What Is A Witch?

Blessed be, everyone. My name is Crow Moon, and I am a witch. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s focus on what it truly means to be a witch.

Yes, men can be witches, too.

Practicing witchcraft doesn’t automatically free you from burdens, stress, and the challenges of Life. What it does do is sculpt how you deal with those elements. Wicca is a nature-based spirituality. That’s all it is. We don’t worship—or even believe in the devil. We do cast spells, but we only do so constructively. I can only speak for myself, but spellwork is (at best) ten percent of what I do. So what do I spend most of my time doing? Simply put, I attune with Nature to seek harmony with it. Some of those who identify with the Craft by spellwork alone might very well be coming from a movie or TV-influenced representation of Wicca or witchcraft. But there is so much more to it than that. When was the last time you aligned yourself with the cycles of the sun and the moon? Have you ever planted seeds and stooped down to touch the budding plants with your hands while speaking to them? Have you given freely, expecting nothing in return? These things are at the core of Wicca—and they are your most fundamental spells. The gap between Hollywood witchcraft and everyday, practical witchcraft is huge.

Recognizing and walking with seasonal changes is a large and critical part of this path. Those changes are known as Sabbats—celebrations of the seasons. Some of the Sabbats are times of thanksgiving, anticipation, or recognizing the solstices or equinoxes. We celebrate the eight Sabbats over the course of a year. Similarly, we also celebrate the lunar phases each month. Both observances remind us of the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. So, while Wicca is certainly a religion, I prefer to look at it as a relationship—and a most healthy one.

So, back to the original question—what is a witch? A witch is someone who raises power for the highest good and to the harm no one. A witch is filled with compassion, kindness, and understanding for all that exists. A witch is a deeply-rooted and dedicated individual. A witch is a life-long student of universal truth. A witch walks along with everyone in the mundane world, yet is able to tune out of it when necessary. We don’t advertise, recruit, or ask for money. We don’t lurk around in darkness seeking the demise to others—if anything, we are helpers. We don’t view ourselves as greater or lesser than anyone else.

On a personal level, I truly believe that everyone is capable of practicing magick, and I’ve seen it happen on an almost daily basis—be it a hug, a smile, or a kind gesture. There, again, are the fundamental spells.

May you see many rainbows. May you feel the loving kindness of each time you interact with another soul. May you take no moment for granted. May you always be YOU.


The Pentacle

We’ve all seen one—usually on a necklace that someone is wearing or a figure that was spray-painted on a wall somewhere. Seeing a pentacle makes many people cringe because movies have gone wild telling us that this five-pointed star symbolizes the devil or evil. I’m here to assure you that it does nothing of the sort. Don’t believe me? If you celebrate Christmas, I invite you to recall what is at the top of your tree each year—and I’m guessing it’s a five-pointed star.

Welcome to this talk. I’m a Pagan and a Wiccan, and I have some interesting and possibly shocking news for you—I don’t believe in the devil. None of us do. I keep saying this over and over, but as a Wiccan I don’t believe—I know. So let’s get into this.

At its core, the pentacle represents the elements of earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. That’s it. Really— that’s it.  Interestingly enough, Christians once used the pentagram to represent the five wounds of Jesus. Perhaps it could be that we’re unknowingly walking a similar path. I’d love it if we could all walk together in peace.

Pentacle.
Five.
Take a look at your hand. You have a pentacle right there! Your thumb is associated with the element of fire, the index finger air, the middle finger ether, the ring finger earth, and the small finger water. How cool is that?

However, it wasn’t until 2007 the United States military added a pentacle to its official list of religious symbols that can be engraved on headstones.

Wiccans, witches, and pagans view the pentacle as a symbol of protection, while many others don’t hold this symbol to the same level of esteem. In our view, however, the elements represented simply ground and strengthen us.

The Crystal Ball

“If I only had a crystal ball.” I’ve heard that so many times. When people say this, they assume that having a crystal ball will give them all the answers. I have a crystal ball—yet I don’t have all the answers. Having a crystal ball can—and often does—serve as a gateway to answers. But not necessarily all of them. As with any form of divination, it is a tool that invites you to go into a meditative state where you are able to experience some form of discovery. That being said, you don’t necessarily need to have a crystal ball; you can mindfully approach almost any object—be that a tree or a stream or a rock—and fix your gaze upon it. But, really, all you truly need is your mind. During this practice, I invite you to recognize that your intuition is the key component. Recognize and welcome it.  

All of us have felt both unsafe and also secure in certain situations. That’s instinct. That’s your crystal ball—your internal guidance. Don’t ignore it. I’ve had to tell myself over and over to trust my instincts, and I give that same message to you right now, my dear friend.

Instincts are energy—an energy that allows us to adjust to things in positive and constructive ways. But how do we strengthen our instincts? I cannot stress enough that mindfulness is the key. The good news is that it’s quite easy to practice mindfulness every day and multiple times a day. In my experience, the simplest form of mindfulness is taking nothing for granted. Practice awareness with each step you take, each meal you consume, each interaction you have with others, and so forth. Notice how you feel with each experience. Keep your focus. Practice this over and over again until your instincts become razor-sharp. This takes little effort—and the results will be almost immediate if you stay with it.