Very true Kts, I also believe that it is not necessary to be in practice everyday, but also be in development of the other fundamental qualities that make lives whole, to take time for yourself and enjoy (not that the Craft is not enjoyable).
lol, time to myself is service. Service to myself. However I can no longer seperate The Craft and my life as they are both one and the same. I don't need time off from who I am. That does not mean I spend every waking moment thinking about Herbs, and spells, healing the sick. I have many things I do that would not be considered Witchcraft, but I am always connected to the Earths energy, and always aware of it. And.... probably most importantly, I find it fun, and energizing, why would I need or want a day off.
I believe a witch is not someone who practices "the" craft. As people who practice various paths consider themselves witches.
I believe the witch is simply the eccentric, by choice. Someone who views the odd, and the inexplicable as something natural and something worth facing. Someone who doesn't fear the unknown, but attempts to look into it and understand it as much as possible. And when a witch finds something they can not understand, they accept it instead of denying it.
I believe that is a witch.
Not someone who needs a specific amount of knowledge, or practice any specific path. "Witch" is a broad term used by so many on so many occasions for so long. I don't believe it can be pinned on anything too specific.
In addition, I don't believe a witch has to practice anything. I think study speaks louder than practice. As long as you hold that unusual curiosity of what lies beyond the mundane, and you do something to further your understanding of what's around you, I consider you a witch.
I was just writing up my bio on a site, when I came to the part of what I know. It made me write for so long, that I completely forgot I was writing a bio, but not because of what I know, but because of what I am and what makes me a witch. So I deleted all that and posted it as a new thread, but when I saw this one, I deleted that thread and so I am posting it here lol...this is what I believe makes a witch and what a witch is.
One thing I was always scolded about as a witch is that I never read a book in my life...that?s right. Some witches tell me that I am not worthy to be a priest, because I don?t read books. But you know what, I love books...I have respect for them, but I don't like reading them...I learn from myself and from the obstacles that life has thrown at me. Some witches claim to have gained knowledge of the ancient arts of magick and that this is what makes them powerful. I say no...You can have all the knowledge of the books, but if you don?t know about yourself and your craft, you can kiss the so called ?power? goodbye. Everyone is unique, everyone?s craft differs and not a single person is the same as you?so you can learn the same basics because they are a foundation of magick, but you cannot learn someone else?s craft as it is not your craft. You can learn the general idea of it and make it your own, but you can do that with much more originality, much more enthusiasm and much more motivation, when you learn from your experience and your guides! That craft is going to be unique; it is going to follow you throughout your life and parallel to your path, which you have chosen to take. But the most important thing about it is that you can understand it better than anything else and you can control it perfectly as you are the creator of your own magick and you know how it works.
It may be true that I don?t know as much as some witches, now don?t get me wrong I did read a few pages during my researches so I?m not clueless, but that does not mean that I am not smart or wise?Being smart and being wise are two very different things. You can read thousands and thousands of books and articles and so on?Sure that could make you smart if you read the right books and understand the meaning and it can most definitely help you! But to be wise means to use what you are given in the best way you can, make the right decisions and learn from your past mistakes and experience. One cannot gain wisdom from reading books?You can gain wisdom by learning from life. But, I suppose different strokes for different folks?
Re: What is a Witch? By: Brysing Moderator / Adept
Post # 16 Dec 22, 2010
Of course you cannot learn everything from books; and we all learn much from practical experience.I learnt to read when very young. My visit to a large library was when I was aged about six or seven. I was taken to the Leeds Central Library by a teacher. As we entered this huge building the teacher asked me "What do you see?"; I answered "Thousands of books!". She then told me what reading was all about, I have never forgotten the lesson! She said;" Don't think of them as books. Think of them as thousands of people. All have a story to tell. All have something to teach. And they are all talking to you! All you have to do is pick up a book."
