A “Wise Woman” guest for our “Saturday Salon”

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Welcome to my second “Saturday Salon!” Come on in and meet our today’s guest blogger…

Vivienne, who’s graciously flew over from her blog; “The New Witch Way” is another recent friend I’ve met through blogging and I’m so grateful that she’s come into my life. I feel blessed by her wisdom, humor, self-awareness and authenticity.

I continue to be amazed by all of the knowledge she has and I think you’ll also find what she has to say will give you a new depth and understanding of the craft, astrology and what being a true “wise woman” represents.

1) Do you feel comfortable calling yourself a witch and/or pagan?

I’ve always used the word “witch.” It accurately reflects my commitment to energy work, self-knowledge, and growth, where “pagan” does not carry those connotations.

That said, I am as pagan, meaning “outside Christianity,” a woman as I can make of myself, for someone who swims daily in a Christian-derived oppressive culture.



2) What does being a “witch” mean to you?

The witch is the one who does what must be done for the greatest benefit to another, the community, the world, or the cosmos, no matter the cost to herself. 
Sometimes that means accepting a karmic “hit” to get the work completed.

“The witch is the one who does what must be done.”

(That’s likely an indirect quote from Terry Pratchett, who has really figured out what witches do.)

It also means that you have enough self-confidence to believe that you can discern what truly will be of greatest benefit, enough self-doubt to constantly question your own motives, and enough patience to wait until you know that you’re acting compassionately before you pick up that wand.

3) Is there a path of Wicca that you’re drawn to the most?

I don’t actually consider myself “wiccan.” There’s a difference between “witch” and “wiccan,” and I’m a witch. As for paths, I’m most content to find my own way, thanks. I understand that from time to time I’ll bark my shins on things that more organized people have already sorted out.

That’s the advantage in following a tradition: you have the benefit of generations of experience and questing; many minds have discovered, consolidated, and passed down what you study. On your own, you have one life, and what you can do with it.

The downside of a tradition, of course, is that if they do something you grow to find irredeemably stupid, you’re stuck with it. An acquaintance of mine is a third-degree Gardnerian HPs (High Priestess), and she once told me that she absolutely disagrees with the Gardnerian habit of “summoning” the quarters” which makes sense to me.

The “Quarters” are immortal Beings of an entirely different order than humans, and we’re going to summon Them – issue a compulsion to show up when and where we demand? I don’t think so! However, as a Gardnerian HPs, she must both perform the “Summoning“, and teach it.

4) Are there any specific deities or pantheons you’re drawn to work with?

Currently, I’m working with Odin, and attempting to master the Runes. Loki shows up from time to time as well. This shift from Greco-Romanism to the Northern Tradition happened as all my meanderings do: I listen very hard for the still small voice within, and then, to the best of my ability, I do what it wants.

(I should add that I’ve had to learn to differentiate between the still, small voice within that tells me it’s time to learn the Runes, and the one that says it’s time for more chocolate!)

5) I know you really love astrology, Vivienne, can you tell us a little about how you started learning about it?

The still small voice said it was time when I was a very young adult. I read books and more books and some more books after that. About 1970, after the “hippie” astrology craze had passed, the still small voice said it was time. I read books and more books and some more books after that. Tried Linda Goodman, and knew that sun-sign astrology wasn’t going to cut it for me. Young Witch and Books

This book (these authors have written several more, but this one is the foundation), and these books, each one a look into the deeper details of delineation, were crucial to my studies.

Robert Hand writes a series of books on transits and progressions which is very helpful. My studies continue today with medical astrology and predictive astrology.

Rex Bills’ “The Rulership Book” is also an absolutely invaluable reference.

“Earth Mother Astrology” is my go-to for medical work.

6) What’s the single most powerful thing the birth chart can tell about a witch/pagan?

How to use the elemental balance of your chart. If you read my blog post “Elementary, My Dear Watson,” you’ll find a whole discussion about finding which elements are strongly represented in your chart, and which poorly.

To recap, elements assume power in our charts in two ways. One is by over-representation, strength; the other is by under-representation, weakness. Over-representation will incline a person toward areas ruled by the element; under-representation can mean they will shun these activities, or undertake them compulsively.

For a witch, this information is gold. Knowing our strengths and weaknesses allows us to tailor a magical act to them: to burn a talisman using Fire; to bury a problem using Earth; to blow it away, placed in a feather, using Air; to drink a glass of cold liquid we have charged with our goal using Water.

The weakest element in our chart, paradoxically, provides the greatest power in magic. Use magic governed by that element for an extra “kick” in spellcasting when you need it. Don’t expect the magic to be easier; it won’t be. It may, in fact, be quite a bit more difficult. But when it kicks into gear, the power will be tremendous.

7. What are a few websites that people can go to and learn what planets are in their astrological charts?

Astrodienst offers accurate free charts. You’ll get the best results if you specify the Koch house system when requesting a natal chart. Cafe Astrology, offers them too although of course it’s the “cookbook” kind.

You recently started blogging, right? What made you decide you wanted to start a blog?

I began in April, and as I write this it’s two months now. I started “The New Witch Way” for reasons of simple practicality. I want to pass on a few things I’ve learned before I die, and as I don’t take students, this is basically my avenue of communication.

Also, I’ve just started my first novel, and I understand that agents and publishers look quite favorably on writers who have established a presence on the web. Now, I’ve no idea whether I can write to publishable standards or not, but every piece of writing is practice, and if I’m lucky enough to have talent commensurate to my ambition, the blog is something I can point to as already getting my name out there.

(The book has nothing at all to do with the Craft, however, so we’ll see how that goes.)

9) What do you say to people who dismiss astrology and say it’s b.s.?

It’s easy to tell, a few exchanges in, who wants to start a fight/pointless argument and who wants more information. I don’t need to defend my beliefs, so normally, I shrug, say, “You’re entitled to your opinion,” and walk away.

If someone wants information but doesn’t know how to ask politely, and I can discern that (because in my time, I’ve probably blown off a few aggressive information-seekers), I may point out that even if they’ve had a bad reading, the science is not the practitioner. They should find a better astrologer.

The very best argument, though, was made by Evangeline Adams. She was hauled into court for “fortune-telling” in 1914, and to prove that astrology was a science and not a scam, she was asked to delineate a stranger’s chart. She did so flawlessly. The chart was that of the judge’s son, and Adams went free.

10) What’s the difference between astrology and horoscopes?

“Astrology” is a science. The horoscope is the raw data from which results are derived; those results are called a “delineation.”

11.) Are there any astrologers who have either a blog or a website that you like where people can learn more about astrology

“Bob Marks’ Astrology” is really the only one I can recommend.

I follow “Sobeit’s Witch’s Daily.” It’s quite helpful to me in my practice, but isn’t set up to be a teaching blog.

For day-to-day information, I rely on “Alan Edwall’s” astrological programs.

12.) What are some of your favorite books, fictional/non-fictional that you love and feel other people would enjoy as well, focusing on the craft, astrology, wicca, magic?

Dion Fortune’s “The Sea Priestess”: (while fiction, it’s chock-full of effective magical practice.)

Janet and Stewart Farrar’s “A Witches’ Bible” (this one shaped my thought and practice.)

Galina Krasskova’s “Runes: Theory and Practice” (helped me become less doubtful of trusting personal Gnosis.)

Dave Lee’s “Wealth Magick Workbook” has really kick-started some creative thinking about magic for me, and not necessarily wealth magic.

My last selection is really a series of books I’ve found which are still wonderful after thirty years of practice; Scott Cunningham’s “Enclycopedias” cover herbs, stones and metals, making your own magickal items, and food. There’s also books that cover natural magic, aromatherapy, and magical herbalism. Cunningham’s books are kept current by his close associates; they remain a solid investment for anyone who is interested in practicing the Craft.

13.) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

I’d be an orangutan! They have such joy in life or a Crow as they’re quite intelligent, social, verbal creatures, all qualities I want to foster in myself.

Thank you so much, Vivienne for taking the time to visit us and sharing with us your incredible magick and wisdom.

Vivienne’s Blog: “The New Witch Way.”

© 2011, Wendy S.. All rights reserved.

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