Tuesday, December 17, 2013

To Be Dark

I have been asked what exactly it means to be a dark witch. The explaining of these ideas is my magnum opus, my great work.

I am a dark witch. According to a large number of organized religions and other philosophies, I'm evil. I'm okay with that. I'm the wicked witch of the south east if you like. Or maybe the not-so-wicked witch. Depends on who you ask.

But dark, does not mean evil. Dark just literally means dark. The Dark Arts encompass all things which aren't light. Anything which is aesthetically unpleasant to the human reckoning of the world. My work deals with the night, the moon, the stars, nocturnal animals, rodents, reptiles, insects.

Most famous of all of course the Dark Arts involve death. The energy of death itself, deities associated with death, communication with the souls of the dead. Even the taking of life, but also understanding and coping with death.

I have often comforted those who have recently experienced a loss; and I ease the passing of those who are dying, whether by reassuring them against fear, easing their physical pain, or simply helping them to pass more quickly.

Everyone thinks of the Dark Arts in terms of things like curses. That is true, but so many conveniently forget that the darkness is also the great healer of the soul, the keeper of secrets, the guardian of those who wish to hide.

It is my work, as a dark witch, to guide those who are lost in the darkness, and to protect against the harmful creatures who dwell there. Only, where as a white lighter is inclined to "banish" the demon; I prefer simply to ask them to go away. Maybe even give them a job.

Remember, it's okay to be dark. The stars can only be seen at night.

UPDATE 12/29/13:

It's worth adding here a note on terminology. "White Lighter" comes originally from the TV show "Charmed", but it fit the concept perfectly. A white lighter is anyone who denies the darkness. At best these are people who refuse to BE dark, and at worst, those who suffer the delusion that the universe itself is inherently good and there is no darkness at all.

The term "Fluffy Bunny" is often used interchangeably, but I feel that one has more of an implication of a dabbler who doesn't take The Craft seriously, whereas a White Lighter can easily be extremely talented and well educated.

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for this. I've apparently unnerved many "white lighters" (great term, by the way) because of my work with the dead, and with deities that are associated with death/darkness, so I truly appreciate how you've expressed the positive aspects of the dark so eloquently here.

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  2. Thanks for commenting, I'm glad you like it. Stay tuned for more like it, and I'm always taking suggestions.

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  3. So, it turns out I'm a Dark Witch after all. :)

    Well, more grey I suppose, but balance is everything. Enjoyed this entry, I've had people leave a room in a public place because I was there, with my evil ring (one trembling soul came up and asked me if my ring was "the reaper". It was an art nouveau depiction of the goddess,I hope he felt suitably foolish after I showed him "the evil" close up.

    Beautiful back-image, by the way.

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