Being a Natural Witch...

BEAT

What are your views on this? I have posted some information below. I consider myself a natural Witch as I was born with certain abilities that are not explainable in science and are passed down from my mothers side of the family. I now have a better grasp on it and am learning to wield my power for good.
I'd love to hear your opinions.

http://www.teenwitch.com/QUESTION.HTM#witch

here they say:
What is a natural witch?

A natural Witch is someone who has a natural Witch talent. If you are a natural Witch, your natural Witch talent will become obvious. Usually this happens fairly early in life, but it can be delayed until late in life.

The most common natural Witch talent is having dreams that foretell the future. Another common natural Witch talent is being naturally accurate with runes, tarot, or other divination.

Anybody can become a Witch, but you have to be born with a Witch talent to be a natural Witch.

If you have a natural Witch talent, learning about Witchcraft and magick will help you learn how to control your natural Witch talent.

---

These are some excellent sites for witches that offer more explanations and other services:

http://mindrago.tripod.com/Wicca/id18.html

http://www.empathys.co.uk/35.html

http://www.witchvox.com/words/words_1998/e_bornormade.html

Talliesin

"Witchcraft" is used to mean various practices including some not related to modern Pagan Witchcraft. I can only speak about modern Pagan Witchcraft...

Operative Witchcraft is a practical matter and as such it is a skill (or a collection of related skills) and as with any other skill some people have a greater natural ability for it than others.

Witchcraft is also a priesthood, and as such it's something that you are either called to or you are not and while that calling is "natural" you can no more be a natural Witch in that sense than you can a natural Jesuit priest.

Being a priesthood implies that it is related to a religion. Many people would refer to that religion as "Wicca". On the other hand many practitioners of some of the older traditions (particularly Gardnerian, Alexandrian and some offshoots that remained quite close to the parent tradition) of modern witchcraft refer to what they do as "Wicca or to themselves as "the Wica" and to what they believe as "the Old Religion" (using that name even if they don't believe it is truly any older than the 1950s) and these people often don't recognise what the other traditions of Witchcraft are doing as "Wicca". Again, you can't be a natural Witch in this sense any more than you can be a natural Lutheran or a natural Buddhist (even those religions that accept membership at birth have some sort of rite in which you become a full adult member, like Confirmation or Bar Mitvah).

Being a priesthood also means it's generally something that one doesn't commence with until adulthood (websites about "teen witches" aside - I'll accept that there are some people who are ready in their teens, some even before they are 18, but they are as common as Mozarts are amongst child musicians). You can certainly prepare for the Craft before then, but that's not the same as practicing it.

Witches would often refer to other witches as being "natural Witches", most often when they can see a lot of talent in someone who is less experienced than themselves. This is similar to how a musician or music teacher might refer to someone as a natural musician; they didn't come out of the womb knowing all how to play the piano. Further those skills could coincide with other natural ability, in the case of music there's a good indication that "natural" musicians are also "natural" mathematicians, though generally only one would be pursued fully as far as being a concert quality musician or a professor of mathematics or a hard science (Einstein is an exception, but he only got to play in concerts because he was famous from the physics). Natural ability at witchcraft would also stand you in good stead for pursuing magical training of another sort and/or linked to another religion (such as Ceremonial Magic).

So yes you can be a "natural Witch", but that doesn't mean you're a Witch yet, or that you necessarily should become one, it just means that you would have a talent for it and training would be relatively easy. On the other hand thinking of yourself as a natural could make it hard to put effort into the same training (sometimes the most talented students are the laziest).

Talliesin

BEAT wrote:

http://www.teenwitch.com/QUESTION.HTM#witch

As an aside to the main topic. That is truly a dreadful website. I already said that teenagers that are ready for Witchcraft are extremely rare. In this case I think a first step should be their learning what footnotes and hyperlinks are for so that when they make all sorts of claims they can back it up with something.

BEAT

Talliesin wrote:

"
Operative Witchcraft is a practical matter and as such it is a skill (or a collection of related skills) and as with any other skill some people have a greater natural ability for it than others.


Witches would often refer to other witches as being "natural Witches", most often when they can see a lot of talent in someone who is less experienced than themselves.

Natural ability at witchcraft would also stand you in good stead for pursuing magical training of another sort and/or linked to another religion (such as Ceremonial Magic).

So yes you can be a "natural Witch", but that doesn't mean you're a Witch yet, or that you necessarily should become one, it just means that you would have a talent for it and training would be relatively easy. On the other hand thinking of yourself as a natural could make it hard to put effort into the same training (sometimes the most talented students are the laziest).

I picked out these points to elaborate on,
as yes I do have a natural ability towards the craft and while I dont know anyone else learned in the area I must learn what I can on my own on how to control certain abilities. I am very interested in learning and spend so much time researching now that I know more than I ever did but there is so much still to learn.
I can spot other people with the natural talent and seem to draw them towards me,
so I enjoy talkng about it with them and teaching what I know.

Training is what I ultimatley want to do but its hard trying to find somewhere legitimate and true. I have made visits to several metaphysical shops and have yet to run into an actual witch rather than a self proclaimed one that could teach me what I need and want to know.

I hope upon moving back to Ireland I can find somewhere to delve into it more

BEAT

Talliesin wrote:

As an aside to the main topic. That is truly a dreadful website. I already said that teenagers that are ready for Witchcraft are extremely rare. In this case I think a first step should be their learning what footnotes and hyperlinks are for so that when they make all sorts of claims they can back it up with something.

heh, ya I was just usuing that link for the passage I posted.

the other links are good ones though if you have a chance to check them out...atleast the witchvox one is

miss_e_lizabeth

I think there is such a thing. For some reason 90% of the population is oblivious to it..

Talliesin

Oblivious to what?

scorplett

There are a number of ways in which somone could be considered a natural ... You can be a natural witch, a natural priest/ess, or born to a line of familial traditional witches. You can also consider yourself natural in the sense of the style of your practice (intuitive and in nature) All are valid expressions of 'natural witch' and bar the working style and being a natural priest/ess you dont usually have much of a choice in the matter. (Although with that exception you probably shouldnt have much choice as people make mistakes and some ppl become priest/ess' when they never really should have, but then thats another topic all togeather)
As Talliesin said, as with any skill you can have an inate drawing or ablility to learning a skill and in applying it with flair and confidance. That is one aspect that can be applied to anything and everything and as such could be applied to any aspect of wicca, witchcraft, craft, ritual, priesthood, energy working and divination just as much as more mainstream skills like painting, poetry, music, dance etc etc...
There is also the 'natural witch' of lineage, that of a family lineage. Passing craft and old ways down family lines from grandmother to mother to daughter (ususally but not exclusivley maternal) I think this is what is most commonly refered to as natural in books and the like but can only refer to the craft side of things, ie. spellcraft, herbcraft, healingcraft etc...
To my mind all of these often seem to be interlinked in the greater web of all traditions and to the living many times of similar paths and that most if not all of those who find their path and live it are in more than one way (and usually all ways) natural in every sense. It is not a badge to wear, it is not even really a distinction that really needs to be made (bar one*) because largley every witch is a natural witch.
The one exception above * is also an exception with regard to priesthood of Gardenarian and Alexandrian (and those offshoots). There are many people who are indeed just as much a witch as anyone else and have just as much power and skill etc as another who seek structured training from recognisable sources. Often the natural progression within those structures it would be the norm to work through the degrees of initiation as a matter of course in order to become a fully fledged witch of that tradition. However, many people, in fact most people who will follow the ways of witchcraft in their daily lives are not meant to be priest/ess's and even fewer are meant to be High priests and priestesses.
I could talk about priesthood for an age as I am sure Talliesin also could. Possobly that in inself would merit being a thread of its own (and maybe even a sticky on it) But as far as the priesthood or gardi lexi trads goes thats prettymuch the nut of it.
Beannacht

joseph dawton

Before it became so cool to be a 'witch' some-one with natural abilities would simply be described as psychic. I can't see how having these abilities makes one more inclined to witchcraft as opposed to any other mystical or esoteric path, these skills have been been just as relevant and valuable in traditions other than Wicca.

http://www.electricpublications.com

Nevyn

joseph dawton wrote:

Before it became so cool to be a 'witch' some-one with natural abilities would simply be described as psychic.

I disagree ,
I would say all witches are to a degree psychic but not all psychics are witches.

joseph dawton wrote:

I can't see how having these abilities makes one more inclined to witchcraft as opposed to any other mystical or esoteric path, these skills have been been just as relevant and valuable in traditions other than Wicca.

I agree,
but due to the lack of general public awareness of other paths and the rabid
sensationalism about so called wicca finding those other paths can be abit harder.

solas

JD wrote:

these skills have been been just as relevant and valuable in traditions other than Wicca.

would have considerd myself a christian mystic in the past.. albeit being a christian anything isn't such a cool thing to be anymore.. Healing would have been tradition in my family.

Nevyn

solas wrote:

would have considerd myself a christian mystic in the past.. albeit being a christian anything isn't such a cool thing to be anymore..
Healing would have been tradition in my family.

I think it is, I have meet some wonderful christian people, those that live
thier faith and it lights them up inside and is all thier soul requires and I am happy for them.
It doesn't do that for me, but I have a lot of respect for anyone that has found thier path and for those who are still seeking.

solas

well..I found it, but then I fell off it, so I'm still looking. But ye, used to lfill me up to the brim.

miss_e_lizabeth

Talliesin wrote:

Oblivious to what?

Oblivious to their natural powers/gifts

Talliesin

But what powers or gifts would make them a witch, rather than any other type of magic-worker?

solas

I dunno if this is relative but I was always told that folk born with the caul were naturally gifted individuals, not sure if they would be considered natural witches but how and ever.

miss_e_lizabeth

Talliesin wrote:

But what powers or gifts would make them a witch, rather than any other type of magic-worker?

you know, I was thinking about this A LOT yesterday.. and I think it doesn't have to be something like the gift of foresight, or anything extremely metaphysical. What about someone who just naturally excells at a sport; they can always shoot the basketball into the basket; or smack the baseball way into the outfield everytime they come up to plate - they just have the ability to do it without having to practice or stress themselves out over it. It's their passion. It's who they are.
Has anyone else ever thought of it this way?

Talliesin

That would benefit any magical practice though.

Someone who is called to be a witch will make a witch unless the fight against it strongly. Someone with talents will make of them what they will, but will never be a witch unless that is what they are called to.

The Bollox

I like to think of myself as a very open minded person. This topic has greatly grabbed my attention, is there a serious website you could go to in order to find out more information?

Nevyn

What type of information are you looking for ?

The Bollox

well the website posted above was just a message board. I am looking for an informative website.

hairyheretic

There's been a variety of things touched on here, I think you might need to narrow it down a little.

Are you looking for information on wicca (of a particular type), other beliefs, magical practices, etc etc ?

The Bollox

I suppose a beginners guide to the world of witchcraft, sort of touching on all aspects

joseph dawton

Inner magic by Anne Marie Gallagher is a good basics kind of book.
Also Gerald Gardner's books as he started Wicca.

There are also lots of books on druidry, norse paganism, spiritualism etc if you look on amazon. wikipedia.com is also a good place for free background info.

http://www.electricpublications.com

Nevyn

A witch alone by marion green is another good book.

scorplett

Marts wrote:

I suppose a beginners guide to the world of witchcraft, sort of touching on all aspects

The best beginners book for you will depend greatley as to what aspect of the craft has atracted you to begin with. Is it the concept of ritual, the idea of herblore, the worship of the old gods and goddesses and or the following and celebrating of the seasons and the wheel of the year.
The first book I read was Starhawk's 'The Spiral Dance', as it has been for many. I think that is a great place to start but then everyone will be somewhat bias to their personal fav or first book. An interesting first book and one that might not be found on many lists would be Phillis Curott's 'Book of Shadows', a very interesting book charting one individual's path to the craft. Her second book is a great one for basic skills and spiritual development, that one is called 'Witch Crafting'. There are so many books I could recomend as first books. Let me know what it is that draws you and I can help in narrowing down your search.

Talliesin

I'm very fond of Vivianne Crowley's book Wicca, though it's very much about Wicca, rather than Witchcraft generally.

joseph dawton

Funny that's the 1st book I read on Wicca too or to give it it's full title "Wicca: The Old Religion in the New Age", I wrongly assumed that she was a relative of Alistair Crowley. I liked her approach it's not whimsical, sensationalist or pop as is true of many others.

It's a lot harder to find a non Wicca book about witchcraft and harder still to find non-Wicca magicians/witches. I know 1 guy who studied Golden Dawn and OTO (which are now pretty much forgotten) and another who was intiated by his auntie into a family tradition, but these are rare exceptions.

Wicca has become so popular it is almost smothering other esoteric paths, especially those that involve spellcraft. I've no beef with Wicca itself (apart from some dodgy offshoots) it's just annoying that since the nineties publishers seem to have leapt on it like a fly discovering a bucket of horse dung!

http://www.electricpublications.com

turbot

Witch is a label and a word, that can summarise a variety of spiritual activities and skills.

And so; just because someone has natural psychic / magickal or energetic skills, doesn't automatically make them a witch (in my worldview, based upon how I use such labels)

However, in some peoples worldviews, these same skills are summarised using the label "witch". The is based upon how people make sense of the world, often categorising people into crude categories... ie. someone who does magical practice makes them a witch, even if they study a totally different branch of the occult.

Usually people with more of an understanding of these areas will use more precise labels, such as clairvoyant, clairsentient, mystic... and in practice, many religious / spiritual approaches, at higher levels, include aspects of these skills, though some people are much more naturally gifted than others.

Spirituality is always personal because one persons reality is different to anothers, even if another person thinks they have similar metaphors or appreciations, or use similar labels.

So if you find you have natural intuitive / psychic / magickal skills, this doesn't make you a witch.

If you use these same skills to help you choose wisely what to learn to help develop and refine and make more of your skills, and withcraft appeals to you, then provided you resonate with it and are smart in how you study, it will probably lead to good things.

In terms of learning, the trick is to learn from people who knows what they are talking about, who has good intentions (not who says they have good intentions), and usually, in my opinion, anyone who convinces you they represent your route to God is probably trying to rob you of your spiritual power and money. If you get a bad vibe, probably best to avoid.

As far as I can tell, a lot of youth these days are considerably more intuitive than many of their parents generations. These kids are being called "indigo kids" or sometimes "crystal children". If you find you are naturally intuitive and you know you know, though what school teaches you doesn't explain, you may be indigo.

BTW, a great author discussing these areas is:

Robert Anton Wilson

two of my favourite books of his are:
- Prometheus Rising
and
- The Widows Son

Talliesin

joseph dawton wrote:

I've no beef with Wicca itself (apart from some dodgy offshoots) it's just annoying that since the nineties publishers seem to have leapt on it like a fly discovering a bucket of horse dung!

Those books tend to be about the dodgy offshoots you mention, more than about Wicca though.

rebelrebel92

I can say Im a natural witch. Its a rarity for older witches or other adults to believe me when I say Im a witch. Im 15 years old, so its a constant thing that I am told that Im just using witchcraft as a means to rebel against my parents. This isnt the case at all. I have the "natural witch" talents described in the earlier posts. Thats not rebellion. Thats exactly what itshould be called, spiritual gifts. My mom had told me stories of how when I was three, I would stare off into space and tell her how things were going to happen. Then they would. They were visions or premonitions so to speak. I cant possibly be rebelling with witchcraft at 3 years old, now can I? I now frequently use tarot cards and candles in my life. I use tarot cards to see how the spell is going to turn out, and if I even should cast the spell. I keep a log of how I did the spell and the results I got. The spells work 90% of the time. As far as teens not being ready for witchcraft, I think that people shouldnt be so quick to judge. And as for natural witches, I am thankful and proud of the gifts I have.