Witchvox Article

Author: Julian
Posted: June 29th. 2008
Times Viewed: 2,745

The new age movement has created a panacea of pop psychology:

"You are where you're supposed to be!"

"Everything happens for a reason!�

"It will happen when it�s supposed to happen! {relationships}�

�That's TOXIC!"{New Age term for anything you don't like}

"The law of attraction"= "You create your own reality."

Sound familiar? These inspirations seem to be everywhere.

They have nothing to do with witchcraft.

Yet I hear so many witches time and time again, consoling themselves with these attitudes whenever situations baffle, confuse or challenge that I seriously doubt any difference between witchcraft and modern psychology. (Except when I read Gardner, the Farrar's, or others of the traditional line.)

I don't think you can be dedicated to both New Age psychology and witchcraft without merely using witchcraft as a New Age ego ID. (How come I never hear the witches pyramid: "To know, to dare, to will, to keep silent!")

Conversely, we have new age gurus like Caroline Myss practicing medical intuition. I won't argue the validity of this discipline although it seems like divination of a sort, clairvoyance, or some other very ''witchy/crafty'' thing. Is Caroline a Witch, then? I think New Agers prefer the term "mystic"!

When like-minded people raise and release energy, to effect change, wonders can result. I truly believe this. I have been trudging an arduous search for like-minded pagans who focus on group mind, the raising of energy and the correct use of the will.

All I seem to end up with is new age flakies, steeped in pop psychology.

Like attracts like, you say? Well, birds of a feather flock together! And that's the extent of it!

As a recovered alcoholic, I hang around other recovered alcoholics and we have a focused group conscience with regards to our common problem. Our resulting sobriety, for us, is truly magical. But thinking about recovering from addiction, with a positive attitude and blind faith can't bring about recovery any more than it can bring about a new car, bicycle or money- as the New Age " Secret" craze would like us to believe.

You are where you're supposed to be?

Not if you're restless, irritable or discontent. True living, I believe, is about experiencing personal happiness.

Yes, one can learn lessons from situations and circumstances, (or not), but if you don't like where you are or what's going on around you, you're not experiencing the joy of living. So change it.

New Age attitudes of acceptance, letting go, letting GOD have created a complacency in me, which has left me lost, lonely and stupid, for a long time. I found myself looking for spiritual solutions to problems that only require common sense.

Focus, action and effective use of the will - the ultimate formula of good craft - has been the most effective motto for me and is really diametrically opposed to much of the pop psychology non-sense that I hear everywhere, including AA meetings, pagan events and even the Christian church.

A positive attitude will not create new opportunities. At, best, it can help me to recognize opportunities - and that is it! Really good opportunities don't need recognition power, anyway. They are obvious!

Sometimes I do not feel like being positive in order to "pretend away" things that I am not pleased about. If I try to be grateful, when I am lacking certain needs or wants, (Yes, I said wants!

Survival is about needs - living, is about wants!) I do not attract more things to be grateful about. Things just stay the same until I get honest and effect necessary change. I've lived these foolish mottos for most of my sober life (13 yrs.) and have lived out the dangers of ineffective council and spiritual stupidity.

Why? Am I stupid? Maybe, but addiction drives a person to their knees. You try everything to change, move ahead and find love. I have learned the shortcomings of doing things for the wrong reasons and work hard to be honest with others and myself.

So, pretending or trying to be a witch, while propagating New Age nonsense in order to avoid facing the fact that magick doesn't really work, gets my goat. Does your magic really work? Do you focus, plan, do everything in your power to make something work, and then do a spell to help?

Well? Good for you! That's not magick.

I really believe that like-minded people can raise energy and point it towards goals that are otherwise unattainable! That is magick! Concentrated group energy can be harnessed to create desired - yes, I said desired - change. The group can help you decide whether or not the desire is in order or not ("An it harm none..." perhaps).

I am a Cathedral organist. Capable, award winning, experienced. Also, slandered for my alcoholic past, criticized by the ruling mediocrity in the business and even slightly outed as a witch. Currently I am unemployed.

In my business it is often the sh*t that floats to the top. However, I like many things about this profession and still am an effective spiritual leader for Christians using the divine language of music. It crosses religious lines. I don't like to have communion with them if I can help it. I don't say their prayers if I can help, it. I am skilled, trained, experienced and able in their biblical history and tradition as it pertains to music.

So what's the problem? Do you think I'm the only pagan who's worked for the Christian church?

In a recent competition for a prominent position, I was second out of 100 applications for the job. I thought I had this one. There was rapport between the committee members and I. They liked my playing. I was available when they needed me. Everything seemed perfect until the second interview.

The priest told me that I would get a key to the Cathedral in order to come and go, as I needed. "It opens everything except the liquor cabinet!" They knew.

The looks, the vibe, the feeling of that initial rapport were gone. " Thanks a lot! I'm glad they found Mr. perfect.

Oh - I know! "Everything happens for a reason!" Let's take that a little further. I'm a recovered alcoholic. Christians like perfection in others - because they have it? References, people who have never experienced my alcoholism, like to confess it for me, and I can't get a respectable placement when there are other more perfect characters to choose from. That's the reason. Period.

No great spiritual plan to bring me to something better; no great spiritual insights; no great opportunity to learn something profound; nothing. A fact of life that we as witches need to remember.

As an alcoholic, I am viewed by some Christians as somewhat of a moral leper. As witches, you can bet that we are viewed as lepers. We live in a judgmental world. The repeal of witchcraft laws doesn't mean the repeal of community judgment.

I've met so many public "like to be out there" (I mean brag about it) witches that I'm sure the craft is inundated, infiltrated and overflowing with New Age flakies who are not real witches at all.

I've been outed as an alcoholic. I've been outed as a pagan. The alcoholic thing, I can accept. The witch thing suggests that I should meet with my favorite witches more often (they live far away) and not get mixed up with the less grounded type who really have nothing going on except ego identity issues.

But, perhaps "I am where I am supposed to be..." because an even better group will present themselves when I am ready. Oops! Pop psychology! Sorry New Agers. You got me!

There's nothing wrong with a little inspiration now and again, in moderation, for those who can. But like the alcoholic, who cannot take any alcohol at all, the wounded, naive or stupid must be grounded in common sense where daily living is concerned and not be deceived by the intoxicating platitudes of the New Age!

Been there! Done that!

Blessed BE!

Julian

ABOUT...

Julian

Location: Stratford, Ontario

Author's Profile: To learn more about Julian - Click HERE

Other Articles: Julian has posted 1 additional articles- View them?

Other Listings: To view ALL of my listings: Click HERE

Email Julian... (Yes! I have opted to receive invites to Pagan events, groups, and commercial sales)

Home - TWV Logos - Email US - Privacy

News and Information

Chapters: Pagan/Heathen Basics - Pagan BOOKS - Traditions, Paths & Religions - Popular Pagan Holidays - TV & Movies - Cats of the Craft - Festival Reviews - Festival Tips - White Pages (Resources) - Issues/Concerns - West Memphis 3 - Witch Hunts - Pagan Protection Tips - Healing Planet Earth

Your Voices: Adult Essays - Young Pagan Essays - Pagan Perspectives (On Hold) - WitchWars: Fire in the Craft - Gay Pagan - Pagan Parenting - Military - Pagan Passages

Pagan Music: Pagan Musicians - Bardic Circle at WitchVox - Free Music from TWV

Vox Central: About TWV - Wren: Words, Wrants and Wramblings - Guest Rants - Past Surveys - A Quest for Unity

Weekly Updates: Click HERE for an index of our weekly updates for the past 6 years

W.O.T.W. - World-Wide Networking

Your Town: A Link to YOUR Area Page (The largest listing of Witches, Pagans, Heathens and Wiccans on the Planet)

VoxLinks: The Pagan Web: 8,000 Listings

Your Witchvox Account: Log in Now - Create New Account - Request New Password - Log in Problems

Personal Listings: Pagan Clergy in Your Town - Adult Pagans - Young Pagans - Military Pagans

Events: Circles, Gatherings, Workshops & Festivals

Covens/Groups/Orgs: Local Groups Main Page

Other LOCAL Resources: Local Shops - Regional Sites - Local Notices - Global/National Notices - Local Skills & Services - Local Egroups - Political Freedom Fighters

Pagan Shopping: Online Shops Index - Original Crafters Sites - Auction Sites - Pagan Wholesalers - Pagan Local Shops

Web Site Content (including: text - graphics - html - look & feel)
Copyright 1997-2013 The Witches' Voice Inc. All rights reserved
Note: Authors & Artists retain the copyright for their work(s) on this website.
Unauthorized reproduction without prior permission is a violation of copyright laws.

Website structure, evolution and php coding by Fritz Jung on a Macintosh G5.

Any and all personal political opinions expressed in the public listing sections (including, but not restricted to, personals, events, groups, shops, Wren’s Nest, etc.) are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinion of The Witches’ Voice, Inc. TWV is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization.

Sponsorship: Visit the Witches' Voice Sponsor Page for info on how you
can help support this Community Resource. Donations ARE Tax Deductible.
The Witches' Voice carries a 501(c)(3) certificate and a Federal Tax ID.

Mail Us: The Witches' Voice Inc., P.O. Box 341018, Tampa, Florida 33694-1018 U.S.A.

Witches, Pagans
of The World

Current Topic
Editorial Guide

NOTE: The essay on this page contains the writings and opinions of the listed author(s) and is not necessarily shared or endorsed by the Witches' Voice inc.

The Witches' Voice does not verify or attest to the historical accuracy contained in the content of this essay.

All WitchVox essays contain a valid email address, feel free to send your comments, thoughts or concerns directly to the listed author(s).