Alright, everything has been ironed out between AfroPunk and I. The Black Witch Ustream chat will be at the AfroPunk Ustream, not the BW Ustream. It will be 4:30-5:30 PM EST and of course on Halloween (Sunday). You can talk to me via Ustream but also via Twitter as well, just tweet me @thisblackwitch and I’ll get the messages all the same. I will be broadcasting at Mystickal Voyage metaphysical shop in Nottingham, MD. Hopefully you’ll attend the chat and we will all have fun!
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The Establishment (AfroPunk) Version
Alright, this The Arts is the Samhain Edition, where I list out great books, sites and resources for Paganism, Witchcraft and finding like-minded individuals! Expect this to be yearly, there’s always new content! Have something to suggest? Lemme know! But first lemme kick things off with the winners of my first divination giveaway, Samhain Pickers! The winners (and their divy requests) are:
– C. Wright (Cartomancy)
– P. Scales (Tarot)
– S. Francis (Natal Chart)
All winners have been notified and will be read for this week. If you do not see your reading in your email by Halloween/Samhain, please do notify me. Thank you for making this contest so successful, it’s gonna be yearly so people who didn’t take part or didn’t win this year, there’s always next year! Alright, let’s head on with The Arts!
Books
Books are where I first learned about Paganism and Witchcraft and the source I trust the most. I’m a total bibliophile and books I trust to be a very noteworthy source of information. Now this isn’t to say there aren’t any bad books, oh there are and plenty of them. I’m just recommending some of the best ones to you. In this year’s list I actually own these books (and more but that’s next year).
Where to Park Your Broomstick (Lauren Manoy)
This book is the first book I ever read on Paganism and Witchcraft and it totally was a great and revolutionizing read for me when I was a teen. I always refer back to this book, even now, and it still provides itself to be a wonderful source, no matter what. Ms. Manoy is fantastic and perfect for everyone, although it is originally pitched at teens. Gotta start somewhere.
Watkins Dictionary of Magic (Nevill Drury)
This book was suggested to me by my friend Brandon and wow is it amazing! It’s an encyclopedia of valuable information ranging across different backgrounds and mythos as well as history, facts and symbols. Over 3,000 entries on the magickal world from formulas to secret symbols to the sheer occult! Anything you need to know, no matter how obscure or well-known, it’s in this book.
Witch’s Halloween (Gernina Dunwich)
This book I referenced a lot in my last column “Witch’s Halloween.” Great book about the history of Halloween, how it is celebrated all around the world. Included are also backgrounds of the symbols of Halloween such as the black cat and Jack O’ Lantern, Samhain divination, spells and recipes to ring in the Witch’s New Year right! Very amazing read, Dunwich is a marvelous author!
Elements of Witchcraft (Ellen Dugan)
This book I had read after Where to Park Your Broomstick and I highly recommend it to any age. I love Ms. Dugan’s storytelling entries of her own experiences in the craft and the information that she gives is simply priceless, especially if you decide to go into green (nature-oriented) magick. Great book overall
Sites
Books are valuable but you can’t always connect with others through them and some things are easier with the help of the internet. Take note, there are a lot of terrible sites on Paganism and Witchcraft, my god it’s like some of them were written up while trippin on acid. I’ve seen a good few that I have stored away on my favorites tab in my computer or been recommended to by my readers and I’m giving them to you!
Black Pagans (AfroPunk)
I’m a firm believer in Booker T. Washington’s quote, “Put your buckets down where they are, there’s diamonds in your own backyard.” There’s a Black Pagans group here on AfroPunk. go and join it! Ask questions, look around, socialize, do whatever but know that there is a place for Black Pagans here on AfroPunk.
African-American Wiccans
Despite the name, it’s not entirely for Wiccans but really a Yahoo group for Black Pagans all over. I was recommended by a reader of mine on AfroPunk and went to see for myself. It really is a wonderful way to connect with other Black Pagans across the US, I even managed to make a good friend myself who I visited on my last trip to Philly! Really nice spot and I very much recommend it!
Avalon Moon
One of the first sites with Pagan goods online I have ever come across. I remember being in high school consistently leafing through their staple-joined catalog at the end of class, looking at all the lovely stuff they had. I believe I bought a ring from them with the little bit of money I had and I still have it, the lovely ring. I also remembered when they didn’t have a store but now they do in Delhi, NY! Their selection is amazing! Amazing books, products and simply a one-stop shop for all your Pagan needs! And best of all? Free shipping on orders over $19. Can’t beat that!
The Celtic Connection
Ah, good old wicca.com. Very good site detailing Paganism and a decent jump off point for anyone new to the path or pretty curious about it.
Gryphon Moon
I loooooove this site ever since I stumbled upon it years ago! It’s entertaining (I love the freebies and the buttons section), has beautiful products such as the jewelry, everything is simply lovely. The site is very well done, I highly recommend going there and checking it out!
Witch Vox
This is pretty much the Witches’ Yellowbook, you can find just about anyone there. It’s a useful directory to find other Pagans and Witches in your area, functions and read essays from fellow Wiccans, Witches and Pagans all around the world!
Mystic Wicks
This is the first message board I ever was on for Paganism. I honestly have forgotten how I found it but I’m glad I did. Connect with other Pagans, participate in free online classes, be happy and merry! It’s a great place to hone your knowledge, make friends and learn from others.
Resources
These are resources that I use when I need something. Divination, charts, dreams whatever I need.
Alabe
I trust this site for the current astrological conditions and to draft natal charts with. I have always used alabe to draft and interpret natal charts with. I think I have recommended them before in a previous Black Witch post, “Baby, the Stars Shine Bright”. The natal chart casting is free but take a gander at their software if you choose to get serious, they have some amazing stuff!
The Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams (Theresa Chang)
As a dream interpreter, I need a book with as far of a stretch as possible. I have a few dream books but this one I would really recommend because of the diverse and detailed entries.
The Crystal Bible (Judy Hall)
See a stone but don’t know what it is? This book is for you! Flip through thousands of countless crystals, their backgrounds, densities, various properties (including metaphysical) and how to’s, simply amazing. Wanna know the difference between a lodestone and a hematite and ever wondered what a Herkimer diamond looks like and how it got its name? This books is a wonderful resource, especially if you work with stones often. Even if you don’t, stones represent Earth so it’s best to have a book like this tucked away for just in case.
The Palmistry Bible (Jane Struthers)
This little, thick book is an amazing source for palmistry as it goes over every line in the hand, rings, fingers, fingerprint and very in-depth!
The Art of Hand Reading (Lori Reid)
Wonderful suppliment for The Palmistry Bible but great on its own as well, this book is taller and skinner but discusses the history of palmisty, how it is used and perceived around the world throughout time and the hand gestures that are made in different societies such as the peace sign and the handshake.
What is Paganism page
This I found after some long and hard searching for a good webpage or website to explain Paganism without the author sounding crazy or crazy high and this page is it. It’s now a staple on my Black Witch external site under “Links of Interest” on the right hand side, it’s so on point.
That’s all for The Arts: Samhain Edition this year! I couldn’t put everything down or this would be nothing but a long list! But never fear, The Arts: Samhain Edition will come every year with new books, sites and resources for you to use. Have something to suggest? Speak up! I found African American Wiccans through the recommendation of a reader, certainly there must be more out there I haven’t found. You know how to send ‘em to me, just comment, email or tweet.
Next week is Ask Black Witch so if you have any questions about me and my faith or just something in general you want to ask, send them! And on Halloween I will be at Mystickal Voyage metaphysical shop in Nottingham, MD doing my vcast on Ustream! AfroPunk and I are still talkin about which Ustream account to use, mine or theirs but you will know for sure by next week’s column! Regardless of whichever gets used (hopefully the BW Ustream The AfroPunk Ustream will be used), the streaming starts at 4:30 EST (the time changed) so be there! Now, I’m also kinda new to Ustream and from my understanding you can participate either with a Ustream account, twitter login, Open ID or even AIM. It seems a Ustream account is your safest bet but feel free to try whatever method works for you. And I’ll be on my twitter (@thisblackwitch) as well so if you can’t get into the chat via Ustream somehow, just tweet me and I’ll get it.
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The Establishment (AfroPunk) Version
“Once upon a midnight dreary, I sat in my chamber oh so weary.” Sounds like me when I make a new column sometimes.
Halloween is just around the corner, my favorite holiday! Aw, I just love Halloween/Samhain! I love the magickal spark in the air, the festivities and spookiness, everything filled with mystery and joy – not to mention the free candy, dressing up in ridiculous costumes and being silly, I love those too.
Halloween is often referred to as Samhain (pronounced Sow-en) in Paganism. Derived from a Celtic background, Samhain was the mark of the new year, falling on Oct 31 and ending Nov. 1 as it was the last harvest before the coming winter and celebrated as a festival of the year coming to an end. Samhain means “summer’s end” for it marked the “death” of the old year and the “birth” of the new year, much like the modern depictions of the old man resembling the old year and a newborn representing the new year. Samhain was also considered the day of the dead because it was (and still is) believed that the veil between the living and the dead was at the thinnest at sundown on the last day of the year. In modern times, Samhain/Halloween is considered the Witches’ New Year. The word “Halloween” stems from “All Hallow’s Eve” as it was to be the day before Hallowmas (Hallow means “holy”), otherwise known as All Saints’ Day.
Halloween/Samhain, has different backgrounds all over the world as well as different names. Of course I can’t talk about all of them here but you can definitely read up in Witch’s Halloween by Gerina Dunwich, which is where I gleaned some of the Samhain history from. The book will be featured in The Arts: Samhain Edition next week. One representation of Halloween is in Mexico, the Day of the Dead celebrated on Oct 31 (or Nov1-2) where feasts are made for those who have passed on and gifts are left at graves for it celebrates death as a natural part of life. Since many Pagans (including myself) believe in reincarnation, death is not seen as the end but another phase of life in a never-ending cycle.
What do I do for Halloween? Nothing too out the ordinary. I watch Michael Jackson’s Thriller, eat candy corn (my favorite Halloween treat), and go to a metaphysical shop where they’re playing Rocky Horror Picture Show and mill about, chatting and looking at the Tarot cards or wands and pendulums. As you can see, I’m pretty low key about it all, I’m not a party person, I don’t seek out any spirits to talk to (not like they’re silent for the rest of the year), no spells or rituals, nothing spooky or definably “witchy.” I’m not Elvira for goodness sake and I’m a Witch 365 days a year, spells don’t really stand out from my personal norms. Now, some Witches and Wiccans actually do something special but nothing like what you’d see on tv, no kitty-killin or baby eating or anything else that’s staunchly against a Witch’s ethics such as murder or causing harm. Those who do those crazy things are honestly psychotic and most certainly need to be locked away in a cell.
Actually, I think the only special thing I do besides watch Thriller or go to a metaphysical shop shindig is use my spiffy Halloween Tarot deck that I love so very very much! It’s cute!
Ain't it cute?
I do wish to be in New Orleans at the Voodoo Festival because it sounds amazing and I also wanna see Janelle Monae’s show (while being able to scout for nice smoky quartz maybe or a good mortar and pestle, perfect way to spend a Halloween Night: with Wondaland and magick.) but I also wished to be in Chicago on Halloween as well! Ha, falling back on tradition…and a K-OS concert in Baltimore on Oct 26.
Oh, and that devil thing I’m gonna hafta address. Halloween has nothing to do with Satan or Satanism, the Devil is the Christian bad guy and as far as any Pagan is concerned, he can stay there. Samhain has many different backgrounds worldwide but nothing to do with summoning Satan (why anyone would want to do that is completely beyond me). We don’t sacrifice animals either, that may have been what the druids did in Ireland about a couple thousand years ago because cats were considered to be the souls of the wicked or a result of evil deeds buuuuuuut just like Christians eat shellfish, wear clothes with mixed fabrics and don’t stone adulterers, we don’t sacrifice animals. I, as well as other modern Pagans, really prefer that. I like my kitty.
Ain't she cute?
That’s all for now, have a safe and happy Halloween! Have lots of fun, eat lots of candy and have a good time! I’m sorry to my Chicago readers I couldn’t spend this day with you but I am planning to get up to the Windy city, just plotting the when and how’s. If my New Orleans readers are going to the Voodoo Festival, have a fantastic time! (And wear black and white!) As for everyone else, this Black Witch and AfroPunk has been working together to bring you a live vcast for Halloween. I will be having a live video stream and you guys can chat to me in real time either on AfroPunk or at the Black Witch Ustream. I’ll answer questions, show off stuff since I’ll be in the metaphysical shop at the time and we’ll have fun! The chat starts at 4:30 PM EST* on Oct. 31. Be there or be square!
Next week will be the announcement of the Samhain Pickers winners on the Black Witch twitter and here next week. All winners will be contacted and announced on Oct 22. There’s still one more week left to get in this! This is what the giveaway is all about:
I usually don’t give readings to my readers because I’m strictly a columnist but it’s Halloween, let’s get three lucky people a reading. Here’s what you can choose from:
- Tarot
- Cartomancy
- Natal Chart
- Dream Interpretation
Want in? Still got one more week left, all you have to do is send me an email (can be found on my About Me/Contact Me page) with “Samhain Pickers” in the subject line and this info:
- Name
- Selection (if you choose natal chart, please have birthtime ready)
Good luck! Get your entries in!
Next week is The Arts!: Samhain Edition where I highlight books and other resources useful for those who want to get into Paganism and magick or at least understand it more. These are books I have read myself and they’ve done me well and I figured Halloween would be the best time to talk about them. The week after is Ask Black Witch so send in your submissions in the comments, tweet them (@thisblackwitch), email them to me with “Ask Black Witch” in the subject line, or fill out the Ask Black Witch submission form which is on the right hand side of this site.
* The timing has changed from 7:30 PM to 4:30 PM, please take note.
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The Establishment (Afro-Punk) Version
When I was at the Baltimore Book Festival a couple weekends ago, I had a lovely discussion with the people at the Muslims for Peace table (I hope I have gotten their name right!) explaining Paganism and discussing how it differs or can relate to Islam. I was down with a very bad cold that weekend so I couldn’t talk very much but somewhat in that I had figured out a way to talk about my religion beyond the “nature-based belief system” tagline that I’m so used to saying (and abhor because it sounds way too PC for me). It can be difficult talking about Paganism to others because it’s such a unique religion and spirituality… with a very bad rep. Everyone is so convinced that we’re evil people or that we’re completely against Christianity it can be hard to express anything otherwise. It’s good to get out and start talking again because it has been a while for me to simply do religious talk with non-Pagans, I’ve gotten quite comfy in my social circle where everyone knows what a Sabbat is or is at least aware that Pagans and Witches aren’t wicked souls. Even though I have developed a more mature idea to express Paganism with, it still isn’t a two minute explanation, nor does it spark a two-minute only discussion (Ha, I wish. I would be grateful for both.) but instead at least it’s more informative than simply “nature-based belief system”. Nota bene: I’ll be making plenty of comparisons to Christianity because it is the norm of the Western society thus what I have to compare to.
A good way to talk about Paganism? Start from the top. A lot of what I think is good information stems from Lauren Manoy’s Where to Park your Broomstick, an amazing book with a fantastic history section. More details about the book in The Arts: Samhain Edition. Let’s begin:
Paganism holds a very animalistic view of the world, meaning everything from the trees to the streams to the bugs and the rocks we believe and see as living beings or at least beings with spirit. Starting in the Upper Paleolithic period (30,000 – 10,000 B.C.), man saw nature and the world around him as a living, breathing thing just like himself. The universe was always at work around him, bringing good, bad and the disastrous. As Ms. Manoy had said in Broomstick, “it’s only a short walk from awe to worship” and man started to develop ideas and mythos to describe the world around him – gods and goddesses, sprites, elementals and fairies – ideas molded and modified by the cultures from whence they came. This is mainly the reason why not all Pagans believe in one strict pantheon like only the Greek pantheon or the Shinto pantheon, true divinity does not have a face but different facets which man creates their own perceptions of it. Pagans generally believe in gods (plural, we’re very polytheistic) but only because they are the best expression of the universe and nature that we Pagans click with. Because of our “loose”, so to speak, associations with any particular deity (or any at all), Paganism can easily be seen as a spirituality and thus why there are some hybrid groupings such as Christian Pagans. Not as oxymoronic as you would think, a Christian Pagan is simply a Pagan that uses the Christian pantheon strictly and a Pagan Christian is a Christian with a more nature-based approach to the world and the religion.
Paganism is very basic in its ideals but that’s what I like about it. Very simplistic, not incredibly self-infused with dogma and quite easy going for me. Is my religion perfect for everyone? No. It’s not a religion that evangelizes but does that promise there’s no such thing as Pagan fundamentalists? Of course not, religious fervor can strike in any religion but I haven’t met a Pagan fundie yet…and should we cross paths, the whole experience will be documented here on this column. Paganism can be perceived as a spirituality because there’s no particular godhead and one isn’t exactly needed to practice, a Pagan can work strictly with elementals (spirits of the elements earth, fire, water and air) and be considered Pagan. I believe a fair comparison is that Buddhism can be regarded in the same fashion, there isn’t a god head at all and Buddhism is really a spirituality but it is regarded as a religion. Wicca, however, is most definitely a religion but under the wide umbrella of Paganism.
Wicca and Paganism is not the same thing but they are related. Wicca is a Pagan religion created in 1957 by Gerald Gardener. As mentioned in Broomstick, “’Wicca’ was coined by Gerald Gardener…he might have conjured it up from the Anglo-Saxon word wician, which apparently meant ‘to practice Witchcraft,’ or he might have gotten it from the Scots-English word (wica), which meant ‘wise.’” (pg. 25) There is debate of the root word of Wicca but it is certain that not all Wiccans are Witches and not all Witches are Wiccans. Some people (such as myself) practice Witchcraft but do not like to be called Wiccans because Witchcraft isn’t a religion and while many Wiccans do call themselves Witches, not every Wiccan does simply because they don’t practice magick or spell casting. For clarity, to call every Witch and Pagan a Wiccan, it’s like calling every Christian you meet a Catholic because Catholicism is a denomination of Christianity but not every Christian is Catholic but every Catholic is Christian. Same way with Wicca, not every Wiccan is a Witch (and not every Witch is Wiccan) but every Wiccan is Pagan because it is a denomination of Paganism. So I, Black Witch, am a Pagan Witch but I’m not at all a Wiccan. If you’re still confused, email me or submit to Ask Black Witch (actually, I think I answered that question).
Yes, Wicca is fairly young but I always wondered what other religions looked like at their starting points, such as Christianity. Wicca, because it is nature-based and does not have a solid pantheon to adhere to, does fall under Paganism. There are different sects of Wicca as well such as Dianic, Gardenerian, Alexandrian, Faerie (Fairy), eclectic, etc etc etc. Since nature is what we consider sacred, we do not have a religious book like the Bible, the Talmud or the Qur’an. However, it is wise for Pagans to read or have an understanding of holy texts enable to gather a more universal understanding. We Pagans can learn from holy texts just as equally. Despite what a Pagan’s disposition may be on holy texts such as the Bible, generally we do respect it for what it is, meaning we do not desecrate them, burn them, vandalize them or destroy them simply because we do not agree with their beliefs. It is very anti-theoretical to Paganism and our ethics to harm none.
The only thing Satanism has to do with Paganism is be a thorn in our sides when we’re confused for them. Satanism is not under Paganism, it is under Christianity moreso for it is the perversion of the Christian rules and ideals. Again, Satanism has nothing to do with Paganism or Wicca and Witches do not summon the Devil. Pagans don’t have a focused character for evil and Satan is the bad guy in the Christian religion, not in every religion. Pagans do believe evil exist but it’s not caused by a central figure as depicted in Christianity (or in Islam or Judaism but Satanists generally are going against the Christian ideals rather than the Abrahamic.) Instead it is within balance with good. Just like everything else perceived in Paganism, it works as a duality. Satanism isn’t even as bad as it’s perceived. I’m being fairly biased here from my own experiences but Satanism seems to be the bitterness of atheists combined with a hatred of Christianity and megalomania all stirred into one pot.
If Paganism is such a harmless religion, how did it get such a bad rep? Look at Islam and ask Christianity. Islam is a very peaceful religion but if you live in the Western world, it sounds like the religion of close-minded fundamentalists, terrorists, misogynists and evil-doers all around. In Christian dominated nations like America and the UK, this is often how Islam is pictured. Paganism got the shaft the same exact way, with really nasty mudslinging and a rumor mill that can churn for a millennium or more. Christianity has always been at odds with Islam since the 14th century and at odds with Paganism basically when the holy cross became connected to the royal crown. As history has shown time and time again, when politics get involved, someone always gets hurt. Thanks to the crusades and the Dark ages, Christianity really grew but in a pretty non-Christian way. Long story short, slander and violence is nasty but a good weapon for political gain and bad news travels fast. Indeed, there was a point in time where Christians were being persecuted by bloodthirsty Pagans but again this is when politics had gotten involved with religion because when you can control the religion, you can control the thinking and if you can control the thinking, you can control the people and establish the norms and values that society will (or should) go by. Christianity has quite the PR department and are pretty good at running someone’s name into the ground – even including their own. But again, this is generally due to politics in one way or another.
Witchcraft is just that, a craft. Not dedicated to any particular religion or belief, a Witch can partake in any religion that she or he (there’s no particular word for guy witches and “wizard” certainly isn’t it.) chooses, including Christianity (Sorry for picking on Christianity so much, it is the mainstream religion and thus the norm I usually have to compare to. It is using the influences already present in nature to create change but not every Witch has to be Pagan. If a person claims they are a Witch, it does not mean they are Satanists or evil-doers. They simply work with the forces of nature to bring about change and to create, nothing demonic about that. It does take practice and study to do Witchcraft, especially depending on what style or tradition is followed such as high magick or ceremonial magick versus green magick (also called hedge magick, working strictly with botanicals) or simple candle magick. Some witches use wands and/or mini-cauldrons, some are hand witches, meaning they don’t use anything as the extension of the hand such as a wand. I would be considered a hand witch because I don’t use any tools like wands and chalices because they are just that, tools. They do not have power in themselves, they’re only the extension of my own power. Witches buy their supplies from metaphysical shops, online or get crafty by growing and/or making their own. Metaphysical shops sell everything from books to holy water to wands, a good shop cover all its bases. I have a few I go to and I may make it tradition to check out a metaphysical shop in the cities that I visit. It’ll give me something to do.
And about this Politian Christy O’Donnell I have been hearing recently about in the news. I’ll admit, I don’t really know much about her except that she’s running for a senate seat in Delaware, sex-negative, a tea partier, endorsed by Palin and that she mentioned she practiced Witchcraft back in 1999. Good God/dess. Okay, I finally got to see the whole Bill Maher’s Politically Incorrect clip (thank you MSNBC for chopping off parts of useful sound bytes, top notch journalism) and to be very honest, she wasn’t very bright with her answers. She sounded like the usual, ditzy, know-nothing responses I generally hear from the fairly closed minded. “Midnight picnic on a Satanic altar”? That did not make any sense to me because, well, that sounds like some dreamt up stuff a desperate tv producer would put in a teen’s show. O’Donnell claimed she was a Witch (back then, now she recants it) but didn’t join a coven. Hm, obviously she had no clue that you could be a solitary as well – I should know because I am one. All in all, it sounded like a Charmed episode mixed with a bit of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer falling out of her mouth. It’s very nice of her to say in a recent commercial that she’s not a Witch (and kind of further solidifying the fact that a Pagan couldn’t easily run for public office) but I wish she never said she was a Witch at all. Folks, if you’re going to dabble and be stupid about it, please please do not mention that you did on national television and then run for public office. It ruins your image and definitely makes my job harder.
In other Black Witch news: I made a small Black Witch PSA last week about the Lupe Fiasco protest, Fiasco Friday. It is next week and sadly I won’t be able to attend but I want to spread the word to others who may be able to. It’s going to be in NYC on October 15th, starting at 11:30 AM at Grand Army Plaza on the corner of 59th and 5th. If you would like more information about the protest and why it’s happening, read the BW PSA and visit FiascoFriday.com. If you can’t go, sign the petition! Already over 30,000 signatures and going strong! Even Lupe Fiasco himself will be there!
As always, if you have a question of what I am talking about or a question in general, feel free to comment, fill out the Ask Black Witch submission form on the right, email me (you’ll find the address on the About Me/Contact Me page), or even send me a tweet on Twitter to @thisblackwitch. All questions will be answered on the last Friday of the month for the Ask Black Witch installment. If you simply think that my column this week jumped around too much, feel free to check out “What is Paganism” link in “Links of Interest” on the right hand side. It’s a far better description than I ever could give. And stay tuned for The Arts!: Samhain Edition.
Don’t forget that Samhain Pickers is still going on either! If you want a divnation reading from me in the form of tarot, cartomancy (playing card divination), dream interpretation or natal chart astrology, send me an email with “Samhain Pickers” in the subject line with these details:
- Your name
- Divination selection (if you choose natal chart, please have your birthtime ready)
Easy, right? I will pick three winners using random.org on Oct 22 at the start of The Arts!: Samhain Edition and they will be announced also on the BW Twitter. Get in your entries, time is ticking!
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Okay, this is the first Black Witch Public Service Announcement. Don’t expect many of these but they’ll come up when something important happens and can’t fit within the usual Black Witch posting schedule. The regular Black Witch post “Mental Mentality” is beneath this BW PSA post.
I’m not very sure how many of my readers are aware of the issue regarding Lupe Fiasco’s newest album being put on the shelf by Atlantic records but you can read about it on the site Fiasco Friday, as well as get information about the protest against Atlantic Records on Oct 15 in NYC. Now, while some of you may think it is ridiculous to have petition and protest for an album, I can understand why and even support it. Lupe Fiasco is one of the best emcees we have of this generation and he is the embodiment of what true hip hop is: the voice of the Black conscious and political enlightenment to and from the most marginalized voices in the world. Hip hop is not at heart what it is depicted in the mainstream today, as rubbish and all the worst Black stereotypes combined. Hip hop is art, it is a culture and it is a political movement. Lupe Fiasco embodies all of this, the art, the culture and the politics. Listening to him is being aware of the world around you. You’re not listening to another track dehumanizing women or blatant nihilism, Lupe is a very positive artist and inside a genre so deluded with machine-made negativity at that. I can’t think of many artists out there to match and the ones that I can are mainly stifled on the radio in favor for more base and minstrel-like entertainment.
Lupe Fiasco is one of the few artists who actually cares about the music more than the money. There’s nothing wrong with showing heart about something you care for but I do have issue when the responses are heartless. On the Black Witch twitter, I got to read some very discouraging comments from people discussing Lupe’s responses about the whole matter – and the fact that he’s Muslim (I’ll touch on that later) on his twitter. Needless to say, I am a bit incensed by the whole situation. I was going to discuss Fiasco Friday next week (and I shall) but I felt this needed to be said now.
The music industry is a very complicated industry and to an outsider, it looks oh so simplistic. You take an artist (who looks like they can sell), sign ‘em, record ‘em, shell out an album, have expensive tours, go on BET and VH1, and do it all over again like magic. Not that easy. There are talks, investors, contract obligations, considerations of commercial appeal and most important of all (for the music execs) – how to reel in as many dollars as possible and consistently, especially in a time and era where the music industry biggest threat and competitor is the internet. Quality sells but quantity sells more, just shell out some chart-toppers with a catchy beat and collect money. The music sucks but hey, that’s not what these execs are in the business for. It’s a lot more to putting out an album than just spitting into a microphone. Once an album is cut and finished, it’s put in the record label hands to decide what to do with it next. Sometimes it gets pushed out quick but sometimes it gets shelved – not because the powers that be don’t believe that it’s a poor record, no no, they just believe it won’t dredge them enough money because there’s not enough commercial appeal or too risky. They’re not concerned with causing a revolution or delivering good music, they’re concerned with you staying firmly attached at the wallet. So an album like Lasers will get shelved (despite Lupe’s accomplishments) but an album that talks about nothing but murder, women and sex rolls out ever so easily because it has a wider commercial appeal. In short, Lupe can’t just up and release a new album just because he wants to, he has a record company to deal with and they’re the ones holding things up.
This protest is to put some pressure on that record company to speak up because so far, they have not given any reasons whatsoever to as why they have shelved the album and to let the album actually drop. I know I wanna hear it, Lupe is amazing and I recommend everyone else to listen to him a little bit as well – especially the song “Dumb it Down”.
I featured his side project Japanese Cartoon in August The Arts but here’s his official site as well. If you support his music – and I recommend that you do – please do sign the petition to show your support but also if you are in the NYC area or can get there on Oct 15th, attend the demonstration. I may not be there but I know Lupe Fiasco will be. All details for the protest is on FiascoFriday.com. Please comment or tweet me @thisblackwitch if you have signed the petition or will go.
As for the fact that he’s Muslim – does it really matter that much to you? Instead of bristling, listen to what Lupe has to say about his religion. He really presents it well, just like Busta Rhymes, Mos Def and Talib Kweli.
You may now proceed to your originally scheduled post: Mental Mentality
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The Establishment (AfroPunk) Version
Every religion has them and every religion would like to deny they got them. Psychos. Nutjobs. Need to be locked up in the wacko shack. Coo coo in the coconut. Nutters. Completely mental. Off their rocker. Basket cases. Extremists. Crazies.
Usually these people are considered to be literalists of their faith and fairly misunderstanding of that faith at well. As a Pagan, I usually come in contact with the Christian version. They are the Jesus freaks, bible thumpers, whatever you want to call it, they are far too overly faithful and equally close-minded. Now, not all Christians are close-minded but these guys are. Generally, I don’t mind talking about my faith and even answering a few questions – hey, it’s why I have this column and what the Ask Black Witch installments are for – but in my years as a Pagan, I could usually tell if someone was ready to jump out their skin over my faith because it wasn’t theirs, I was a fiendish heathen or a poor, misguided youth that strayed from the Christian flock.
Whenever I tell a mental Christian that I’m Pagan, they jump either at the shoulders or with their eyebrows. I can sense their impending defensiveness on the horizon and my day is about to get a lot more… interesting, to be kind. It’s one thing to be spooked that I’m Pagan yet still try to treat me like a human being perfectly capable of proper judgment and ask about my religion (which I prefer) but it’s another entirely to drop nothing but scripture after scripture on my head. I was raised Christian prior my switch to Paganism, I know the rules but that knowledge falls on deaf ears, regardless how many times I say it. They assume I never heard of this guy called Jesus (despite being Black, American, surrounded by at least five churches and not living under a rock) and tell me of all the wonders of Christianity as if I never heard of the religion a day in my life before. I try to tell them that Christianity simply wasn’t my cup of tea, thus why I left but usually I am told without fail and without pause that God will turn his back on me and curse my being because I decided to practice a different religion. Oh geez.
Now, since I was raised originally as a Christian, I know for fact that Christians have to preach the word of God but there isn’t a single scripture in the entire book that says “Thou shalt act as if a total jerk and force thy word unto others through vexation, threat of mortal or divine harm or death”. I’m pret-ty sure I would have noticed that. In dealing with the crazy Christians, I have gotten a multitude of ignorance thrown my way. Everyone is ignorant of something – for example, I am entirely ignorant of nearly all Russian social customs and Russian grammar rules – but it is the will to want to learn or continually shun potentially new information is what sets people apart. While stupid questions about my religion makes me bristle, I know I have asked them myself and they are generally harmless so I don’t mind too much in answering them. When I’m asked those very same questions just to be attacked for my answers or have them crudely picked apart, needless to say, it does annoy me.
Case in point:
There was a show this past summer called the Summer Spirit Festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion. The show bill consisted of Erykah Badu, Janelle Monae, The Roots, Common, Chuck Brown and B.O.B.. Read this column (or just take a gander at The Arts), you’ll know I love Janelle Monae. If she’s in the area, I’m there. Also I’m friends with one of the members in her band, Kellindo, her guitarist, so I was planning to hang out with him after their set…first, I gotta find him.
Because communication can be such a wack thing, it was hard to keep in touch and find each other so I was wandering about a bit to see if I could spot him. I wasn’t very hard to miss because of my red and white multi-media hairfalls and rocking horse shoes, he on the other hand could possibly blend.
Kinda hard to miss
While looking about for Kellindo or anyone from Wondaland that could point me in his general direction, this lady walked up to me and said something along the lines of: “What would you say if I told you I could make you someone?”
I was a little confused but in being raised in Black culture, I knew the talk. She was dressed normally but a slick talker. The type that would tell me they could sell me the moon but I would probably get shafted on empty promises in the end. I was a bit busy but meh, I could spare some talk. Besides, she might not be a slick talker after all, just someone with the intro like one. That was until she continued, “I can tell God has a plan for you.” Oh god/dess, my spidey senses were tingling and all of a sudden I really started to look around her. Where is he?
The lady asked why I was so fidgety and I explained, “I’m here to see Janelle Monae, I’m friends with one of the members and trying to spot him. I’m sorry that I’m distracted. It’s very nice of you but I’m not Christian.”
I know, bad move it seems but I figured, Hey, I could get a new reader for Black Witch. It’s not written for just Black Pagans. As almost expected, her face twisted into confusion and concern. She asked what religion was I and I answered while looking beyond her shoulders, “I’m Pagan.” It had shocked her, she started to ask the basic questions such as what is it, when did I become Pagan and a question I found quite memorable: “Who hurt you?”
Wait, what?
She asked who had hurt me so bad I decided to change religions since it’s a totally outlandish idea that I could possibly convert with sound mind. I had answered, “No one hurt me. I left Christianity because it didn’t work well with me. Paganism suited me far better,” but she wasn’t buying. I had to be abused, molested, raped, something to justify leaving Christianity. And I wasn’t.
I tried to explain my religion as best and as simply as I could but she kept saying, “So you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is your savior and was God’s only begotten son” or something along those lines. I told her that as Pagans, we are very open to many different pantheons, including the Christian pantheon but aren’t necessarily apart of them. She responded, “Oh, but you haven’t said that you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is your savior and God’s only begotten son.” There I attempted to explain that Paganism is not a denomination of Christianity so I don’t have to repeat after her because I’m not Christian. Fairly simple concept, yes? Throughout our conversation she kept trying to get me to say that phrase, to feel normal in her own skin but that simply wasn’t happening. Instead, I tried to give her my Black Witch business card and referred her to my column, giving my spiel: “I work for AfroPunk and run a column named Black Witch. It’s about Black Pagans so you can learn more about us and there’s even a section called Ask a Witch* where you can ask your questions and I answer them at the end of the month.” As she took my business card, I could tell what I said caught her attention, my column’s name and the name of the installment. She asked, looking at my card, “Why do you call yourself ‘Black Witch’?”
I answered, “Because that’s what I am. I practice… witchcraft. I’m… a Witch, thus the column’s name is ‘Black Witch’.” Oh hey! I think I spotted George 2. – oh wait, it’s some random concert goer. Crap. This lady was about to go on Bible overdrive and I could tell. She was talking to a witch. And so it began:
“So do you cast spells and potions?”
“Yes.”
“Do you do any…black magic or any –“
“No, I don’t jinx or put fixes on people, it’s against my ethical standards.” Where is Kellindo and what is he doing? When did my falls become a wacko magnet? “Spells are a lot like prayers but with bells and whistles.”
After playing a round of twenty questions including another return of “who hurt you” and why was I at the Summer Spirit Festival, the lady gave me her business card and said, “Now, you know why I gave you my business card instead of just take myself and run? Because I’m protected by the blood of Jesus Christ. Whatever voodoo you do can’t harm me.”
I was totally calm, if not my face a little twisted but in my head, this is what I felt like:
Me:…*completely freaked out*… Kellindoooooo!
Some passerby: “Ah, yeah ‘Cold War’ was dope. That guitar solo was amazing.” *totally continues walking*
Me: Wut? I wasn’t singing – I can’t find – Somebody get me outta this situation! This lady’s nuts!
I was checking my email and twitter on my consistently dying phone, hoping for any sign of life from the Wondaland side, anything. Nada. The lady asked me again why I was at the concert, as if my musical preference could somehow determine my religious background better or the performer’s religious background. No, my religion has nothing to do with me being here. No, Janelle Monae isn’t Pagan or a Witch, she’s clearly Christian, I am perfectly happy with that and if I could spot somebody from her crew, that would be totally peaches. At least Monae, unlike the lady standing before me, is Christian but hasn’t lost her marbles and thus I find her quite amiable and adorable. So long she and the rest (or at least vast majority) of Wondaland were fine with me being Pagan, we’re spiffy.
The lady had received my card and I thought that would be the end of it but instead, she scratched out the ‘Witch’ in Black Witch. She said, “I don’t see you as a Witch. You’re not a Witch, you’re just misguided. I will pray for you and hope you’ll one day feel better.” I was a little agitated from that because it was code for: “I don’t accept your religion. It is not Christian and thus not valid. You are confused and must return. You’re making a big mistake.” Isn’t the first time I’ve heard it and definitely not the last but it doesn’t make me feel any better each time I hear it. All I wanted was to leave this lady, find Kellindo and forget this whole charade ever happened. When she had finally walked off, I began to ask about for where I could find the performer entrance and got some very helpful answers. From there I found the entrances to the tour buses and stayed put, praying that no one else would be “attracted” to my falls while trying to get in touch with him. I’ve gotten a few people, including drunkies and chain smokers but no one who topped that lady. When I finally found Kellindo walking out with George 2.0, I had ran up and wrapped my arms around him like I haven’t seen him in years. I was happy because we don’t get to meet up much but also because he and George 2.0 were the sanest people I’ve met that night.
Later in the evening, I recanted a brief version of my day with the lady to George 2.0 while giving him my business contacts and getting his. Though I told the story anyways, I was a little worried that he would become just like that lady at the mention of my religion and make me feel like I was in a horror movie: out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a bunch of potentially raving Christians, nearly dead phone, not in parkour-friendly shoes. I’m completely fine if someone is Christian but only when levelheaded, not Twilight Zone psychotic. Instead, George 2.0 had laughed at the story, saying, “Oh, she was one of those people” as he took the Black Witch business card I had handed to him. I already knew Kellindo was fine with my religion but for a long while I was concerned that he was just the exception rather than the definition. A lot of the members of W.A.S. are very deep in their Christian faith so I often wondered, How do I know they won’t react the same? Usually when dealing with Christians – Black Christians primarily – I often find that the deeper the faith the more closed-off the Christian and the more closed-off the Christian, the more mental they appear to me and any other non-Christians. Wondaland means a lot to me and I’ve got faith in them but I do have to be careful, I’ve had terrible discoveries before. Taking a chance, I told George 2.0 my concerns about the rest of Wondaland. He looked at me and said with a dismissive wave of the hand, “Oh, we don’t mind.”
Sweet, I knew I found the sanest people in the park.
When dealing with others from different faiths, it’s usually a good rule of thumb to hear that person out, especially if you have not met anyone from that religion before. What you know about that religion may be incorrect so don’t entirely assume, get it from the horse’s mouth if you can. I as a Pagan and my Muslim friends can definitely vouch for this, it’s never fun being on the receiving end of misconception which turns into intolerance. Even if you don’t agree with that religion or their tenets, at least respect and understand that not every religion on this planet is a carbon copy of yours. I don’t 100% agree with Christianity but I won’t shove my religion down their throat because it isn’t right. I didn’t like it, neither would anyone else. It’s okay to be firm in the faith but don’t let it blind you from the world.
That was a lovely story, wasn’t it? Good way to kick off October. Another good way to kick off October? A nice divination giveaway I’m naming “Samhain Pickers”. Alright peoples, the prize of “Samhain Pickers” is a divination reading from me in the form of dream interpretation, tarot, cartomancy (playing card divination), or natal chart astrology. What you have to do is send me an email (look at my About me/Contact me page) with your name, email, selection and “Samhain Pickers” in the subject line. Your entry is my number to pick you by; if you’re the first entry, you’re no. 1, if you’re the 13th entry, you’re no. 13, understood? I’m picking three winners at total random (via random.org) so if my number generator says 8, I pick no. 8, the eighth entry in my Black Witch inbox. Understood? I won’t take any tweets or comments, you must email for your entry to be valid and all winners will be announced in “The Arts!: Samhain Edition”. If you win, it’s your choice what form of divination you would like to have done but please note that if you choose the natal chart selection, you must have your birth time ready. Good luck, everyone!
And one more thing! I’ll be back in Philly and NYC. Philly on Oct 9 and NYC sometime in Oct. If you wanna hang, say so! And “Hi” to the Phandroid guy and his wife!
*Now “Ask Black Witch”
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I have known this man on and off as a friend of my son’s father. This summer things got very serious between us very fast, you know, “I love you”, “I will never break your heart.” Guess what he did. I don’t know why and I can only guess but my heart is in so many pieces and I find it hard to concentrate. I am 48 years old and you think I would know better. Never had a clue. Mother of his 20 year old son I guess the bonds are hard to break but I did not even know. Should I let this go? When do I finally get my true love or is there even such a thing? Why am I always getting it broken?
– Lisa
I would not believe anyone who says, “I’ll never break your heart.” No one should. It can’t exactly be promised because any relationship can go wrong with or without warning, it can only be shown. Dating someone who says “I’ll never break your heart” sounds too good to be true and it usually is. If the guy (or girl) says, “I’ll never leave you” or “I’ll never break your heart,” chances are strikingly good they’re going to do just that, especially if it’s said so early in the relationship. I hate to say it but it sounds like you’ve been gullible, hoping for a Prince Charming and upset you’re winding up with nothing but frogs.
Everyone wants someone who can give them the moon and stars, even me. There’s nothing wrong with wanting that, it’s perfectly human. True love is something everyone wants, the ultimate companionship that is painless, perfect and forever without doubt. I personally believe that there is true love but I also believe that not everyone meets it in the life they’re currently in (side note: I believe in reincarnation). True love, just like everything else in life, serves its own purpose so if you’re meant to meet them, then you will. If it’s not for this life, then it’s not. Yes, it sucks but the universe doesn’t work for one person nor plays favorites.
As for figuring out if you have a true love or if you’ll meet them, it isn’t easy. Possible but a total Pandora’s Box. You can’t actively seek out true love like it is simply sitting there and waiting to be discovered. Your true love has (or should have) a life of their own and when it’s right for you two to collide then you will. Otherwise, don’t bother looking incredibly hard for it because you could be screwing up your own chances. Plus, would you be happy with what you get? Right now, you simply might not be ready. I used to do a “True Love Spread” which actually consisted of a series of individual spreads but that had proven to consistently open up a can of worms such as this so I decided to stop. Some things are better not knowing…though it certainly doesn’t make anyone feel better knowing that.
Say you found your true love, then what? Is life going to be perfect or have more meaning? Not really, you still have to provide that for yourself because no one else can or will do that for you. If you don’t set time aside to better yourself and learn about yourself, prepare to get your heart broken over and over and over. You have to at least have a basic gist in mind of what you want in a relationship, in a partner and not be afraid to go after either. Stop believing some Prince Charming is simply going to pop up out of nowhere and sweep you off to Happily Ever After. Make yourself charming for yourself, the person you’re really going to have to live with and die with. When pursuing your own life rather than hoping for another to come along, maybe you’ll find your true love but even if you didn’t, at least you’ll be happier with yourself. It’s a struggle and far easier said than done but the best shot to take in your situation. As for the heartbreak – while it’s terribly cliché and I hate this saying myself but it’s going to take time for your heart to heal. Stop running after others for a while – maybe a year or so – to focus on the life and family you already have and let your heart have a chance to heal itself. So let the guy go and focus on yourself. He needs to figure himself out and so do you.
And for the record in case anyone is wondering, I consider true love and soul mate as two different things. You can meet your soul mate and not meet your true love. A soul mate is just that, someone who syncs very well with you through good times and bad or someone you’re simply supposed to know or be with. That soul mate can be your best friend to that stray constantly on your stoop every morning. True love is someone who helps you grow and reach your highest potential but you do the same for them likewise, you both grow and expand together. Does that mean no more arguments? No. Every relationship that involves two imperfect beings (which is every human relationship on this earth) is going to have its ups and downs. How else will the relationship grow anyways if there isn’t any push or pull?
That would be Ask a Witch/Ask Black Witch* for September! It’s really nice to receive submissions, I don’t get enough. Feel free to ask me anything about myself, yourself or about somebody else. Ask a Witch/Ask Black Witch* is your time to give and get feedback about anything. You can ask me about why I believe in reincarnation or why I’m Black but don’t use the Egyptian pantheon, how to come out the broom closet to loved ones or why I can’t stand daily horoscopes but I study and use astrology. Your questions can also be personal issues from your own life such as the one Lisa asked, I’m perfectly okay with this. My only don’t for Ask a Witch/Ask Black Witch* is to ask for readings. I will not do readings for AaW/ABW*, sorry. You’ll have to wait for a sweepstakes or a contest to roll around (like the one that will be in October, the next post “Mental Mentality”) or do it yourself.
Another nota bene: While I can receive submissions through the Ask Black Witch submission form, via comments, on Twitter and email, please note that I get a nasty slush pile of spam in my Black Witch inbox every time I post my email here (You can find my email in the About Me/Contact Me page up top). I work pretty hard to keep that inbox looking nice and presentable so if you’re going to email a submission, please have something like “Ask Black Witch” in the subject line or I’m going to automatically think it’s spam and hit delete. If you can’t think of a decent subject line (and for some odd reason don’t want to use the one I just gave), just use the Ask Black Witch* submission form on the right hand side of this column, that’s what it’s here for.
*Nota bene #3/Editor’s Note: After some thinking, I have decided that this will be the last Ask a Witch – as for the name, that is. “Ask a Witch” shall be renamed “Ask Black Witch”. I just figured it would be a nice change… and the fact that just about every Pagan publication uses the name “Ask a Witch” for submissions is a daunting thought when you want your column to stand out. Just me putting my spin on things as usual. – BW
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The Establishment (AfroPunk) Version
Here comes The Arts! How have you been liking them so far? Been a blast for me! Let’s get this show on the road shall we? Starting with the third Wondaland feature!
All the Wondaland Arts Society features have been simply wonderful! First Janelle Monae, then photographer Nastassia Davis! Who’s Wondaland feature number three? Well, follow this lolita and see who is standing on the other end of the rabbit hole this time is none other than:
George 2.0
Janelle Monae’s official Masters of Ceremonies, George 2.0 announces every show, setting the mood for magic, wonder and esteem. Just like any of the other members of Wondaland, George 2.0 has his own projects for himself. Alum of Morehouse (Note how Morehouse keeps sending out ace men? Dr. King, Saul Williams, The 54’s – it certainly is an HBCU that honors its name and reputation), George 2.0 is always busy and his projects are eye-catching! His most noteworthy project is “Turn Off the Tv” (TOTV). George 2.0 best describes the project himself on the official site:
“Turn off the TV is a sitcom mix tape that suggests that anybody and everybody can do what they see on television, as long as they turn it off long enough to be proactive about chasing their dreams. As almost all of the music and videos inspired by the mix tape were developed, recorded, shot, and edited with a Laptop, cell phone, or an improvised audio/video device, TOTV is proof that artists of any age and skill level can produce competitive content with little to no resources.”
Watch the opening credits:
My favorite episodes of TOTV are:
Shepherd’s Words
Channel 12 – Charge a Dream (a jon genius joint)
I really like George 2.0’s poetics. I’m a Baltimorean so I appreciate a good poet and a wonderful poem (word to the wise: there is a very strong hip hop/poetry underground in Baltimore City. We take it straight to the artery.) I really dig George 2.0 works because it’s great poetry, and great art.
Want more 2.0? Check him here:
George 2.0’s blog, the best central hub to keep up with all that he’s doing
@twopointoh, George 2.0’s Twitter
Don’t want none? That’s fine. Even if you weren’t watching, even if you weren’t listening, he’d still be doing this anyways. Speaking of turning off the tv, turn off the radio and listen to the next feature:
Atmosphere
This realistic hip hop emcee made Minnesota a musical contender, Atmosphere keeps the heart of hip hop alive in his words and the beats. Never talking about hoes and money, he talks about his experiences and the experiences of the world around him. I first heard him on Pandora and became an avid listener from thereon after, listening to him on his Myspace (say what you will about Myspace but it does serve as a great music hub). Here’s a couple songs of Atmosphere, courtesy of Youtube.
Your Glass House
C’mon
Please do check out his older stuff, but here’s this nice little free mixtape called “Leak at Will”:
I love “White Noise” and “C’mon”. “Mother’s Day” is simply amazing. I dig that Atmosphere is an emcee rather than a talentless rapper who’s simply going through the motions to make it big. Atmosphere puts a good spin on his words. He doesn’t pretend to be a gangsta or harder than he actually is and hip hop needs more emcees like him. And does Rhymesayers give you some déjà vu? It should, we just hosted P.O.S. at this year’s AfroPunk festival and he’s on the same label as Atmosphere. Atmosphere isn’t part of Doomtree, the crew P.O.S. runs with, but they are all hail from the same Minnesota cold. (And expect a few Doomtree features in future The Arts. Just like Wondaland, they’ve got quite a catch in individuals.)
So we went back down the rabbit hole to Wondaland and went straight to Minnesota, final stop is my spot: Baltimore.
Festivals, festivals, festivals. My gods, so many festivals, so little time. Every month is something new but I’ll try to keep it relevant. First up is:
Every September is the Baltimore Book Festival, from Sept 24 to the 26th. Like reading? Like spoken word acts? Wanna eat free gourmet? The Mt. Vernon neighborhood hosts the 15th annual festival celebrating books and literacy in all its forms!
For the extent of three days, there’s so much to do! I really recommend visiting the Radical Bookfair Pavillion! Read and swap zines! There’s going to be a set on Feminism and the Representation of Women at 1 PM featuring Lisa Jervis of B!tch* Magazine and Sheri Parks, author of Fierce Angels: The Strong Black Woman in American Life and Culture. Parks will talk of the damage created by the mythical image of the “Strong Black Woman” that is very prevalent in the American cultural landscape. Super interesting! Not much of a rebel? That’s fine! There’s also a children’s park filled with wonderful writers, cooking demonstrations where you can try out the food, open mics and countless speakers such as Holly Robinson Peete and Rodney Peete! Check out the site to see more! If you love literacy, this is a festival you should be at (if you’re in the Baltimore area). I know I’ll be there.
Now, I’m not a big fan but I know plenty are of chocolate. Another year, another…
Lexington Market holds the annual chocolate festival. It’s every mid-October, the dates aren’t released yet. Because Lexington Market closes always on Sunday, the festival starts Thursday and ends on a Saturday. I’m generally not a big fan of chocolate but I love getting the chocolate covered potato chips, red velvet cake (my favorite cake), chocolate covered strawberries, apples or chocolate covered anything. I always prefer having my chocolate with something or not at all. The prices aren’t killer either and you’ll enjoy yourself!
This is The Arts and I hope you liked it. Next month, The Arts will be a special one. Why? My favorite holiday is coming up – Samhain/Halloween! That means next month will be featuring books on Witchcraft, Divination, Paganism and anything else magickal, titled “The Arts: Samhain Edition”!
There will also be a Black Witch sweepstake called “Samhain Pickers”. Your prize: a divination reading from me either in the form of tarot, cartomancy, dream interpretation or natal charts. Sweepstake starts on October 1, where you’ll have all the details and how to enter (it’s extremely easy, I can assure you).
Next Week: Ask a Witch. That means y’all need to be sending in some questions! Ask anything! Ask why I feature Wondaland so much? Ask what’s up with my clothes? Ask me about what’s the best way to come out to friends and family and what’s not the best way?
And I’m still on my traveling kick. I’m going to NYC tomorrow and will be there all day. I wanna hit up Haru Hana in Koreatown for their great okonomiyaki (and the shop boys don’t look bad either), any place with cell phone charms and trek to the Japanese Street Fashion shop Tokyo Rebel because I love Putumayo (my favorite punk lolita brand) and I may pop up at Terminal 5 to say hello to a couple friends. Wanna kick it with me? Lemme know! I always want to meet my readers. Show me your New York City!
*Sorry for the self-censor, I don’t curse >.>
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I remember way back when I had my old dream interpretation thread at the FortMinor.com message boards. It was my little carved out spot in the High Command section of the boards. I honestly thought the thread was going to die but it turned out to be a big success. I really liked the thread, it reached into I think 50-something pages. My rules were no profane sex dreams, especially involving any of the members of Fort Minor (Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, Styles of Beyond, Lupe Fiasco, Demigodz, Holly Brook, Bobo of Cypress Hill, etc etc etc), be as clear as possible and if they didn’t want the dream interpretation to be public, just say so and I’ll private message (PM) them the interpretation.
I really did get a lot of people and even a few regulars. From the beginning, I managed to handle questions about dreams from both the psychological side and the scientific side with little issue and even help people. I wasn’t afraid to tell people to seek out a counselor if they needed one – quite a few did – and I could deal with anyone ready to start trouble, which thankfully was very little.
Always would I try to make sure to answer in the orderly time period of within a day and keep the interpretation as non-kooky as possible; I didn’t want to come off looking like a hack and I didn’t want the interpretations to be useless. My regular users started to get the hang of mentioning if the dream was reoccurring, a nightmare or if it could have any real world relation, which did help flesh out a better reading but if I felt the issues the reading would uncover were too deep, I would PM the dreamer in question.
What I liked of the dream thread was the near anonymity of the internet. Since Fort Minor.com was a themed site, I wouldn’t be able to pick out much about these kids (well, not all were kids but that’s how I refer to a group of people sometimes) that I could use for the reading and I definitely didn’t participate in the message board enough to know them well enough to dredge any info that could make me look otherworldly and all knowing. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t even really look at their screen names except to figure out who I’m talking to. I often didn’t know the querent’s gender, age, life or background, I just interpreted the dream for what it was and that’s it. If the dreamer didn’t understand or thought I was wrong, I wanted them to say so. How am I supposed to learn from my mistakes if I don’t know I made any? If I were wrong, I would ask how and see if I could right things.
Did anyone from Fort Minor ever use my dream thread? Nope. I haven’t even a clue if they ever peered into it or even knew that it existed. I always wonder if any of them at least scanned through a couple pages and what they thought of it. I dunno but still it’s something to ponder. At least Lupe Fiasco or Mike Shinoda – don’t ask me why, just seem like something they’d have an interest in.
My dream interpretation thread started back in ’06 but lasted a year because I began to burn out. I should have save the pages of my thread but I didn’t know of the existence of FreezePage or anything like that then. Combined with my laziness, the thread is pretty much gone for good. It does kinda suck and I do regret not saving it because it was a very nice piece of work and the best demonstration I’ve had of public divination on record. Not anymore.
I had started to burn out around the mid year of the thread, I think. My responses weren’t as fast and correct as they used to be and I was getting headaches constantly. I thought I could cure it by doing sabbaticals but nope, I was really becoming run down. This was terrible because I knew the more raggedy I would be, the more incorrect my readings would be and the more incorrect my readings would be, the less valid my interpretations would become. That’s not good. Instead, I opted to leave the thread alone after handling the last requests and letting it die on its own. There was still some chatter in the thread but I never read any of it since they weren’t dream requests.
It was nice when people came to me discussing dream superstitions such as a demon sitting on your chest and how it was actually sleep paralysis because the brain woke up before the body did. I loved those chats because I liked discussing how dreams worked, how they’re not all rubbish and they’re not all decipherable by Freud. Holy snickerdoodles would people think everything could be interpreted by the Freudian school of thought or that all of Freud’s interpretations revolved around sex. I personally like Carl Jung’s ideas of dream interpretation which uses the archetypes but I make sure to keep an open mind. Dreams can vary because of who the dreamer is.
Dreams aren’t very one-size-fits-all, the interpretation could be modified drastically by the dreamer’s background, culture and way of thinking. One good example is on the Fort Minor dream thread, I would frequently come across many dreams involving the members of Linkin Park (since many Fort Minor fans were Linkin Park fans as well). I once had gotten a dream request where the dreamer was choking Chester, one of the members. The dreamer was very scared because Chester was his favorite member, never would he do something so violent and harmful to Chester. Thankfully the person’s dream did not refer to hidden motives to murder but a suppression of creative energy and appeasing those that the querent doesn’t like. Chester is known to be quite an eccentric livewire and the act of strangulation generally means forcibly retaining something whether it is emotion, truth or facets of personality, usually to bend into the norms. Basically, the dreamer was forcing back his own individuality for social approval. Before long, I learned to have a special definition for each member of Linkin Park because they were just as acceptable symbols as dreaming up a sink or a bear because for these dreamers, every member of the band has a special meaning. And with these specially created definitions, I really gave accurate readings because usually they would hit the nail right on the head.
Though I am a dream interpreter, I don’t always interpret my own dreams. Some dreams simply don’t need to be interpreted and some dreams make me go, “Ooookaaay, not lookin’ into that one.” I have accidentally done lucid dreaming (being in control of your dream) and interpreted the dream while dreaming. As in, I could see a house being hit by a tornado and instead of getting out of the way and going somewhere safe (since I can feel in my dreams), I just stood there and went, “Ok, that’s a tornado, it refers to emotional turmoil and it’s hitting a house which is in reference to me and – Oh crap!” Boy, I’m one weird cookie.
And speaking of being in control of your dream – a wonderful friend of mine had taken me to see the movie Inception. It was a terrific movie, I really recommend seeing it! As a dream interpreter, I really found the movie enjoyable! Now that positive review is out the way, I now have to say that Inception was just that, a movie. There are not people (not that I’m aware of) who creep into your dreams to sow ideas or steal information. It is a wonderful fabrication of the power of ideas and the intricate depths of the mind via dreams but it is just a piece of entertainment, not an instruction video. I’ll write a piece on movies and magick/metaphysics later but this is my little blurb. Onward with the remainder of the column:
I recommend that if you’re going to write down your dream, do it right when you wake up. Have a journal or a tape recorder nearby. If I’m not mistaken, the average person forgets 90% of their dream within 10 minutes and you only remember the last four to five dreams you had that night. When I jot down my dreams, I would keep my eyes closed or completely covered so not to forget any of the dream by being exposed to light. Just write, don’t worry about if it makes sense, just write it all down and review it later. I use dream dictionaries (which I will showcase in The Arts: Samhain Edition) to help interpret my dream but as I have mentioned, I don’t always interpret my dreams. Sometimes I just keep them in the back of my mind and if I have a reoccurring dream, I just note that it happened and put a little more effort into working on what it’s referring to. Not all dreams have to be interpreted but they are very useful insight into what is going on underneath the surface.
One kind of person that I would come across sometimes would claim they never dream. Why they sometimes tote it as a badge of honor I am not sure because it doesn’t make them seem cool or otherworldly but the average person has at least 200 dreams a night as they go through the different stages of sleep but only remember the last 4 to 5 roughly and maybe a couple of the first ones. Not having any dreams simply means you don’t remember the last few dreams you had, not that you don’t dream at all. The brain dreams for three main reasons: 1) It’s assembling the memory of everything you did that very day so your dream could be just a recap. 2) There’s something you’re ignoring that your mind (or body) is throwing up a red flag for, such as a dream about crumbling teeth can be an anxiety dream or a mental memo that you ought to see the dentist immediately. 3) Your mind is just being stupid and random, it happens.
Talking about dreams, I do have some dreams as a diviner. Silly little hopes, really. I always wanted to do divination for my favorite performers. It’s like taking a picture for me and as a fan it’s the least I could do. It’s either I want to read someone’s palms, interpret their dream or handwriting, draft their natal charts, whatever. I always think I will find something cool in there. I know for fact I want to redo Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington’s natal charts with them because I wanna get the charts just right. Oddly enough, I never go, “Hey! I want to do their tarot/cartomancy!” because it doesn’t have the same feeling for me as doing palmistry or explaining to someone their Mars sign and how it influences their Jupiter sign. I especially would like to do astrology (i.e. Natal Charts) because there so much crap astrology out there. Ah, dreams.
Next week! The Arts! Who’s going to be featured:
– George 2.0
– Atmosphere
– Baltimore Book Festival
– Baltimore Chocolate Festival
The Chocolate festival is in October but is being featured in September. Why? Because October is The Arts: Samhain Edition! Books and sites on Witchcraft, divination and Paganism galore! And speaking of George 2.0, I will be at the next two Janelle Monae shows in DC on Sept 13 and 14th at the 9:30 Club. Gonna be there too? Say hi to me! I’ll be in lolita (look in the links on the sidebar to see what lolita fashion is). I’ll also be in NYC on Sept 18!
After The Arts is Ask a Witch! You know the rules: comment, email, tweet me or use the Ask a Witch submission form on the right sidebar! Ask a good question, get a good answer. Ask a silly question, get a silly question. Ask a bad question…erm, get a stupid answer? Either way, ask me! You never know till you try!
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The Establishment (AfroPunk) Version
Ah, divination. The art of looking into the future, usually using a helper tool of some sort such as a bowl of water or a deck of cards (or else it could be describe as clairvoyance or precognition). There is a lot of debate surrounding whether divination is real or not, whether we can actually look into the future or not and whether it is okay to do or not from a spiritual perspective. For me, I believe it so even though I didn’t always feel that way. I get fairly mixed reactions when I tell people that I am a diviner – well, the initial reaction is confusion but once I explain what a diviner is, that’s when I get the varied responses. Either it is from the “You believe in that stuff?” camp or the “You shouldn’t be doing that, it’s a sin for only God knows what the future hold” camp or “Can you read my palm/cards/natal chart/etc?” camp. Let me explain a little further these reactions:
“You believe in that stuff?” – Sayeth the person who believes in an invisible being that he or she cannot and has not touched, seen, heard, met nor can fully prove they exist, otherwise known as God. You believe in that stuff? That when your life is in absolute danger or peril, some invisible force is simply going to swoop down and save you? I believe in a God too but become over-logical or over-skeptical and even the very concept of divinity can seem like a bad case of widespread schizophrenia. But, hey, that doesn’t stop us from building houses of worship to our invisible friends whom we presume can hear us (though that become highly debatable when a catastrophe strikes), “holy” wars that look a lot like normal wars and debating about the few major differences between religions yet a lot of them run on the same lines of forgivness and selfless love. I am willing to explain that, yes I do believe in divination and just toss the idea back at them, you believe in a god? Why? Needless to say, the question“You believe in that stuff?” irritates me as you can see. Besides, that’s how I got started in divination, I was overly skeptical of it as well. But instead of asking stupid questions, I tried it for myself.
“That’s a Sin! Only God Knows!” – Times like these I’m happy I have a love for words. Let’s break down the word “Divination”, shall we? “Divi-“ in “Divination” means “Divine”, as in “God” or “holy figure”. “-nation” is simply an English grammatical suffix referring to the act of doing (if I’m remembering my suffixes right). In short, divination is simply an act where you’re reading from the divine. However, some consider it as opening your mind to the collective unconscious and retrieving the appropriate information of the situation. I consider both reasonings roughly one and the same, I feel that I am opening my mind towards the collective unconscious (which can also be seen as divinity) to get the proper situation about what’s going on, whether general or specific. Since I am not claiming that I am doing this with my own energy – since would make for super tiring and incorrect readings for I do not know all, thus better to connect to the universe anyways – and admitting to working with God, I would feel the “only god knows” reaction would be a fairly moot point because I’m well aware of that or I wouldn’t be working with the universe, now would I? There’s more I could go into this but I have been doing a good job obeying my self-imposed article limit so far and want to keep that up.
“Can you read my…?” – It’s a great question and one I don’t usually mind obliging to. I love doing divination and I’m pretty good at it. It’s fun, interesting and it’s good to get an overhead perspective (if the form of divination allows that as some don’t such as dowsing). I don’t mind doing divination but I do mind if you’re going to sit there an act like a complete idiot about it. What I mean is do things like ask moronic questions such as “Am I going to die?” To that I will respond, “Yes.” Mainly because unless you got a special immortality elixir you’re keeping a secret, you will one day die – but not soon enough if this is the highest level of intellect you have. Divination does require work, some methods more than others. Please don’t assume that I just so happen to be walking around with a heavy tarot deck in my bag or a deck of playing cards at the ready. I don’t have my computer on me wherever I go so I can’t do natal charts and I’m not a walking computer myself so just telling me your information will not work either if you don’t write it down with at least an email and a name accompanying it. I’m not being mystical by asking you for your name either, I merely want to know what to call you while talking to you or I could very well temporarily name you “moron” or “doofus” instead. Palmistry is probably the only form of divination I can honestly do on the go really because it doesn’t require me toting about anything but know that your reading may be short because I do like referring to my books so I don’t give an incorrect readout and if I’m out and about, chances are I am running an errand or just hanging out. I will sit and chat with people for hours but don’t expect anything excruciatingly detailed because I’m prolly thinking, “Man, I hope they won’t run out of cupcakes/subs/pizza. I’m hungry.” I have built genuine friendships from impromptu divination encounters but not when the person acts crazy or stupid so take it easy, okay?
“I’m going to test you.” – And you’ve already proven to me that you’re probably an idiot. I like doing readings but putting me under a microscope for your own joy makes me incredibly irritated. Not that I’m worry I’ll get it wrong but because the personality traits that usually accompany these people list fairly well under “jerk” status: arrogant, pretty cocky, terrible jokes and puns that sounds borrowed from SNL, most likely never had their own beliefs tested before, possibly mainstream to the core to the point most of their personal views stem from cable television and magazines with very few true life experiences to account for their own. I have met people myself that I did not exactly believe what they did or believed but I never did any jerk-moves because A) I know what it feels like B) if the person is honest about it, it will show by itself. But then again, I have met enough people and had enough experiences to determine whether someone is crazy, a total megalomaniac, real or wishing they were for whatever reason. Can’t say the same for the testers.
“You think you’re God. [Insert biblical quote here]” – Hoo boy, the God complex. I haven’t gotten this much but some of my other diviner friends have. You read cards and work with a god, all of a sudden people assume you think you are one. No, I don’t think that I am the alpha and omega or anything snazzy like that. I still have to go to school, argue with my teachers, work a normal job, pay normal bills and deal with fools I can’t smite constantly just like everyone else. Diviners shouldn’t think they are god because they’re not, they merely listen to what the universe has to say.
Divination, just like anything else, does take work to get down. I find it easy to do but I’ve been doing it for years and have a knack at it. This isn’t to say no one should try it, go for it if that’s what you want because if I never did, I wouldn’t have known how good I would have been at it. There’s the act of divination but also the ethics, which there are plenty of. Some ethics are very widely agreed upon, some not. My divinatory ethics may not match another’s, such as I don’t believe in making people pay for my readings but some other diviner may differ. It’s a normal situation with anything remotely resembling public service, the ethics because regardless what you do, the ethics are what make or break what’s happening. That means divination will be a category here because there is a lot to say for it. I won’t be posting any how-to’s however because that’s not what this column is for but I will be posting books, decks and more for The Arts: Samhain Edition. If you have any questions, remember to submit to Ask a Witch on the right side of this page.
Black Witch 