I Dare you

 Evening Greetings,

Ah yes, it's getting darker, earlier. This happens anyways in the dark half of the year, but with the change of clocks for day light savings and all that, it seems a bit startling that at almost 5 pm its already dark.  Well, not much to do about it, except wait and plan for the summer.  The official start for summer, for those pagan inclined,  is May 1st.  I know, I know, it sounds pretty far away. But, not as far away as June 21st! We'll talk more about mid-summer as we get closer to that holiday, but for tonight let's touch on the third level of the Witches Pyramid.  To Dare.

Sounds pretty formidable, doesn't it? Well, it can be.  To Dare. Just as it sounds. The path of the witch can be a daring one, and its definitely a path that demands strength and courage.  Let me tell you a secret.  You already know that anyone can be a witch and follow our ways. But to be authentic, to be who you really are, to experience you at your most fulfilled, then at some time in your life you will need to own it. 

Initially, as you step upon this path it is wise to be a bit quiet about what you are learning until you have a good grasp of the material.  Then you will start working all of this in, so that ideally, it becomes a day to day aspect of your life. Somewhere along the line, being who you are, in this case a witch, becomes of paramount importance. You must be authentic to yourself, to experience life and get all it has to offer out of it.

You will want to discuss this aspect of your life with others as it makes for such an enriching experience to share who you really are with others.  Now, having said this, many people that live their lives are not always being authentic. You know these people, they are unfulfilled, unhappy, angry and always casting blame and rumor around them to fall on others.  They take pleasure in the misfortunes and unhappiness of others.  I say these individuals are not authentic because I don't believe the authentic nature of any human being is a dark one. They are too consumed with pain, hurt, grief and fear to even touch on the authentic self inside.

If that 'dark'  person is attracted to the light of this path, and at times some are, then a challenge awaits them. Do they change and do the hard work of shedding the darkness and finding their inner light or do they leave with a disparaging, disgruntled attitude in regards to this path? I've seen both cases.  I've also seen the rare few cases when a person who has a psychiatric disorder expects to gain power and control over others, and fantastical abilities by the study of witchcraft.  This is a misguided notion and speaks loudly that the craft is not  the right path for all. Religion itself speaks to religious fanaticism and add a drop or two of magick to the cauldron and you have a potentially dangerous combination.

Allow me to be daring, and perhaps politically incorrect, without apology.  People with certain psychiatric disorders who are unable to rationally separate the true nature of Wicca and witchcraft from literature, Hollywood imagery and fantastical beliefs should not study and practice witchcraft. The provocative nature of just the words like 'spells', 'ritual', coven, etc. affect some people profoundly.  The actual practice of, I believe could feed delusions of grandeur and 'super' powers. 

I also hesitate to work with young people as many are impulsive and tend to want to believe magick will take care of all their problems. i.e. make them popular, seeking revenge on others, make them not have pimples etc.  Many in my experience are also,  dare I say it, a bit lazy! "No lazy witches" is actually one of my favorite mantras!!  I need to get that painted on a plaque for my office!

For serious young people who wish to study this path, realize it is like adding yet another course onto their already burgeoning study and homework schedule, so I strongly advise they start seriously training and study after they are done with their schooling. At the very least high school.  For the readers of this blog that are still in middle or highschool, this is also a form of daring. Can you finish school, be responsible and dedicated to get excellent grades and wait to start this course of study? If the answer is no. You're not ready for this path.  If your grades are poor, you aren't ready for the path of the 'wise one'.  Believe in the path, believe anyway you wish. Yet save the serious study for a later time, when you are ready.  I believe the understanding needed to work this path effectively requires an adult perspective. 

I'm sorry if that stings, but like driving an automobile, voting, buying a pack of cigarettes requires an adult perspective and a legal age. For a reason.  It's not that I fear a young person hurting another with magick. Just as it does with an adult the magick returns back to you, regardless of age.  The reckless magickal practitioner only hurt themselves.


For those who practice and become one with this way of life, daring is eventually required of you.  This is not a path for the meek, the fearful, the uncertain and those who just wish to blindly follow.  Not every path is right for everyone, each needs to choose for themselves what works for them, what they can be proud of and what fulfills them. I think everyone would benefit from trying to be more authentic, while understanding that that is not always possible for everyone.

Each person can only do what they can.  I have a philosophical belief that right now everyone is exactly where they are supposed to be in life at this minute. We are also always in a state of change, of flux and for myself I always try to be a better person today than I was yesterday, but for right now, this moment in time, I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.Tomorrow more change will occur.

Many will say you are not where you want to be, and I reply 'good!', there's so much more 'changing' and living to do.   Change of any kind takes daring and a willingness to accept change.  Ah, now there's a concept I live with always. Change. Change moves energies and brings in and takes away.  You can make any and all changes you choose to, just by deciding to do it. Then doing it.  I Dare You .  .  . 

Tomorrow's discussion is on the final level of the Witches Pyramid  .  .  .  To Keep Silent .  .  .  .  really?

© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com

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