Thursday, December 16, 2010

When is a Witch Really a Witch?


I recently read an interesting & thought-provoking essay/poem by Juniper entitled I am Not a Real Witch.  Go ahead, read it & come back.

Juniper got me thinking. When is a witch really a witch?
  • When the words, "I am a witch" are first uttered, even if only internally?
  • When they first began to study in earnest?
  • Upon initiation in a coven/tradition?
  • Upon completion of a self-initiation ritual?
  • When the first spell is cast?
  • When the first successful spell is cast?
  • When they first began celebrating the sabbats?
  • After a complete turn of the wheel?
  • When they first have a terrifying/amazing/startling interaction with a spirit/plant/animal?
  • Some other milestone in the journey?
These are the things I started thinking about.  What say you?  When did you know you were a witch?

Wild & Bright Blessings!

~*Rhi*~
    )O(

Oh, as for my answer:  I think I was always a witch, I just hadn't the courage to tap into the source of energy.  I began exploring witchcraft when I was 11 years old, and returned a few times quietly in various ways.  I didn't fully commit until I was in my 40's.  It was then that I felt comfortable enough in who I was to challenge my family belief system.  I think there have been many stages of my witchy journey & hope there will be many more.  When did I become a Real Witch?  

The first time I became aware of & accountable for the consequences of my intentions.  When I began to consciously decide which path & direction to take.  When I learned that my thoughts & intentions have a direct result upon the world.  The power did not change at that moment, but my use of it did.

From that point, I began my growth as a witch.  It was the most amazing turning point of my life!

4 comments:

  1. What a great topic! I believe in harming none, because what you put out there will come back 3 fold. But as a witch, I don't feel we need to be like sitting ducks for negative people that want to disperse negative energy upon us. In doing my research I came to the conclusion that if someone decided to put some bad karma on me, I had the right to send it back. (you send back what they sent to you)I researched the subjects on properly mirroring back some karma sent my way. While using a mirror it took me hours to cast the spell properly. A few month later some very bad things happened to these individuals. that is when I came to terms that I truly am a with. So I would say 'When The First Spell Is Cast'

    Blessings Fiona

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  2. @Fiona: Wonderful insight! I totally agree about sending back karma. It has taken me a while to reconcile myself with the fact that mirroring back crap is not causing harm (even though harm happens) because the person who sent the original energy is simply receiving their own energy back. Some of my most successful spells have been of this type. Because of that, I am very careful to make sure my intent is clear & I'm not being vengeful when performing the spell. I usually spend considerable time focusing on the good points of the person & growing some universal love before casting.

    Bright Blessings to you! ~*Rhi*~

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  3. My answer would be similar to yours Rhi. I came from a not very devout family that was non the less firmly planted in christianity. I searched around all the different denominations and couldn't find one that I didn't feel I was playing pretend at. It eventually came to me, after years of putting together my own set of beliefs and my own way of interacting with the divine that I was, for all intents and purposes, a witch.
    I don't think that people decide to be witches, I think a lucky few awaken and realize that we are all witches.

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  4. I also agree with you Traveler. My parents did not go to church, but we were sent to Sunday school from time to time. It was a standard belief, that jesus died on the cross, and if we sinned the devil would take us etc. As an adult I decided to read the bible from beginning to end. The more I read, the more disillusioned I became of christian beliefs. It was all written by man, and they decided what books to include. Then I began to feel that reincarnation and paganism made more sense.

    Rhi, I did not plan to be vengeful when I mirrored back the spell. However I felt that by mirroring back his words, was a way of taking it off me and my family. It was some time ago, and all over a relationship that did not work out. He wanted to control me, and when I tried to distance myself from him he became angry. I could see that it was not possible to salvage a friendship with him, so it ended with hostility. He sent a box of nonessential items I left in his car, sun glasses etc. (which I did not request back) In the box was a scrawled hand written letter, informing me "I put a curse on you, your children, and your children's children" At first I thought, this is so ridicules. And then I thought, as silly as it seems, why not take it off myself and send his thoughts and feelings back to him. You see I didn't know how deeply disturbed his thoughts and feelings were, until I mirrored it back to him. When I cast the spell I included the handwritten note he sent me.

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