The Craft Through My Eyes

[roseonfire]

When you decide to go down the path of the Wise, one thing usually considered essential is that you understand just what the Craft means to you. Here is an article I have written on what the Craft means to me. After reading it, I would suggest making, as a comment here, what the Craft means to you. How you came to it, the experiences it has given you, and how those experiences have helped to shape who you are today. If you are JUST starting out in the Craft, then you could post what you feel the Craft is and what you think it can do for you. After you get that down, you will then be free to add it to your Book Of Shadows so that you may reflect upon it as you learn and grow in these ways.

I am a child of nature. I take in the wonders of this world, feeling its mysteries in the air and the warm glow of the sun, enjoying the beauty of the night sky as the moon shines ever brightly. These ways are a part of my soul, reaching down to the depths of its core.

To me, the Craft is feeling these mysteries within the world and within the self, taping into them and experiencing wonders they hold as we gain an understanding of the balance of the world so we may take with us the wisdom that it holds and pass it on to those who seek to learn it. It is both love and hate, sorrow and joy. It is the beauty of a snow covered winter morning as much as that of a warm summer day. It is the fertility of the spring and the beautiful autumn death that accompanies the harvest. The Craft is the cycle of nature in all its forms as the Wheel turns ever on.

We can see its workings on every form of life. And as such, the plants, animals, and all of the Earth, Moon, and stars, are our brothers and sisters. We are all connected through this cosmic web, each merely another part of the whole.

To be out amongst the rain on a warm day, or drumming beside the fire on a summer night, evokes the subconscious, allowing us to feel these connections. Or to raise power within the circle, feeling the energy building up inside you as it builds to a peak so that you may send it forth from your body to converge with the energy of others and that of the gods and your ancestors who watch on, melding it together to achieve one common end. Such times as this, you can feel yourself as you truly are, an entity of nature, connected to all around you, not a sole being apart from it.

This is the Craft as I see it. A collection of the wisdom I have acquired over the years since my father introduced me to its ways around the age of seven.

Back then, to me it was all about the power these ways held and the things I could do with those powers. While that part of my fascination with the Craft has taught me to know the magickal ways and recognize and control the powers I held, such as some ability to move air and fire along with my abilities as a seer, that phase has moved on to what I am now. Now, my focus has turned towards its religious side, as I seek to understand the once ways and the wisdom they hold.

My experiences in the Craft have shaped who I am and my thoughts on life. After devoting years to its study, my 1st degree initiation was one of the proudest and moving experiences of my life as I stepped into the circle to be recognized as a true seeker of the wise. As I write this, Beltane is fast approaching, marking my half-year point of my 1st initiation. My studies continue onward, and I can honestly say that my time as a student of the Craft has brought me joy, wisdom, and peace and I know that it shall continue to do so long after my 3rd degree has been received, for we who follow this path shall always be students, with mysteries that shall always remain unsolved. When alone, we are children of the Goddess, ever learning in Her ways. When together, we are a force of power, yet also love and collective wisdom from which we may share freely with those who walk our path beside us.

All these wonders, magicks, and mysteries share with us the thread that holds us all together. This is the Craft through my eyes.

[Victoria Mnemosyne]

I am a child of nature. I take in the wonders of this world, feeling its mysteries in the air and the warm glow of the sun, enjoying the beauty of the night sky as the moon shines ever brightly. These ways are a part of my soul, reaching down to the depths of its core.

To me, the Craft is feeling these mysteries within the world and within the self, taping into them and experiencing wonders they hold as we gain an understanding of the balance of the world so we may take with us the wisdom that it holds and pass it on to those who seek to learn it. It is both love and hate, sorrow and joy. It is the beauty of a snow covered winter morning as much as that of a warm summer day. It is the fertility of the spring and the beautiful autumn death that accompanies the harvest. The Craft is the cycle of nature in all its forms as the Wheel turns ever on.

All these wonders, magicks, and mysteries share with us the thread that holds us all together. This is the Craft through my eyes.

Beautifully written, really well articulated. I absolutely agree that the feeling of oneness with nature is what clicked with me about the craft... it is sad that in modern life we have become so cut off from nature, when we are essentially a part of it... a large part of the human race has "forgotten where they came from". Connecting to nature feels a lot like coming home.
Thank you for this post. It's a good idea for witches/pagans/wiccans etc to define to themselves how they feel about their spirituality- to mark how far theyve come, and to stay grounded in their principles.

[roseonfire]

Thank you for the complements and you're welcome for the post. we truly have lost that connection with the Earth. This is why one of my favorite activities is dancing in the rain, which always makes me feel far more connected to the Earth than most things do. It gives the sense of being... whole.

[Victoria Mnemosyne]

I always dance in the rain ^_^
I'm also big on walks through the woods... even when it's snowing out and people think I'm crazy

[roseonfire]

Hiking is always a great activity! Just the sense of peace and quiet of being of in nature is awe-inspiring! My favorite place to be, though, is at a nature reserve/campground/event site known as Wisteria. It is a very beautiful place with an amazing community and when there you can really just feel that sense that it is a sacred space, connected to the Earth. The place is well known for its Pagan gatherings and festivals. Last year they started to once again host the famous Starwood festival as well as those that are run directly through the campsite. Wisteria is where I got my first drum circle experience around the Tent City (paw paw) fire, as well as got to be in the first open circle I've attended for the first handfasting ceremony I witnessed. It also gave me my first live performance experience on the Caffeinea's stage with some friends. I also have a friend who lives there, which I how I was introduced to the community and their festivals, so I can visit other than just the festival season. And I've got some great memories from those times as well! My friend's mother who lives there is Gina Kruzel, known as the Tarot Queen. If you don't know who that is, you can easily look her up on Google. It was just after attending her Tarot workshop last summer that I got my first deck. The place is truly wonderful!!!! And it is one of the best places I've found to feel connected with nature, even when surrounded by the many people who attend their festivals. It's just that powerful of a place to be! www.wisteria.org if you want to check them out to see what all they have at their festivals.

[roseonfire]

Sorry for the rant. I just love that place.

[Victoria Mnemosyne]

dont apologize at all! Thank you for that link!

[roseonfire]

Ah. In that case, you are quite welcome ^_^

[barefaced_mama]

Your piece is very well written, very beautiful. I guess I will share too but it probably will not be as eloquent.

I stumbled upon the craft in high-school. A friends mother practiced/believed. She always told me I was an 'old soul' though I don't know if I believe that. Anyways, I started researching and after a few months, I knew this was right for me. I connected with the aspect of there is both a male and female God/goddess. I connected with finding my inner self and attuning it with the divine and our earth. I like now that I am older that other things I have adopted go hand in hand with my faith such as being eco conscious or 'crunchy.' I grow a garden, make my own deoderant, compost, use the oil cleansing method, etc etc. I can't even explain the way it feels or felt when I found the craft, it just felt right....I felt complete.

How has it changed or shaped me? I suppose I am more aware or try to be more aware of my actions towards others and the earth. I also am getting closer to and with myself if that makes any sense.

[roseonfire]

That is still well written, and a put together thought process. Thank you for sharing!

[lilin]

Well,I am very new in the matter, but I think that to be a witch is to know the deeper dimentions of what is like to be a human in general.I think we are all much vaster, bigger, greater than we consider ourselves to be.When we think small we feel small and we live small, but that doesn't mean we are truly small- it simply means that we don't know how big we realy are.We have forgotten so much- to remember is what the craft is to me.

[roseonfire]

I see this has been moved. Sorry for the inconvenience to whichever mod had to do that. I wasn't sure exactly where this would fit. With its subject I thought the school would be a good place for it.