Tacoma, WA, (USA) - Peculiar trends are now making Paganism and witchcraft seem much more popular with the general masses. You can find statues of various Pagan Pantheon Deity on sale now at all the local shopping malls. There's black candles, hoodoo pouches, Tarot decks, witchy herbs and music popping up in stores that formerly sold only Christian paraphernalia. I've found most every thing I could possibly need to set up a ritual altar from the mall. I also found a range of witchcraft DVDs, spell-casting books and many different crystals that were on display at either the Westfield Southcenter shopping mall in Tukwila, or the Puyallup's South Hill Mall. The only things that a Witch or Root Worker cannot buy from the malls these days, can be readily found at the local graveyard, in the woods, at the ocean's edge, or in the Hedge Witch's garden. And if you cannot find your spell-casting Craft-allies in those places there's always wonderful authentic Witchcraft stores like Mystic Sanctuary, in University Place, or Tenzing Momo in Seattle. While (from a dominant religion/Christian perspective) the new demand for "all things witchcraft" might seem like great news for Pagans, it's actually quite unsettling for many in the Witch community. That's because Witches, Shamans, and Root Workers have never been driven to recruit the common people, enmasse. You've never seen a Witch out soliciting! We've never gone knocking door-to-door, disturbing family meals, with a message of, "I'm here to talk to you about Ares, the Greek god of war!" or "I'd like to invite you to join our Coven." And I have never (in all my many Crone years) seen a Witch standing with a loud speaker on the street corner shouting: "Hail Hekate! Patroness of sorcery, necromancy, and mystical arts!"
Quite the contrary. Witches have traditionally been PULLED into their soul-paths by dramatic life events and soul-yearnings. To learn and grow they have studied hard and practiced their skill until self-awareness forced them to evolve and become better people. There's never been a NEED for Pagans to do recruiting because, whenever an initiate was needed, the Powers that Be would always lead the right person to the Witch.
Unlike Christians, with their mega-mortgaged churches and high advertising expense accounts and enormous utility bills, Witches do NOT need followers to contribute to any giant congregational debt. There's never been any external motivation to control people into joining with threats ("You're going to Hell!"). Witches do NOT need to validate their beliefs by collecting more spiritual allies (although, companionship with an intelligent and like-minded ally is wonderful). While Pagans share everyone's basic human need for human companionship, love, and camaraderie, most of us live with familiars who that alleviate a lot of that motivation to seek the companionship of mere mortals!
What's most off-putting about the new hoards of people racing toward every Witch, asking to be taught the wisdom of the old ways, is that too many are not spirit-driven to seek the answers themselves. Too many are approaching Paganism like it's a new fashion statement; a mere curio or yet another way to rebel against their Boomer-Christian parents.
Unlike established and cemented Witches, the curio-masses do not understand that this path is NOT for sissies. Pagans can sometimes get HAUNTED by spirits. As an eclectic group, Witches are unafraid. We not only face our demons but we often choose to either keep them at bay or we might adopt one as a pet. Witchcraft is who we are from the core of our beings. We came here because our hearts burned within us until we found our way farther and farther, deeper and deeper, down, down, into the magick of the Craft. May you, dear reader, also follow YOUR individual soul calling! Blessed Be.
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