On occasion I am met with laughter when someone finds out I am a witch (shock horror didn't you know?) ;-) and that is usually followed by the jokes about green skin, warts and poisoned apples ... Disney/Hollywood you have an awful lot to answer for!
I am also occasionally met with comments suggesting that I spend my entire time sitting over a bubbling cauldron sending out curses and hexes that people have paid me to do...seriously if I had time to do that I wouldn't waste it cursing! Yes I am a Witch, no I am not Wiccan, I am a Witch (yep it can be a bit confusing, there are numerous witchcraft pathways), I am a Kitchen Witch, a Hedge Witch, a Green Witch, I follow the path of the wise and ancient ones...but the pathway is my own, it is individual to me, what I do in my own practices may not be what another witch does. Don't get me wrong, I do have a sense of humour and I have been known to wear a pointy hat and stripey socks... However: I do not eat babies or push them into ovens I do not sit cursing and hexing (although it's probably best not to push me too far because I will defend myself if necessary... I have been known to banish, bind and cut ties...) I DO NOT worship the Devil - in fact there is NO devil in witchcraft, he is a Christian entity, nothing whatsoever to do with pagan religions at all. I do...work with nature, the moon and the elements I do...work with the seasons I do...celebrate the turning of the Wheel (sabbats) I do...meditate I do...look after the planet and all the animals that live on it to the best of my abilities I do...try to help my fellow kind in any way I can I do...try to treat others as I would like to be treated I do...work with healing and positive energy I do...try not to judge others or enter into gossip Yes I do walk the line between light and dark and yes I have worked with my shadow and I do journey to the underworld (no it is not full of screaming souls and fire pits). You need to have a balance of light and dark, balance is the key. I have done a lot of shadow work it has been an integral part of my journey, it has helped me understand who I am and what parts of my personality I don't like and how to work with them. It has been an interesting journey of self discovery and self improvement, a journey that still continues... Yes I practice the art of Hoodoo, yes it does have a dark side...that doesn't mean that I work with that dark side, what it does mean is that I work with Hoodoo as folk magic for healing and positive work. Just because I have learnt about the dark side of magic doesn't mean I use it, what it does mean is that I have knowledge and knowledge is power and allows me to protect myself against negative forces and keep myself and my family safe and happy. Do not judge me on what you have seen in Disney films or hearsay and do not judge Witchcraft on what you have seen in the media - judge me as a person on my words and actions, judge Witchcraft only when you have proper information and knowledge about what it is.