It is a journey of a lifetime, it is a privilege, it is a way to express my love to witchcraft.
It is a lifelong journey, for my knowledge about witchcraft is enhanced by writing about it, and the learning process to me is something that we never grow too old to benefit from. It is a privilege to write about witchcraft, because history proves that that luxury was not for my predecessors to experience, and still yet there are many prejudices against free-thinkers like me.
It is a channel to express my love to witchcraft that has the ability to reach out and meet people all over the world.
And it is also another way of doing what I love as much as witchcraft, to write.
When I´m writing as a witch, I write about what I do, what I feel, and what I´m able to describe. Magick itself to me cannot fit in certain boxes, because either magick works, or it does not. It is not up to me as a human to decide that. That is for the Universe and the goddesses and the gods to deal with.
I can only try to pull and to push energies in a certain direction and try to have as positive an outlook as possible. My belief is that positiveness is the best way, not only to try to influence magickal energies, but also to life in general.
But, at times, yes, I´m a grey witch, so I can curse as well as bless. I see it as a reflection of life, we don´t live a life without touching the darker sides of existence. It is also necessary to be able to defend yourself and your loved ones, and for that reason only I name myself a gray witch.
Writing as a witch forces me to think trice about the choice of my words.
Words do change the world, and in a time with so many fake news and wannabee celebrities, it is good advice to carefully choose your words. To be specific, to be brutally honest, and to be authentic is extremely important to me, in witchcraft as well as in writing.
But the real reason that I´m careful with words in witchcraft is that intentions matter. I make a virtue out of only writing about witchcraft, when I´m in a good mood. There are so many other issues to write about, when you are having a really bad day.
To me, witchcraft is too sacred to be polluted by the stress and demands from the modern world. That does not mean, however, that I do not seek guidance about mundane matters. I do not plan my life from witchcraft, and I do not plan my life in general.
I prefer to live a simple life without making other plans than to live in the moment and make the best out of everything that this life throws at me. When I do make plans, it is almost always about my next ritual or my coming writing challenges for the next month.
I have the opportunity to do so. But the price for that is that I´m early retired, and that I for the rest of my life cannot contribute to society what work regards.
But what I can do is to write my heart out.
So to me writing and writing as a witch is my kind of work.
Today, I´m listening to music with awesome riffs and thundering drums. I´m watching The Walking Dead and Vikings, and I have light candles and created a cosy atmosphere. That Danish word “hygge”, you know, dear reader.
A comfortable and deeply relaxed atmosphere with the love of your life and a little wise old dog close around. A sandwich and a glass of cold milk. A view into our living room, where I sit behind the keyboard as a writing witch.
I´m thinking on my next Sabbat, Samhain, on October 31 2019, All Hallows Eve, Halloween. To me it is like New Year. Here I stop for a moment, prepare myself thorough, and work with the shadows in my life. Ancestor worship, inner shadow work and deep contemplation about the past year are the themes used.
The veil between the worlds is thinnest here, it is said.
Here I also intend to renew my pledge to witchcraft. It all began three years ago during a major bipolar turn after my beautiful classic car, an Opel Kadett E type, was stolen and burnt to ashes an early morning at October 17 2016.
My world was in ruins, because that old car was special and dear to me. It was 31 years old, had only run 24,000 miles.
It was on October 31 2016 that I declared myself a witch. From that on I have strived to live a simple, yet enriching life. No more negativity in my life, if I can do something about it.
It has made so many things so much easier. Even with my car. There is nothing more to do than to take a photo of it and put it on my ancestor altar on Samhain night. But I can look at it now, as I can look at my late mother and all those dear to me that have passed before me.
And I have just ended my time with psychiatric care. I´m free as the majestic eagle, I´m through a rough time, and I´m ready for new paths to follow.
I´m also thinking of my late mother. Tomorrow it will be five years since she passed. And still I can´t help but cry and laugh at the same time. Cry, because it still hurts like hell and I know I´ll never conquer that feeling of deep sorrow. Laugh, because she would have wished for me to live a life in which there is laughter.
Tomorrow, I´ll go to the local cemetery and bring a large bouquet of red roses. I´ll smell to her perfume, I´ll think of the best memories with her.
To get the chance she never had. That is writing, a special gift, inherited material. My grandfather on my mother´s side taught me to read and write before I ever went to school. So my love for writing lies deep in my heart.
As I´m writing, I´m also beginning to plan what to expect in October 2019 about witchcraft. I think it will be something about the changing seasons, how I relate it to other areas of my life, and shadow work. And then again, there is room for surprise, so I´ll not disclose anything yet about that last Friday in October.
Writing as a witch is a lonesome road at times. But I like to seek the solitude in whatever I do. As much as I love the company of my loved ones and other exceptional people, I also enjoy the feeling of being on my own.
I may sit in our living room with my husband, but I have earplugs in as I write. I like to write to the sound of music, because it makes me able to write more eloquently and from the bottom of my heart.
I like to try to write words with music and rhythm in them. When I´m able to write in a flow, it is like flying high above like an eagle. There is lots of drama too with the ups and downs of writing. The soaring ups when everything plays in tune, and the breakneck speed of the downs where nothing seems to fit together.
Then, all of a sudden and out of nowhere, inspiration strikes, and my muse is back on my shoulder to tell me to go to work and to show me to write better every time.
That is an unique kind of magick. There are certain guidelines, but the hardest part, the writing sessions, is for me to try to achieve. That magickal ability is my feeling of perfection. Trying to reach the impossible perfection and always do it better than the last time.
The hardest part is also the most beloved part. When it comes down to daily practice as a writing witch, there is writing everywhere as there is witchcraft. Here lies my true creativity.
I´m always writing on something new. I´m too curious to keep silent about it. The connection between the mundane world and witchcraft is the ritual approach to it. When I write as a witch it is necessary for me to have a somewhat clean and clear work space around my keyboard. But often I move around in my home and set up work spaces different places.
I always carry notebooks and pen and paper. I never know what I would miss, if I someday wasn´t able to write down sentences, quotes, people´s way of behaving, and ideas.
And I never back down on the supply of pens worth writing with. I can´t afford the expensive ones, but there is still a lot to choose from in a dollar store or a a discount supermarket.
There is magick in writing, and there is writing in magick. My toolbox is broad and fat, loaded with life experience and the Crone outlook on life. Yes, still take many things seriously, but never forget to laugh as much as possible.
Today is a beautiful day in the fall season. It is chilly, but tolerable. I sit in our living room and try to catwalk my way through my life as a writing witch, a witchy writer.
The three philosophical cats are outside in their den, and the little old wise dog is sound asleep next to me. My husband sleeps too, so now I work in solitude surrounded by my loved ones. There is a magickal atmosphere, and in parallel to the writing here I work with my Tarot journal.
Those feelings, that is what I love about writing as a witch. It calms, soothes, it enlightens.
And I need that to thrive in a modern world, where the only magick apparently is about not being caught in something deceitful or stupid.
Because courtesy and decency are rare phenomena these years where the world has gone more crazy than ever. To guard me against that I use witchcraft on a daily basis. To overcome the downsides of disorders and a hectic life I write about witchcraft and writing.
And I have begun my novel at last. I´m in the process of outlining and creating characters. It may take me a while, but I would rather spend the time necessary than would I come up with shitty material.
So there is writing in almost everything I do, like witchcraft.
It is a journey of a lifetime, it is a privilege, it is a way to express my love to witchcraft.
It is a wonderful privilege to be read. May this little insight in my daily life as a writing witch serve as inspiration for others to write, whatever the subject may be.
The art of writing and the art of the Craft are my core places of work. Here I regain strength and energy, here I feel as reborn whenever I have written something worth reading, and here I spend a big part of my life.
I write between four to six hours a day. I write an average of approximately 1,500 words per day. It is getting more and more, both because I love to do it, and because it feels like the most natural thing in the world to do.
I try to read as much as possible every day about witchcraft and writing. But my favorite way of reading is reading those unattainable writers that you would wish you could write like them.
So this is it for today. Now, I´ll continue working with my Tarot journal and take the remains of the day out of the calendar. May your weekend be merry and beautiful, dear reader.
The Northern Witch' s Blog 