Witchvox Article

Author: M.T.Bargeman
Posted: May 22nd. 2011
Times Viewed: 3,198

I have been of the opinion for some time now that while a witch�s patron/patroness God/dess is special to them, Deity has little place in our magickal workings, prayers, or requests. The job of Deity is so huge and all encompassing, they just don�t have the time to interfere in our puny Human affairs. This is why we can commune with our Deity at different times, mostly on days, which are special to them, but any requests are not very likely to be granted. Magically, it comes down to not only our intent, as all magick does, but to our timing, and whether we really need that Deity�s help.

We are witches, it is true, which gives us a degree of personal responsibility and responsibility to others which may be more in depth and more complicated than the degree of personal responsibility, ethics, and responsibility to others than that expected of a non-witch. This means that we should take into account our own energy stores, use everything at our disposal- including the help of the Faerie Ones, the Elementals, Spirit or Animal Guides, if we feel we need an extra boost. Deity expects that we will learn and grow on our own, without interference and direction. Religion is not needed, only spirituality and belief in one�s self and one�s own ability and that our intent is properly placed.

Magick with improper intent is a waste of our energies. Magick, which is misplaced due to lack of focus of those energies, is a waste of our energies. Trying to perform magick that does not relate directly to our own healing if we are ill is waste of our energies, because it is not properly focused, and because we don�t have enough energy to send when we are sick. The All- The Universe, Deity by any name, has given us the gift of insight and clarity if we are paying attention to the world around us. We have also been given the resources to find other Beings to aid us if we truly need help in our magickal lives, or if we have questions about our lives or how to cope with the various and innumerable situations in our lives.

We can work with the Other People, with the Elementals, Spirits of Nature to be found all around us. They were not given to us specifically for our magickal use and abuse. To get a gift, you must give a gift. Show affection and affinity for the Beings you wish to work with, by leaving offerings that are important to them, on a regular basis, and call for their aid only when absolutely necessary. Of course, they are welcome around any circle you may perform in, to worship Deity with you. The Beings that are helpful to us are children of our Deities as much as we are their children, and we should treat them accordingly.

For many people who have come from one of the Big 3 Abrahamic Religions to Paganism, it can be difficult to get in the proper mindset. Often, converts to Paganism think they must rely solely on this Deity or that for everything, and then they are perplexed when their magick fails, prayers aren�t answered, and requests are ignored. Part of the reason for this is that we Humans are creatures of habit, and part of this is caused by all the books out there that I like to call, �Be a REAL Witch in a REAL HURRY 101�. They all basically give out the same information, rarely with any changes, and even then, most of the books are geared toward Wicca. Wicca is a valid path, as are all of the Big 3. It is not the be-all, end-all of witchcraft.

It is very important to our spiritual growth to experiment, to read past the 101 level, to keep notes, to learn everything we can about our magick, when and when not to use magick, and just how to get things done. Magick is not the way to fast riches, unless you write a lot of 101 books, or publish those books. The rest of us, witches or not, still must work in the mundane to achieve most of our goals. Knowledge, however, is power, and that includes knowledge of ourselves- our true selves, not simply what we show the rest of the world.

Deity will show Themselves to us when They deem it time for us to see them. The rest of our brethren will do the same, but since they are not as �busy� as it were, we may have an easier time accessing them and their talents and skills when we need the answer to a question or magickal or shamanic guidance. It is important to remember that if we are asking for too much, our request will not be granted. Greed is not smiled upon by our Otherworld brethren any more than it is by Deity. If we are asking for too much- too much money, too much power, too swift and (for us) painless a resolution to a problem, we aren�t going to hear anything but faint giggling in the background to our requests and prayers.

Our connection to the Divine is ever-present. It is real, and it does exist. We, as witches, as sentient, intelligent beings, have a responsibility to make our own way. It�s like discovering as an adult that we have more relatives we could have learned from when we were young that we didn�t know existed. We are adults, and they owe us nothing, just as we do not owe them, but we would like to learn from them, when they and we have time. Deity is in a similar situation with us. Our Gods ask nothing of us- they know who they are, and are only waiting for us to discover who they are. It is not required to worship that which simply �is�.

Do they appreciate acknowledgement? I�m pretty sure they do appreciate it, much like Mom and Dad appreciate it, but, like Mom and Dad, they don�t require it. They will teach us lessons in various ways, too, which is also like Mom and Dad. They have a better sense of humor, and we�ll never hear Cerridwen or Hecate or Freya ask us if we are happy when we screw up and are standing in a puddle of our own blood. They send us beings of every kind to teach us the lessons we need to learn, and many more to help us find new lessons to learn. They are much more like the parents of grown people, though- they don�t owe us anything, and we owe them nothing, so there is no reason to interfere. They have given us plenty of places to learn and grow, while they tend to other things.

So, when we wonder if we should ask our Deities for anything, the answer, in my experience, is no. It is like asking your mother to do your laundry. She will ignore you unless you are in some dire need. When we need help with our truth-seeking endeavors, we should ask the other beings we have access to, and save some acknowledgement and reverence for Deity.

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