Merry Meet Everyone!

As i write this blog i am both a little sad and a little annoyed! One of the wonderful things about running Goddess Enchantments for the last 9 years is meeting so many wonderful people, male and female, all different ages and from different backgrounds. Some have been practicing years while many are very new to their craft and path. 

I get so many messages but some of the ones that stand out most are.......

* Those of new witches who are petrified they did something wrong in a spell because they did not follow the book to the letter and now it will all go wrong

* Those who feel they can't practice because the book says they need 25 ingredients and 10 tools

* Those from people who can't connect to create circle or during spell craft even though they are following the book or persons instructions to the letter

This deeply saddens me because there are some witches out there who publish their books saying this is the only way to do that, the only thing you can use this herb or gemstone for and you must not deviate from the instructions. Then and in my opinion worse are those witches with stores be it online or in person stores where they reguarly get asked for advice and use the opportunity to give precise instructions (likely with a list 20 long of items they stock). I myself have been into pagan stores where i have talked about an experience i have had only to be told well thats not what that means it means this or you should not use that you must use this. Luckily im not new to this path and am very confident in my own practice but when i stand there and see new and interested people come in and get the same response its very deflating! Youtube can be another place where this happens too! 

I worry that some of the next generation of witches will lack true confidence in their ability and truly miss out on experiencing their path in all the glorious magical colour it has to offer because they are never encouraged to think outside the box or listen to their own intuition.

I have been asked likely more than a hundred times how do i you cast circle! My answer is always the same, i cast circle like this and that works for me but if that feels wrong for you then go with your instincts! Read/watch/listen to how ten witches cast circle not just one and experiment. If something huge and formal doesnt work for you, scale it down to what does, if you have a circle with colour and its not the same as the book or a friends who cares!! Does it work for you?? Yes, then carry on witching your way.

Herbs are another one, rose petals for love right?! Sage to cleanse?! Well what about if when you were with your first love their mum always burned sage. During that time you were encompassed by feelings of love and every time you smell sage it takes you back to when you were younger and so in love you could burst?? To you sage brings on those exact emotions that will put you in the right frame of mind for your love spell, it holds power for YOU! So yes, use your sage in your love spell. 

Sometimes i get messages from people who are struggling terribly with money, lost their job and unable to buy the staples for living. My first advice obviously is to check they are getting in touch with the right people on a mundane level to get the help they need which 90% of the time they are already doing but they would like to do something magical to incorporate their path or just feel like they can take some of the control back of a situation that feels out of their control. Ive been in shops and on groups belonging to online shops where similar things are said (one U.S one in particular infuriates me) where they are told they must manifest their own properity and that means putting the money they have back into it to buy 'manifestation tools' they sell and they cant do it without them! If you are in this position and want to do a spell for anything i guarantee you everything you need you already have!! You can cast a spell with no tools at all, its takes more energy and you must be focused but it will be just as successful as your book spell. You can cast a spell with a tea light candle and some dried herbs from your cuboard with a little cooking oil. You can grab a stone from your garden and cast a spell, you see where i am going with this.

Yes we love our magical tools, i sell tools for your magical cuboard from oils to smokless smudge. Tools such as herbs and gemstones help us layer and call upon different energies and vibrations to add power to our spells. They are amazing companions and helpers during our craft but you should never feel you cannot witch without them or worse put yourself in financial diffculty where its food or a spell item.

Some online and physical stores have opened because they see the growth in 'new age' spirituality and that people are willing to pay for it. I know of stores where a candle, an oil and a few gemstones will cost your £50 plus!!! WTF! Whats worse is i see people paying this because they don't have the confidence in their own abilities and instead trust a public figure has the correct answers. Over the years i have had a few people say my items are too cheap so they wont buy them as they cant possibly work!!!! The funny thing is my items take time to make by just me, a huge amount of energy goes into them and they are created in sacred space how many huge businesses can truly say that and have it be the truth! Yes i earn very little profit but this is my baby and i do it because i love it. I opened the store because i want everyone to be able to afford magical tools IF they want them. I had the chance a couple of years ago to take the shop in a different much larger direction when a wholesaler wanted to take on my name and items. There was a lot of money in it but i refused. Products made on mass, sitting in a wholesaler and then a shop for goodness know how long goes against everything i stand for. Witchcraft has really become big business over the last 5 years in particular. I hate to see the spiritual community getting sucked into this.

In books we are given tables and tables of correspondences which are amazing when you first get started to show you where to look and what to look into further. These books however should be seen as guides not manuals. Each author and each witch is sharing their own personal practice which is an amazing thing but just because they shared does not mean their way is yours or they are the authority.

Have confidence in your own magic, your deity, your path!!! I am very lucky that i have been on this path 20 years so in that time i have collected some amazing treasures for my altars, a stunning gemstone collection and have a garden to grow many herbs. I have a fully stocked witchy cabinet and i share the tools i make with others. I know though if i had to or sometimes when i want to i can can cast a spell on a bus with nothing but ME. 

Being a Witch authority figure these days is big money and as humans we like being told what we are doing is right but lets remember that the real power is US. Spells from books are great but you are the one powering it! Buy tools because you want to enhance your magical workings not because you cannot do it without them. You will be surprised by how much more powerful your spells and rituals are with or without tools when you trust in yourself. Use your spells from books or spells you have purchased but stand in your own power when you perform them. If their way of casting circle is not how you normally do it then see it as a guide they have given and add in your own way. If you use a spell from a book and want to change an ingredient do, if you have purchased a kit and part of the kit is making a charm and you feel you want to add in a favourite gemstone then add it in! I write my own spells and have done for years but i will still turn to a favourite book every so often and use a spell from it. I might do it exactly as presented or i might take bits and change others but when i do i stand in my own power as the witch casting the spell. 

So i guess after this really long rant lol My message is yes learn, seek out information but dont lose sight of the fact you are the Witch, you are the energy and you know instinctively what will work for you. Guidance is one things but losing the ability to create your own practice is another.

Tools are amazing, they enhance our work and add energy and vibrations but remember they are there to enhance not carry your workings. Just because someone has a book series or a well known fancy name and shop its doesnt mean they have more to offer you than you can seek for yourself or learn from a witch up the road. We all have something to share and learn from eachother, practicing one month or ten years!!! No witch is better than another and no one has the authority to tell you that your way of casting or your experience is not valid or right.

Blessed Be

Merry Meet and welcome to my new blog! I figured what with the new website its seems appropriate to start the blog afresh! 

Witches Who Don't Witch.....

This is something i have watched several youtube videos on in the past few months and also had a good few lengthy discussions with some witchy friends.

Why is it when things are not going right, money trouble, relationships trouble, family situations or needing a new job witches don't witch through the situation. Instead some seem to do less magical workings that every before. So this is my take on it......

I think this can really be broken down into several categories......

Witches who like the title of witches but really have little interest in practicing or actually following a spiritual path. When things go wrong they don't turn to their path because they were never really one it. That one is pretty simple!

Then there are the witches who have things start to go wrong in their life and it causes them to lose confidence in their ability to witch. We all know the feeling when its one things after another! Maybe you start having trouble paying your bills, this in turn leads to several things breaking down in the home when you least need it and can't afford to repair them, then your job starts making cuts and you fear you might be next. Dispair sets in and you feel alone and out of control, the last thing you are thinking is lets get in circle as you are so busy with the practicality of all this and the fact you don't feel there is a way out. That in turn swirls into your spiritual life and you think its to big of a job magically, will take a lot of energy you dont have and let face it panic and doubt sets in which is not a good start to any magical working.

This one i get, working magic when emotionally off balance is never a good idea, be it stress, anger or dispair. Our energy is low and spells take more of our energy to its easy to let of the cauldron. My personal tips for this is take time for YOU. Yes we are all busy but even if its 10 minutes in the morning and 10 before you go to sleep. Ground, do a short meditation, work with gemstones or ritual bathing to get yourself back into balance. Then when you are feeling more like yourself you can head into circle and start some magical workings to give you a helping hand out of the situation.

Spiritual burn out ~ You just dont want to witch, you don't feel connected and are not drawn to your practice like you used to be. Maybe due to stress, feeling diconnected from your God or Goddess or even a little resentful that this crap has fallen at your door and you feel alone.

This is a crappy one! It happens to everyone at some time or another and sometimes you do just need to take a little time out. When you are ready to come back i personally handle a bout of spiritual burn out by starting really slow, a walk in nature, sitting in the garden, doing a little gardening. Just get back to the nature side of things and feel more connected and grounded. Then slowly start up that magical practice again in the same way as above, a little meditation, working with gems and light a candle and have an honest and frank discussion with your diety! If you usually meet your goddess/god during pathworking at a temple, forest etc then go to that place and unburden yourself and reconnect.

Then there are the witches who just don't even think to work there way out of a situation or at least get a little magical assistence. Maybe because they are used to just helping others, they don't really believe in their spell craft or just can't be bothered.

I have a little more trouble with this one as for me being a witch is who i am, its not a religion or something i do on a specific day of the week. I weave magic throughout daily life naturally and something without even thinking about it. Can you really be a witch if you dont believe and cant be bothered to witch?

Lastly are witches who have done spells but nothing has worked so they give up and leave the magical route behind.

This is something i personally hear a lot of owning an online store for 9 years. I will often get a message saying i lost my job so i lit a blue candle and nothing has happened. I then ask well when you lit the candle what did you do? Did you add intent? Did you specify what you want to return from the spell? Then most importantly what have you done since the spell?

You would be surprised at the huge amount of people who say they are practicing witches, light a candle with no itent and then sit back and wait for it to happen. They often seem surprised they need to still look for jobs, send applications and attend interviews. 

I think this comes from maybe media, films etc where someone twitches their nose and boom someone else is a frog! A spell can help open the way, clear a smoother path, show you which direction to take and aid you in succeeding but you still have to give of yourself. Your energy, your intent and then your work here in the physical world to make that a reality.

So why do witches now witch? I don't think its as simple as some make out. I hear some people saying well your not a witch then, other saying people are lazy or stupid. I don't think you can bunch everyone together like that and its something i have really given a lot of thought lately. I too went through a period middle of last year where i was 'witching' for other people but just felt disconneted from witching for myself. It turns out it was a time of great reflection for me and eventually my Goddess came along a kicked my backside back into circle. I learnt a lot about myself and my practive during that time off though and i feel im a better witch for it now.

Yes i agree laziness, title with no practice and unrealistic witches can be annoying, many argue it gives others a bad impression of those that practice the craft. Of course at times i have thought to myself 'oh how obsurd' but my opinion is we should spend more time focusing on our own path and how to better ourselves as magical practitioners than worrying about what everyone else is doing in their practice!!

Thats my little ramble for today......

Love and Light