#skeptical witchcraft

[criticalthinkingwitches]

Critical Thinking Witch Con 2023 Sept 29th - Oct 1st Connect, learn, and get involved with community of science-minded witches and seekers from around the world at this 3 day virtual convention. All-Access Pass - $35/40 Saver Pass - $25/$30 Early Bird Pricing ends 9/15 at midnight EST! Scholarships available! Tickets on sale now! We can't wait to see you there! Tickets and virtual convention schedule available here

Apply to be a vendor here

Apply for a scholarship here

#witchblr #witchcraft* #secular witchcraft #atheist witchcraft #agnostic witchcraft #skeptical witchcraft #skeptical witches #SASS Witches #sass witchcraft #witchcon #critwitchcon #witch life #witchy things #witch community #crit witches #nontheist witches

[beththeskepticalwitch]

On skeptical witchcraft:

"I realized that most of what I was doing already could be explained through science/psychology, with the placebo effect being the main aspect of it. If I was doing the spells and the rituals in the same way that others do and they were having the intended outcome, how could I not call it magic? Even if the belief behind the way it works differs from most’s. It is about why I do what I do, and what I do to achieve my desired outcome; it is not about how it is achieved."

Quote from @beorhtsgrimoire (reposted with permission)

#skeptical witchcraft #beginner witch #witchblr #psychological model of withcraft #placebo effect #pagan #skeptical witch #paganism #secular witch #psychology #witchy #magick #witchcraft

[countryfriedmagic]

i've been learning about magic and witch stuff actively for about a year now & i still haven't like, done any magic. i read way more than i used to, spend more time outside, meditate some, pull tarot cards sometimes... but i haven't done any spells or rituals or whatever despite the fact that i want to

i make a lot of excuses about it. i think the problem is, 1. i feel silly, and 2. i also take it too seriously? like if i can get myself in the frame of mind to decide what to Do, then i talk myself in circles trying to figure out what to focus on. i'm most aligned with the psychological model of magic, so i feel like i need to pick something i want to explore or evolve within myself and do a ritual to kind of cement that and commit myself toward a goal. which begs the question of what within myself i want to devote my energy and attention to.

i don't know! there's a lot of things. there is much to the interiority of a person it turns out. i feel like trying to change a flaw is probably too ambitious, and also not really aligned with. it can't be anything that i'm genuinely convinced i can't do. something i can accomplish or make noticable progress on in a relatively short span of time...

i want to be intentional because i'm trying to achieve an experiment, basically, to see if this can work for me. i think the formula is, create a space where you're in an altered state of consciousness to get deep in your brain's guts. then symbolically & ceremonially direct your emotion, attention, and intellect toward what you're trying to achieve (with the aid of physical materials acting as psychic anchors). all that convinces you something is now going to happen, so you look for signs of it working & the placebo effect kicks in, so for you, magic works. and of course you have to actually do things in the material world to achieve an effect.

lowkey i just want to actually be able to reap the benefits of the power of positive thinking. my view of my life and the world tends to run bleak & i do genuinely feel it's justified and rational. i've spent close to 20 years creating this feedback loop where i already believe i have no power over anything and nothing will ever turn out well. i feel a creative approach toward constructing a better narrative may be beneficial for me at this juncture

if i take something seriously, i take it so seriously that i get lost in the weeds because anything worth taking seriously is worth doing right. it's the 'tism

i know the new moon is coming up in a couple days so i'll figure something about based around that. beginnings, sowing seeds. etc. and this time i really will put out a jar of water and have me some moon water

#witchcraft #skeptical witchcraft #secular witchcraft #notes

[a-lemon-tree]

The core of this principle is skepticism and critical thinking: to use reason and the scientific method to determine what is most likely to be true, rather than simply believing one’s perceptions or accepting as literally true what is meant as poetic or metaphorical expression. This is the most fundamental difference between Atheopaganism and many other forms of Paganism: we do not automatically accept our subjective experiences as having objective reality. We understand that our minds play tricks on us constantly, every day, and that even a very meaningful experience may well have been fully or partially a hallucination. Does that mean, then, that the meaning derived from such experiences is necessarily invalid? No, it does not—it merely means that we understand that we created that meaning. It was not inherent in the experience.

I'm not atheist, but THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS

I became so much happier and freer when I allowed myself to think, "Is this a figment of my imagination? Probably. But that doesn't mean I can't take meaning and enjoyment from it."

#skeptical witchcraft

[gale-in-space]

I’m a witch, but I’m a scientist first and foremost. I believe in occam’s razor. I believe that extraordinary claims must be backed up by extraordinary evidence. But I also believe in placebo effects. I know the shiny crystals and the fragrant herbs won’t heal my physical ailments, but I like them, so maybe they’ll have a positive effect on my brain and thereby the rest of my body.

Just don’t come to me expecting me to analyze your dreams unless there’s obvious symbolism in them—otherwise I’ll just say that they are a product of unconscious thought processes that haven’t been filtered by executive functions! :)

#witchy #witchcraft #skeptical witchcraft #witchblr #okay to rb

[teddys-ebook-of-shadows]

This is my side blog where I collect and organize all the resources I find here for working my craft. So far they mostly fall under a few categories, such as:

#bookshelf - book recommendations I've found on a range of topics, usually with some overlap of other categories

#divination - probably mostly tarot at the mo, but also other divination methods I want to look into like palmistry, pendulums, tasseomancy, etc

#grimoire - this is a broad tag for things like organization methods, topics to include in a grimoire, etc

#herbalism - references for herbs, mostly medicinal

#spellcraft - how to write spells, spells by other people, etc

You can learn more about me here!

#skeptical witchcraft #bookshelf #divination #grimoire #herbalism #spellcraft #<- for mobile navigation

[liminality-secular-witch]

My card for 2023: The Hanged Man (XII)

This is one of a few cards whose interpretations with which I most often disagree. The card is often said to be a call to relax or "see the world from a different perspective," which feels bizarrely optimistic considering the depiction is a death sentence, a la St. Peter among others. Also, such interpretations are found among the suits of Lesser Arcana and don't seem to have the gravitas to be one of the archetypal Greater Arcana.

The Hanged Man has been sentenced and currently exists in the liminal space between the Justice (or "justice," depending on your view of man-made enforcement of the law) and the arrival of Death. Whether the Fool on his journey has met the Hanged Man while passing through this story or whether he hangs beside him, the Hanged Man serves as a strange sage in an unexpected place. We don't know whether he deserves his punishment, the punishment is excessive, or even if he was innocent and falsely detained, though I'm personally inclined toward the latter, as he has the most to say to those who are both indignant at the injustice of a current situation and—being bound and held upside-down—incapable of taking any action.

There is no hope of freedom here. There is no hope at all. However, despair being equally useless, the Hanged Man has long since given that up as well. Even more so than the Hierophant or the Hermit, the Hanged Man depicts a stoic or Zen Buddhist, one who has found a transcendent serenity in hellish circumstances. He is an island of peace where all other senses tell us one should not exist.

☁️... 🧘🏽 ...☁️

How very unlike me.

I have spent too much of my energy these last few years feeling righteous anger at the someone who's hurt me. I've made efforts to "let it go," to forgive him (...No.), and—this has been the most painful—to forgive myself for letting myself get into a situation I rationally understood to be dangerous but ignored because LOVE. I've been bitter, ruminating on the differences in my life and others', directing hot rage against myself for mistakes in my youth that have cost me final chances at those things in life most dear to me and that I will now never have.

I wail and scream on my cross at the injustice of my circumstances. I repeat those lines that feed it further: "These feelings are valid; I have a right to my anger."

Whatever truth may be in those statements is irrelevant. Simply, it has done me no good.

😭🤬...😔

The Crow Tarot has made this card more approachable. Cullinane's depiction of a crow hanging upside down is playful, an action wild crows and other intelligent birds are known for exhibiting. A stark contrast to the Rider-Waite version, this hanging crow is here of its own volition.

And therein lies the crux of my struggle with embracing the Hanged Man. The RW Hanged Man is not where he is of his own volition. And yet he is there by choice. To clarify, he did not choose to be on the cross, but he does choose to accept reality wherever he happens to be, and he happens to be here.

And so I begin the year of the Water Rabbit on a spiritual sojourn to a place that has always been difficult for me: here. If I can do nothing but listen to the Hanged Man, then let me choose to be present enough to listen with intent and interest.

#tarot #crow tarot #tarot cards #the hanged man #secular witchcraft #skeptical witchcraft #witchblr

[owlandmoon]

I've been seeing a lot of magpies recently, they haven't yet had a turn as my favourite corvid but I think this is their moment. Their flashy plumage and beautiful long tails are bringing a lot of joy into my gloomy winter life, and I've been seeing them as a little gift of hope and happiness from the world.

It's also interesting to me to be able to feel that relationship developing, that connection between a certain animal, or plant, or crystal, and feeling or meaning. I read lists of correspondences and don't feel as though they make sense, and I see people talking about personalising your practise and creating your own correspondences with no clues as to how, but I think I get it now.

#baby witch #skeptical witchcraft #nature #animals #corvids #the aster radio

[glamourous-world]

I sit on my little skeptic throne of witchcraft and enjoy it all because either magic is real and I’m very in tune with myself and the world around me, or it’s not and I become a master of meditation and good mental attitude and I get a fuck ton of shiny little trinkets and nicknacks that bring me immense joy there is no losing here

#witchblr #witches of tumblr #witchcraft #secular witch #skeptical witch #glams blog of shadows

[quasi-normalcy]

#witchcraft #witchblr #witches #magic #sorcery #occultism #occult #skepticism #religion #wicca

[spiralhouseshop]

It's the season of the witch and until the end of October I'm offering Brainscan issues 33 & 34 by Alex Wrekk at a price where it will be about $10 including postage anywhere in the US! In these two zines Alex explores over a decade of building a secular witchcraft practice.

Brainscan #33 - DIY Witchery invites you into a deeply personal journey through the world of witchcraft. Over the course of a decade, the author has explored and practiced witchcraft, and this zine shares their unique experiences. It's not a how-to guide, but rather an insightful personal narrative. The author delves into their journey into witchcraft, the development of their secular and non-pagan practice, and the distinctions between their approach and contemporary witchcraft. They also tackle critical issues within the modern pagan and witchcraft communities, including discussions on racism, cultural appropriation, colonialism, and capitalism, reflecting their intersectional politics. For those interested in venturing on their own path, the zine offers tips and resources.

"Brainscan #34 - A Dabbler's Week of DIY Witchery is a zine born out of a challenge sparked by a cntroversial witchcraft book review in January 2020. The review suggested that modern witches were anti-vaccine and climate change deniers, leading a witch to question what it really takes to explore witchcraft for a week. The author, an experienced witch, takes up the challenge and presents their response in this zine.

Within these pages, daily activities are proposed, designed to shift your perspective and introduce you to their personal world of witchcraft. Activities include space cleansing, simple energy exercises, correspondences, animism, and basic spells. All of this is presented in a friendly, non-authoritative tone, making it perfect for those curious about witchcraft.

https://portlandbuttonworks.com/secular-witchcraft-zine

#secular witchcraft #witchblr #witchcraft* #sass witch #skeptical witch #zines #dabbler's week of witchcraft #witchy zines #alex wrekk #brainscan zines #witch zine

[criticalthinkingwitches]

Today is the last day to get a ticket to attend the virtual convention this weekend! Saver tickets for the recorded material only will be available until October 15th!

Here is a full schedule of activities including group spells, panels, workshops, cauldron talks (microtalks), and guided social time with other like minded folks!

Tickets available tonight until midnight!

#crit witches #secular witchcraft #atheist witchcraft #critwitchcon #witchblr #critical thinking witches #agnostic witchcraft #critical thinking witch collective #virtual event #atheist witches #ctwc #witchlife #athiest witchcraft #skeptical witchcraft #sasswitchcon #sass witchcraft #sasswitch

[creature-wizard]

Remember, many spiritual scam artists will tell you that the stuff they're trying to sell you can be found in "ancient texts." Be skeptical if:

They're not able or willing to name the exact texts they claim they're citing.

You can't access and read these texts for yourself to make sure they actually say what they're claimed to say.

There's no evidence that the texts actually date back as far back as claimed; EG, there are no surviving ancient copies of the texts, nor are there any other ancient works that cite, criticize, or even just mention them in passing.

Never, ever trust anyone who refuses to cite their sources, let alone insults or belittles you for asking about them. Never trust anyone who refuses to give you anything that can actually be checked and verified.

#religion #spirituality #scams #spiritual scams #witchblr #witchcraft #skepticism #discernment

[countryfriedmagic]

also, secretly i really want magic to be real in a metaphysical way. i know this because initially, when i first started looking into ways to fill my spiritual void, i thought atheopaganism was definitely the way for me to do it. it's totally secular and nature/humanism-based, using ritual intentionally, etc. then i started reading the website, and hanging around in the subreddit and facebook group. and oh my god it sounded so boring. like, a very interesting perspective & one i have intellectual respect for. but it seemed dry to me emotionally & i had to figure out why it felt like a buzzkill. it's because a tiny little sliver of me is ALWAYS going to wonder if it's "real," and i actually kind of like that piece.

i've always been that way instinctively, always wanted ghosts and paranormal activity to be real. waited for a hogwarts letter (ouch), LARP'd pokemon and a:tla with my brothers. like, that was my make-believe, not playing house or schoolteacher. fighting out pokemon battles. imaginary worlds have always felt so real to me; i'm a very rich daydreamer and was even moreso as a kid. i've always been able to make magic i read about feel very real, and i've always wanted it to be actually real.

i have a really hard time buying into a lot of it. like, psychic abilities, communicating with spirits and deities, they kind of hit this wall of skepticism i haven't figured out how to lower. but i'd kind of like to figure it out.

chaos magic is what really gets me thinking. i think there may really be something there. you can make a very sound case that, by its definition and techniques, chaos magic definitely does work if you put your effort in the right place. belief shapes reality, belief is malleable, belief can be a tool oriented toward a desired outcome. i've read (most of) a book called how god becomes real that's an anthropological look at how belief in a god shapes a person's reality and vice versa, and the overlap is... very fascinating. reality IS malleable, to an extent. i'm not sure where the limits are. i'm not 100% devoted exclusively to a totally scientifically-proven answer to that question at this point. i'm trying to leave room for it to feel... like magic, i guess, and not just dressed-up self-help.

#notes #witchcraft #secular witchcraft #skeptical witchcraft

[friend-crow]

Respectfully, consider not doing the whole, "Oh, you'll know when you [have X spiritual experience]," thing.

First of all, you underestimate the level of skepticism I have had imparted on me. I question things I have seen with my own eyes, which leads me to...

Second of all, having experienced hallucinations for medical reasons, I have very good reason to question experiences which seem to defy what is scientifically possible. This doesn't mean that I'm unwilling or unable to believe in anything beyond what can be measured and explained by science, but I am in no rush to abandon my tendency to question my experiences. I don't tell people what to believe, and I appreciate being shown the same courtesy.

Third of all, this kind of advice often comes with the sort of "chosen" culture that I see in some witchcraft communities and I have to say, I don't love it. You don't need a special sign to know you're a witch, you can just decide to be a witch and start doing witchcraft. You don't need to be chosen by a god. You can choose your own gods. You can make contact with spirits instead of waiting to be chosen. If you feel that you have been chosen, that's great, but recognize that anyone can do these things if they want to. If this is what you want your destiny to be, you don't have to be chosen, just make it so. Witchcraft should be empowering. Claim your power -- you have the agency!

#this started out as a vague post and then turned into a whole other thing #witchcraft #skepticism #chosen culture

[azura-tsukikage]

🔮 Exploring Magic: Testing Beliefs and Analyzing the Unknown 🔍

Magic has captivated human imagination for centuries, offering a realm of wonder, mystery, and the unexplained. But as we journey deeper into the world of magic, it's essential to bring along our critical thinking capes and a healthy dose of curiosity. Let's embark on a quest to test, study, and analyze magical beliefs, embracing the scientific spirit while retaining our sense of wonder.

🔬 The Scientific Method: Magic can be a fascinating subject of study. Just as in science, where hypotheses are tested, let's apply the same rigor to magical claims.

📚 Anecdotal vs. Empirical Evidence: Remember, personal stories and anecdotes are intriguing, but they're not the same as solid empirical evidence. When exploring magical phenomena, aim to collect data that withstands scrutiny and repetition.

🧠 Psychology and Belief: Magic often taps into the power of belief, a potent psychological force. Delve into how the mind can shape our magical experiences, including the placebo effect and suggestibility.

🤔 Critical Thinking: Like any other subject, magic benefits from critical thinking. We encourage you to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and consider alternative explanations. Skepticism isn't about dismissing but rather examining with a discerning eye.

🔍 Case Studies: Learn to examine real-world studies and experiments related to magic, the paranormal, and supernatural beliefs. Dive into the findings and ponder what they reveal about our understanding of these phenomena.

🌟 Skepticism and Openness: Embrace a balanced approach. Skepticism doesn't mean disbelief; it means a thoughtful exploration. I invite you to keep an open heart and an open mind on this magical journey.

🌿 Ethical Considerations: As you explore magic, also reflect on ethical responsibilities. How do our magical practices impact others and the world around us? Let's ensure our path is one of respect and responsibility.

🔮 Personal Reflection: Finally, I invite you to ponder your own magical beliefs and experiences. How does critical thinking enhance your magical practice? What mysteries remain, and how do you wish to explore them?

Remember, your energy and beliefs still belong to you. Your practices and beliefs belong to you. But never feel that you must believe all that you are shown or learning; for you can still enjoy magic for what it is, as art, as creativity, as healing, as using nature as a form of self-care, or using symbolism for connection, or what have you- but always know what lies beneath still may be true or not true; the only way to know is ask how; and like James Randi, respond with "I don't know; let's find out." 🌌🔮✨

#witchcraft #witchblr #witches of tumblr #spiritual growth #mystery #study #psychology #magic #healing #critical thinking #skepticism #exploration #wonder