Guest Author - Veda King Blanchard
The word witch often causes people in our shared world to imagine all manner of evil and devil worship. Historically we have seen this imagery transferred to mass hysteria resulting in, on many occasions, whole scale slaughter. Now, with the societal opening of mind seen daily in a variety of instances from the increased Western implementation of alternative and holistic healing therapies to the willingness of strangers in the supermarket toward brief philosophical exchanges, is the time for reclamation.
Many of us have introduced our daughters or friends to our practices by welcoming them to open circles hosted during the holidays. No longer does the need exist for secrecy. Though Halloween, as celebrated by most, continues to perpetuate the evil witch who cackles with glee as she tortures unsuspecting children, we also have strong societal examples being given of witches being, first and foremost, just other people. An excellent example of this change in thought can be found in the Broadway play Wicked.
Though Wicked is still an exaggeration, a conceptualized fantasy of fairy tale witches, it is also a mainstream statement shouting that witches may not be evil. And it is not the only example out there. Cartoons and all manner of sci-fi television shows are following this trend too, opening a door of possibility for us.
Why not take this a step further? Each of us experiences, on a daily basis, the opportunity to commit acts of kindness that benefit strangers. In some of those moments, conversations are natural to follow, and we are given the opportunity to represent ourselves. In these moments, where it seems intuitively appropriate, why not introduce ourselves as witches?
A person we have assisted in some way is naturally inclined to think of us kindly. Why not thank them for that kindness by allowing them to help us in return for the help we have provided them? There is no reason not to. Of course, we must not go through each moment looking for the opportunity to create this moment. That would have the propensity to bring us closer to self serving, and further away from flow. But staying in flow with awareness is what we strive for, so let’s add this to our list of things to be aware of.
Let’s make a pact to listen to flow, and when instinct shows us the time, to help reeducate our fellow humans about the word witch. At base, a witch is a person who chooses to pay attention, to be aware. For us, knowledge is life, living is balance, and balance love. Let’s share this beauty where we can.
