What is "Skeptical Witchcraft"? | The Skeptical Witch
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- Опубликовано: 23 июл 2024
- What does it mean to be a "skeptical" witch? Can you be a skeptic, and still practice magick? I believe that there are ways to maintain a scientific worldview grounded in material reality, and still practice contemporary witchcraft. In this video, I explore three ways of being a "skeptical" witch!
This is my first video, so I apologize for the not so great quality--I only realized after I'd finished editing that it's slightly out of focus 😅 Also sorry for all the "uhms" and "kind of"s... I'm not the most eloquent on camera! (But hopefully my videos can only get better from here, right? 🤞)
Read more about the things I discussed in this video on my blog!
A Skeptic's Guide to Witchcraft: www.obscureclouds.com/a-skepti...
The Models of Magick: www.obscureclouds.com/models-o...
Sedna Woo's awesome channel (with videos on atheist witchcraft): / @sednawoo
Follow me on Instagram: / skeptical.witch
I just found your channel from your blog and I am blown away. The "Psychological Witch" describes me perfectly. I'm so happy to find like-minded witches, although I'm still very new at this. For many years, I considered myself a hard-atheist skeptic who poo-pooed any type of woo. But, I always felt drawn to the aesthetic and ideas about the metaphysical world. I really wished that they were true and that one day we would find some solid evidence for them. I recently had a sort-of "spiritual enlightenment", but have couched it in skepticism. So far I've been mainly practicing tarot, but as a way of gaining insight into my own thoughts and feelings. It's amazing how much tarot can help you think deeper about your own mind! I am about to start practicing magical spells as a part of a daily ritual for grounding myself, and practicing daily mindfulness and meditation. I will be keeping up with your blog and channel!
Thanks so much! I’m also always really happy to connect with like-minded witches as well! I definitely don’t think that witchcraft and skepticism/rationality have to be antithetical to one another, and having a balance of both can be really helpful. I agree tarot is really amazing for inner work-it’s a fantastic tool to get to know yourself. Best of luck with your witchcraft journey!!
It's crazy how much this describes me and my feelings. It's nice to see there are like-minded people out there!
Thank you for making this video and this great explanation of the different models of skeptical witchcraft! As a PhD researcher I've struggled with my conflicting scientific and spiritual sides for years until I increasingly noticed the parallels between therapy and witchcraft. Now I identify as an agnostic witch and finding individuals as yourself who do not see science and magic as incompatible is very validating :)
That’s wonderful! I’m glad you’ve found a way to approach witchcraft that makes it compatible with science. I also struggled with the seeming “irrationality” of magic for a while before I learned how it can really be used as a tool for inner transformation, and doesn’t have to clash with a scientific worldview.
Im so happy I'm not alone. Im going to cry, I seriously thought I was alone.
Aw I'm so glad you found it helpful!
Happy to find this channel! I'm dabbling in witchcraft and loooooove the artistic crafty aesthetic stuff and doing the research, but I don't believe in the metaphysical, so it's great to hear from skeptics like you and Sedna (love her) and how you guys practice. Gonna go check out your blog now!
Thanks so much, and for checking out my blog too! Hopefully some of the content will be helpful or interesting to you as you continue your witchy journey! I always love encountering witches who feel similarly in the sense that the craft can still be meaningful without requiring any belief in the metaphysical 😁 Also yes Sedna’s channel is fantastic!! 💜💜
I had never heard of Chaos Magic before and now having seen this video and looked a little more into it... it basically describes the entire way I've associated with religion. I've always been a skeptic, but I've always loved the feeling that religious practice and magical practice has given me. Thank you so much
A "day late and a dollar short" I found your channel :)
As a soft atheist and a pagan with strong animistic leanings, I truly appreciate your breakdowns of various modes of pagan and skeptical thought.
I'm a new subscriber, and I'll be going through your videos :)
Edited to add- Chaos magic has been the SINGLE most successful practice I've had. I was VERY incredulous but then I said "What the heck...do it!"
It literally changed my job in less than a year (I got exactly what I wanted, though no one thought I'd get it), my health in about 9ish months, and my servitor truly helped me with several relationships in my life within a span of a mere 2 years.
I found this video as a skeptic who is drawn to witchcraft and trying to figure out how to make it work. Your explanation of chaos magic made me realize that this is something I’ve already started doing in my life, without calling it magic. Knowing that is so incredibly affirming and I feel really encouraged to keep going down this path. Thanks so much for this video and I’m off to browse the rest of your channel!
I came here from your blog! I just wanted to say thanks for jumping in to youtube as well. I really appreciate your recommendation of Sedna Woo - I've binged all her videos now! If anyone else is looking for more skeptic witchery, check out Rachael Stephen! She uses the psychological model of witchcraft.
Your blog and Rachael Stephen's videos have been cornerstones in the formation of my thoughts around witchcraft. I really appreciate you putting this info out into the world so that people can know that it's even an option!
Awesome, thank you so much for the recommendation! I'll definitely check out her videos too :)
Love your take. This is a really wonderful explanation and it's great to hear more skeptical voices.
Thank you so much! I’m happy you liked it 😊 and happy to be part of the expanding skeptical/secular witchy community online!
I'm so glad I found this video and your channel. I have always struggled to reconcile my scientific view with my witchcraft practice, but this explanation of skeptical witchcraft has helped me so much. I can relate to all three ways (naturalist, psychology, and chaos) that you described. I have subscribed to your channel so I can learn more, and build on my personal witchy practice.
That's great, I'm so glad it was helpful for you! :)
Hello, I just wanted to say thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to do such thorough research, and make videos and your blog as well. I've been really struggling with cognitive dissonance and I've been an "armchair witch" for 2 years or so as a result, too stuck in my own head to actually engage in my practice. You're so amazing! Thank you
Aw thank you so much 💜 I’m glad my content is helping to encourage you to start practicing! The very best of luck as you start this next segment of your journey!
THIS IS what I was looking for. I do not wanted to engage in cultural appropriation in any form so I do reject the call of deities. CAuse I respect the people who created them I believe cultures can be owned by different groups, and we have no right to burst into a party we weren't invited into. Secular/skeptic witchcraft is what I was looking for.
this video deserves a lot more recognition! Thank you so much for this!
Aw thank you!
Another skeptic (Grey) witch RUclipsr here! Great, content rich video with a lot of details that I’ve actually never heard stated outright before! Thanks!
Thanks so much for your comment! I’m excited to meet another skeptical witch on here!! 😁
Thank you so much for making this wonderful video!! You're so brilliant and inspiring, and I'm so excited to 'meet' you on RUclips! I'm delighted to be finding other skeptical witches out there (your blog is a treasure trove!). I LOVED learning about these different models of magic and 'types' of skeptical witches in this video - I'm having the BEST time finding my own skeptical, scientific witchcraft path right now. Can't wait for more videos from you! xx
Aw thank you so much, you're so incredibly sweet! I'm so happy that my blog and video has resonated with you! It's always fantastic to encounter other skeptical witches, and I'm really excited to grow both in terms of content and my own practice along with this developing community of skeptics! It's wonderful to hear that you're enjoying discovering this path so much! :)
mekenq I’m just going to say “ditto” to everything you just said, because... ditto! I excitedly shared with my husband that I discovered this is kind of a thing, and there are awesome folks on RUclips talking about the kinds of things I babble about all the time, except they’re coherent and articulate.
I think there needs to be a word for the experience of hearing someone articulate a thought you’ve been having, except you didn’t exactly know that was the thought you were having until you heard the person say it. The “OMG, yes, exactly!” moment. I had a few of those with this video.
I’ve basically been binge watching your channel and so much of what you say resonates with me profoundly. I’m fascinated from an academic standpoint but I’ve struggled to reconcile my rational logical brain with my wanting to have magic in my life. I am so grateful for your channel!
Aw thank you, I’m so glad it’s been helpful for you!
Thank you so much for this video, it's given me a basis to continue exploring witchcraft within my own skepticism. Like you, I wasn't sure I could call myself a witch, so this video has made me so happy and more comfortable with my own ideas and approach x
That’s wonderful, I’m glad it was helpful for you, and that you feel more comfortable pursuing witchcraft! Do you use Reddit by any chance? Because there’s a sub on there (r/SASSwitches) that’s full of skeptical/secular/atheist witches, and is such a wonderful community for advice and connecting with other like-minded witches!
@@theskepticalwitch6611 I've just joined r/SASSwitches yesterday after reading your blog! Lots of wonderful inspiration and support, looking forward to learning from like-minded people
I am considering adding "skeptical witch" to my list of descriptions. Many of my hang ups are similar to what yours were. Still deciding if I even WANT to add it .I am glad I found your channel. Good luck in school!
For me, “skeptical witch” is less important as a label per say, and more important as a means of finding community and connecting with likeminded people 😊 I’m glad my video resonated with you, and thank you!!
What an awesome video! Thank you so very much! ❤️
Thank you so much for this video! Now I know that I am best described as a psychological witch because I already basically believed that perception creates reality, I just didn’t have a name for it! I also resonate a lot with chaos based/fluid witchcraft because my beliefs *are* very fluid and results based
So glad I found your video and channel! I totally relate to "fluid" witchcraft. Also to psychological witchcraft and naturalistic witchcraft but this fluid and chaos approach really opened my eyes AND opened so many more possibilities! Thank you for explaining it so well.
Thank you! I'm glad it resonated with you :)
Thank you so much for this! I‘ve dabbled in this for a while now and it has been so invalidating to me to be rejected for not believing enough or believing too much by both atheists and theistic witches and it really bummed me out. So it‘s really nice to see someone who gets it speaking about it. I feel like culture doesn‘t have to tie into religion and theism personally and i‘ve felt like many witches sadly still give you the side eye if you believe too little while also claiming that the practice is personal and non authoritarian. Especially as a european practicing this witchcraft ties me back to my culture before christianity destroyed it and plastered their own over it and it feels so good to have that. Especially as a person who‘s felt like their culture is just a blank slate and christianity wich has been so hostile to me as a afab person and a queer person. Witchcraft is tying me back to my roots and also reconnecting me with my lost culture and it‘s just so cathartic.
That’s fantastic, I’m so glad witchcraft has provided you with a way to connect to your roots, and given you a space to be yourself! It really is a personal practice, so try not to let it get to you when people say you’re not doing it right-there is no “right” way, and that’s what’s so great about it 😊
Thank you for this video. I can't seem to wrap my head into astral projection, aura reading, communicating with spirit guides etc even though I have educated myself as much as I can and surrounded myself with witches and intuitives who claim to be able to do this. I tried but I just can't seem to do it and was advised that maybe because I don't believe enough. Being a skeptic, maybe it's true that I don't believe enough because of my physicalist perspective. I am passionate about learning others' practices though for the sake of research and knowledge. I also have always seen magick as mindset shifting to better yourself. I hope you start a facebook group for skeptics like us! Would love to join and learn from other skeptics ☺️
If these things are something you’re interested in, but don’t necessarily believe in, maybe you would benefit from approaching them from a “chaos magic” perspective, where belief is used as a tool and can be fluid, rather than something static. And thanks! There’s a Facebook group called “Secular Witchcraft” that may be of interest to you, as there’s skeptics in that. Also if you use Reddit, the subreddit SASSwitches is a really great place to meet like minded Skeptical witches!
Hello my name is Lynn Rose 🌹🌸 I have just watched your video. I just wanted to say thank you for posting. I really enjoyed watching. In my craft I def resonate with what you are describing as the Spirit Realm. As this is one of my greatest gifts and I couldn’t see my life without it. I really liked your video though, I watched it till the end. One problem that I see happening a lot all across the world in the world and in communities, is judgement and separation. We just can’t seem to accept one another as different and flourish is this truth. I really loved how your video content, and the way you interacted with all the beings commenting, exudes a welcoming and accepting atmosphere. As though no matter what you believe you will expect and appreciate. I really like that. I appreciate that time of mentality. I do believe that this is what we need in our World.
I 100% agree with you that we need to be more accepting of difference in our society, including different ways of being in and perceiving the world. Thank you for your lovely comment, and I hope that I can be even more accepting & welcoming on this channel going forward!
Thank you for this video! It is so interesting and well thought out. I went from growing up in a very very conservative, anti-science, fundamentalist christian home, to becoming a skeptic and considering myself an agnostic atheist in my beliefs. It's been difficult for me to feel like I've lost the spiritual part of myself that was so integral to who I was. I always love hearing from people who are able to have a healthy balance of both and aren't "all or nothing" because that's such a foreign concept to me.
I'm glad that you were able to find your way out of that fundamentalist framework, and develop your own opinions on things! I think witchcraft is something people often turn to after breaking away from overly religious upbringings, as it's something that leaves a lot of room for individual exploration and a variety of beliefs. I hope you're able to find some kind of balance between spirituality and skepticism, too!
@@theskepticalwitch6611 @The Skeptical Witch Thank you so much
@@violinfairyqueen Thanks so much! I haven't actually come across any books on witchcraft from a psychological perspective yet, but if I do I'll be sure to mention them in a video or blog post! If you use reddit, r/SASSwitches is a great sub for meeting like-minded witches interested in the psychology of magic/skeptical witchcraft :)
A good place to start for chaos magic is Condensed Chaos by Phil Hine :)
I needed this video for so long! I love Witchcraft but I always feel kind of insecure because I'm really fact & explanation driven, so not knowing how witchcraft works with half explanations never let me fully fall into practicing... Maybe now I will give it another chance
Wow, so many thoughts and feelings inside myself right now! I was intrigued by the chaos or fluid witchcraft description and now wonder if that's what I was doing all along! I was a pagan/witch/goddess worshipper for almost 20 years then became an atheist, now trying to find my way as an atheist witch. I still have trouble with the idea of a "whatever works for you" version of reality. I feel like we all have to agree on some facts about reality to get along. But maybe that is where the fluidity comes in. If a person can accept science and objective reality and only really put that aside when doing ritual... That seems safe I guess. I think people's beliefs inform their actions. So a fluid belief in the nature of reality would maybe equal inconsistent and irrational actions. lol, which pretty much describes people anyway! Thanks for the food for thought!
I’ve been looking for a content creator that has the same views as me. Im a scientific pantheist but my roots are in witchcraft but found it very hard to include that in my life as someone who does not believe in “Magic” gods, spirits and the ability to directly affect the external world through witchcraft. Then I came across the psychological model of magic. Really nice to find a pantheist RUclipsr that has such a similar mindset to myself. I’ve been loving including magic in my life again.
Thanks so much, and it's great to connect with someone like-minded! I'm glad my videos resonate with you :) I'd also recommend checking out Sedna Woo and Aine Orga if you haven't already, they make similar scientifically-minded content!
I just found this video and it has helped me so much. I have been practicing for about 3 years but in the past few months I've been really struggling with skepticism surrounding my craft. I had a hard time suspending disbelief, but this video helped me remember that I don't necessarily need do that at all. So what if it is a placebo? It works for me! I started witchcraft by using tarot, and I always regarded it as a therapeutic tool to learn about myself and guide me through my emotions. I just need to see the rest of my craft in that way.
I'm glad the video has helped you! That's definitely the way I tend to look at it as well--as long as it works, that's all that matters! :) Have you seen Sedna Woo's videos as well, or checked out the Placebo Magick Podcast? If not I'd highly recommend! :)
Hii!!
I'm super happy I've found your channel. I found your blog first and I subscribed your newsletter to keep up with it! Thanks to you, I feel really comfortable now with my skepticism regarding believe in magic and spirituality, and you describing your framework really helped me with finding my own framework of belief and understanding of the world around me.
So, question: Do you have any resources for developing a book of shadows along these concepts? More specifically, what structures do you follow for performing spells and rituals? The only ones I've been exposed to are the Wiccan, Pagan reconstructionist, and pantheist methods. Again, you're wonderful and I look forward to learning more about your perspective! :) Thank you!!
I'm really glad my content has been helpful for you! :) I'm so happy I can help with finding that balance between magic and skepticism in developing a meaningful worldview.
I don't have any resources right now for making a "skeptical" book of shadows, although this is something I can do a video on/write a blog post about in the future! But I'd recommend (if you haven't already) checking out Sedna Woo's RUclips channel, as she's an atheist witch who has some great videos on spellcasting from a scientific/rational perspective. Also Do The Magical Thing on RUclips is also an excellent resource--she typically ends her videos with instructions for spells that can definitely be approached from a skeptical perspective! :)
I've always been in a weird in-between with spiritual and completely skeptical (outside of witchy things). So I definitely will be bringing so many different things into my craft/practice. But the psychological one was so close to what I am on the side of believing
I definitely relate to you with being in that weird in-between, liminal kind of space when it comes to spirituality and witchcraft. What's helped me the most is just realizing that I don't have to be either one way or the other, spiritual or skeptical. There's room for both, and honestly I think finding a kind of balance between them is the most fulfilling approach for me :)
I'm from Brazil so there isn’t much (maybe none) content about skeptical witchcraft and I felt kind of down because I don’t believe in supernatural things, but I really liked the concept of witchcraft, and not too long ago I started to researching crystals, astrology, spells, deities... but sometimes it didn't make sense to me, like, who said it works for this? what is the logic behind it? so recently I was curious if there was a way to be an atheist and a witch at the same time and I ended up finding Sedna Woo's channel and now yours! It's such a relief to know that I can practice witchcraft and not believe in supernatural things! :)
I’m glad that you’ve found a perspective that resonates with you! Sedna Woo’s channel is awesome! And it’s always great to know there are other like-minded people out there 😊
I started to use my own intuitive craft, for instance I don’t relate to the moons phases but would rather practice within my own cycle so My dark moon time is when I’m on my period and this seems more personal and potent rather than a light in the sky representing when to let go of things or when’s it best to achieve my desires x
I really like that, working with your own personal cycles. That makes a lot of sense, because our entire bodies and minds as women are impacted so strongly by our changing cycles. It’s something I’m learning to work with as well :)
Hi, thank you for posting this, it was really interesting and it chimes with a lot of things I've believed for a while even though I consider myself agnostic from the perspective of anything supernatural existing.
Are there specific books you would recommend to someone interested in exploring skeptical witchcraft a bit further and maybe even trying to get hands-on with spell work? I'm also coming from the perspective of someone who'd largely be exploring solo as I'm not super-active on social media, but if you'd recommend otherwise I'd certainly consider any online spaces you recommend joining.
Thanks again for posting this, I'm going to check out some of your other videos for sure.
Hi! So I don't actually know of any books on skeptical witchcraft, since the whole idea of it is still kind of new... if you use Reddit, I'd recommend checking out r/SASSwitches, as this is a community of like-minded people, and there's some links to other helpful sources there.
Also I list some resources here: www.obscureclouds.com/resources-for-non-theistic-pagans-and-skeptical-witches/
Hopefully this is helpful!!
Oh my gosh, thank you, thank you, thank you. I've been drawn to witchcraft for years - but I've never dared to really embrace it. I'm an atheist and I don't believe in God or any god, spirit or stones or any other supernatural powers. I wish I would. I love the forest, I love the moon and the stars and their beauty makes me happy and content - but I only see them as what they objectively are: part of the amazing physical world around us. I don't feel connected to the "spirit of the earth" when I walk in the woods and I don't think a giant rock circling around us in outer space has a supernatural impact on my life. "Psychological Witchcraft" would be what I would love to practice. Does Tarot actually tell your fate? No. But asking the cards can help you to look inside yourself, can help you realize what you want. Does a sygel change reality? No, but creating and carrying one can be a reminder for you and shape your behavior. At least that's how I see it. I'm so happy I've finally found a starting-off-point for my craft. Thank you.
Wow you're beautiful and I've only just started myself I've a lot to learn yet
Oh, so that what it's called, interesting) So, that makes me a sceptical Tarot reader;)
All of this. but together love
Any book or blog recommendations for naturalistic witchcraft? I would love to find more since it fits me so well!
Honestly there aren’t that many books out there on the topic that I know of... hopefully thats changing though! I did make a blog post a little while ago with some of my recommendations though, so maybe you’ll find something helpful there? 😊
www.obscureclouds.com/resources-for-non-theistic-pagans-and-skeptical-witches/
I love your videos! If you could add in images or clips of videos into your videos. Teach people with different learning styles! Thank you so much!
Yes for sure! I’m trying to add more know that I know a bit more about video editing 😊
I use spoken word spells mostly and candle magic what would you call that I like the term silver tounge
Thanks for sharing. new subscriber.
Can you recommend any other practitioners of the psychological model? I'm SUPER interested in learning more about this.
Unfortunately I don’t know of too many other witchy content creators who explicitly use the psychological model. There’s Sedna Woo of course, and there’s also The Placebo Magick podcast, which is great for this kind of thing. If I do find more, I’ll put them on the resources section of my blog, obscureclouds.com. If you’re on Reddit, I’d highly recommend checking out the sub r/SASSwitches-it’s a community full of skeptical and atheist witches, and a lot of us use the psychological model.
@@theskepticalwitch6611 r/SASSwitches is actually how I found you! I love your content and hope that more creators will start talking about this topic, as it's very fascinating. I'm just starting out, but as I learn I would love to discuss more!
@@shanc3263 thanks! I’m also hopeful that more creators will start making psychology-based witchy content. And it’s great to have you involved in the discussions and such! 😁
Your name just popped up in Meghan's livechat and I had to check out your channel! I love the way you see things ☺️ especially as I am a very sceptical green witch too. I am just working on a colab with Sedna Woo - I don't know if you know her put she also practices sceptical atheist witchcraft
Oh amazing! Yes I love Sedna Woo! Her content right up my alley haha. I also really like your channel as well, I’m just just starting to get into green/kitchen witchcraft, so your videos are very inspiring 😊
@@theskepticalwitch6611 haha amazing! I love Sednas videos 😄 so happy you find my videos helpful! And I am excited to see what else you will put out in the future
interesting! :D
🌻✨
What does sacred and divine mean to you?
Good question! I’m a naturalistic/scientific pantheist, so for me the sacred is completely immanent in this world. This world and everything in it is sacred for me, and the relationships that exist between all things are sacred. I don’t believe in any spiritual “otherworld,” but instead think that this material world is divine in and of itself. In other words, there is no ultimate difference between the sacred and the profane-everything is sacred!
@@theskepticalwitch6611 That makes sense. ^V^ A beautiful physicalist outlook. I may adopt something similar. Thank you for explaining.
@@theskepticalwitch6611 This concept of everything being sacred doesn't make sense to me. Is this to say everything is for a purpose or good? Is that what you mean by sacred? What about serial killers and child rapists? Are they considered sacred since they are apart of the world? What is your take on that?
@@violetselene244 Hi, that’s a really good question! So as a naturalistic pantheist I believe that the universe is sacred and interconnected, and that there is an inherent value in everything as a part of a holistic totality. However I don’t believe that this means everything is “good”-things simply are the way they are. We as humans assign moral categories to things and people, but I don’t believe that there is any inherent good or evil in the world beyond what we assign to it. So as a collective species (for the most part), we recognize that rapists and murderers are bad, but from a more eco-centric (rather than human-centric) perspective, human beings simply are what they are, capable of both good and evil, but not *intrinsically or necessarily* good or evil. Does that make sense? So as a pantheist, I celebrate nature as a sacred totality, but that doesn’t mean I agree with or celebrate humans or their acts that we deem morally wrong. As an individual living in a society, I strongly oppose such acts, and fully believe that there are just garbage people in the world. But on the larger scale of a pantheistic perspective, human beings are part of a sacred cosmos, which is itself devoid of moral judgements. If you want to learn more about pantheism, Aine Orga has a fantastic channel where she provides great information on naturalistic pantheism! :)
This is not skepticism. There are a lot of definitions but open-mindedness is an important principle. You make it seem like you can't have reason and believe in the paranormal..that's just not true. You also seem not to understand how science works. Science is a process of new discovery but you seem to think that "what we know" doesn't change...the reality is it does.
"Sceptical" witch...LOL
you're cute; carry on...