WITCH

Witch, it brings up such mixed emotions in me, for one I want to reclaim it, take it back, for it has been twisted and disrespected in so many ways. But time moves on and so do we, we can not hold on to the past, we must look to the future.

I do not identify with the word Witch that this modern world likes to label us with, I do not relate to the ridiculous images that spring to the minds of many when they hear the word witch. We all know how it goes, the story of the evil old hag, The Witch, who works closely with the devil out to bewitch and destroy us all. To steal our souls and make us their slaves. Yeah I know that was ages ago, but still it is that image that is still being portrayed in the media, being pushed onto young kids.

Isn't it funny, how that is actually what did happen, but it wasn't at the hands of those so called Witches. But hey they needed a scapegoat whilst they worked their way into the minds of the public. Nothing like an old hunt to bring the community together, how clever to make those communities believe that they were coming together for the greater good, when actually they were destroying themselves. Being turned into puppets so that they carried out the dirty work, so that the local people were the ones with the blood on their hands. Ah sure is was all a sign of what was to come. The last great flush out of the feminine influence. The world was now completely out of balance.

The witch hunt was on!

I remember as a little girl, reading about witches. And yes they were always evil and ugly and scary as hell. I also remember having nightmares about these evil women with horribly scary voices that seemed to follow you where ever you went, with their evil ways, warts and all. I also remember dressing up as a witch for Halloween, thinking I was so cool, painted green with my fabulous pointy hat and such a cool broomstick. Fun thing is, I didn't really feel so scared then, cos I could kind of relate to them and then of course they could fly and they had black cats. So the fear started to slide a bit, life is like that though, unless you walk in some one else 's shoes for a bit you have no idea what it is like for them and when you do, well then they are familiar.

Then I got older and I began to read books on magic, I was fascinated by the idea of magic by the origins of it. It was from there that I actually got my first proper education about these Wise Women or medicine women that were accused of being witches. Women who were healers and birth keepers, that looked after everyone within their community. They were in a way the pillars of the community and they lived a simple humble life in nature. This way of life really resonated with me, it called to me and it was a path that I was already on.

I remember getting very angry the more I read and the more I realized what had happen here. How the simple ways of living were under attack, this huge black cloud was starting to settle over the earth and everyone was expected to conform and obey. Now you looked to one to lead the way and you were told that man had all the answers, that man had all the control. It was now that people started to lose control of they way of life, it was now that fear and manipulation came into play and the first to be attacked, were the wise women, the pillars of the community. For we all know that in order to weaken anything you take away the support and create dependency. <>/b

How cruel and evil they were towards our sisters, how cleverly the played the other members of the community. What darkness that was created by these people who declared they had the light, how they fooled them all.

And yet that game is still being played today. People are still being played, being fooled. A darkness is still over the earth, but there are holes appearing. Points of weakness. There are many more now who are awakened. So many people today know the truth behind the word witch, they know about all the pain and suffering that so many women had to endure, that so many died for.

And now, today the word witch has almost bypassed itself, it is almost a fad. Indeed any one can declare themselves a witch and some do. When I think of the word Witch, what definition sits comfortably with me. The most important thing for me is that you are living in harmony with the earth. That you understand that the real magic is in that connection that you have with nature and that you live and breathe a life that is all about maintaining and strengthening that connection. You work with the earth, you are of service to the earth. If you must take something then you give something back. As a wise women you work at bringing people together, helping them remember their place in the world, helping them remember their place in this circle of life.

You create ceremonies and rituals that celebrate nature and life as one and the same, that wonderful circle of birth, life, death and rebirth. You unite people, you inspire and heal people, you are a pillar within your community and you live simply and humbly. For there is no need for a life full of material things when your life is full of natures riches. Your message and intention is clear and how you live is a part of that message. Life is about connection and living naturally.

Am I a witch?

I am many things, I am myself and I am part of this beautiful earth and although I may not call myself one, I am happy for someone else to.

I leave you all with a poem I wrote earlier in the year and one which I posted already on Steemit, but it words echo perfectly with what I have just wrote.

Raw emotions
course through my body,
this reality of oppression,
of power over and deceit,

Our herstory is old and battered
we have been forcefully convinced it is weak.
So much power and identity stolen,
so much energy subdued,
from fear of our true potential
finally coming through.

Shoved in cartons and boxes,
that leave us deformed,
our spirits holding on
but in check and uniformed.

Our voices killed back to a whisper
defeat at one time so close at hand,
But we are more then one thing,
we are timeless and we still can command.

But ours is not an army,
that is not the way we operate
we are creators and nurtures
we seek unity and to demolish all this hate.

And No you will not silence me,
you will not make me hang my head in shame,
we may even have been turned against one another
but we all feel the pain.

Our many whispers now come together
our many forms begin to take shape,
we are no longer a people in denial
we have found our way to escape.

What may have started out as a spark,
feed by drips and quieten down roars,
Is the awaking of ancient wisdom held within,
it is the breaking down of many doors.

And with it comes more knowledge,
more understanding,
more acceptance now awaits.
The time has come to wake up
to join together and recreate.

This post is my entry into the contest created by @naturalmedicine ,"What Does Witch Mean To You?"

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