Hi everyone, I’m new here and did a post in the introductions. I was curious if anyone had any information or insights on something about how my path has been unfolding. Ever since I officially dedicated myself to the path of witchcraft, about 16 years ago, I have noticed a trend.
Every year I experience the same cycle around the wheel of the year holidays. I get very into practicing my craft and learning more and using my gifts around Lughnasadh all the way until about Beltane (sometimes it ends around Ostara/Beltane). Then for the summer months I go off it completely! I get very into atheism or buddhism and reject it all. But then as it approaches August, usually late July, I feel called back to my path, just in time for Lughnasadh again! And I have ancestors from county Lu in Ireland! So I’ve chalked it up to my ancestors calling me back and perhaps my adhd making me inconsistent.
But I was wondering if anyone had similar experiences or knew if there is any spiritual significance or if there’s anything in witchcraft traditions that could lead me to more answers about it. Thank you!
It almost sounds like SAD–seasonal affective disorder—people can become depressed during the winter months. If this is what is happening to you…don’t worry, don’t fight it…work with it. This is how you are made…nothing wrong with that. Just figure out how to work with the magick in your life.
Thanks Lady Gene. I’m definitely no stranger to mental health issues, but I think its something more to it. I do go more inward in the winter and summer months, but its like I completely reject my witchy gifts each year and then return renewed with deeper insights and more confidence in my craft and intuition and gifts each August. Sometimes I skip only Imbolc and Midsummer, but other times it’ll be like I skip Imbolc all the way to Lughnasadh months. I keep feeling it must have to do with what those celebrations are about or somehow just part of my cycle and path. Like I said I always come back to it in August with new lessons learned. I was hoping maybe someone could point in the direction of where I could read more about it to learn more. Thanks again!
Lady Gene makes a good point on how the seasons can have an effect on us. That’s possible your ancestors are behind it too.
But at the same time I’m seeing something else going on here.
See, the practice doesn’t require an “all-or-nothing” approach. It’s fine to be skeptical of certain things and yet continue to practice as a pagan or a witch. No-one is going to slap you with a witches’ bible if you don’t believe every single thing in your tradition whole-hog lol. If you’re forcing yourself to, then yes that unsteadiness fall apart later and you’ll re-start the cycle!
Everyone develops their beliefs on a different basis, Allow yourself to be honest on what you do and don’t believe and just see it without judgement. Doing some journaling on this may help, and by the end of it you will undoubtedly find your answers.
There are plenty of atheist witches who work just fine in their craft - they just explain supernatural phenomena differently. There are also polytheistic Buddhist-Pagans that live in the pagan world just fine too. Who could possibly be that weird? Me, actually!
Thank you for pointing this out! Yes my mind gets very all or nothing, black and white thinking. It’s something I have a difficult time with so thanks again for the reminder. I have spent many years exploring all different religions and spiritual paths. I’ve come to say I am an atheist buddhist witch usually So I love that you shared that too! I am definitely going to take some time to journal and meditate on how to keep my witchcraft going all year long so that I can integrate all the things together eventually and not be so all or nothing. Let it flow! Thanks again to you and @Lady-Gene for the insights.
like, atheist→tried working with deities→back to atheism, so sometimes i really feel guilty about not being consistent in deity work, hope the god i worked with could forgive me
Wren is absolutely correct here. Everyone has their own approach.
I happen to be in this group. Raised Athiest/Agnostic, but am a Witch.
There is definitely nothing to feel guilty about. I always think if you feel guilty, then you feel as if you did something wrong. If you do not know, if it is wrong or right, how can you be guilty?
I think that guilt was invented by authority figures to act as the silent “parent”. You know how it goes…you should feel guilty…don’t you feel guilty for—. so many ways everyone tries to make us feel guilty. Why? They are the only ones who would benefit. So, you do not need to feel guilty, why torment yourself in that way?
I totally agree about guilt. I was raised Catholic and holy! the amount of guilt i was brainwashed with as small child. It still lingers today even though I haven’t been a christian for many years. It’s defintely the “parent” voice thing. In general I feel a lot of people, myself included, have guilt over things that don’t really matter in the grande scheme of things. We gotta focus on being kind to ourself and others and learn from our mistakes. Guilt has it’s time and place, but in excess is a waste.
This may be a little TMI but here goes how I learned how to deal with guilt.
As a small child (I remember at age 4, I had already come to this conclusion) my mother would get upset, for who knows what trifle and then would look at me and say, “don’t you feel guilty?”…I was already under the thought of, “I cannot control how you feel, if you decide to feel guilty, that is not my responsibility”. I think I finally told her that when I was about 7 (and that was NOT the first, nor the last beating!!).
Bottom line, guilt trips, don’t work with me, it is a manipulators tactic, that I will not “bite”.
Not raised Catholic but Athiest/Agnostic, but that did not stop the guilt-tripping.
Daaaaaang!!! That is some phenomenal boundary setting for a 4-7 year old! Good for you (although sorry about the beatings ) but yeah def a manipulations tactic by many. I like “don’t bite.” Have a nice friday!
As of now, I’m preparing now for the Harvest Moon in August. I’m writing my own incantations and I’m planning on getting a few candles and scented sticks for that night. As for offerings I’ll use grain and a fruit as an offering to the gods & goddesses that helps me with my rituals. Last year it was an orange, this year I’m thinking of offering an apple.
I’ve been preparing since earlier this year, ever since the first time I did the harvest moon ritual, it helped open my sixth sense and my magik. So I figured I’d make this one very special this year. Oh I can’t wait!
No problem! I totally get it, I’ve been through periods like that too. Just think of it as part of the journey to the Middle Way.
I’ve come to say I am an atheist buddhist witch usually So I love that you shared that too!
Nice! I’m atheist in the sense that I don’t believe in a creator, but I do believe in the gods plural and their importance on the development of humanity. I work with deities and spirits still, as I always have since I was very young, and my main style is Southeast Asian Buddhism.
Some of that might not make a lot of sense, and I could elaborate … but in a nutshell that’s why I call myself a Buddhist-Pagan. I laughed when I read your first post! Love to see another Buddhist here!
Wow, you said, what I could not quite find the words for…
Likewise, I do not believe in a CREATOR, but I DO believe in powers beyond our understanding. People want to refer to this as gods…fine, but I do not. Yes, I work with deities and spirits, but more as a focus on where/what I want to channel my energy; not necessarily an entity that has total control at their whim.
Ha! It’s a hard stance to explain, isn’t it? It sounds like our beliefs are very close! This is how we differ:
I do see them as independent beings. It’s just that I do not see creation gods as true creators. (Though I think some come very close.) Although you can certainly use god-figures in the way you describe too! That’s totally valid!
Might I add both of our views are also prevalent in some Buddhist schools? (Don’t worry I’ll shut up about Buddhism now. lol)
Very cool! I’ve studied mostly zen buddhism and love the teachings of Thich Nhat Hahn and Pema Chodron. But have read other things as well over the years. One of the sanctuaries from Thich Nhat Hahns lineage is only 2 hours from me and my husband and I went for my bday. It was a great day practicing with the monks and nuns!
I would say at this point in my life I have come to mostly believe (sometimes it changes back and forth) in no creator god hence atheist, but I do view deities/spirits as archetypes in the Jungian sense. I was drawn to Carl Jung’s work as a teen and then eventually went to grad school to become a therapist. Archetypes and the collective unconscious is how I think of things mostly. I am also big into metaphor and story telling. This is so nice to hear from you all here about your views. and great to meet another buddhist witch haha!
So I love that you shared that too! I am definitely going to take some time to journal and meditate on how to keep my witchcraft going all year long so that I can integrate all the things together eventually and not be so all or nothing. Let it flow! Thanks again to you and 
) but yeah def a manipulations tactic by many. I like “don’t bite.” Have a nice friday!
I laughed when I read your first post! Love to see another Buddhist here!