I am Not Wiccan

Posted by Ketzirah on Jun 25, 2012 in Spiritual Practices | 2 comments

Let me say that again.

I am not Wiccan.

Not that there is anything wrong with being Wiccan, but I’m not.  It’s a totally valid lifestyle choice, and all, but it’s not me.  I get why some people may be confused and think that, but it’s not the case.  I’m also not trying to blend Judaism and Wicca.

Yes, I experimented, but I was young and that’s normal — right?

I bring this all up because I came across another reference recently where someone helpfully says, “Hey you should check out this site.  It’s really interesting the way she’s blending Judaism and Wicca.”

1) Thank you.  I’m glad you find what I do interesting.  Seriously.  I take my work seriously, but not myself — so I’m sometimes surprised to find that other people really do dig what I do.

2)   I’m not Wiccan.

Judaism has many deep, marvelous, and surprising paths you can follow.  The one I have chosen to follow — or really has chosen me — is one that digs deep into the earth-based agrarian roots of our traditions and embraces all the magick and mysticism that the Enlightenment and 20th century purged from it.  As an ordained Kohenet, I’m also committed to manifesting the Divine Feminine in the world.  Put those things together, and you do get a form of Judaism that has many aspects in common with modern Neo-Paganism, and some forms of Wicca (yes, there are many forms).

I have also studied with Wiccan teachers.  The same way I learn from Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and anyone else with something to teach that is worth learning.   From each and all of these I bring things back into my own spiritual practice.  These fluid boundaries between cultures and religions have been in place for millenia upon millenia — whether we want to believe it or not.   Yes, yes, I know, the Torah rails against borrowing of practices from other tribes — but we can see it all through the Torah.

Hello … Tammuz is an ancient Babylonian god.  Why the heck do we have a month named after him?

Now don’t start misinterpreting me again!  I’m not claiming Judaism is polytheistic.  Just that we’re just like everyone else.  When we see an effective practice, or a pretty word, we Judaize it and transform it into something uniquely our own.  So yes, I read Tarot cards and my services often utilize structural elements that I learned from the Pagans, but who do you think the Pagans got half that stuff from? No — not the Tarot cards, those really came from Christian mystics.  But last time I checked kabbalah started with the Jews.   Oh, and have you checked out the LBRP – Kriat Shema, anyone?

I realize it’s just a simple misinterpretation of my practice, but it’s important to me that people understand.  Especially because there ARE people out there truly trying to blend Judaism and Wicca.  We’re all G!d/dess Wrestlers in our own way, and I don’t begrudge anyone sincerely just trying to unravel the mysteries of the universe and nature of G!d/dess the best they can.  What I’m doing, learning, practicing, and teaching is Judaism.  It’s a different flavor than what you may be used to, but that’s because most of us only know what we were raised with.  If you were raised believing that there were only three flavors of ice cream (Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry) than the idea that Grape-Nut ice cream exists to be totally crazy.  And then when you find out that it’s a Caribbean flavor, you might not believe that it’s also something traditional in New England. It’s all ice cream — even that foreign sounding gelato is still ice cream.

So that’s it.  Judaism = Ice Cream and there’s way, way, way more than just 32 flavors — and there always has been.

Oh — and I’m not Wiccan.

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What is Storyworking? 2006 Pesach Update #1 Tarot Review – February 2006 Sacred Eating: Rhubarb is Yummy! Tarot Review – March