44 Days of Witchery.... Day 1

Question: What's your Witchy Background?

Well, I have studied Wicca at several different times in my life. In my early days I would read and explore for a month or so and then the guilt would set it, after all Wicca is evil and of the Devil right? And I would run back to church and ask Jesus to forgive me and resume the "one true way"  to God all over again. I worried what people would think if they ever discovered my interest in the Occult, how would they see me. It was easier to be a Christian, it is so acceptable!

In 2009 I left began going through a divorce, no longer someones wife, and faced with raising my daughters alone, I had to truly find myself. I had no idea who I was. I began reading some books, and really nothing horribly serious. But I took a self inventory, what do I believe, how do I view faith, how do I view God. In 2011, around April of that year I started to study Wicca with purpose. 

My personal views and beliefs lined up with this path so beautifully, and I was no longer willing to apologize for the way I live my life. In December of the same year I found The Sacred Mists, an on-line coven and school for all things Witchy. I felt like I had come home. I could be myself and share my thoughts and learn from those who had been at it a lot longer than I have been. 

I felt free. Plus, I enjoy the structure of the learning there. It has taken a while, there have been twists and turns and pauses and breaks, but I'm nearing the end of my First Degree there. I have met some of the most amazing people,and it may seem crazy to some, but some of my dearest and closest friends are people I have never met in person. 

I enjoy reading and learning as much as I can. My favorite aspect of my path, at present is Divination. I am learning so much about Tarot, perform some readings (I do not proclaim to be an expert, but I do have one particular deck that speaks to me and I just love!!!). I am in training to do Past Lives Readings, and have found I do have a particular skill there. It is a work in progress, I need to work on being more free flowing and a little less analytical with the delivery of the results. 

How do I know I can do Past Lives Readings? This is an interesting story. When I was 11 some major things happened. The first was in February my grandfather died, it was horrible, the saddest thing I had ever experienced. I was very close with him, and felt his absence so strongly. A few months later, my friend Cindy died. She was 10 years old and died during a Liver Transplant. It was the first time I realized that children an die too. Well, these events lead to a rather morbid summer. I spent a lot of time at the cemetery where Cindy was buried. There was this one tomb stone, it was old and gorgeous. It looked a lot like a mirror, a really old fashioned one. Anyway, when I would look at it, I could see myself but it wasn't at present. I was wearing maybe victorian clothes? Big dress and fancy hat, but it was me.... hard to explain and for years I tried to say it was the over active imagination of an 11 year old girl. But I knew from then, that I had been here before, my faith didn't allow for that belief, but it was more than belief, it was knowledge that I'd already been on Earth, and that someday I'd be back here again. I started about a year ago exploring my own Past Lives, seeing what I could awaken and know, then the opportunity presented itself to do so for others. So I'm going through training, proving my skills and ability in the area before I'm allowed to do this for other people, I am so excited to get this underway!! 

I have tried to study Herbalism, I find it absolutely fascinating, but this is where I fall pretty short as a witch, I have black thumbs! I cannot make anything grow, isn't that just awful? I still make potions and am learning to make my own ink, but the herbs don't come from my own witchy garden, they either come from the fresh section of the grocery store, or are from Phoenix and Dragon, a brand called Gaia's World. 

So, my witchy history isn't very long, but everyone's witchy history has to start somewhere. 

2014 promises to be a year of Growth and Development, and I hope to share it with everyone! I have found a few Blog Writing Challenges to kick off this new Blog, and I'm hoping to do the Pagan Blog Project in 2014. 

Blessed Be,

Wynter