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Author Topic: Witchcraft and addiction  (Read 1745 times)

an_escapist

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Witchcraft and addiction
« on: November 18, 2018, 12:17:13 pm »
Hi all, I'm new here. Hope it goes well.

I had a question for the group. I have read in multiple places that folks in recovery from addiction should not practice magic or anything like that. I'm wondering what other people's perspectives are about this?

Thank you!

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Re: Witchcraft and addiction
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2018, 02:19:37 pm »
I had a question for the group. I have read in multiple places that folks in recovery from addiction should not practice magic or anything like that. I'm wondering what other people's perspectives are about this?

Sounds like it's rooted more in pop culture depictions of magic as a metaphor for addiction than in actual practice. There are lots of different approaches to magic, and while some of them may be a poor fit for people struggling with addiction, others could be very helpful.
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Jenett

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Re: Witchcraft and addiction
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2018, 02:25:36 pm »
I have read in multiple places that folks in recovery from addiction should not practice magic or anything like that. I'm wondering what other people's perspectives are about this?

I'm curious about what kinds of places you've found this - by which I mean, what kind of group/experience/background/approach it's coming from.

A number of magical traditions and groups have guidelines or policies about not adding new members (this is especially true in paths/groups/etc. with an initiatory focus) who are actively struggling with addiction, but those same groups often have similar guidelines about not taking on people for initiatory training who are dealing with positive life changes or situations until those settle down (finishing school, getting married, about to have a child, etc.)

Beyond that, like Eastling says, I think it depends a lot on the situation, the form of magic, whether those forms of magic will support, distract or cause problems, and whether the person is able to make thoughtful life choices in other ways. There's a lot of variation here. (Just the same way there's a lot of variation for people dealing with physical health issues, or mental health issues, and of course addiction has parts of both of those.)

I am generally of the belief that basic energetic hygiene practices (centering, grounding, shielding, basic meditation and visualisation skills) are almost never a bad idea, though specific approaches to some of those things might be a poor choice for an individual.
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an_escapist

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Re: Witchcraft and addiction
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2018, 08:43:46 pm »
I'm curious about what kinds of places you've found this - by which I mean, what kind of group/experience/background/approach it's coming from.

A number of magical traditions and groups have guidelines or policies about not adding new members (this is especially true in paths/groups/etc. with an initiatory focus) who are actively struggling with addiction, but those same groups often have similar guidelines about not taking on people for initiatory training who are dealing with positive life changes or situations until those settle down (finishing school, getting married, about to have a child, etc.)

Beyond that, like Eastling says, I think it depends a lot on the situation, the form of magic, whether those forms of magic will support, distract or cause problems, and whether the person is able to make thoughtful life choices in other ways. There's a lot of variation here. (Just the same way there's a lot of variation for people dealing with physical health issues, or mental health issues, and of course addiction has parts of both of those.)

I am generally of the belief that basic energetic hygiene practices (centering, grounding, shielding, basic meditation and visualisation skills) are almost never a bad idea, though specific approaches to some of those things might be a poor choice for an individual.

Thank you for this perspective. I am new to Wicca, so I am still in the initiative phase and have not used magic other than the hygiene practices you described. I saw this about addiction in the book I've been reading, which is called 'Wicca: The Complete Craft' by DJ Conway. (if you or anyone has opinions of this book, those are welcome too. Again, I am still new to this.)

It is good to hear that it is based on a person's individual circumstances and problems. I am personally a recovering addict (sex and love), so I feel that I should stay away from any magic involving other people. Even before practicing, I avoided completing tarot readings based on love and relationships.

Thank you again for your insight.

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Re: Witchcraft and addiction
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2018, 08:59:25 pm »
Thank you for this perspective. I am new to Wicca, so I am still in the initiative phase and have not used magic other than the hygiene practices you described. I saw this about addiction in the book I've been reading, which is called 'Wicca: The Complete Craft' by DJ Conway. (if you or anyone has opinions of this book, those are welcome too. Again, I am still new to this.)

I am feeling lousy and can't brain in more detail about this tonight, but DJ Conway is not considered a reliable source, no. (And comes from a generation of witchy books that were very proscriptive about avoiding anything vaguely relating to alcohol, or anything not socially acceptable to a rather Puritanical view of the world, actually.)

I've got a recommended reading list over here for religious witchcraft books, which are generally a lot more nuanced about issues of physical or mental health, or at least recognise that they maybe should not proscribe about all possible situations.

(More maybe tomorrow.)
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