'Tis the Season . . . of the Witch! Although, truthfully I feel every season is our season, but hey, that's just me! This time of year, with Halloween nearing, I hear all sorts of comments regarding witches. Some comments come from non magickal people and others from like-minded magickal, pagan and witch. I was recently in Salem Mass and heard a story regarding a green faced witch.
It seems a little girl was walking the streets of Salem with her mother and she was dressed as a witch complete with a green face. She was approached by a real witch, one quite well known in town. The little girl was given a serious lecture by said witch on how wrong it was to have a green face. That it was insulting and wrong to portray witches like this. The little girl became upset and started to scrub at her face to remove the green. Poor thing.
I officially call, NONSENSE! A few points I would like to comment on. Firstly, the little girl may have been portraying a witch but she was still, without question, a little girl. Now, she's a little girl that I assure you will always remember, and not too fondly, that encounter with a 'real' witch. I only hope she doesn't have nightmares about it! Secondly, there is a time and place for teaching, . . . anything. That was not the time or the way to get that lesson across to that little girl and her mother. Not in my opinion. My, wouldn't it have been a different scenario if that Salem witch had taken the time to tell the little girl she was a real witch, which she might well have done, but then to have answered her questions, talked to her about magick, tell her how witches are pretty with any skin color and had then left her with a happy experience. Ah, but it was not to be. I only hope that little girl grows up to learn and understand that even if one is a famous 'real' witch that not everything one says is necessarily true for everyone.
I would also like to address the 'Green Faced Witch' debate I've seen bantered about every year around this time. I look at the green faced witch differently than some. Yes, there is the famous Wicked Witch of the West portrayed by Ms. Margaret Hamilton in the classic Hollywood movie 'The Wizard of Oz', and its a given she was green faced and evil to the core. This is what many think of when they see the green-faced witch. But some of us, have a different image in mind. When I see a green faced witch I think of the 'Green Witch', the magickal herbalist, and the Hedge Witch, all ancient versions of the modern witch today. I mean let's look at the image of the witch around Halloween. We see children and adults dress in the witches conical hat and carry brooms around Samhain, Halloween and many wear the 'look', not being real witches and not understanding of our ways and most do not take offense. I think we can look at the green face and be as understanding about it as we are about other things pertaining to witches.
I personally will attest to the fact that not ALL real witches are nice, peasant or even good at heart. We are just like any other group or demographic. Some are very nice, sweet and good to the core and others are mean, rude and just not nice. Every group has its spectrum of people ranging from one extreme to the other. How we treat others, whether witch or not, really speaks of our character and what makes us who we are.
It's really up to us if we choose to be offended, and being offended is most definitely a choice. I choose to use some opportunities to help educate people, again when the time and place are appropriate and at other times I choose to go about my life and pick the battles I have a shot at wining. But the times I choose not to pick a battle I don't get all huffy about it and allow that negative energy to affect my day or to affect others around me. It's all a choice, most of the time. I like to make the choices that benefit my life and also respect that others can choose differently and that has to be O.K.
Peace and Happiness
© 2010-2012 Faith M. McCann. 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 or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website. Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited.
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