Man, why is it that when people talk about their past lives, they were always, like, a Navajo princess, or some kind of priestess or something? Why wasn't anyone ever, like, a Russian dirt farmer who died of an easily prevented infection? I'm 99% sure that if I had any past lives, it'd just be a long unbroken chain of peasants who died of dysentery or by falling off of small ledges or being crushed by their own cows. That just, y'know, feels right to me.
I remember being a kid doing a past lives meditation and in one of my "past lives" I was a girl of some European descent hiding under a bush while my village was on fire from some type of raiders. so uh at least 15 year old me came up with some mundane shit
It may seem unrelated, but the same thing is rampant in the 'otherkin' community. Like, ok, you believe yourself to have a 'non-human soul', but why is it that most of them identify as 'cool' animals and creatures like wolves, dogs, dragons, elves, angels, and vampires, but not as the 'uncool' ones like worms, slugs, leeches, beetles, sloths or some disgusting Lovecraftian monsters?
Agreed. I look at that and wonder what the value is if the recollections are all complete bupkis. Does it still have a value? I think it does but I also think it could become uh.... 'maladaptive'? What would the value be? Feeling better about things or an approach to morality. Maybe you're more likely to be nice to people if you think they were once a banished prince or something. Either way, I think it's also good to have a little part of yourself that thinks "This could all be just advanced make-believe.".
I saw a video about the ethics of crystal mining and the guy said that all you have to do is ASK YOUR CRYSTAL. "Crystals don't lie" so if the crystal gives off good vibes, you're in the clear.
I am a citizen of the Cherokee Nation (like an actual Cherokee Tribe, with legit history, spiritual practices and cultural practices) and the amount of White new agers that treat it like a party trick or claim it with zero evidence makes me furious. Our spirituality is also closed to non-Natives so when I see people burning white sage (which is now endangered thanks to new agers overharvesting it) or using tobacco I want to slap them. I know it is done in ignorance, but we literally could not practice our own religions until the 1970's and even still how we are able to live has been altered in every single way on this continent. I appreciate you pointing out the Indian in a past life point. People, learn about your own history and how you fit in the world. Don't take the traditions of Peoples who your ancestors slaughtered.
I always thought of the "daughters of the witches you couldn't burn" line as less literal and more taking up the mantel of the "unruly woman" as that was usually what got a person into trouble or called a witch: being outspoken, not practicing the state religion, owning property, living on your own, accused of promiscuous or adulterous behavior - these were all seen as a threat to a moral (patriarchal) society. That might just be me tho since I didn't think people took it literally. I agree that the history of witches shouldn't be romanticized but the witch archetype can be. Great video!
Funny as that's the way I always took it, not literal at all. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that there are people who mean it literally. Someday human behavior will cease to surprise me. Maybe.
You are totally right that it's a valid rallying cry for feminism. I meant to call out people who claim their witchcraft is tied to history because you'll see that in books added for credibility. I am not at all clear on this point in the video. 😰 your comment helps clear up my mistake. Thank you 😊
I find that the word 'manifest' often stops me in the middle of readings, mainly because it always seems to be related to doing the whole 'law of attraction' thing. The whole 'vibrating badly' thing you mentioned can feel really victim-blamey. Sure, putting 'positive vibes' out there might in the long run actually have an effect on your mental health as you are changing your thought patterns and not dwelling as much on the bad, but to suggest that putting out positive energy gets you good things suggests the opposite is true. It really doesn't take into account the systemic oppression of marginalised groups and smacks of privilege. Saying that though I think creating a ritual/working that you then associate with positivity can have really positive effects within a well-placed structure that doesn't place blame on anyone for things outside of their control.
The quantum physics one hit me a little personal lol because it was literally the center of my belief system that originally drew me to this path. It really was a tough pill to swallow the first time I was called out an not having any idea what i was talking about. Thankfully I put that belief system on the backburner to mull over later and managed to listen some more to atheist science based skeptic content and it helped me to detach emotionally from that concept. I still see beauty in what i THOUGHT it was..... But i would much rather describe an idea with the CORRECT WORDS and hijacking a scientific term and lying about it. I guess long story short my point is changing your beliefs are okay as long as you maintain your integrity while doing it and admitting where you were wrong
I’m only a minute in, but I want to say I love your content! You’re the only place I have for connection to atheist/non-supernatural witchcraft practice. Actually, if you have other resources or places for witches like us to connect, I’d love to see a video on that. I have notifications on so I never miss a one. ☺️
@@SednaWoo Ooh, that would be amazing. I'm still trying to get my feet off the ground but also the world is insane and I just started getting treated for my ADHD so everything is just A LOT.
I have been getting into atheist witchcraft just for the ritual, aesthetic, and the simple fun of it. There is definitely a lot of woo, that while fun to think about, I'm steering clear. I think I'll stick with candles, incense, tarot and maybe a couple of pretty crystals that are responsibly sourced. Edit: I use the tarot as a means of reflecting on my life and circumstances. Not as an actual "divination" tool.
@@Coolguyallthetime2k In the process of trying to connect your life to the meaning In the card, it gets you to consider ideas you wouldn't have before. Although, you have to take your conclusions with a grain of salt.
First of all: That bow is everything! :D And now: I do love that you talk about the archetypes of gods getting so reduced. I personally don't work with / believe in deities but I am big time into Mythology and love to read lots about it - plus in school, we had Latin and a. Greek and would translate the historic texts (hated that with a passion though xD) nad now when I see people in witchcraft groups talking about 'their' deities, they have suuuuch limited knowledge of the actual tales and amount of intricate storylines that actually shape deities from different cultures. Not so long ago I talked with my friend the wayward witch about this (she has a Hindu background) and she told me the story of Vishnu and how the big majority of the witchcraft community has his traits completely backwards as they don't really know the mythology behind it. Really fascinating to read about by the way :) And yesyesyes, I don't like gender in witchcraft and do not use it personally. Just watched the last video of round the cauldron about elements and she mentioned that too and I did enjoy her pov on it. In general: all excellent points here! 👏👏👏👏
On the one hand, I'm with you 100% about not asking ancestors for answers to specific questions -- my living ancestors can barely use the internet, so why should I expect the more distant ones would have any greater insight into uniquely modern phenomena? On the other hand, I think there's a lot of useful starting points for improved self-knowledge to learn about one's collective of ancestors all the way back to the first single-celled organisms and their own precursors. Their timeline, taken holistically, has a lot of useful questions to ask in the "but why am I like this?" department. For instance, learning how for myriad generations the critters that were unfoundedly optimistic were more likely to die before reproducing than the ones that were more pessimistic with their expectations helps me understand that my brain's tendency to notice more negative things than positive ones by default is just how it's inclined to start out due to those ancestors' experiences, rather than some sort of insurmountable personal failing on my own part.
yeah, I'm starting to look into generational trauma and it's fascinating stuff, I'm not 100% sold but the idea that fears I have and my general mistrust and paranoia are things I picked up from my environment and other family members that I must unlearn - it can be a powerful tool towards healing and forgiveness.
Making important decisions based on planetary cycles gets me. Also, I worked with a girl years ago that was a witch, she had breast cancer and died because she turned down chemotherapy with the belief she could heal herself with witchcraft and by drinking moon water (water that sat in the moonlight). Super sad.
I used to have a pharmacy that had a homeopathic section and had ads for homeopathic "cures" for cancer displayed all over the place. It made me so incredibly mad
Love this video! A lot of these are red flags I've encountered as well--your point about white shamans (or "plastic" shamans) is a big one. I'm immediately wary of white/Western New Agers or witches who call themselves shamans, particularly when they're drawing from closed Indigenous practices that clearly are not from their own traditions. And the point about history--I just roll my eyes now whenever I see that "we are the daughters of the witches you couldn't burn" slogan. Unfortunately there's a lot of New Age bull that runs over into the witchcraft community, and I find practitioners and influencers who buy into it also support and propagate a lot of even more harmful beliefs, like the idea of being a "starseed" (and therefore superior to everyone else) or antivax/government conspiracies. Looking forward to your next video!
Oh my gosh! I forgot about star seeds! I think conspiracy theories running rampant in new age circles is a whole video on its own. It might be too big for one channel to tackle. Do I sense a collaboration developing?
Your comment about your ancestors being racist and probably sexist, so what could they have to contribute to the conversation? Girl, that was the moment I knew I'd found my new favorite youtube channel :) I found you via The Wonder interview you did, and I'm so thankful! Thank you for making this content. I can't wait to watch more of your videos!
as someone who is atheist who has been dabbling in witchcraft, you are awesome. I really love your rational discussion on myth, lore and ritual. It's really helped me come to terms with what I want from my craft and what its worth to me.
The things that trip me up definitely include the gendered elements. As a genderfluid individual, it just makes me feel out of place. Like I don't belong. I wish it weren't so widespread in the community.
I'm genderfluid, personally, I feel empowered by the feminine and the masculine, and because I identify with both of these energies and the in betweens, the polarities, and knowing all the spectrums in between, it makes me feel whole and like my place is right where it's supposed to be, and I can relate to and give meaning and power to anything I want however it suits me.
Oh man. That water study. The first time I heard about it I was reading a book that had been recommended to me. I was already a little unsure of the contents because I was navigating this path as a skeptical atheist, but figured it was kinda fun and maybe I could pull some pieces out of it in that context. Then it starts talking about the water study and I was like "hold up..." I put the book down to do a quick google search to see what this was all about. Ugh. So disappointing. I was so annoyed by this that I ended up returning the book to the library without finishing it.-sigh-
Hello fellow members of that particular subreddit! I'm not going to name it but...we know who we are lol. So cool to find a YT channel dedicated to our method of practicing!
I found your channel maybe two weeks ago either from reddit or the algorithm dropped one of your vids in my feed. Interesting stuff and very discerning, reminds me of talks we had in a mixed pagan discussion group I and some friends started in college in the mid 90s. Keep it up, these are much appreciated and I'm sure more people will see your work as time goes by.
Alright, I don't know if these are red flags or just pet peeves of mine: 1) Talking about "energy" and/or "vibrations". What is that supposed to mean? I know of kinetic, chemical, electrical etc energy, I know molecules vibrate depending on their temperature, but I never got what it means to "feel the energies" or to "raise your vibrations". 2) Not citing your sources. Every time I read for example that "cinnamon is good for attracting prosperity", I'm like "why? who said that first?". There seem to be some "common truths" circulating within the witchy community, that no-one knows where they came from.
Apologies for what I suspect will be a long, rambling comment. Something that resonated with me in this video (and there were some things in here I have no idea about because I'm such a baby witch I'm, like, fetal) is when you talked about cosmic shifts and predictions coming true. I was actually raised in a cult. And one of the things they were always doing was looking for signs. Signs of the end of times, end of days, impending Armageddon, whatever you want to call it. And they actually predicted the date-ish any number of times, but they kept moving it, then denying that they'd predicted it (finally they learned to keep it super vague). Some of these signs were things like earthquakes increasing, increase in crime, people leaving the cult (ha!). And often they would cite "evidence" of these things actually occurring. Except they weren't occurring. They just used poorly sourced reference material in some cases, and in other cases used language like "look around you; you can clearly see the increase in lawlessness, wouldn't you agree?" Just blatantly attempting to enforce confirmation bias. This is why, I think, I cannot conceive of using astrology in my own practice at all, not even incorporating it into any open label placebo effect in any way. Horoscopes and sign descriptions and the movements of planets seem to me exactly like those cultish predictions: so vague they fit any happenstance, any person. I joke about it occasionally, but being a Virgo is meaningless to me. I don't know why that's different than anything else I know is based on open label placebo; just, for me, it is. Strangely, I find the idea of doing certain rituals at certain points of the moon cycle really appealing, but some of that has to do with adding layers of intent, and some with simply trying to put markers in the passage of time, something I have struggled with before and find appealing for the same reason I like memento mori: we really are just here for a cosmic moment and I've let far too much time just slip through my fingers like water as it is. Anyway. Rambly, like I said.
There are so many doomsday cults but I have to guess. Is it JW? You don't have say. Whatever it was I'm happy you've navigated your way out of it and I can't wait to hear about how your new practice develops!
@@SednaWoo It is! I don't mind saying at all. It's just that people outside it have a different idea sometimes from how it is inside and so sometimes it's just simpler to explain what happened in it rather than saying the name. I really am thinking about doing videos about my process. It's hard to find a whole lot of info on atheistic witchery and I'm such a pantser that I think documenting it on video might be fun and maybe instructive for other people as to, you know, here's one way to do things and how I figured out what I wanted to do.
Great video. Thanks for pointing out the ‘continuously gendering everything issue’. I didn’t appreciate it. I can’t help gendering the sun and moon (old habit), but your quite right... it makes no sense! Also, the ‘manifesting’ scene is quite irritating. It always feels so contrived.
I saw a post sharing one of your videos in the Atheopagan FB group and I am looking forward to watching your videos and learning a lot, especially since I am a newbie Pagan.
I just want to say THANK YOU for your content! I’m just beginning my witchy path because I just felt I needed some sort of ritual in my life, even as an atheist. Your videos are so informative, and I enjoy how watching them makes me feel like I’m sitting down with a friend. 🖤
My sister is a norse heathen and your comment about asking for help from your ancestors reminded me of her struggle with this concept; ancestor worship can be a big part of ritual there and she, as another white person living on stolen land, also never felt a connection with her literal ancestors. Instead, she has adopted all the queer and those who fought for queer rights in the past in as her ancestors that she venerates. If you ever feel like a connection to the people of the past is something you want to pursue, it might be worth thinking over if there's a movement or archetype through history that you are more interested in appreciating than your literal genetic lineage I personally, when trying to think of my 'ancestors' currently try to venerate those who have striven to make life better for all through the millenia of humanity, and those who have kept and told stories, though i haven't fallen on exactly what ancestors feel right to me
I just found your channel and I'm loving your takes. I also am a huge skeptical/atheist witch and see these red flags a lot. I could listen to you dunk on the Prosperity Gospel, woo medical practices, and white lady appropriation for days. For me, I do have a couple nuances in the way I think of some of your critiques. 1) Masculine/feminine I don't think of as male/female, I think of them as separate adjectives. I'm a female who has significant traits symbolically attached to the concept of masculinity-but I wouldn't say I have male traits. Western esotericism is set up in binaries, that's part of the cultural wellspring Western witches have to draw from. Since, like you, I'm not about gendering everything, I reinterpret the binary as a tool to notice and cultivate balance within. 2) "I'm descended from the witched you couldn't burn"-I don't have that T-shirt, but I support the sentiment because, in that context, I don't read "witch" as a "person who practices witchcraft." The creation of the political "witch" as an identity and movement is valid. You don't have to pretend/believe Salem witches or Burning Time witches were actual practicing witches in order to conceptualize them as political witches-which is basically anyone accused of being a witch by patriarchy. "Witches, Witch-hunting, and Women" is a great short book about political witches. Nowhere in it does the author, Silvia Federici, suggest that these women were anything but the widows you're talking about. But they were labeled witches and reclaiming that word as a form of political recognition is powerful.
I whole heartedly agree with both points made. On your second point, I should have been clear that I appreciate the saying as a feminist rallying cry but not for witches. Sometimes my points get a little fuzzy and I appreciate the opportunity to clarify. ♥
About the Salem witch trials - YES!! I wrote my thesis at uni about early modern witch beliefs - they were just normal Christian women and I hate when people say they're descended from real (modern style) witches 🙄
I studied physics at uni and have heard a LOT of seemingly sensible people tell me stuff about quantum mechanics or use it to justify things incorrectly. It's not totally their fault as it's very complicated and physicists have done a bad marketing job on it. Quantum mechanics is very crazy and interesting which is why physicists get excited about it, but it's something that describes the behaviour of very small things like individual atoms and electrons, not human scale day-to-day sized things. On those kind of scales all the effects just kind of average out. If you're interested please read a popular science book written by someone who has actually studied theoretical physics rather than getting info from a new age book.
I super hear you on all these things! I teach physics and am a witch, so it's quite the dialectic to find meaningful things for my practice that aren't woo. The only push back I have is that lots of people get advice from older family members while they were alive, and sometimes thinking, "What would Grampa suggest?" can be helpful. Or studying the history of my ancestors (northwestern Europe, largely Scandinavian) gives me some idea of what their lives were like and ways I might want to bring those philosophies or ideas into my life. The Havamal, a book of "Odin's" wisdom still has some really, really great life advice that is applicable today about friendship and hospitality and courage and wisdom. It also has some garbage about how fickle women are, but I can curate good life advice from sexist trash. That's what I think of as "guidance from my ancestors" and not Grampa coming to me in a vision and saying, "You ornery outfit! Get on outta here and do them chores!"
Constantly predicting cosmic shifts or whatever sounds like those Christian pastors who are constantly predicting the ends of the world is just around the corner. And when anything happens they say “haha! See! The Bible said there would be diseases/wars/rumors of wars”. You know. Stuff that DEEEEFINITELY hasn’t happened always throughout history.
I feel the gender one especially as a non-binary person. It's just so damn pointless and based on stereotypical, sexist ideas. It always makes me second guess the source I'm reading. Would love to see a video on it!
Loved this episode. My biggest turn off, in response to your ending question, is definitely continued cultural appropriation! ahh, "like accept "smoke cleansing" and let go of "smudging" already, you sound like a fraud" [ she yells at podcast she used to like ] Or like, being 100% accepting of all things. I mean, I'm down with the basic principles of balance a la the Tao, but just no, it's only moderately disguised toxic positivity in some major instances. Thanks for your work! Loved the clown get-up :)
I would love a video where you talk about your views and ways you use candle magic! Herbs on the candle? Do you read the flames? I personally just meditate with the candle and manifest
@@SednaWoo gotcha....that makes sense...bc that'd still be using it as God of the gaps....but that being said...it helps to...I guess honor science bc sometimes it is like magic....im really trying to find my atheist way into the witchy world
I love this video 😊. I kept going “one YES” after each point you brought up. The quantum physics! I respect science and physics far too much to disrespect them by using them as justification for supernatural-ness😂
The sun as masculine is such a Roman-centric view. Not exclusively, but that seems to be where it usually comes from. The Norse and Germanic cultures viewed the sun as feminine, and the moon as masculine (heck, just look at German, which genders its nouns. The moon is the masculine one - der Mond - and the sun is feminine -die Sonne) Also, the thing with wanting to categorize everything into masculine and feminine seems to tend towards an implicit exclusion of non-binary identities, if not any and all trans identities altogether by seeing these categories as fixed.
Ok so I’m a lib arts dumb-dumb... can someone please point me to a resource that explains the pseudoscience of quantum mechanics? I thought I was on to something, but apparently I’ve been duped. ^_^;;
quantum mechanics is a legitimate field of study but many new-age folks use verbiage from that field to suit their own needs paying no regard to the actual meaning of the words. This is fine to do if you are referring to quantum mechanics in your practice in a metaphorical way but it's not a good look to talk about it in a literal way.
The triple moon goddess symbol is so popular but I think that the moon and the symbol do not represent women. Moreover, a woman like me who is child free by choice can’t ever relate to it.
Another red flag is when people come out of religions and turn to atheism even because they found religions nonsensical fall BACK into the pit by falling into superstitions again and believing everything is a “sign” and taking things like tarot really really seriously
Wow, cutting right to the quick with the "honey, you aren't a shaman." Too many people are glomming on to shamanism because it's a closed practice so the original material (the actual religion of the Tungusic people in Siberia) is completely trashed and stomped on by westerners trying SO HARD to validate their personal world view by throwing whatever they can at it and hoping something sticks. That and what they often teach isn't shamanism at all. They're just advocating for the use of hallucinogenic substances (which should automatically set off red flags... I mean, how do you know it was real and not just the product of a hallucinating mind? If you need to rely on mind-altering substances, then is it actual enlightenment or is it just drug-abuse masquerading as spirituality?)
Another red flag r people who only think ancestral witches r real witches. At one point someone was the first self delacerd witch, in their family. The logic. 🤔😶🌻🌶
In many languages all nouns have grammatical gender (which has nothing to do with sex). If you look it up you may understand why some people (German, French, Italian, Slavic Lang...) may genderise their things. For example in Czech Mesic=Moon is masculin and Hvezda=Star is feminine and a witch may see them as a representation of masculine and feminine power. It all stems naturally, from grammar.
I should have mentioned that I was referring to the teachings of Gerald Gardner and others who created the divine feminine/masculine dichotomy that permeates new age and also Wicca.
Man, why is it that when people talk about their past lives, they were always, like, a Navajo princess, or some kind of priestess or something? Why wasn't anyone ever, like, a Russian dirt farmer who died of an easily prevented infection? I'm 99% sure that if I had any past lives, it'd just be a long unbroken chain of peasants who died of dysentery or by falling off of small ledges or being crushed by their own cows. That just, y'know, feels right to me.
That would be statistically accurate. Also, if you were a Priestess then what did you do wrong to get reincarnated as some rando now? 😅
I remember being a kid doing a past lives meditation and in one of my "past lives" I was a girl of some European descent hiding under a bush while my village was on fire from some type of raiders. so uh at least 15 year old me came up with some mundane shit
It may seem unrelated, but the same thing is rampant in the 'otherkin' community. Like, ok, you believe yourself to have a 'non-human soul', but why is it that most of them identify as 'cool' animals and creatures like wolves, dogs, dragons, elves, angels, and vampires, but not as the 'uncool' ones like worms, slugs, leeches, beetles, sloths or some disgusting Lovecraftian monsters?
Agreed. I look at that and wonder what the value is if the recollections are all complete bupkis. Does it still have a value? I think it does but I also think it could become uh.... 'maladaptive'? What would the value be? Feeling better about things or an approach to morality. Maybe you're more likely to be nice to people if you think they were once a banished prince or something. Either way, I think it's also good to have a little part of yourself that thinks "This could all be just advanced make-believe.".
I saw a video about the ethics of crystal mining and the guy said that all you have to do is ASK YOUR CRYSTAL. "Crystals don't lie" so if the crystal gives off good vibes, you're in the clear.
Lmaoooo
I am a citizen of the Cherokee Nation (like an actual Cherokee Tribe, with legit history, spiritual practices and cultural practices) and the amount of White new agers that treat it like a party trick or claim it with zero evidence makes me furious. Our spirituality is also closed to non-Natives so when I see people burning white sage (which is now endangered thanks to new agers overharvesting it) or using tobacco I want to slap them. I know it is done in ignorance, but we literally could not practice our own religions until the 1970's and even still how we are able to live has been altered in every single way on this continent. I appreciate you pointing out the Indian in a past life point. People, learn about your own history and how you fit in the world. Don't take the traditions of Peoples who your ancestors slaughtered.
I always thought of the "daughters of the witches you couldn't burn" line as less literal and more taking up the mantel of the "unruly woman" as that was usually what got a person into trouble or called a witch: being outspoken, not practicing the state religion, owning property, living on your own, accused of promiscuous or adulterous behavior - these were all seen as a threat to a moral (patriarchal) society. That might just be me tho since I didn't think people took it literally. I agree that the history of witches shouldn't be romanticized but the witch archetype can be.
Great video!
Funny as that's the way I always took it, not literal at all. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that there are people who mean it literally. Someday human behavior will cease to surprise me. Maybe.
You are totally right that it's a valid rallying cry for feminism. I meant to call out people who claim their witchcraft is tied to history because you'll see that in books added for credibility. I am not at all clear on this point in the video. 😰 your comment helps clear up my mistake. Thank you 😊
As a very beginner witch who is also an agnostic I really appreciate this chanel, especially this video. Thank you!
I find that the word 'manifest' often stops me in the middle of readings, mainly because it always seems to be related to doing the whole 'law of attraction' thing. The whole 'vibrating badly' thing you mentioned can feel really victim-blamey. Sure, putting 'positive vibes' out there might in the long run actually have an effect on your mental health as you are changing your thought patterns and not dwelling as much on the bad, but to suggest that putting out positive energy gets you good things suggests the opposite is true. It really doesn't take into account the systemic oppression of marginalised groups and smacks of privilege.
Saying that though I think creating a ritual/working that you then associate with positivity can have really positive effects within a well-placed structure that doesn't place blame on anyone for things outside of their control.
The quantum physics one hit me a little personal lol because it was literally the center of my belief system that originally drew me to this path. It really was a tough pill to swallow the first time I was called out an not having any idea what i was talking about. Thankfully I put that belief system on the backburner to mull over later and managed to listen some more to atheist science based skeptic content and it helped me to detach emotionally from that concept. I still see beauty in what i THOUGHT it was..... But i would much rather describe an idea with the CORRECT WORDS and hijacking a scientific term and lying about it.
I guess long story short my point is changing your beliefs are okay as long as you maintain your integrity while doing it and admitting where you were wrong
I’m only a minute in, but I want to say I love your content! You’re the only place I have for connection to atheist/non-supernatural witchcraft practice. Actually, if you have other resources or places for witches like us to connect, I’d love to see a video on that. I have notifications on so I never miss a one. ☺️
I have a video coming about skeptical witchcraft communities but I just need to finish the script.
@@SednaWoo Ooh, that would be amazing. I'm still trying to get my feet off the ground but also the world is insane and I just started getting treated for my ADHD so everything is just A LOT.
Congrats on getting a diagnosis! I think having a "why" makes it a bit easier to take control and can ease some of the guilt about the struggle.
I have been getting into atheist witchcraft just for the ritual, aesthetic, and the simple fun of it. There is definitely a lot of woo, that while fun to think about, I'm steering clear. I think I'll stick with candles, incense, tarot and maybe a couple of pretty crystals that are responsibly sourced. Edit: I use the tarot as a means of reflecting on my life and circumstances. Not as an actual "divination" tool.
This is me too....but I’m struggling to keep the pretty crystals to just a couple 🤭
@@vkestrel3519 That struggle is mine as well. They're so pretty!
How exactly do you use tarot for self reflection? Can you give me some details? I’m hoping to do this as well but my science based mind won’t let me..
@@Coolguyallthetime2k In the process of trying to connect your life to the meaning In the card, it gets you to consider ideas you wouldn't have before. Although, you have to take your conclusions with a grain of salt.
@@socialmoth4974 ahh, thanks for the tip!
First of all: That bow is everything! :D And now: I do love that you talk about the archetypes of gods getting so reduced. I personally don't work with / believe in deities but I am big time into Mythology and love to read lots about it - plus in school, we had Latin and a. Greek and would translate the historic texts (hated that with a passion though xD) nad now when I see people in witchcraft groups talking about 'their' deities, they have suuuuch limited knowledge of the actual tales and amount of intricate storylines that actually shape deities from different cultures. Not so long ago I talked with my friend the wayward witch about this (she has a Hindu background) and she told me the story of Vishnu and how the big majority of the witchcraft community has his traits completely backwards as they don't really know the mythology behind it. Really fascinating to read about by the way :) And yesyesyes, I don't like gender in witchcraft and do not use it personally. Just watched the last video of round the cauldron about elements and she mentioned that too and I did enjoy her pov on it. In general: all excellent points here! 👏👏👏👏
When every tool is gendered I kind of also want to barf as a non-binary person but it’s also just sexist. 🥴
On the one hand, I'm with you 100% about not asking ancestors for answers to specific questions -- my living ancestors can barely use the internet, so why should I expect the more distant ones would have any greater insight into uniquely modern phenomena?
On the other hand, I think there's a lot of useful starting points for improved self-knowledge to learn about one's collective of ancestors all the way back to the first single-celled organisms and their own precursors. Their timeline, taken holistically, has a lot of useful questions to ask in the "but why am I like this?" department. For instance, learning how for myriad generations the critters that were unfoundedly optimistic were more likely to die before reproducing than the ones that were more pessimistic with their expectations helps me understand that my brain's tendency to notice more negative things than positive ones by default is just how it's inclined to start out due to those ancestors' experiences, rather than some sort of insurmountable personal failing on my own part.
yeah, I'm starting to look into generational trauma and it's fascinating stuff, I'm not 100% sold but the idea that fears I have and my general mistrust and paranoia are things I picked up from my environment and other family members that I must unlearn - it can be a powerful tool towards healing and forgiveness.
With the “ancestors” part - I feel the same way. I tend to think replace “ancestors” with past witches or inner child.
Making important decisions based on planetary cycles gets me. Also, I worked with a girl years ago that was a witch, she had breast cancer and died because she turned down chemotherapy with the belief she could heal herself with witchcraft and by drinking moon water (water that sat in the moonlight). Super sad.
I used to have a pharmacy that had a homeopathic section and had ads for homeopathic "cures" for cancer displayed all over the place. It made me so incredibly mad
Love this video! A lot of these are red flags I've encountered as well--your point about white shamans (or "plastic" shamans) is a big one. I'm immediately wary of white/Western New Agers or witches who call themselves shamans, particularly when they're drawing from closed Indigenous practices that clearly are not from their own traditions. And the point about history--I just roll my eyes now whenever I see that "we are the daughters of the witches you couldn't burn" slogan. Unfortunately there's a lot of New Age bull that runs over into the witchcraft community, and I find practitioners and influencers who buy into it also support and propagate a lot of even more harmful beliefs, like the idea of being a "starseed" (and therefore superior to everyone else) or antivax/government conspiracies.
Looking forward to your next video!
Oh my gosh! I forgot about star seeds! I think conspiracy theories running rampant in new age circles is a whole video on its own. It might be too big for one channel to tackle. Do I sense a collaboration developing?
@@SednaWoo omg yes please collaborate I love both you guys
@@SednaWoo Ooh that would be great, I would love to do a collab with you on something like this!
Your comment about your ancestors being racist and probably sexist, so what could they have to contribute to the conversation? Girl, that was the moment I knew I'd found my new favorite youtube channel :) I found you via The Wonder interview you did, and I'm so thankful! Thank you for making this content. I can't wait to watch more of your videos!
Ooh, I saw this thread! Nice to see you cover it haha
as someone who is atheist who has been dabbling in witchcraft, you are awesome. I really love your rational discussion on myth, lore and ritual. It's really helped me come to terms with what I want from my craft and what its worth to me.
The things that trip me up definitely include the gendered elements. As a genderfluid individual, it just makes me feel out of place. Like I don't belong. I wish it weren't so widespread in the community.
I'm genderfluid, personally, I feel empowered by the feminine and the masculine, and because I identify with both of these energies and the in betweens, the polarities, and knowing all the spectrums in between, it makes me feel whole and like my place is right where it's supposed to be, and I can relate to and give meaning and power to anything I want however it suits me.
Oh man. That water study. The first time I heard about it I was reading a book that had been recommended to me. I was already a little unsure of the contents because I was navigating this path as a skeptical atheist, but figured it was kinda fun and maybe I could pull some pieces out of it in that context. Then it starts talking about the water study and I was like "hold up..." I put the book down to do a quick google search to see what this was all about. Ugh. So disappointing. I was so annoyed by this that I ended up returning the book to the library without finishing it.-sigh-
Thanks for capturing all the best parts of the thread!
Thank you for starting the conversation. I think it's so important to keep the community accountable. It was such an insightful and hilarious thread.
Hello fellow members of that particular subreddit! I'm not going to name it but...we know who we are lol. So cool to find a YT channel dedicated to our method of practicing!
@@nunyab.9865 is it SASS witches?
I found your channel maybe two weeks ago either from reddit or the algorithm dropped one of your vids in my feed. Interesting stuff and very discerning, reminds me of talks we had in a mixed pagan discussion group I and some friends started in college in the mid 90s. Keep it up, these are much appreciated and I'm sure more people will see your work as time goes by.
Alright, I don't know if these are red flags or just pet peeves of mine:
1) Talking about "energy" and/or "vibrations". What is that supposed to mean? I know of kinetic, chemical, electrical etc energy, I know molecules vibrate depending on their temperature, but I never got what it means to "feel the energies" or to "raise your vibrations".
2) Not citing your sources. Every time I read for example that "cinnamon is good for attracting prosperity", I'm like "why? who said that first?". There seem to be some "common truths" circulating within the witchy community, that no-one knows where they came from.
your channel is SO NECESSARY.
You're doing wonderful work. Thank you!
Apologies for what I suspect will be a long, rambling comment. Something that resonated with me in this video (and there were some things in here I have no idea about because I'm such a baby witch I'm, like, fetal) is when you talked about cosmic shifts and predictions coming true.
I was actually raised in a cult. And one of the things they were always doing was looking for signs. Signs of the end of times, end of days, impending Armageddon, whatever you want to call it. And they actually predicted the date-ish any number of times, but they kept moving it, then denying that they'd predicted it (finally they learned to keep it super vague). Some of these signs were things like earthquakes increasing, increase in crime, people leaving the cult (ha!). And often they would cite "evidence" of these things actually occurring.
Except they weren't occurring. They just used poorly sourced reference material in some cases, and in other cases used language like "look around you; you can clearly see the increase in lawlessness, wouldn't you agree?" Just blatantly attempting to enforce confirmation bias.
This is why, I think, I cannot conceive of using astrology in my own practice at all, not even incorporating it into any open label placebo effect in any way. Horoscopes and sign descriptions and the movements of planets seem to me exactly like those cultish predictions: so vague they fit any happenstance, any person. I joke about it occasionally, but being a Virgo is meaningless to me. I don't know why that's different than anything else I know is based on open label placebo; just, for me, it is.
Strangely, I find the idea of doing certain rituals at certain points of the moon cycle really appealing, but some of that has to do with adding layers of intent, and some with simply trying to put markers in the passage of time, something I have struggled with before and find appealing for the same reason I like memento mori: we really are just here for a cosmic moment and I've let far too much time just slip through my fingers like water as it is.
Anyway. Rambly, like I said.
There are so many doomsday cults but I have to guess. Is it JW? You don't have say. Whatever it was I'm happy you've navigated your way out of it and I can't wait to hear about how your new practice develops!
@@SednaWoo It is! I don't mind saying at all. It's just that people outside it have a different idea sometimes from how it is inside and so sometimes it's just simpler to explain what happened in it rather than saying the name.
I really am thinking about doing videos about my process. It's hard to find a whole lot of info on atheistic witchery and I'm such a pantser that I think documenting it on video might be fun and maybe instructive for other people as to, you know, here's one way to do things and how I figured out what I wanted to do.
Great video. Thanks for pointing out the ‘continuously gendering everything issue’. I didn’t appreciate it. I can’t help gendering the sun and moon (old habit), but your quite right... it makes no sense! Also, the ‘manifesting’ scene is quite irritating. It always feels so contrived.
I saw a post sharing one of your videos in the Atheopagan FB group and I am looking forward to watching your videos and learning a lot, especially since I am a newbie Pagan.
I just want to say THANK YOU for your content! I’m just beginning my witchy path because I just felt I needed some sort of ritual in my life, even as an atheist. Your videos are so informative, and I enjoy how watching them makes me feel like I’m sitting down with a friend. 🖤
My sister is a norse heathen and your comment about asking for help from your ancestors reminded me of her struggle with this concept; ancestor worship can be a big part of ritual there and she, as another white person living on stolen land, also never felt a connection with her literal ancestors. Instead, she has adopted all the queer and those who fought for queer rights in the past in as her ancestors that she venerates. If you ever feel like a connection to the people of the past is something you want to pursue, it might be worth thinking over if there's a movement or archetype through history that you are more interested in appreciating than your literal genetic lineage
I personally, when trying to think of my 'ancestors' currently try to venerate those who have striven to make life better for all through the millenia of humanity, and those who have kept and told stories, though i haven't fallen on exactly what ancestors feel right to me
I never considered adopting historical figures as ancestors. Your sister is really on to something there. That's brilliant
I just found your channel and I'm loving your takes. I also am a huge skeptical/atheist witch and see these red flags a lot. I could listen to you dunk on the Prosperity Gospel, woo medical practices, and white lady appropriation for days. For me, I do have a couple nuances in the way I think of some of your critiques.
1) Masculine/feminine I don't think of as male/female, I think of them as separate adjectives. I'm a female who has significant traits symbolically attached to the concept of masculinity-but I wouldn't say I have male traits. Western esotericism is set up in binaries, that's part of the cultural wellspring Western witches have to draw from. Since, like you, I'm not about gendering everything, I reinterpret the binary as a tool to notice and cultivate balance within.
2) "I'm descended from the witched you couldn't burn"-I don't have that T-shirt, but I support the sentiment because, in that context, I don't read "witch" as a "person who practices witchcraft." The creation of the political "witch" as an identity and movement is valid. You don't have to pretend/believe Salem witches or Burning Time witches were actual practicing witches in order to conceptualize them as political witches-which is basically anyone accused of being a witch by patriarchy. "Witches, Witch-hunting, and Women" is a great short book about political witches. Nowhere in it does the author, Silvia Federici, suggest that these women were anything but the widows you're talking about. But they were labeled witches and reclaiming that word as a form of political recognition is powerful.
I whole heartedly agree with both points made. On your second point, I should have been clear that I appreciate the saying as a feminist rallying cry but not for witches. Sometimes my points get a little fuzzy and I appreciate the opportunity to clarify. ♥
I'm a pantheist, and I just found your channel. This is great stuff!
About the Salem witch trials - YES!! I wrote my thesis at uni about early modern witch beliefs - they were just normal Christian women and I hate when people say they're descended from real (modern style) witches 🙄
"Toxins... pitch that right out the window."
"...we need to stop doing that crap."
Yessss.
I studied physics at uni and have heard a LOT of seemingly sensible people tell me stuff about quantum mechanics or use it to justify things incorrectly. It's not totally their fault as it's very complicated and physicists have done a bad marketing job on it. Quantum mechanics is very crazy and interesting which is why physicists get excited about it, but it's something that describes the behaviour of very small things like individual atoms and electrons, not human scale day-to-day sized things. On those kind of scales all the effects just kind of average out. If you're interested please read a popular science book written by someone who has actually studied theoretical physics rather than getting info from a new age book.
when she said "my ancestors are racist" i.... I can't... I was internally screaming. you're invited to the cookout, baby.
I super hear you on all these things! I teach physics and am a witch, so it's quite the dialectic to find meaningful things for my practice that aren't woo. The only push back I have is that lots of people get advice from older family members while they were alive, and sometimes thinking, "What would Grampa suggest?" can be helpful. Or studying the history of my ancestors (northwestern Europe, largely Scandinavian) gives me some idea of what their lives were like and ways I might want to bring those philosophies or ideas into my life. The Havamal, a book of "Odin's" wisdom still has some really, really great life advice that is applicable today about friendship and hospitality and courage and wisdom. It also has some garbage about how fickle women are, but I can curate good life advice from sexist trash. That's what I think of as "guidance from my ancestors" and not Grampa coming to me in a vision and saying, "You ornery outfit! Get on outta here and do them chores!"
Constantly predicting cosmic shifts or whatever sounds like those Christian pastors who are constantly predicting the ends of the world is just around the corner. And when anything happens they say “haha! See! The Bible said there would be diseases/wars/rumors of wars”. You know. Stuff that DEEEEFINITELY hasn’t happened always throughout history.
I agree that it's the same thing
Yes!!! Absolutely loved that thread and this video 👏👏👏
I feel the gender one especially as a non-binary person. It's just so damn pointless and based on stereotypical, sexist ideas. It always makes me second guess the source I'm reading. Would love to see a video on it!
agreed! would love to see Sedna have a conversation about this with a trans atheist witch
Loved this episode. My biggest turn off, in response to your ending question, is definitely continued cultural appropriation! ahh, "like accept "smoke cleansing" and let go of "smudging" already, you sound like a fraud" [ she yells at podcast she used to like ] Or like, being 100% accepting of all things. I mean, I'm down with the basic principles of balance a la the Tao, but just no, it's only moderately disguised toxic positivity in some major instances. Thanks for your work! Loved the clown get-up :)
I liked right after u said "oversimplified mythology". YES, I am tired of it.
I would love a video where you talk about your views and ways you use candle magic! Herbs on the candle? Do you read the flames? I personally just meditate with the candle and manifest
I have a script for a video about a candle magic meditation I use. Maybe I should dust it off and record it. Thanks for the push. ❤
This is why I tend to lean more towards pop culture and writing magick cause it's stuff I can see. I see magick in the literary in stories and songs.
An atheist witch AND a lolita? Subscribed!
Could you elaborate more on why quantum physics should alarm us.....I've always been very interested in the topic
Not that quantum physics should alarm you but rather that individuals citing quantum physics as proof of the supernatural should alarm us.
@@SednaWoo gotcha....that makes sense...bc that'd still be using it as God of the gaps....but that being said...it helps to...I guess honor science bc sometimes it is like magic....im really trying to find my atheist way into the witchy world
I love this video 😊. I kept going “one YES” after each point you brought up. The quantum physics! I respect science and physics far too much to disrespect them by using them as justification for supernatural-ness😂
The sun as masculine is such a Roman-centric view. Not exclusively, but that seems to be where it usually comes from.
The Norse and Germanic cultures viewed the sun as feminine, and the moon as masculine (heck, just look at German, which genders its nouns. The moon is the masculine one - der Mond - and the sun is feminine -die Sonne)
Also, the thing with wanting to categorize everything into masculine and feminine seems to tend towards an implicit exclusion of non-binary identities, if not any and all trans identities altogether by seeing these categories as fixed.
Omg yes about new agers on tik tok and insta thinking they have some special power to predict covid. Or when they "talk to deitys" lmao.
You might get some of this with the mythopoetic men's movement as well (gendering many things).
lmaaaaaaoooooooooo i love this video, i laughed so hard. Also, i just found you and i love you! ahh!!
thank you SO MUCH for talking about the gendering thing omg. i’m non-binary and that stuff makes me kind of unreasonably annoyed lol
Ok so I’m a lib arts dumb-dumb... can someone please point me to a resource that explains the pseudoscience of quantum mechanics? I thought I was on to something, but apparently I’ve been duped. ^_^;;
quantum mechanics is a legitimate field of study but many new-age folks use verbiage from that field to suit their own needs paying no regard to the actual meaning of the words. This is fine to do if you are referring to quantum mechanics in your practice in a metaphorical way but it's not a good look to talk about it in a literal way.
The triple moon goddess symbol is so popular but I think that the moon and the symbol do not represent women. Moreover, a woman like me who is child free by choice can’t ever relate to it.
I'm descended from three women convicted in the Salem witch trials, and I share a first name with one of them 😉
Another red flag is when people come out of religions and turn to atheism even because they found religions nonsensical fall BACK into the pit by falling into superstitions again and believing everything is a “sign” and taking things like tarot really really seriously
Great video 😂
Wow, cutting right to the quick with the "honey, you aren't a shaman."
Too many people are glomming on to shamanism because it's a closed practice so the original material (the actual religion of the Tungusic people in Siberia) is completely trashed and stomped on by westerners trying SO HARD to validate their personal world view by throwing whatever they can at it and hoping something sticks.
That and what they often teach isn't shamanism at all. They're just advocating for the use of hallucinogenic substances (which should automatically set off red flags... I mean, how do you know it was real and not just the product of a hallucinating mind? If you need to rely on mind-altering substances, then is it actual enlightenment or is it just drug-abuse masquerading as spirituality?)
Another red flag r people who only think ancestral witches r real witches. At one point someone was the first self delacerd witch, in their family. The logic. 🤔😶🌻🌶
The divine masculine and feminine always felt pretty homophobic to me anyone else or is it just me
In many languages all nouns have grammatical gender (which has nothing to do with sex). If you look it up you may understand why some people (German, French, Italian, Slavic Lang...) may genderise their things. For example in Czech Mesic=Moon is masculin and Hvezda=Star is feminine and a witch may see them as a representation of masculine and feminine power. It all stems naturally, from grammar.
I should have mentioned that I was referring to the teachings of Gerald Gardner and others who created the divine feminine/masculine dichotomy that permeates new age and also Wicca.
thank you SO MUCH for talking about the gendering thing omg. i’m non-binary and that stuff makes me kind of unreasonably annoyed lol