Be Witched, Part One
Being 'witched' comes with the territory of being a woman
It’s the cusp of October, which puts me in mind of … witches!
Growing up in Montana, October signaled that fall was well and truly here, a reality I accepted only because a) I admittedly loved the crisp chill in the air and the slight melancholy of the newly golden/red/orange leaves, and b) I could start contemplating my Halloween costume, which shifted from hobo (I’m an inveterate adventurer!) to witch around the time of 3rd grade – about when I saw The Wizard of Oz for the first time.
Yes, my costume was generally the typical one: the black pointy hat and cloak, green face, wort-y nose, driblets of fake blood here and there for effect, an old broom. There was something so appealing about putting on an outfit that could make me feel so … powerful. So in-control. So capable of channeling magic! Especially the ability to fly through the air on a broomstick! Compared to the uniform I wore to Catholic school every day, which reinforced how I was to be like everyone else and follow The Rules, this costume felt liberating.
Oh sure, I’d read the fairy tales featuring the evil deeds of witches – the poisonous brews they concocted, the dark spells they cast on their enemies – and I’d been scared out of my wits by the Wicked Witch of the West from Wizard of Oz. I couldn’t quite relate to that evil; I could to the conjuring of magic. And then there were the ‘good’ counterparts to these wicked ones who used their magical powers for good, like Glinda the Good Witch from Oz , who channels kindness as she helps Dorothy find her way back home by looking inside herself for guidance. And Strega Nona, the wise woman/witch doctor in the Italian children’s fable, who concocts remedies for her fellow villagers that cure headaches, help single women find husbands, and rid people of warts. Though my Halloween costumes were of the wicked witch kind (counter to Barbie, I’ve generally preferred black to pink), my intentions were of the benevolent persuasion. Plus – how cool that one could fly on a broomstick!
Fast forward to 2023. This year I’ve learned a lot more about witches, real witches, than I’d ever known before. I’m embarrassed that, despite being a history major in college, it is only this year that I learned of the magnitude of the witch hunts in Europe and America between 1400 and 1700. Reliable data suggests more than 60,000 people – mostly women – were killed, often in brutal ways (like burned at the stake) for their ‘witchy’ ways, which might include knowing about herbs and their medicinal uses and putting that knowledge to use (an affront to ‘learned’ doctors), questioning conventional beliefs and practices (mostly dictated by the Catholic Church at the time), being childless (by choice or otherwise), or simply being different. Often women were accused of causing natural disasters or illnesses. They were simply convenient scapegoats when bad things happened that couldn’t be explained or controlled. (It hits close to home that the first woman put to death as a witch during the Salem witch trials was named Bridget. Bridget Bishop. Her main offenses seem to be that she wore a red bodice, left an abusive husband, and was a relatively well-off property owner, uncommon at the time.)
While these types of witch hunts are a thing of the past, women today still suffer from similar suspicions and judgments: when they own and celebrate their strengths, when they go beyond conventional norms, when they challenge the status quo, when they explore and embrace nature’s offerings.
If you recognize yourself as having any of those characteristics or propensities … my friend, you are a witch!
In part two of this Sidecar Story, I’ll suggest ways to recognize your witchy-ness and put it to good use. To … be witched! Whether in black cape, pink tutu, red bodice, or whatever makes you feel mighty.
Oh ... we'll be creating space for exploring witchy-ness at Sidecar Summit Portugal. Still a few spots left to join us. All-you-can-drink witches brew included in the price; ingredients a secret until then!
Yours in using our magic for good (broomstick optional),
Bridget
