Any Other Witches?

[feranaja]

I've been noticing how quiet this forum is - anyone here consider themself a Witch? What type of Witchcraft do you practise, how long have you been at it, and so on?

feranaja

[The White Pearl]

That a good question. I had wondered why no one had posted here.

I dont really know if it matters what kind of witch craft you pratice.As long as you are doing something.But I may be wrong I often Im.

[m1thr0s]

Now how on earth can that possibly be wrong White Pearl? :confused:

I don't consider myself a witch but witchcraft intrigues me and is certainly a compliment to hermetic alchemy anyway...

and if I don't consider myself a witch it's just that my own path seems to be fairly powerfully defined along slightly different lines...

I don't know about how you both feel, but it has sort of seemed to me that contemporary movements in Wicca and whatnot have not actually been all that good for traditional witchcraft at all. It's just all so political...seems almost like the antithesis of original witchcraft...

just an outsider's point of view I guess...

m1thr0s

[feranaja]

Hi WhitePearl, good to see another poster here, lol...I agree with m1thr0s here, how can it be"wrong" if it's authentic, if you are following an inner call to investigate and study? And I also agree that the contemporary movements have, sadly, all but wrecked what was once a powerful and radical idea - within about a decade suddenly the whole thing was about who initiated you and what clique you were hanging out with - meh, thats not what it's been about for me, ever. I see my Craft as an outward expression of an integral aspect fo myself, but call it what you will - I've been called a Hedgewitch, a Kitchenwitch, a Dianic (Not true, but I do emphasize the Goddess) an eclectic (as if that was a bad thing somehow?) and much worse, lol.. but for me its the core aspects fo Withccraft that matter and not lineage or exoteric initiatic status...all that politicking is not for me.

I did start serious work on my own tradition, which takes what I think is best from both British Traditional Craft and combines it with what I love about American, feminist paganism...but that got shelved a few years ago, sadly, perhaps I will start work on it anew this year, if I can make time that is. I have some unorthodox ideas about initiation and "levels" in my work it is not a linear, hierarchical ladder of "degrees" but an inward, circular spiral of focus and mastery...


White Pearl, maybe you could start off by telling more about what you do, how you practise, and so on? If you are a beginner I envy you because those were truly some of the best days of my life - so much fun excitement and energy.I've been a student and practitioner for a while now, but I like to think I keep a Beginner's Mind, and keep on learning and rediscovering what it was that drew me to Withccraft in the first place.

What was it that draws you?

Nice to meet you...
feranaja

[YsetEternal]

As you know, I have trouble labeling myself fera. I find it too limiting and self fulfilling.

Though if I had to, I would say Im an eclectic witch that branches into CM and as of late have been leaning more toward the Luciferian side of things. Working with the darker aspects of goddess and self.

Though labels suck. I would just as soon not say anything and just do that which is in my nature as I have since childhood...

[Talkingfox]

I've been initiated in 2 schools of western European magick and am fairly well versed in a third that doesn't have an intitiatory structure. Do I consider myself a Witch per se? Actually I consider myself Talkingfox...all the rest is expressions of that fact. :)

[Dragon]

I can put one pinky toe into this at first by quoting Stevie Nicks.

when asked if she was a witch, she replied -

"No, I'm a musician, I just happen to practice witchcraft."

I agree with 'ya TFox.

~D~

[feranaja]

Ok - so most of us here who practise withcraft dont necessarily define ourselves as capitol W witch...or at least the definition/label isn't that impotant. Maybe we can get into discussing what does matter then - the practises, the path itself, how we define it, and so on?

fera

[Talkingfox]

I don't know about how you both feel, but it has sort of seemed to me that contemporary movements in Wicca and whatnot have not actually been all that good for traditional witchcraft at all. It's just all so political...seems almost like the antithesis of original witchcraft...

just an outsider's point of view I guess...

m1thr0s

I totally agree with you m1thr0s. I also think that the current rash of pop psychology drivel books that currently pass as Craft education have also been of, shall we say, debatable value. While I DO understand that the dissemination of information is a good thing, I have found that a majority of the aforementioned writings have served to do nothing but LOWER the educational standards of those who came before us by playing to the lowest common denominator. There's kind of a fast-food, Insto-Witch kind of vibe about the whole thing that I personally find more than a bit distasteful.

[feranaja]

I think what I see is the dumbing down, commercialization of the Craft on the one hand, with a reactionary but equally irritating "fundamentalist" faction arising on the other - they mystification fo what should be a highly accessible Path, by proclaiming that only certain traditions or lineages offer any true value, and that eclectics, neophytes and so on are, by definition, ignorant and inskilled.

I prefer to see a middle ground here; of course there are Mysteries and only time, study, intelligence and experience bestows wisdom - the true initiation - on any of us. But it's disturbing to see the cliquishness of certain groups, it looks to me like a major power trip. While the dumbed-down end of the bell curve here seems to attract some seriously lightweight individuals, the other end is filled with power-trippers who, as evidence by their behaviour in the world at large - have little grasp of the mysteries othr than the ability to spout off facts and quote Gardner verbatim. Shouldnt there be a middle ground somewhere? It's this polarization between fluffbunnies and WitchQueens; Crarft for the masses and craft ONLY for the worshipful followers - that seems to me to have wrecked the movement... How could this be rectified, I wonder? If anyone cared enough to address it...
fera

[Naomi]

Szandora and Stanton Lavey had a cute saying on their myspace profile to protest the Church of Satan BS..."For Member Only is a really ugly title" or something to that effect. (Stanton is is the grandson of Anton Lavey, who wrote the Satanic bible and popularized Satanism)

As far as I'm concerned those cliques arn't even real witches. They're into all of this white light left/right path which is modern bs.

Now...Laurie Cabot I like, she has a good vibe and I generally enjoyed her books even if I didn't get any real occult knowledge out of them.

I don't really pay attention to the Wiccan scene or even the less mainstream "Witch" scene because it's boring, useless and shallow for the most part. As far as I'm concerned "Wicca" is the new Christianity.

Real witches are rare and know how to sling a curse just as well as a blessing. They play with the primal forces and are humbled by what they see there. They don't get caught up in alla that wannabe valley girl type behavior.

[Talkingfox]

I dunno...I put the "power- trippers " in the lightweight catagory. Quotation doesn't always equal understanding, neh? I've found, in my experience, that those of the "Witch Queen" ilk are in general profoundly damaged and often bitter individuals that still have something to prove to the world at large. I liken them to frightened kittens that puff up to make themselves look big when threatened. Sad really. Have you noticed that the "Witch Queens" seem to attract the "fluffbunnies" like moths??

I think there IS some value in a certain amount of "lineage" in that any given group or person would then have the experience of their elders to draw from. I think it also gives newer covens a jumping off point to work from and from which to fashion works that will enhance the gestalt their own group. I certainly don't mean to say that lineage is the ONLY way...just one way to have that kind of support.....and notice that I said SUPPORT and not STATUS.

I think that the rectification comes in the walking of the path. One teaches best by example, I think. Of course that requires patience, compassion and a certain level of detachment. I also think that teaching in a formal setting has merit...but in an environment that supports each student as an individual rather than a faceless, brainless, spineless, amorphous "neophyte" construct.

IMO the mark of a really good teacher is one who has students that exceed the works of the teacher him or her self.

Those who are serious about what they do will usually find each other, while those who don't have the evening clothes to go to the Elks Club will find each other as well and form their own little funny handshake society. Most of the time I find them pretty easy to politely ignore. They can go ahead and do what they do and I can do what I do. To paraphrase a friend ..."not my gig".
Sounds callous I know...but I'm a busy lady and need to gauge where I spend my time...and I prefer to spend it with folk that I can learn some stuff from.....

[feranaja]

Excellent points TF. In my opinion the true Elders dont have to proclaim it to the rooftops or flaunt their knowledge. It's a mark of the true initiate to share knowledge and wisdom without endangering the student by going too quickly...advanced teachers dont need to be worshipped and adored, one would hope.

Something I always liked in Starhawk - and there is much I'm critical of in a highly resepctful way - is the way in which she has the group "pass the wand" periodically and NOT have one person run the whole show all the time. So much to be gained by doing this. I ran covens years ago and if the power structure is strictly hierarchical and strictly maintained there is always an uprising. I like the idea of shared leadership. I still believe there's much to be gained in Craft ritual and in developing a deeper theology over time, which in my view, is it's largest weakness. But why shouldnt the Craft develop? It's a damn shame to see something with so much potential become "the new Christianity". I wonder how many of us are solitary now not by choice, but to avoid the BS? I sure miss the finer aspects of being in a group - friendship, shared growth and the deep, stirring beauty of ritual when it really works.
fera

[The White Pearl]

Feranaja, To your question.
well I just started looking into all of this.I m not sure about some of it and alot of it is over my head.

So I read a little and study alot.

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you on this.I have a one year old and when hes not sucking the life out of me I sleep.

So of anyone wants to point me in a direction.....

[Talkingfox]

Well where do you WANT to go? What strikes your interest? By starting there the connections will come.

[Ci Celli Ddu]

Old style witchcraft is part of what I practice, though it's pretty basic stuff. I dont really consider Wicca to represent traditional witchcraft anymore than I'd consider modern druids to be druids. Im not even sure it's correct to refer to old style witchcraft as a tradition at all, as that implies a sense of consistency and order. Old style witchcraft survived in rural areas into the 20th century, and details of its magick have been recorded and documented, even in English, so I dont know why people like Gardner had to make up the whole "secrets handed down via bloodline" malarchy. I guess we have more access today to 17th/18th/19th century texts than they did in Gardners's day. Old style Witchcraft was practised mostly by single individuals as far as I can tell, so you'd have to go back to the 16th century and earlier to find witches working in covens.

[Copuldaemon]

would it make sense if i said that my feminine side is the witch?

[Ci Celli Ddu]

would it make sense if i said that my feminine side is the witch?

Makes sense to me

[cajun_girl46]

hello my name is Cajun Girl i'm from New Orleans LA..
I AM new to this .
to all have a great weekend..
your Cajun Girl:mad:

[MythMath]

Hi, Cajun Girl...

MythMath

[Kain]

Welcome Cajun Girl, good to have you with us...

Kain

[Ci Celli Ddu]

It's all down to terminology and how you define things. I'd say a lot of people today associate Witchcraft with Wicca. For me Witchcraft isn't a religion, it's just basic sympathetic magic with herbalism thrown in to boot.

[astrea]

Hi yes i consider myself to be a witch and at the moment a hedgewitch,,i have my gods and goddesses, and have interests in all kinds of magic.though from a witchcraft point of view my pathway would be wiccan.

[feranaja]

Welcome Astrea, nice to meet you..:)
feranaja

[astrea]

I use all kinds of workings for my Magic,

[Cameron]

Hi there my name is cameron, I use various magical techniques for my workings, I try to develop my own personal invoking of deities as i feel its more personal for me, and easier, though i do use text book ones as well. as a person involved in magic daily i feel it s good for me to be able to use differing sorts of workings

[Radiant Star]

I have a few books on witchcraft, does that count? ;)

Seriously, I have read a little about it but not drawn to practising it as a sole interest.

[Cameron]

I went to the Conway hall ritual last Night which was Wiccan in orientation did any one else from london and Home counties from this forum go to it

[Cameron]

the trouble i find with magic books is that they are quite often plagiarisms of each other (or so it seems) and most dont encourage people to create their own personal |magic from within using and developing their own rituals , invocations workings etc.I am a great believer in that it should come from oneself as an individual and in a group of like minded people. :D

sorry that should have read" individual AND /OR in a group of like minded people"

[m1thr0s]

I guess technically I'm a witch since I was sort of drafted into a local coven not long ago (don't mix wine and drugs people!). I don't feel any different but you never know. The funny thing is I found myself purchasing a Celestial Calender within a day or so and I keep impulsively checking moon positions, even though I have never really bothered with any of that before. Good lord, what happens next...lol

My new coven isn't really "Wiccan" but I think I am not supposed to discuss it much...it's vaguely possible I hallucinated the whole thing...

m1thr0s

[MythMath]

...it's vaguely possible I hallucinated the whole thing...

This is pretty much how I feel about my interactions here... :yes:

[Ocean]

My religious background follows a winding path on a cliff by the ocean. Raised a fundamental Christian, dabbled in ceremonial magic for a bit, then went on to Wicca for about 14 years. Then, from Wicca to Druidry to Shamanism.
Now here I am, not really into labels anymore, yet wishing there was at least one I could use to describe where I'm at.