Some Lessons Learned from Wicca

            As many of you may remember, I have been studying the Wiccan faith to gain a greater understanding of its beliefs and practice for my novels and short works of fiction. I have utilized witches and witchcraft recently in some of my works, and I have found a new avenue for character development with it. It’s been very interesting reading about the practice of folk magic, and it certainly has educated me on the subject (I take broom flying lessons on Thursdays). In the vein of exploration, I thought I would take a break from the instructional lessons and give you a glimpse into Wicca. Here we go…

           

            First, I learned Wicca isn’t what I thought it was. I approached the subject with no skepticism, but an open mind and I found so much more than I expected. I thought I would uncover the conventional ideas expressed by our culture: dark-cloaked people, black cats, old grey-haired ladies with malice upon their faces, sacrifices and death spells, etc. Cartoons and movie have instilled in us such an impression that it is difficult to see around the pointed hats and bubbling cauldrons, as well as the kid with the scar on his head. Witchcraft is very common, very real, practiced by very normal people who have learned to harness the energy of the Earth. Their Rede, or set of rules, forbids them from doing harm to anyone and allows for free practice so long as it harms none. What I nearly expected and what I found were two different things.

            Second, nature is imbued with power. This may be a little foreign to some, but after being infused with so much Christian doctrine, I do not find it strange at all. For Wiccans, everything has energy dwelling in it. That is how they can cast spells; they simply arouse the energy of the Earth, then direct it towards a goal. Rocks, especially certain varieties, have unique powers that enable the Wiccan to perform rituals and spells. I was certainly struck by the idea of nature seemingly being “God.” The Christian texts have sayings that strike at the notion of God being “above all, through all and in all.” To me, it certainly makes more sense to see the divine as a real and functioning part of this creation, and not some abstract entity realms away. The trees, the rocks, rivers, mountains, buildings, people, animals, all are part of the divine and a living expression of it. The divine in nature can also be experienced and touched; that amazes me. It is not distant, but very much a thriving part of all that is.

            Third, Wiccans believe in reincarnation. Now, on this point many people divide; Christians especially do not want to believe in reincarnation. The Christian view is that life is lived once and once only. It is easy to follow that until you look at ancient documents and see how many faiths have ideas concerning the notion. The Hebrews believed the prophet Elijah would return again. The Christian texts speak of Jesus as being Elijah, and John the Baptist as him also. The Dali Lama is a reincarnation of past spiritual leaders. The list goes on. For now it is easy to say that for Wiccans, and many Eastern faiths, reincarnation is a very natural process. Buddhists believe in reincarnation, though they see the process in a negative light and believe enlightenment allows them to escape the cycle of reincarnation. Wiccans believe in a more positive approach to the idea; we simply return and return. Life is not something to be escaped, but something to embrace. I like the idea of reincarnation, although I have many questions and have seemingly found some loopholes. Let’s hope I don’t fall through one when making my return trip!

            Lastly, natural energy can be harnessed. As I stated above, the energy of the world can be collected and used to achieve a goal. In most of the major world faiths today, you have to use prayer or some form of petition to bring about change. It is very taxing and will not always bring about the desired results. With prayer, the power is not in the person’s hands, but in the hands of the divinity to which they are praying. With Wicca, the power rests solely with the practitioner; they have the ability to harness the energy and send it forth to bring change. Of course, I see some loopholes here as well, but I think there is also a great chance of success. It is freeing to think one has the ability to create change. Personal power, it seems, is invested in the practitioner and not a distant entity. I might be more inclined to believe in the practice if I saw a witch make it rain, but for now I am open to it. After all, the energy is there; why not use it?

            It has been an interesting time reading about the subject. What I listed here was only a sampling of what I have read. As I read more, I will try to pass it along to you all. Remember to never judge a book by its cover and never take someone else’s opinion; research it yourself and come to your own conclusions. Until then, remember, when flying on your broomstick, slower traffic keeps to the right.

            As always, good luck writing.

Work Update 3

            It has been a while since I last posted and I have a lot going on, so I thought I would update you all on the latest projects. I have three underway right now; the first is the novella. I have completed it and revised it once. It needs two more readings, then it will be ready for submission. I think I have found a suitable publisher in Arkham, the same publisher which handled H.P. Lovecraft’s works. If you have not read him yet, do check him out. His work is great. The Novella came off really well, and I am pleased with it thus far. I have two short stories I am working on as well. The first is one which I have been working through for some time. It is the story about the departed lover who leaves her dog to her boyfriend. When he meets a new girl, the dog begins to act in bizarre behavior. The second is a 25 page work dealing with the traumatic story of a young girl, the Newsalem Witch! It was my first endeavor writing about a female lead, and I think it came across pretty well. It was also a first in that it was a “story within a story.” A young hiker, the main character, finds the lady’s journal and reads of her tragedy. I am pleased with it as well, and look forward to seeing it completed. The latter two will be on PubIt soon; I will let you know when. 

            Aside from these very active projects, I have some ideas mulling around in my mind. I will not share them now; sorry, I guard them jealously. Once I can get these out of the way, I want to put some attention toward the novella again and get it ready for its little flight to neverland (it’s probably where it will end up). I am also torturing myself by reading the Barnes and Noble unabridged version of Moby Dick. I thought it would be a good adventure book, but I have learned more about the color white and ropes than I have about the damned whale! It is a bit of a joke now around the house, and if the book were not on my electronic reader, I should have returned it to the ocean from whence it came! Oh well. Happy reading to me.

            That is all for now. I will give some details about the two works when I get them completed and before I put them up for sale. It has been busy here, and I am trying to get adjusted to the new summer schedule. Once I can fully embrace the summer months, I will start to crank out more blogs, perhaps two a week (not that anyone reads them, Hah!)

            As always, good luck writing.

Otherness

            I recently read an interesting blog by another author on writing within the confines of culture and the time of the character or author. There is a huge avenue for historical fiction, but many writers choose to set their stories in the time they know best: the present, and their own present. Although my stories also take place in what I know to be the present, I prefer “otherness” to exhibit itself in my writings.

             Otherness, as it is termed, is the absence of all that is attached to time, to put it mildly. It is not the total absence of technology; my characters are not living in primitive environments, but are very much active in their worlds, although their world is but for a moment. Many of my stories are within the confines of a single “scene,” or episode with little or no scenery change, (some, however, deviate from this patter). With this method I have been able to create a timelessness for the story and allowed it to fully embrace the existential moment.

This is a key component of otherness, the existential moment. Existentialism was a philosophical and theological movement some decades ago which brought extreme emphasis on the moment, the single moment. Paul Tillich, a German theologian, wrote a book entitled The Eternal Now. It is his view that we as humans have lost the past and have not yet gained the future. All we have is the “now,” the eternal now. It is in the single moment that we all exist and have our being, and this idea comes through brilliantly in my writings.

The characters are detached from time and placed in one moment; as mentioned above, many of my writings take place within the span of an hour or less, if one were counting. Few objects are mentioned to set a definite location of time; I neglect to mention certain items such as computers, cell phones, satellites and so forth. I rely on more traditional gothic landscapes and Poe-like scenes, opting for isolation and seclusion without the modern amenities we have all come to embrace.

I admit it is very difficult to sometimes escape our cultural and technological limitations. Technology is so prevalent today and is so much an active part of our lives that it is nearly impossible to write a story without some item of the technological universe creeping in. Computers, internet, wifi and cell phones can all be found on the person, and even in the remotest of woods one is bound to have some type of reception. It is in reaction to all this, I believe, that I choose otherness in my writings.

I admit freely I am at odds with contemporary culture and disillusioned with the state of the nation today. My eyes fall upon a landscape which seemingly offers little to the new generations. Banks fail, the government no longer functions, the bottom is trampled while the top rejoices. When I view all this, I want an escape, not a renewal or re-imagining of thought. I want otherness in my readings, not a constant and blatant reminder of how things are. Otherness is escapism.

If one were to attempt to incorporate this type of style into their writings, I would suggest two things: lose your attachment to the culture, and embrace the power of the moment. First, we as a culture are so absorbed with technological marvels that we feel life has no substance without them. It is perfectly acceptable to include the modern cultural elements; if one is looking for timeless, however, forsake the world and all its entities and rest in the moment. Second, you must embrace the power of the moment. We have behind us a past which is lost forever, and before us a future we have no certainty of gaining. I stare with tear-filled eyes at that which lies both behind and before me, knowing I have neither. What I do have, however, is the moment, the single moment in which all creation exists. Within its confines do I live and breathe and have my being. We have nothing but the now; all else is gone forever, the past slipping and the future fading before me.

This is otherness….