The New Witchcraft Live

Self-reflection

According to Wikipedia, "Pedagogy, most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political, and psychological development of learners." As part of my mundane life, I often find myself put in a position where I need to communicate arcane and esoteric secrets to the uninitiated. Over the years, I've made some observations that have informed my approach to teaching and community building. Reviewing these observations helps me refocus and plan when I'm navigating a challenging situation.

1. Many people over-estimate their own competence while under-estimating their influence.

2. Expending more energy on criticizing poor students than on pushing good students to surpass their limits cultivates resentment in everyone involved.

3. Indulging in nostalgia for the past or apocalyptic fantasies of the future can be a sign of failing to come to terms…

Natural Magic

https://lostianvs.dreamwidth.org/5706.html

As I work to complete a set of natural magic talismans to use for spells and magical cultivation, I decided to stop and reflect on my understanding of "natural" magic as presented by Agrippa in Book I of his Three Books. I find descriptions of magic often carry a hint of the author's moral framework. Agrippa himself pays a lot of lip-service to "God" in his books, though I think his letters allow some room to interpret why he did this and what (who?) he meant.

What I find concerning is when author's implicitly moralize magic by appealing to notions of human supremacy or inferiority. I've often seen "natural" magic described as concerning things "outside" the human sphere. It's as if they believe that humanity is somehow "unnatural." As if human beings could be separate from the natural systems that birthed them. I've also seen descriptions that…

Salisbury Moot

I got invited to a go and check out a Moot, which isn't that local to me, but when a certain little oracle told me there could be something fishy going on there, I thought it might be fun to make the Trip.

I met two people from our little 'No Holds Barred' community #The-Consultant-Killer and #Little-Delphi and it was nice to catch up with them in-person.

At this Moot there were the usual pagan looking types and although there was no stink of patchouli I'm sure if we got close enough to the mooters there might have been a mild B.O smell 🤢

Instead of joining the mooters we sat on the sofas close by and had some rather more magical conversations rather than talking about Mandalas, or Sylvester Mccoy in Dr Who.

Can't even play a fucking game...

You know, sometimes I think about that witch in the Advanced Witchcraft group who last year adamantly stated that she was a witch for the past thirty years and read and read for "10 years before even attempting a spell!"

Wonder how she's doing. Oh well, I was kicked out so I guess I'll never knows