I get it. Wicca just isn’t as popular as it was when I was coming up in the early 90s. And I totally get why. There are a lot of problematic things about Wicca, not least is the fact that it was essentially ‘created’ in as an evolution of ceremonial magick, but with a neo-Pagan flavoring that added legitimacy from the days of olden times. So yeah, while Wiccans try to recreate some of the Pagan practices from long ago, a lot of it was just kind of made up.

That’s not to say it’s bad as far as religions go, there are just some problematic tenets. For example, in modern days, we understand and accept that gender is more of a spectrum than a binary, but Wicca is all about femininity and masculinity as the formative energies of the universe. Also, the Law of Three seems really dogmatic and magick users tend to realize now that the universe and laws of return are a little more complicated than that.

I don’t consider myself Wiccan at all, however, I do believe in karma of a sort. Not a Law of Three kind of karma, but a natural balancing of energies. I think that many magick users have experienced this balancing for themselves, and if they haven’t, they probably will at some point.

And I realize that there are some circumstances that require negative, or baneful magick. In cases where you must do whatever it takes to protect yourself or someone else, sure. I’ve been in a situation where I had to use magick that treaded that line in order to protect my energy, and I have no regrets. I did feel a bit of backlash from it, but it needed to be done. I accepted the consequences of my working.

But I’ve never been so reactionary as wanting to whip out a curse or hex for every perceived slight. First of all, what qualifies me as judge, jury, and executioner? I get helping the universe along a little, but some witches just can’t wait to cast baneful magick at the slightest provocation. And the world is so much more complex than we know. I guess I’ve just always felt that if you want to sling mud at someone else, you have to get down into the mud to do it, and you may just get mired there. A simplification, sure, but it feels true in my bones.

So what do I do instead of baneful magick? Really intense, strong protective magick over myself and everyone and everything I love. I want us all to be forewarned and forearmed against the bad things that people can do. And I’d really rather put my energy and work into that.

So while ‘An It Harm None’ may seem a little naive, it’s still something nice to strive for. I guess it really all just comes down to what consequences you’re willing to take on for your actions. Just my $.02 as a salty old witch.

What about you? What are your thoughts about baneful magick? Please let me know in the comments, and blessed be! <3