I derped hardcore here. I didn’t advertise very well (read: barely at all) but there is the second annual Black Witch Ustream vcast at 9 PM EST.
Here’s where it’s going to be – be there. :3
Archive for October, 2011
Here is Ask Black Witch! Where you ask me questions, any question, and I answer them! Want to submit a question for next month’? Send in a question using the Ask Black Witch submission form on the side of your screen or through the QR code, available on the BW Mobile Media page. Want to choose other ways to get at me? Check out the About Me/Contact Me page! This Ask Black Witch answers questions from both September and October, thank you to the September askers for being so patient.
Also a note to anyone who would like to send in a question: Please, please double check what you write. I understand it’s the internet but please remember that you’re writing to A) An actual person who has to read this B) Someone with a degree in English and C) Someone who shouldn’t have to hardcore grammar check what you write. Everyone makes mistakes, I know Black Witch has a few typos here or there but full blown poor writing? I’ll still answer your question, I just can’t promise there won’t be a mild ribbing about the writing though. Not asking for the King’s English, just basic English. Or at least find your Shift key.
The questions!
I want to become a witch. Yes I been doing my homework and it is truly want i want. I already believe i am a witch, in my head but i know there is a proper way of doing so.
– Robin R.
Anyone can be a Witch. Yup yup. Just like how anyone can be an astronaut, a painter, a doctor or even a president. However, while anyone can be these things, it doesn’t promise they’ll be the best and it may come super harder for some than others due to the process. Some people can take the grueling training of a moonwalker and some can’t without some serious determination. It varies person to person because no one is good at everything. Then there’s the whole personal differentiation between being a casual fan and researching magick is your hobby versus researching and practicing magick. I guess a good way to put it is when do you call someone a baseball player versus a person who really likes to play baseball?
Now, there are different processes to being a Witch. Some are more grueling than others, some easier, some more personal, some fairly public. You have the ritual where you trance through meditation and find your “craft name”, there’s the ritual where another Witch has to induct you as a Witch, there’s also the process of forgoing the ritual and just feel confident and researched enough to call yourself a Witch. Tons and tons of ways to be a Witch, regardless of whether you’re solitary or in a group.
What’d I do to become a Witch? Totally the latter. All the rituals I knew and learned kinda squicked me out some for some reason or another, or I didn’t know another Witch to consider me one and I’m a solitary so I went, “Meh, I’m a Witch.” Meh, not very ceremonious, certainly anti-climactic if you thought that becoming a Witch would involve a hat-sorting ceremony or a cat leading you into another world or something like that. It depends on what you believe makes a Witch a Witch and whether it rings right for you.
In short, the proper way of doing so is doing what feels best for you. You already believe you’re a Witch and if you practice it, I would say that you are one. If you want a big ol’ ritual for your induction and you know a coven and you’re part of it (they don’t induct anyone, y’know), go for that. But in the end, it’s all up to you. Either you’re a person who is a Witch or someone who really likes to study and research Witchcraft – and again, you sound more of the former.
I have gotten what is so far the stupidest question on Black Witch. Because the question was quite idiotic and either the kid is emotionally stunted at 12 or ate paste until he was 12, instead of posting the question, here’s a macro that could best describe the inquirer:
Seriously readers, I enjoy your questions but think a little so it won’t be used as fodder. I know, I practice Witchcraft and stuff so I can imagine I’ll have a couple people running across this site to cause issue or because they think my life resembles Charmed or some other fictional show but for ABW, please keep in mind that I do have my own sense of humor and I don’t mind questions about “Hey, how do I come out to my family?” or “This person is picking on me, would it still be wrong to hex?” but questions that clearly are stupid: “Can you tell me how to get into Hogwarts?” I may either throw up here because I find them funny or keep off the site. Remember, I like good questions. And a clear attempt at spelling.
Hey, I have only one question: I wonder, there are so many spells on the internet, but none of the sounds believable. anyone know how I can find the ones that are more credible, from the Old Grimoire`s. I wonder if it is possible to put a spell on a necklace, so that as long as you wear it, so will the spell work for you, is it possible?
–Heidi G.
Hm, protip: don’t go to the internet for spells. It’s quite the cesspool out there and it reeks of dabbling, something else that isn’t good. I always refer books (that I have read) because with their spells at least comes with information so you know what you’re doing, what looks decent, why and you’re less prone to making boneheaded mistakes that a book could have steered you from. The sheer lack of decent fact checking on the internet won’t help you at all. And, again, it reeks of dabbling.
The Old Grimoires? As in stuff written from the 1600s and beyond? I’m sure with aid of a time machine, you can find a few because plenty plenty were burned in the Witchcraft hunts that ripped through the Western world. Right now there are very few and whatever you’re going to find, you’d have to look pretty freakin hard and it’s mostly oral. There are some books out there who do have this information, I’m sure, but they’re not very mainstream. Looks like you’re going to have to get off the internet and hit some books, start with what I’ve suggested in the recent The Arts: Samhain Edition
Of course it’s possible to put a spell on a necklace, it’s a vessel pretty much. Basically, what you’re doing is charming something. Totally possible. One of my phone charms are handmade and charmed (It was actually supposed to be a gift to someone else but wacktacularness happened and I got stuck with it). Pretty much anything can be charmed, to be turned into an amulet, rather. You’re on the right track there but yep, get off the internet and into some books if you want a decent education in magick.
I would like to know about my education/career path. I have no idea what I will end up doing as a career because I enjoy so many different things. I would like to know what ever you could find out.
– Jordan
I don’t think I saw your submission for Samhain Pickers and if you don’t apply via that, that means no divination readings. I never do readings for readers otherwise, too much hassle and unnecessary burn of my time. The next Samhain Pickers will be in Oct 2012.
Here’s something simple about doing as a career: veer towards something that you like greatly. It isn’t always as easy as that but seriously, think of something you always wanted to be ever since you were young, find out how realistic it is (if you had a dream of being rich, I suggest you go back to sleep) and go for it. See what is it really like through volunteering if you do have a job now or at least figure out what the job entails and if you really want to do this. Do you like your major? What can you do with it and can it garner a job that can pay the bills (and student loans you probably wracked up)? Ask questions like those. I enjoy a lot of different things too and that’s a good start because you won’t drive yourself crazy with a pipedream but you have to know which one would you mind doing as a means to create sustainable income, which mean it would be helpful if you really like it.
Now for my younger readers: When I was younger than you, I was kinda poked (totally goaded) into figuring out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. So were any of my peers that seemed promising to get out of the hood. I see a lot of people around my age – I’m 24 – who seriously don’t know what to do with their lives and that’s really not good. Have fun but be responsible and most importantly, be honest with yourself. Not everyone wants to be a doctor, lawyer, business owner or engineer. Some people wanna make unusual color ceramic plates, some want to groom cats, some really like to fix things or have a passion for collecting the various leaves they see. These all can turn into careers if you’re creative enough and know what to look for. If you’re still in high school or middle school, volunteer if you can. If you can’t and have a job, just continue your studies by yourself using your resources, the library and the internet. It’s not a fair world out there at all, over 85% of college graduates do not get a job right after they get a diploma and there’s a reason the whole Occupy Wall St. protest is catching like fire on a BP oil spill right now. And no matter what you do with whatever career you chose, have a back-up plan. Be money smart about college funds if you chose to go to college and about financial responsibility regardless if you go or not, too. Your plan doesn’t have to be all riddled with details or anything, just have a basic idea and plan of what you want and go towards it. I wanted to be lots of things when I was growing up: a scientist, a veterinarian, a writer, I even wanted to be an Olympic ice skater. What’d I settle on? Being a librarian. Le woot. Things change but have an idea with what you want to do and make sure it’s realistic. And do it before you get to college, it’s too expensive to be indecisive. Even if you don’t go, it’s still too expensive to be indecisive.
Hello,
I need to ask a sensitive question.
We let a friend move in when she was in need. He however took time to get comfortable and then started slicing my home apart.
I don’t know if you are familiar with this but is there a way someone can do the following? And how can you stop it without hurting the other person. I am neither of the character of revenge nor do I have the stomach to hurt other people. I just want to fix the problem and move on.
Here are the issues:
Is it possible to toss witchcraft/sorcery to a woman so she can smell bad all the time? How do I stop this and bar it from coming back (spell reversals online did not work)
Is it possible that someone else can hypnotize you to sleep to get control over you? How do you block this?
Is there a way someone can use magic or whatever it is to keep a kid from falling asleep all night, or to wake a baby up, or to make a baby’s tummy or back hurt sooo much she cries continuously in pain? How do I protect the baby from this?
Is it true someone can do magic on a couple to make them quarrel? How do I protect my marriage?
My husband seems to have taken a protection spell to prevent this person from harming him further but now that leaves us under the effects of his spell when there is an argument and we bad mouth each other now those are two sets of problems.
How do I get rid of the problems?
P/s I just need to know how to protect myself from these ill people and their effects and move on and not to toss anything back or to fight them back.
– Joyce A.
First and foremost, if your friend was in need and is now destroying your home, kick her out. She’s not much of a friend anymore. It would be one thing if that friend had a mental disorder that made them act out (and is getting help or back on their feet while battling the condition) but she doesn’t sound like that so no sympathy. Evict both her and the friendship.
It is possible to use magick to create a bad smell but first you’d have to rule out diet, exercise, living conditions and environment. Biology could be the source, not a jinx. And any spell online won’t work, I hope you didn’t buy anything nor hurt any animals in the process. Just stop using the internet for magick, it’s not Hogwarts Online.
Zombification is very possible but not easy and it depends on what culture it comes from to combat it since there’s not a lot of “One size fits all” spells – if any at all. And again, how do you know that you are being hypnotized for control? There are various ways to block it but if you know who the sender is (without doubt), you could use a binding spell but seriously – I think you might want to hold off on that exactly. And if it is the houseguest, chuck them out first.
I’m not a children’s person (I quite abhor kids, too loud and messy) and one reason is because there’s lots and lots o’ crying. Before magick, rule out medical first. Does the child have colic or any other problems? I’m not going to tell you to put anything on the child because it could be a medical condition and if you’re looking for spells on the internet, I certainly would not, in good faith, tell you to give your child any physical thing out of safety for your kid. There’s no telling where something could go dastardly wrong.
You can protect a marriage from a spell but that doesn’t make marriages bulletproof. Yes, magick can make couples quarrel but so can couples themselves. The difference usually is the subject and relationship itself. Be real: no relationship worth having is a walk in the park (but also remember no relationship worth having should resemble a battlefield, either). Are arguments about something constant such as money or pop up everywhere? Were the tensions already there or not? How well do you and your husband get along usually? Very important questions to ask to determine if it’s a spell or not. I doubt things were perfect before, every healthy relationship has squabbles. However, if he made a spell of protection, tell him to extend it to include you and the child you had together. To refuse would be a bit rude and showcase some potentially deeper problems.
If you must to calm your mind, get a glass jar with a screw-on lid to put your name and kid’s name and surround with burrs or pine needles for protection but please figure out if the person is doing spells or not. Here’s a mini-checklist:
– Does this person know any magick? (Has practiced it before, especially harmful magick)
– Was there a drastic change before and after the person came along? (Things were spiffy, now it’s WWIII)
– Ruled out normal problems? (Money strain? Wall St, not a jinx, is probably to blame)
– Are you suuuuuuuuuuure even if the person is a total dick, they’re hexing too? (Not always related)
– How was the relationship with husband pre-wack houseguest? Any particular subjects constantly argued such as money or trust? (Recent stressors might be a breaking point)
– Child’s health before and during wack houseguest? (Again, stress)
If you cannot answer a nary one of these questions in strong confidence, even with time to think it over, then a spell might not be the problem and certainly not the solution. If it is normal stuff, after all: chuck out houseguest, have a heart-to-heart with the husband, get the baby to a doctor and be sure to talk to a doctor yourself.
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It’s that time again! It’s The Arts:! Samhain Edition! Before we start, I would like to say all the Samhain Pickers winners will be read for this week! And don’t any of you forget of the annual Black Witch Samhain vcast chat at 9 PM EST (sorry trick-or-treaters). Fun and hijinks! May even star my cat! (Seriously. She’s cute, great promotion material.)
This year’s winners:
Erika B.
Shaquez L.
Sherry W.
This year’s round up is Black Pagan blogs, books and other very Pagan things! I’m super happy that there are actually Black Pagan blogs to mention and just in case I miss a few, please do meander over to the African-American Wiccan Society’s Important Links page to find more and more.
Let’s get started!
Black Pagan Blogs
These blogs are just like mine, they’re Pagan blogs intended for a Black audience. I will admit, there has been a very recent sprouting of many Black Pagan blogs that provide a very multifaceted look of the Black Pagan community.
I’m happy to see this when only a year or two ago, I haven’t seen really even this much of a blog roll dedicated for Black Pagans and written by Black Pagans. This is great! Takes work off of my shoulders definitely!
Pagan Books
I believe I have focused on some fairly Witchy books last year and not enough divination so I’ll be doing some of that. But first, I was asked to do a book review! I thought that was a very nice opportunity! The book is titled The Spellcasting Picture Book: Visual Tools for Grown-up Magic, written by Diana Rajchel.
Okay then, here is my review for the book: I believe that the book could definitely use some improvement as I feel that it is not exactly ready for prime time yet. From the start of the book, the reader is faced with the fact that the writer is mired in controversy apparently. On the cover under the author’s name it reads, “Yeah, that one.” And the Preface sounds very pointed: “If you’re reading this it’s likely because you know me, know my perfumery, or know a little bit about me and want to see if whatever the current batch of rumors is are true.” What rumors? I, and I’m sure most other potential readers (unless I’ve been living under a rock), are not at all familiar with Rajchel or her work so it presents as a personal and private dislike aired in a public place. I understand having haters buuuuut there is a way to discuss them in an objective manner or at least provide a more thorough background than the one provided. A blog is one thing to air out disdain for those who dislike what you’re doing but a book is a bit different.
Here’s what I found very bothersome on the How to Use this Book page: “About Witchcraft: If you want to know more about Witchcraft and/or Wicca, please ask someone else.” That’s as if saying, “Please don’t read my book, it’s a waste of time.” Rajchel does mention other books that would be good to reference at the back of the book but she should have at least mentioned that in the “About Witchcraft” blurb.
The artistry is very base and, frankly, poorly done. If this was a book where Pagan religious artwork was collected from kids, fine, but it’s not. Bad photoshop of floating arms and hands, poorly assembled artwork that – for me – is reminiscent of crack conspiracy websites, reuse of drawn pictures – none of the artwork is good. The author describes it as “primitive” but this is not at all primitive. I have seen primitive art from various cultures and this is not it. It is moreso very basic and childlike. Very poorly done. Whatever good artistry is there was nicked from the internet and ‘shopped in. I have seen picture spell books such as The Spell Bible and they are done well. This book, I cannot say I have the same opinion for. The writing, which was both handwritten and typed was not incredibly provocative but fairly mediocre at best.
The Spellcasting Picture Book, claims to be a picture book for adults but at a glance, it seems more for children. I wouldn’t recommend it at all to anyone. Yes, the art in this work are doodles and personal works of the author which she put her heart and mind into it but still, I have to hold the work to a particular standard that it does not meet.
Onward to the other books!
The Spell Bible (Ann-Marie Gallagher)
If you do want to see a picture book of spells done well, get The Spell Bible. It is amazing the works they have in there and the spells are very beautifully photographed and explained. There are various spells in there for a range of subjects (no jinxes though. If you’re that coldhearted, just be yourself, that’s jinx enough.) and while I haven’t tried them myself because I make my own spells, they are very well crafted. This is a wonderful book for starters, intermediates or those who just need a little guidance for their spellcrafting. The pictures are beautiful, the spells are amazing and it’s all simply wonderful in a little, compact book. The pages are color coded for ease of use and there is an index and glossary as well as a reference page for materials and anything else you may need.
Playing Card Divination for Beginners (Richard Webster)
This book has taught me all I needed to know about playing card divination, my very first divining skill. It is a great book that breaks everything down card by card, has a special section on the joker, suggest spreads and more. My book is pretty tattered and worn from all the use, I’ve had it for half a decade but I still refer to it when I do readings and if I forget how to do a particular spread. This book also talks about combination spreads (such as what happens if you get three Aces in a spread or face cards everywhere) and there’s a great history section at the start of the book. Webster shares his own experiences doing card readings and gives ideas of how to diversify the divination practice using dice or paper. Now, I think this book is out of print and if that’s true, I’ll digitize my copy and have it up here. I tried emailing Webster and I think even the publisher themselves but I haven’t heard anything back I’m not going to wait. Information is information.
The Art of Hand Reading (Lori Reid)
This is one of the many books I have on palmistry – okay, one of the three, I don’t believe in having a billion books on one metaphysical subject because info overlaps and most books out there are pretty crappy. This book is completely awesome in that it goes into the political and religious history briefly in regards to palmistry. It’s very interesting to learn! Also there’s a section that talks about how different hand gestures mean different things in different parts of the world. The easiest example is the peace sign, palm inwards. In America, it can be a parting salutation. In the UK, it’s flipping someone off. The book is very factual so there not much, if any, fluffy content there.
Shades of Faith (Crystal Blanton, ed.)
The first anthology for Black Pagans has arrived! If you saw this post calling for Black Pagan entries, this book is what has come of it. It is very well done and two of my writings are in the anthology, one that is here on Black Witch “Why Don’t You Like Me?” and one exclusively for the anthology “Missing in the Picture”. There are a variety of Black (and I think other minority) voices heard in the anthology and it is indeed nice to have a Black book on religion but it not be focused on Christianity. Nab it!
Web Shops!
I have few webshops that I go to because I am quite accustomed to buying in person but if you have any suggestions, speak your mind in the comments! To see more, please refer to last year’s Samhain Edition.
Kotori Cards – This is pretty much shilling for my friends who are very awesome diviners. My (recently married :3 ) friends Jess and John started their store online after having a very successful run for many years. Now, I usually am not for people paying for readings, I still think it is better you learn for yourself but these two are amazing readers for those who still want to pay for readings.
The Dark Moon – The African American Wiccan Society finally has their store up and it has just about everything and growing in stock each and every day. The ritual chocolates look wonderful and there’s even gear specifically designed for Black Pagans such as tarot bags and more.
Well that’s it for The Arts!: Samhain Edition!
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Hexing. Jinxing. Cursing. Bad juju. Whatever you want to call it, it is the act of inflicting harm on someone through magickal means. It is also the first thing that comes to other people minds when you say that you’re a Witch – as well as the source of their crappy jokes. (“Oh, don’t make her mad, she’ll hex you!”) Every book worth its salt will tell you not to hex or jinx because of the threefold karmic return and how there are other ways to solve the problem without having to resort to astral nasties. Even here on this blog I’ve said, “Don’t do it.”
Why am I not for hexing? Because it isn’t right to throw a monkey wrench undeserved into someone’s life. And people who believe hexing is fine and does it usually portray controlling personalities or become that way in my experience. Do I believe that some people need their just desserts? Yep. The same way that I believe some people can’t see how they are wrong in any given situation and would much rather cast a harmful spell than correct their own attitude. I would totally be for cursing if it didn’t give such ample room for douchbaggery.
Now, note I said “undeserved”. I believe that if you do bad things, bad things happen to you in return. While what is considered bad is a manner of perspective – a man stealing bread, for example – some people are thoroughly wronged. An example could be someone that Person A trusted totally betrayed them by being instrumental to Person A getting robbed or burgled. It’s not Person A’s fault, they didn’t know they were getting set up, and in response (after going to the cops and such), they want to jinx that person as payback. I have friends who have been through such a situation and that’s the route they took. I couldn’t diss them at all about it as my friends weren’t being wonton, as in attacking any ol’ random person out of anger. And if they weren’t sure, the jinx would be left open-ended to the attack the person or people responsible for the bad deed, whoever they are. Are my friends right in what they’re doing? Maybe, maybe not but they are not some derpy teen with a random spellbook and completely over-emotional. They are people who have already tried to be the nice guy and are at the end of their rope. The police may not be cooperative, the problem person may have decided to cause a ripple effect in their damage, etc etc., these are reasons that are valid. It is understandable why some people hex – why, it’s even part of how I got into Witchcraft.
Yep. I said it.
I think I made mention in my very first or second column that one reason why I got into Witchcraft (besides inherent interest) was that I wanted to hex my bullies back in high school. The school administration wasn’t doing anything, I wanted to simply be left alone and not so cruelly picked on. I didn’t care if the spell would kill them or not, I just wanted the bullies to go away. I’m tellin’ you, I rather chill with the Taliban than be around my bullies. You want to see what terrorism looks like? Just peer inside your schools, bin Laden would be taking notes. I never did hex any of my bullies because I was taught through the books I found that this is not the right way to use Witchcraft but it’s not like the thought never crossed my mind…over and over and over and….
Whether to harm or not has crossed my mind numerous times before as a Witch and also as a marital artist. There are tons of times I have figured life would run a lot more smoothly if I just jinxed someone submissive or put them in the hospital. The reason I haven’t done either is because I’m a person that would bobsled like a penguin with a turbo jetpack down the slippery slope. It’s good to have some self-restraint. Plus there have been countless times I have thought I was the right one when in the end it turned out I wasn’t. Yay for avoiding damage control and the super excessive guilt over realizing that actually I might have been the jerk. I don’t think I’m the only one who has been in such a situation.
Now, I have never jinxed and I am pretty solid in the “Don’t jinx” group because I wouldn’t feel right telling people that they are perfectly in the right to jinx people because, honestly, I don’t feel that way. Plus, you never know the mindset of the people you’re talking to and last thing I need is to give them a pass – or what they perceive is a pass – to cause harm. That’s part of why I don’t put spells up here, too. I don’t want some mentally unstable person tripping upon it and doing Gods-know-what with the info. What my friends do is of their choice, I wouldn’t supply them with a curse or anything because that’s not my ethics. If they say they’re going to do it, I’m just going to check in for a second as their conscience. I’ll just ask why and for the details to check and double check that they are truly the wronged party. After that, they’re on their own.
This is my opinion on jinxes. Karmic spells, otherwise known as grey magick, have a different opinion from me. Karmic spells serve mainly as a karma audit and responds as such. I’ve not casted those (Never had a reason to) but I’m not really against it, unless used way too loosely. It’s okay but only as a last resort – as spells should be – and barely used, if ever. The upshot of karmic spells that jinxes don’t have is that A) You’re not adding additional energy into someone’s life, just using whatever is already available by their own actions and B) The karmic spell audits both the good and the bad. This means that a person could be someone good generally but have a bad day and passed that on to a Witch via a run-in. So the Witch is moody and pissed now and cast the karma spell. Because the person is usually a good person and the spell is an audit on both sides, the person might actually have an exceedingly nice amount of good things happening to them and perhaps a few bad things because the person being targeted isn’t Jesus. To the chagrin of the Witch that preferred to have something bad happen, she or he may learn a lesson too through the whole ordeal. That, I favor over a hex because it’s a bit more fair than just plain putting bad happenings into someone’s life, whether they deserve it or not.
Another reason why I prefer karma spells over hexes is because not everyone knows they’re fouling someone else. I have been in the position where I didn’t know I was being a pest to anyone and I’m sure there are plenty of people out there like that, not deliberately trying to wrong someone, just makes a lot of awkward mistakes. It’s not fair to them that they should be wrongfully punished for something they didn’t know that they were doing. Some people have thinner skins than others, some people have absolutely no filter between their brain and their mouth, some people just are crappy with social interactions, etc. People are people and people are different – and annoying.
Now, are hexes all inherently evil via the use of devils and such? No, not at all. All it is, is the intent to disrupt and cause harm or worse through magickal means. Spirits and otherkin not necessary. I don’t bother with hexes though and same with most of my practicing friends. Too much to concern myself with and you need a particular mindset to go to the point of jinxing someone. Nothing is wrong with being miffed. Nothing is wrong with being fair and leveling the playing field either. But be fair, use karmic spells instead. The potential jerk factor drops by a considerable lot.
Okay peoples! This is the last column before the installments and I would like to tell people that if you have not submitted for the 2nd annual Samhain Pickers, please do so now! Samhain Pickers is a giveaway where I pick three people to do divination for with one of these styles:
– Tarot
– Cartomancy
– Dream Interpretation
Yes, yes, if you were here last year then you would know that I had slightly more selections but here’s the thing, I’m actually moving to a new apartment so that means limited time to do stuff. Still want in? Great! Send me an email (look on the About Me/Contact Me Page for info) with your
– Name
– Email
– What type of reading would you prefer (Choose One)
I will pick the three winners using Random.org’s number generator. Each email counts as an entry and a number. If you are the first email I get, you’re #1, thirteenth email I get, #13 and so on and so forth. That way it’s extremely random for the reader and easier to pick for me. I will draw winners on Oct 31 and we’ll go from there. Also, unless otherwise stated, there will still be the Black Witch vcast chat on Ustream. 9 PM EST, be there!
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The Establishment (Afro-Punk) Version
As a diviner, I love getting a plethora of questions – but not always. Sometimes I rather be much left alone instead of sought out for advice or getting a constant question and/or from a constant person which makes me wanna pack up and go home.
The question that I get waaaaaaaaaay too constantly as a diviner? Love or death but love has got to take the cake along with the pastry shop it sits in and the bakery it came from. Too many love questions, far too annoying. Look, I understand everyone wants to be loved but to constantly hear over and over, “When will I get a new boy/girlfriend”, “Should I date this guy/girl?” etc etc etc, it can be pesky. Why? Because the person will forever ask since they feel like they have a back-up system, namely the diviner they decided to latch on to give them the ethereal 411 on whether the person they’re dating or whether their health is up and running well (pertaining to the slew of death questions I get).
The problem with asking too much is just that, you’re asking way too much the same question or a multitude of questions enough that I would question if you’re capable of handling life without a helmet and a GPS sewn into your undergarments. It’s one thing when the person asking for a reading is friends with the diviner because there’s a background already established and the readings are just another element or resource in the friendship. The diviner is likely not to mind too much because as a friend, they want to see that readee succeed, be happy or do well for themselves. The readings are just another form of checking up on the readee/friend and making sure they’re making the right choices and foreseeing the bad ones. That’s a different take than some person who is contacting the diviner over and over because the diviner is, well, a diviner. There is no background and frankly, the diviner could be going through something serious in their own life but the readee would expect the diviner to put all that aside and get to work.
Media generally likes to tout diviners as mystical, magical creatures that are much like non player characters (NPCs) in video games and movies – they’re just sitting around doing nothing until that person who is in desperate need of having their palm read to make sure the girl they’re dating is the one they should or will marry bursts forth, foaming at the mouth in anxiety. Too bad that, according to my phone, email, work documents and other pretty realistic things, that’s not the case. The average diviner is not going to be waiting around for someone to run in like they’re on fire wanting a tarot reading just like the average diviner is not some creepy-looking Gypsy with a floofy turban and a crystal ball that’s ready to drain your pockets. Shucks, even diviners who are Gypsy aren’t creepy-looking Gypsies with floofy turbans and crystal balls ready to drain pockets. It’s stupid to say, “We’re people, too” but one would be stunningly surprised that it’s very commonly forgotten considering how many times I’ve had my phone blown up by people too paranoid (I like to call them “metaphysical hypochondriacs”) to live life on its own since they met me or anyone else who was remotely decent at offering advice towards the human condition.
When people ask way too much, it’s usually for things that can be solved with some common sense or a stern talking to. When it’s questions about love, I usually don’t have to do a reading, I just have to ask, sit, listen and respond because often time people play up problems far bigger in their minds than they actually are. It’s not a reading they need, just someone to sit there and listen/respond to their problems. However, it’s sadly not a soundboard these people want, oh noooo. Not “magical” enough, too normal. It’s got to be with something “unusual” such as playing cards or interpreting someone’s dream or handwriting. Something that may involve me wasting more time and effort than I actually have to all because someone is interested in seeing what they perceive as an interesting trick. This means I could tell them all the wicked nonsense I could drum up in my brain and so long I’m standing behind a tarot spread, that person just may believe me. It won’t matter if I’m right, wrong or just plain crappy at reading the future, these people will keep coming back because of the visual appeal.
And that can make any diviner moody.
Look, we diviners are good at telling the future because we worked pretty hard at it, believe it or not. Buuuuuuut we’re not fortune cookies and not fortune telling machines because life would be pretty boring to be someone else’s sidekick to their own super droll life. I try to make sure that I only have to do one reading a person because if you have to come back, that’s a problem. It’s one thing if a person I’ve read for comes back months later for a follow up because time has passed and variables may or may not have changed which could change the trajectory for the potential future but a person who consistently calls me because they want a reading a month later, a week later, a day later, an hour later – that’s real annoying. Like I said, it’s one thing if they’re a friend (especially since I’ve done this to my diviner friends in low times) but it’s another story altogether when it’s some person that I don’t really know that wants a reading. And another. And another. And another…
When it comes to subjects such as love and death, the future can change tons sometimes. And asking a diviner fifteen million times when “the one” is going to come by because the last reading wasn’t so positive doesn’t help nary a single iota. Yes, we know it’s a big deal, very important. Yes, it feel like no one is ever going to come in your life and hey, you might be right because not everyone falls in love. Yes, men/women can be weird/fickle/crazy/wack/[insert negative gender stereotypes and roles here], despite the glaring fact that the most common denominator of all these bad relationship is the person asking for the reading. But they have got to remember: divination is simply another way to give advice. It serves as a mirror of what’s going on, has gone on and is going to happen (with strong potential). The change lies within the person, not their ability in pestering someone to give constant and repetitive advice and that change takes time.
Yup, time. That little abstract concept that nobody who is waiting for something or somebody likes. Instead of being stagnant and nagging your local diviner with the same question over and over and over and over, create some change. Advice was given already and it’s not going to change because nothing incremental has happened. That means living life for itself and stop asking a billion questions on every minute detail, it doesn’t prevent mistakes, wack coincidences, freak occurrences and other things that are out of one’s control.
In short: once you get a reading, stop asking and start living. Unless you are friends with the diviner, then just gauge it out with them. And if you want love, adopt a pet. (And as an alternative, try the shelter pet project)
And now that it’s October comes the second annual Samhain Pickers Divination Giveaway! What do you get? A divination reading from me, Black Witch! Last year’s went ever so well, let do it again! All you have to do is submit an email with “Samhain Pickers” in the subject line and include in the email:
– Name
– Email address
– Type of divination desired (Choose from: Tarot, Cartomancy (playing card), natal chart, dream interpretation)
Your email is your entry form and you can only submit once. How the picking is done: I list the emails/entries as they come in so if you’re the first submission, you’re entry #1, if you’re the thirteenth submission, you’re entry #13. I use a random number generator (via random.org) to pick three winners on Samhain/Halloween. Acceptance for entries start now so submit! All readings are confidential.
Also there will be my second annual Black Witch Samhain Ustream chat which may be done via the Afro-Punk or Black Witch Ustream, also going to be on Halloween so be there! Times will be announced next week!
Black Witch 