(Changeling is "A book of qualities" - each short chapter is a principle)
10. A WITCH TAKES WHAT IS GIVEN
While it would be nice to have all of the exact gifts they would prefer to have been born with, the witch accepts what they have been given. They work to sense the flows of power in their world, in whatever ways they can. Although visual language is often used to describe sensory experiences, the reality is that not everyone 'sees' with their inner vision. 'Seeing' or 'visual-izing' should be taken as short-hand for using whatever senses we can.
A SPECTRUM OF PHANTASIA
It's important to know that the ability to voluntarily construct images in the mind occurs on a spectrum. The ability runs from what is called hy-perphantasia, which is having highly vivid mental imagery, to aphantasia, which is the inability to voluntarily create mental images in one's mind. Most people exist between the two extremes, and I have seen statistics that say between one in twenty to one in fifty people are truly aphantasic. Many people can't easily see things like numbers, imagined faces, or the geomet-ric forms and lines of light that are common in magic. Outside of dreaming and deep trance states, I am nearly aphantasic. What I mean is that when I write, 'see the blue light', I don't see it. I can sense it, I know it's present, but I can't see it.
This aphantasia thing was a major pain in my ass when I started to prac-tice magic. I diligently tried to see things in my mind's eye for about five years before I gave up on it. Once I stopped trying, I discovered that as far as being an effective magician or witch was concerned, it didn't matter. I still could sense all the things I needed to, but it wasn't visual. Often, this sensing was very, very subtle. So don't freak out if you can't see anything or if your visions are not super clear. Not every witch is hyperphantasic, and it means nothing at all about how skilled they are. Those of us who are closer to the other end of the spectrum just have to work a little harder and modify how we do some things.
When we look at instructions on how to sense magical energy or pow-er, often the explanations default to visualization. However, the most important thing to remember is that the brain constructs this inner image. Your eyes didn't see' anything. For the most part, these visuals are proxies, stand-ins for the actual energies we are shaping. They allow us to direct the energies within and around us. The line itself, the sigil itself, is the power, not our ability to hallucinate it at will before us. We can learn to experience energy and power with other senses. It just takes being open, interested, and willing to experiment and practice.
My main workaround for visualization is to talk myself through what I would be seeing:
'I draw lines of blue light in the shape of a pentagram, which hang in the Eastn until I release it.'
This might sound silly, but it absolutely works for the aphantasic.
While the visual is seen as predominant in most descriptions of magic, for me, magic is mostly about feeling and knowing. I do get some interesting au-ditory shifts, which are like less intense versions of the pressure changes you may have experienced when flying in a plane. Sound sometimes shifts very muted and muffled to richer and more resonant.
This knowing is somewhere in between hearing words in my mind and simply having a clear sense of certainty about something. This often hap-pens when I ask my Allies for their input. It also occurs when someone asks me a question, and the Allies want to answer. For the short time that it lasts, the experience is like someone is either dictating words or transmitting non-verbal information to me.
Feeling is what it sounds like, strong feelings in my body suggesting yes, no, good, bad, run, or fight. This feeling isn't emotional content. The best I can describe it is if you have ever been a few steps from walking into a house or building and you got a super strong 'hell no!' response. The feeling can also be more subtle. Sometimes when I make offerings, I can feel that the Allies are pleased, attentive, or have something to impart to me. Sometimes this leads into knowing what that is, and sometimes I'll pull out my pendu-lum and ask questions until it becomes clear. (You can use any form of divination that works clearly and easily for you, I mostly use the pendulum.)
The idea here is that whatever senses we best see with, are those we can best touch the Field with. We take what we are given and accept the things we don't have yet. We understand that all our senses are witch senses, and all can be developed. Touch, hearing, taste, sight, smell, and feeling can all be our primary ways of knowing, our primary way of seeing and touching.
PRACTICE:
Below is a charm I use to remind myself that I do have senses that allow me to interface with the Others, they just don't present as images in my mind's eye.
I sense the Others
Gathered 'round
My being like A living cloud
I touch the Field
By heart & mind
I shape myself
To my design.
I use the following charm at times when I am having difficulty sensing the energies I am working with. It reminds me that vision is only one part of my ability to sense the flows of power.
I see the world
With witch's eyes
I know the darkness In the light
I feel the flame
I hear its call
A siren song
Myself a moth.
Both charms can be used as-is, or by speaking them into a candle, stick of incense, or cup of water, then either lighting them or drinking the water.
Please don't drink things that are burning
10. A WITCH TAKES WHAT IS GIVEN
While it would be nice to have all of the exact gifts they would prefer to have been born with, the witch accepts what they have been given. They work to sense the flows of power in their world, in whatever ways they can. Although visual language is often used to describe sensory experiences, the reality is that not everyone 'sees' with their inner vision. 'Seeing' or 'visual-izing' should be taken as short-hand for using whatever senses we can.
A SPECTRUM OF PHANTASIA
It's important to know that the ability to voluntarily construct images in the mind occurs on a spectrum. The ability runs from what is called hy-perphantasia, which is having highly vivid mental imagery, to aphantasia, which is the inability to voluntarily create mental images in one's mind. Most people exist between the two extremes, and I have seen statistics that say between one in twenty to one in fifty people are truly aphantasic. Many people can't easily see things like numbers, imagined faces, or the geomet-ric forms and lines of light that are common in magic. Outside of dreaming and deep trance states, I am nearly aphantasic. What I mean is that when I write, 'see the blue light', I don't see it. I can sense it, I know it's present, but I can't see it.
This aphantasia thing was a major pain in my ass when I started to prac-tice magic. I diligently tried to see things in my mind's eye for about five years before I gave up on it. Once I stopped trying, I discovered that as far as being an effective magician or witch was concerned, it didn't matter. I still could sense all the things I needed to, but it wasn't visual. Often, this sensing was very, very subtle. So don't freak out if you can't see anything or if your visions are not super clear. Not every witch is hyperphantasic, and it means nothing at all about how skilled they are. Those of us who are closer to the other end of the spectrum just have to work a little harder and modify how we do some things.
When we look at instructions on how to sense magical energy or pow-er, often the explanations default to visualization. However, the most important thing to remember is that the brain constructs this inner image. Your eyes didn't see' anything. For the most part, these visuals are proxies, stand-ins for the actual energies we are shaping. They allow us to direct the energies within and around us. The line itself, the sigil itself, is the power, not our ability to hallucinate it at will before us. We can learn to experience energy and power with other senses. It just takes being open, interested, and willing to experiment and practice.
My main workaround for visualization is to talk myself through what I would be seeing:
'I draw lines of blue light in the shape of a pentagram, which hang in the Eastn until I release it.'
This might sound silly, but it absolutely works for the aphantasic.
While the visual is seen as predominant in most descriptions of magic, for me, magic is mostly about feeling and knowing. I do get some interesting au-ditory shifts, which are like less intense versions of the pressure changes you may have experienced when flying in a plane. Sound sometimes shifts very muted and muffled to richer and more resonant.
This knowing is somewhere in between hearing words in my mind and simply having a clear sense of certainty about something. This often hap-pens when I ask my Allies for their input. It also occurs when someone asks me a question, and the Allies want to answer. For the short time that it lasts, the experience is like someone is either dictating words or transmitting non-verbal information to me.
Feeling is what it sounds like, strong feelings in my body suggesting yes, no, good, bad, run, or fight. This feeling isn't emotional content. The best I can describe it is if you have ever been a few steps from walking into a house or building and you got a super strong 'hell no!' response. The feeling can also be more subtle. Sometimes when I make offerings, I can feel that the Allies are pleased, attentive, or have something to impart to me. Sometimes this leads into knowing what that is, and sometimes I'll pull out my pendu-lum and ask questions until it becomes clear. (You can use any form of divination that works clearly and easily for you, I mostly use the pendulum.)
The idea here is that whatever senses we best see with, are those we can best touch the Field with. We take what we are given and accept the things we don't have yet. We understand that all our senses are witch senses, and all can be developed. Touch, hearing, taste, sight, smell, and feeling can all be our primary ways of knowing, our primary way of seeing and touching.
PRACTICE:
Below is a charm I use to remind myself that I do have senses that allow me to interface with the Others, they just don't present as images in my mind's eye.
I sense the Others
Gathered 'round
My being like A living cloud
I touch the Field
By heart & mind
I shape myself
To my design.
I use the following charm at times when I am having difficulty sensing the energies I am working with. It reminds me that vision is only one part of my ability to sense the flows of power.
I see the world
With witch's eyes
I know the darkness In the light
I feel the flame
I hear its call
A siren song
Myself a moth.
Both charms can be used as-is, or by speaking them into a candle, stick of incense, or cup of water, then either lighting them or drinking the water.
Please don't drink things that are burning
