Your Witchcraft is Political
/Your witchcraft is a synthesis of the way you understand the Universe, how it works, and all of its individual parts. Your witchcraft is based on your experiences, and studies. Your witchcraft is a reflection of how you feel is the appropriate way to interact with the world. Your witchcraft has conclusions about what is best for you and your environment. Your witchcraft also has a certain artistic expression. Your witchcraft therefore is political.
Please allow me to explain. Philosophy can be broken down into 5 main areas. Metaphysics. Epistemology. Ethics. Politics. Aesthetics.
Metaphysics. What is the nature of the Universe, and what is my place in it?
Epistemology. How do I know what I know? How do I come to the conclusions I have?
Ethics. What is right action? What should I do with my understandings? How do my understandings express themselves in my daily life? What is the witch’s way? What do I value?
Politics. What is is extension of personal right action to the community one lives in, and is a part of?
Aesthetics. How does art express my understandings?
The challenge many people have in the witchcraft community (if there is such a thing) is that: while we have many of the same values and conclusions about right action, we may put them in different perspective and different order of importance. For example, the values of personal autonomy and supporting ones community. There are times when in order to support our community, we must sacrifice our personal autonomy by agreeing to be at the park for Pagan Pride Day at a given time, to do a given job, which may or may not be a job we want to do. Similarly, the values of inclusiveness and safety get balanced in various ways, at various moments.
A witch’s ethics and politics can therefore be seen as the manner in which that witch prioritizes their values. We all have values. Those values apply to us personally, and by extension our politics. So yes, your witchcraft is political.
-Rath, High Priest of the Coven of the Black Vulture