As a Christian Witch, there was an ultimate decision before me. But first, a story...
I had never heard the term "Christian Witch" before it flew out of my mouth in a burst of inspiration on a YouTube video I uploaded on October 22, 2011.
The video went viral, for obvious reasons, and out came the haters.
Let’s consider context. It’s 2011. There are no Christian Witches Facebook Pages, Groups, YouTube Channels, Instagram accounts or websites. As far as I can tell, there was 1 resource in existence at the time: The Path of a Christian Witch by Adelina St. Claire. I didn’t know about the book back then. Later, when I did learn of it, I was convinced that this was an amazing witch far ahead of her time. I applaud and salute her. (I haven’t read the book, though I’ve heard it’s a valuable resource.)
With that said, I had never heard the term ‘Christian Witch’ so when I heard myself say it, I was shocked. No forethought went into that video. Only inspiration. Let’s back up a tad...
When I arose that morning and engaged my spiritual practices, I heard inspiration from Source. I call it the Voice. It simply dropped 3 tiny words into my consciousness: ‘tell your story.’
As you can see, those 3 tiny words changed everything.
When I heard the words ‘tell your story,’ to me it meant: ‘share what’s happening for you on the spiritual journey Val.’ Easy enough, especially considering my YouTube channel is focused on spirituality. Nothing strange there.
The strange part was when the words “Christian Witch” fell out of my mouth.
This is just like Spirit. It was a simple, 2-word encapsulation of what had likely taken decades on the spiritual path, lifetimes even, to realize.
After recording the video in which I heard myself say something as inflammatory as “Christian Witch,” I had a sense of what was about to happen. Fear slithered through my body like a serpent — belly turning, heart racing fear — nearly aborting the upload.
Thankfully, something in me (let’s call it the soul) was bigger than the tiny, frail, afraid, human me. The big Self lit a bonfire in the cauldron of my heart, compelling me to upload the video in the face of what could have been paralyzing fear.
That day changed everything.
Before the video, I had one understanding of my path.
After the video, not only was I completely clear that I was integrating what appeared to be 2 distinct (and seemingly diametrically opposed) belief systems: Christ on one hand, and the Craft on the other, I also now had a name for it.
Could these two live together? Peacefully? Productively? Purposefully?
I had no idea… yet I was willing to find out.
I made the all important decision to go in that direction. A decision that didn’t require a committee of other people. I am a committee of one. You are a committee of one.
I made the decision to go with the intuitive knowing that I am indeed a Christian Witch, and indeed had been one all along, even before I had a language for it.
Make the decision.
After making the DECISION to dive in to the deep end of the pool of Christian Witchcraft, versus perching oneself on the edge of the pool lazily swirling a toe in the water, or even worse, attempting to avoid the issue altogether, the next step was to INTEGRATE.
This path seems to be 2 different things, yet it's not. The only way you can fully understand that this path is not 2 different things is if you approach and treat both the 'Christian' part (aspiring to Christ Consciousness) and the Witch part (magickal) as spiritual paths and NOT as religion.
If you take either as a religion, you'll have oil and water. The mix won't integrate.
Why?
Because religion is what people invent and spirituality is what you get to experience.
Religions are mutually exclusive by nature and design. You cannot effectively be both a Muslim and a Christian. Yet, you can honor and revere Christ and Allah. You can follow the underlying principles of both, and do it well, for the underlying principles of all spiritual systems are the same. I cannot say this is so for religion.
What was I experiencing in my particular brand of spirituality?
I had Tarot decks, and I had Bibles. I had crystals and I had crosses. I had magick and I had miracles. Without outside influence (such as religion), there was not a problem at all and nothing dictated that I had to get rid of either.
READ THAT AGAIN. Nothing says you have to get rid of anything.
I already had everything that fulfilled me spiritually, chosen by my beautiful soul, I just didn’t consciously understand how to integrate it all. Wonder of wonders! The puzzle pieces were there all along, I just had to put this jigsaw together!
INTEGRATION
For me, the most important decision I had to make — following my revelation that there was nothing to throw out, only an integration to experience — was to decide that I was going to move forward with being a Christian Witch, which would mean pulling together all the seemingly disparate aspects of my spiritual path thus far.
After integration, one discovers that Christian Witchcraft does not denote 2 separate, distinct, incongruent aspects that cannot be harmonized.
I've found exactly the opposite: my Christ Self feeds my Witchy Self and vice versa, such that my calling and walk as a Christian Witch has come together in a kaleidoscope of rich spiritual discovery and practice.
I invite you to:
MAKE THE DECISION.
THEN INTEGRATE.
More on integration is in my book How to Be a Christian Witch and will be appearing here on the blog in coming posts.
I love you Witchy Wonder.
KAISI (aka Rev. Valerie Love)
Founder of the Covenant of Christian Witches Mystery School
(This blog post is an excerpt from the best selling book How to Be a Christian Witch by Valerie Love.)
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