Black Witch

Here is this month’s Ask Black Witch, let’s get into it. Actually, before we do, thank you everyone who managed to donate. My mom is back inside her home and we’re resolving her rent situation so to avoid this for the future.

Hi [Black Witch]!

My name is Vermail, and my question is more like a comment rather than a question. I really hope that my proclamation is more of a breath of fresh air rather than a gasp of overwhelmingly strange questions and requests for you. I am from Chicago, but emigrated to northwest Indiana. You see, I am a natural “brown” witch. I am African-American, I am just getting away from the term of “Black” to be described. Yes being called “Black” is a heck of a lot better than being called all the other demeaning terms we have been called over time, I just feel that we should be called who we are. Which is American plain and simple. Since my skin is brown, I just prefer the term “brown” to describe me. Because you see, even the “Blackest” person is brown. But I embrace my “blackness” spells and all! Anyhoo, ever since I was little, I’ve felt special. I’ve heard this voice inside my head telling me that there is something different about me. I didn’t fit in with any of the other brown girls growing up, my tastes were different. As a child, I could rationalize and analyze as an adult. I always had this feeling that I was wise among my years, but I just chalked it up to a gifted mind, no big deal. But as I grew older I noticed that situations and events would wind up in my favor. Even though I came from an extremely poor family, I was blessed with the things that I needed. It wasn’t until I hit my older 20s that I could hear voices. But not just any voices, it was the dead, people in my life that crossed over. I thought I was going crazy! I figured my college antics were finally catching up with me. I did struggle with depression growing up as a result of a hard childhood. We have alot in common. Hopefully we can have a shared dialog sometime. Well, it wasn’t until 2011 when I began to notice energies in the enviornment. I would feel a tightness in my chest along with a strange voice in my head telling me small phrases. Like one liners. Seems like it takes alot of energy for the crossed over to communicate with the living. As I type this it still seems strange to me.  There is so much I want to type, but this is all still new to me. So lets fast-forward to 2013. I was 32 yrs old and this was the time that I could really feel my craft blossom. I realized that I could use intention to help things in my life go better. I felt charmed and blessed. I’ve always been a positive person and I felt like that helped. That saying the glass is always half-full has always helped me. As long as I stayed positive, positive things happened. Even in bad situations. I mean I’ve had my share of hard times, but I’ve beem blessed to get through it. Fast forwarding to 2014, I was accepted into nursing school. Needless to say its been the most difficult endeavor I’ve ever done. During a stressful time during finals, I dreamed about crystals. It was like they were calling me. I checked out this website called WitchVox and found the nearest Witch shop. I met this really nice Caucasian lady named Renee who helped me answer alot of questions about magick. I kinda came prepared for the stones to pick me, and she was intrigued. Especially since I was the only Black girl to come in with a plan. The only other girl that was brown came in, looked around and left right back out. Renee told me she had the shop protected and only people with specific intentions stayed. We talked for a while, I picked my stones and left. I was excited that I finally found someone to relate to. But the problem was that every blog site and every opinion was by a white person. I’m not a racist person (heck, theres white in my blood) but I couldn’t find a brown girl to relate to. Someone who shared the same struggles as I did. So earlier this year I took a chance and googled “Black Witch”. I was scared I’d find all kind of links to devil worshippers, black magick and Satan followers. But alas, you were the 1st link on the list! I was so happy to find a Brown Witch who knows the craft better than I.  Not that I ever considered myself a specialist. But people ask some really crazy crap.  So I hide my talent, only my husband, mom, a trusted friend and mom-in-law knows. I just dont like being in the magick spotlight. Well to make an incredibly long story short, I am so glad I found you, and congrats for blogging about your craft for over 5 years. I hope that one day I can be as brave as you to put myself out there to help other know that being magickal is not being crazy. Hoorah and thank you. I’m sure well talk more soon!

– Vermail

To start with, everyone: I rather folks just call me Black Witch on here. Mainly for the same reason people don’t call Deadmau5 “Joel” or Jay-Z “Shawn”, even though that is their real first names. Also, everyone, I don’t like being distanced from Blackness, directly or indirectly. I’m not Brown (except in skin hue), I’m Black, plain and simple. And so is the person writing in, they’re Black. It’s internalized anti-Blackness exercised. I’m not mixed, I’m not brown, I’m not non-identified PoC, I’m Black. I don’t have a problem with being Black, it’s best others don’t either because whether any of them knows it or not, it’s anti-Blackness when you’re trying to distance yourself from it, especially for no good reason. And usually it’s Black folks writing in who are the bigger offenders.

Also, I’m Black American. Not simply American. Because America didn’t really find my Blackness very American (despite building the super-power nation) for a very long time, well after July 4, 1776. And still has problems noticing that I am also American and not simply because I pay my taxes to a country that craps a brick over anything that attempts to reflect my visage. And still gotta have a major debate on the freaking rebel flag/Confederate flag. I’m a Marylander and I know that’s a crock of bullsh*t. So, yeah, I’m American, but I’m not going to ignore my American history because being Black in America is a much different experience than being what is usually thought of when folks say “American”, which is a White American. Being colorblind is just White-washing on the sneak. If it was an international person writing in, “American” is just fine because I don’t expect folks overseas to full understand the race debacle here and when dealing with different nations, it’s ok to be identified by nationality (plus it helps to remind the world America fibs when they paint Americans as all White in nearly all overseas depictions) but with folks in the same nation as me? I’m “Black American” because… dislike of hereditary erasure.

This is a lot to read for everyone (as well as the second email sent) and I didn’t bother to break things up into paragraphs, so the TL;DR: “How do I manage dealing with spirits and getting better with my practice?” The best book for intermediate practice would possibly best be Intution Magick by Linda Keen and The Magickal Life by Vivianne Crowley (not related to Aleister Crowley, I believe). That and with any energy manipulation, learn meditation with a focus on energy manipulation. If new to meditation, the best app I would recommend is Intellicare’s Purple Chill, which has deep breathing, visualization and other exercises that are immensely effective and well taught.

Hey my question is about speaking with your inner self/selves. I’ve been looking for a while now to try and find a way to see into my inner most parts or at least be able to speak to myself. Do you know of a way to do that? Is it unwise to try? Thank you for taking time out of your day to read this

– Brandon C.

I was a bit confused at first because since I did post “Too Many Minds to Mind” recently, so I asked for clarification.

Is this a question for metaphysics or dissociative disorder? You will have to clairify.

Metaphysics possibly the ladder maybe you can discern: I can’t align my spirit. I can’t agree on one thing and I can’t feel at peace with decisions. One of the other (Inner or outer self) feels like it’s rebelling. That or it’s wounded. I wanted to know if there was a way I could commune or self search safely. Or a way to see inside?

Sounds like a potential dissociative thing but I’m not a therapist and notice I said “potential”, not “actual”. That and I just couldn’t let the “latter/ladder” thing slide, ah alors.

You mean ‘latter’, I think. The main part of any dissociative disorder is amnesia. If you can’t recall whole swaths of memory, that could be dissociative but it is best to get a screening because of how dissociative works. That is also not exactly the same with feeling at odd with your inner and outer self. If you still think it is dissociative, talk to a counselor to get a screening or look at the links I had on my post about Dissociative to best discern what it actually could be.

Apparently, that wasn’t what the dude wanted to hear.

Pretty sure it’s not. And I’m not trying to ask you to do something for me except tell me a simple way to see inside of myself. I appreciate you trying to help in a non witch way. And I don’t know weather you’re saying you can’t or won’t but I really just needed the tip on how to: commune again, safely with one’s self. And If anything what I’m exhibiting could be BPD1 or schizophrenia But again thanks for taking time out of your day to help me. 

I think when people write to a witch, they’re forever expecting spells or something that remotely seems “magickal” but A) if it’s a regular problem, you’re going to get a regular solution B) This is why I asked if it is a metaphysics question or a dissociative question and he said it was a dissociative question, which is the latter option. Going at a psychological illness with metaphysics just simply is a bad idea, hence why I suggested the dude get a screening if that’s what he thought he had so he could get a definite answer from a professional source and be able to successfully move forward. It’s a “non-witch” solution but the best one to suggest for anyone who thinks they have any psychological issues. If the dude said it was the former, a metaphysics question, then I would have said something entirely different since there are many schools of thought in metaphysics of alternate selves because they don’t come from trauma. Basically, I gave a solution: If you think you have alternate personalities/selves, get a screening to make sure. And I try to clarify this.

That’s why I suggested a counselor (or therapist), they can best help because if it something like an alternate personality, they’re there for a reason, thus not easy to commune with because they stem from trauma.

Hey, I have a therapist. I’m not trying to low key call the dude crazy for thinking he has an inner and outer self, I’m simply trying to suggest the best option for him if he thinks it is a disorder. Because that’s what he said the question was about. What did he expect? That I would give a meditation or something so you can get in touch with a side of you that was formed from trauma? You’ll unlock memories and experiences but if you’re not ready to deal with the deluge of whatever comes out of Pandora’s Box, it would be a bad – even dangerous – idea. Part of this is speaking from experience. If the dude wanted to ask a metaphysics version, he should have.

Mkay girl. Stay blessed 

I’m turning 28 next week as of this post. When friends say “girl”, that’s fine. However, from strangers, it’s odd, especially guys. Basically: I’m nearly 30, I dislike the term “girl” in this context.

Not a girl, dude, I’m nearly 30.

Oh this isn’t the same black with from Afro-punk? I feel bamboozled

Firstly, there’s a Malcom X joke that can come from here somewhere. Annnnnn while I was writing on Afro-Punk when I was 23…five years have passed. I got older. Still wasn’t a girl then but still, c’mon.

I am, that’s where Black Witch started

Pretty simple, yeah?

That was a woman are you telling me now that this is admin based?

That makes next to no sense. But I tried.

Nope, Black Witch is still ran and maintained by one person. I simply don’t take kindly to being called a “girl” since I’m not one.

And out comes the deluge of emo:

Okay, gurl you’re like the least helpful witch I’ve happened upon. Girl wasn’t meant to type fast you is girl as in hey girl bye girl okay girl. I usually spell it with a u. Now that’s the second time you’ve tried to correct me it how I address you. Learn of your own culture and AAVE especially in the lgbt community. 

But you’ve answered more questions than I cared to ask at this point. 

Have a great day and please don’t respond to this. 

Ok, I have no idea why the sudden PMSing. Not doling out spells doesn’t make me “least helpful”, not everything needs magick to solve regular problems. It’s almost like asking me to craft a potion to remove a stain from your shirt and getting into a fit when I suggest “Try laundry detergent”. Everyone, yes, I’m a witch but I’m a person, too. And how was I supposed to know that he’s LGBT with zip, zero, zilch signifiers? Without any other colloquial identifiers (slang, basically), how the heck am I supposed to know? Remember, on the internet, no one knows who you are. This is why the saying “The Internet:Men are Men, Women are Men and Children are the FBI” still rotates around. This says nothing of the bunches of times the dude says “girl” in emo frenzy.

My response (because I can be a douche after putting up with this chicanery):

Sensitive, huh? And I can’t tell if you’re LGBT via just asking about inner and outer selves, brah. It ain’t a lack of knowledge when you go the Poe’s Law route by you barely us[ing] any slang and made a typo in addition. Besides, you asked a question, I gave an answer, what did you expect?

I have to learn Black slang? Dude, at least use Black slang right if you want me to understand it. It’s like asking me if I know Japanese and then getting upset I that I couldn’t tell you knew any either since you just only used the words “karaoke” and “sushi” in an all-English sentence. Why can’t I get smarter readers to write in? Certainly you guys got to have questions to ask me.