People blog about everything these days so I figured why not a blog about what it's like living a Witchy lifestyle. This blog will be mainly aimed at people who are new to the Craft. One thing that you will find is that there is a never ending assortment of Craft 101 books but there are very few quality books on what it all truly means to be a Witch.
Just as Kermit the frog knew that it wasn't easy to be green, it's not easy being a witch either. There is still a lot of negative stereotypes surrounding those who practice earth based religions. While I am sure that at times this blog will be a bit of a rant or come across as being a bit preachy, in the end, it's really just a record of me doing my thing. You will certainly see that sometimes things work out just fine and other times they don't. That's life folks!
So...how did I get here? well that is a bit of a story so grab a cup of your favorite beverage and have a seat.
I have a friend...one of the very few that I have and she's a witch. But I think that she always knew that there was something special about her. I did too, I just had no idea what it was. But she loved the earth, enjoyed hiking and picking up rocks and having them tell her stories. She enjoys working with herbs and learning about all their healing properties as well. Her stories intrigued me and I started reading about earth based religions, Wicca, Witchcraft, etc. On Samhein 1998 I self dedicated to the Craft and began to absorb everything I could about what was to be my new religious path.
In 2000 my friend and I had the opportunity to learn with a coven in Reno. The High Priestess was the owner of a metaphysical store that we used to frequent. It was an odd group and what started out with about a dozen and a half people dwindled to three of us by the third year. I believe that we were the last three to be taught by this High Priestess and were the last three to be allowed to carry on that tradition, Rainbow Under the Moon.
By 2004 we had completed our training, had been given the heave ho and brightest blessing from our High Priestess and went out into the world. The town I lived in at the time had a local prison and my HPS had asked me to work with the inmates out there. I agreed, my now ex husband who was a correctional officer out there, blew a gasket about that. He just knew I was going to be raped or killed because I was living with a correctional officer. However, he was the one who placed me in harms way. We had different last names and no one knew that I was married to him...until he approached one of the Wiccan inmates and told him nothing had better happen to me since I was his wife. Dumbass. So off I went into the field of prison ministry (more on that at a later time) and did that for 4 years until I left Nevada and an abusive marriage. That ministry is still going on today although I truly miss going inside with the inmates.
In 2005 my one witchy friend and I started Sacred Circle Clan. We wanted a group that was as far from a traditional coven as we could get. We came up with this Clan template because of bad experiences within a coven setting and the inability to find a coven that suited our personalities. We both do our own thing, as it were, and like it that way. Sacred Circle Clan was designed to foster learning about any earth based path within a minimalist structure with adherence to the values/ethics that YOU hold dear while offering leadership to those folks who did not like a traditional coven based structure. My friend has done far more with this than I have...you will find me mentioned as "co-founder, Cerwydden..."and that is the way that I like it.
2008 finds me living in Pennsylvania with my brother. I love my brother...he's such a wonderful guy and I'm blessed with him being my bro. 2010 finds me moving to Allentown to be closer to my new job (which recently shut down...again, another story for another time) and truly being on my own for the first time in over 20 years. In 2012, I recognize the need to be with other witches. I stroll through the Meetup.com website and find a new group that is starting, a study group called Moonlit Chalice. I attend many of their early meetings (the summer ones were hard due to work issues) but the energy of the group was amazing and most of the attendees were pleasant and fun to be around. The group organizers were intelligent, genuine, warmhearted and were doing exactly what they had been called to do. I tried very hard to put my best foot forward but they didn't like me. I'm pretty abrasive at times and I most certainly speak my mind when I am compelled to do so. I'm pleased to say that I've grown on them...they "get me" as it were and now we have a solid working relationship. Moonlit Chalice moved from the Starbucks where we first met to a UU Church in Bethlehem. In January of 2013, after some very strange people showing up to the open classes, the decision was made by the group to close the group off and become a permanent coven. Sadly, some of those who were regular members opted not to join us. However the group that hung around has turned into an amazing group of witches. I assist the co-founders in teaching the group but I kind of think that my role in that group is to be the "keepin' it real" person. Not that the co-founders of the group don't keep it real...I'm just not as nice about it as they are.
So that brings me to now...I assist the co-founders of Moonlit Chalice in their teaching of this group of newbies to the Craft. I also have a personal student who will grow to be an extremely powerful and gifted shaman someday. It's great being a teacher. To pass on sacred knowledge and watch their eyes light up when something clicks or to hear them talk about their missteps along the way (oddly enough, the same ones WE made as newbies!) There are aspects of my life that suck right now but this part isn't one of them.
Hopefully, it never will.
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