When I was in Salem Massachusetts I bought a tee shirt that said, “When life hands you a broom, fly.” How apropos a statement, I thought, here in the city known for witchcraft. How many times has life handed me a broom and how many times did I just sweep the floor.
Recently just such a thing happened to me. I was handed a broom and told to sweep myself out the door. But instead I jumped on it and began to fly to something new that I had been procrastinating for months.
But before jumping on my broom I made myself a potion of basil juice. Not because of its health benefits, of which it has many, but because it is well known in witches circles that basil juice is an astral fluid that helps to propel one’s broom upward and onward.
I’ve studied Wicca and even been to a witch’s convent. I understand the craft as it is a kin to my mastery of herbolgy and aromatherapy. It is a pagan form of worship that honors the earth and the equality of men and women. But Salem has a darker tale to tell.
The beginning colony of Salem was a deeply religious and sparse existence. It was believed that idle hands were the devil’s workshop. Young girls were destined to work alongside the older women in the community and were denied any time for leisure and play. All work and no play have a way of allowing mischief to slip in as a way to overcome oppression. That is exactly what happened to the young girls of Salem.
Seeking some form of amusement they convinced an old servant woman to tell tales of voodoo and magic. The girls began to act out some of the tales and soon were reprimanded for their behavior. To keep the game going and to protect their reputations the girls pointed the finger at various people in the community, proclaiming that they had cast a spell on them. These people were tried for practicing witchcraft. Over one-hundred and fifty innocent people were jailed or killed based on hearsay.
This silly game turned into hysteria and fear which always leads to a lap in judgement. It reminds us of how easily one can get lost in making allegations seem true. Here the dark side of witchcraft and for that matter the dark side of human nature brings out envy, boredom, revenge and resentment. Nobody wins and everyone loses. Fear when fueled by hysteria is a mighty evil weapon. But this is not the true essence of Wicca.
Wicca is magic grounded in both belief and science. It worships the earth and looks to nature as an antidote. It is not about evil spells, but about using the world to experience the magic of life. As a master herbalist and aroma therapist I must appreciate the essence and magic of plants, but also understand their scientific structure and fact. This is true magic; the marriage of essence and substance for the good of all.
So when life leaves you bored, or hands you a disappointment, a failure or an unmet expectation don’t stand there sweeping the floor. Life has just handed you a broom full of astral fuel ready to go, so get on it and fly!
Happy Halloween
Doctor Lynn
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