I have joined another forum and one of the profile "questions" allow you to put the Path that you follow. After pondering it, I guess I would call myself an "Eclectic Folk Witch". In reality, I use more folk magic and rely on a lot of Christian/Jewish beliefs as the more religious aspect and will use whatever works for me after some serious studying and practicing. It's one thing to put titles or labels to what you believe and feel constricted. However, sometimes you can understand what others believe by how they define it. So, how do you define your Path/Craft in a few words? How do you feel about defining one's Path/Craft? What about titles and labels?
I can't bring myself to define my path, to be honest. I probably could if I sat down and wrote it all out and then distilled it down to a few words that mean something to me. "Witch" is definitely a word that is appropriate here, I think. But what kind of witch? Is "witch" enough? Perhaps it is, though it's not necessarily helpful in conveying the likely differences between myself and other witches. There are witches who believe in gods and spirits and ghosts. So do I, but I don't apprehend them to exist in the same way as some may. They are written and spoken about as though they are independent people like you or I, with their own form (or formlessness), identity, wants, needs, et cetera. A whole person with "spiritual" qualities attached to them that render them mysterious and otherworldly. This is perfectly acceptable as it seems to be the most common view. I don't see them that way, though. I see them more like functions of the mind, qualities of the self as reflected outward in the tapestry of the universe. They are, to me, a collection of qualities and characteristics that everyone has within them (compassion, wisdom, insight, courage, and so forth) given a name, shape, associations and purviews. Now here comes the weird part: the way they exist and the way I exist are almost identical. The only difference is that I have a physical body. I, too, am a collection of ever-changing qualities, characteristics and functions. There is no solid "me" inside of here, there is just this hologram that arises from the confluence of all these conditions and factors. This is why gods and spirits seem so real: They exist precisely in the same way we do with that one little exception of a physical body. Then there's magic. I don't even know how to tackle that one. The most that I can say I "understand" about magic is that it sets my mind to focus on specific elements in my life; to seek them out, pay attention to them, give them my time and my energy; to nurture them so they'll grow (or to properly see to it that they decline and end appropriately). The "energy" of a thing is indeed my own awareness of it. Awareness is a truly remarkable thing if you truly reflect on it. You can, in zazen (Zen meditation) become aware that you're aware and it really is a mind-blowing realization. Similarly, consider that the brain effectively named itself. (Consider where names come from.) So the energy of things is the energy of awareness or "consciousness" if you prefer. Magic is the directing of this energy in subtle ways that effect change in accordance with will. It's perfectly reasonable and yet completely mysterious. This leads me to believe that I'm completely mad, which suits me just fine. Do I celebrate the Sabbaths and Esbats? Not really, no. I recognize the Solstices with joy and sorrow (joy at the Winter Solstice, for it means more daylight hours and a return to summer; sorrow at the Summer Solstices for it means a return to winter) which isn't to say that one is good or one is bad; I don't have much use for those terms. I also recognize the Equinoxes as markers along the wheel of the year, the half-way points, the gates in-between the Summer and Winter Courts when the Spring or Autumn Courts take their place for a season. I pay attention to the shape of the Moon, but I'm not acutely aware of when it will next be full. I suppose I could say I feel more "magical" during the New or Dark Moon whereas most feel the same way about the Full Moon. Knowing the Moon is still there, but completely hidden and obscured energizes me in a way. Many witches recognize four to five spiritual elements (air, fire, water, earth and spirit); I recognize five as well: wood, fire, water, air and earth. I don't recognize spirit as an element because I feel that to recognize it as being separate from the others (even though it's not) is to somehow draw it away from the other elements (even though you can't). It's just a personal preference - it doesn't reflect the way things are. I don't put much stock in the power of crystals or stones. I can understand liking a certain crystal or stone or gem and maybe connecting qualities together with it. For example, my favorite stone is black obsidian. My mind connects it with mysteries, the deep dark, endlessness, perfection, endings, limitless potential. The stone itself has none of these qualities or characteristics; it's just volcanic glass. But in my mind it becomes something more, and that's where the power comes in. Unfortunately I don't connect with any stone. I can't just pick up a piece of rose quartz and realize "this stone radiates with love and convalescence." I don't personally feel any affinity for it. I think this also translates into how I feel about other correspondences: herbs, oils, metals, astrological and alchemical symbols, and so forth. None of these things, to me, have any inherent meaning or power. When a mind connects to them, however, something does happen - but the thing itself is objectively unchanged. Anyway, before I blather on, I'll repeat my opening sentiments. I don't know, exactly, where all of this leaves me. A witch, certainly. Beyond that, though, I don't really know. Any other label or descriptor could be completely accurate, but not wholly encompassing; anything more would be inadequate. Perhaps I will stick just with the word "witch", then. At least for now.
