Image - Natalina Drepina source
I have spoken before of Shadow Masks and the damage they can do to spiritual seekers;
"Slipping into a shadow mask is one of the simplest forms of self-deception.
To know ourselves is to resonate from a place of personal power; to ignore and justify our seemingly less desirable qualities or reactions, blaming others for our own shadows, is to make ourselves lesser.
This is highlighted where so ever there is personal disagreement; when one person solely blames another without acknowledging any self-responsibility; that is wearing a shadow." - Joey Morris Shadow Masks of the Witches
Experience has forged this Witch into a first hand observer on the inner workings of the process performed by another who wishes to fashion themselves into an authority; who wishes to above all be powerful and controlling, projecting a flimsy image of magnanimity that is quickly dispelled under the light of truth. Bearing witness to the collective community being labelled as 'stupid' and in need of enlightenment; their brand of enlightenment, naturally, that will elevate the speaker to dizzying heights of wealth and success. It became an energetic drain to witness; the showboating, the mocking, the snide remarks about people who believed themselves to be an empath, a medium, a psychic... anyone who sought a sense of self that operated outside of their own narcissistic ideals. Such a drain, that I could not permit it in my sphere any longer.
As so often is the case, it reflected outwards, in every branch of the spiritual ecosystem, that the trend of the need to be 'correct' and point out the 'falsehood' of others rang out like some kind of droning bell determined to drain all individuality, all passion, all creation... as though having a one fits all form of Witchcraft would ever be a desirable state of affairs. Spiritual autopsy in full effect.
It comes and goes in waves; an inevitable part of the human need to control and dominate, to reject alternate viewpoints or engage in deep conversations rather than label and mock.
I sat in the latest churning of this social commentary, wondering why it is that the need to be the grand high authority who rules over the hearts and minds of the internet community is even a phenomena that occurs - never mind with the incredible regularity it does so. The need to be in control, to present the self as THE ONLY ANSWER, is clearly a mask of insecurity; a wounding of self that stems from wanting to mask feelings of inadequacy or irrelevance. It is the 'teacher' who fears the student will excel past their knowledge, and defines their worthiness (or pay cheque) by their ability to control people; or at least keep a steady flow of the new practitioners seeking their assistance. If discredited; these forms of adulation and wealth dry up, and then there is nothing to distract from the wounds of self.
We live in a world that defines people by their title and their earning potential, encouraging incorrigible behaviour in the pursuit of wealth and fame. The acts of disrespect that have made the news at the hands of the overnight famous individuals who mocked the dead and set fire to their neighbourhoods are symptoms of a large social problem; others are treated as though they are foolish, living only to fund self proclaimed social-media stars, and should they step outside of this expectation, they are treated with disdain.
This is not just found within social media but in every walk of life, and spirituality has never been an exception to this; as people sell the "only" method to enlightenment/power/knowledge.
image Natalia Drepina Source
It also highlights a refusal to adapt, grow, and deepen ones spiritual self; for if one is constantly learning, discovering, and sharing the passion of their path, there is nothing to fear. Nor is there a need to be threatened by those with alternative viewpoints or systems if you are only concerned with the passion of your own.
There has been an emphasis on dry spirituality which emphasizes rules, regulations and regurgitation... where is the discovery? The questioning? The passion and desire to go deeper and present alternative perspectives? Have we forgotten how to live and breathe and evolve through the art of Witchcraft?
Magick cannot be the divorce of mind and heart, it is a symphony between emotion and reason. Remove one, and there is no magick. Logic without heart becomes psychopathic and cruel, emotion without reason becomes unruly and indiscriminate.
Magick needs your humming soul, your creatrix. Spirituality is forged by those who understand what it means to walk a path that is an art, to feel it deep in your soul and alchemise it into manifestation, those who create... Poetry is a language of the universe, to seek the beauty in the world, and the wonder, to admire all the intricacies of the earth as they blossom and wither, the Divine speaks in echoing words that breech time and exist beyond measurement... Spirituality needs your art, beautiful. It needs the efforts of those creating, weaving hands that sing the tales of old and keep memories alive, who add to the conscious collective mind and stitch together experience and meaning with beauty... The absence of passion from magick renders it nullified and stagnant, to speak through the weakness of hubris devoid of artistry is to drain all life blood and render the world a pale shade of itself in order to dominate it. Walk the line of artist and admirer, starlet, add to the world and leave it better than you found it... Not seek to dominate and dry up the spiritual well.
Many blessings, Joey Morris