Archive for April, 2012


Ask Black Witch

Filed under: Ask Black Witch — 3 Comments
April 27, 2012

It’s this month’s Ask Black Witch! Where readers and the curious alike send me questions! I can receive submissions through a variety of ways from the ABW submission form to any method listed on the About Me/Contact Me page to now to even the BW fan page, I can receive messages there, too.

Have you ever heard of Charles Cosimano AKA Uncle Chuckie? 

He is the reason I started to get in Psionics. Check out his E-Books. Does your application of psionics run parallel or at a vector?

Most of the tools I use are just Thought-forms. I love the boxes, don’t get me wrong, but the power and effect of a well used and well loved Thought-form is awesome. And they are so much more portable 🙂

– Shannon R.

I have heard of him, even seen a vid he’s done. I’m glad he got you into psionics but I see him as a bit of a creepy quack. Judging from his site, blog, e-books and vid, it sounds like he uses a lot of pseudo-science and, well, is pretty much a megalomaniac with a chip on his shoulder. I have never heard of psionics being applied in something parallel or at a vector, ever. I would suggest other psionic learning sites such as PsiPog and PsiOnline. They really should help you out, especially since PsiPog has an amazing guide (that is probably a bit dated but good nonetheless) on how to get started and refine what you got.

Thought-forms as described in the e-books sounds similar to psiballs and the use of constructs or charging. I strongly recommend you look at what PsiPog and PsiOnline have to offer.

Hey Im a African American an Im not Christian im a Luciferian an have a hard time finding a black female who understands me I mostly date white or Hispanics because of this if u are single an want to know more about me message me back I hope this email is not nonconceptional thanks

– Carlton W.

I didn’t know my site also doubled as my dating profile. Hopefully I can put a stopper to this type of letter by piecing apart where this is where the boy went wrong:

  • It doesn’t matter what religion you are if you’re trying to chat me up, you’ll look like an honest-to-God idiot by the end of the sentence anyways. Plus, I wouldn’t be into Luciferians anyways, never met one that wasn’t a Grade A douche – wait, no, that’s a lie. I met one and he was decent but that was it.
  • Attempting to chat me up. Lol, don’t be so stupid. I hate it when guys do that and Black guys seem to be serial offenders. It’s one thing when you actually get to know the person first – and just reading Black Witch isn’t sufficient, BW is a persona – and then ask em out (in a non-weirdo way) but  to just up and assume that women are Pokémon or something, eh, maybe it’s better going back to the drawing board. If you wouldn’t talk to a guy like that, don’t talk to me that way either.
  • You date Whites and Hispanics, care for a gold star? My main preference is Asians and Blacks, my ex is Indonesian. Dude, no one cares. If you can’t get Black girls for some reason or another, do you think the issue could be you? I know Luciferianism and Satanism is not widely known for introspection and positive self-improvement but it’s not a bad thing to try. There’s a bevy of reasons why you can’t get play from your own race but I’m sure it has more to do with you than simply them.
  • Please don’t ask me my dating status, I hate it when people do that too. Believe it or not, but it’s not important when initially meeting someone. I’ve never cared when talking to guys – oh hai, probably because I just wanted to be friends with them and that’s it. Dude, it just makes you sound uber desperate. So desperate, a person has no problem posting your letter up and dissecting it just to avoid more
  • If I want to get to know you more? Lol, judging from what you’ve already said, you don’t seem to have much to offer as a person. I think I’ll be happy with the guys and gals I already know who don’t depict their personality as if it came 10 a penny.

And for my guy readers who are prolly wondering how could it have been more successful, lemme answer that as well.

  • Drop the gendered responses: Stop talking to me like I’m a girl. It’s annoying as hell knowing some guy is sounding like a dimwit simply because I’m not a guy. I’m a person, try talking to me like one, it generally works. Yes, I know I’m a girl. I give too much of my money to Always and Advil companies to not know. But here’s the thing, I’m more than simply a girl. I do urban spelunking, I do martial arts, I make stuff, I like buying weapons, I have pretty strong opinions, I like comics and other things that have not a single thing to do with the fact that one of my organs have the ability to shed off its wall in the most painful way possible every month. Gendered responses make me think you must assume girls are this entirely different species, machines or something just as ridiculous and hence probably not worth my time talking to – but plenny o’ time to make incessant fun of.
  • Please don’t assume I’m an automatic dating potential. Dude, I could be a crazy schizoid ax murderer for all anyone knows. I also could be – which is far more likely – not interested. Plus, trying to jump straight to “Heeeeeeeey, you single?” Makes you sound desperate. Fleshlights have been invented, I heard they work pretty well. Or just make it fair and talk to guys like that. At least you’ll be an equal-opportunity street/e-harasser, making sure there’s enough loser to go around.
  • I like making friends with guys, that’s no biggie for me. I prefer having that choice, too. I know, women and their choices! Ugh, you could totally rob guys of their choices and they would never know. You know every single time in history where choices and injustices happened, it was always women who whined about that stuff. A guy could be sitting in Gitmo and he’d be happy as a fly on dung. – Yeah, I don’t believe that either. In my experience, robbing anyone of their choices usually leaves them pretty pissed. If you don’t believe me, ask a prison inmate how happy they are behind bars. Please assume that I’m not interested in you – a complete and total stranger – and you’ll probably fare better.
  • Be yourself. That’s no guarantee I’ll think of you of a romantic interest because that all depends on how I feel about you, not how you want me to feel about you. But hey, at least I may think you’re a decent person. Or not. Depends on what kind of person you are. And look! No having to try hard! If we don’t get along, that’s a wrap. Unless you beg and bug other guys to keep talking to you, you should know when to call it quits. If you do beg and bug other guys to keep talking to you, maybe you should invest in some self-esteem before someone considers you a pesky pestilence.
  • If a girl approaches you, please don’t make her regret it. She might be interested, she might not, don’t assume she is unless she says otherwise. For all you know, she’s just interested in conversing with another person (that’s you), and that’s it. Simple, I know. I’ve spoken to guys who thought for the simple fact I acknowledged their existence they believed I saw something special in them. How pathetic, lol. Occasionally I like to converse with people, it happens. I’m not looking for a boyfriend or anything, I just like regular chitchat.
  • Do you believe in the “Friendzone”? Maaaaaaaaybe you should rethink that. If you wanted something more, say something. This meme says it so well:

  • Whatever Steve Harvey/Chris Rock/Michael Baisden/any other Black comedian/voice personality has said? Ignore them. They seem to know as much about women as White people know about Black people. They suggest outdated tips, they’ve had poor relationships themselves that I don’t think they learn from and just…they’re just bad choices to listen to. It didn’t work for them and now they’re passing of their bad ideas off to you. They’re decent jokes sometimes, just very bad ideas all the time.

Yep. Just talk to the girl like she’s a human, it works. If she’s with attitude or annoyance, who cares? Not everyone likes to talk (I know I don’t sometimes, I’m fairly introverted) and considering street harassment and rape culture, she might be that moody because she wants to let you know from jump street she’s not interested since many guys seem to really lapse in the logic center when it comes to that. If she plays games, congrats, you have met a manipulative douchebag.  If you don’t treat every person you see as a potential dating subject, you never know, you might actually end up with one.

TL;DR:

What the Lucifierian guy should have said:

“[Insert general question, personal opinion and other conversational stuff here]”

That’s Ask Black Witch for this month! If you would like to submit a question, you have options, just check out this handy new feature called the Black Witch Network and read under “How to Contact Black Witch”. Send in good questions! And don’t forget Black Witch has a Tumblr!

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The Arts!: Mark Wright, Kelly Tsai, Black Witch Tumblr

Filed under: The Arts — 3 Comments
April 20, 2012

This is The Arts! for National Poetry Month so all poets this month. We’re starting out with the winner of the poetry contest that I held here, Mark Wright.

“Rise Up”
you are not a slave –
there is no currency
that can measure your worth,
no clothing, fashion, or labels
that can define you,
and only your own fears
can subdue you.
so, write these words on your heart
and rise up.
this is for the mothers
who are working too many hours
and too many jobs
to break through glass cielings
and feed their families –
rise up.
this is for the protestors –
from the zapatistas
to the arab spring
to wall street
and all other streets
that have been and are being occupied,
because the people know
that quality of life
should be synonymous with equality for all –
rise up.
this is for the men and women,
my brothers and sisters
of “questionable” sexualities,
who struggle every day for acceptance
and basic human rights,
as they strive to strengthen and improve
cultures and communities
where they are pariahs –
rise up.
this is for every muslim in america
and around the world
who has been labeled a terrorist
when they have lost
just as much, if not more, family and freedoms
as all others
who lost loved ones on and since 9/11 –
rise up.
this is for the taqwacore girls
and all other women
who have the courage to rock and to rage
while their faith,
their culture,
and their communities
tell them that their voces are forbidden,
that their voices are haraam –
rise up.
this is for the christians
who struggle with their faith daily,
because we see that our “leaders”
have become Pharisees
who have forgotten
that Christ’s first and foremost commandment
was for us to love –
rise up.
this is for the other poets
and people like me
who sit crying at keyboards
because a poem like this had to be wriiten in the first place –
rise up.
you are not a slave.
there is no currency that can measure your worth,
no clothing, fashion, or labels that can define you,
and only your own fears can subdue you.
take these words,
write them on your hearts,
and rise up.

Mark Wright is from Albuquerque, NM but currently lives in Oshkosh, WI. Though he works a blue collared job, he performs his published poetry and a musician. He has been published in various publications, such as various zines, anthologies and chapbooks. He recently finished his new chapbook Threesome, which has his original poetry and lyrics. You can find him on Myspace and Facebook.

Kelly Tsai
She’s been featured on Def Poetry and her works are certainly reflecting of why. Watch her piece: “Mao”

I always found her work very stunning. She has such strong flow and it’s a relief to hear something besides the usual subjects of spoken word.

If you would like to check out her work, please visit her website.

Black Witch Tumblr

Yeah this isn’t very poetic but I would like to use this space to bring up that Black Witch has a tumblr! It’s a bit random, considered yourself forewarned.

Visit the Tumblr!

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Do the Creep Walk

Filed under: Pagan Life — 1 Comment
April 13, 2012

Creepers, ick. They’re in every religion but it seems Modern Paganism has a special breed. They’re usually guys, most likely middle aged, near it or beyond it, and prey on gullibility. Forget social, these guys just try to charm anything with a punami and preferably under the age of 25. They lean on the whole “Horned God” aspect to the point it’s pretty transparent they couldn’t care less about religion, just how quick it can get a girl in their bed and how slow it can make them talk to a police officer about it.

Exhibit A:

The Old Goat seeks young worshipers*

Hi I am The Old Goat and am 49 years old
I live in constantine, KY , US
The Old Goat is ofcourse a Horny old devil…and seeks only the most energetic maidens and
ladies for deep worshipful relationships. Desire immediate responses from those desiring to form
a true coven…live-in is available for the most sincere supplicants…have room for upto 8
devotees. A journey together towards the innermost realms of wisdom, understanding, and
pleasure. Single, Divorced, Widowed, if you have pets or children your are still welcome plenty
of room on my country property 20 miles west of Elizabethtown / 69 miles south of Louisville
Ky. A completely unified group is necessary, therefore only those seeking a true communal
coven experience should reply…cooperation and mutual love a must ! We will form a Non-profit
Religeous Organization and work together towards goals of self sufficiency, educational
outreach, and deprograming the biased “Christian” mindset in the world around us….ofcourse
concentrating also on coven cerimony, rit

There was another I found but it was too embarrassing to post here, mainly for the guy, not me. That and I have kid readers, I don’t really want well-deserved hate mail from disgruntled parents. You can look around for it, of course but I think sites are getting better at detecting this predatory stuff – or the predators are super well blended at this point, peppering their pseudo-knowledge with “No one understands but you, you have the gift. I could refine that gift” or “the government does not want to me to teach this but I will anyways because you are the perfect person for it. Training will be strenuous” and other wack things to younger, more gullible folks

Let’s break down what this guy got here:

* Pedo-vibe encrusted title – Check
* Within range of being a target audience for the AARP – Check
* Thinly veiled “I wanna get in your pants – but in the name of religion!” first sentence? – Check
* Distorts the definition of religious proceedings and groups (“a true coven”) – Ka-chek
* Pretty much wants to create his own harem of sex-kittens, in the name of “religion” – Check
* Promise to pretty much to give you the moon in knowledge and wisdom – yep, check
* Sounds like this dude wants to create a compound that would peak the interest of the FBI – Check
* Wants absolute trust – check
* When he says “mutual love”, it means “absolute control” – check
* Wants to pull a sham to go tax-free and to create false legitimacy – Nice trick, still, check
* Wants to deprogram the “biased ‘Christian’ mindset” – Yeah right, check
* Women only – I seriously want a guy to apply just to read the reaction, check

This dude is about as wack and rachet as all things. Good grief, he sounds like a comic book nerd that bought a little too much into those tales. Now, I can pick up the nonsense and fluff miles away but more impressionable women and girls who are new to the craft may actually buy into this. It may sound like this dude is totally liberating and soooooo different from the usual “Christian” ideals but he’s just preying on any chick lacking any sense that something is amiss. You can’t always call the girl stupid because though this dude couldn’t get any more blatant about his real intentions, they’re usually more trickier than this. I should know, creepers like this would contact me when I was about 16 or so through WitchVox. The younger you are, the more you attract, which is pretty disturbing.

In short, if anybody writes to you like this, simply run. Run fast, run far and run away. And if they’re letters like these, before you run, please forward a copy to the FBI or their local police department.

And that’s the column for this week! Everyone, I would like you to know that I will be at the CityLit Festival in Baltimore, MD tomorrow and possibly at the Ting Tings concert. So if you wanna bug me, there’s your chance.

The winner for the poetry contest will be announced at midnight so if you haven’t submitted, do it nao! Check out the About Me/Contact Me to find out how to send them.

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Bedknobs and Broomsticks

Filed under: AfroPunk/The Establishment, Relationships and Dating — Leave a comment
April 6, 2012

Firstly, I wanna start off with saying that starting today, I would like to try a contest that will stretch through next Friday, April 13. It’s a literary contest to celebrate the fact that it is Poetry Literature Month. That means I would like for you readers to send in your poetic works, it can be text or it can be on video. The winner will be featured on this month’s The Arts! So get them in! You can submit them through twitter, the Black Witch fan page or email. Check the About Me/Contact Me page for contact info.

Secondly, I’m planning a first ever BW Meet and Greet for June 9th. It will be in Baltimore, my hometown, so keep your eyes peeled for details. Onward with the column.

Sex and sexuality in Paganism is pretty opposite from Christianity. Christianity in general is known for being a sex-negative religion, meaning that it paints a pretty negative picture on sex and sexuality such as regarding sex as something carnal and animal-like, taking away from the pureness of the spirit, and that sex should only be done after marriage and even then only to be makin’ babies (insert your Gingrich jokes here). Then there’s the idea that contraception gets in the way of God’s choice to decide if you’re going to have kiddos boppin around or not. Ooh, and that since sex is only to have kids, there must only be vaginal sex, everything else is sinful. And it has to be between two people of the opposite sex, no more and definitely no less and ab-so-lute-ly betta ever evvvvvvva never be between two people of the same sex. Apparently that’s like binking your toaster or pet dog [insert your Santorum joke here (like I just did, hehehe)]. Men should only want it, women should have zero drive (it would be sinful if they did) and everyone should be abstinent until their wedding day or someone’s gonna get a lot of shaming going on. And don’t even think about it either, that’s also sinful.

Paganism in general is pretty sex-positive. In that sex is seen as part of nature and that it’s natural to have sexual drive and desire. We have at least two holidays for it on the Wheel of the Year, Beltane and Ostara (Spring Equinox). We’re pretty open to contraception, the first use of contraception was used in Mesopotamia and early Egypt – Egyptians invented the first condom, actually. Sexuality is seen as natural so if you’re heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, asexual, demisexual, pansexual, etc etc etc, it is what it is – as long as it is consensual and everyone is on the same page. Whatever you do in bed is your business. What you fantasize or view or experience is also your own business – as long as you can keep it under control, know how to separate what goes on in your head versus what goes on in the real world and how not to go overboard/become a creeper about it. There’s more emphasis on responsibility than guilt here. And more cultural choices for women to express themselves without as much slut-shaming that occurs frequently in Christianity. For those who don’t know that term, it will be explained later on, just follow me for now.

Now some parts of Christianity isn’t wack, such as waiting (abstinence) and wanting to have a fair foundation ready before having kids. I agree with those. Sheesh, even Pagan parents are kinda going “Maybe you should wait. Like, waaaaaait.” But instead of Pagan parents simply telling their youngin’s to wait for their wedding day, they’re more likely to tell them to wait when they’re ready and responsible enough to handle all the responsibilities that could come out of it (*koff*pregnaciesstd*koff*)…and perhaps with a side lean of “when you’re out my house and old enough to afford a house” slipped in. Pagan parents may be more open-minded but that doesn’t – and shouldn’t – stop them from being parents.

Now we got that snippet out of the way. Back to the slut-shaming and suches.

Slut-shaming is pretty much condemning women for what they wear, things they do/say/act and if they are not ashamed of expressing themselves outside the constricting gender role for women as usually defined by culturally Christian standards, maybe by having casual sex or don’t mind watching pornography. For example, say a woman walks down the street in short-shorts and a halter top. Slut-shaming is to shun her if she tries to speak her mind (though she may have a Ph. D., probably personally turned down a position from Obama himself just to work with United Nations and is most likely going to secure a Nobel Prize or two before she hits 60) because of the assumption that since she’s not dressed like a “smart-looking woman” or in any way that would deny desire from men, she must be nothing more than a whore or easy since she’s “showing her goods”. It would be “okay” to call this chick with the Ph.D. a “slut”, regardless of whether she does or does not have sex, or even to call her stupid because she’s not dressing like she’s about to teach a class. It would be “okay” to touch her even though she doesn’t want the attention and most definitely does not want to be grabbed nor objectified. And if you raped her, society is expected not to blame the guy who wanted her – also known by legal documents as “the rapist” – but her because she was “asking for it” by wearing the clothes she wore.

Yep. Chick with the Ph.D. apparently deserves to be slapped, shouted at, grabbed and sexually assaulted because she wanted to wear her favorite pair of shorts and top,* just like Trayvon Martin totally wanted to get stalked and gunned down because he decided to get Skittles and rock a hoodie while Black. Ugh, I swear, when will people stop bringing things like rape and murder upon themselves? Sheesh, it’s not like guys can control their groins and glocks and such over clothes.

Yah, sounds stupid, huh?

That’s slut-shaming, it’s part of rape culture, which is a different column/post. Paganism does have its douchebags but because the religion has so much based on matriarchy and is pretty women-friendly – we’re best known as “Goddess-based” religions, remember – there’s less slut-shaming and quite more gender equality here. Although sometimes guys feel left out because sometimes the male counterpart of the religion can be seen as diminutive in comparison to the female part of the religion but trust me, we’re pretty balanced for the most part.

Sex in Paganism isn’t all orgies and stuff like that. To be honest, I have absolutely no idea how that stereotype came to be but I have the idea that within the Christian framing of mind, anyone who wasn’t going by their way of sex rules were probably considered raging nymphos because usually the opposite of chaste virginity, as taught in Christianity, is sinful, lustful and very taboo sex sex sex. So with this framing/perspective, something as vanilla and mainstream as basic spanking can seem like it’s a banner of kinkiness and the person remarking upon this can sound like they’re 12. Now does Paganism shun sex with multiple partners at once? Not really, we’re not Christianity. I think the Pagan perspective on sex is kinda the three S’s:

– Be Smart
– Be Safe
– Don’t be Stupid

To break it down:

Be Smart: Learn about contraception, debunk as many myths on sex and genitalia as you humanly can, learn about STDs, figure out your stance on the abortion debate and kids for yourself (do you want kids? Would you or your girlfriend/wife/whatever be comfortable with having an abortion if a slip up occurred?), learn about condoms and lubricant, learn about consent, learn about what safe sex is, learn about yourself and what you prefer sexually, know your limits and respect them, learn about Plan B. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and know that there’s nothing wrong with being a virgin if you want to be one and know that having sex does not make you an adult nor does watching a lot of pornos make you an expert on sex.  Read Dan Savage, listen to Loveline, write to Demetria. Just be informed.

Be Safe: Consent is your friend. No one wants to start off the night having fun and finish the week trying to explain to the cops how you didn’t rape him/her, it wasn’t like that at all, officer. Get tested. Try to stay away from risky sex choices which could lead to unwanted pregnancy or STDs such as doing it while under the influence of anything or with unstable people. Use condoms and always have a backup plan in case that breaks and remember, consent is your friend. All sides should be willing, not one coercing the other into whatever sex act is about to take place. And “stop” means “stop”, or whatever safe word is established to play the role of “stop”.

Don’t be Stupid: No coercing anyone. It is not a must if you’re Pagan to have sex. Not at all. You can be a virgin all your life, it’s not a bad thing. You could wait ‘til marriage and no one should have a bone to pick with you. You could have casual sex and that’s not a problem. You could be strictly monogamous and no one should care. You could just plain wait and that’s okay. Anyone who tells you different most likely does not have the best intentions for you or simply bought into the same nonsense that you must have sex to become a whole person/have wisdom. If wise Sages came from boning, most of the perils of the world wouldn’t exist. You don’t have to perform the Great Rite with anyone, it’s not necessary for ritual. If you’re uncomfortable, leave. If everyone is not on the same page, get everyone there or just say, “Eh, rather not.” Don’t treat people like they’re walking sex objects, fleshlights and dildos have been invented for a reason. Don’t believe sex myths (“You’re not going to get pregnant only through anal sex”, “if it isn’t vaginal, it isn’t sex”, “If he pulls out, she won’t get pregnant”, “Can’t get STDs from oral sex”, “Can’t get pregnant during your period”) and don’t pressure anyone into sex. You could say hi to them, be nice to them, even shove them out of the way of a train or go back in time and rescue them from the World Trade Center Spiderman style and guess what? They do not owe you sex. At all. Ever. Kindness doesn’t work that way.

Sex in Paganism is about responsibility. We don’t have a Devil or any other absolute evil to dump blame on. And I mean honest responsibility, as in, if you’re not ready, don’t do it. Not “Sweet, a religion that will let me have tons and tons of sex!” Newp. You still have to act like a reasonable person, preferably treat people (both genders) like human beings and deal with rejections, missed chances, wack communication and more stuff that comes with being human. And since Paganism tends to have some feminism injected in it, that means we frown on rape culture and objectification a little bit more than the major three. A person is their own being. If they want to wear a halter top or show off their pecs, then that’s it. It doesn’t mean, “Come here and grope me or cat call me”. It just means someone has high self-esteem and pride in their body. And since we’re more welcoming to homosexuality and bisexuality than Christianity in comparison, that also means the person who might hit on you just might be the same sex, even if you’re not the same sexuality so if you have some outdated gender perceptions, prepare to get brought up to speed. Everyone is responsible for themselves and what they do to others, pretty much. Does this make Paganism the perfect religion? Heck no. We have some serious short comings ourselves but in comparison to the norm, we do have some progressive streaks going.

* – I would have written “While female” to parallel “While Black” but you can be female while Black (I am) so it would have been a bit redundant and I prolly would have gone off a tangent about intersectionality, street harassment and rape culture. Another topic for another time.

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