#witchcraft discourse

[butch-reidentified]

fact: there is so much of the natural world we don't understand yet

many forms of women's spirituality is just... celebrating how cool that is. not believing in any fictional narrative. just celebrating nature and how much we have yet to understand.

that's why I take issue with the "it's just as fictional as Christianity etc" narrative. some forms, sure, but not any I'd ever be interested in.

it's just ignorance. your idea of witchcraft vs what I'm actually talking about. but you aren't taking the time to ask or listen. there's literally nothing "unscientific" about what I personally practice. it's just about my relationship to the scientific unknown.

edit to add some of what I just included in a different reblog:

fwiw, I still don't consider myself spiritual as (like I've repeatedly said) my witchcraft is, to me, artistic self-expression and is fundamentally about my personal connection to the universe, womanhood, nature, and, despite what certain women on here are insisting, to science. I've never been able to convince myself to believe in specific unseen/supernatural things like deities (learned this at a very young age trying to make myself believe in the Christian God, then tried with other gods, never believed in Santa even).

women engaging in scientific pursuits have historically so often been the ones labeled witches. new scientific creations have so often historically been called magic, witchcraft, heresy, etc., and those involved persecuted for it.

historically, women called witches have so often BEEN scientists, and that & the erasure of women throughout scientific history is exactly WHY using the term is so important to me, WHY I don't respect the patriarchally-derived dictionary definition* of "witch" or "witchcraft." I have a peer-reviewed neuroscience publication with my name on it, and that, to me, is part of my witchcraft. idc how anyone else feels about that but calling it antifeminist is absurd.

[esoteric-chaos]

Unpopular opinion maybe? You do not need to charge your crystals. Intention into them yes. Charging? No. They've been charging in the earth for how long? They aren't going to run out of energy anytime soon. As a spoonie witch, I have to ration my energy as much as possible and find it unnecessary.

[soihaveamilliondraftsright]

Not a bot / paper towel users, blue-juice drinkers and blanket haters (unless for neurodivergency reasons) dni

[tyetknot]

*carefully tosses a golden apple labelled 'TO THE LEAST PROBLEMATIC' into the middle of witchblr discourse*

[apollos-boyfriend]

not to get into hashtag discourse but i can’t get over some of these character brackets banning mcrp characters for “crossing the line into rpf” yet nearly always have some sort of dnd character in their polls. do you not see your hypocrisy. do you not see how those are the exact same thing told through different mediums.

[gold-snek-hoe]

Hello and welcome to Opinions from an Internet Nobody. Today's essay:

"Ger therapy" is the new "You need Jesus": One Weirdo's Navigation through Cultural Shame

This is a supposedly well-meaning sentiment that is often weaponized against people who are behaving outside of perceived cultural norms. It's a favorite of homophobes who see queerness/transness as a mental illness, but I've been seeing it used to demonize kink (which historically is often linked to queerness), and more generally any "weird" behavior that makes people uncomfortable.

For example, otherkin, systems (especially those with fictives), and people who take fictional characters as partners. Y'know, "weirdos" who "can't separate reality from fiction." And, sure, sometimes there can be a problem with that distinction, but I know as well as you that most internet strangers saying "get therapy" don't actually give a shit about the mental health of those they target. It's code for "your behavior makes me uncomfortable, stop it."

Same sentiment as "you need Jesus."

This has actually taken me a long time to figure out. I've been in therapy for my entire adult life, working through various traumas, severe depression, anxiety, all that. Those were the biggest problems as they negatively impacted, and often endangered, my life. It was only after my hospitalization in 2020, where I was finally put on much needed medication, that I could start to grow into myself.

I changed my name. I top surgery. I came out as polyamorous. I finally got my official autism diagnosis. Now I'm fuckin' married! But... there are still things I'm working through in therapy. Mainly, shame over my "weirder" behaviors. My current therapist has been a huge blessing in helping me accept the things I was too ashamed to admit.

Now, I feel comfortable enough to share.

I'm otherkin. Always have been. My connection to my humanity is tenuous, and I'm sure that's connected to my autism. When mad, I feel phantom horns sprouting from my forehead. I have a tail that swishes back and forth at the base of my spine. In my soul, I am monstrous, and years of therapy has not erased that.

I feel like I'm only half in the physical world most of the time. This doesn't hinder my real-world success (I graduated college Summa Cum Laude, have an IMDB page, and am on my third book), but informs the way I look at the world. There's a whole other universe in my head that hums along with me in my day-to-day. That's part of why I'm so skilled as a writer. To ask me to divorce from that is to tell me to stop existing. Sorry, it's how I've always operated.

Lastly, and this is the one I'm really anxious about, I have a fictional husband. Now, looking at my blog, you might say "yeah, no shit," but I don't just ship myself with him. I mean I practice pop-culture Witchcraft, and the Goblin King is my patron. I mean I have a Labyrinth-themed tarot deck that I talk to him with. I mean I held a ritual to spiritually marry him. Basically, I Snape-wived myself.

And guess what? My therapist isn't concerned. It's not hurting my ability to live my life. I have other interests, hobbies, and goals outside of him, which he actively encourages in all our tarot sessions! I wouldn't be doing this if he didn't support me. My IRL spouse is usually there for whatever magical shit I'm doing, and supports me! Some of my closest friends know, and the only complaint I've gotten is "this guy seems important to you, I wish you told me sooner." Hell, my MOTHER knows and supports me, which is huge, because our relationship was pretty damaged after I came out as trans.

If you have a problem with the way I live my life, when literally nobody else does, take a good long look at why. You don't give a fuck about my mental health. You just don't like that I'm weird.

Tl;dr: My mental health is better than it's ever been since embracing the weird, so leave me and my imaginary husband Marak Sixfinger alone.

[mamaangiwine]

It's okay to be aesthetically inclined in your practice, but it is important to remember that aesthetics are not history and to remain flexible when you're being confronted with actual historical research. It's okay to be inspired, but to take care that you're not shaping your identity around historical misconceptions and romantic notions.

I mention this because inflexibility on this topic is what nazis and other white supremacists prey on in pagan and occult circles.

Nazis do not care about historical accuracy; in fact they loathe it as a cruel force that would take away their participation in a larger, grander narrative. They view it as a plot to strip them of their supposed birthright.

If you find yourself clinging to a false narrative for the sake of purpose, and go searching for info that makes it "true", please keep in mind that Nazis will always tell you they have the "answers".

One of the hardest parts of this path, no matter the tradition, is having to accept when we are wrong. Especially when we thought we had all the answers. In that way, we are not just reconciling with history but with ourselves.

[necrofleshgoat]

Gentle reminder cause I've seen it float around more often than I'd like recently ‼️

Death work, death magic and/or necromancy are not a closed practice in itself.

I have no clue where people keep pulling this bs from but they do and as a death worker myself I'm tired of it. First of all, death is universal. Do you know a culture that doesn't have some form of belief and rituals surrounding death? Me neither. This simple fact makes death work open to anyone, because it's something EVERY SINGLE CULTURE HAS.

Of course, certain practices within death work are closed when they're tied directly to a closed culture/belief. But death work in itself is open.

People who claim otherwise often don't have any proper sources or arguments and it stems from a feeling of edgy superiority over other witches and practitioners that shouldn't be tolerated in our community. Not only that, but it also lowkey feels like a mockery towards actual closed practices.

Do research! Don't believe anything you see someone say without a second thought, folks!!

[butch-reidentified]

one of the things I find most irritating is the ppl claiming i have ever once implied that i think my connection w nature/the universe/whatever is inherently deeper or more meaningful than theirs. this just reeks of insecurity and projection as I've been so very deliberate in saying the opposite this entire time yet they're still spreading that around. they're mad about my word choice bc they took it to mean something it doesn't and now blame me for that when I literally said from day 1 it's an art thing to me lmao. sorry you didn't read. i haven't once, not once, changed what I'm saying in this. and MOST ppl are seeing that clearly. idc if youre mad i dont "just say i like the aesthetic" bc it's an entire artistic medium for me not just "aesthetic." i explained what i meant by terms day 1 and yall didn't like the answers, but that's not on me, sorry.

this discourse is uniquely funny (in a loose sense of the word) bc one quick irl conversation would clear it all up so fast. it's such a miscommunication- and assumption-rooted issue. anyone who knows me irl (honestly who's even run into me in a shop one time irl) who saw the descriptions being written "about me" would not recognize them as about me in a million years. that's a big part of my frustration and desire to disengage. a version of me has taken life in this that isn't me, and coincidentally reminds me of the whole thing of "corrosively-sheathed" making up a version of me in their head and doubling down that it's representative of the real me.

i need a little breathing room bc it's futile to fight ghosts, and atp that's all this is for me. desperately trying to stop a train that's long since left the station and taken my name with it.

those of you who know me/get me/are capable of the grace and patience to trust me when I say "this isn't me," thank you. I need to remind myself you're the only ones whose voices need to matter to me.

🖤

edit to add my comment on this:

[magicianing]

Since some members of this community take offense with the term "mother witch", I propose a far less authoritative-sounding alternative: milf witch

[curateyourcraft]

My best piece of advice for new witches is to get offline. Go to the library or a bookstore and pick out some books about local rocks or botany. Go outside and enjoy the rain, the snow, or the sun. Worship nature, your deities, or your own self worth. Light some incense and sit with your thoughts, you can write them out as well.. Just get offline and get away from all the pointless discourse.

[brightgnosis]

It is typical of genuine Cunning-folk to utilize whatever is closest at hand and to turn all influences, irrespective of religious provenance, to the secret purposes of the Arte. It is therefore that the Old Craft embraces for itself an array of attitudes and methods, ranging from the simple matters of spell-craft to the highest ceremonial forms of conjuration; in all contexts one may find pieces of magical lore and belief from many disparate times and places, but all are brought to function within the trans-historical arena of the sacred dimension […] From out of its roots in folk magic, in all of its many aspects, the form of the Traditional Craft is continually evolving, and it is in this respect that one may perceive the trajectories of its own possibilities. The spiritual landscape of the Arte is being molded, through the power of its own current, by a potent aesthetic of mythopoetic eclecticism; its rich variety of ancestral lore is achieving a new definition of form, culminating in the refinement of a profound metaphysic of ecstasy: The true wisdom-teaching of magical gnosis.

From 'What is Traditional Craft: A Brief Discourse Regarding the Nature of Traditional Witchcraft and Allied Forms of Magical Practice'; Andrew Chumbley (My Ko-Fi Here)

[tyetknot]

I saw your comment on that one post about Wicca, and I was just wondering, why was it once extremely common sense to ignore Robin Artisson? I’ve seen others say similar things in the past but without elaboration, I’m not able to find anything about why ignoring him as an author is a good idea.

Well, to put it succinctly, the man is an ass. This is not in of itself unusual - indeed, many people in the online and offline pagan and witchcraft community are assholes, and there are certainly those who would say that I am one myself. Artisson is a little bit different though. A long, long time ago a lot of pagan, witchcraft, and Wiccan discourse happened on LiveJournal, where Artisson would post under the handle Son of Art, among others, and he was notorious for being a complete and total prick, an arrogant and argumentative asshole, a piece of shit, a liar, a plagiarizer, a whole host of other things. The most nuclear of takes, in modern parlance. Not a nice guy. Not fun to have around. Not good to engage with. And people knew this. It was common knowledge that Son Of Art was someone you did not engage with and should ignore, because he was a complete and total dipshit in a very smug and self-satisfied and condescending way which was much worse and very different from the way people like, say, Wade MacMorrighan were notorious and unpleasant extremely online dipshits.

LiveJournal is probably dead at this point, I have no idea, and I don't know if receipts are even still available now, but I reckon if you manage to find some Wiccans who were online 2001 - 2009 they can tell you stories about Robin Artisson and his online antics that would make you wonder why anyone bothers referencing his books.

[pjthewitch]

i think we do need to be gentle to people who are likely experiencing spiritual psychosis. i experience psychosis myself, and someone coming at me aggressively will always drive me further into it. it’s always worth calling out harmful ideas and practices being perpetuated on the internet, but i think sometimes people could be a little more kind and considerate of who they engage with directly.

and i shouldn’t have to say this, but it’s the internet so i do: this post is NOT about people who have gone so far off the deep end that they are causing genuine harm, or for people who are sound of mind and just perpetuating harmful ideas/practices because that’s what they truly believe.

[the-entity-down-the-street]

Y'know it's been a hot minute since I made a post about witchcraft on this blog, and a lot has changed since my beginnings back in 2019, so I think it's time to share some thoughts.

MY MAGIC AND AUTISM:

One of my discord friends was talking about possibly being an empath, and at first I didn't say anything, but eventually I decided it'd be better to inform them that a lot of the "empath/indigo child/sensitive" stuff is just spiritual talk for neurodivergency.

I'm autistic myself, finally got diagnosed in 2022 a few days before my 25th birthday. My mom told me that we were empaths when I was growing up, that we were sensitive to the feelings of other people, and that's why we both ended up shouldering other people's problems. She tried to teach me how "block" energies, but that never really worked for me. In part, this is because it was an abusive household and there was no escape from the negativity, but that's not the point I'm trying to make.

As it turns out, there is a way to block negative energy, and it's called setting healthy boundaries with the people around you. Y'know, talking with your friends, making it clear when you don't have the energy to listen to them vent. If you have good friends, they'll be happy to listen and respect your wishes. If you don't, well, I cast the spell of "bye."

Having access to therapy, learning interpersonal skills, and (eventually) going on antidepressants was more helpful for getting rid of negativity than any amount of purifying crystals/blocking techniques.

In fact, getting my mental health in check allowed me to *really* start my spiritual journey! Parsing out what was in my head and what was really, genuinely mystical was crucial for my craft. I could talk more clearly with my tarot cards, I was more in-tune with the messages the universe was sending me, and things in my life finally started moving forward.

This brings me back to the autism diagnosis. Having the language and clarification about how I experience the world really allowed me to flourish magically. You know why? Because through understanding how my autism influences my perception, I could find my strengths.

For example, I'm really good at picking out patterns, and I tend to make sense of life through the lens of storytelling, so I have a tendency to see thematic elements that carry through in my life. One of my dearest friends from college said that I did everything with a "narrative flair," and that's because of my ability to find narrative patterns.

This leads into how I picked up pop culture witchcraft. My strong attachments to my favorite stories, as well as my proclivity for picking up on themes, makes it the perfect avenue for performing witchcraft. Now I'm a fully confident witch with strong personal proof that magic is real.

Basically, what I'm saying is, despite the pervasive ableism that conflates neurodivergency with spirituality, there is a healthy way to have both simultaneously, by understanding how one influences the other. It can lead to a deeper understanding of yourself, as well as a deeper connection to the divine! Don't be afraid to be yourself, neurodivergent witches!

[witchykinny]

Things to avoid in witchcraft.

I took this list from a small-minded fool who thinks reality shifting and manifesting harmful (and various misinformation, such as about blood magic). I added explanations, some other items, and took out subjects I didn't have enough information on (they may belong here but I don't know enough to condemn it yet).

Divine [insert gender] or Sacred [insert gender] - sexism and transphobia.

Wicca - full of cultural appropriation.

Spirit Animals and any other native practices - cultural appropriation.

Spirit impregnation - not possible, a spirit cannot impregnate you.

Vibrations - mostly fearmongering, also ableism and diet culture.

Some forms of Reiki, especially western Reiki - cultural appropriation

Ascension/5D stuff - cult behavior, ties in with vibrations above

Reptilians and certain people, especially celebrities, are reptiles/demons/fallen angles etc. - Christian fearmongering and Nazism.

Anything related to Aleister Crowley or Anton LaVey - cultural appropriators. Aleister Crowley has some good works but take it with a grain of salt, he was racist and a misogynist.

Witchcraft requiring a womb/"Men can't be witches", especially if they include transgender people in that statement.

Cultural appropriation in any form - dream catchers, white sage, coyote bones, Hoodoo, chakras, reiki, whitewashed yoga (research into Hinduism to find an appropriate way to practice, some forms of it are open), closed practices, and so on.

"Black" or "White" magic - racism

The Satanic Temple - cultural appropriation, and the upper ranks are fascists, antisemitic, racist, etc. They're suing ex-members who call them out.

Atheist Satanists/Luciferians - cultural appropriation. If you don't believe in the deities, you're just an atheist.