What is a “Witch”?
January 10th, 2010 | 
Author: 
…cause I’ve been called one! Seriously!
The town we used to live in, small as it was, had several churches. There is a meeting of the spiritual leaders of those churches called the Pastoral Alliance. And, as it goes in small towns, there is not a lot to talk about except for gossip.
One of the more enlightened pastors of this group (who has since been fired from his position at his church and moved elsewhere) spoke to me quietly at a party about something that made me sit up and take notice. Here was the conversation:
Licia: “I would really like to meet with other spiritual leaders in the community to exchange ideas and support one another. It gets lonely sometimes to be one that folks come to for spiritual guidance.”
Cool Pastor: (squirming uncomfortably)
L: “Is there any kind of support group or meeting of spiritual leaders here?”
CP: (falteringly) “Yessssss…”
L: (excited) “Oh, do you think I could come?!”
CP: (sheepishly) “No, I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
L: (genuinely puzzled) “Why not?”
CP: “Because the Pastoral Alliance is afraid of you.”
L: “HUH?! …Am I not the nicest person that you know?”
CP: “Yes, you are a very nice person. But they have had a meeting recently in which you were identified as a public enemy.”
L: (kind of laughing, thinking it is a joke) “WHAT?!”
CP: (looking very sad) “They have read some of your writing, and your beliefs are very threatening to their beliefs. They feel that you are dangerous to their congregations.”
L: (stunned) “Wow.”
CP: “I’m sorry.”
L: “What century is this again?”
I learned later that my children were taunted at school. “Your mom is a witch.” And not just by other children! Not one person in that little town had the balls (or ovaries) to come say this to my face, but they sure were talking about it.
It’s made me think a lot since then. What is a witch anyway? I learned from my early Christian preschool conditioning and the Wizard of Oz that witches are bad, Bad, BAD. When I hear the word and me in the same sentence, my blood runs cold. But why?
I am writing a long piece about this that will continue, but I needed to get this out there for some feedback. In my quest for truth, consciousness and challenging the status quo, I want to know:
What is your definition of the word “Witch?” Here’s what dictionary.com had to say:
Witch –noun
| 1. | a person, now esp. a woman, who professes or is supposed to practice magic, esp. black magic or the black art; sorceress. Compare warlock. |
| 2. | an ugly or mean old woman; hag: the old witch who used to own this building. |
| 3. | a person who uses a divining rod; dowser. |
I’m not buying it.
Let me hear from you…I really want to know!
Posted in licia's observations | 
Tags: consciousness, idiots and assholes, religion, sacred feminine, spirituality, subconscious, transformation, trauma, truth, women
I have always identified as a witch in the positive sense of the word. In fact I have a blog called everywomanisawitch.com to showcase my work in this arena. An alchemist. A catalyst. A person who causes change without fundamentally changing herself. Someone who understands that thought leads to action, and when we cast intent into the ethers, it manifests somewhere for better or for worse. I reject the christian notion of witches, and definition you provide above, and rather embrace what I know in my cells to be true. That before christianity and the crusades razed a path of destruction across the world, witch women were the ones who held the knowledge in a village. We were healers, see-ers, adventurers, and leaders. We were empowered with the knowledge and abilities of the Goddess so that our children, community, and/or tribe would be safe.
I do not bother to integrate/infiltrate the norm … churches, congregations, pastoral alliancess. I believe that many times it simply instigates conflict, which won’t help anything. In fact, it is counterproductive. I am convinced that change comes one person at a time, and usually those people that I am supposed to be “working” with find their way into my orbit or I into theirs. Then, the work can begin. Therein it remains positive, energetically, and can manifest positive results.
I have never desired to be accepted by community religions. I believe that religion in its purest form was created to control the masses. Spirituality, on the other hand, is a personal issue, meaning something intrinsically personal to each of us. When spiritual values are in alignment, only good can happen.
A very compelling topic.
As for the Wicked Witch of the West … well, she has always been one of my favorites. And a personal archetype that I identifed with for a time and then moved beyond. So many good, capable, and talented woman get stuck. Their passions, desires, and machinations get so easily rutted on one thing, which is so very human. For Cruella deVil it was a fur coat. For Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, it was shoes, ruby slippers. In the modern, popculture mythos, her heart was broken because her lover was in the wrong place at the wrong time and died for her beliefs. She was never able to recover and so turned in on herself to become frightening.
A wonderful topic.
D~
BRILLIANT WOMAN
Well, seeing as I AM a witch, I understand what you are going through. Most people just believe what preachers have said since the Middle ages and what they see on TV about witches. But There is 1000′s of books and websites that will tell you the real meaning.
This article is a good start to learn the FAQs.
http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usfl&c=basics&id=2870
And since you have known me (or know of me from various social sites) I’m sure you can agree that I am definitely NOT #2: an ugly or mean old woman! LOL Let me know if you have any other questions.
Blessings to you, Michelle
Perfect timing as I’ve been thinking about the concept of witch, “magic” or the ability to consciously shapeshift and create our reality (which we all do all the time, men & women, unconsciously – so aren’t we all witches?!), and how people deal with fear by projecting their perceived lack of control onto others that they think are holding it.
This topic is so rich and touches the very heart of what is transforming in our world today – how we use and direct the energy that we are born of and that flows through us, and how that energy uniquely manifests through our individual gifts/personalities/calling. To be here, alive, is magic! And that is good.
I can completely understand that this shakes the very foundation that some people are standing on, and that can be scary. I can see how someone may strongly hold on to old ways of fear, hate, projection, etc because they don’t know how to relate to another from a more empowered and equal stance. If witches fall into the category of “bad” or “unknown”(which essentially equals bad if you’re coming from a place of fear) makes it so no one wins, relationships are severed not deepened.
We are all being called to change this. What I think is the modern day witches specific calling is to use the magic of love, wisdom, and compassion with people caught in the web of fear, while claiming their path and standing in their truth. This can be super challenging because in the past we’ve been killed in not so fun ways.
I see witches as truth seers, holders of the bigger picture, conscious of the web of life. No matter what our “magic” path looks like, I do believe it’s our duty and responsibility to reflect the truth, redefine the limiting language and perceptions around witches and the changes that are happening in the world, have clear boundaries, and walk our talk/live our truth.
I love Donna’s comment and site. That idea popped into my head a few months back, to look through the lens of everyone being a witch and curiously watching them to see what magic they have to share. I wish I could say that conversation you had surprised me, but somehow it doesn’t. I had a similar conversation with a friend many years ago that I was remembering this past weekend, it went like:
M: I don’t know what it is Ness, but I feel weird around you, like you can see right through me, like anything I say is a lie and the stories I tell aren’t true.
V: Is it something I said or did?
M: No. It’s just how I feel and it makes me want to be around you and not be around you at the same time. It’s like it’s personal, but it’s not. It’s you, but it’s not you.
At the time, I was just bummed out, didn’t get what was happening even though some part of me did, and took it as he didn’t like me or want to be around me. Now, I understand it more, and am grateful that he was at least able to articulate what I felt many people could not. It can be hard being here, wanting company, people to like you and at the same time have this witchy energy, stand in your truth, and have people repelled from/uncomfortable around you and/or project all their own fears onto you as if you’re causing it. Um, NO. That’s been so much a part of my journey, to own up to my part and to not take the rest of it personally.
I could say so much more.
This weekend I saw a coral reef diver at the science museum, and his cord to the oxygen above was not plain & black it was intertwined yellow and red, looked just like an umbilical cord allowing him to survive in the underwater world. It reminded me of our energetic grounding cord to the earth, helping us know how to navigate the physical world.
Thanks for bringing up an important and relevant topic that we are all dealing with. xo
Oh, Vanessa, My Sister!
You say so much that is right on….your sharing from your heart is so sweet and smells like pure breeze….thank you for saying your piece here.
Love you,
licia
Hi, Vanessa … I just went through almost 10 years of shedding friendships that were no longer relevent or healthy for my life, so I feel you. I think that in terms of energy, it becomes extremely difficult, almost physically so, for certain others to be in the same room with us because of our vibe. I went through this with both my brothers, my parents, and childhood friends. It was a rough ten years, and quite extreme for a number of (dysfunctional) reasons (and loads of healing). But now, I feel so much lighter for not having the weight on my heart any longer.
D~
Thanks Licia! It felt good to write what’s been sitting there in me, putting words to it releases it from the holding place of my bones.
Hi Donna, I so appreciate you sharing. What you described has been a part of my life, all of my life. Not as much with family (more dealing with releasing old patterns there, and luckily there was a lot of love too), but definitely with friends. The clearer I got about who I am the easier its been to pull more of my tribe to me. And God, does that feel like a relief.
A friend of mine kept repeating to me over and over last year, “The day of the lone wolf is over. We can come out and play now.” It is such a trippy space to be in though, to feel people sliming you, blaming you, expecting of you, repelled from you, especially before I understood that’s what was happening. I prayed for years – please just let it be easy to be around people.
Ha ha, then I threw myself into every customer service oriented job! It was a relief though because the social part of my personality could come out and play. The deep personal longing to connect with others, be on the same page, and have the energy be easy and fun has taken more of the forefront now and I’m so relieved to feel how that energy has shifted. I’ve also come to accept (not expect) that some people are just going to be weirdo’s around me and that’s ok.
Witches are sexy.
I agree.
I think what a witch is, is going to be different to different people. Some will say someone who practices Earth Based Spirituality, or they may be someone who reveres Goddess and/or Nature. Some will be polytheists, some Dianic and some not. They may follow the traditions of their ancestors – Celts, Yoruban, etc. They might do spellwork – then again, maybe not. They certainly are not worshipers of a monotheistic god, though they may have a pantheon of gods and goddesses in their spiritual repertoire. I’d say most are independent, free thinking people who are more generally more aware, sometimes more environmentally aware and less likely to buy into the oppression of patriarchal religion of any kind, particularly when it comes to denigrating and subjugating women. With more thought I might add more, but that’s off the top of my head.
It is a powerful privilege and honor to be a Witch in these modern times. We come here now for remembering and reconnecting to our ancient relationships and self knowing. I believe this is why so many of us can meet and feel a sense of connection almost immediately. It is because we have already done this work before. We have come back now, in this time, to do this work again. As a Witch you are sacred and connected to the divine. You feel Mother Earth beneath you and are always listening to her wisdom. For me, being a Witch is a huge responsibility. We are both mighty caretaker and great protectress. We nurture and care for the living in whatever form that comes in. We honor the dead. We are called to hold ourselves in the utmost of integrity. We know that our words hold power and so we wield them with great consideration. We are leaders in our community and are always striving for the protection and empowerment of those in distress.
I see the Witches in these modern times as beautiful, powerful, sensitive, attuned beings doing the work that MUST be done. We are fearless in this charge because we have utter clarity as to why we are here now.
Forget the Cheerleader (Heroes T.V. Show)
SAVE A WITCH, SAVE THE WORLD!
Here we go ladies! Witches, hmmm. I have felt that I was one since I was wee. This realization came to me early on mainly because I felt so much a part of nature, flora and fauna and not so much a part of humanity. The witch term, in my eyes, always meant one more in tune with the world around them and there I seemed to sit. As I grew up I read more about the vast variety of witches, individually and collectively speaking, and funny enough I felt more and more centered and “right” as my witchy education increased. I must say I feel I am of the white variety and turn my back on all that I find doesn’t resonate with positive action and results. I have been accused of being a witch by scholars, co-workers, friends, husbands and more. The accusation is made mostly after I am known a bit and not in a negative sense, but in an awed and appreciative way. Go figure. I don’t go looking for the “honor” but it comes upon me quite often. With that said, I appreciate those who want to know me and take me on my terms. Those who don’t aren’t often in my field of view and I don’t worry about them. Love who you are Leesh. We are all phenomenal folks if we allow ourselves to just be and drink in life. I have greatly enjoyed all that has been written by you, my dear girl and by those who have commented as well. Blessings to all of you and your path of growth and honor.
Licia,
I was just thinking about reclaiming the word “Witch” the other day! (Also “heretic.” I like “heretic.”)
I was getting ready to celebrate Hectate with Suzie the Foodie, and the woman at the shop where I was looking for a smudge stick asked if I was a witch. I immediately started back pedaling. “Uh..not really…a little..sort of?”
So. Much. Baggage.
But really, like my pal Claudia Mair Burney and I sometimes say, really we are “a little bit witchy.” All rites and rituals, all the time. But I’m not Wicca, so I don’t want to hijack terminology that belongs else where. (I want to respect that tradition!) So I guess for now “a little bit witchy” will have to suffice.
My friend who runs a daycare always wonders if she should allow witch costumes at Halloween. Not because witches are bad…but because the typical “black hat” costume is too sterotypical! I love her progressive musings.
Much Warmth,
Rachelle