‘Witches: A Compendium’ by Judika Illes is an absolute treasure, a masterpiece that ignites a passion for the enchanting world of Witchcraft like nothing else I’ve ever encountered.
With each turn of the page, you’re drawn into a rich tapestry of history and basics that breathe life into the Craft.
Judika boldly dives into a vast ocean of knowledge, touching on every conceivable facet of Witchcraft, painting a vivid picture that leaves you spellbound. And wanting more.
From the diverse types of Witches to the fascinating schools of thought, she weaves in awe-inspiring real-life stories and pop culture references that resonate deeply. A lot of familiar names and new ones, too!
I would like to note that some folks are not going to agree with every example of “Witch” given in the book.
Some that I’ve seen questioned are: Bridget Bishop, Moses, and Marie Laveau.
Judika provides an excellent argument why Bridget might actually have been practicing. I don’t want to give spoilers.
However, Scholars agree with his position.
Moses was a Magick Man, a man of the Mystical Arts. In my opinion, it’s semantics to argue if he was or was not a “Witch.”
Arguments and facts are presented on why each person (real or fictional) is mentioned. Including Moses.
We (the community) also must acknowledge that Witch has become an umbrella term; right or wrong.
Then, there is Marie Laveau, who is written about with such respect and reverence and nothing inaccurate.
This is such a rich book.
And that’s not all! Judika discusses sacred tools, powerful methods, and a treasure trove of insights that sets this book apart.
This book is a calling, an invitation to explore the wondrous aspects of Witchcraft with fresh eyes.
I did not know what to expect when I received this to review. It was delightful, educational, and will now, yes, really, be a reference book for myself and one that I can offer to my students and clients.
It’s always been a joy to sit down with a good book during a snowstorm, hot tea, a cat or four on my lap, a blanket, sweet treat, and soft music.
But, those books are few and far between that create that ambiance, in my opinion.
This is one of those books.
Even if you aren’t sitting in a snowstorm reading this, you will feel like it.
The world falls away, like it does with the silence of snow.
And you’re able to simply immerse yourself in the pages.
I receive a lot of messages, comments and the like asking all kinds of questions, but mostly they’re from folks seeking advice.
By far, the number one question I receive is: Where do I start on my journey to Spirit Working?
I find that people are confused about how to find a Deity.
Let’s pause and address THIS.
-You do not need a Deity
-In my humble opinion, They find and choose you
-Your journey will lead you to them (Examples: S*xual A*sault, death and pain led me to Hekate; Asanas and practicing the 6 Branches of Yoga fully committed as a Hindu led Kali to me who paved the way for Shiva through Her dance of destruction)
Carrying on..
Folks don’t know how to Evoke or Invoke and when to do which; I personally do not engage in the latter because of a pact I made with another Spirit.
We each have our own paths to walk and Practices to well, practice.
Spirit Work itself is a broad term, but it means working with Spirits.
This could be anything from a God, Goddess, to a Daemon, or an Angel.
There are many classes of Spirits and different definitions depending on Tradition, individual opinion and personal, lived experiences.
So where do you begin? How do you start?
It’s really overwhelming and not something that can be summed up in a blog or fb post.
The thing I must say about Miller’s book (he’s one of my favorites and most influential Authors) is that he wrote it for people that already have a Magickal foundation established and honestly?
I really appreciate that.
I think it’s incredible to have books that appeal to novices and adepts alike; I like that there are books for novices only; I like that there are books for adepts only.
They can all exist, and they are all (mostly) worthy.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with writing to experienced Practitioners. I started reading it and was like, “Oh, oh, thank f*ck”.
That said, there is a book that has kind of slipped through the cracks and I believe it’s noteworthy.
I had not heard of it before, and when I did and I started reading, even though it is specifically for NEW PRACTITIONERS, I found it exceedingly interesting, and it helped refresh some things for me. Not in a redundant way, either.
I never felt like I was being spoken to like a child, and I found the entire thing educational and that, my friends, is why I am here.
I highly recommend it if you are interested in working with Spirits but have no clue where to begin.
Covered topics are:
The Basics of Spirit Work, The Nature of Offerings, Spirit Senses, Magickal Invocation, Magickal Evocation, The Nature of Spiritual Pacts, Spirit Possession, Familiar Spirits, Spirit Keeping, Isolated Spirits, Created Spirits, Spirit Houses, Spiritual Self-Defense and Cleanup, Grimoire of the Thorn.
Publisher describes it as follows:
“Invocation, Evocation, Possession
These words conjure forth feelings of unease and confusion for many magical practitioners, even today. This book, however, is a fantastic guide intended to shed some much needed light on these often misunderstood subjects. Within these pages, spirit worker and necromancer Naag Loki Shivanath serves as guide and teacher, taking all readers through a sophisticated yet highly practical system of spirit conjuration. If you’ve been interested in learning how to sharpen your spirit senses, safely practice spirit possession, work through spirit invocation and evocation, then this tome is the book you’ve been waiting for.
Whether you are a follower of the more ritualized manifestations of the magical arts or a Witch looking to deepen your practice with the spirit world, A Spirit Work Primer will prove to be a valuable resource that is referenced time and time again.”
This is a book that is not specific to any one Tradition or path, and the Author never shames the Practitioner for the path they walk.
This is an informational guide on Spirit Work.
I will say, and this may be my only critique, the Author brings up Gender in Practice, and the way it’s worded could’ve been better. I don’t know if I agree with associating give and take (in pact work) with the masculine and feminine manifesting.
“The Principle of Gender
At last, we reach the final law, stating: “Gender is in everything; everything has its masculine and feminine principles: gender manifests on all planes.” This law speaks to more than just your anatomy, however. This law speaks to the fact that nothing is without balance, and that everything that is generated or regenerated consists of both masculine and feminine energies: light and dark, fire and water, air and earth, and so on. To see how this principle applies to pact working, consider that for every desire you create a pact for, you have to give something up. You have to balance the scales, or else Spirit will not deliver on their end. This forms the circle of give and take, the manifestation of male and female.”
I agree the scales must be balanced. I agree that in pact working for it to be successful you must sacrifice something; as mentioned above, I don’t agree that it is masculine and feminine manifesting.
All in all, this is an excellent book and should be talked about more.
I have been wanting to write this as a blog or Facebook post for a long, long time; the urge has increased over the last few months, and finally I am sitting down to write after a long hiatus.
I feel like people don’t read blogs anymore. They want bite sized information, they want quick read memes with cute font, they want 30 second Reels and TikToks.
People don’t want to take the time to read anymore, or so it seems.
The thing is, that’s the only way you will learn anything, from me at least.
I am a writer. I bleed on the screen for the world to see and that will never change; I bleed on pages, too.
My pen is my sword, my words are my fire.
Back to the topic at hand, and I am just going to get right to it:
Shadow Work is dangerous, and I wish more people would talk about this.
Don’t take that statement and think I am suggesting avoiding it, no, no.
NO SPIRITUAL BYPASSING ON MY WATCH.
Shadow Work is 100% necessary. The integration of Shadow is 100% necessary.
Did you know that I consulted a Psychiatrist and a Psychologist when creating my Shadow Work Course for The House of Twigs? For reasons I learned from them I didn’t dive too deep when giving assignments because I do not know where someone is on their journey and real, irreparable damage can be done.
I had to be sure that I was not leading folks to danger, or worse to the or a space where they re-traumatize themselves.
I see the term Shadow Work thrown around like it means not a goddamn thing, and I am perplexed because it is NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.
If you want me to be honest, like really honest: Shadow Work is more dangerous than Evoking Spirits.
Why is this conversation not being had more?!
First, let us define Shadow Work for folks who may not be familiar.
Shadow Work is a Jungian (Carl Jung) Psychological concept that our Persona is who we strive to be and show to the world, but our Shadow is who we are, or at least what makes up most of who we are.
Like the moon has a hidden side so do we.
That is the Shadow.
The hidden aspects of ourselves.
In Jungian Psychology it is our Persona first, our Ego is center, Anima/Animus and Shadow last.
The Spiritual World, not just the Witchcraft Community, have taken this concept and morphed it into their own thing.
Therein lies one of the main problems.
You can’t tweak the concept of Shadow Work.
Regardless of your opinions of Jung himself as a person, his work remains a masterpiece and masterpieces are not altered. They are especially not to be altered to fit some narrative the creator had no intention of it being used for.
Jung was a Psychoanalyst and he did nothing, NOTHING in the shallows; this is deep, deep, heavy work.
Then there is the whole issue that Shadow Work itself is an Egregore and taps into a Collective Unconscious that cannot be altered. There is also the Personal Unconscious.
Archetypes exist in the Shadow and they are: Sage, Innocent, Explorer, Ruler, Creator, Caregiver, Magician, Hero, Rebel, Lover, Jester and the Orphan.
Intense, right?
Shadow Work is alive, it’s constant motion.
Ever changing and evolving as we add more experiences and information to the Collective Unconscious.
It’s not just your Shadows, it’s not just your work.
You are tapping into immense power, and immense emotion.
Then there is the end goal which is the integration process and that is a whirlwind.
Do not diminish these dangers.
Working with Shadow is extremely beneficial, but it brings up a lot of shit that you have buried, things you might not even be aware of (there’s that Unconscious part); it can bring up and stir up Collective emotions that are not even yours to unpack.
There are so many variables, so many potential outcomes.
Be mindful when suggesting Shadow Work as if it’s a walk in the park.
It is not.
Be mindful when venturing down the path to Shadow Work.
It is full of perils.
Know your limitations, find a support system of some kind, and do not push yourself.
Your psyche is powerful and it’s strong, but it is not unbreakable.
Be gentle and fierce. Be aware and alive.
And don’t take yourself too seriously, or your Shadows.
You can laugh, you can love, you can ease your way into the Work and don’t let anyone tell you differently.
○○○Hint : Anise Seed and Star Anise come from two entirely different plants with origins in different parts of the world.
DISCLAIMER:
I AM NOT A DOCTOR
I AM NOT A PHARMACIST
Please seek the appropriate healthcare professionals to answer medical/drug-related questions. This information is for knowledge purposes only and not meant to replace any advice or care provided to you by your Health Care Team Providers. ANY INFORMATION WITHIN ‘BASICS OF BOTANICALS’ LITERARY WORKS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS MEDICAL ADVICE NOR SHOULD IT REPLACE ANY MEDICAL SERVICES. ‘BASICS OF BOTANICALS’ IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE COMPILATION; It is meant to be a spring-board type guide to getting individuals into searching in-depth further on their own. If any information is incorrect/missing, please email hwsbotanicalsemporium@gmail.com with the following:
Please seek the appropriate healthcare professionals to answer medical/drug-related questions. This information is for knowledge purposes only and not meant to replace any advice or care provided to you by your Health Care Team Providers. ANY INFORMATION WITHIN ‘BASICS OF BOTANICALS’ LITERARY WORKS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS MEDICAL ADVICE NOR SHOULD IT REPLACE ANY MEDICAL SERVICES. ‘BASICS OF BOTANICALS’ IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE COMPILATION; It is meant to be a spring-board type guide to getting individuals into searching in-depth further on their own. If any information is incorrect/missing, please email hwsbotanicalsemporium@gmail.com with the following:
Acorn ink (sigil creations, dye) (Dana & Dana 2020)
Medicinal:
Quercus (Oak)
(robur {english oak},alba {white oak}, etc.); there are 500 species in the genus Quercus.
Parts used are bark, leaves, acorns
Short-term external use
The acorns of the Quercus brantii Lindl are widely used in alleviating symptoms of diarrhea, laryngopharyngitis diseases, menorrhagia, obesity, and stomach ulcers. (Taib 2020)
May help or improve: bone health, metabolism, energy levels, heart health, diabetes (possibly aid in blood sugar regulation), digestion, skin care. However, the tannins of these can cause great stomach upset, so it is recommend to “boil until the water no longer turns brown.” (WebMD 2022)
Please seek the appropriate healthcare professionals to answer medical/drug-related questions. This information is for knowledge purposes only and not meant to replace any advice or care provided to you by your Health Care Team Providers. ANY INFORMATION WITHIN ‘BASICS OF BOTANICALS’ LITERARY WORKS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS MEDICAL ADVICE NOR SHOULD IT REPLACE ANY MEDICAL SERVICES. ‘BASICS OF BOTANICALS’ IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE COMPILATION; It is meant to be a spring-board type guide to getting individuals into searching in-depth further on their own. If any information is incorrect/missing, please email hwsbotanicalsemporium@gmail.com with the following:
Amulet “Invisibility” earthwitchery.com states you can, “wrap the seed in a lizard skin and carry to become invisible at will.”
Please use caution handling this plant, wear nonpermeable gloves (Grandmont 2017), make sure you have no open sores/cuts or wounds, and do not submerged yourself or any appendages in its water during consecrations or washes
Medicinal:
Aconitum napellus
There is a very low margin of safety between therapeutic and toxic doses of aconitine. is considered POISONOUS.
Also known as Wolfsbane (Aconitum napellus) & Monkshood (Aconitum japonicum) (Britannica 2022); over 200 species within the Ranunculaceae (Britannica 2021). Please do not eat any part of these plants. Introductory; will not be listing the homeopathic uses here despite their existence.
Aconitum napellus (A. napellus, also known as monkshood or wolfsbane) is a perennial herb often grown as an ornamental plant due to its attractive blue to dark purple flowers. All parts of the plant, especially the roots, contain toxins. Aconitine is the most dangerous of these toxins. It is most noted as a heart poison but is also a potent nerve poison. Raw aconite plants are very poisonous. (Poison Control)
Example of attempting homeopathic remedy that went negatively and caused a young adult to be sent to the ER for self-treating anxiety. More is not typically better, unfortunately, the individual thought increasing his dose would serve him quicker effects. He took 3 capsules, as opposed to his single capsule dose, of his homemade blend of dried up root matter. Went to bed, but awoken to symptoms of:
. . . generalized numbness, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, and defective color vision (he was seeing purple).
…He spent 48 days in the hospital. (Poison Control n.d.)
Please seek the appropriate healthcare professionals to answer medical/drug-related questions. This information is for knowledge purposes only and not meant to replace any advice or care provided to you by your Health Care Team Providers. ANY INFORMATION WITHIN ‘BASICS OF BOTANICALS’ LITERARY WORKS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS MEDICAL ADVICE NOR SHOULD IT REPLACE ANY MEDICAL SERVICES. ‘BASICS OF BOTANICALS’ IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE COMPILATION; It is meant to be a spring-board type guide to getting individuals into searching in-depth further on their own. If any information is incorrect/missing, please email hwsbotanicalsemporium@gmail.com with the following:
It has been one year, two months and 20 days since I have sat down to write a blog.
I have not stopped writing; I write posts on my personal page, and the NR fb page. I have also worked on some writing projects.
The blog felt like it needed to rest.
Like it needed to be in chrysalis as badly as I did.
Emerging is scary, emerging in a new form, scarier still.
But here I am with my first blog in an awfully long time to talk about a topic that is much overdue.
A topic I have discussed many times in comments, or a few sentences here and there on the page.
As I move and shift this space to a Collective of writers, instead of just myself, I am inspired more than ever to push the limits. I am inspired to talk about what nobody wants to talk about, or topics that will surely get me trolled.
Bring it on, I say.
I am not here to make you comfortable, and I am done trying to have comfortable conversations.
Comfort gets us nowhere; it will only bring stagnation.
So, what is it exactly that I have to say that is going to get everyone in a tizzy?
I don’t often make generalized or absolute statements, there are simply too many variables and moving parts to any equation in this vast universe that I am careful what I say and how I say it.
This, however, needs to be spoken as an absolute.
Here it goes:
Witchcraft is political.
Witchcraft. Is. Political.
WITCHCRAFT IS POLITICAL.
I can hear it now, the cries and whimpers like, and I am using direct past quotes that have been said to me:
“Don’t bring politics into my Craft!”
“I don’t read your work to read about politics and social issues. Please don’t become *that*.”
“Witchcraft is not political, humans are. We don’t need politics here.”
Privilege.
P R I V I L E G E.
It’s privilege to be a Witch and say that you are not political, to ignore injustices because they “don’t affect you”.
Witchcraft is now and will always be political.
When I use the word political, I am not talking about democracy, per se. Nor am I talking about the United States’ 2 party system that has f*cked us all. This is not Democrat and Republican.
I am talking about what being a Witch, calling oneself a Witch means.
It is truly Revolutionary to call yourself a Witch.
We stand for the marginalized, the outcasts, the downtrodden, the misfits, and the weirdos.
AND WE ALWAYS HAVE!
Activism, Social Issues, Human & Civil Rights, Allyship, Anti-racism, Anti-ableism (and more!) are all pre-requisites to being a Witch.
“You are gatekeeping! How dare you tell me how to be a Witch!”
Is asking you, or telling you, rather, to be a decent human being gatekeeping?
Is it REALLY?!
I want you to think about that long and hard if your immediate reaction was/is that I am gatekeeping.
Ask yourself why you feel the way you do?
Is requesting human decency gatekeeping?
If you answer yes, then your issue is far deeper and greater than I can address here.
So, as they say, “not my circus, not my monkeys”.
Witches may have been hidden in history—even hid ourselves and moved in silence, but we got sh*t done.
We weren’t afraid to get our hands dirty.
Some of us still aren’t.
It was the Wise Woman, Man and Person who lived on the edge of the forest communing with nature and plant Spirits, carrying deep rooted herbal and plant knowledge that were Healers in days past.
It was the Healer who was shunned for knowing too much about plants that would help a Woman/Femme deal with unwanted pregnancy in a safer manner than some of her/their other options. Or help heal a Soldier’s war wounds, or gout.
It was the unsuspecting Granny who went to Church every Sunday, who knew Psalms like the back of her hand and whipped up the most glorious Kitchen Magick you ever had seen. Her prayers worked like she had a direct line to God.
To deny the power and role of the Witch is to douse our history in toxic positivity.
Many of us found our way to the Craft because we were met with injustice and/or adversity of some kind, and we needed to take our power back.
To be a Witch is to be Sovereign, without a doubt.
Then I think about this Tweet (one that I have shared on the page before) and I am left wondering:
Are we meant to be Sovereign AND in Service (to Magick) at the same time?
Why else would we have or collect all this knowledge, and even though I hate the word power?
Why not use it for the greater good?
It is time we decolonized the Craft.
There are too many people who call themselves Witch and turn the other cheek when they see oppression and continue to benefit from systems put in place long ago instead of smashing said system.
We first need equality, then we need equity and finally we will find liberation.
We have a silent oath to uphold when walking this path.
We have an obligation to fight deep in the trenches so that the systems harming us can be destroyed.
If you are not willing to pushback against the status quo, what are you even doing here?
Are you even a Witch, or are you a WINO (Witch In Name Only)?
Witchcraft requires action, to be a Witch requires action; just like the Magick we cast.
Your intentions may be well and good, but unless you act on them, they mean nothing.
Silence is compliance.
Nobody said this would be easy, but it is worth it.
The freedom, strength and courage I have found through Witchcraft and living my life as a Witch cannot be put into words for, they do it no justice.
Blessed Are the Witches, the Oathkeepers, the Torchbearers and the Balancers of Scales.
It has been a long time since I sat down to write.
There is an odd comfort, like a warm embrace from a past lover, laced with a foreign feeling of no longer knowing who they are as intimately as you once did. The passion? Oh, the fierce passion is still there though.
My fire, my torch, my words are all still here, right where I set them down.
I have been forced into silence, hibernation, reflection.
Many of us have.
Admittedly, on my part, some of it is pure escapism.
Some of it is the sheer surrealism of our current reality.
This year, oy, this year! 2020 has seriously been a year for the record books.
Between everything that has been happening on the world stage; political, social, and economical and with how that has affected each of us individually
ALONG WITH
Everything that has happened to each of us individually in our personal lives/worlds (I do not know a single person having a “great” year),
we are burnt tf out.
It is like the collective is holding their breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
As an individual with CPTSD, this is such a familiar space and feeling for me; not that it makes it any better or easier for myself, or the rest of the world.
We are held up in our homes, and even though we may be understanding, it does not change how we may feel.
Like many of my readership I did not have to make many drastic life changes when the pandemic started because, well, introvert for life!
I was, however, infected with CoViD in March (as was my Mother) and have since been through the ringer regarding my health.
Currently, I have Lyme disease and a broken foot and toe from an accident at home.
The message from the universe has been clear—slow down, work smarter not harder, make your work work for you, and most importantly, turn to Witchcraft and your Spiritual practices NOW more than EVER.
If you know my work, you know that I am not against Hexing, or any kinds of Baneful Magick.
I believe it should be done ethically (I know, this can be debated as being subjective but, I digress..)
I also know, you’re probably thinking, “what the fuck, Jac? You’re literally hexing someone. How can that be ethical?”
Well, my reply would be, we have all met “hex happy” Witches who think that every little thing requires some jinx, cross, curse, or hex and I am just like…
So, before I get into my review of content let me say that aesthetically, this book is otherworldly! It is hardcover, easy to read, with beautiful illustrations and text throughout.
I admit at first, I thought this book was going to be a hot mess; not because of Shawn personally, whom I have been following on IG for a while, but because of the topic.
How could this topic be approached from a non-colonial perspective, as so many Witchcraft topics often are laced with undertones of Patriarchy, Capitalism, Misogyny and White Supremacy? How could ALL forms of this Magick (hexing) be covered, or attempt to be covered? How could this Author ARM WITCHES with knowledge and practical methods without giving *too much*?
Yes, there is such a thing as too much, and that line must be crossed by the individual Practitioner through their practice, not through a book. The journey into the Void is the most personal journey we take as Occult Practitioners.
However, this book can, and will, aid you in knowing what to do when that leap into the Void happens and/or you are faced with adversity.
This is a book that should be in all Witches’ libraries
Shawn has covered every single base in these 128 pages.
She goes over history, from many traditions.
She covers ETHICAL HEXING; when, how, why.
She talks about HEXING AS ACTIVISM: fuck yes.
This book is rich with information, spells, and it is one of those that you can grab, and because it is written like a Grimoire, you can just open to the page you want, and your spell is right there.
I do not want to give away too much because, duh, I want to support Authors and I want you to go buy this!
But all of the boxes have been checked in this book.
I have read it three times through so that my review could be honest, and I mean *really honest* even if vague.
Image: Jaclyn Cherie
Here is an excerpt courtesy of Shawn Engel and Chicago Review Press, copyright 2020.
‘To Hex or Not?’
“Whether a hex is necessary is something that you will feel in your gut, but there should always be a cooling off period before you perform the hex. Taking an example from everyday life to illustrate this, consider some of the gun laws in the USA: a seven-day waiting period is imposed between the time you buy the gun and when you actually own it. This is intended to curb the potential for crimes of passion. Hexing calls for a similar self-imposed waiting period. I know it may seem dramatic to compare hexing to gun ownership, but I can’t stress enough how powerful the act of focused intention can be when it is backed up by rage. So, if you’re a lover scorned who was just cheated on by her ex, take a break before you hex.
To make issue as clear as possible: when you are deciding whether or not to hex, consider the environment in which a hex may be appropriate. The approach should help you distinguish between actual oppression and merely something bad that has happened to you. It will take some dedication and forethought, but this approach should help clear away any confusion around whether the subject of your hex deserves to be locked away or is just a human being who acted unfavorably.
When deciding to hex, it can be helpful to ask yourself some basic questions. Did this person hurt you or others? And, if so, did they do so with malicious intent? Did this person continuously harm you or others? And, if so, did they do so with malicious intent? The key here is to define intention and willingness to change, and then you should be able to decide if it is worth hexing that person.”
Image: Jaclyn Cherie
Within the pages of this book, Shawn empowers her readers to safely hex, and to use this taboo form of Magick as both defensive and offensive Magick which is an imperative lesson.
This is the perfect book for personal and collective change in these tumultuous times.
I have not written in a while. I guess, like the rest of the world I am observing, and trying to figure out what is happening, what is being revealed, what is falling away, what is resisting imminent death.
Systems are crumbling, rebellions are rising, and a virus has held us hostage for months now.
While I have a list of topics to write about, political, mundane, and obviously Magickal, this is the one that seems most pressing today.
First let me say, loudly:
BLACK LIVES MATTER
ARREST BREONNA TAYLOR’S MURDERERS
AND
WEAR A MASK
If you have a problem with these messages, unfollow the blog because I have news for you:
WITCRAFT IS POLITICAL
Now, carrying on…
I really tried to stay out of this TikTok/Witchtok bullshit, but it’s literally everywhere, and people are asking my opinion; instead of replying to 50 messages, and risk getting myself wrapped up in a conversation *nervous introvert laugh*—I decided writing a blog was the best way to address my opinion, and hit on some points I don’t think folks are understanding or willing to see.
I have watched many videos, read article after article, consulted with folks on all sides and here are the facts as we know them.
A few days ago, a group of “baby Witches” on TikTok decided that they were going to “hex the Fae”.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Okay, sidebar before we get into the juicy parts of this I gotta say:
Can we stop using the term Baby Witch? I know that it seems innocent enough, but not only is it patronizing as fuck, it’s being used as an insult and a way to further close off our community to new blood.
Why do new Witches bother established, practicing Witches so much?
You were not new before?
How about you just stay in your lane, and let the new Witches create theirs.
What is the issue?
Personally? I like waves being created, I mean, HELLO, have you read my work?
Also, we are not giving these young Adults and Adults enough credit.
These are not children we are speaking of, and in the case of children and Witchcraft, that is an entirely different topic.
“Baby Witches” are often given a free pass, and nah.
Nah.
Nope.
Not happening.
Discernment is key when dealing with all Magickal and Occult Traditions.
Whether you are 18, or 42, in most cases you are of sound mind and able to make educated decisions for yourself.
If you, as an adult, choose to make a poor decision, that is on you.
Those consequences are yours, and nobody else’s.
Is it someone’s job to step in and say, “you might not want to do that?”
Nope.
That’s gatekeeping.
My number one rule in life: you can’t tell people about themselves.
These are Adults.
Back to my point:
Obviously, hexing the Fae is ridiculous to even think about.
Why would you attack a group of Spirits for no reason? It doesn’t affect me, and so I am able to shrug it off, roll my eyes, and keep it moving.
But, seriously, do you not know who the Fae are and what they are capable of? Seelie, Unseelie or otherwise? Like….why?
We, as experienced Witches, must allow the new ones to fuck up and make mistakes.
We all have made mistakes, we still (hopefully) make mistakes because that is how we LEARN; that is how we continue to evolve on our path and as people.
Getting mad and making fun of these “TikTok Witches” is yet another form of gatekeeping.
I want to give Jason Miller a shoutout for his initial post that inspired me and gave me the courage to write this. His post stated:
“Dear TikTok Witches: Hex, the moon, the fae, or whatever the hell you want. Don’t let anyone police your practice. However it shakes out, and make no mistake some of it will end badly: learn from it.
I have no idea what you are doing or even trying to do, but am excited that young people are doing stuff that makes us roll our eyes. I think its dumb as heck, but that’s half that fun.”
There were rumors that these same Witches were going to hex the Moon and Sun as well.
I have since learned that it was initially started by a TikTok troll, see video below:
You hexed the Fae, the Moon, the Sun and angered Ancient Ones?
Weird flex, but okay.
I am not here to tell anyone how to practice, unless they are coming to me directly for advice and even then, there are so many variables that determine the kind of help they receive.
Here are two key points in all of my rambling that I really want to get out into the world:
Everyone and anyone CAN practice Magick, but often SHOULD is overlooked.
There is no wrong way to do a hex, but there is a right way.
Allow me to elaborate, as I can hear the collective gasp even before this is published.
I don’t care what kind of Witch you are, your initiations or titles (though I will always congratulate and applaud)—the fact remains, everyone and anyone CAN practice Magick.
I said what I said.
There are a lot of Witches who do not agree with this statement, “Well I am a third generation Witch, High Priestess, Initiate and I am telling you that real Witches….”
Everyone gets tuned out as soon as they say, “real Witch”.
Nobody speaks for all Witches because WITCHES ARE SOVEREIGN BEINGS.
And all Witches are real Witches.
So, miss me with that bullshit.
What is this should I refer to, you ask?
Well folks, should is discernment.
Just because you can do something does not mean you should, or even have to.
There is no manual or advice that can truly be given regarding “should they practice” because that is a decision only the Practitioner can make, and if they hurt themselves then that is on them.
We cannot be both savior and gatekeeper.
Read it again, put it on a t-shirt, write it on your mirror.
We can’t be both.
My second point, you are probably thinking I am off my rocker, but I assure I am not.
There is no wrong way to hex.
I have seen some of the most non-Magickal folks EVERRR throw the nastiest Evil Eye.
I have seen non-Magick folk channel their emotion with enough power and intent that they threw Malefica towards another.
Hexes do not all look like ceremonial glitz, candle Magick, or blood and bone in the woods.
Hexes can be as simple as a look, a whisper in the wind, or a thought.
In fact, that’s often-what hexes were throughout history.
But you are not ready for that conversation.
Now, there is a right way to do a hex, and what I mean by this is: there is a formula for all Magickal workings to allow their outcomes to serve us best.
It is for this reason that many of us pay attention to not only the Moon but Astrological forecasts, days of the week and correspondences and the potential kick back of the Magick we are about to throw; a well thought out hex can produce little kick back if done properly. I am being vague on purpose as I believe Malefica to be a topic that deserves respect and can’t be summarized in a paragraph, or two.
Allow new Witches to make mistakes, allow them to make us uncomfortable.
Roll your eyes and laugh it off!
We were young and dumb once too, and I know this may hit some of you hard but, we might be able to learn a thing or two from fresh eyes.
Witchcraft is a tradition, a path that has been walked by the marginalized, the downtrodden, the misfits, the outcasts since the beginning of time and we have the audacity to continue gatekeeping?
Witchcraft is also a tradition, a path of powerful individuals who are living and seeking their truth in a world who tells them not to and we have the audacity to box them in and kill their fire?
We are healers. We are teachers. We are students. We are Keepers of the Old Ways.
It is okay to spice Sacred up with a little modern fun, I promise.
Witchcraft can evolve, and should, as all things from nature must grow.
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The Nephilim Rising 