“And when we introduce an intention in the fertile ground of pure potentiality, we put this infinite organizing power to work for us.” ~ Deepak Chopra
We are all familiar with the ancient practice of witchcraft; either through the history books of folk religion and paganism, or through the negative and sometimes violent connotations of modern witchdoctors, child abuse and scandal.
Whatever its taboos and labels, the broad spectrum of witchcraft and our associations with it often miss the one vital connection that lies at its midst: the art of manifestation.
The accusation of witches; both historically and in the present day across the globe as it is with blasphemy is often caused by jealousy and begins as small-scale arguments within tight-knit communities.
But do such malicious magic users really exist? If, like Deepak Chopra states, an intention has that much power as to spring forth into the realms of reality and realization, then it’s certainly possible.
In modern day Turkey as well as many other countries in the region, the majority of people still recognize the good luck charm of the Ancient Egyptian ‘Evil Eye-Protector’ to protect against looks of jealousy as well as desire, or ‘liking someone that little bit too much’.
These charms protect the household, or are worn as amulets to protect against negative energy for infants and children in particular or generally from having ones energy drained.
The problem of exorcism and the beliefs circulating in many Christian African churches – whether instigated by charlatans looking for a quick buck or not – still inspire the imaginations of those fearful of the Devil and his grip on the innocent.
Can negative intentions really have that much effect on us or are external factors only welcomed when the law of attraction has come into play?
“Malicious magic users can become a credible cause for disease, sickness in animals, bad luck, sudden death, impotence and other such misfortunes.” Says Wikipedia on the subject, as well as to point out that witchcraft may have originated as a fiction of the Christian faith – “Works such as Milton’s Paradise Lost were described anew by romantics who suggested that they presented the biblical Satan as an allegory representing crisis of faith, individualism, free will, wisdom and enlightenment.”
As we all know, religion and its hand in power and money has, for centuries, obscured the true message of most faiths, instead striking fear into the hearts of the worshiper in order to bring about servitude and manipulate the common people.
It’s no wonder then that witchcraft has been a convenient accusation to send a further ripple of fear through communities, setting people against each other and in the opposite direction to spiritual trust and love for one another.
That said there’s no harm in protecting oneself, through energy shields and energy preservation. From noting when a person is draining you, to outright steering clear of energy vampires and those with a curiosity in the ‘dark side’.
Unlike the beliefs of the Turkish, I doubt that a single glance can cause illness in babies or the elderly, and it is probably these beliefs that attract such problems in the first place, rather than the accuracy of the fear.
Negativity aside, there is another possibility when it comes to the historical claims made against thousands of men and women in the dark ages of England and America, as well as the countless examples of neighborhood, hedgerow and ‘sociable’ witches that proliferate many storybooks and personal encounters.
Manifesting our intentions, either by accident, or by careful spell casting and/or ritual in relation to astrology and moon cycles, appealing to the right God or Goddess and using the right cocktail of herbs and crystals is an ancient art that probably dates back to the birth of man (and woman) kind.
Whether witches were simply people more in touch with their inner voice and spiritual potential, or special folk who had a unique calling to nature and understanding of alchemy and star-gazing, their wisdom has served many a satisfied customer from thousands of years.
And as with many religious rituals, the crucial factor of manifesting anything lies – not in the words spoken, quality of athame and goblet, nor clothes or lack of them worn – but in the intention behind the spell. And it is in that, and that alone that cuts the diamonds from the rough in terms of a successful magical practitioner and the degree of good karma they might be making.
We always have the option to use, or ‘manipulate’ the energies around us to our advantage, even when they are seemingly harmful. An ‘attack’ may be a reminder to protect ourselves more heavily, but more often than not, attracting that which we would like to bring about is as simple as asking the universe for it in or out of ritual, doing visualizations, and positively trusting in the inexplicable but purposeful design to turn itself to our favor. The lighter the attachment to the outcome and the degree of humor we lend the whole process the better.
For those who are entirely new to witchcraft and the role it might play in our lives, here are six signs that you may already be a witch:
1. Your wishes often come true. When I was pregnant with my first child, when I got my first piece of writing published, when I wished upon a star as a child and longed for more books on the subject of witchcraft: Each are examples of when my ‘magical’ belief in wishes actually turned into the act of manifesting my desires.
It only happens when the intention is positive and from the heart, without any fear of failure or aching for a specific outcome. If it regularly happens to you then you may already be a practiced witch.
2. You’ve always felt a deep connection with nature. From early on you noticed you were drawn to the countryside and were quite at ease with spending long hours by a river or in a field. In fact, you miss it and can feel unsettled when ‘away’ from nature for a long time. You prefer the countryside to the city and like walking or spending time with animals.
3. You are able to tell when someone is lying or not. You reveal other’s truths to them whether you mean to or not and can often upset people or make them uncomfortable by the ‘pureness’ of your presence.
You will always uproot a liar and can see straight through any small talk to the heart of the matter. This can often be difficult as you have this gift to help others but can often take on others energy, just as an empath might.
4. You have or desire anything but a ‘normal’ career. Making money in a 9-5 mundane job is your idea of hell unless it is ritualistic and pure in intention, connects you with the earth or leads you to help people. Earning your keep by exploiting or tricking people is not on your agenda and you hate working for people who have this kind of attitude.
5. You have a good sense of your past lives or reincarnations. Prophetic dreams, flickers of ancient memories and déjà vu are all signs you have been here before if not many times and are an old soul. While we might all be ‘old souls’ you are more connected with these incarnations and the veil between you and other worlds/differences in time are thinner than your average person.
6. And finally: Psychic ability. Knowing who’s on the other end before you pick up the phone, seeing people’s auras and intentions better than they can, even having an inclination to future events or seeing ghosts, you are drawn to one or more divination tools or have simply had such gifts since you were a child.
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Blue eyes
Tree of life
Celtic wisdom tree
Witch of Charm