Magic and Making a Difference

I think people are really hungry for some values that make sense in the world and that go beyond sheer materialism. People are hungry for a spirituality that honors nature and honors the body--and for women, one that honors your power as a woman.

We've worked with this story a lot in our Witch camps, and it works so well as an initiatory journey--that's what it is at its core. I felt that there was enough in it that it would hold up as a thread in a book like this. A lot of people vaguely remember something about it, but it's not like Cinderella or something that's been made into a Disney movie, so you can get a fresh perspective on it. And it's one that's found all over Europe in hundreds of different variations, which tells me that its origins are very old.

"Ritual has tremendous power to help us in our personal growth."

The three legs are first of all the magical and spiritual work, and being able to do that on a deep level to create a ritual that changes consciousness. The second leg is personal healing. If you're working magic, you have to be able to heal. Ritual has tremendous power to help us in our personal growth--that's one of its traditional functions. The third leg is about taking action in the world. Without any one of these legs, the cauldron would tip.

I think community is wonderful if you can find the right community. But there may be times when you need to do it on your own, depending on where you are. I think your life is a bit poorer if you never experience a ritual in community and find out what it's like to work in a group, but it's a lot better to be solitary than to be in the wrong group or community. Now there's so much out there to choose from that you should never have to accept a group that doesn't feel right. Even if you don't live somewhere where this is happening, you can travel to Reclaiming Witch camps for a week. And we're just one of the groups that are out there.

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