“Woman.in.total.control.of.herself” – Devon Cole
Let me ask you something… When you hear the word, [“witch”], what is the very first image to come to mind? Is it something along the lines of the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz; a woman conjuring up evil spells and hexes? Or do you see someone being one with nature, using Earth’s resources and ‘Lunar energy’ for the betterment of themselves and the world around them? What about when you hear the word, [“pagan”]? Do you see a Celtic or Nordic herbalist dancing under the full moon -naked- with a bunch of other women in the woods?
What about: Enchantress? Sorceress? Magician? Occultist? Alchemist? Fortune-teller? Soothsayer? Clairvoyant? Medium? Seer? <- is it a combination of fairy tales, “devil worship”, evil and scam artists?
Below are some definitions according to the Oxford Dictionary.
Witch noun:
a woman thought to have magic powers, especially evil ones, popularly depicted as wearing a black cloak and pointed hat and flying on a broomstick
Pagan noun:
a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions
^ Are those what you pictured? If the answer is yes, then I ask you, how come? Personally, I -didn’t- know the true definition of ‘paganism’ as I believed it just to be a >practice< of pre-Christian traditions, but nothing resembling a religion. Especially because I knew that [Wicca] is a {religious} version of paganism. However, according to Oxford, religion is: “the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.” The fact polytheism is a belief among pagans makes sense that it would be considered a religion, I just never thought of it that way.
When you think of “witchcraft” and “Voodoo” are you plagued with thoughts of evil doings? Do you get the same reaction when you hear the word, “[magic]”, or do you think of make believe, Christmas, Disney, Harry Potter and illusionists such as David Blaine? And if you add a K at the end?
Witchcraft noun:
the malevolent exercise of supposed supernatural powers, especially by women, attributed to a connection with the devil or evil spirits.
Voodoo noun:
a religion practiced in parts of the Caribbean and the southern US, combining elements of Roman Catholic ritual with traditional African magical and religious rites, and characterized by sorcery and spirit possession
Magic noun:
the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces
Magick noun:
action or effort undertaken to effect personal transformation or external change
If -Voodoo- brings associations of evil, can you explain how, when it uses Roman Catholic rites? Or do you just look past that part? Or is Catholicism evil? <- I won’t argue that; but isn’t it usually those who are very Christian and/or Catholic the ones who make the association of Voodoo being evil? Adding a K at the end of -magic- often makes one think back to witchcraft, but how is {personal transformation} “malevolent exercise of supposed supernatural powers, attributed to a connection with the devil or evil spirits”?
Although, many remove the K and think of >magic< as drawing on an energy field that is believed to be surrounding all of us. It is used to heal themselves and others, or to find a new home or job, among other things. Magic is used for -changing- the practitioner as much as their circumstances, encouraging adherents to pursue self-growth and self-empowerment, with emphasis that magic must not cause harm. Are those who call on the elements, use herbal ‘concoctions’ and practice meditation and divination as tools to help unlock their subconcious in order to become the best version of themselves, evil? A lot of what is considered magic above is brought to you by ancient Nordic, Celtic and Buddhist cultures.
Do you consider Healers and Shamans practitioners of witchcraft or magic? Are they evil? I don’t know about you but when I think of a Healer I see someone trying to help those around them. And a Shaman by definition is: “a person regarded as having access to, and influence in, the world of good and evil spirits, especially among some peoples of northern Asia and North America. Typically such people enter a trance state during a ritual, and practice divination and healing.” <- in Indigionus cultures, Shamans are their healers, their doctors. That’s evil? Who’s to say one way or another because honestly, who has the authority to determine what “evil” even means outside of purposefully causing harm to others? Again, I don’t know about you, but I don’t know anyone who would consider self-growth to be harmful to others. Is setting boundaries for yourself harmful to others? Some may try to make you feel that way but the truth is, it’s not!!
Now, you are probably wondering, ‘why the heck is this even being discussed?’ And the truth is, I didn’t go into this blog with a purpose of explaining or making you question what “words” mean. And that’s all they are… [words]!
The real question is, why do some of the above bother some but not others?
It wasn’t until Christianity that anyone using holistic witchcraft became known as an -evil being-, because it wasn’t until then that witchcraft even became a thing. Oh no, don’t get me wrong, using crystals, herbs, Lunar phases, divination tools and calling upon the elements existed way before Christianity, it just wasn’t considered >Evil<. It was [a way of life], and still is for many Indigiounse cultures. Christianty is very much a ‘man is in charge’ mindset, whereas prior other cultures considered women as equals, or even better than a man. So when Christiantiy bloomed and took over, women who didn’t conform to the new societal views were considered different. And if history has taught us anything, differen’t = bad, am I right? It’s absolutely ridiculous to think, let alone believe, that if someone is different than you, whether it be gender, sexual orentation, color, religion, nationality – whatever, that they are bad and/or wrong while you are the good guy and one who is right. Who told you what was good and what was bad, wrong or right? Just because someone may have -told- you something while being indoctrinated, doesn’t mean that person is correct!!
Personally, as I’ve mentioned before in [10. Twin Flame] I believe everything is energetically connected. I don’t believe in one ‘almighty’ – does that make me wrong or ‘bad’ just because I have differing views? If your religion says so, then you see my issue with organized religion. Humans are humans; just because one believes something over another doesn’t make them a superior being. Just because one is born in poverty doesn’t make them any less of a human than one born into wealth. Money is money, a material object, not a life. If one’s actions or beliefs have [nothing] to do with negatively impacting another, who has the authority to call them wrong and/or bad, or even ‘evil’?
Easy. NO ONE!!! Absolutely no one.
With the way things are going in the U.S. with the Supreme Court taking human rights away from women, all I can think about is how women of the past were ridiculed and legitimately killed just for being a woman. Hell, they still are in some countries today! Women are freaking :magical:! What our bodies do to grow and nurture another is more than a man ever could, physiologically or mentally. So why is it we’re considered less than? Why is it we’re considered the inferior gender and/or sex? If it wasn’t for current religions we wouldn’t be; and it infuriates me that just because I was born with a double X chromosome, I am somehow less than? F that! The human race literally wouldn’t exist without women!! It’s as simple as that. Period. I may not go around with a pink hat with cat ears, but I without question support equality among >all< humans, not just dependent on their gender, biological sex, color, sexual orientation, etc.
This post isn’t about the Supreme Court’s decision, this post is about how women are powerful beings in and of themselves! How a way of life became something “evil” when in reality no harm was done; therefore, making the “evil” argument [moot]. How a woman standing strong in her convictions, beliefs and rituals lead to her being a “witch” practicing -witchcraft-, all because she didn’t bow down to the new ‘man-in-charge’ mindset. How she was doing the “Devil’s” work because she was using herbal connections to treat ailments and reciting a different version of a [prayer] in the terms of a [spell]. Again, just words. Just words being put out into the universe with hopes of a positive change in some way. Just like a prayer…
My entire life I have been in love with and obsessed with the Salem Witch trials. The only time I ever got anything other than a C in 7th grade English, was when I got an A+ for my speech and deliverance about the trials. My passion and heart has always been there. In doing genealogy and other research, taking classes and whatnot; I have come to learn so much about myself, my Celtic heritage and why I feel so connected to the trials. Why I have been obsessed with all things “witchy” my entire life and wish Halloween was all day, every day. My soul is connected to the universe, it’s energy and everything from here to there.
If my calling upon the elements, my own higher power/spirit or the universe, my use of divination tools such as tarot cards or pendulums to help me unlock parts of my subconscious that may be hidden otherwise, my yearning to live an intentional life trusting in signs and following my intuition, my belief in the energetic vibrations that have been scientifically proven to manipulate other energetic vibrational waves of things around them (such as crystals), my belief and understanding behind the psychology, math and science that goes into not only tarot but also astrology, and how everyone is individually affected by the universe, our planets and the lunar phases… if all of that makes me a “>witch<” – then I bow down as the Enchantress that I am because the {only} thing that I am doing, is trying to be the BEST version of myself that I can be!!! You know that Disney or Christmas ‘magical’ feeling? That’s the feeling I want for myself everyday, so I only put positivity out there and look for the light within my shadows, so that I can live a life full of my own magick!!
Devon Cole sang it best when she said that a witch is a [Woman In Total Control of Herself!] <- uh, yeah! I’ll accept that title! ::check::
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9oazB7lWRw