Here we are with a Part Two. It’s more ugly stuff I’m going to point out under our little magic rock in the occult community. This post has less to do with magic and more to do with the people who practice it. 

The Magic Community is Full of Wannabe Gatekeepers and Grifters

I’m not sure which one of these is more numerous. For a hot second this week, I got very excited when some other witch TikTokers followed me. But, then every single one of them sent me a DM written from a very similar script. ~*~I have felt a very strong connection to you, and your destiny. How much would you like to pay me for a reading~*~. Like no, bro, I was very excited that I thought you might have wanted to be Magic Friends, but apparently you just send this to everyone after you friend them in order to get paid. 

At the same time, it never fails that someone is lurking about saying someone else’s magic isn’t ‘real’ or ‘isn’t serious.’ Like I have said before, there is no Almighty Magic Authority who is making us take a certification exam. And the amount of people running their mouths because they want to be perceived as more than they are is never ending. 

I distinctly remember a few years ago, one of the biggest discussions on a Discord I was in was about someone offering ‘positions’ in her ‘coven’ and ‘inner circle’. For money, of course. And if people want to throw their money away on external validation from someone who actually decided to monetize validation? I mean it’s none of my business, I just think it’s about as real and means as much as NFTs, and that’s after the crash. 

At the same time, there is no end to the people claiming only they know the One True Path and that you need to give them something, but they will graciously share it with you.

Magic Will Not Solve All of Your Problems

Your bills still need paid, and you still have to eat. Magic can’t solve these issues. And, it’s going to be a lot more efficient if you address them before you panic. No, Magic will probably not fix your grades, you should just work hard. No, you are not going to *~*Manifest*~* your way into a new habit or breaking an old one if you just light some magic oils. Try the way you know works, but don’t want to do the work for. 

Karma is Misunderstood, and Not Tailored to Your Concept of Justice or There for Your Convenience

It boggles my mind that people use the concept of Karma or Prayer as a threat. Like ‘I’ll be praying for you.’ We all know that one. It’s said with such a holier-than-thou attitude, and they will claim that it isn’t anything bad. Well, if it wasn’t, then why did you say it that tone? 

In the same way, the concept of Karma in common parlance is thrown around like a threat. “Oh Karma will get you!” First off, the idea of anything Karmic being meted out on a short-term scale is literally comedic in its inaccuracy. Second, any Karma that is real probably does not work in a way that is conveniently the exact same as one individual’s sense of Justice.

As far as I know, I have never seen or heard of any ‘feedback’ or backlash from anyone using baneful magic. Sometimes they received social backlash when people found out. But, that was plain old, mundane, vanilla consequences. 

However, I have seen a lot of so called ‘Light Workers’ and ‘White Witches (their words with racial implications, not mine) do a shit ton of hexing behind the scenes when they claim “ReAL WiTCHeS Don’T NeED to KnoW about BAD MAGIC.” Yeah, but they’ll send you files with sigils built in so you trust them and give them your money, or they’ll throw a tantrum and fire off hexes like they are Danny Devito when they don’t get their way. If you’ve been around long enough, you’ll see it. 

Everyone has Facets, and that is Fine

This is something I really wish I had learned earlier in life. No one has just one ‘thing’ about them that is the core of their entire being or personality. Or, if they do, they’re annoying as hell. This very misguided idea is in every community I have ever been in. Take fashion, for example. There is no iron-clad law saying that you need to pick one fashion style and stick to that as your identity. You could be goth one day, cottage core the next, and in your underwear the third day because fuck it. No one is going to take you to Subculture Jail for not adhering to one thing 24/7. 

One of the dumbest things I ever heard in my life was that “ReAL WiTChes” never played DnD or video games. Number one: who made this asshole the Wizard Feds? Second, since when did Magic Law have dumb shit like this in it? Anyone who actually has met real practitioners knows that any group of practitioners is known as ‘An Argument.’ No one is the End All Be All Authority, and especially not in how you live your life.

If you want to do old people hobbies like crochet or knitting, that doesn’t invalidate anything else in your life. If you want to code, that doesn’t mean you can’t light incense and do magic. People are composed of many interests, many aesthetics, and there is no authority figure or doctrine that has ever said otherwise. 

There is Nothing Wrong with Wanting to be Special

I often make fun of people who try to be self-elected gatekeepers, because deep down I know they just want to feel special. I’m never disparaging that desire, but the actions they decide to take because of those desires. I think it’s probably universal that people want to feel special, or at least feel special to people they value. But, it’s stupid and counterproductive to try to tear others down—because the feeling will still be there when you’re done. 

I think it’s better to be honest about your motivations. And, yes, wanting to feel special or like you have some control over your life is a valid reason to start looking into witchcraft. Here, this blog post is your permission slip. I signed it. Now you can become a witch, even if it’s just to feel like you are special.