To be a Witch is to be Free
On a lot of occasions and by a lot of people, I have been asked a simple and yet so complicated question "Are you a witch?". Depending on the intelligence level of the person asking (and yeah, I would subjectively estimate that level myself), the answer would be as simple as yes or I could be persuaded into joining a conversation about it. Today, I am persuaded to say more than just yes and explain to you what being a witch means to me and what exactly do I do. It will get complicated at some point in the text but stick with it and read on. Do not thank me, thank @naturalmedicine and their post WHAT DOES WITCH MEAN TO YOU? 20 SBD of prizes!. I am a sucker for prizes and since there is a chance to win some money in this bear market, sure... I will write a post about being a witch, no problem but do not say that I did not warn you about being complicated.
CC0 image, Unsplash, author: rawpixel, adapted by me
All over my steemit page, posts, and comments you can see me being called by others and myself "A happy fairy". I like that cute nickname, it is fluffy and positive enough and plays with the minds of people and psychology in a good way. To call myself a witch in my signature would probably result in me having fewer readers, followers, and upvotes. Why is that since we all know that both fairies and witches do not exist in their general description and common meaning? It is because people react better to positive things (even when they are made up) than to negative ones. It does not matter that I know how being a witch is neither negative nor made up, a popular opinion about witches being scary and playing with the evil forces is still there so I avoid using the term unless directly asked about it. This time, I was asked about it...
Remember Zeus and Odin? Yeah, that Paganism. The main difference between Paganism and any religion in the world is that Paganism is evolving with people and does not have dogmas that need to be followed for centuries. Beliefs are evolving too. What once were Gods, today are psychological concepts that portray human behavior, thought processes, and impulses. They are archetypes from which a lot can be learned about human history, societies, and our minds. You can (if you want) think about every God and Goddess in Paganism as one part of human psyche portrayed in a simplistic way to allow us to better study ourselves. Gods are humans and humans are Gods. Blasphemy? Sure, you can think of it like that too. We are not only allowed to ask questions in Paganism and use critical thinking, we are ENCOURAGED to do so. There is no such thing as blind faith and where others will tell you "trust me", Pagans will say "search, learn, and discover for yourself".
Diversity and variety of us
is extraordinary and respected.
We celebrate life in all its forms and have zero need to convince you about anything. We do not have a mission of expanding and converting people to our way of looking at things, why would we? We love and respect you and your opinions, why would we want you to be like us? We want you to be like you. Growing as a society means respecting and cherishing diversity not only among different spiritual paths but inside them too. This means that no two Pagans are alike and my life with my opinions is not the life of other Pagans. Everything that you will read in this post is my way of looking at things and living them, it is not general Paganism. General Paganism does not exist. Remember that. It is what makes it beautiful. Sure, we do have some similarities, nature appreciation being one of them, but there is no generally accepted definition of what Paganism is that all Pagans will agree with. People who are not Pagans tried to define us but failed and will fail again. Paganism is not a religion, it is a wide term, a huge umbrella with lots of people under it.
What kind of Pagan is ZeN-art?
This Pagan is an eclectic-scientific-nature-heredity-psychological Witch. Do not try to look upon that term, I made it myself. I will go into most of those words in the term later on and explain them. For now, you should know that I do not believe in Gods the way most people do nor do I worship them. I have a problem with that verb "to worship" and do not think that I worship anything really. I can say that I believe, love, and cherish some things, admire them, find inspiration, comfort, and guidance from them. That I can say. It is often said how a picture says a thousand words so here is a picture of one of those things. This is what I tell people I believe in and the crazy thing is, I can even prove it exists :)
CC0 image, Pixabay, author: A_Different_Perspective
The marvelous thing about believing in things that you can see, hear, touch, smell, taste, and feel is that it has a lot of benefits. You can actually do stuff with it, real tangible stuff and have some use from it. You can work with it and incorporate it in your life without the need to mystify it. It is right there, in front of you, in all its glory and ready to help you in any way and with everything it has got. I am talking about our planet. Nature and man-made things together, working and living in harmony. I know how I am already boring with repeating how everything is made of electrons but I will keep repeating it. That car you are driving is made of electrons and that tree outside your house is also made of electrons. If electrons are the natural building blocks of everything, how can we say that some things are natural and some are not? Just because a human has built a building does not mean that building is artificial and a lake is not. They are made of the same stuff, electrons. We can talk about what do we like more, need more, appreciate more and conclude how people have different preferences but there is no such thing as natural and not natural things, everything that you see is natural.
There is a reason why the term Witch has a negative meaning to many people. The negative propaganda was huge. A long long time ago, when Christianity and other major religions started to develop (yup, they were not around always, learn your history please), not all people could be converted easily. People who had trouble with accepting one deity to replace their old ones were explained as they were under the influence of evil forces. Everything that is commonly referred to as a witch thing, from pointy hats, flying on brooms and cooking bat wings were old customs exploited and taken to extremes. Pointy hats were a fashion statement at one point, jumping up and down on brooms was a part of dancing in the fields and celebrating crops and harvest while freaky cooking ingredients were only the old names for plants. For example, a Wolfsbane is an old name for what is now scientifically called Aconitum variegatum while Adders Tongue is Dogstooth Violet, and Bat's Wings is Holly.
History of Witches
is written in blood
A lot of people throughout history, who dared to be different and refused to stay in line, ended up badly. People were tortured, hanged, and burned alive not because they were Witches but because people around them were paranoid, stupid, afraid, and easily manipulated. Malleus Maleficarum was the evilest book ever written in human history. I got the chills while reading it, there is no horror movie that scared me more than that book. Human stupidy has always been and will always be the most terrifying and dangerous thing there is. Religion has always justified murder, even the great loving Chrisitan God murders children in the Bible which is explained as the punishment for the sins of their fathers in Egypt. Horrible, simply horrible. At one point in history, if you were a doctor, herbalist, chemist or smarter in any way from the stupid controlled masses, you could have been tortured and killed. Who were Witches in history? They had nothing to do with the evil deity from Christianity, they did not even believe in it. Those people were either accused because their neighbor did not like them and wanted something from them or they were good at what they did, smart and intelligent. Intelligence and asking questions were always threats to religion. Every scientist alive today would have been considered a Witch back then, every single one. And people ask me why I dislike religion so much... Today's science is yesterday's Witchcraft...
That is the legacy of the word Witch. It means to refuse to blindly believe in what you are told and question people, fact check them, learn, think, grow, and evolve. It means to read and study. It means that you are free but keep in mind that every freedom comes with a lot of responsibility.
There is no such thing
as too much knowledge
Children should not be indoctrinated into believing what their parents believe. Witches do not baptize their children, we bless them and encourage them to find their way. We teach them and guide them but do not force them to follow in our footsteps. Every human being should be free to choose his life even if it differs from the life his parents have. The only thing that we want for our children (and for ourselves) is to never stop learning and discovering. There is no such thing as too much knowledge and it is the only thing that no one can ever take away from you. The information that you have is your only permanent possession. Cherish it and allow yourself to grow. Read as much as you can and learn as much as you can. Your thirst for knowledge should be insatiable. If you are a woman living in a modern western society, today is the best time to be alive. Allow yourself to feel some gratitude for that. You are free to learn how to read, express yourself, and follow your own dreams and wants. Do not let others create the life for you, create it yourself. You have everything you need, a powerful mind, strong back, and a loving heart. Grow and become the best that you can be.
Witches are not magical. We do not fly (hmmm, a little thing called gravity...), are not ugly, do not worship evil forces, do not eat little children, are not evil, and do not sacrifice animals (a lot of witches are vegetarians and vegans by the way). That is all part of the negative propaganda that has been around for centuries and it is up to you if you are going to believe it or not. Even if you do believe those things is fine by me, you are entitled to your opinion just do not make plans to burn me at the stake because of your opinion. I understand that you may have strong negative feelings towards the word witch, you may or may not know where they come from and that is ok, I respect that. Use the words happy fairy for me if you like and if it feels better, that is ok too.
I am who I am.
Your approval is not needed.
To me, being a Witch means I am free and have an open mind to new things, discoveries, people, and things. It means that I have a critical mind and love questions more than I do answers. I find them more important. Without questions, there would be no answers. Without searching, there would be no findings. I am always proud but never satisfied with myself because I know that there is always more. I can always learn more, read more, talk more, see and experience more. I can discover more about myself and that quest is the most important one. To learn about myself and know me. That is what I do every day. I study biology, physics, chemistry, philosophy, and psychology to learn what is making me who I am. Why am I acting the way I am? What thinking patterns and convictions are creating my behavioral responses to my surroundings? How can I be happier and healthier? How can I do more good to myself and the world? To find those answers and improve who I am, I listen to everyone and read everything. There is no bad literature or bad people, everything and everyone is a teacher. Sometimes, they teach you about the things you do not want and sometimes about those you do but they always teach you something. I try to read 3 books a week and have as much diversity in my life as I possibly can. I take care of my body and mind daily. I exercise, walk, run, and try to nourish my body with the right nutrients (wine is a nutrient!) and I take care of my mind with puzzles, literature, math and putting it to new situations to test my intelligence.
To be a Witch means that I will never stop growing and never stop wondering. I will also never stop loving and celebrating life and it means that I am free to be myself without expecting anybody's approval. I do not need it. To be a Witch is to be FREE. Free of worrying what others think and free to think for yourself. It means that I love diversity and love seeing and feeling happiness. Freedom and happiness mean the same thing to me, improvement is what generates them. I am not the same person I was ten years ago, I am not even the same person I was yesterday. If I was, it would mean that I am doing something wrong and that I made no progress. It would mean that I have failed. The only constant in this Universe is the change itself. If you want to insult me, tell me that I have not changed since the last time you saw me. Tell me that I have stayed the same. Two of my biggest fears are the loss of my sanity and the loss of my ability to learn new things. My mind is my greatest treasure and I hope that I will never stop using it. As a thank you and as a gift for you sticking to the end of this post, I will make an exception and replace my bitmoji with an actual picture of myself so you know how the person whose words you've just read, looks like. This is how this particular Witch looks like.
"Live like you are going to die tomorrow,
learn like you are going to live forever."
-Gandhi
Until next time,
KEEP YOUR SMILE ON!
Image sources AND LICENCES in order of appearance:
- all images used in this post are free for commercial use, they are royalty free with the links to original images provided under them
- titles were made with a CC0 image from Pixabay that can be found here
- line divider that I use is from FREE CLIPART LIBRARY, and is here
- my bitmoji avatar was created on https://www.bitmoji.com/, visit the site to create yourown
PROUD MEMBER OF:
@steemitbloggers
Ahhhhh. I admire you. I do not have an I am ____________ box on my resume. Maybe some day...
I have a whole bunch of I am nots. I know what I'm not, not what I am.
I studied and lived Zen for about 15 years, except for that pesky rule about 'do not use intoxicants'. My master knew I was a lunatic drunk and kept at me, much to his credit. The point is, as I read your description I read my own. Pretty powerful stuff.
I celebrate and honor Yule with my Pagan friends, I celebrate and honor Christmas with my Christian friends. I honor Ramadan with my Muslim friends. I celebrate and honor the solstices and equinoxes with anybody that passes by.
Like you, my greatest fear is for my mind. I've already been dx'd as crazy, turns out I was just drunk. I watched my father slide into the relentless void of Alzheimers and fear that. But I don't let it shape me, it's a horrible waste of time. I either will or won't and just damn little I can do about it. I am pretty sure that a Sudoku a day won't keep me from it, but I do so anyway...
Thanks Petra. I really appreciate your candor and willingness to share this with us.
One of the reasons I love having friends of different religions is because of the holidays, more holidays equal more food :) Where there is a celebration, you bet I will be there :D Keep solving those Sudoku puzzles, I have a habit of doing 3 a day and absolutely love them. Thank you for your amazing comment honey and for sharing your views on this 💚
I'm a Wiccan so I know what you mean ;)
Nice to know, much love and blessings to you 💚
Thanks for letting me know about this contest. I have quite a bit to say on the subject as well. To me, being a witch is to stop fighting what's inside you naturally and to recognize the truth that there are many divine powers out there - all waiting for us to get to know them! (Yes, there are a few that aren't so nice, but most of them are like us - having positives and negatives.)
Join in! Read the post that I have linked to and share your views about this 💚
Absolutely. I've been listening to the Unobscured podcast about the Salem witch trials, and it's chilling - quite difficult to listen to at times. I knew the basic details of this horrific episode, but the podcast describes the various people involved in such detail that it brings home the terrible stupidity and hysteria that was allowed to run riot. People are often scared of things they don't understand.
I do not see myself listening to something like that, reading that awful book was enough horror for a lifetime. Yeah, stupidity is the most dangerous thing in the world, always has been, unfortunately.
Great post and you are the kind of witch I love!! I’ve met many and not are as loving, fun or sweet! So many terms these days ... as Enchanted and I had this conversation recently the world needs a new word for this. I like yours tho quite long. Lol
Plus this explains you and not everyone. Maybe really this is what everything is coming down to .. we all have our own label and that’s okay! Thank you for sharing and great pic too. :)
Many people (me included) have a problem with labels so I get why there is a lack for a good name for this kind of life. That is the reason why mine has so many words and is long lol. Thanks for your lovely words darling 💚
Wow! I have to admit, it has never occurred to me to ask you if you were a 'witch', haha!
This was super interesting! I enjoyed reading how you define 'witch', and what life means to you. Your outlook on life is refreshing. ♥
I am glad you enjoyed the read and found it interesting, thank you for that kind feedback 💚
Since it´s Christmas season already,
I wrote a Christmas poem for you:
Oh Odin, deliver me,
from that Middle-Eastern blasphemy.
To thee, Allfather, I pray,
that one day, not too far away,
the Yule fire´s happy crackles,
will be freed from Christian shackles. 😘
Awwwwwwwwwww, that is so adorable and lovely! Thank you very much! 💚💚💚
Welcome!
And I just realised that you posted a picture of Externsteine, famous Germanic cult place, a few kilometers away from the Yoga ashram, where I lived for almost ten years.
Do you know Externsteine, have you been there for some Pagan rituals?
I have not been there and did not even realize it was a picture of it but it looks simply amazing so I do hope that I will one day get a chance to visit such a beautiful place 💚
this is great, I stand beside you on so much that you have said, you are a very fine witch indeed xxxx
We are waiting for your own witch post 💚💚💚
Very healthy attitude! I consider myself a pagan. Loved your post!
Posted using Partiko iOS
I am glad you loved it, thank you 💚
I had absolutely no idea you were pagan honey! Just goes to show that no matter how long you know or spend time around people, there is always something new you can learn about them :)
I have always found it so ridiculous how sheer ignorance on the subject has created such a negative stigma for it...
Lovely article!
xxx
Yeah, I am full of surprises hihi, thank you for your kind words darling 💚