Preconceptions & Misconceptions
”There’s a grain of truth in every fairytale.”
Occasionally I’m greeted with some variation of “Do you identify as a witch?”. This always causes me to pause, because yes, of course I do!—quickly followed by my own internal query: is this being asked in good faith? The answer to such a seemingly innocuous question is complicated. It is more than an identity, more than a choice. It is an intrinsic part of me that I cannot separate from any other portion or parcel that makes me who I am. My witcheness is in the very marrow of my bones. It’s in my breath. It’s in the spaces in between where form collides with nothingness. It is as much what I am as who I am, and how I am…perhaps even why I am.
And then there are the preconceived notions of what and who and how I am: Satan’s spawn. Devil worshipper. Follower of the Left Handed path. I’ve been labeled everything from evil-incarnate with the (and I quote) “Stench of Hell upon [me]”, to misguided, tricked, and lost—a sheep who has strayed too far from her flock.
Time and time again women cross my path, and invariably whisper to me conspiratorially at one junction or another “I’ve often wondered if I were a witch…but…” and then they confide their version of how that can’t be true, or shouldn’t be true, or that it’s simply wrong and they’ve denounced it. They tell me they’d love to be their most authentic selves, but the cost is too high. They tell me they fear the reaction of their spouse or partner or friend or church or….
In one month Lapis Moon Mysteries School is opening its proverbial gates to a new era of women ready to learn more about themselves and the ancient, indigenous, modern, and urban teachings of women’s mysteries. From a Witch. I love this moment—new faces, some exuberant and champing at the bit, others reticent, reserved, shy. But all willing to step outside of their comfort zone and dedicate themselves to a year of self discovery and self empowerment.
Two nights ago, as I lay in bed I contemplated how to not only bridge the gap between those who “often wondered if I were a witch...but…” and those who sign up for such coursework unapologetically, but to make that bridge so steadfast and sturdy as to feel safe and welcoming to cross. So this Saturday I’m offering a class—more of a discussion, really—on what it means to be a Witch. And what it doesn’t. We’ll look at lore and fairytales and mythology, as well as traditional and contemporary “marks of the witch” , and what it really means to embody the most feared and misunderstood archetype of the feminine.
Femmes, would you like to join me, in good faith? Inquisitous and willing to shift or at least expand your perspective? If so, I’d love to meet you, chat with you, and answer your questions. My hope is that you’ll leave the discussion with some answers and clarity. Perhaps you’ll want to join me on the equinox in Lapis Moon, or learn some tarot with me in October, or delve into the mythos of Inanna in December. The class is a donation of 22USD ( you’ll get to keep the recording as well).
Send me a message, and I’ll register you.
