Magic is the ultimate form of spiritual rebellion.
But it’s not a mindless rebellion. And it’s not without purpose.
Today, let’s talk about witchcraft as an empowering way to own your spirituality.
What’s in a name?
It takes courage to voluntarily label yourself as a witch.
When it comes to that loaded word, the world is divided into two groups.
The first group regards the word witch as a dirty insult. Or, at least, a person of a sinful nature that should be feared and ostracized. For them, magic is an evil way to dominate others or control forces that are best left in their natural state.
The second group regards the label of witch as a sacred one. For them, magic is not so much about the domination of others as a liberation of the self.
(It should be noted that the second group isn’t comprised totally of people who practice witchcraft themselves. There are many, many people of different faiths who simply recognize the validity of a spiritual practice that is not theirs).
So in this second group, there is an even smaller subset. And that group within a group is comprised of people who regard the label as sacred and have opted to apply it to themselves. On its surface, to deliberately label one’s self this way is a strange impulse.
Why not call yourself a mystic? Or an herbalist? An energy healer?
How about just an independent thinker?
Well, you can call yourself all those things. You can be those things simultaneously. And maybe the word witch doesn’t feel right for you. That’s fine.
But if it does feel right, there’s an excellent chance you chose it not in spite of its tendency to startle, but because it is so startling.
Solitary Witchcraft: An Act of Rebellion
The path of solitary witchcraft is a bold and windy one.
To choose it is a kind of spiritual rebellion. It is an act of defiance to say, “I will break away from the collective thoughts of the masses on spirituality and I will go my own way.”
Not all witches are solitary, of course. Many choose to work in covens or follow a path with clearer guidelines.
But the solitary witch is, in many ways, on her own.
She decides her own moral parameters. She chooses her form of worship. Or, she chooses no worship at all.
At first glance, this looks like an excuse to do whatever you want and take no responsibility. But, in fact, it is the ultimate acceptance of responsibility.
When things go wrong, you’ve only yourself to look to.
You are allowed to make mistakes, yes. That applies to even the most organizationally religious.
But the solitary witch who is faced with the consequences of her actions must face them alone. And that is an extraordinary act of spiritual courage.
Rebellion & Harnessing the Power of Your Will
Rebellion is ultimately an assertion of your will.
And what’s the difference, really, between that and modern magical theory?
You might even say rebellion and magic are interchangeable words.
If will is the force that drives spell craft, then every spell cast is a rebellion against all other forces. Sometimes, those other forces push back.
But whether the universe flows in the direction of your will, or against it, is kind of the point. The wise solitary witch learns from that.
The end result of any spell is either chaos or the realization that our will aligns with our destiny.
Many of us begin our magical practice hoping magic will shape the universe to fit our desires.
But the path to a peaceful relationship with magic is to use it for shaping our desires to the will of the universe.
