{"id":19777,"date":"2019-01-01T01:10:46","date_gmt":"2019-01-01T06:10:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=20013"},"modified":"2018-12-30T21:21:53","modified_gmt":"2018-12-31T02:21:53","slug":"the-bad-witchs-guide-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2019\/01\/01\/the-bad-witchs-guide-9\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bad Witch’s Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe\nBad Witch’s Guide to The Older People\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOr\nYou get Better or You Get Bitter\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\nare some people who never seem to get old. Their bodies might age,\nbut something in their eyes and heart has remained or even grown.\nThen there are people who seem to crave death. Sometimes it is\ndepression. Often untreated, under supported and dealing with the\nloss of a great deal. I have been the supporter of an older relative\ndealing exactly with this. Without support and indeed medication\nthese folks become something dark and unpleasant. As The Veil grows\nthin for a person you start to see what might be beyond for them, a\nlight or a darkness. This is not about religion or faith but an\nalmost physical psychic presence around people near the end. Those\nnear their light glow. There is a peace and beauty. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then\nthere are the other ones. A presence like black sticky smoke. A smell\nof something rotten or burnt like old tires or something sickly\nsweet. It seems to pour from them. I can not tell if it\u2019s their\nmood, their energy, their internal mean-spiritedness or the\nmanifestation of something else. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Older\npeople are just that, people. They are neither saints or devils, but\ndealing with someone whom is dark and difficult because they are\nfamily is hard work. It is often hard physically, emotional and\nspiritually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So\nhow do you live with or be around this polluting force? Toxic\nparents, and relatives become no less pleasant as they age and some\njust use their frailties (real or imagined) as weapons to brutalise\ntheir children and spouses and grandchildren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As\na child of a toxic parent and one who watched someone become one in\ntheir last years of life there is a complex soup of horrible\nfeelings. Guilt, duty, blame, shame, fear and pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As\na witch I have to change my perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\nmust squint at the situation sideways and think magickally. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Firstly\nthe mundane. Is this person mentally ill? Are they depressed,\ngrieving or suffering in some other way? Is mental health support\npossible? Many older folks have still have a lot of shame and\nmisconceptions about mental health. Many have some really ugly or\ndifficult coping strategies. From alcohol and cigarettes, to shutting\nthemselves away, generationally we are in a much better place to\nunderstand mental illness today. Some might be struggling with side\neffects of medications, not knowing that their could be newer better\nmedications or combinations out there. Some might not have been to\nthe doctors at all. Avoiding what they think will be a frightening\ntruth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reach\nout. Find charities and professionals that listen not only to what\nthey say but your input too. It isn’t easy. We had a lot of doctors\nsimply refuse to believe Pop’s had depression. That many of his other\nissues would have been solved if they treated that first. In the end\nit was as much that as his vices that killed him. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of\ncourse you can not help someone who doesn’t want to be helped. This\nis perhaps a hard truth of our own we must face. The other option is\nalso mundane and really tough. Sometimes you have to walk away. For\nyour self, your health, sanity and well being. This might be a break,\nthis also might be an end to the relationship. It is not our job to\nwatch someone destroy themselves. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If\nneither of these two are applicable (life is complicated and messy)\nprotect and cleanse yourself and space as often as you can. You might\nwant to physically clean it as well as smudge. Adding salt and\nessences to your wash water can help. Protective wards, charms and\ncrystals help a lot too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\nare a couple of things that can help absorb some of the toxic seep\nbut they are not permanent measures. One is sacrificial house plants.\nSounds macabre I know. House plants tend to die in the presence of\nsuch people, yet these little heroes can and do take much of this and\nconvert it as best as they can. They don’t have to be fancy, and if\nyou get a few you can rotate them around (increasing their lives for\na short time). Ferns are good. One near where they sit, one in their\nroom, one in the loo or near where they spend a lot of time and\nabsorb a lot of yuck. Some quartz pebbles might even make them live\nlonger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nother is a salt and barely mojo. You can make up a big batch and keep\nit in a jar and change out and throw away the used one. How often\ndepends on the person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once\na month or once a week depending on how bad it is. This can go under\na mattress, or sofa cushion or even into a pillow. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\nWill Need:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salt,\nthe best kind you can afford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barley\n(pearl barley is fine)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calendula\noil<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parsley\n(dried)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Per\none cup of salt you will need a tablespoon of barley and calendula\noil with a teaspoon of parsley. This is the base mixture and you can\nadd other things, like moss or wheat straw (again to absorb the\nenergy). \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Say:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spirit\nof Salt I call to thee<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Draw\nwhat is harmful away from me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barley\nkeep the Dark away<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bind\nit here until I wash it away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No\ndarkness shall harm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With\nthis charm:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tenebris\net non nocebit (And the Darkness Will Not Harm)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tenebris\net non nocebit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tenebris\net non nocebit! \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Place\nin fabric mojo bag as discreetly or not as you like. Under the sofa\ncushion, or mattress is useful and make sure to empty them regularly.\nDispose of the used mixture down an outside drain with plenty of\nwater. Don’t put it in a river, but you could put it in the sea. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This mixture can be used for a circle ward around your home, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While\nnone of this deals with the cause of the problem sometimes all we can\ndo is muddle through and keep ourselves safe. In an ideal would this\nsort of thing wouldn’t need to happen but the world is often not\nideal and we need to use our magick to keep us as safe as we can.\nToxic relationships are difficult and draining and it can take a long\ntime to heal from them. If a little magick can help you feel strong\nenough to say \u201cno\u201d when you need to then it has done you a great\nservice. \n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe Bad Witch’s Guide to The Older People\u201d \u201cOr You get Better or You Get Bitter\u201d There are some people who never seem to get old. Their bodies might age, but something in their eyes and heart has remained or even grown. Then there are people who seem to crave death. Sometimes it is depression. Often untreated, under supported and dealing with the loss of a great deal. I have been the supporter of an older relative dealing exactly with this. Without support and indeed medication these folks become something dark and unpleasant. As The Veil grows thin for a person you start to see what might be beyond for them, a light or a darkness. This is not about religion or faith but an almost physical psychic presence around people near the end. Those near their light glow. There is a peace and beauty. Then there are the other ones. A presence like black sticky smoke. A smell of something rotten or burnt like old tires or something sickly sweet. It seems to pour from them. I can not tell if it\u2019s their mood, their energy, their internal mean-spiritedness or the manifestation of something else. Older people are just that, people. They are neither saints or devils, but dealing with someone whom is dark and difficult because they are family is hard work. It is often hard physically, emotional and spiritually. So how do you live with or be around this polluting force? Toxic parents, and relatives become no less pleasant as they age and some just use their frailties (real or imagined) as weapons to brutalise their children and spouses and grandchildren. As a child of a toxic parent and one who watched someone become one in their last years of life there is a complex soup of horrible feelings. Guilt, duty, blame, shame, fear and pain. As a witch I have to change my perspective. I must squint at the situation sideways and think magickally. Firstly the mundane. Is this person mentally ill? Are they depressed, grieving or suffering in some other way? Is mental health support possible? Many older folks have still have a lot of shame and misconceptions about mental health. Many have some really ugly or difficult coping strategies. From alcohol and cigarettes, to shutting themselves away, generationally we are in a much better place to understand mental illness today. Some might be struggling with side effects of medications, not knowing that their could be newer better medications or combinations out there. Some might not have been to the doctors at all. Avoiding what they think will be a frightening truth. Reach out. Find charities and professionals that listen not only to what they say but your input too. It isn’t easy. We had a lot of doctors simply refuse to believe Pop’s had depression. That many of his other issues would have been solved if they treated that first. In the end it was as much that as his vices that killed him. Of course you can not help someone who doesn’t want to be helped. This is perhaps a hard truth of our own we must face. The other option is also mundane and really tough. Sometimes you have to walk away. For your self, your health, sanity and well being. This might be a break, this also might be an end to the relationship. It is not our job to watch someone destroy themselves. If neither of these two are applicable (life is complicated and messy) protect and cleanse yourself and space as often as you can. You might want to physically clean it as well as smudge. Adding salt and essences to your wash water can help. Protective wards, charms and crystals help a lot too. There are a couple of things that can help absorb some of the toxic seep but they are not permanent measures. One is sacrificial house plants. Sounds macabre I know. House plants tend to die in the presence of such people, yet these little heroes can and do take much of this and convert it as best as they can. They don’t have to be fancy, and if you get a few you can rotate them around (increasing their lives for a short time). Ferns are good. One near where they sit, one in their room, one in the loo or near where they spend a lot of time and absorb a lot of yuck. Some quartz pebbles might even make them live longer. The other is a salt and barely mojo. You can make up a big batch and keep it in a jar and change out and throw away the used one. How often depends on the person. Once a month or once a week depending on how bad it is. This can go under a mattress, or sofa cushion or even into a pillow. You Will Need: Salt, the best kind you can afford. Barley (pearl barley is fine) Calendula oil Parsley (dried) Per one cup of salt you will need a tablespoon of barley and calendula oil with a teaspoon of parsley. This is the base mixture and you can add other things, like moss or wheat straw (again to absorb the energy). Say: Spirit of Salt I call to thee Draw what is harmful away from me. Barley keep the Dark away Bind it here until I wash it away. No darkness shall harm With this charm: Tenebris et non nocebit (And the Darkness Will Not Harm) Tenebris et non nocebit Tenebris et non nocebit! Place in fabric mojo bag as discreetly or not as you like. Under the sofa cushion, or mattress is useful and make sure to empty them regularly. Dispose of the used mixture down an outside drain with plenty of water. Don’t put it in a river, but you could put it in the sea. This mixture can be used for a circle ward around your home, too. While none of this deals with the cause of the problem sometimes all we can do is muddle through and keep ourselves safe. In an ideal would this sort of thing wouldn’t need to happen but the world is often not ideal and we need to use our magick to keep us as safe as we can. Toxic relationships are difficult and draining and it can take a long time to heal from them. If a little magick can help you feel strong enough to say \u201cno\u201d when you need to then it has done you a great service.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":230,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/230"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19777"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19777\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19163,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19777\/revisions\/19163"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}