Good witch vs bad witch
Halloween is nigh
(Painting by Leonora Carrington “The House Opposite” 1945)
Most of my readers do not open the hot links. Just click on the underlined words. You should give it a try when reading this post because I found some very interesting articles.
My theme for October has revolved around witches who will come out in full force on Halloween. In these divided times, the concept of the witch falls into two camps: witches are healers and doers of good and witches are evil and to be feared. How do we decide which campaign to support? As discerning human beings, we do our research and look at both perspectives.
My research shows that the witch can outsmart the trickster. Here is the Story of The First Witch in The Lithuanian Tradition: “She knew the paths and the plants to avoid, her grandma had been a healing woman for years and had taught her daughters and granddaughters the secrets of the bathhouse and the beehive. She often gathered herbs in these woods and never had feared the tales that the townsfolk told.” (I recommend you read the whole article to see how the healer was tempted by the trickster and used the dark knowledge he shared with her to deal with those who would do harm.) In the end, “She shared the knowledge she had gained. They [witches] spread slowly through the land and legends sprang up about strange summer rites where witches dance and young men never return. In the dark of winter, the folk told tales of legends of women and men known as witches.”
And yes witches can lie but “Oftentimes, it was those accusing witches of deception who were the ones doing the lying.” Many parents have lied like witches. “From binding others as a means of controlling their nefarious ways to slipping medicine into children’s porridge, witchcraft is often done in the shadows, where the line between truth and lie is blurred.” How many of us have been bewitched by gazing into someone’s eyes? You decide if witches are good or bad, but watch out! Choose wisely or you may find yourself out in the corn field.
While this good witch listened to Sunday’s sermon she heard about Richard Rohr. His central idea is that we are all addicted to our own patterns of thought and behavior, just as we might be addicted to a substance. Imagine that! Because I have predicted things before they happen I have been called a witch, therefore, I believe witches are good. My therapist called it the Cassandra Complex which usually results among people who recognize “mega-trends.”
Last week I wrote: Maybe the enemy within all sides of any discussion is the ability to lie. Lying has not only lost its stigma — it’s become a viable strategy for success. Catholic School taught us that lying is a sin after I already lied about being the one who spilled the milk in kindergarten. Good thing I confessed that to the priest. As a result I have found it difficult to lie or accuse another of lying. The truth becomes the lie and the lie becomes the truth. “Repetition makes a fact seem more true, regardless of whether it is or not. Understanding this effect can help you avoid falling for propaganda, says psychologist Tom Stafford.”
When we are all addicted to our own patterns of thought and behavior, we take the them vs. us approach to life and that is why, “Americans increasingly see the country as more divided than at any time since the Civil War.” Here’s the full article ‘Great Divide’.
Since I’ve already added religion to the mix of what one should not discuss, I will add my experience of listening to the monks chant the Psalms while on retreats at Holy Cross Monastery.
Psalm 59: Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.
I got stuck on the concept of asking God to smite the enemy. Was God going to smite them or us? I still don’t know the answer to my question. Does asking God to smite an enemy make us a good person, or are we acting like the vengeful side of the “witch” stereotype?
In case you are still deciding if witches are good or evil, let me introduce you to the good witches of Springfield. Jodi Ray-Patton (center of picture), dances with the Rose City Witches outside Myers Market on Friday, October 3, 2025, in Springfield. The performance was part of a Think Pink Foundation event to raise awareness about breast cancer.
We can all agree that October belongs to Breast Cancer Awareness. Thank the good witches who contribute to the cause.