There has been something in the atmosphere lately that seems to lead many spiritual folks to wish to separate themselves from, and loudly express disdain for, their human condition. Reading the wonderful essay by Nephilim Rising Stand Strong, Witch it felt as though perhaps it was time to express how misguided I feel this current trend to be, especially when it comes to the path of the Witch.
We spend so much time trying to define ourselves as Mystics, Witches, Spiritual beings with purpose… trying to capture the imagination and impression of our peers through our ‘otherness’ and the presentation of our uniqueness that we forget the utter alchemy of being human. Witches, at their core, should understand the necessity of the frailty of the human form; the immeasurable magical potency within our blood, the energies of Death interwoven in our bones, the passage of time measured in our teeth, and the binding element present in our hair. These are all naturally gifted ingredients which all humans possess and Witches throughout time have acknowledged as paramount to sympathetic spellwork, as the discovery of magical items such as Witch Bottles from history can attest.
Furthermore the frailty of the human condition is necessary for this magick; the puncturing of the skin to sacrifice droplets of blood, the cracking and breaking of bones, the natural (and even unnatural) loss of teeth, and the intentional clipping of nail and hair are all incredibly significant and symbolic actions loaded with magical consequence.
When a Witch heats and sterilizes a long metal pin and pricks their finger to draw blood, it is not an act of mutilation, but instead a sacred covenant with the Old Gods. It is the initiative of sacrifice of their very life essence, a magical pledge that creates a bond between the spellwork, the Witch, and the powers around them. Blood is used to honour the Gods, bind magical items, sate the hungry Spirits, curse ones enemies, empower ones witchcraft and tie one to the very essence of the Earth;
“The earth hungers for blood; the ancient battlefields long to be soaked in red, the mountains cry out for human sacrifice, and the herb garden hungers for dead crows. ” – Sarah Anne Lawless Mysteries of Beast, Blood and Bone
In honouring Gods and Goddesses of War and Death, the sacrifice of ones Blood becomes even more significant; Blood from menstruation and sacrificial offering has a regular place at my personal altar of the Goddess Morrigan for not only does it evoke the energy of the fallen in Battle, and not only does it further bind a spoken promise of fealty, but it signifies that ultimate sacrifice which is owed to the Goddess; Life, and eventually Death;
‘Is oc do ditin do báis-siu atáu-so ocus bia’
“It is at the guarding of thy death that I am; and I shall be,” – Táin Bó Regamna “The Cattle-Raid of Regamain”
It is therefore an exercise in futility when those who seek to disdain of their humanity and elevate themselves to near Godhood seek to undermine the relationships of other Witches and their Gods. Not content to bolster a false sense of pride they feel as though mocking anothers relationship with Deity will empower them. But as I often comment, G.R.R. Martin sums up ones personal relationship with Sovereignty perfectly;
“And any man who must say ‘I am king’ is no true king at all.” – G.R.R. Martin
If we apply this concept to Witches and remove connotations of gender, it surmises a very important lesson to those seeking spiritual truth; louding proclaiming something, especially ones power, does not make it so. Unless we can suddenly remake the universe in our own image, we are not Gods, and we have no need to pretend we are; relationship with energies beyond ours are rewarding, magical and enrich our soul.
Infact it seems a far better thing to be underestimated as a Witch; let them think you weak, stupid and frail, and they will never see you coming. Claiming sovereignty and mastery over ones self is part and parcel of any Witches path but when you owe yourself to Goddess Morrigan it becomes even more important, as does humility and understanding that we were always meant to be small in the grand scheme of the cosmos and that it also does not degrade our significance in any way.
As I stated in my essay “Ditch being small, Witch” on WITCH;
“My personal relationship with the Goddess Morrigan highlights this to me daily; as a Goddess whose energy shape-shifts, evolves and refuses to be quantified, I can hear her deep laughter at anyone seeking to rationalise and interpret her simply.
The minute you think you have a handle on Her essence She will shift and change again, slipping through your fingers like water. Big Goddess, Little Human.” – Joey Morris
Furthermore, the acceptance of the human condition is the first step on the path to knowing yourself; to accept limitation is not to become subservient to it, but merely to sense the borders and begin to explore and challenge them.
Witches engage in magical practice, personal ritual and relationships with spirits and Deity; they acknowledge the unseen, and listen to the rhythms of the Earth, push the boundaries of their knowledge and seek access to the higher mysteries.
For many on this planet such activities are treated with disdain; magick is mocked, Deity is dismissed or demonized and Witches are labelled at best ‘eccentric’ and at worst ‘evil.’ Some critics will even seek to take our humanity away from us in order to discredit our abilities, humiliate our intentions and take away our very influence on others.
That alone should be indicative of the incredible power of what it means to be human.
Within the great cycles, our lives on this planet are precious because they end. For many of us we do not greet this with fear but believe it is natural, all things must end, for new life to begin. To evolve, we must reincarnate and experience all possibilities, and human frailty makes this feasible. Our bodies must decay, our blood must thin, and eventually our bones become dust; but our souls can live on – and whilst we live – this precious incredible gift of life – we can connect, to other people, to the world around us, to other living creatures and to the grand mysteries of Deity and energy, purpose and higher calling.
I reject completely the idea of being superior. We all contain that divine spark of life.
I reject completely the idea that some of us are God related.
I reject the idea of excommunicating ourselves from the grand energetic matrix of humanity.
We are all on this planet together; and we need one another.
Many Blessings, Starlets
Joey
