Hello everyone, My name is Betty and I'm The Witch from the North. After a long time away, I've been called back home. So much has happened in the last decade, and even more before that. Growing up in a religious family I hid my practice for years for fear of judgement, anger and disownment. I was just a young teenager when a cousin found some papers of mine that talked about the Goddess and brought them to her father, who was a pastor. Needless to say, I was shamed and told I was going to hell if I continued down my path. From that point on I slowly moved away from my practice, and what practices I did keep remained a secret.
The years that followed were hard for me, I was looking for a place to fit in and I felt lost on the inside. I've struggled with depression and anxiety my whole life and made some questionable decisions based on my insecurities and feelings of never being good enough. Like most people today I became desensitized to mother earth's cycles and rhythms, I was constantly stressed and felt trapped in my own life. I felt powerless and didn't know what I could do to change it. I ended up pregnant at 19 with no plan for me life. My in-laws are primarily Christian as well and so for the longest time I felt an unspoken pressure to conform to societal and religious views for my family's life. Until one day something inside me told me that I was living someone else's life and that I needed to change or I would be miserable for the rest of my life.
I'm now 29 with two kids and have been slowing reintegrating the craft back into my life. It started 3 years go, at first it was quietly but now I am unapologetically reclaiming my power. I truly believe the Universe realized how much I needed this in my life again and since, I have begun incorporating more, relearning and learning everything I can. I think the fact that witchcraft, spirituality and energy work have become mainstream helped with my "coming out" and relieved a lot of anxiety for me. Over the last 3 years I have grown SO much and have done A LOT of personal and spiritual development, I've gone deep into shadow work-and continue still. This fact alone, has helped me become a person who no longer looks outside myself for validation or permission.
I now know without a shadow of doubt that this is where I belong, this is my home. My life felt like it was missing something all of those years and it's strange that subconsciously I knew all along this was it. My inner witch was screaming at me to WAKE THE F#@K UP. So here I am, waking up more every minute of every day. I'm happy to have found Olivia and this coven. Can't wait to see how this will enrich my life. A big shout out and thank you goes to Olivia for inspiring me to be open about my witchy self. <3
I am so happy for you! I myself did not grow up in a religious family, but I fell in love with an amazing man who comes from a very catholic family. They even told me to my face that they did not want me to marry their son. Well we did marry, have two amazing daughters. They are baptized catholic (I pick my battles) but my husband and I do not attend Catholic Church. I have always dabbled in witchcraft but this year I have taken more steps to make it a true way of life. What helped me is our youngest daughter is a true believer in magick, and has requested a wand. I told my husband about it unsure of what his thoughts would be and he said “who are we to tell her there isn’t. she wants a wand she can get one.“ This is when I realized that I didn’t have to hide my small dabblings and actually truly practice witchcraft. I am so sorry you had to go through those years of feeling lost, alone and ashamed. But on the flip side those years have taught you what you don’t want so you can now focus and understand what you do want in your life. Which is where you are now at! Sometimes I wonder why we have to go through so much hardship to get to the good parts, but they do have valuable lessons. Have a great day and enjoy and continue embracing your witchy self!! So very happy for you!