Black Witch

It’s this week’s Ask Black Witch! It’s also the last post of the year. The ending of the year wasn’t too fun for me, since I’m housed away in Virginia as of this writing and with a dead tablet because of a trigger that made me leave home (PTSD is no fun, kids). The tablet is dead because I couldn’t bring the super finicky charger. Oh wellz.

Onwards to the questions!

Hi!

I’ve read a few of your posts referring to some books/information about paganism/non abrahamic religions as “too new age-y,” and wanted your opinion about a particular book called “What is Lightbody?” So far, I have only found 3 other books that even refer to the concept of “light work,” so I would like to take it as a reliable source in my own spiritual/magickal growth.

Thanks!

– Jessica G.

I responded:

Author please? I don’t know every book out there.

🙂 Wow!  I wasn’t expecting a response this fast! The author is Tashira Tachi-ren.

From the author, things already sounded suspect. The name sounds like a crash course of something sounding like it’s trying to be ethnic (namely, Japanese) but failing. And usually in Paganism, this is usually attached to a White person. I googled the name.

Yep. White lady. The book looked just as bad, I skimmed it through Amazon.

I’m skimming while still dealing with a head cold but something seems really off about the book.

For starters, when you have an archangel as your co-author, there’s usually the start of your problems of dealing with a dink author, besides the phony name.

I have mixed feelings about it as well.  On one hand, since there aren’t a lot of other books about the topic it seemed like it would be legitimate for meditations, and I have also found two black pagans on youtube who have referred to themselves and others as “lightworkers.”  On the other hand, I have an ingrained Baptist suspicion of channeling no matter how far away I get from my Abrahamic roots.  

I came across it because I am interested in mysticism and metaphysics, and this very much falls into that area.  

Here are the two youtube videos I was referring to:

“What is a Light Worker? What is Dark Energy?”

“Random Brother Ra: I’m a Light Worker from the Hood”

(They’re non-linked because they were not really that good to vouch for)

13SignsAstrology guy talks about chemtrails and given his demeanor, his vid about the orgins of the race will be Afriboo grade, therefore this guy most likely is an unreliable source. The other one is marginally better but seemingly by a hair. It appears that they don’t have a lot of study on the subject. Channeling is real but are you just trying to do Kabbalah stuff or lightworking (which, depending on which route you take, is pretty new-agey nonsense) in general?

I’m attracted to the concept of lightworking for working with different colors of light in order to heal myself and others. I’m not even quite sure how I came across the term, but it seemed interesting and this one was the oldest (and one of 2) books I could find on it.  The basis of it is very “out-there,” but since I’ve been researching magickal/belief systems for years, I’m willing to at least think on it, and wanted to check with someone who may be more familiar with it. 🙂  There aren’t many (black) people where I am who openly practice anything that may draw suspicion, so I can’t ask anyone in person. And you are closer to me in age, so I felt more comfortable asking you! 

Thanks for answering!!  I’m about to go overseas this weekend, and was debating on the handful of books I would take with me.    

This is another video. 

“Citrine Crystal: My Joy, Energy, Mood Booster, Happiness Gemstone”

Apologies for the onslaught of emails, but I believe my question really is, do you have an opinion on lightworking?

Thanks

Sounds like you mainly want to do color magick sort of, since you want to work with various colors, even if it in using light. My opinion on lightworking is that it is ok but there such a deluge of Christian based nonsense with bit and pieces yanked from other cultures such as the idea of karma (that’s Hinduism) that it’s almost not worth following someone else and just researching for yourself how light and energy work (from a scientific perspective), the psychological and esoteric effects of color and how that was perceived throughout various eras and histories. 

None of the videos you shown me would I recommend. They’re just not well researched enough and too cramped down in contemporary, Western Christian and Abrahamic ideology that it couldn’t possibly support reasonable theories. If you want to work with angels, that’s fine but do real research, not follow after these people. I’ll touch more on all this during Ask Black Witch at the end of this month.

And now that time is here! Woo. Easier to talk about stuff when you don’t have a head cold.

So, for book recommendation because I want to get that out of the way. I looked in the Library of Congress stacks on witchcraft and metaphysics (it’s a little meh but got some usefulness to it) and I have found a book called Tony and Tina Color Energy: How Color can Transform Your Life by Christina Bornstein and Anthony Gill. Despite the super new-agey title (that I dislike because of that very reason), the book actually has quite some interesting nuggets of information that could probably help you. However, still do some research because these guys aren’t as bad as the vloggers you’ve mentioned, without any supplementary information, you could wind up sounding as mental and off-color as some of the vloggers. And that’s not good.

There’s a sizeable amount to flip through on Amazon via the Look Inside but here’s a good snapshot I took of the book to show some of what they talk about since that doesn’t show up on the Look Inside.

Click for full size pic

So I recommend giving it a look.

Now, the lightworker book from Tashi-ren, books like that you should always pass on. The writing in the book is very well deluded. In the foreword says:

“Tashira Tachi-ren walked into the body on July 11, 1985 and walked out the body on December 17, 1997. With an eternal essence of Divine Will and a divine function of Holographic Harmonization, her divine design was perfect suited to embody the vision of, and be the primary channel for, the Council of Ein Soph.”

This is mental as all get out. The mention of holograms is the most fishy part of this. That’s usually said in the vein of UFO and aliens believers and folks who think that they have had metal plates or something that wirelessly controls them put in their head (and the story will always involve the “evils” of homosexuality in some way, shape or form. That’s usually how you can tell something stupid is present, homophobia, racism or misogyny). Ein Soph (also spelled Ein Sof) is, as described by my go-to book, The Watkins Dictionary of Magic by Nevill Drury: “In the Kabbalah, the ‘Infinite’. See Ain Soph Aur”. In the book, Ain Soph Aur is: “A Hebrew expression meaning ‘Limitless Light’. In the Kabbalah, it represents the infinite and mysterious source from which all comes forth.” So that part is legit in name but only in use of name alone. Everything else is bunk.

Then you have this bit:

“Aliyah Merkavah Ziondra walked into the body of Tashira Tachi-Ren on December 17, 1997. As an incarnation of Rapture Elohim, her essence is Divine Rapture and her function is Divine Alignment. She views her orientation as devotional and heart-centered.”

What. The. Holy. Hell? Ok, now I’m confused. If Tachi-Ren walked out of the body on that day, how could someone else walk into her body? That sounds almost like two levels of possessions. That and Elohim, also by Watkins Dictionary means “One of the sacred names of God in Hebrew scripture and the Kabbalah, and used by magicians as a god-name in magical ceremonies. It is the plural form of ‘El’, meaning ‘God’. See following entries.” There’s Elohim Gebor/Givor and Elohim Tzevaot but there is no “rapture” version. And speaking of rapture, here comes the doom and gloom. Oh, this is going to be really…repetitive of all the other dime store books that sound just as butterball nuts.

At least the two personas are explained a little further down with “On December 17, 1997[,] Tashira Tachi-ren walked-out and Rapture Elohim walked-in.” But still, “[Ziondra] embodied the Wings of Glory program from the Council. She brought in the rest of the Phoenyx [of Yah]/[Heavenly]Merkavah teaching and all of the Bennu Initiations.” None of this stuff makes sense. And why would something so universal as a deity care about Earth where there is a whole universe to worry about? Why rely on humans? I’m pretty sure the Abrahmic god can see what damage we’re capable of, even offed his own kid. At that point, loving (despite rapturous and jealous) or not, wouldn’t it be time to scour through space and time to find another group of living beings that aren’t so derpy, they’re still hung up on the fact they come in darker shades to the point of displaying vast homicidal tendencies?

And here comes the bit where I could tell this book was not worth reading (and I can finish up so I can move on to the next questions):

“Even with the [parallel, Sept 17-19, 2001] split occurring slowly over three days, the Light level regression and the events of 9/11[,] many Lightworkers felt traumatized by the split. Most members of the last two walk-in waves failed to launch and remained confused and immersed in the karma game.”

Now we have 9/11 mentioned. Ok, why would the angels or whatever entities care about 9/11? Why so centric to the United States? There’s many, maaaaaaaaaaaaany things that were happening well before the terrorist attack (that was in reaction to really crappy stuff the US has done to other nations, including launched terrorist attacks and invasions of our own since ehhhhhhhh, Cold War? (And remember, Cold War got started from stuff that happened in WWII. Which got started from stuff in WWI, it’s all a doozy). So I don’t know why higher entities would care outside of saying, “Welp, that’s what you get for screwing other people over on a regular basis and in God’s name half the time”?). Why would any higher entity planted here on earth worry about America when the Middle East, where many Biblical events occurred, is pretty much on fire? And partly thanks to America, of course, as well as other Western nations. It doesn’t make sense. And 9/11 was bad but it wasn’t the only bad thing happening at the time. It’s just…this bit is so US centric, it doesn’t make sense.

Let’s not get started with the use of the term “karma” and the fact that is from Hinduism soooooooo, yeah. This book is just a bad pick. Nothing about it is worth looking at, at all.

Onward with other questions!

Hello. I would first like to say I enjoyed reading your blog specific, especially that you are not in favour of love spells, your argument well iterated. And hexing, yeah instead of dealing with issues like well-developed beings, there is the attitude of ‘fix it for me’ rather than taking responsibility for our actions. I believe that is what a witch is, someone who takes responsibility for their actions, what it is; neither good nor bad. I like ‘binding a karmic spell’ as it incorporates basic witchcraft principles. I’m not interested in the Wiccan rede, where the ‘do what thy will but do no harm’. Comes across to me as not being fully responsible for what is done. 

Well I’ll put that aside now being not the time.

I am studying via my well-honed research skills to become a witch. Which witch is irrelevant to me, I won’t sit by a colour and limit whatever I am supposed to accomplish. I’ve survived a hellasious series of life learning experiences and now I am again free in spirit and body to be and what I damned well like.;-) So I believe that I was born to become a witch. My information hunt led me to your site.

Sometimes I can let things go and have learned to forgive some people some things. However when a memory of a particular event is triggered and get low, then I think how come there is no justice no recourse for what they did, et cetera. So I want to punish them spiritually and I guarantee that is justified and will elucidate at the end.

Yet I’m appreciative that millions of people have suffered and are not seeking revenge. I could go in circles.

So reading your blog regarding the use of karmic spell leads me to this question.

How far or bad does it have to be before taking defensive or punitive action?

So this is my background I don’t like to talk but this is an exception.
I was brought up in a good old abusive Christian environment, yes they did it all. I put myself through university & met the father of my 3 (lovely/rotten) kids. The oldest turned 16 this year. I’m leaving out a lot I was diagnosed 10 years ago my youngest is 11 in two months. With major depression and anxiety with border line personality disorder. I am in remission the bpd is like having a 1000 mood swings all day. That is no longer in control of me but me. Although there have been many incidents where as an adult I was in very bad situation so. And obviously I don’t like talking about any of these. This incident was 15years ago. We were planning to get engaged. So to celebrate I was to have dinner with the ex-girlfriend of one of his mates. Thing is I look at this now & can’t believe how gullible…anyway after the meal I stood she did too came towards me smiling as I passed out. I woke up when it was dark in a shallow bath, screaming and heard the ambulance officers say she’s on drugs. Then my partner (ex), turned up. Apparently they took picture shows & showed him. He said he never wants to talk about this again. And for two day had vomiting diarrhea. I then had a reputation as being easy. I live in WA. He & the other two are still in Darwin, NT. We were planning to come back home so the kids could spend time together. But ah school fees etc so the holiday is delayed. And triggered the fear of being seen by ‘anyone’ at home.

That is what I was pondering what I could possibly do, initially I was looking for an effective punishment but that’s not likely. That is what I call justified anger. 

With your experience may I inquire your opinion of when or how bad must it be.
And yes I’ve had worse experiences as I got older.
So please I would like your views.

Please respond, thank you for your time.

– Fiona D.

For the skimmers, the question in this letter is this: How far or bad does it have to be before taking defensive or punitive action? 

A good rule of thumb is “After all mundane options have been used.” Protective magick can be done – as long as it is general to cover all bases – at the start of a problem but defensive magick with a punitive edge, should be done after all reasonable mundane options have been done. For example, stalking from an abusive ex: There’s the mundane options of going to the police, having a police report done, getting a restraining order (if possible because a piece of paper with the resting threat of legal repercussions don’t stop bullets or the person simply running into your house or any other physical, real-world action), informing others that this is happening. After exercising all these options, nothing is wrong with doing karmic or binding spells for further protection. Basically, don’t run to magick first thing to solve a problem, it should be the back-up procedure to ensure your safety.

I’m Abigail

I wanted to thank you very much for your post.  If my writing wasn’t so bad I could say I wrote it myself.  I’m of the left hand path something that has been inside me from the age of 8 and I begged for that 8 Ball for Xmas  I live in the Sacramento California area and dream of the day I could find or meet people who are not afraid do to Christian brainwashing.  I do believe in live and let live why can’t others do the same.  How dare they tell me how to live as though we were Siamese twins in the womb..  I have been studying the all things Occult side of things like it was a food menu, because I’m drawn to it,  I have to I want to.  I won’t go into the history of Mother and Grand Mother , I’ll repeat glad I found your information..  

I’ve been searching lately through dating sites and of course it’s been very difficult because I know I don’t belong there not out of shame their just not into the or accepting of the same beliefs.   I’m strong enough not to care about their wanting to go to heaven while excluding and condemning, for I am hell bound where I can be happy.

Although I’m  now a free to be lesbian along with being a lefty I have always worked alone  in my craft. Because I have not met anyone here., noting for instance our craft would not have to be the same.. 

How wonderful it would be to have a partner who see’s me light some black candles and say “  ooo  somebody gonna get”  and we laugh , I say yep and I ask do you need  more of my , red , blue any color candle,  herb or voodoo poppet and she say yes and I need your help tonight with a spell or ritual.

Please feel free to contact me any time I have subscribed to your web site as well may the Christians and other trouble makers  keep the F—K out.  The have enough websites of their own.  I’m not trying to come off like a racist per say however as black people we need to have our own just like the rest of the world who now have set their eyes on mars and the other planets.  We need to build that being said may your website do very well  like Egypt.

If there is a dating site that you know of for serious black pagans,  please let me know,

Truthfully

Abigail

I quickly and briefly reminded her this in a response but so to avoid getting more of these: I don’t practice the Left-Hand Path. I never said ever that I have. There’s nothing on this blog to even back up that claim. I’m “Black Witch” because I’m a Black person – I am from the Pan-African Diaspora, I’m of Negro heritage, I’ve been harassed by cops, passed over for jobs, followed in stores, bothered by White folks who make excuses for their more racist counterparts while saying they’re an “ally” and been told to straighten my hair, – simply, I’m a Black person. A fact that, when people miss it, it’s a major pet peeve of mine because how do you miss the fact this is a race-based Pagan blog? I tend to see it as an act of grand dunce, plain and simple. Even if the mistake was made from another Black person, it still is a pet peeve. Just because I practice witchcraft doesn’t automatically mean I’m a practitioner of the Left-Hand Path, that’s irrational. It’s like me assuming every Christian I meet is Catholic just because they said they’re Christian.

Now, dating while Black and Pagan is certainly not easy. The Pagan dating sites are pretty White centered, Black folks in general may have an issue with Paganism due to lack of general information (and the fact that the face of Paganism is constantly a White, middle class person does not help). I know. It would be best to try a general online dating site such as OkCupid since you can match up with others of various faiths, including other Black folks and to be really up front about being Pagan on your profile. It’s always good to be upfront about the fact that you’re Pagan and are serious about your practices. In the questions, you can go in-depth about spellwork and more but make sure it’s in a neutral sense so folks don’t think it’s automatically hexes and jinxes with you.

Also, at least on a site like OkCupid, you can sort what kind of girl you want to make contact with, so you can click on everything but “Christian” for “Religion” and just click on “Black” for “Ethnicity” and see what you get.

In addition, I can understand not wanting to deal with Christian folks  in the dating circle (I’m straight but dealing with a Christian nutter crosses all orientations so I still get you) in general but it’s best to work on your perception of Christianity so folks, even from other religions, don’t go “Geez, what’s her problem?” It’s one thing to say, “Man, this culture is too Christian centric. The laws are based in Christian rhetoric, everyone assumes you’re either Christian or you’re evil and despite the glaring fact that many really terrible people are and have been Christian,” so on and so forth but another to just take on an “All Christians suck” stance. You don’t have to be all “Jesus is my best friend” because that’s stupid since you practice a different religion but just try to be neutral about the religion itself. Neutral doesn’t mean you can’t rip on the bad acting Christians, just know the difference. Neutral also doesn’t mean you have to think Christianity is fantastic, just acknowledge that it exists and people practice it.

Regardless of whatever, it’s important to just be upfront with who you are and to nip in the bud any girl that comes through that seems obviously uncomfortable with your religious practices. Hey, you might also avoid a few walking “let us pray”, gay-panic type lesbians who are hyper-Christian since they internalized some Christian based homophobia because no one needs that in their life.

And part of me wants to say, “Get a Tumblr.” There’s gotta be a lgbt Black Pagan community on there. There’s gotta be a Black gay, bi or pansexual girl on there that you could click with or have introduce you to someone she knows.

Dating is tough.

And that’s all the questions for Ask Black Witch for this month! (And the last of the year!)