Baubo’s challenge

I don’t believe I need to list for you the ways in which this is a time to try a witch’s soul. Even filtering what I read and know, I find I expend energy, daily, in pulling myself up out of the dark box of current events. The magical work I do, the spells I weave, the prayers I say or sing are all out of my belief that I can shift racism to respect, poison to nurturance. They express my belief that I can offset those who, as Jackson Browne says, have learned to forge the earth’s beauty into power. I have my list of what I work to change, and my guess is you have a challenging and worthwhile list of your own.

Maybe, like me, you find it hard some days to keep the faith. Headlines, Facebook, the abuses of power, the ignorance of the fearful can all get me down. Then I remember the story of Demeter and Baubo.

In the ancient myth, Demeter is crushed by her sorrow at the loss of her daughter, who was (in some versions) abducted by Hades and taken to the underworld. Demeter is so distraught that she withdraws her support for life. The earth, and all that lives on the earth, begins to die. Baubo, an old woman and a servant, comes to Demeter, and in bawdy, foolish ways, makes Demeter laugh. Through that laughter, Demeter finds herself and her role as nurturer again, and the earth comes back to life.

Some years ago, I read an analysis of the story (I wish I could remember the author…) that suggested Baubo was saying to Demeter: the women cannot despair. When the patriarchy overwhelms us, we have to keep the faith, because if we don’t – humanity will die. We cannot give in to despair. We are the nurturers of life, and we have to find a way to recommit to that, no matter what.

I knew, as soon as I read that, that it was true. That I (we) cannot give up. Sustainable spirit. And keeping the faith.

For me, this myth has expanded to include all those in my communities, all of whom are nurturers of life, and beset by the patriarchy. I am grateful for those in my communities who stay engaged in the fight, and with a sense of humor too. Their insight and their big hearts inspire me to stay engaged, and to be open to laughter – they are a big part of how I sustain my spirit.

Blessings to us, Baubos all.
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Why this blog, why now …

Why a blog, and why now? Because I’ve come to believe sustainability is one of the biggest challenges to being a witch. In my life, the issue of sustainability crops up a lot, and I want to explore the issues, the challenges, what insight I find, what insights others share.

Sustainable body – It is different for a witch to walk in the world, and do the work we do. I have committed to remaining open to what happens in the world, to the earth, to living beings. And like many witches and other healers, I’m intuitive and empathic, and my body feels and holds the impact of what happens in the world. It also holds the impact of the ritual, aspecting and energy work that’s part of the magic I and my communities do. So I’m interested in how I can do the healing and magical work I do, and sustain my body.

Sustainable spirit – In my experience, those who live authentic lives challenge others. To me, authenticity is part and parcel of what the witch is, what she does, the impact he has. Even when she is solitary and has no intention at all of being noticed and no intention of his actions having impact, it is the witch’s very nature to be about personal power through authenticity. That challenges others; and often, I think the witch pays a price for that challenging. In truth, I think it had a lot to do with getting us burned, in times past. How do we sustain our spirits, when our work requires we are authentic and remain open to the world, psychically or visibly?

Sustainable communities – I need community to grow my magic, and sustain myself. A shadow of the witch’s love of freedom and personal authority is that, in the absence of rules, organization, structure around community, there’s also the very real issue of a single, charismatic leader whose charisma builds community, and whose personal dynamics, in time, take the community member, or the entire community, down. So many witches I know have chosen to be solitary because of the unhealthy leadership dynamics they’ve encountered. There are also issues of support, and commitment, as levels of commitment to community ebb and flow. Since my own path is communal, for me to be sustained, it’s vital that my communities be sustainable too.

Each month, I’ll be posting about sustainability for the witch’s body, his spirit, her community. By “witch” I mean anyone who self-identifies as a witch. I’m not much interested in a definition of the word – I am interested in how we can sustain what we are, and what we love, to do the work we’re called to do in the world.

I hope you’ll return from time to time to see if there’s something here that you find sustains you, too.
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