The Will of a Witch

One of the many facets of being a practicing witch that you seldom
see discussed anymore on any pagan media outlet is that of willpower.
There are a lot of "just add water spells" and paths in the pagan
community these days that do very little in aiding students with the
development of their willpower.

I really don't understand how or why the great pagan thinkers and
authors of the day seem to "forget" this little detail of spell
working and life in general. Instead we are told "do this and it will
work" but they leave out the fact that just going through the motions
isn't enough. Anyone can dance but not everyone can "feel" the music
as they dance and act upon the feeling rather that the instruction
manual of instant witch-crafting.

It's not such a hard add in to everyday life. So why omit it? We can
get lots of books and read emotionless techniques on how to do this
and that but they all too often fail to tell you how to actually
apply the practices of witchcraft to everyday life. So I'll do it for
them.

Life is the sparing circle of the Will. The events that take place in
that circle are little more than practice for the Will. The Will
should be seen as a muscle and every event of every day should have
at least some hint of practicing that muscle in it. All you have to
do is learn to be aware of your Will. To make note of the fact that
your actions and thoughts have power and it is because of those
thoughts and actions that your life plays out as it does for better
or ill.

When you decide to do something you do it.
There is no such thing as "trying to do it". You either do it or you
don't. The "trying" part is your Will in motion. Before and after
that motion takes place then your not doing anything at all.

Spell work holds to the same general idea.
You have to set your Will into motion. And the actions of your Will
and the wake behind it is part of what we call "magic". See your Will
power as a boat and the world we live in as an ocean. The water is
the essence of magic. It is the metaphysical web that allows us to
see the action of our Will. Our decisions make waves and ripples. Our
Will is the wind that sets our decisions into motion and the product
of it all is change.

Magic, in part, is the power to create change without physical or
verbal motion. Now those people who are in dire need of content to
fill up a book or web site will tell you that you have to go through
all this ritual and invocation to practice magic. There not going to
tell you "Think and do!" because then they wouldn't have enough
content to put together a pamphlet let alone a book.

They surely wont tell you that the stronger the Will the stronger the
witch. You really don't get to see that until you run into someone
who's very presence can't be denied. Who's Will is so overbearing
that they can not be ignored. These people can sometimes be very
intimidating. Especially to the book witch who just can't figure out
how the hell they do it without all the ritual, bells, and whistles.

What makes a witch great it a developed Will and the knowledge to go
with it. There are tons of people around who will set there and blow
smoke up your ass boasting of their abilities. And they might just
have the Will but with a little discussion you find that they don't
have the brains. That's like having a motor but not boat to put it
on. It's useless! And so is just about everything they have to offer.
It's all cannon fodder.

The price to pay for having willpower and brains to match is the
interpretation that the willpower and knowledge is based on ego. The
frustration of ego comes from those who talk about it but don't be
about it. It does get exhausting when you run into someone who does
little more than comment and argue points but never make points of
their own.

You will be seen as egotistical and there will be a whole section of
people who simply do not like you. Not because you are wrong in one
way or another but for the simple fact that you have achieved a level
of being that they are somehow unable to reach.

You will have folks who fall back to their years of practice. Those
who are quick to point out that they have been a witch for X amount
of years which only proves that they are not trendy witches.
Witchcraft for them is not the flavor of the week it's a lifestyle.
But years of practice does not hold up to years of growth and
achievement.

The practice is not the test. It's just practice.

In all that time and all that practice they forgot to work on their
Will. And in making that mistake they find that all that time means
very little and they have never really gotten anywhere. Which is why
a young pup like me who has only been in practice for half that time
can hold my weight with the "elders" and folks who should know a hell
of a lot more than me. I skip the practice and ace the tests. Then I
hand out cheat sheets and get hammered for it.

This we can see as magical "training".
Anyone can call themselves a witch. Just like anyone can call
themselves a martial artist. But if you don't practice and go through
the training than your nothing but a fake and sooner or later someone
is going to come along and expect you to back your boasts. If you
can't then your going to get embarrassed or even hurt really quick.

Your power is in your Will. So are your limitations.

(Angel Snowden 2006)