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devosdevine · 7 years ago

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I’m a Witch.

Witch.

Why use that word? Mostly, because it's true.

Also, because it's an incredibly important word.

As Madeline Miller explains in her brilliant Guardian article, From Circe to Clinton: why powerful women are cast as witches, the word witch "reflect[s] our ideas about women back to ourselves." This lone syllable is a palimpsest of information about women's history: forms of feminine power, fear of feminine power, and the independence of women who hold power.

I learned I was a witch at age 11. Unfortunately, not by owl.

When I was 9, my progressive Episcopal school hired a remarkably conservative pastor. He taught my third grade Bible class that women were inferior members of the Christian faith. Convinced of my equality, I fought him openly. When the class reached Corinthians, I was exiled to the hallway.

Fortunately, I also spent that year studying Scandinavian history and mythology. I thus realized that pre-Christian spiritual alternatives existed, but the old gods still seemed distant, found only in fairy tales and books of ancient history.

Two years later, I stumbled on a curious volume at a used book fair. It was pink, with an picture of a beautiful woman on the cover and a compelling title: The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries. I took it home and devoured it in one sitting.

Running into my mother's bedroom, waving the book like a flag, I hollered, "Mom! I understand now! I'M A WITCH! Everything makes sense!" I was deliriously happy.

My mother lowered her newspaper and said levelly, "OK. But you can't ever say that to anyone else. They won't understand."

If you've met me, you know I'm a rules-follower. (Well, except when my Bible teacher tells me to accept my subservience.) I didn't speak the word "witch" to anyone else for nearly ten years.

Yet, I was a lucky wee witch: I had little supervision, an allowance, subway tokens, and all of New York City at my disposal. I bought a tarot deck at a comic book shop, made a wand from a branch found in Central Park, taught myself to meditate, and spent hours on the floor of Barnes and Noble devouring feminist classics and occult texts.

I paid scant attention to pop cultural depictions of witchcraft. It seemed a bit dangerous: would my curiosity indicate that I was, indeed, a witch? Also, I didn't want to get my information from Willow. I wanted real magic.

When I reached Duke University, I found a trove of resources in the Divinity Library, which was often empty and had a forgotten copy machine in the basement. I studied there, Xeroxing whole chapters from Doreen Valiente's works after I finished my homework.

I also found mentors: a married pair of witches raising their young daughter in the craft. They took me in, filled the many gaps in my knowledge, taught me how to perform rituals with proper tools and other witches, and coached me through many challenges. But they practiced in secret, because North Carolina wasn't a safe place to be a witch in the 1990s. So I practiced in secret, too.

Until I met my husband. Nominally Christian, he was remarkably sanguine about my beliefs and befuddled by my secrecy. We spoke Methodist vows at our wedding, but did so bathed in sunshine and surrounded by flowers, bees, and butterflies, so that I could feel the presence of the divine.

I stuck a toe out of the broom closet after my daughter's birth. As her primary role model, secrecy and sneaking around seemed like a terrible precedent to set. We decided to become an interfaith family: our daughter was baptized, but also included in my observances. Today, we celebrate all pagan holidays and some Christian holidays. Openly.

Yet, I didn't really leave the broom closet until we moved to Asheville, where I found allies, resources, and wise teachers including Byron Ballard, Becky Beyer, Sarah Chappell, Maia Toll, Jodi Rhoden, and Katie Vie. When I stopped hiding, I found my tribe.

So, what do I believe now?

Animism

I am an animist, which means that I perceive all natural things - rocks, plants, trees - as in some way alive. I also believe in divine immanence - an organizing force in the universe that is both holy and present in all natural things. I believe we can perceive divine order in the patterns of sacred geometry - pentagrams, spirals, stars, whorls, the Fibonacci sequence. (Here, let Donald Duck explain!) Thus, I believe nature is to be cherished, protected, and venerated.

Views about classic theological questions - the soul, the afterlife - vary widely among animists. Personally, I think our bodies and consciousness return to nature, but I really don't know what that means. I doubt my mind is capable of understanding it.

Paganism

Paganism is a polytheistic religious practice. I believe it is difficult for the human mind to approach the divine without some organizing principles. Gods, goddesses, myths, and stories help us conceive of the divine in a concrete way. Forming a relationship with one of these manifestations is a way to venerate the divine in the material world.

Views about classic theological questions vary as widely as you might expect among pagans. We have a "family goddess" and organize our veneration around her symbolism and incarnation.

Witchcraft

Witchcraft is a practice, not a religion. Thus, one can be pagan and a witch, pagan but not a witch, and a witch but not a pagan. I happen to be both. There are too many strands of witchcraft to list here.

Witchcraft, as I define it, is the practice of magic.

I think of magic as the conscious direction of intention on the material world. My practices are informed by Reclaiming, Norse, and Dianic Wiccan practices. (But I no longer use materials created by trans-exclusionary authors.) I'm also starting to learn about Appalachian folk magic, since I'm surrounded by it. However, I also think of magic and science as a spectrum: magic can be defined as a collection of observed (and still somewhat fuzzy) knowledge that has been passed down along generations but not incorporated into the laws and rules of "science." I read Sagan and Einstein along with spell books.

My daily spiritual practices include meditation; reading tarot; caring for our land; invoking, spending time in the presence of, and making offerings to our family's matron goddess; working on our family altar; casting spells; and taking classes in herbalism, mysticism, or history. Special spiritual practices are reserved for holidays known as sabbats and esbats.

Sabbats are the eight holy days observed by many Euro-American pagans and witches. They represent spokes on the Wheel of the Year. These are holidays for our family, and we have special traditions associated with each. Many are revivals of pre-Christian festival days, and fall close to popular holidays. Samhain is one of the holiest days of the year, often referred to as "The Witches' New Year." Yule is a lot like Christmas, so our family observes a full week of wintry celebrations. Imbolc is the return of the sun, a better version of Groundhog Day. Ostara is very similar to Easter. Beltane is May Day, and my daughter's school actually celebrates a version of it with costumes, maypole dancing, treats, and games. Summer Solstice, or Litha, is a time for staying up with the sun, catching fireflies, drinking champagne in the grass, and making strawberry shortcakes. Lammas is the first harvest festival; we visit local farms, make bread, and learn about food systems. Mabon, or Autumn Equinox, is the big harvest festival, and I see it as the kickoff of the "season of the witch," when everyone is getting ready for Halloween and I can luxuriate in feeling normal for a month! We carve pumpkins, pick apples, and decorate like love children of the Addams and the Griswolds.

Esbats are rituals held at the Full Moon and New Moon. These are special times for holding rituals and casting spells, so I set up a small ritual for my daughter wherein I teach her some new skill like grounding or casting a circle. Then I do my own rituals and spellwork after she's in bed.

My decision to leave the broom closet was informed by (1) a new sense of safety, because witchcraft is extremely popular right now, but also (2) a new sense of responsibility, because of the misogyny unearthed in the 2016 election.

Clearly, the election itself was informed by a persistent hatred of powerful women. "Witch" played a strong role in misogynistic descriptions and depictions of Hillary Clinton. For younger women, especially witches like myself, this was alternately infuriating and thrilling. It was both a denigration of us as individuals and a recognition of our political power.

As Kristen Sollee has explained, “Witches have always been politically radical, in my opinion, but it seems that even more American witches are these days because the internet allows for a new kind of organizing on a larger scale." After the election, activist witches began to organize, often via the internet or in spaces created by feminist entrepreneurs. W.I.T.C.H's many outposts. Intersectional feminist events at Hauswitch, Catland, Ritualcravt. (And many more I'm surely leaving out.)

Women who were witches - and women who weren't - began to see themselves reflected in the activism of witchcraft.

Then Donald Trump co-opted the term "witch hunt." It rang hollow. As Josephine Livingston said:

On the one side, we have the young woman. Her natal chart is fully indexed; she can read tarot. She knows that Planned Parenthood guards her liberty. Her interest in witchhood is bound up with her political conscience, gender identity, and sense of humor. On the other, the President of the United States. His witchhood is, by contrast, a simple claim: that enemies hunt him for no good reason.

Like Livingston, I believe that "the only sorcery effective against him is solidarity: more magic, more craft, more witches."

If you can hex, do it.

If you can work to regenerate the earth, do it.

If you can bind, do it.

If you have the power of persuasion, use it.

But above all...

If you're a witch, use the word.

It's a powerful word. It rings with history, beauty, pain, and magic. We could all use a little more magic right now, by which I simply mean a little more intention in our relations with the material world, and a little more faith that our intentions matter.

Then, as Miller asks, "perhaps we can at last celebrate female strength, recognising that witches – and women – are not going away."

“We are the granddaughters of the witches you could not burn.” It’s not a biological claim. It’s a tribal cry of belonging. A recognition of my powerful foremothers, the women who were called “witch”: Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Anne Boleyn, the herbalists, the alewives, the midwives, Hillary.

I’m a witch.

#witch #witchcraft #witches #politics #feminism #pagan #paganism #animism #animist

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devosdevine · 7 years ago

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The Coolest Places in Asheville*

Charles Frazier, the author of Cold Mountain (aka the second-most heartbreaking novel ever**), recently gave GQ his favorite spots in Asheville.

He didn’t even scratch the surface.

I’ve lived in Asheville for the last 3 years, and in that time formed some opinions about the best places to shop, eat, and drink. Below is the secret list I usually only share with the hippest families in Brooklyn.

You’re welcome.

*** KDD’s Master Guide to Asheville ***

North Asheville

We live on Beaver Lake, which is semi-public and is perfect for a contemplative walk, soccer stop, or turtle-watching. Kids love the Bird Sanctuary, which is also the best place to park at the lake.

Ira B. Jones Park is our favorite in town. It is attached to the elementary school but open to the public. (NB: No bathrooms.)

The Botanical Gardens are gorgeous and great for walking with kids.

The North Asheville library is tiny but beautiful, with giant chairs and pillows for reading. Also, you can walk to it through the forest from our house, which is totally magical. Toddler Time is Wednesday at 10:00am.

Grove Park Inn is legendary and for good reason. Sitting on the Sunset Terrace and drinking a Moscow Mule out of a chilled copper mug is a classic Asheville experience. I also like Edison at any time of day, and they're very nice to kids.

Home Grown has the best fried chicken I've ever eaten. I order it with mushroom gravy, sesame greens, and lemonade. Maddie can eat an entire serving of fried chicken by herself, but also likes the biscuits. I also rotate in the Sunburst trout with pommes frites, while Rob loves the burger.

Gan Shan Station is downright amazing. Any dumpling; the Drunken Noodle; any pickled side; anything on special. SO GOOD.

The Hop makes a huge variety of delicious ice creams. Unicorn Poop is a family favorite. There is a location in West AVL, too.

Maddie would tell you that tiny Ultimate Ice Cream is even better.

Downtown

Curaté is arguably the best restaurant in town. Reservations are impossible for dinner, but it's usually easy to get in for lunch. Start with jamón ibérico de bellota (cured ham from pigs fed on acorns), pan con tomate, and Manchego. Don’t miss the berenjenas con miel (eggplant with honey), cerdo iberico a las finas hierbas (pork grilled like a skirt steak, with is excellent with the setas al jerez - mushrooms with sherry), and whatever grilled pepper is on the menu. NB: They use an app called Reserve rather than OpenTable.

The Vault looks like a cheap dive bar, but it has the BEST burger. The burger looks like nothing on the plate, but is simply insane, and is served with tater tots. On date night, Rob and I have been known to go out to dinner, then stop by the Vault for burger dessert.

Sovereign Remedies is impressive. The make a sublime Vesper, which is how I judge bars. The chickpea fries are phenomenal . I like it better early in the evening; it gets very busy late at night.

High Five Coffee is killer.

East Fork Pottery is one of the hippest places in town. One goes for the pottery, but stays for the people. Alex and Connie are the nicest people with the best taste in Japanese home goods, natural perfume, organic skincare, textiles...

French Broad Chocolate Lounge. The Kulfi truffle is my favorite. Maddie likes the ice creams and cookies. It's a really nice place to sit and talk - inside or outside, as it's right next to the main square.

The Battery Park Book Exchange is a multi-story warren full of used books and comfortable sofas. They serve coffee, cocktails, wine, and Champagne, which you can drink anywhere on site. It’s actually great for kids, too. Go upstairs to read together on big, comfy couches.

Even if you don't feel like shopping, The Grove Arcade, which is next door to the BPBE, is worth a walk-through. It's an Art Deco European shopping arcade and it's beautiful. Also a nice place to duck in if you’re hot or it's raining.

Farm Burger is great for kids. I like my burger with white cheddar, arugula, local Lusty Monk mustard, and caramelized onions. Maddie likes the chicken lollipops.

White Duck Taco is extremely kid-friendly.

Malaprop's is one of the best independent bookstores in the US and has a fantastic kids’ section. They also have nice restrooms and sell bottles of cold water.

Trade & Lore is truly artisanal coffee and the space is stunning.

Early Girl Eatery is laid-back and delicious. The Early Girl Benny is the thing to get, the biscuits are great, and they give kids buckets of toys.

Posana is our favorite place for “city” brunch (i.e., not chicken and biscuits). The Cardamom Latte and Avocado Toast with Smoked Salmon and Capers are my jam. Maddie is partial to the Doughnut Holes. Kitchen is 100% gluten-free!

Rhubarb is lovely - it's Maddie's favorite restaurant and my preferred spot for special solo lunch and the bar where Rob and I often conclude date night. For kids, homemade lemonade is always available - it's not on the menu, but just ask - and the mac and cheese is swoon-worthy.

Duncan + York has classy souvenirs.

Loft specializes in classless souvenirs, but kids love it.

C & Co. Naturals is an amazing body care shop. Everything is handmade and healthy. I love the Honey Wash, Vanilla Mint lotion, and Lavender Mint soap.

Blue Spiral 1 is the best art gallery in town. They take all my money.

Pack Memorial Library has a giant kids' section with toys, puppets, and rows on rows of books. Story time is Tuesday at 10:30am.

A Bit Beyond Downtown

Little Jumbo is my favorite evening joint in town right now. Especially recommend the cocktails for two, which are quite the silver-plattered experience. (NB: Due to NC law, any bar without food is a "social club" requiring membership. You just have to pay a dollar and give your phone no. on the first visit.)

Asheville Yoga Center is completely lovely, with a huge array of classes and a lot of space.

Liberty House Café is next door to AYC; the muffins and avocado toast are killer.

South Slope

Breweries in Asheville are (almost) uniformly hospitable to kids and many excellent ones are clustered here.

Vortex makes unusual, delicious doughnuts.

Burial makes the best beer I've EVER had. I love the safe, cozy outdoor patio and indoor greenhouse area. The on-site food is excellent.

Green Man makes my favorite Porter. The new tasting room, the Mansion, is swanky, but I prefer Dirty Jack's, the run-down original tasting room.

River Arts District

All Souls Pizza is phenomenal and has a huge open field for littles to burn off energy.

Smoky Park Supper Club sits right on the French Broad river. Excellent farm-to-table food and good outdoor running space for kids. Tables outside are ideal; otherwise, call ahead, go early, and ask for one of their ginormous booths.

Salvage Station is basically a giant field with hammocks, fire pits, live music, several bars, and extremely kid-friendly food. (Think tater tots - LOTS OF TOTS.) We frequently meet friends here. We take a bag of toys, get pints, and let the kids run loose.

New Belgium Brewery is one of the newest and most famous breweries. It has a lovely position overlooking the river, lots of room for kids to run, and huge selection of beers on draft. Food is limited to one food truck, which rotates daily. Thumbs up to El Kimchi and Melt Your Heart. Stay away from Bun Intended.

12 Bones is, IMHO, the best barbecue in NC. Unfortunately, it's only open 11am-4pm weekdays. The new location at the Foundations is kind of hard to find - use your phone and look for the street art.

Summit Coffee is my new office - the coffee is great and the tables are huge.

West Asheville

OWL Bakery is my favorite day joint. Maddie and I have tea parties here! Everything is top-notch, but the cardamom buns, apple turnovers, and (ever-changing) danishes are my faves. The fresh breads are uniformly excellent. The herbal teas are the best I've ever had.

The Admiral is a close second. Practically impossible to reserve, but you can usually find seats at the bar.

Battlecat is where the cool kids get their coffee, and is not very kid friendly. Friends say it's intimidating, but it just reminds me of 1990s NYC! I wrote most of my dissertation here.

Flora and Forage is extra charming; it's a florist/herbal coffee shop and is positively otherworldly.

King Daddy's is fantastic. They're known for chicken and waffles, but I prefer the Fried Green Tomato Salad, Lamb Burger, and Shitake Rice Bowl. I take Maddie for Belgian waffles after every school milestone. They provide buckets of toys as well as crayons and paper.

WALK is excellent for local beers, nachos, and pool. The kids' menu is wonderful - you can mix and match favorites like PB&J and mac and cheese - so this is our default hangout.

Zia Taqueria is basically the off-site cafeteria for Maddie's school. The Baja, Grilled Fish, and Pollo Verde tacos are my favorites. Maddie likes the kids' nachos with black beans.

Hole makes great doughnuts.

Whist has adorable, locally-sourced gifts and clever things.

West Asheville friends love Double Crown.

Biltmore Village

The Biltmore Estate is a don't-miss if you have at least half a day to spare. Cedric's Tavern is the best spot for kids and is located next to the activities designed for them. (NB: One condition of dining at Biltmore - they only serve Biltmore wine. Don't do it...)

Corner Kitchen is a true classic Southern institution and great for kids. I highly recommend skipping food at Biltmore and eating here instead. The servers are extremely mindful of timing and wonderful with children.

Beyond

Elementality doesn't look like much, but is my favorite place to shop. They have gorgeous jewelry and inexpensive, elegant clothes. Everything is arranged by color, so Maddie actually loves going here with me. Elementality carries River Island Apothecary, with which I'm obsessed.

The NC Arboretum is beautiful.

It's right next to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is simply gorgeous, with many great pull-off viewing spots.

Tupelo Honey is deservedly famous. The downtown location often has a long line. South Asheville location is a bit of a drive, but takes reservations. We like the Crispy Brussels, Buttermilk Fried Chicken Salad, Corn Jalapeño Hushpuppies, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Fried Okra. Maddie loves the Rosemary-Peach Lemonade, while I usually get the Seasonal Kentucky Mule.

Hickory Nut Gap Farm is adorable.They have apples, pumpkins, baby animals, pony rides, hayrides, a safe creek to play in, and an extremely good deli that serves a simple lunch made of things raised on the farm.

Finally, if you notice Buchi around town, it's locally made and fantastic.

* If you’re a parent and use outdated words like “cool.”

** The first-most heartbreaking novel ever is The Time Traveler’s Wife. Obviously.

#asheville #travel #charles frazier #strong opinions

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