This morning I’ve been thinking about “relative oddness.” I realize that I must sound crazy as a loon to the folks who do not experience the world the way I do, nor hold the same world-view. However, I like to think that I am a mentally stable person and a beneficial citizen, and I’m open to feedback should you start to think otherwise. ;)

Its hard to forget that being a witch, working magick, seeing visions, and hearing the voices of the gods, as I do, was a capital offense not nearly long enough ago. <Ahem<cough>Spanish Inquisition> Millions of people have been executed, persecuted or locked in mental institutions for being “differently aware,” as I am, and acknowledging a broader, deeper, weirder reality than the average muggle.

Working at a metaphysical store means that The Sojourner staff meets all kinds of folks, from all kinds of backgrounds, and they ask all kinds of questions. Much like being a bartender, standing on our side of that glass display counter means that on any given day we can be asked to serve the role of priestess, village witch, confessor, counselor, healer or life coach, whether we feel able to fill that role effectively or not. That day we *might* be what stands between a customer and the ledge. They come to us crying sometimes, or angry, desperate, paranoid, mid-panic-attack, or terrified…

They begin their questions with “this might sound crazy, but…” or, “I know this sounds weird, but…” My standard responses are, “there are no crazy questions here,” and “weird is relative; we are all ‘weird’ here.” I do make a concerted effort, no matter what my customer says next, to arrange my face and my response in such a way as to be neutral, informative and non-judgmental. I think I do OK with this task, most of the time. Other times, not so much…

Aliens? Possibly. Which race from which star?

Faery? Probably. Terrifying, didn’t you think?

Ghosts, guardian angels, spirit animals? All par for the course.

No, you aren’t imagining it when you smell your dead granny’s perfume and know she is near. Yes, I believe that your child is seeing “dead people.” No, this doesn’t scare me.

If you actually released a demon through your Ouija board, no I don’t think burning sage will be enough; get thee to a priest!

In my world-view there is no paranormal; to me, all of existence is “normal.” Just like I don’t use the word supernatural, because nothing is above nature. Nature is a diverse and multifaceted beauty of both seen and unseen, matter and energy, a tapestry of Divine consciousness the likes of which we are only beginning to comprehend.

I regularly take students on meditative journeys to explore spiritual planes, past-lives, the heavens and the underworld, accessed through our subconscious minds. They all come back with unique tales of what they saw, and as far as I am concerned, they are all “correct” for them. To some folks in this town, to do this work is crazy, terrifying and a threat to their own perceived reality. <shrug> I’m am sincerely grateful no one has yet to try and persecute me over this!

I do believe that people are evolving into a broader awareness, like suddenly switching on the high-beams…we can just see more now. Allow me to illustrate…

Imagine you’ve driving down a dark, lonely road, seeing only the plain asphalt that lies immediately before you. Then, you kick up the headlights to high beam, the patch of lit road widens, lengthens, and suddenly you notice the road is lined with wonders and perils, and you’re in bumper to bumper, break-neck traffic on a stacked free-way with all manner of spirits, gods and monsters riding your bumper. Then patterns form, the map of the universe unfolds before you, and it isn’t even a car you’ve been driving all along, but a tardis from Dr. Who, rendering time and space fluid and luminous. You can go anywhere you want to go, but you’re on a one-way trip, never able to go home again. Unsettling, to say the least.

Who am I to question what you are perceiving? She who is without oddity, cast the first stone!

Since we opened the shop six years ago, I’ve seen a mass awakening into this relatively broader view. From my perspective, humanity is leveling-up! New age people call that “raising your vibration” or “evolving your consciousness.” Call it what you like, there are more and more of us now asking the important question:

Is this real? or have I lost my mind?

All that being said, there are days–and there have been a few of them recently–where I run across people who even *I* think are “crazy” in their wildly unorthodox, or paranoid, or even hateful perceptions. WOW! If I think you’ve gone off the rails, that is really saying something!

At Pantheacon last week, I took a workshop with Diana Paxson on mediumship and Divine possession, where she made the very important distinction between truly channeling the voices of your gods, and being mentally ill and “hearing voices.” We must be diligent in our reality checks with each other, and discretion in how we act on those messages. Try not to forget that mass murders have happened because “God told them” to.

Is what you are hearing/thinking/doing in alignment with your core values? The laws of the land? Good taste or sense? The good news about neo-paganism is that we can not only converse with our gods, we can argue with them. Just for the record, DON’T DRINK THE KOOL-AID!

Which brings me to the concept of judgement.

Above, I said I try to be non-judgmental, and I imagine that you understood my meaning, as this phrase has long been working its way into the social discourse on what it means to be more accepting of diversity. As my readers will remember, my second rule of Witchcraft is don’t be the asshole. I especially don’t want to be the the sort of “judgmental” asshole that would deny someone’s sovereignty or the expression of their person’s truths.

However, non-judgmental is NOT the correct word for the job. Having a well-honed sense of good judgement, and acting responsibly on those judgements, is vital to safety and maneuvering of our society. Good judgement requires all six senses to do effectively.

There are lots of ideas, theologies, actions, fashions, lifestyles, etc, that I’ve judged to not be in alignment with my core values; they are unsafe, unsavory or undesirable to me. For the most part, it doesn’t bother me in the least to mingle my life with the unique folks who’ve made alternate judgements than I have. Then again, sometimes, I choose not to be in relationship or proximity to the people who are too wildly far afield from what I consider to be OK for me, like hatemongers, religious fundamentalists, racists, etc.

Remember the line in the Wiccan Rede that states, “With no fool a season spend, nor be counted as their friend.” Fool is a relative term; I choose not to be associated with foolish people. The only control I truly have is over my own choices, where I go, who I associate with, and into what I invest my energies. It is my choices that help build and maintain healthy personal boundaries as well as create a world in which I feel safe to raise my children and we can thrive. (This is how I fulfill my 3rd rule of witchcraft: Don’t be the weak link.)

Judgement is a thing people are continually doing as a means of figuring out where they fit in the overall scheme of possibilities, as their own reality check against relative oddness. We need new language to adequately describe how we choose to act on our judgements. What helps me navigate this minefield is my concept of sovereignty and free-will; to coexist with all people in a way that allows safe personal expression of their inner truths, their core values. Respecting sovereignty helps me NOT be the asshole in our society.

Regardless of how I internally judge what you are saying or doing as being correct or incorrect for me personally, my acceptance of your sovereignty to be uniquely you, with free-will to make your own choices, should be unwavering; you will not suffer at my hand because of where you land within my range of relative oddity. Of course, with sovereignty comes great responsibility; there must be some sort of agreed upon limits or we fall to anarchy.

So, today I ask myself if by my thinking certain folks on the fringiest of fringes are “crazy,” does that make me no better than the persecutors with whom I hope never to run afoul? I’d like to think that I can make a sound judgement about what is well-balanced and reasonable without burning these folks at the stake. Remember, my first rule of witchcraft is Don’t burn the Witch. While I may not perceive the world the same way as all my customers, I’m going to live and let live, quietly, lovingly and helpfully, even if that is at a distance that I define. Namaste ;)

I also am going to be the reality checker when necessary, being as honest as I can be, when I believe that they have gone careening off the rails. Why else come to the village witch for advice if you don’t want them to be honest with you, yes?

Today, I ask myself where I draw the line between oddity and mental illness, and I choose to draw that line where it crosses into imbalance with hatefulness, bigotry, destruction and harmful actions. Sure, you may have a wild idea, but how are you acting on that idea? If ever I find myself staring down that line with a customer, then I may see fit to help that friend by finding the psychiatric help or law enforcement needed to prevent harmful action. I love you all that much.

Have I gone mad? I’m afraid so. You’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are. ~ Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

To even flirt with Witchcraft is to welcome a kind of madness. (Or is it to be truly sane?) We are all mad here! Be free in your oddness, my lovelies! More power to ya to be the brightly colored, glittering and strange flock of my like-feathered kindred! Y’all make my strange corner of the world a very interesting place to be and I’m grateful for that!
Blessed Be!

Tags » Modern Witchcraft

Have I gone mad? I'm afraid so...