How do I know if my Magickal experience is real or fake? What makes a Magickal experience real? Is real Magick…real? And how do I know?
It seems to be an epidemic among Witches! Even beautifully seasoned, uniquely powerful Witches spend far more time wringing their hands about whether their experience is authentic than making Magick!
Be honest…is this you?
If so, don’t feel badly! You are NOT alone. Most of us are programmed to be unsure if what we are experiencing is real. We are also programmed to look for verification outside of ourselves, as in verifying our experience through the lens of a religious person with more power than ourselves. Capitalism has us convinced that we don’t know what we need and we must wait for marketers to tell us…so why wouldn’t we also wait for some sort of outside source to tell us if what we experienced was real?
As always, I have thoughts.
Scroll down for some things you MUST know about authentic Magickal and/or spiritual experience.
But first…
Two Gorgeous Events You MUST know about!
Immerse yourself in winter’s magic…
My dear friend Wendy Mata Houseman is hosting another fabulous virtual event: Witch’s Winter Festival happening on December 12th & 13th, 2024 – a 2-day magical gathering designed to embrace winter’s wisdom, ignite your inner light, and deepen your seasonal rituals. I presented at her autumn summit and it was WONDERFUL. This line-up is stellar and is just a wonderful way to deepen your practice in the Winter Season.
What makes this event so special?
- You’ll explore Winter Solstice rituals to honor the longest night.
- You’ll learn manifestation techniques to step into the New Year with clarity and purpose.
- You’ll connect with a like-minded community of witches, healers, and magical beings from around the world.
Sound like your speed? Register at this link!
SAVE THE DATE FOR SPIRIT NORTHWEST!
May 1-4, 2025, Portland, OR
I’m delighted to announce a new, in-person gathering I’m co-hosting – Spirit Northwest: A transformative gathering for seekers of Paganism, Witchcraft, and Natural Magick. With long-form workshops, vendors, and live interviews hosted by That Witch Life Podcast, this is THE place to be in May!
Mark your calendars. Registration opens soon!
PRESENTER APPLICATION OPEN. Go to https://www.spiritnorthwest.com/presentation-application to submit your application, today!
Is Your Magickal Experience Authentic?
Three things to know…
Most experiences will have a question mark attached (or ought to. See note below!)
Extraordinary things happen on this path. But if you are waiting for a Goddess to physically manifest in front of you in a sober, awake moment and declare “I AM HERE AND THIS IS REAL” before you accept the validity of any of experiences, you’ll be waiting a long time and missing out on powerful moment in the meantime. For even the most seasoned Magick practitioners, experiences are subtle. Some of my most powerful Magickal moments were so very subtle that if I didn’t carefully take note of them, I would have missed them.
Witchcraft is a mystery path
We don’t know how or why it works. It has long depended on allowing mysteries to unfold before us, and lead us to explore mysteries even further. One of the great mysteries of Witchcraft is where the power inside of ourselves meets with that outside of ourselves. Where is that line? No one really knows. And that’s wonderful!
There is no check-list to define a “true” experience
The good news: You get to define what’s true. The bad news: You get to define what’s true. There is no official check-list out there to define a true experience versus one that’s “all in your head.” But also…even if it is “all in your head…” does that make it any less valid??? The resource to guide you is within you. And the journey to finding it is a large part of the Witchcraft path.
A few things to remember:
- Appreciate the beauty of mystery Maybe your experience was 100% genuine. Maybe it was 100% in your mind. But did it help you on your healing journey? Or live more fully into joy? Or liberate you from some harmful thought patterns? If so, then great!
- You do not need to prove anything to anyone Look. Mythology is full of people who don’t believe in the supernatural experiences of others (nods at Cassandra). But just because someone else doesn’t believe your experience is real doesn’t make it any less valid for you. Again, ask yourself: did this experience improve my life? If so, it does not matter if others believe you or not.
- A note of question is a natural guardrail against fanaticism. While we don’t want our doubts to prevent us from fully living into our lives, trying things, or appreciating them, having some questions about your spiritual experience is healthy. There are far too many abusive and/or cultish religious or spiritual leaders who believe 100% in their own experiences and refuse to allow for any questioning. Questioning one’s own experience, without denigrating it, is a mark of spiritual health.
If you love what you’re learning here, you’ve got to check out The Cauldron Calling: A Virtual Platform for the Magickally-Minded. Virtual gatherings, exclusive exercises that will blow your mind, and regular, personal Tarot guidance. It’s the place to deepen, reconnect with, or build a practice for living a Magickally-led life. Would love to see you there!
