The Making of a Witch by James Garrison
Ah...perhaps that is the crux of the matter--the allure of the mysterious, the fascinating mix of fear, fantasy and superstition. Witches are 'other' and thus they walk in a world that is different from everyone else. They know things. They do things. Everyone 'knows' that they have secret knowledge, unguessable powers, and contact with things the rest of the populace cannot begin to imagine--without the help of script-writers, hacks, and tabloid journalists. Too many posers without a clue have muddled the Witchy waters. To define the term by strict adherence to some academic catch-phrase won't cover the very real numbers of people who claim, or self-identify as being a Witch. Likewise, no one tradition can effectively monopolize the term, or the process of becoming a 'Witch.' The black cat is out of the bag. Live with it. One of the most ludicrous things I've observed was an argument between two elders who were trying fighting over who was or wasn't a Witch. In a world where any woman who jumps up and down and says "I'm a Witch" three times is accepted as a Witch by her peers and community, the whole issue of legitimacy becomes moot. Just as we cannot accept the distorted definitions and mangled dissertations of a faith that ruthlessly tried to exterminate the native traditions of Europe--and other continents--as a valid interpretation of what is and is not a Witch, we cannot expect to leave it up to anyone to claim the title and be taken seriously. Or can we? It used to be said that it took a Witch to make a Witch. The obvious follow-up response is to ask where the first one came from. Sure--pretty clever way to jam-up the works and get around a rule that most might not fully understand. Before just turning our backs on this sort of thing, look a little closer at what is being said. Put it into context. Withces walk outside the normal paradigm. They are directly, personally involved in the day-to-day operations of Nature, if you'll pardon a gross over-simplification. They deal with Divinity one-on-one. That being said, and in light of the serious undertone of self-reliance, self-empowerment, and self-responsibility that is to be found at the core of practically every so-called Witch Way, you get an image of someone who is engaged in the very real work of self-transformation. The Witch it takes to make another Witch is the realized Self--the only Witch who can make you a Witch is yourself...and that is a Mystery that no amount of discussion can express--it must be experienced. Experience. Witches are categorically identified with Wisdom, not always education or learning, but rather the Earthy, practical kinds of knowledge that come from years of personal experience. One important thing to keep in mind about Witches is that they get results. They don't make excuses. The word encompasses the shamanic root-traditions and herbal-based healing wisdom of Europe--no matter what else modern writers have allowed to accrete around the word like philosophical barnacles or literary zebra mussels. Witches use words, but do not hide behind them. It isn't about spells, rites, or posing in gaudy theatrical get-ups. Witches are about getting *real* results. Like Gardner said--they turn things to their own ends. Applied pragmatism. They saw value in what *was* and shaped it through time and effort into what *could* be through their arts & skills. Ignorant people most often forget the need ot work with the natural cycles--hence the fantasy of waving a silly wand and 'poof' getting things to change instantly. There are few instant results in life. Most of them are not terribly healthy. Life isn't a cartoon, last I checked, and While Witches can be silly, they are real people who live in a very real world. If anything they are aware of a greater depth to the world around them than what people are habitually accustomed to. it is this awareness, or the pursuit of it that makes a Witch akin to a mystic, and just as vulnerable to the slings and arrows of their fellow humans who do not share their interest in areas that many regard as best left alone. The process of confronting and mastering one's fears, hopes and desires is all over the fairy tales, myths, and legends of Europe...and elsewhere. It's a fundamental human process. Witches work within this process, using their own lives as canvasses, their actions as clay, and their rites as expressions of their progress, commitment, and relationship to the rest of Life, the Universe and Everything. The Craft of a Witch is demanding work, not hollywood special effects. Witches don't argue nonsense such as who is or isn't a Witch. There's no point and less need. A Witch can be known for their contribution to their tribe, family and community. A Witch is made by their own efforts, self-born from out of their own pursuit of the Mysteries, whether that be in a group, a clan, a coven or alone in the woods. A Witch isn't made by a publisher's hype, advertising, or slick marketing. So, know any Witches? BBJDG Copyright 2000, All Rights Reserved.
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