Friday, April 26, 2019

How to Be A Witch

No, I am NOT going to be telling anyone how to be a Witch, nor am I going to tell them how to not be a Witch. What I am going to do is give my experiences and ask you to be openminded when you read the following. Once you get to the end of this post, think and decide for YOU which is the best way to become a Witch. If you tell me it's because your ancestors were Witches so that makes you a hereditary Witch, I'mma gonna have to ask you to check yourself. That is your ego talking and even though it may be true, that your ancestors were Witches, that does not automatically mean you get to be a Witch as well.

There's a new Meme floating around over on Facebook:


Someone commented on it that it also includes watching Charmed or The Craft or Bewitched or Practical Magic or The Witches of Eastwick or any others. OK, I can see the point they are trying to make. But ask yourself this ... What triggered something down deep inside of you that made you want to begin searching for anything other than what you already know? 

As a child, I always knew I was different than many of the people around me. If I had a dream for 3 nights concurrent, that dream would always come true. As I grew older I hated those dreams. The last one I saw manifest was the one I had in high school where my boyfriend hung himself in his bathroom. The next time I had a dream for two nights in a row I'd make myself stay awake for the 3rd night, just to make sure nothing came to pass. And that still works to this day.

I've always been able to make things happen. One time after I reached adulthood and was dating, my boyfriend at the time wanted to take his stock car to the races. I wanted to go, he had taken me on many other occasions, there was something about this one that seemed shady to me and he refused to take me. I told him fine, but just remember if I'm not there with you, you won't even get your car started long enough to get it off the trailer. Guess what? That's exactly what happened. 

Did I know then I was Witch? No, I didn't. It took me more years to grow and open my mind before I could begin to accept what my world was.

How did I know? I've always been attracted to shows like Bewitched, Charmed, The Craft, Practical Magic and each time I watch one of these movies, something in me connects with whatever message the Universe is trying to get me to understand. Does watching any of these movies make me Witch? No, not the movies themselves, but the message within each one of them has the potential to make me search for answers. 

I watched Vampire Diaries and felt a connection to Bonnie the Witch, she had the power to get me to question things and seek the answers that I needed to find. The same with Freya on The Originals, she knew her power and her limitation, and she also made me think about things, sometimes too many things. Did watching those shows make me Witch? No, again, they stirred me to seek and search and the results helped to get where I am today.

Many people read a ton of books, studying every word ever written by various authors on the subject of Witchcraft. The first book I ever read was To Ride A Silver Broomstick. Yes, I KNOW there are more than enough people who have nothing good to say about this author. BUT! I LOVE her books, they are written in an easy manner that doesn't talk above your head and gives you the basic tools to begin the search into Witchcraft. Just so's ya's know, I have read every one of her books and LOVED them all. 

But I cannot stand Raymond Buckland. See? That's MY opinion and I'd never try to tell anyone to not like or read his Big Blue Book of Witchcraft. There are other others I don't like either, but that's my choice and I will never publically mock anyone or downplay their commitment to whatever choice they wish to make in their search to be a Witch. 

A few years ago I was asked to join an elite group of women to read the preview copy of Tale of the Lost Daughter by Karen Clark. This single book was the most powerful catalyst in my search for anything and everything about Hecate. This book is a work of fiction and let me tell you the backlash from the dyed in the wool followers of Hecate was ridiculous. I heard everything from "you can't find anything in a work of fiction" to "it would benefit you more to read non-fiction accounts". However, this is my journey and no one has the right or business telling me how to get to where I need to go. See that? I said NEED TO GO. And after reading Tale of the Lost Daughter I had the most amazing manifestation of Hecate in my life than I have ever experienced with any of the Goddesses who have chosen me. Yes, I said CHOSEN me. 

There are many ways to find your path and your Deity, movies and fictional books are just as relevant as those dusty tomes filled with facts and dates and everything I find boring and quickly lose interest with. So, I'll take the sparks and nudging that a movie or fictional book gives me, simply because that is the way my Goddesses have chosen to get my attention. And in the end, the only thing that matters is that I am listening to them as they continue to guide me on my path.

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Dream Walking

Usually, I don't remember much about the dreams I have. Or if I do, the details are not as vivid as the one I had last night. That's one of the reasons I don't keep a dream journal. I can't remember enough when I wake up to write down what I saw as I dream. The sequence is a bit muddled, but the journey was very intense, enlightening and all in all pretty peaceful.

My dream began as what I imagine one would see in a *usual* journey dream. I'm walking, walking in smoke, trash, unhappiness, clutter. It's a well-worn path, with many people and many footprints left behind from those who have walked this path before. The farther I go, the more difficult it is to move, but I continue and endure the struggles laid out before me. 

I see obstacles I must go over or around, I have no guidance, I move blindly from one place to the next. On and on I go and travel through what I see has become my life, and what will become my future. 

As I continue on the journey, I come to a fork in the road. Ahead of me is the same life I'm living now. The same despair, clutter, unhappiness, and drudgery. To the left is a less traveled path, covered with weeds and surrounded by tall grasses. No one has been on this road in quite some time. I'm thinking why would anyone take this path? It's not very well defined, a person will most assuredly become lost by choosing this route. 

As I'm standing there looking at this less traveled path, people all around me are pushing and shoving, yelling at me to get out of the way, that I'm blocking the way and I need to just keep moving. Again, this is the life I've been living, the one I'm used to and the one that seems to be never-ending. 

But, I just can't take one more step, my feet are frozen to the spot I'm standing, I can't even move off the road out of the way. I begin to feel a sense of panic since I can't move, I know I'm going to get hurt, knocked down, stepped on...something. I'm becoming frightened by this time and I don't know how to free myself from the horrible sensation I am feeling.

About this time a stranger steps up to me and tells me all I have to do is choose and I can move on my way. I look up at her and ask how can I choose? I don't want to continue on the road I'm now traveling, the road I know, but the other option is unknown and frightening. We stand there in the road, with dozens of people pushing past us, and she tells me, Vickie, you are not happy where you are at this time. You have been searching for such a long time for a way to make your life better, more peaceful and more fulfilling. After all this time, do you really think you will find your peace if you continue on the road you are currently walking? Aren't you ready to make some changes in your life? 

As per my usual, I don't think about the decision before me, I just act. I choose the path to the left, the path less traveled, the path that's full of weeds, rocks and no footprints to be seen...anywhere. I cautiously take the first step down that road, and the more steps I take the clearer the path becomes. The weeds thin out, the rocks become smaller, and the steps of those who have taken this path before me appear in front of me. My guardian cautions me, Vickie, you must go slowly, choose your steps carefully, because even though you can clearly see the footprints of those who have gone before you, they won't always travel the same path you are searching for and won't be there to guide you. 

I can't begin to explain to you the sense of peace and tranquility I have had since this dream. I woke up this morning feeling more at ease with myself than I have in a very long time. My level of stress has reduced, I don't have the sense of urgency to *fix* something... 

I've found my magick once again. And let me tell you, I NEVER want to lose it...ever again!

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Re-Inventing Oneself

Lately, I've been seeing many people who aren't happy with one or more aspects of their life. Maybe it's their weight, or a relationship, or their spiritual walk, or maybe they have figured out their life is a farce. When the revelation hits, they seem to freak out and do everything possible to wipe out their former life so they can begin a new one.

I know a few people who fit into this... for one reason or another, they aren't satisfied with something in their everyday existence. Instead of picking up the pieces of the life they feel is shattered, they throw it out the window and try to build it again from the ground up. Unfortunately, this doesn't always work. When you try to begin completely fresh, you still have remnants of the previous life or relationship you are running from. And if you haven't learned where the mistakes are, you just build them right back into the new person you are trying to become.

You can't run from your past. You need to have those pieces present each day so you can meet them head on and remember who you were and why you wanted to change. I'm not saying you have to take them out of their box and play with them every day. I'm saying you need to keep some of those memories so you don't fall back into the same patterns you are working so diligently to get away from.

Contrary to popular belief, this metamorphosis doesn't happen overnight. You can't be a raving lunatic one day and wake up the next morning and say "I've changed, I'm not the horrible person I was when I went to bed last night." You can get up and say, "today I begin the work needed to transform myself into a person people want to have in their life". This is how you know you are honestly trying to make changes in your life.

Deleting your Facebook page, changing your email, creating a new blog for the umpteenth time, getting a new job, or moving for the third time in 6 months will not give you immediate results. Becoming a better person is not something you can go into blindly. You must have your eyes, ears, and heart wide open in order to see, hear and feel the things around you that are working in your life to help you become a better person, friend and human being.

I am and always will be a work in progress. I learn from the mistakes I make, and I try with everything I have to not make those same mistakes again. Yes, I do repeat them, sometimes they can come to you in disguise of a different issue, but in fact, are some of the same problems I've dealt with previously. Do I delete my life and frantically begin anew. NO! I have had the same Facebook page since I signed up on February 27, 2008, I have the same blog and I've kept the same name for it since I launched it back on March 24, 2012.

I *know* I've grown and changed. I don't need to throw away my previous life/mistakes and recreate myself each time I screw something up. With 315 Facebook friends, over half who are actual face to face friends and not just internet buddies, 139 followers to this blog and over 17,000 people who *Like* the Facebook page for The Feisty Witch, I gotta believe I'm doing something right.

My changes are daily, I don't shout them from the rooftops, I let them manifest and allow others to notice the differences. I don't run from my past, I don't throw my previous life away and declare I'm a changed person. I just keep growing, changing, evolving...

I don't try to re-invent myself... I am a work in progress.

Friday, April 19, 2019

I See You




Let's Talk About Ego

The ego is the territory of the simple-minded selfish person. And magic cannot be reached when you are thinking of yourself. Magic requires those smarter than those who fall into the pit of me, me, me, me...

Those who consider themselves to be "generational" Witch or who have been practicing for an extended period of time often fall into the trap of ego. Wait!! What?? Yes, if you are constantly telling yourself how great you are and how perfect your life is, you truly do not believe you are capable of being strong enough. You have the need to feel special instead of just accepting your magic and your craft. Boasting about your connection is just one way ego is your weapon against others and a damning to yourself.

When you tell someone how to be a Witch or how to do their magic, your ego is talking. And you have broken the universal law of the Craft of "to each their own". What gives you the right to question anyone's ways of living or doing magic? Nothing. They must learn in their own way and time, no one else can make choices for anyone other than themselves.

Let them learn on their own. And you learn on your own. Stop being "right" and telling them they are "wrong". That's your ego talking, not your Spirit or Guides.

When you learn to let go and stand outside of your ego, you connect fully to your Witch. Those who stand in the universe, those who seem to not be aware of their power because they are fully in their power, the power that is undeniable because they are simply in their power connected to their Gods and Goddesses. That is real power.

Would you rather listen to the voices in your head, stand in your own ego or stand with your Deities Ancestors and Guides?

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Something New in My World

So ... I've branched out and have created a new blog. This is in addition to keeping posts here.

Here, I'm keeping the posts focused towards all things Witch and not posting personal or opinions. If you want to see more of those types of posts feel free to join me over on Mutterings & Musings.

And yes, RW, you are invited to follow along as well. LOL!!

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

I Am SO Blessed

Every morning when I wake up, even before I get out of my bed, I begin my day by giving thanks to my Deities for all the things they will send to me that day. I know there will be challenges as well as happy portions throughout my day. I accept that I can and willingly meet those moments no matter how they are presented. Some may be more difficult than others and for those battles I know I can turn to my support team.

My family ... I have the most amazing family!

My husband not only sacrifices being at home with us in order to work, but he also is my most ardent supporter. He's my rock and I know I wouldn't be the strong person I've become today without him in my life. He's always telling me to use my magic first in every situation. And when I listen to those words whatever is going on usually works out much faster and easier.

My children ... they each have so much going on in their lives but are always there to hold me up if I stumble or smack me down if I get too arrogant. My grandchildren bring me such joy even though some of them are miles away. OH! I'mma gonna be a GREAT-grandma in September! More on that in another post.

Here's the reason for this post today. I have an amazing small circle of friends and we are all connected via Facebook. Some of them I know face to face in the real world, the others have become such an important part of my life that not meeting them face to face is just one of those hurdles we are working on. No matter what any of us is going through in our personal lives, if one of us needs anything, the wagons are circled even before the call goes out to let them know one of us is down or hurting or in need.

I cannot begin to tell you how it makes me feel when one or the other of them know many times even before I do that I'mma gonna need them on any given day. Outta the blue one of them will message me and let me know they "feel" me even when I haven't quite admitted to myself there may be an issue I need help with.

Each morning, on my way to start the coffee I pause at my altar and relight the candles I have placed there for each of them (I have this phobia about letting anything burn overnight so they are extinguished before I go to bed). As I light the candle I say their name out loud and send blessings to them. If I know they are having a tough time, I send strength and power and LOVE! If I know they are in a good place in their life I send added positive thoughts to bolster them as they make their way.

These women are such a huge part of my life. They are the Sisters I never had. The seven of us combined are a force to be reckoned with and I pity anyone who comes against us!!

I LOVE YOU, Sisters of my Heart!

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Obsessions

Do you have one? Or maybe more than one? I do and I can truthfully admit knowing what they are and what I do to keep them under control.

For the longest time I would freak out about how many people I had on my Facebook friends list, and when I saw that number decrease I combed through that friends list to find out who had left. Then I found an app that permitted me to follow along with my friends' list and when anyone left, it would notify me. Gods! I can't believe how I "obsessed" over how many friends I had on a social media site. These days, they come, they go and there are very few of those friends that would cause me any tiny bit of worry if they were to walk away without saying goodbye.

I also had a very short freak out over how many people followed this blog, I'd do so many different things to promote myself and the things I wrote about. Now? It just doesn't matter as much anymore. I write for me and if no one chooses to read what I write, that's OK.

I also went through a time when I was OBSESSED with anyone who paid a visit to my Facebook page or blog or Twitter or any of my other social media accounts. I was convinced I had all these fucking people stalking me to see what was going on in my life. Especially after the bruhaha almost 6 years ago when I was accused of being a saboteur. I even added a tracking device here on the blog just so I could find out where people visited from. This particular episode lasted just long enough for me to track a nasty anonymous comment left on a post I wrote about Alpha Females which caused me to write this post in response. Now? I don't care who follows or stalks or is convinced everyfuckingthing I write about is about them.

I do have other obsessions ...

Dark Chocolate ... I LOVE almost anything dark chocolate. But my current favorite is the dark chocolate Reese's peanut butter cup thins. And Russel Stover Maple cream Easter eggs. Even my coffee has undertones of dark chocolate! LOL!

Orange blossom honey in my tea ... When we lived in Arizona my favorite and always go to honey was unfiltered raw made from the blossoms of the Mesquite tree. Unfortunately, I can't get that in North Carolina, BUT with Jimmy driving the BAT all over hell and back I CAN get raw unfiltered Orange blossom honey whenever he goes to Florida.

An organized crafting space ... no matter what I'm working on I NEED a clutter-free workspace. I've got this huge desk that came out of an office and it is perfect for working with any craft I do. Currently, it houses my Silhouette machine, and 2 organizers that keep all the tools pens, and cutting implements handy. At the end of the day when I finish working on whichever project I drug out that morning, I make sure to take time to put everything away, even if I "plan" to come back to it the next day. With the way things go in my world, I never know what the next day brings, LOL!!

The health of my furbaby ... after everything I went through last year with Calliope I made a promise to myself and to Lily that I would take much better care of her. And I have ... poor baby had to have a blood transfusion and stay in the vet hospital for 2 days when she was just barely 8 weeks old. I can't begin to explain how important she is to me and keeping her healthy is probably the one item I won't stop obsessing over any time soon.

I guess my point in all this rambling nonsense is simple. Choose which things in life are important to you and let go of the rest. In the end, those obsessions can and usually do cause more damage than they give positivity. I'll keep the last 4 I listed, and I've let go of the first 3 ... they just don't matter anymore.