Hey so I'm a massive sceptic, I don't want to be so thought I'd ask you a question. I guess I'm a sceptic because there are no witches that can just click their fingers and light a candle or magic such as in the films. As a witch in the 21st century what do you guys do? What do your spells do? Can you see them? This isn't hate, like I just want to try and understand and possibly believe that's it's real.
This is really curious. I just started writing, this morning, an article for skeptics who want to believe in witchcraft. So letās start with the first point: Why canāt witches do badass stuff within the films?
Comparing actual witches to television witches is a bit like comparing actual astronauts to Dr. Who. Itās simply not realistic; itās never been realistic, and that kind of Charmed stuff has always been for fun and for entertainment.
Can I see my spells? Well, sure. I can see my paycheck after I cast a job spell. I can see texts blowing up my phone after I cast a love spell. I can see spirits in visions, which is a bit like a very vivid daydream. I can feel, too. I can feel the energy changing in a room when I cleanse it. I can feel walls being raised when I cast wards. This kind of feeling comes with practice. And yes, I expect independent verification. If I am working with my friend to cleanse her home, I expect we will receive the same feelings in the same places. If we walk in the same room and have different experiences, then that is not correct.
Where is my verification? Well, for me itās all around. My grandparents canāt find a house; I cast a spell, and the day the candle burns out they find a house. I hex someone, they complain of the worst luck and accidents and headaches and pain. I do a spell to find tools, and I find expensive tools exactly fitting my needs that day at the thrift store. I cast a spell to travel America, and the next week Iām invited on an all expense paid weekend to Vegas, and another woman invites me to travel the country with her; I chose Vegas.
In fact my tract record is so good that in my mind there is no question that when I ask for something, I will get it.
How does this work? Am I blinded to reality with a major case of confirmation bias? Am I delusional? Am I on my own Truman show? Is it all a massive case of coincidence (or, daresay - magic?) The answer is I donāt care. I have a belief system Iām comfortable with that supports me and empowers me. I believe magic is real because it works for me. I donāt snap my fingers and manifest fire - but I can manifest a whole lot else.
Letās talk about rationality and empiricism.
Rationality is a requiredĀ element of magic. You cannot safely live an irrational life. Magic is not about setting aside rationality, it is about expanding your belief set to allow for more input. My atheist friend has a very limited and well defined set of circumstances he will accept information from. I accept information from a broad and nebulous set of circumstances.Ā
Empiricism is one philosophy.Ā Itās really good at explaining a lot of things, but it does not explain everything. So if youāre chilling out and saying,Ā āI am an empiricist and the only evidence in favor of witchcraft Iāll take is a witch manifesting fire with a snap of his fingers,ā Iām afraid youāll be sorely disappointed. But if you, as a rational human, can sayĀ āempiricism is one philosophy that does not explain everything, and I am willing to temporarily set aside some self doubt and allow for alternate theories of reality,ā then maybe we can get somewhere.
Write down some top problems in your life. Try a few spells to correct those problems. Fairly judge if anything happens - whether or not exactly what you want happens. Go from there.
