Witchy meme

I found this questionaire at Walking The Hedge & thought...why not?  If you blog, please answer it & send me a link in the comments so we can learn about each other!

Please describe briefly your Path:
My brother would say "Tree hugging dirt worshiper" & he's not too off base.  I'm a really, really eclectic witch! Greenwitch. Kitchenwitch. Herbwife. Spirit-talker. Open-minded, Christopharian (working on Christopher Penczak's series).  Student of Eastern Mysticism & Hermetics.  I'm sure there's more, but that's good for the moment.

Please describe briefly how you practice it:
I use formal & informal magic.  Sometimes there are elaborate rituals planned with perfect tools & supplies collected & blessed, chanting, dancing, drumming... Other times, I just wing it & stir my intentions into the evening's dinners. 
When did you first commit to your Path?
Commit...interesting. I was afraid of my path until in my 40's, so I'm a relative newbie, but I know I was called as early as 9 years old & then re-called at least every 2 years since then.  (hard headed, huh?)
How is your practice different now than it was then?
Ah, at 1st I practiced from desperation.  Now, from a place of peace.  I'm still parting the veil bit by bit, so occasionally I'm startled by what I find.  At 1st, I was afraid, then exhilarated, now I'm simply flowing with what the universe brings me.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring?
Is your practice different today than how you thought it would be back then?
I thought I would always be secretive & solitary, but I'm finding so much more growth & strength in a community of witches with mentors! While I still do most of my serious work on my own, I adore the energy in our group & love learning from those who have walked the path years longer than I.
Does your Path and core belief system differ now than how it was when you first started?
My path is ever-changing, but my core beliefs remain still & solid.  I came into witchcraft upon the recognition that we are all connected - plant, animal, human, spirit, god.  This I believe more strongly each day.
What is your heritage and how does this inform your Path?
Interesting!  I have a strong Scottish heritage, but most of my draw is towards the Egyptian & Sumerian pantheons. Having said that, the symbolism that speaks to my is almost exclusively Celtic in nature & I was drawn to the triskelion long before I seriously explored witchcraft.
What are your main influences for your Path?
My intuition.  The best & 1st lesson I learned as a witch was to listen for, hear & trust myself.
Which do you do more: practice or research?
Neither. Both. 
Do you feel that one is more important than the other?
Neither. Both. I think it's important to have a basis - someone's experience - but at some point you have to get out there & get your own witchy hands dirty & find out what works for you!
What values and ethics are important on your Path and in your practice?
I want (and am supposed to say) "Harm none".  But, seriously people...even healing magick harms the bacteria causing the disease!  So, sometimes you've got to cause a little harm to heal.  So, my favorite thought in the values & ethics department is to do all works to The Highest Possible Good of All Effected. This keeps open the door to the possibility that harm may come to me or others due to my actions, but that harm may lead to a bigger, better good.
What sort of cycles do you feel your practice goes through?
Study. Study.  Work. Work.  Share.  Share.  Study.  Study.  Work.  Work......
What is one of the greatest obstacles or struggles you have had to over come?
The overwhelming desire to impress people.  I am SUCH a people pleaser!  Sometimes I'll do something just to irritate everyone so I know I'm still independent of the opinions of others.
How do you see yourself practicing in ten years?
As a crone.  As a mentor.  As an empowerer of women.
How do you incorporate your practice into your life?
Ever hear the line Every little thing she does is magic...?  Well, that's what I try.  I'll walk down the street holding hands with my husband, spinning a circle of loving light around us.  Maybe, I'll stir some herbs into dinner with a chant.  Cleaning the house is always magickal.  Work is where I stumble.  I know I'll have a much more peaceful life when I can easily incorporate magick into being a nurse in the critical care unit.
Has walking your Path changed you as a person?
No doubt! I would NOT be me without my path, I would be that saccharine, plastic version of me that has been wandering the earth for most of my life.
Do you consider yourself to be a priest/ess? How so?
I am the priestess of my little world.  I am queen of my home.  I am the light to a few souls, who I feel very responsible for.  But, in general, I'm not High Priestess material yet.  I have a mentor for that...she ROCKS!  She's mother, protector, educator, disciplinarian, friend, comedian...basically Star has her shit together as a Priestess in my book.
A witch? How so?
A witch...Yes.  Very, very much so.  Have been for a long time.  Now, I'm accountable for what I bring about.
A shaman? How so?
Hmmm...Do I commune with spirits? Yes.  Do I receive messages? Yes.  Can I heal? Yes.  Do I give my body over to the use of the spirits?  No, I'm a total control-freak & haven't gotten past the fear of totally letting go yet.
Which matters more: getting the vocabulary right or the actual practice of what we are trying to define?
Words are powerful to me, but squabbling over the right ones makes me want to scream & barf. Just do it & quit fighting over what brand of witch, who did a ceremony right...
One of the most profound things anyone ever said to you was:
I love you.
A defining moment on your Path was:
Making the move from solitary practice into a group of terrific witches, which led to having a mentor.
Have you ever taken a “leap of faith”?
My very 1st spell.  The 1st time I tried to travel.  The 1st time I attended a witchs' meeting.  But most importantly, the moment I told my husband I was a witch.
Please tell us something stupid, reckless or embarrassing you did once in your practice:
Before I really got connected & committed as a witch. I bought a poppet & used it against a woman who had been really messing with my life.  I invited others to stick the poppet with pins (because lots of people hated her).  The more we used the poppet, the more trouble we had with her.  When I finally figured out the pattern, I pulled every pin out & released the hate & harm.  She's not been a bother since (to any of us).  Back then, I knew NOTHING about magick or witchcraft...it was kind of a joke.  YIKES!
What is the most frustrating thing about your Path?
Not having the time to do major works.  I so very much love to spend a few hours communing in ritual, and rarely have the time & privacy to do so.
Have you ever been frightened?
Yikes! YES!!!  Terrified the 1st time a lovely spirit played with me.  I had NO IDEA what was going on & almost lost my mind.  I even made my husband change the locks because I was convinced someone was messing around in my home.
Can you perform ritual without a script?
Absolutely! I think I've only used a script once or twice.  I'm a spontaneous kind of girl.
Have you ever preformed spontaneous magick/spellcraft?
Hehehe!  See above.  99% spontaneous.
What are you still exploring or experimenting with?
Everything! I am a seeker & will always be exploring & experimenting.

What (or whom) are you the most committed to in your practice and on your Path?
I am drawn to the water.  Am moved by the sun.  There are deities that call to me at different times. Mostly, I am committed to becoming Me, the true me. 
Ritual tools are …
Tools, not necessary, helpful; can be a trap into egotism.
Magickal tools are …
A different story...a way to communicate with your soul.
The one thing you can’t do without is:
Quiet time.
Seeking personal power is …
a path towards healing of the soul.
Politics and you Path are …
unfortunately intertwined.  As a "tree hugging dirt worshiper" I have a political responsibility, but would much rather just go off into the woods & let everyone else tear each other to pieces without me.
One thing you wish people would understand about your Path and/or practice is:

that it's not a competition.  I can get pulled into competition easily because I'm a people pleaser. Once I find myself there, I know I'm off my path & onto theirs.  Just please let me practice in peace.
Do you teach?
My calling in life is to teach. It is what I do with almost everything.  I haven't taught witchcraft yet, but have a herbal class coming up in a few weeks.  (excited...nervous...!)
What do you feel is the role of clergy in modern Paganism and Heathenism?
Supporting the community. Being role models.  Counseling.  Sacred rites for transition, etc.
When the Veil (or Hedge!) is thin, how does that feel to you?
Woozy. Tingly. Enveloping.
What entities do you work with most? (ancestors, gods, fae etc)
Universal Energy.  Fae - spirits of the land, the plants.  Sumerian & Egyptian gods.  The Moon.  The Sun.  Water.
What is your relationship with the Land?
I try so hard to be conscious of my impact & often feel impotent.  Then, I take off my shoes & sink into the soil, feel the water wash over my feet, the sun on my back, the air blowing my face & I know we are one.
The most important aspect of ritual is:
Being there 100%, not drifting off onto whatever chore is hanging over my head.
The main purpose of ritual is:
Connection.
What is the purpose of divination/dowsing (or whichever for of augury you use)?
Connection.What was the most difficult book you ever read? (Either difficult to understand or hard to face what it said or both)
Can't say.  If I hate a book, I put it down & get another.  Mostly, I adore them!
What book do you recommend the most to others?
Getting In Touch With Your Inner Bitch
What is you favourite podcast (if any) and favourite blog (other than your own)?
Don't really listen to podcasts.  My favorite blog is the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.  I know I was supposed to list a witchy blog, but there are so many I love.  And, my other joy is cooking.
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?
Let go of all the conditioning about who/what you SHOULD be & spend some time BEING the real you.  If you don't know who that is, then cut yourself off from the world for a while & find out.
Is there an additional question you would like to see here? What is it? (please also answer)
Who was your 1st witch role model?  Mine was Ellen Dugan.  I found her book in a woman's sex boutique & it was a very gentle introduction into a craft that had been pulling me for decades.  She's an easy read & very down-to-earth.
Please finish this meme with a picture, image or photograph of some sort:

Kitty Porn...hehehe!

Wild & Bright Blessings!

~*Rhi*~

    )O(