The Power of the Witch
The Power of the Witch
And how to tell if you are one. 🪄
Witch as a word is convoluted.
I could write about how witch was used to punish people who dared to live outside societal norms.
I could write about how witch was and is used as a negative term to discredit ancient native and Indigenous practices.
I could even go down the Pagan to Christianity rabbit hole.
Instead, I’ll write about witch in the domain I know best, myself.
My Great Great Maternal Grandmother was a healer who had visions. While looking up at the sky while tending to the land, she declared, “Something awful is coming for our boys,” and a few mere months later, World War I began.
My Grandma describes her as a force of nature who could climb apple trees while wearing full-length skirts and sling bales of hay as triumphantly as any man.
Her grandmother was a healer and a midwife who took it upon herself to ensure that no one in their neighborhood went hungry. Growing up, my Grandma was given the task of collecting spider webs from the dank cellar so she could help her mix them into her salves.
My Grandma remembers her mother’s grandmother, who passed on before she was born. When her Mother told her that she couldn’t possibly have met her, my Grandma knowingly explained the dress her mama wore in great detail to the funeral, and went on to say that she asked God if she could keep this one memory of her mother. She went on to name all of her dolls Rose, after her.
As a child, I could read people’s energy, and as I grew up, could identify that I had a deep sense of claircognizance, the ability to have a clear knowing about particular situations.
The night I met my husband I wrote in my journal that we would get married.
I tend to know what advice to give and when to give it.
I love, care for, and try my best to work on myself both for myself and the betterment of those surrounded by my energy, and at its core, I think that’s what a witch is.
A person who aims to sing the song of their intuition.
A person who honors who they come from and passes knowledge down to help empower their communities.
A person who celebrates nature and knows they’re not separate from it.
Yes, a witch can experience visions, birth babies, and sing under full moons — but they can also be a person who stands up + says,
“This isn’t okay.”
“I’m going to take action to stop it.”
“My mother taught me this and I think it might help.”
“Dear Grandma, I miss you. Please help.”
“I have the power I need within me, and you do, too.”
And doesn’t that mean we can all step into being the witch?
“We are the granddaughters of the witches you weren’t able to burn.”
Kayli
"Spiritual Power" by Zarina Situmorang // 1971 Gay Pride March, NYC. Screenshot from Phyllis Birkby film. // Dances of Willowood // Healing dance in a workshop in Bahia by Ana Fiedler // Crystal River // Herbalist Marie Laveau
Set the Space: I love setting up alters for my spiritual practice. Perhaps it’s the (former) Catholic schoolgirl in me, but I love the act of ritual.
Some Things You Can Add to Your Alter:
Photos of Ancestors You’d Like to Honor
Objects That are Sacred to You.
Crystals, Stones, or Other Natural Elements that Speak to You.
Elements of the Earth.
Earth: Represents Grounding, Nourishment, Prosperity, etc. (soil from a beloved spot, plants, etc.)
Water: Represents Calming, Cleansing, Intuition, etc. (a bowl of water, seashells, etc.)
Fire: Represents Courage, Renewal, Transformation, etc. (incense, a candle, etc.)
Air: Represents Communication, Movement, Change, etc. (feather, a bell, etc.)
A Photo of Yourself at a Younger Age to Help Connect with Your Inner Child.
Get comfortable, and take some time to drop in. I enjoy sitting on a pillow and closing my eyes either in silence or with instrumental music on loop.
Take a few deep breaths + say out loud a question you’ve been pondering. Take as much time as you’d like (I recommend no fewer than 10 minutes, but this is an excellent practice to start trusting your gut) to sit with it.
When you feel prompted, open your eyes + journal whatever comes up. It doesn’t have to make sense, just let whatever arises be written without succumbing to the internal pressure to edit or refine.
If you feel like you’d like to dive deeper, try asking your question out loud + then speaking as if you’re in conversation. Go over hesitations, limiting beliefs, your dreams, your ideas… try not to overthink it and let your thoughts flow.
If the last bit seems difficult for you, or you’d like to try something different, I love asking my question + then pulling an oracle or tarot card. Based on the card I pull, I let the conversation lead from there.
Note: You don’t have to be a professional card reader to do this. In fact, I find it often helps strengthen your intuition when you pull a card to rely on your gut to tell you what it could signify.
When you feel ready to move along, thank God/Your Angels/Your Spirit Guides/Your Ancestors (whoever you’re communing with) for their guidance and protection, blow out the candle if lit on your altar, and take a few silent moments in gratitude.
The precious family heirlooms that hold meaning for generations.
What really happened during the Salem Witch Trials + the dangers of groupthink.
Reconnecting with medieval women healers.
Many scientific studies have been done to show that water infused with positive intention forms beautiful molecular patterns, while water infused with negative affirmations becomes molecularly malformed.
Around 60% of humans are made of water, friends.
I can only take this to mean that positive energy can transform us as well.
Here are some ways I work with water:
💧 As I fill a glass I speak what it will fill me up with — love, joy, health, vitality, opporotunity…
💧 In the shower, I thank the water for cleansing my energy and ask that it sends back anything I picked up that wasn’t meant for me or that no longer serves me to blessed, transmuted, and transformed for the greater good.
💧 Before taking a bath, allow your hands to settle just above the water and speak what your intention is for the water — relaxation, feeling self-love, sacred connection…
As I was pulling cards from my lovely + potent Healing Waters oracle deck this week, I felt a nudge that this card was to be shared with my community.
Practice using your intuition and decipher what it means to you.
I’m hearing that we’re in a potent time for uplifting both ourselves and those we share the planet with through acts of love, social justice, and creative problem-solving.
Just by being who we are and using our innate gifts, we are enough, and it’s time to dive into the projects that keep popping into our minds. Our dreams were given to us for a reason and the time is now to pursue them. If you feel doubts, nerves, or feelings of unworthiness, know that you’re being held by a spiritual team and people around the globe who believe in your work — even those you haven’t personally met. Define your mission and let that fuel you, allowing the “how” to twist + turn as it may.
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I really enjoyed this, thank you so much for sharing!