Paganistan: Notes from the Secret Commonwealth

In Which One Midwest Man-in-Black Confers, Converses & Otherwise Hob-Nobs with his Fellow Hob-Men (& -Women) Concerning the Sundry Ways of the Famed but Ill-Starred Tribe of Witches.

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To Hex or Not to Hex

Mitch Mcconnell Voodoo Doll | Etsy

 

 

Our topic at Old Craft discussion group that night was hexes.

It's a meaty topic, with ethics in the foreground.

One guy felt that he'd found the perfect solution to the problem. He was big into Santa Muerte, the Mexican folk-saint who happened to be (as a friend of mine rather uncharitably puts it) Deity-of-the-Month at the time.

When something dark needs to be done, he explained, you make an offering to St. Death—I suppose witches would say the Hag here—and offer it to her. Then she takes care of it.

That way, no matter what happens, you're clean of it.

Although I didn't say anything at the time, his comment triggered a moment of insight for me. It taught me one big difference between real, bred-in-the-bone witches, and the Deity-of-the-Month crowd.

It's a matter, you see, of ownership. Witches do our own dirty work.

We don't hire someone else to do it.

 

 

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Poet, scholar and storyteller Steven Posch was raised in the hardwood forests of western Pennsylvania by white-tailed deer. (That's the story, anyway.) He emigrated to Paganistan in 1979 and by sheer dint of personality has become one of Lake Country's foremost men-in-black. He is current keeper of the Minnesota Ooser.

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