A Witch Is ...

~Author Unknown

a healer
a walker between the worlds
... a weaver
a shaman
a wise one

Witches weave all these thread together. Witchcraft gives you a frame of reference to experience the world by being open to all possibilities. He or she borrows from many cultures and is encouraged to find the path that works for him/her, the individual.

A witch is also ...

a therapist
a priest or priestess
a herbalist
an environmentalist
a mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, friend
a counselor
a researcher
a writer
a psychic
a teacher

Nothing is prevented or forbidden. The path of the witch is the path of knowledge and wisdom. It changes and adapts as new information is discovered. Witchcraft is a LIVING religion.

Kitchen Witch

Every Fall I turn into a Kitchen Witch.  There's something about the change of seasons that brings me to the hearth.

This is also the time I bring the last blooms of the season to my kitchen altar.  Very little about my altar screams witch, but it is my place of celebrating & honoring the bounty in my life.

My kitchen altar sits on a shelf hovering over my medicine-making table.  During medicine-making times I remove the mortar & pestle & place a Moon Goddess as the center piece, add incense & a lit candle.  In the plate she holds, I can place a bit of medicinal herb as a representation of what is to be blessed. 

 

In her place of honor, she transforms a simple shelf into a full-blown witch's celebration!

Goddess presides over & blesses the medicine for my family, my friends & Mountain Gypsy Herbs stock.  When not in her place of glory at the center of the altar, she sits in the medicine cabinet watching over a variety of herbs & remedies. 

As a hidden witch, I need to get pretty creative in how I honor deity, I really haven't had many statues up until now.  But...she called my name, so I brought her home. 

Recently, I stumbled upon Confession of a Kitchen Witch's Kitchen Altar e-course.  If you're new to creating a kitchen altar, it is a lovely start.

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

The Iroquois Thanksgiving Address

Greetings to the Natural World.
The People

Today we have gathered ans we see that the cycles of life continue.  We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things.  So now, we bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as people.

Now our minds are one.

The Earth Mother

We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she continues to care for us as she has from the beginning of time. To our mother, we send greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Waters

We give thanks to all the waters of the world for quenching our thirst and providing us with strength. Water is life. We know its power in many forms-waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the spirit of Water.

Now our minds are one.

The Fish

We turn our minds to the all the Fish life in the water. They were instructed to cleanse and purify the water. They also give themselves to us as food. We are grateful that we can still find pure water. So, we turn now to the Fish and send our greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Plants

Now we turn toward the vast fields of Plant life. As far as the eye can see, the Plants grow, working many wonders. They sustain many life forms. With our minds gathered together, we give thanks and look forward to seeing Plant life for many generations to come.

Now our minds are one.

The Food Plants

With one mind, we turn to honor and thank all the Food Plants we harvest from the garden. Since the beginning of time, the grains, vegetables, beans and berries have helped the people survive. Many other living things draw strength from them too. We gather all the Plant Foods together as one and send them a greeting of thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Medicine Herbs

Now we turn to all the Medicine herbs of the world. From the beginning they were instructed to take away sickness. They are always waiting and ready to heal us. We are happy there are still among us those special few who remember how to use these plants for healing. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the Medicines and to the keepers of the Medicines.

Now our minds are one.

The Animals

We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to all the Animal life in the world. They have many things to teach us as people. We are honored by them when they give up their lives so we may use their bodies as food for our people. We see them near our homes and in the deep forests. We are glad they are still here and we hope that it will always be so.

Now our minds are one.

The Trees

We now turn our thoughts to the Trees. The Earth has many families of Trees who have their own instructions and uses. Some provide us with shelter and shade, others with fruit, beauty and other useful things. Many people of the world use a Tree as a symbol of peace and strength. With one mind, we greet and thank the Tree life.

Now our minds are one.

The Birds

We put our minds together as one and thank all the Birds who move and fly about over our heads. The Creator gave them beautiful songs. Each day they remind us to enjoy and appreciate life. The Eagle was chosen to be their leader. To all the Birds-from the smallest to the largest-we send our joyful greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Four Winds

We are all thankful to the powers we know as the Four Winds. We hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and purify the air we breathe. They help us to bring the change of seasons. From the four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving us strength. With one mind, we send our greetings and thanks to the Four Winds.

Now our minds are one.

The Thunderers

Now we turn to the west where our grandfathers, the Thunder Beings, live. With lightning and thundering voices, they bring with them the water that renews life. We are thankful that they keep those evil things made by Okwiseres underground. We bring our minds together as one to send greetings and thanks to our Grandfathers, the Thunderers.

Now our minds are one.

The Sun

We now send greetings and thanks to our eldest Brother, the Sun. Each day without fail he travels the sky from east to west, bringing the light of a new day. He is the source of all the fires of life. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Brother, the Sun.

Now our minds are one.

Grandmother Moon

We put our minds together to give thanks to our oldest Grandmother, the Moon, who lights the night-time sky. She is the leader of woman all over the world, and she governs the movement of the ocean tides. By her changing face we measure time, and it is the Moon who watches over the arrival of children here on Earth. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Grandmother, the Moon.

Now our minds are one.

The Stars

We give thanks to the Stars who are spread across the sky like jewelry. We see them in the night, helping the Moon to light the darkness and bringing dew to the gardens and growing things. When we travel at night, they guide us home. With our minds gathered together as one, we send greetings and thanks to the Stars.

Now our minds are one.

The Enlightened Teachers

We gather our minds to greet and thank the enlightened Teachers who have come to help throughout the ages. When we forget how to live in harmony, they remind us of the way we were instructed to live as people. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to these caring teachers.

Now our minds are one.

The Creator

Now we turn our thoughts to the creator, or Great Spirit, and send greetings and thanks for all the gifts of Creation. Everything we need to live a good life is here on this Mother Earth. For all the love that is still around us, we gather our minds together as one and send our choicest words of greetings and thanks to the Creator.

Now our minds are one.

Closing Words

We have now arrived at the place where we end our words. Of all the things we have named, it was not our intention to leave anything out. If something was forgotten, we leave it to each individual to send such greetings and thanks in their own way.

To Listen

Listening is a special kind of magic.  It is a blessing we bestow.  A communication of respect.

Everyone wants to be heard.  We are social beings who long for connection with each other.  In today’s hurried world, filled with distractions, being a good listener can be a rare & important skill.  By listening well, we offer others the gift of being truly heard.

Are you a good listener?

Assess your listening skills by thinking about how often each statement below is true for you:

I make regular eye contact with the speaker

I ask questions for clarification

I show concern by acknowledging feelings

I seek first to understand, then to be understood

I respond non-verbally, with a smile, nod, frown, or touch if appropriate

I don’t change the subject without warning

I interrupt often

I jump to conclusions

I finish other people’s sentences

I find my mind wandering or am easily distracted during conversation

I respond to the beeps & buzzes of my cellular phone while listening

I am parental & answer with advice

I make up my mind before the other person is finished speaking

I don’t give any response

I lose my temper        

I think about my reply while the other person is speaking

By now, you should have a pretty good idea of how to improve your listening skills if they are lacking.

Listening is a skill, like any other that can be mastered through practice.  If you are not a good listener today, you can be a better listener in moments by following four simple guidelines:

The Four Basic Rules of Active Listening

1. Seek to understand before you seek to be understood

2. Suspend judgment

3. Focus your full attention on the speaker

4. Allow for silence

If you continue to struggle with effective listening, try this:

• Catch yourself in the act – recognizing your unwanted behavior is the first step towards correction
• Stop yourself! – As soon as you recognize a poor listening habit has appeared, stop yourself, acknowledge the error & apologize “I just interrupted you, I’m sorry” or “I drifted off there for a moment, sorry, could you please say that again?”
• Replace an old habit with a new habit – Focus on one method of improving your listening & work to include that skill into every conversation
• Cut yourself some slack – No one is perfect, self-improvement is a life-long project.  As you find yourself sliding back into an old habit, just start over without condemning yourself

The Chinese symbol “To Listen” has deep meaning.  This lovely symbol explains the difference between simply hearing and truly listening. By integrating representations of not only our ears but of our eyes, our heart, and the selfless act of undivided attention, the Chinese have truly captured the essence of listening. By doing this we show respect and value for the other and leave ourselves open to understanding a larger truth. 

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

Moving to Facebook for now

Well, magical friends, I'm officially overwhelmed with

• School
• Work
• Starting an herbal business
• Friends
• Family
• Home
• Drumming
• Dogs
• Cooking
• Blogging

So, for the time being, I'm moving HiddenWitch to Facebook.


This way, I can quickly post fabulousness without the depth required of a blog. I'm leaving HiddenWitch up & will continue to post occasionally in this format, when I'm feeling long-winded, but for now, you can follow me by "Liking" HiddenWitch on Facebook.

Or, by "friend-ing" Rhi HiddenWitch on Facebook.

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

Florida Water

Ok, I'll admit it - I despise Florida Water.

It reminds me of a brothel.

 

Unfortunately, last year I caved into witch-peer-pressure (really, what was I thinking??) & bought a bottle.  I have never used a drop.  It just disgusts me & takes me totally out of my nature-witch mindset.

Being a conservation-minded gal, I still couldn't stand to throw it away...but no one wanted it.  What's a witch to do?

Today , being October 1st, my Fall Cleaning Fever hit hard & I knew it was time to discard the whore-house perfume that has aggravated me for a year.  So I made a decision & sprinkled the stuff around our property as protection & cleansing water (I hope the plants don't mind!!! Oh MY GODDESS, I didn't think about offending them!!!).

Only one problem:

I ended up sprinkling my feet & now I smell like...

 

well, you get the point...

Headed to the shower now.

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

The Edges

Witches are walkers between worlds, communicators with spirit, manipulators of energy that exists in multiple dimensions. We employ many techniques & tools in our work. The best tool, for me, is edges.

I do my best magic at the edges. The symbolism of edges opens a portal in my mind.

Some of my favorite physical edges are:

Shorelines
Hedgerows (including the forest edge)
Mountain tops
Horizon lines
Doorways
Windows
Garden borders

Other edges are powerful as well...

Some of the most powerful edges are lunar & astrological. The edges of the lunar month are, often, a witch's favorite times. We are famous for our Full Moon antics! The most fun is Full Moon at midnight...quite an edge there (even though our ancestors often measured their days by moon & sun rise, not our clock).

Are you working with edges in your practice? They are great places & times to do witch-work.

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

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Stirrings of Fall

It is still in the 90's here in Central Florida, but the stirrings of Fall have begun.

Today, the sun is shadowed by dark, rain clouds. Many around me are complaining. I celebrate!

The season of the witch is drawing near!

Fall brings to me the signs of abundance, along with the caution that abundance must be appreciated. Stewardship is important in the Fall. Historically, root cellars were filled & abundance was preserved in the Fall to sustain the community through the Winter.

It is tempting, in today's big-box grocery world to forget Fall's chores. We can bop down to the store & grab fruit & veggies from Equador, Mexico, wherever.

There its great benefit to returning to the old ways. By preserving today's fresh harvest, we preserve the vital nutrients in these live foods. Did you know that once a crop is picked it immediately begins to degrade, losing nutrients?

Before I began practicing witchcraft I never thought about seasons (in Florida we don't really have real seasons like the rest of the U.S.). I never really thought about eating seasonally or preserving abundance.

Fall has now become a time of preparation.

And CELEBRATION!

As I bring apples, acorns, berries, squash onto my altar for blessing, I am reminded of my connection to the earth. As I preserve (usually in the freezer out of sheer laziness & busyness) I am reminded of the work required by or ancestors to simply survive.

These actions prepare me for honoring activities in upcoming sabbats.

Oh, & it is almost time for bonfires! Woohoo!

Happy Mabon my fellow witchy friends! Fall is coming!!!

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

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Oil of Earthworms!

I just discovered a wonderful video series called the Victorian Pharmacy.  One of the ancient recipes they offer is Oil of Earthworms. 

Ewwwwww!  Gross!

Other than that yicky recipe, it is a wonderful series full of beauty, herbal lore & the promotion of natural remedies from our ancestors.

I invite you to watch The Victorian Pharmacy



There are 4 episodes on youtube. Enjoy!!!


Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

Mugwort Smudge

It is way past time to harvest the mugwort! Much of mine has gone to flower & unless I want a whole yard full of this lovely friend I need to gather mugwort bunches.

Because there was so much, I decided to create smudge sticks.

The bundles are bound & blessed & drying. My whole house smells of this dreamy herb today...how lovely!

Wild & Bright Blessings,

Rhi

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Wordless Wednesday

Oh Dear Goddess, Make Me a Better Witch...

After my rant yesterday & in the name of becoming a more critical-thinking witch, I thought it best to provide some framework for abandoning rules. 

Sounds like a list of rules, huh? 

Actually, it is a list of questions:

  
Will ___________________________ make me a better person?

Will ___________________________ make me a better witch?

Will ___________________________ help me connect with _______?

Will ___________________________ help my spell work?

Does __________________________ improve my life or the lives of others?

Some examples to fill in the blanks:

• An athame/wand/cauldron/etc.
• Community Ritual
• The latest book (omg...take away my credit card!)
• Wearing black/hippie skirts/pointy hats, whatever
• Reading blogs
• Working in the garden
• That awesome stone
• A new tarot deck (another great weakness, right behind books)
• A class at the witch shop (oh, why must I ask these questions?)
• A class at the local college
• Running naked in the forest (ok, of course it would make me a better person!)
• Going to the beach (uhm, duh.)
• Celebrating a sabbat
• Meditation
• Exercise
• That blueberry muffin
• That sip of Absinthe 

You get the point.  We have choices.  Choices guide our lives.  Make your own choices.  Make them wisely.

And Remember:

Do not believe everything you think.
Do not believe everything you are told.
Do not believe everything you read.
Do not believe everything on the internet.

Use wisdom & discernment. Do not drink the Koolaid

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

Critical Thinkers ROCK!

Witch Enough

I'm done being a lemming.  I felt such joy in witchcraft before I found out about all the RULES about being a real witch.  I thought I found a religion & practice where I could shine as my true self. 

Today I'm throwing out the rules.  I will no longer follow the Official Guide to Being a Witch.  Oh, dear Goddess, here comes the high priestess to tell me I'm not a real witch, but just a fluffy bunny.

Why did I just spend 3 hours standing in a circle (inside a New Age shop) with a bunch of people I don't really like celebrating the first harvest while my garden wilts under the Florida sun?  Isn't the Wheel of the Year about connecting with natural cycles?

I did it because that's what real witches do.  We dress in black.  We collect expensive tools.  We buy stuff.  We build elaborate altars.  We join hands (even with people we don't trust).  We say just the right thing.  To just the right deity.  We celebrate the right thing at the right time.  We aspire to become the High Priestess almighty standing in the middle of the circle collecting energy.  We follow the rules.

Wait just a minute.  That was such bullshit!  I've never followed the rules for very long.

My witchcraft was much more connected & powerful when I didn't know all these rules.  I practiced solitary ritual weekly.  I connected with deity daily.  I used my body as my tools.  I dug in the earth.  I opened my heart.  I made things happen in accordance with my will.  I taught others.  I inspired others.  I was a witchy role model. 

So what happened? How did I become a lemming?  Should I never have tried to learn all the rules?

There really is great value in learning about the ins & outs of ceremonial witchcraft.  Witches need to know the rules.  The rules help us have a point of community & a basis for conversation. Rules are like scaffolding.  The scaffolding is necessary until the structure is solid.

Rules are training wheels.  They help us keep balance when we don't quite have the strength & coordination to keep ourselves from falling.

But at some point the scaffolding becomes redundant.  The training wheels need to come off.  We have to ride the bike & risk falling.

We begin to make decisions about risk & reward, finding our own boundaries.  Which rules are right for us?  Which rules are oppressive?

For some, fundamentalism is a comfort.  The rules of ritual bring them safety & therefore allow larger exploration.

Others need to color outside the lines.  We need to be free.  We learn best from our own experience.  We are the ones on the edge.  With strict rules & boundaries we wither.


I loved connecting with the Wheel of the Year as a new witch.  I felt excited to be celebrating holidays so often.  The Wheel introduced me to cycles of nature.  It brought ceremony & celebration to a life muted by technology & disconnection.  The Wheel was my trainer. 

But my broom will not fly with training wheels.  They are too heavy.

So I'm creating my own customs.  My own celebrations.  I'm going back to my beginning.

Nature made me a witch.  It is Nature I follow.

I don't care if I'm a real witch. Standing in my garden I'm witch enough.

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

Oh, & P.S. Follow your bliss!!!

Spiritual & Medicinal Herbalism

Over the past 2 years, I've been studying Western Herbalism & have recently finished my Family Herbalism Certification.  Now, I move on to Community Herbalism & clinical practice.  

 

All of this study, practice & research has led me to a theory:

 

There is little difference today between the practice of medicine & the practice of folk healer or shaman:

Physician	Shaman
Begins study in teen years & maintains professional knowledge through continuing education	Recognized by early teens & apprenticed/studied since that time; modifies practice based on experience & further study
Prescribes medications & behavior modification for healing	Prescribes medicinal/magical herbs & behavior modification for healing
Uses ritual to establish authority during healing process	Uses ritual to establish authority during healing process
Bases decisions on tests & intuition	Bases decisions on tests & intuition
Knowledge is based on experimental data & tradition that is tested for validity	Knowledge is based on experimental data & tradition that is tested for validity
Has varied success rates	Has varied success rates
Treatment carries risks	Treatment carries risks
All patients eventually die	All patients eventually die

Now, obviously, there are GREAT differences in the way these healers think.  Those immersed in conventional Western medicine are rooted in science, where traditional healers are rooted in mystery.  

Wise men & women of the past & present were & are very connected to the land.   

Most of our modern medicines have their roots in the practices of these respected healers, but have completely abandoned the mystery & spirit of the land from which their practices are rooted.

Most of us have been living immersed in the idea that these experts are responsible for health.  We have forgotten that 80% of the time, our bodies will heal themselves if we just support them & get out of the way.

We have been so disconnected from our own bodies & nature that we have developed a collective amnesia.  We have forgotten how to commune with nature, how to recognize healing & nourishing plants.   

Even we, who call ourselves Witches, tend to rely on the study, experience & advice of others rather than our own intuition & experience. 

So, what are we to do?

It is time we reconnect!

The best way to know nature is to spend time with her.   

Plants have spirits, unique energy.  They WANT to connect with us.  Our genes are programmed to connect with them.  Together, we can heal.

It is high time that we, witches, women & men of the Earth, start chatting up our plant allies.

If the thought of having a chat with a daisy makes you feel silly, think of this:

Plants and people, actually all living beings, have, at the very core of their being, within their very DNA, particles of light that can become coherent.  These particles of light are called biophotons.  Biophotons are ultra weak light rays, that do not break apart, but maintain a beam of light that radiates out & interacts with other biophoton rays in the surrounding environment. The theory, presented by Fitz Popp, German biophysicist, is that this light carries with it a certain intelligence that is the foundation for communication between living things.   So, when you’re with plants, animals, basically any living being, you ARE communicating!  Biophotons are only one method of communication.  We also know that everything carries with it a vibration from the movement of atoms & sub-atomic particles. 

Using these principles, it is pretty easy imagine our communication with any living being.

But, even if we acknowledge the possibility of communicating with flora & fauna, we are also conditioned by our upbringing & society to classify everything using a system of hierarchy. 

Typical Western Hierarchy:

Deity

Self

Other Humans Like Us

Other Humans Unlike Us

Mammals (divided into edible & non-edible animals or predator & prey, etc.)

Avian Creatures

Sea Creatures (also divided)

Reptilian/Amphibian Creatures

Insects

Plants

Bacteria & Fungi & Viruses

One of the biggest impediments to our communication with plants, animals & even other humans is this notion of hierarchy.  

As soon as we start to classify one person or life form as being greater than another, we begin to distance ourselves from that living being. 

In order to open ourselves to the wonders of the world, we need to abandon our ideas of hierarchy & think less of food chains & higher levels of evolutionary development & begin to think In terms of the interconnectedness of all, the web of life.

So, it's time to reconnect, how do we go about it?

A Few Activities to Connect with Nature

•      Take a walk in nature

•      Grow plants

•      Visit a local nursery

•      Taste fresh herbs

•      Head to a botanical garden

•      Meditate in a garden

•      Take a Wild Weed Walk

Connecting With a Particular Plant

       Abandon Hierarchy – remember we live in a Web, all connected

·         Spend Time & fully connect (lay directly on the ground)

·         Maintain skepticism, but suspend disbelief

·         Use all your senses

·         Consider the automatic connection that occurs with respiration –                   oxygen/carbon dioxide

·         Be aware of the tendency to anthropomorphize – useful to a point

·         Notice & Identify your feelings using feeling words

·         Observe aerial view of the habitat –  a clue to plant’s properties

Sun	Shade	Partial Sun/Shade
Drying	Moist	Balancing
Warm	Cool
Masculine	Feminine

·      

           Use a 10x magnifying glass to observe the details

·         Touch

·         Taste

·         Smell – most stimulating to memory (genetic memory also)

·         Observe throughout cycles (day/night, seasons)

·         Communicate

o   Meditation works nicely at first

o   Verbal communication isn’t usually effective unless you are a "natural" plant communicator

o   Use light, breath, sound, care, offerings

·         When you get bored, stay! Only then will you open to the next level

·         Record your experiences

o   Journal your feelings & findings

o   Photographs

·         Return & Repeat

If you continue these exercises & those that come to you from your intuition, you will soon find plants calling to you in your dreams...honor them, look them up.  You may be amazed at how accurate plant dreams become once you deeply connect with these allies!

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~