose Eddas
  • Temple of witchcraft series
  • The Witching Way of the Hollow Hill
  • Sorgitzak: Old Forest Craft
  • Wicca for one (Buckland)
  • Assorted Grimms fairy tales and other folklore
  • Essential Asatru
  • Exploring the Northern Tradition

Which do you do more: practice or research?

Research.  I have to admit it.  I have more academic or book knowledge than I do actual experiences.  That changed and will continue to change as I work with the Temple tradition and other sources.

Do you feel that one is more important than the other?

No.  I feel that they are equally important.  I feel research is good for understanding cultural context and exploring new ideas.  Practice however is how we actually worship the beings in question.  It is how we actually physicalize our beliefs.

What values and ethics are important on your Path and in your practice?

The Nine Nobel Virtues.  They are guide lines to help me live a life where I feel I am being ethically responsible.  These virtues are:

      COURAGE

  • TRUTH
  • HONOR
  • FIDELITY
  • HOSPITALITY
  • DISCIPLINE
  • INDUSTRIOUSNESS
  • SELF-RELIANCE

I am working on discipline.

What sort of cycles do you feel your practice goes through?

Read, ponder, journal, test, reflect, use, nothing….repete

What is one of the greatest obstacles or struggles you have had to over come?

My mental illnesses and my developmental problems.

How do you see yourself practicing in ten years?

Public rituals and writing.

How do you incorporate your practice into your life?

Meditation and energy work.

Has walking your Path changed you as a person?

I think so.  I feel I am more free to be open to new thoughts and thus new ways of conducting my behavior.  It has also helped me understand my own behaviors.  My worldview has changed as well.

Do you consider yourself to be a priest/ess? How so?

No.  I have not been trained in the rites and rituals of my tradition to the point where I would call myself a priestess.

A witch? How so?

Yes.  I practice witchcraft.

A shaman? How so?

I do not call myself a Shaman.  There are elements of Shamanic practices in my practice.  These come from European views and not Native American or Siberian.

Which matters more: getting the vocabulary right or the actual practice of what we are trying to define?

The actual practice is important.  If there are specific terms to be used in rituals then knowing the correct vocabulary would be more important.

One of the most profound things anyone ever said to you was:

“You only fail if you stop trying” which was told to me by my fiance when ever I feel as if I have failed.

A defining moment on your Path was:

The journeys I took during the workshop with Chris Penczak.  I had started to access the mysteries but I was not yet ready to do so.  I needed to start at the beginning, which is where I am now.

Have you ever taken a “leap of faith”?

Yes.  I have and I hope to do more so soon.

Please tell us something stupid, reckless or embarrassing you did once in your practice:

I almost set my bathroom on fire with a spark that fell into an open bag of toilet paper.  It took a few moments but I fixed it.  This happened during one of my ritual bath/meditations.

What is the most frustrating thing about your Path?

I’d say trying to avoid following or taking one authors word with out question.

Have you ever been frightened?

In ritual?  Once.  I was outside and alone at dusk doing a ritual to gain power.

Can you perform ritual without a script?

Yes.  Though I use one when I am trying to invoke a being or try a new evocation that I have written.

Have you ever preformed spontaneous magick/spellcraft?

All the time.  It’s how I was able to get parking at school.  It also helped my fiance and myself in a financial situation.

What are you still exploring or experimenting with?

Everything?

What (or whom) are you the most committed to in your practice and on your Path?

The Gods who choose to listen to my worship and prayers.

Ritual tools are …

Expensive and fun.

Magickal tools are …

Enjoyable and great helpers and often the same as ritual tools

The one thing you can’t do without is:

My mind and a journal with pen/pencil

power is …

With in and everywhere

Politics and you Path are …

Hardly ever involved.  The whole separation of Church and State thing.

One thing you wish people would understand about your Path and/or practice is:

I am a witch.  I work magic.  I will do what is necessary to get what I desire or defend my loved ones.

Do you teach?

No.  I may advise and guide though.

What do you feel is the role of clergy in modern Paganism and Heathenism?

To teach and inform the community about our beliefs at large.

When the Veil (or Hedge!) is thin, how does that feel to you?

I feel hyper and I also feel jittery.  I hear a lot more things than I normally do at these points.

What entities do you work with most? (ancestors, gods, fae etc)

Ancestors Dragons and the spirits of the land.  I also worship deities.

What is your relationship with the Land?

I worked well with the spirit of this land.  She lives in an oak tree in my front yard.  I have given her hair and money.

The most important aspect of ritual is:

The reverence in which you perform the ritual.

The main purpose of ritual is:

To honor and be close to the deities or beings to which the ritual is directed.

What is the purpose of divination/dowsing (or whichever for of augury you use)?

To gain insight as to how things may come to pass.  It also gives me another way of looking at what has happened.  I use an oracle deck based on the medicine wheel.  Though I feel I may start to look back at something more European.

What was the most difficult book you ever read? (Either difficult to understand or hard to face what it said or both)

It’s actually a book I started but decided I needed to give it more attention than I could at that time.  It’s the 3 books of occult philosophy by Agrippa.  The language is odd.

The Witching Way of the Hollow Hill was difficult, but I found the Horn of Evan Wood to be much more difficult.

The book I read on Germanic Heathenry was only complicated when it came to the explanation of the calander.

What book do you recommend the most to others?

That will depend on what they are looking for.

What is you favourite podcast (if any) and favourite blog (other than your own)?

I dont know.  I have only seen a few blogs and heard one podcast

If you could impart only one last piece of wisdom or knowledge, or share one experience with the world at large, what would it be?

Trust your heart.

Is there an additional question you would like to see here?

Yes

Do you have any specific beliefs regarding the afterlife or what happens after death?

Yes, but I dont have a lot of room here to explain it.  Multiple part soul reincarnation and

Please finish this meme with a picture, image or photograph of some sort:

Posted in Hermeticism, magic, Metaphysics, Occult, Other Worlds (heven, hell, ect), Philosophy, philosophy, Psychic abilities, Sabbats, soul, Soul, Spells, spells and will working, Spirituality, Temple Tradition of Witchcraft, Witchcraft, world view, Wyrd

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