How to Become a Witch (13 page)

To make internal changes, we do what is known as shadow work (more on this in chapter 8). We go within to find those parts of us that hold us back, that keep us from growing: our emotional baggage, negative thoughts, or past traumas. These are scary things to confront, and our will plays a large part in reclaiming their power. However, once imagination is fired by will, its energy and passion bring us into a whole new way of living.

Living your true will feels right in your gut, or
dan-tien
or solar plexus. A sign that you are pursuing your true will is that obstacles melt away and allies and resources appear. As Goethe said, “The moment one definitely commits, then Providence moves, too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred...Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” And nothing has more magick in it than a Witch (except possibly nature), so to become a Witch, begin to manifest your dream. Know and use your will, for will is the second step in creation.

The tool usually associated with fire, or will, is the wand. In Harry Potter’s world, the wand is a necessary tool for making Harry’s will come true. He can’t do much magick without it. However, a real Witch doesn’t need a wand to do magick; all you need is the power within you. What a wand can do is give you a focus to attract what is needed and repel what needs banishing. Why does the wand correspond to fire, to will? Partly because most traditional wands are made of wood and so will burn, but also because attracting and repelling things requires engaging your will.

If you choose to make your wand, you may simply find a stick on the ground that calls to you, then smooth and shape it. Or you may cut a branch from a living tree—but do it with respect. Find the branch that calls to you; then, touching it, ask the tree if you can have it for your wand. If the reaction feels negative, then thank it and find another branch or tree. Ask again. When you feel a yes, tell the tree you will be back in twenty-four hours; this gives the tree time to withdraw its life force from the branch so the cut will not harm it. When you do cut, do it gently, and leave a drop of your blood—or some hairs or fingernail parings—as a gift of yourself to the tree in thanks for its sacrifice. Then shape and smooth the branch with reverence, cleanse and dedicate it, and use it often. Of course, you may want to buy your wand, and that’s all right, too.

The wand is placed on the south side of the altar.

A magick wand

The wand is the most popular tool of any storybook magician. Real Witches do use wands, but they don’t have all the powers (or special effects) that Harry Potter’s does.

Traditional wands are made from fruitwood (such as apple) or one of the old sacred trees such as oak, willow, or holly. But they may be made from metal, crystal, or almost anything you can imagine.

Wands come in many styles and sizes, but most Witches are happy with a natural stick about 12–18 inches long, the length from your elbow to the tip of your middle finger.

West
Silence, Chalice

The third step in creation, and the third side of the Witches’ Pyramid, is silence. Silence is the element of water—think of the deep silence under the ocean, of secrets that are not shared but held close. Silence means that when your magickal working is done, shut up—don’t dissipate the energy. It also means discretion in general: “Silence knows what’s best to hide.” Being a Witch is not something you always want to broadcast. Be wary about telling just anyone. Do they need to know? Why? What will you gain (or lose) by telling them? Before blurting it out, you may want to write in your Book of Shadows, answering the three questions posed here.

Silence also relates to that old saying about having two ears and one mouth because listening is twice as important as speaking. This has to do with awareness; you can’t be totally aware of your surroundings when you are babbling or planning what you are going to say next. And awareness of your surroundings, and the people near you, is one source of knowledge.

Another aspect of silence is the ability to “enter the silence within.” To become a Witch, learn to listen to that still, small voice within, also called your inner bell. This kind of listening, and listening to ancestors, spirits, devas, faery folk, animals, rocks, etc., just can’t be done unless you are quiet, for their voices are quiet. Listen in silence; make the silence your own. Record your experiences in your Book of Shadows.

Silence corresponds to the element of water, and the corresponding tool is the cup or chalice. The chalice also corresponds with the womb, the source of creation. The chalice is placed on the west side of the altar and may hold either water or another beverage you have chosen for your ritual.

Another set of tools corresponds to both water and earth. These are the salt and water bowls on your altar, small dishes in which pure water and sea salt are kept for asperging (cleansing) your ritual space before beginning ritual. The usual place for them is in the northwest part of your altar, with the water dish closer to west and the salt dish closer to north.

Lamps of art

The candles used to illuminate a Wiccan altar were called “lamps of art” in the old days. Back when candles were rare and expensive, ordinary people might have used a simple oil or tallow lamp instead. Today we often use paraffin, although many Witches prefer beeswax tapers. In some traditions, the two main candles can represent the Goddess and the God. Often we do spells that involve candle magick, and then the color and shape of the candles will vary according to the purpose—light blue or rose for blessing, green for growth and prosperity, black for banishing, and so on.

North
Faith, Pentacle

This leads us to the north side of the pyramid, the side of earth and faith. For many, this side is difficult, for faith can’t be conjured on demand, though it can be inborn or result from repeated experiences that strengthen your faith.

Faith can be described as an inner knowing that is not supported by fact, usually with a good connotation of strength. We speak of having faith in something, so what do you have faith in? What can begin to build this strength within you? Start with having faith in easier things—your dog’s love for you, the knowledge that spring will come again with daffodils and tulips. Then move to larger things: your partner’s love, the laws of nature, the existence of Goddess/God/Deity/Divine energy. Faith in Earth herself, faith in yourself; faith that all things are connected, that magick works, that you can do magick. Write in your Book of Shadows, and be totally honest with yourself. What do you really have faith in? Where could you use more faith?

The tool associated with the north, the element of earth, and faith is the pentacle. It is a magickal shield carved into wood, made of metal, or formed of fired clay. Symbols are carved or painted on it, usually including a pentagram. So why is the pentagram/pentacle a symbol of earth? The modern answer is that it is often used on the altar as the
paten
, or plate, from which the cakes are served—and the cakes are the bounty of the earth.

Another reason the pentacle stands for earth is that the pentacle is the physical manifestation of the pentagram, which represents the totality of this world we live in, and the element of earth is all about the things of this physical world: rocks and plants and animals, all things material and solid, as well as health, abundance, and strength. According to lore, Witches made their pentacles of wax during the Burning Times so they could be thrown in the fire if the Inquisition came calling. Again, the best way for the beginning Witch to obtain a pentacle is to make one. You can go to a hobby store, get a round disk of wood, and carve your pentagram onto it (see
True Magick
by Amber K for more about the traditional symbols used on a pentacle). Or you could paint the pentagram on the wood, or make the pentacle of ceramic or metal. Or you could, of course, buy it at...you guessed it...your local metaphysical shop, or online as a last resort.

The pentacle is placed on the north part of your altar.

A pentacle for your altar

A pentacle was originally considered to be a magickal shield, and it might have either a pentagram on it or a Seal of Solomon, the hexagram that today is often called the Star of David. Either one was a powerful protective symbol, useful to any magician who intended to call up “demons” to do the sorcerer’s bidding. Since modern Witches have no interest in compelling spirits to do things they might resent, the pentacle has shifted its use. It now represents the energies of earth and the center of the material world.

The Interior Is Love

The interior of the Witches’ Pyramid is love. The Beatles notwithstanding, love is not “all you need”—but it is essential for being a Witch. The best way to end any spell is with the traditional words, “With harm toward none and for the greatest good of all.” That’s a good statement of your intent to act from a place of love. It’s the love inside that gives the pyramid its shape and strength, just as the love in your life gives it shape and strength. Love keeps it from being hollow and meaningless. To become a Witch, you must know that you are loved and what you love. Write about your sources and objects of love in your Book of Shadows. If you review these often, they can become a great source of power in your magickal workings.

One of the principles of magick is that all things are connected. In this context, that means that if you love anything or anyone, you are loving everything, including yourself. Likewise, if you hate something, you are hating yourself. So start loving freely—what you send out will return threefold (see chapter 7).

There is no tool specifically associated with love; because it permeates everything a Witch does, all of a Witch’s tools are about love. Certainly the Goddess and God are love, represented by the light of the candles on your altar, and so the candles are symbols of love. There are usually at least two candles on the altar, and they can be any colors, shapes, or sizes you want—whatever works with the purpose of the ritual you are doing.

Your Magickal Name

Once you have your Book of Shadows and your athame, wand, chalice, and pentacle, you may want to choose a magickal name. It is not necessary, of course, to take a magickal name, and we know many Witches who haven’t. Some see their whole lives as magickal; others don’t want to seem to be hiding behind a new name; and others just haven’t thought about it. However, many Witches do see several advantages in taking a magickal name. Your muggle name has past connotations—baggage—and some of that you don’t want to keep in your new life as a Witch. That baggage can limit you and keep you thinking in your old patterns: “Jane is depressed, the underdog, always the last one picked for team sports...,” or whatever your past history was like. A new, magickal name can symbolize who you want to be and are becoming, or reflect an attribute you aspire to, like Lionheart for courage, Cloudcastle for more imagination, or Artemis for slenderness, agility, and a love of animals.