A Simple Path: Journey of a Hedgewitch

*The Hedgewitch lives in the space between the Village and the Forest. Between the mundane and the magical. S/He lives with a foot in both worlds.
This column is dedicated to the Hedgewitches of the planet earth.

Working Witch

Ever since I was a child, I have been a Healer. It began in my youth, fostered by programming from the church that it is our right to lay hands on the sick and they will be healed. I had never looked at the process any other way.
When I reached my teens, and money was slim and none, I discovered herbs and began ferreting out their secrets. Having a new weapon against dis-ease, I knew I would be a far better Healer, having both spiritual means, and physical means to help people.

Later, when I discovered my inner-witch (who clearly had been working her own magic for years, unbeknownst to me, consciously) I expanded my worldview, but my mission remained the same.
I just found that I had the ability to make change happen in other areas, as well as physical and spiritual healing.

Discernment became divination. An exorcism, cleansing and blessing. Prayers were chanted and candles and incense were lit. Energy was transferred and nothing had changed, except I now felt personally connected to the Divine, and no longer needed to attend church to fellowship, worship or petition my gods.

I had always been the sort of spiritual warrior who was called upon when someone moved into a new house, and became fearful about sprits and paranormal activities. As a Christian, my duty was clearly to remove the spirit, and restore the home to order. So, it really isn’t that different now, when I cleanse and bless. Except that I have respect for the spirit’s needs, as well.

I have been working as a part time witch for a good many years. I make medicines, read cards, run a small shop and do workings for friends of various sorts.
I never charge for my magic, though, occasionally, I will charge for some materials if I don’t have them in stock (rare. I have an extensive magical cupboard). It goes against my personal ethical construct to charge for magical workings, however I am always happy to accept token offerings from the client, as they are led.
I feel magic has been given to me, freely, and I am happy to share. I have always felt I “worked for the Universe”. And, while the paychecks aren’t steady, the benefits are out of this world.

I always insist on participation (on some level) by anyone I work or read for. Magic is best when engaged in by multiple focused partners, and this always aids in the results.

When someone I know has a problem they cannot manage on their own, through mundane channels, they come to me.

I have done UnCrossings for unfortunate friends. I have unhexed some who had been interfered with. I helped a friend find true love. I have healed numerous friends and family members and have cleansed and blessed countless homes over the years.

But, I have never felt that I was working full time, until lately.

Most recently, several serious situations have arisen in my life where I have been called upon to render magical aid. Some so serious that days worth of layers of magic have been required to remedy them.
I have been working round the clock for a week on a particularly dangerous situation, and while we have come out on the right side of it, it has been nearly all-consuming.
Today, I have been given my next assignment, and it is every inch the doozy the last one was.

It is vital that I remember to remain in my body and feel the sensations as they occur. I have been besieged with fatigue after long periods of energy transfer. I have had to remember to put some energy back. My dreams have been loaded with powerful images, so even while I am sleeping, my spirit is working these things through.
I have been trying to be mindful to eat when I am hungry and to keep my husband fed, during the course of things.

I can tell things have changed on some deeper level, because my husband has asked me for the help on one very specific occasion, and this is completely out of character. He knows I work for people, sometimes. He also knows that there are altars and candles in places, and that this means something. But he never knows what, and we don’t discuss it at all.
He just finally came to a place where he could not solve a serious problem through mundane means, and believed that I could help him with this one. He believed that there was some bad magic afoot and knew that I can help with things like this.

It was a amazing thing, to have him ask me to help him using my magic. He has not made a peep about the incense which burns nearly round the clock. He hasn’t mentioned the strange collections of things on the coffee table out in plain sight. He has been enormously supportive of the work, and has respected the sacred space.
It is its own miracle in the life of a working witch, married to a pagan-friendly but not pagan mate.

My work in his situation has been successful, and he is a believer more now than ever of my “hocus pocus” (to his credit, he did finally stop calling it that the first time I made a healing salve that cured absolutely everything it touched, including a major second degree burn he suffered).

With some spells coming to an end, and new ones being formulated, and worked, I find my life has changed. I am working full time for the Universe. Just as I sort of always wanted to.
As I said, the paychecks aren’t steady. But the benefits…who can argue with miraculous abundance?! Not this witch.

I know the life of a working witch is not for everyone. But I believe if you have a gift, it is up to you to share it with those who do not. Even if you are in a place where the idea of someone asking you to help them through magical means seems absurd, just wait.
People tend to notice what we can do. And even the pooh-poohers come around when they need some help they can’t ask anyone else for.

If you are open to this life, it will find you, and you will have more work to do that you have time for. I only know this, because it has happened to me.

Praying you all are finding work for your magical hands to do!
Bright Blessings!