Any witches here?

[speakout]

Or Wiccans. or Pagans?

I was raised as a witch- my grandmother was born in 1890 and taught me how to scry, knotwork, many magical activities. She was a dresser of the dead and a lay midwife ( before the NHS).
I now practice my craft with enthusiasm.
A little tricky as my extended family are not supportive.

I don't move in witchy circles.
I have in the past, but prefer to follow my own footing now. Some of my views are decidedly non Wiccan!

DillyDillyDally You don't have flowers? Or candles? Or fragrance ?

Yes, I do. I plan on doing some research into to how to use these things. Thanks for the inspiration.

I do walk daily and enjoy being out in nature. I live in a desert and there is some stunning scenery and canyons not too far from my house, . Parks/greenery is all very man made and planned and I just don't get the same magical/mystical feeling from it as I do at home (Ireland).

dilly I can imagine it must be a change coming from such a green lush place as Ireland.
Can you grow your own plants? Nurturing is a good way to awaken our own energies.
I appreciate that parks can seem a bit sterile but even trees and plants that have been planted still hold the same life energies.
Maybe try to explore some prehistory and cultural roots of the place you are living?

Great thread Thanks Op. More!

Parks/greenery is all very man made and planned.

I came across somewhere like this in the US so I know what you mean. Seriously there wasn't so much as a bug! It was beautiful but completely sterile.

The desert though - lots going on there but you may need to dig down a bit through the layers to tune in. I struggled at first but once I made the connections I needed I was able to work the landscape as well as could back home.

Witchcraft absolutely fascinates me. I've never met anyone who's a witch, but would love too. I am very into spirituality though and have lots of 'woo' friends. Can anyone recommend any reading material about witches that I might find interesting?

I've never met anyone who's a witch

Maybe you have
Many witches look much like "normal" people.

Maybe try to explore some prehistory and cultural roots of the place you are living?

Yes, there are some prehistoric rock paintings in the area and I have seen some old roasting pits which still survive. I find it fascinating how these cultures survived and thrived in such an inhospitable environment for thousands of years by simply being attuned to nature, so that's something I'd definitely like to learn more about.

I came across somewhere like this in the US so I know what you mean. Seriously there wasn't so much as a bug! It was beautiful but completely sterile.

This is it exactly. Landscapers regularly come and chop down trees and replace them with ones that are more aesthetically pleasing for example. It's a shame that nothing is allowed to thrive and grow as nature intended.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Its all very interesting

Haha - yes! Unless you know me well then you'd probably never know. Don't believe the media stereotypes. A lot of us prefer to go under the radar.

Many people that even visit my house don't realise what I am about.

My SIL is of a spiritual nature, so she gets it. Lots of my personal and work stuff is not in public areas. I do have candles, flowers, a herb garden, pictures and statues of hares, some stones by my doorstep, a bowl of salt on my kitchen window ledge, some herbs hanging in he kitchen, but nothing overt, no pentagrams or goats heads on the walls.

Most of my craft stuff is in my work room which is off limits to random visitors. I too have a few candles about the place, a herb garden and a basket or two of stones but unless you know your herbs well it doesn't look out of the ordinary - other than my 12ft belladonna plant.

The work room though is a whole different matter.

Elphame- yes I have a workroom too.

No visitors allowed.

I’m a Druid as well

It’s a very rewarding path, but I spend too much time worrying about the destruction of natural habitats and the subsequent loss of wildlife people seem so disconnected from the natural world now and seem to need to limit or reject it altogether - getting rid of their gardens, chopping trees down, being terrified of harmless insects, complaining about birdsong and installing fake grass in what is left of their garden areas.

Nature is soothing and healing and we would all be a lot calmer and less stressed if we made time to embrace it - even in just a small way.

teapot- that's so interetsing.
Druidism is not something I have studied.
Like you mine is a very nature based path.

Although the destruction of natural environments I try to keep optimistic, but do what I can to help.

I live surrounded by ancient protected woodland, I am very lucky, so I seen forest from every window in my home.

Hello Op. Envious of your forest from every window! I can see it from two windows. Well, probably not your forest!

Very quiet here now. Do all the witches come out at night?

Like pp's I've always been very spiritual & had 2 different people suggest I was a witch, well, one a nature healer.

Life has been so draining I've never had time to take it forward.

Your thread & words have reminded me I should. Thank you

gottaslowdown Hi!!

I am an early rising witch.
I have been making a new product today and taking lots of photographs- my whole house smells of peppermint.

If you would like to pursue a spiritual path but it seems daunting, remember it should never feel like a burden. If fact it can feel like a treat. Take things slowly and bite size.
If all you can do is light a candle for yourself and relax for a few moments than that is plenty.

Read about a different herb every day or explore the myths behind the planets, there are some rollicking reads.
Or get a tarot deck and choose one a day for yourself, that will deepen your insight .
Enjoy your day x

I'd love to live in an ancient woodland. I'm lucky enough to be in the countryside but the woods are quite a walk away.

gottaslowdown - all busy at the boring day jobs I expect!

I've just received some oils and incense from a friend ( yes the barter system again). They are lovely - I'm looking forward to designing a working to use them although I should actually be tackling the demon known as GDPR!

Oh that's lovely Elphame. I am feeling quite light headed with all this peppermint around, oils and fresh herbs.
Sounds like you have a challenging job.

I'm probably what would be described as a hedge witch.

Certainly nothing formal or rigid. I just pay attention to nature and its rhythms. I apologise to the spiders when I disturb them (they like making webs on my washing line the silly buggers). Notice the full moon and can tell when the season is going to change by the air/ subtle hints. It's mostly definitely not at the same time every year.

I'm pretty rational otherwise. Though pretty sure fairies are real, just not the Disney kind. They're much more subtle than that and quite a lot like people in their diversity of temperament (and goodwill)

My mum is also quite sure she isn't a witch.

I (and my dad, a scientist) am quite certain that she is.

Oddly enough she's a nurse too.

Welcome to the moot Billy!

I have a Scottish Brownie living in my house ( a type of house elf) he is ill mannered and makes life difficult sometimes, but does have his uses.

Billy I am a scientist too.

I worked for 15 years in scientific research before having kids.
I'm also an atheist.

I'll trade you the peppermint smells for the smell of boiling vinegar. I get an endless supply of large glass jars from my mother so a certain percentage go back to her refilled with something nice. She loves pickled beetroot so I've just made her a couple of jars from the beet in this week's veg box.

She often asks why I need so many jars.....

Oddly I have a science background too - the day job makes use of that but I am not an atheist. I've had too many strange experiences with the divine to not believe.

Speakout I had brownies in my last house, they mostly lovely but they didn't half torment the poor cat.

We had something of a boggart in this one. Which comes as no great surprise given the houses history and past residents.

It kept breaking stuff and making fresh food go mouldy days before its use by date and hiding my keys.

Was a right old rotter!

He was quite unceremoniously booted and told in no uncertain terms to F off.

I have enough wee folk on my side that he hasn't come back (though he did try once or twice)

As a teenager we had a real fireplace in our living room, I used to fire scry without even realising it sometimes. Powerful stuff.

I told my mum when I was about 12 and she freaked out a bit (no because of the scrying but because of the danger of doing it without instruction)