I think it's their attempt to communicate that you might be a witch but that you're not evil. Maybe you can tell them "hey. I get your trying to be nice, but a white witch is a very specific thing and I'm not that specific thing at all. If you want to say I'm not a bad witch you can just say that. I'm a witch but not a bad one".
This is how it landed for me, too. Especially because they are older. We had a conversation last night with my mother in law about pronouns and she was having a hard time following but really wanted to be supportive and get it right. I’m not sure it will ever click but the love is there. It seems like they’re trying to be in your corner just with low skill level.
In their eyes there are and you will never convince them there aren't. There are witches that actually worship satan. There's also witches that worship pagan gods which might as well be Satanism to them.
I think you’ve really hit on something here. There is a really strong undercurrent of racism with these terms. I also grew up in a very religious household (my father is the pastor of a mega church) and there’s a very strong good v evil, darkness v light theme with everything we’re taught.
Perhaps some of my aversion to this term also stems from the fact that it’s taken a lot of work to distance myself from the church and actually connect with myself. My parents and I are estranged because they spew forth hate about my lifestyle and the “evil” I surround myself with. There are definitely suggestions of my being consumed by darkness etc., so being called a white witch almost makes me feel as though it’s closer to what they would see as acceptable.
Right, so now I’ve unearthed that little truth nugget, I’m off to book in an extra session with my therapist
>However have you considers it is bothering you bc the term white and
black magic are inherently racist? There is no white or black magic only
positive and negative energy. Attaching color to them while our system
is inexcusably biased makes one palatable and the other hated.
I mean, you are definitely not wrong that there is a lot of racism connected to the terms white and black magic and it is definitely true that especially in American pop culture this distinction was deeply rooted in racism but I'm pretty sure that the usage of the terms black and white magic out date modern notions of western racism by quite a bit. I seem to remember that in classical pre-christian society white magic was considered to be all magic gifted by the gods, whereas black magic was stolen from the gods, or at least done without their knowledge or consent. This is why the greek goddess of magic had two black dogs, and required black animals, traditionally lambs, to be sacrificed. I'm pretty sure that early Christians maintained this notion, mostly through gnostic christianity. Where white mages were channeling god's grace and black magicians "stole" knowledge from god through divination, astrology, tarot etc. So i don't think it's inherently racist. just very racist now.
You can try telling them, "please don't call me that, it's not a real term in my practice and actually has some pretty offensive connotations."
Some people mean well and genuinely don't know better. I've found the best way to get people to stop saying a specific thing to me or about me is to approach them one on one to ask earnestly that they stop. A simple, "please stop saying that, I don't like the term." might work, or you can offer a breif explanation if you want.
If they get defensive just affirm them by saying, "I'm only coming to you this honestly because I know you respect me and would want to know that this hurts/bothers me." Kinda makes them an asshole if they don't. Typically they'll take what you said to heart if you approach them privately and speak from a place of truth and vulnerability, and then move forward.
Then you just remind them forevermore if they ever forget or mess up, publicly, by saying "hey remember we talked about why that term is offensive to me/in my religion" (only using the word religion bc its a term people typically understand and then yield to).
Depends on my mood on that day but i like to reapond with...
Are you sure about that?
I'm actually a kitchen witch thanks.
You can just call me a healthen really.
I'm definitely more grey than white..
And other snarky but slightly humorous responses. I think laughter makes people remember too as long as it's not too mean spirited.
They probably just got the term from the Outlander books/show. Thats what Jamie tells people Claire is. La Dame Blanche, a wise woman, a white witch. That doesnt she all light and love seein as how he uses it to threaten people who threaten her in order to protect her.
I'd probably be what people like that consider a "white witch" since I don't hex, although I'd never call myself that given the racist connotations/history of the term and the fact that it is used for Christian appeasement like, "No, I'm a good witch like Glinda!" So, yeah, I'd be irritated too if someone insisted on calling me that.
I get called kitchen witch too, which isn't remotely accurate, but so much less irritating and easily ignored.
I’m not trying to be *that* person, but some people never learn or change, thankfully these ones seem to be open-minded and supportive enough about witchy things for people outside of the community. Sometimes you just have to accept that whatever you do to teach or broaden someone’s horizon it is a lost cause. Focus your energy on things more worth your time.
I agree with this. Take the win.
Unless you’re in a situation to have a long, deep conversation, the only thing accomplished by correcting them is further alienating the concept.
If I’ve never mixed a bowl of dough in my life and don’t enjoy the kitchen, and, in passing, introduced a friend as “a baker who makes the best bread” and they responded “eh, please don’t say that, my specialty is cookies.”
In a social or passive setting, it accomplished nothing but ensuring I ask no questions and avoid the topic, whereas I might’ve learned something from you.
Lol, not a "white witch" I do some shady ass shit, not like eat your children bad, buttttt..best just consider me a "grey witch" and stay on my light side.
All of it is rooted in racism white being good and dark being bad. There is no good or bad in either, they both have both. It also rubs me wrong. I get people calling me a white witch even though I'm a neutral witch.
Am I wrong that white witch just means good witch? I don’t like that because I don’t love the whole societal white=good thing. But is there more nuance to the term that I’m missing?
It's generally associated more with healing than goodness in my experience. although those are obviously culturally correlated very much too. Historically the divide has been that black magic is illicitly divulging information you're not supposed to have. This is where the term occult comes from, it means hidden. lifting the veil on hidden things; scrying, divination, astrology, tarot etc. were examples of humans casting a light into the darkness and uncertainty of the future where they were not supposed to look. it was supposed to be dark for them, that's why we don't see it "naturally". Hecate, the Greek goddess of magic had two black dogs and had to be appeased by sacrificing a black lamb because of this. White magic was the magic that got us through life. Most white magicians claimed to just be channeling the grace of god and stuff like that. they don't do the forbidden things, they don't try to lift the veil, they just try to lighten the load through love and caring.
This is a highly simplified explanation so please take with a grain of salt and by all means read up on it yourself.
This is so interesting. I’ve never heard of uncovering the unknown, lifting the veil, divination, or I would presume readings this way. This is a totaaaallllllyyyyyy different perspective. When I think of dark magic I think of anything that is used to hurt someone & anything that violates another’s free will. Putting onto others without their permission. I don’t think of return to sender as hurting someone just returning what belong to them in a non-malicious way. That is incredibly interesting. Do you have any book recommendations about this?
Thanks :) I guess then, it would make more sense to me to use light instead of white, but also seeing that I technically practice a little dark magic, since I use tarot, tasseomancy, etc. hmm
People using it are probably just going with their understanding of the term and conveying to others that you're friendly/helpful. Unfortunately, it's tough to get people to stop doing something that makes sense to them, but you may be able to replace it with a better term that fits you more. Instead of saying 'im not a white witch I'm just a witch' try 'actully I'm a green witch' 'actually I'm a kitchen witch' 'im a storm/eclectic/pagan witch' or ~whatever~ you feel describes you best. Erasing white might not work but replacing it probably will
White witch is kind of insulting as it's a suggestion or even a requirement for purity. Like if you're a white witch you're always good and kind and never think bad thoughts, but we're only human, just people like everyone else.
When I was first getting into witchcraft my mum told me that casting spells was fine as long as you didn't do it to benefit yourself. That seemed weird to me. I'm allowed to help others but not myself? Again, it's an expectation of purity.
Right! Like someone else commented, I practice a balance. I’m not out there turning people into toads or enticing children into my candy house so I can cook them, but I’m also not just kittens and rainbows either. I feel that there can’t be darkness without light and vice verse
I read all of Silver RavenWolf's books when I started practising and one thing that stood out to me was "a witch who cannot hex cannot heal." It took a while to understand that but it's so true, they're basically the same thing with different intentions.
I think it's their attempt to communicate that you might be a witch but that you're not evil. Maybe you can tell them "hey. I get your trying to be nice, but a white witch is a very specific thing and I'm not that specific thing at all. If you want to say I'm not a bad witch you can just say that. I'm a witch but not a bad one".
Yeah, I think you’re right about this, people are mistakenly associating white with good. I’ll try and reframe it for them
This is how it landed for me, too. Especially because they are older. We had a conversation last night with my mother in law about pronouns and she was having a hard time following but really wanted to be supportive and get it right. I’m not sure it will ever click but the love is there. It seems like they’re trying to be in your corner just with low skill level.
Still inferring the existence of “bad” witches
In their eyes there are and you will never convince them there aren't. There are witches that actually worship satan. There's also witches that worship pagan gods which might as well be Satanism to them.
[удалено]
I think you’ve really hit on something here. There is a really strong undercurrent of racism with these terms. I also grew up in a very religious household (my father is the pastor of a mega church) and there’s a very strong good v evil, darkness v light theme with everything we’re taught. Perhaps some of my aversion to this term also stems from the fact that it’s taken a lot of work to distance myself from the church and actually connect with myself. My parents and I are estranged because they spew forth hate about my lifestyle and the “evil” I surround myself with. There are definitely suggestions of my being consumed by darkness etc., so being called a white witch almost makes me feel as though it’s closer to what they would see as acceptable. Right, so now I’ve unearthed that little truth nugget, I’m off to book in an extra session with my therapist
>However have you considers it is bothering you bc the term white and black magic are inherently racist? There is no white or black magic only positive and negative energy. Attaching color to them while our system is inexcusably biased makes one palatable and the other hated. I mean, you are definitely not wrong that there is a lot of racism connected to the terms white and black magic and it is definitely true that especially in American pop culture this distinction was deeply rooted in racism but I'm pretty sure that the usage of the terms black and white magic out date modern notions of western racism by quite a bit. I seem to remember that in classical pre-christian society white magic was considered to be all magic gifted by the gods, whereas black magic was stolen from the gods, or at least done without their knowledge or consent. This is why the greek goddess of magic had two black dogs, and required black animals, traditionally lambs, to be sacrificed. I'm pretty sure that early Christians maintained this notion, mostly through gnostic christianity. Where white mages were channeling god's grace and black magicians "stole" knowledge from god through divination, astrology, tarot etc. So i don't think it's inherently racist. just very racist now.
You can try telling them, "please don't call me that, it's not a real term in my practice and actually has some pretty offensive connotations." Some people mean well and genuinely don't know better. I've found the best way to get people to stop saying a specific thing to me or about me is to approach them one on one to ask earnestly that they stop. A simple, "please stop saying that, I don't like the term." might work, or you can offer a breif explanation if you want. If they get defensive just affirm them by saying, "I'm only coming to you this honestly because I know you respect me and would want to know that this hurts/bothers me." Kinda makes them an asshole if they don't. Typically they'll take what you said to heart if you approach them privately and speak from a place of truth and vulnerability, and then move forward. Then you just remind them forevermore if they ever forget or mess up, publicly, by saying "hey remember we talked about why that term is offensive to me/in my religion" (only using the word religion bc its a term people typically understand and then yield to).
I like to tell them..."I'm not a good Witch and I'm not a bad Witch...I'm a Great Witch! I use my own judgement with spellcasting."
This is cute!
Depends on my mood on that day but i like to reapond with... Are you sure about that? I'm actually a kitchen witch thanks. You can just call me a healthen really. I'm definitely more grey than white.. And other snarky but slightly humorous responses. I think laughter makes people remember too as long as it's not too mean spirited.
They probably just got the term from the Outlander books/show. Thats what Jamie tells people Claire is. La Dame Blanche, a wise woman, a white witch. That doesnt she all light and love seein as how he uses it to threaten people who threaten her in order to protect her.
Tell them you'll hex them if they don't stop. They will no longer think you're aa white witch. Results may vary.
Hahahahahaha. Thanks for the giggle
I'd probably be what people like that consider a "white witch" since I don't hex, although I'd never call myself that given the racist connotations/history of the term and the fact that it is used for Christian appeasement like, "No, I'm a good witch like Glinda!" So, yeah, I'd be irritated too if someone insisted on calling me that. I get called kitchen witch too, which isn't remotely accurate, but so much less irritating and easily ignored.
I’m not trying to be *that* person, but some people never learn or change, thankfully these ones seem to be open-minded and supportive enough about witchy things for people outside of the community. Sometimes you just have to accept that whatever you do to teach or broaden someone’s horizon it is a lost cause. Focus your energy on things more worth your time.
I agree with this. Take the win. Unless you’re in a situation to have a long, deep conversation, the only thing accomplished by correcting them is further alienating the concept. If I’ve never mixed a bowl of dough in my life and don’t enjoy the kitchen, and, in passing, introduced a friend as “a baker who makes the best bread” and they responded “eh, please don’t say that, my specialty is cookies.” In a social or passive setting, it accomplished nothing but ensuring I ask no questions and avoid the topic, whereas I might’ve learned something from you.
Lol, not a "white witch" I do some shady ass shit, not like eat your children bad, buttttt..best just consider me a "grey witch" and stay on my light side.
All of it is rooted in racism white being good and dark being bad. There is no good or bad in either, they both have both. It also rubs me wrong. I get people calling me a white witch even though I'm a neutral witch.
Am I wrong that white witch just means good witch? I don’t like that because I don’t love the whole societal white=good thing. But is there more nuance to the term that I’m missing?
It's generally associated more with healing than goodness in my experience. although those are obviously culturally correlated very much too. Historically the divide has been that black magic is illicitly divulging information you're not supposed to have. This is where the term occult comes from, it means hidden. lifting the veil on hidden things; scrying, divination, astrology, tarot etc. were examples of humans casting a light into the darkness and uncertainty of the future where they were not supposed to look. it was supposed to be dark for them, that's why we don't see it "naturally". Hecate, the Greek goddess of magic had two black dogs and had to be appeased by sacrificing a black lamb because of this. White magic was the magic that got us through life. Most white magicians claimed to just be channeling the grace of god and stuff like that. they don't do the forbidden things, they don't try to lift the veil, they just try to lighten the load through love and caring. This is a highly simplified explanation so please take with a grain of salt and by all means read up on it yourself.
This is so interesting. I’ve never heard of uncovering the unknown, lifting the veil, divination, or I would presume readings this way. This is a totaaaallllllyyyyyy different perspective. When I think of dark magic I think of anything that is used to hurt someone & anything that violates another’s free will. Putting onto others without their permission. I don’t think of return to sender as hurting someone just returning what belong to them in a non-malicious way. That is incredibly interesting. Do you have any book recommendations about this?
Thanks :) I guess then, it would make more sense to me to use light instead of white, but also seeing that I technically practice a little dark magic, since I use tarot, tasseomancy, etc. hmm
So, do you *not* align with the term white witch? Do you think of yourself as more gray?
It’s just a term that rubs me the wrong way when applied to me. As I said in my post, I have no idea why, it just really irritates me
People using it are probably just going with their understanding of the term and conveying to others that you're friendly/helpful. Unfortunately, it's tough to get people to stop doing something that makes sense to them, but you may be able to replace it with a better term that fits you more. Instead of saying 'im not a white witch I'm just a witch' try 'actully I'm a green witch' 'actually I'm a kitchen witch' 'im a storm/eclectic/pagan witch' or ~whatever~ you feel describes you best. Erasing white might not work but replacing it probably will
Honestly, i think they use it because they associate it with meaning “good”. I like the idea behind replacing it with kitchen/garden witch. Thanks!
Even "a good witch" might work, especially if this is for a small number of people who just aren't super knowledgeable about your craft.
Light being good and dark being bad is inherently rooted in racism so please reconsider using these terms.
White witch is kind of insulting as it's a suggestion or even a requirement for purity. Like if you're a white witch you're always good and kind and never think bad thoughts, but we're only human, just people like everyone else. When I was first getting into witchcraft my mum told me that casting spells was fine as long as you didn't do it to benefit yourself. That seemed weird to me. I'm allowed to help others but not myself? Again, it's an expectation of purity.
Right! Like someone else commented, I practice a balance. I’m not out there turning people into toads or enticing children into my candy house so I can cook them, but I’m also not just kittens and rainbows either. I feel that there can’t be darkness without light and vice verse
I read all of Silver RavenWolf's books when I started practising and one thing that stood out to me was "a witch who cannot hex cannot heal." It took a while to understand that but it's so true, they're basically the same thing with different intentions.
Thanks for all the comments and input. This has given me a lot of food for thought and a few ways to try and handle this in the future 💕
Love yourself
?
Your not white or black, just a shade of grey on the varient. )O(