Woman To Hare, painting by the author<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\u201cSticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nThis childhood retort never really solved anything, did it? In fact, it pretty much was a declaration that someone had indeed hurt you through their words.<\/p>\n
Because at the root of it all, words have power. \u00a0In ritual, we speak words to declare our intent, to create sacred space, to acknowledge spirits and deities. \u00a0Spellcraft often involves the uttering of words to bring a working together \u2013 be it a rhyme, psalm, or prose. \u00a0Behind those words are ideas: the culmination of history and experience, the focusing of will, the exchange of the sacred and spiritual. \u00a0The formulation of ideas into words, which are then built into statements, is then followed by action. \u00a0Magick doesn\u2019t happen so much because we say the words in just the right way under the right conditions, but rather because behind those words is a desire to bring about change. \u00a0And if our will is strong enough, we follow through with our statements by making change happen \u2013 in ourselves and in the world around us.<\/p>\n
In the Modern Tradition, we don\u2019t identify magick\/spellcraft as positive\/negative or black\/white. \u00a0Behind every action, idea, there are a multitude of possible reactions \u2013 many beyond our imagination, and whether something is \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad\u201d is directly\u00a0subject to one\u2019s beliefs, position, and history. \u00a0We can brainstorm many of the possible outcomes, but never will see them all in advance \u2013 so we understand that\u2019s a risk we are taking responsibility for when we work our magick.\u00a0The best of intentions can cause pain and suffering, and inversely, even the most malcontent intentions can bring about beauty and growth. Our moral guidelines are fairly simple: Know Thyself, Accept Responsibility, Maintain Balance.<\/p>\n
With that in mind, it may not be so surprising when I tell you that I see writing as an extension of my activities as a Witch. \u00a0I believe that the sharing of knowledge and experience, ideas and feelings can shift understanding and awareness. \u00a0When we become aware of new ideas outside of our own experience up until that point, we can take that opportunity to learn and to grow. \u00a0It\u2019s a form of shape-shifting, of bending existence, and altering states of consciousness.<\/p>\n
I have no delusions of thinking that my writing will open the hearts of those who have resolved to be brick walls of hate (though there\u2019s always a slim possibility in the right circumstances)<\/em>. \u00a0While it\u2019s their words and actions that I buck against, it\u2019s the vast field of folks who exist in the middle of things that my words are intended for. \u00a0Those who may not know, those who are open to learning, thinking, and debating, those who are curious: these are the people I write for.<\/p>\nQuite simply, the\u00a0way we fight intolerance, hate, and bigotry is through ideas. \u00a0First we become aware of an issue in our periphery, then we find out more about it as it continues to ping across our radar, then we open up our own understanding of it, and make personal changes to allow for growth.<\/p>\n
For example, maybe the experiences of LGBQT folks, the issues faced by Pagans of Color, or the topic of cultural appropriation hadn\u2019t affected you personally or your community before you first read about it online or saw panels devoted to it a conference, but since then maybe you\u2019ve become more conscious, more thoughtful, more inclusive, and a better ally. It\u2019s not about\u00a0pointing out the wrong from a place of self-righteousness, but looking to see how we can all work together to do it better.\u00a0The changes made within one person then affects those around them, and ideas can spread.<\/p>\n
Ideas through words can indeed cause hurt and pain \u2013 mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, and furthermore \u2013 the actions that driven by those words can cause\u00a0more pain physically as well. \u00a0Which is why it is essential and so desperately vital that we teach the words of love, understanding, compassion, and beauty. \u00a0If we choose to teach these words instead of those of hate, intolerance, and othering, we teach the actions of love, foster understanding, bring the spirit of compassion, and conjure beauty.<\/p>\n
Blessed be.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cSticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.\u201d This childhood retort never really solved anything, did it? In fact, it pretty much was a declaration that someone had indeed hurt you through their words. Because at the root of it all, words have power. \u00a0In ritual, we speak words to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2676,"featured_media":90,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,12,13,14],"tags":[24,52,51,53,54,7,4,50],"class_list":["post-97","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-metaphysics","category-modernpractice","category-myth-and-folklore","category-tradition","tag-community","tag-magick","tag-power","tag-shapeshifting","tag-spellcraft","tag-witch","tag-witchcraft","tag-words"],"yoast_head":"\n
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