In my childhood days, lying on the terrace with my cousins, staring toward the huge sky filled with so many stars, and romancing with the intermittent gust of cool breeze, our creative thoughts would be on their peak. Any creation was possible in those blessed moments. Such a time would bring opportunities for my cousins to tell their stories, mainly surrounded around ghosts and withces (In Hindi: dayan and churel). Though very bold in other aspects, hearing those stories, I would suddenly become a timid goat. My sleep would go away. The same romantic cool breeze would feel creepy, and darkness would seem an originator of teethless ghosts, suddenly appearing from nowhere and saying "Hi", throwing a puff of poison filled breath. With a heart thumping at the speed of a Jet plane, I would finally seek shelter at my mother's bed. Strangely, my every fear would disappear the moment my mother placed her hand over my forehead.
Being a comics buff, the ones that interested me the most were mainly of Tauji, in which there was that special witch flying with her broomstick and stirring her cauldrons.
Many stories surrounded around witches and their ghostly nature narrated by other people in childhood formed a picture in my mind, the impressions of which were so strong that they carried with me till adult age.
These preconceived ideas got a jolt only a few days ago when I accidently came across the website of Ipshita Roy Chakrawarti, an Indian witch. I read a few things in her website that gave birth to curiosity, and that curiosity took me to other websites and a few other books. I saw things in a different light. My conditionings that were formed in childhood and were strengthened by stories narrated by people during all these years, were finally broken.
What is a witch?
Being a comics buff, the ones that interested me the most were mainly of Tauji, in which there was that special witch flying with her broomstick and stirring her cauldrons.
Many stories surrounded around witches and their ghostly nature narrated by other people in childhood formed a picture in my mind, the impressions of which were so strong that they carried with me till adult age.
These preconceived ideas got a jolt only a few days ago when I accidently came across the website of Ipshita Roy Chakrawarti, an Indian witch. I read a few things in her website that gave birth to curiosity, and that curiosity took me to other websites and a few other books. I saw things in a different light. My conditionings that were formed in childhood and were strengthened by stories narrated by people during all these years, were finally broken.
What is a witch?
What is magic?
What is their religion?
I'll start with a few quotes.
"If you take [a copy of] your religious text and put it out in the wind and the rain, soon the paper on which the words are printed will disintegrate and the words will be gone. Our religion IS the wind and the rain."
I'll start with a few quotes.
"If you take [a copy of] your religious text and put it out in the wind and the rain, soon the paper on which the words are printed will disintegrate and the words will be gone. Our religion IS the wind and the rain."
...... Herbalist Carol McGrath as told to her by a Native-American woman.
"When one defines oneself as Pagan, it means she or he follows an earth or nature religion, one that sees the divine manifest in all creation. The cycles of nature are our holy days, the earth is our temple, its plants and creatures our partners and teachers. We worship a deity that is both male and female, a mother Goddess and father God, who together created all that is, was, or will be. We respect life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and accept the sacredness of all creation."
"When one defines oneself as Pagan, it means she or he follows an earth or nature religion, one that sees the divine manifest in all creation. The cycles of nature are our holy days, the earth is our temple, its plants and creatures our partners and teachers. We worship a deity that is both male and female, a mother Goddess and father God, who together created all that is, was, or will be. We respect life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and accept the sacredness of all creation."
.....Edain McCoy
For me these two quotes sum up enough to prove that Witchcraft, the practice followed by witches all around, is very spiritual. All those images given to witches in the past was nothing, but a political game of a few men who wanted to win against these women who had started exploring powerful dimensions of the Universe.
In very ancient times, witches were considered healers. They drew energy from the Universe and used that energy to heal people. Religious texts say "Drawing energy from the universe requires a lot of practice and an intimacy with universe." It is not a game for everybody.
For me these two quotes sum up enough to prove that Witchcraft, the practice followed by witches all around, is very spiritual. All those images given to witches in the past was nothing, but a political game of a few men who wanted to win against these women who had started exploring powerful dimensions of the Universe.
In very ancient times, witches were considered healers. They drew energy from the Universe and used that energy to heal people. Religious texts say "Drawing energy from the universe requires a lot of practice and an intimacy with universe." It is not a game for everybody.
In the past, many women developed that intimacy with Universe, became powerful, and drew the attention of masses for their ailments. Being aware of their popularity and alarmed of the danger to their own position, some preachers warned people of the evil powers these witches possessed, which was untrue. Many wise women were burnt as a result.
I know of some women at my own village who have the power to cure your simple ailments. With a few grains of cereals on their hands and a little concentrated murmering, they perform the magic. In many cases, I have seen them curing people of scorpoin's bite. Instead of giving these conjurers a wrong image, we should respect them as much as we respect doctors.
I know of some women at my own village who have the power to cure your simple ailments. With a few grains of cereals on their hands and a little concentrated murmering, they perform the magic. In many cases, I have seen them curing people of scorpoin's bite. Instead of giving these conjurers a wrong image, we should respect them as much as we respect doctors.
What are Wiccans?
Wiccans are those who follow witchcraft. They seek spiritual communion with the wisdom of the universe. They absorb the beautiful energy of the Universe by picking up what is good, wise and practical. And then they use this power to empower and heal.
Wiccans believe that every element is a part of this Universe, and so every element is powerful and is filled with the same consciousness as Universe is. They say the more we open ourselves to these elements of Universe, the more the revealations of a higher level of consciousness.
Old Indian religious texts and all other texts of the world have talked a lot about consciousness. These texts have given great importance to nature for spiritual development or the development of the consciousness. Whatever I've read about withcraft, it is no different from what these old texts say.
What is a real witch?
Ipshita Roy Chakrawarti says, "She is somebody who is wise. Who knows ‘Wicca' or the craft of the wise. In ancient times, Wiccans, mostly women were the first leaders of the community. They were the healers, the lawgivers, the settlers of disputes, and the ones who knew. Answers came to them not only from within themselves but from higher sources." She further says, "Some bollywood heroines can be considered witches. They are the women who are powerful, not conditioned, suppressed."
What is a real witch?
Ipshita Roy Chakrawarti says, "She is somebody who is wise. Who knows ‘Wicca' or the craft of the wise. In ancient times, Wiccans, mostly women were the first leaders of the community. They were the healers, the lawgivers, the settlers of disputes, and the ones who knew. Answers came to them not only from within themselves but from higher sources." She further says, "Some bollywood heroines can be considered witches. They are the women who are powerful, not conditioned, suppressed."
Any powerful woman who lives on a higher conscious level is a witch.
Are you a witch??? :)
Are you a witch??? :)
