Interview With a Witch
Introducing a Witch
Would you like to introduce yourself to readers, please?
I am the district manager of a UK clothing chain. I live in a waterside apartment overlooking the River Mersey; I won't be more specific than that, as I treasure privacy. I drive a dark silver Porche 911. I holiday at least twice yearly - usually to a European city. Travel attracts me; there are so many places I want to visit. I enjoy life and living. I have a son, currently studying business at university; and I have lovers occasionally, as and when it pleases me. I enjoy dining out, the company of good friends, classical music and yoga. I'm 53, and female.
Could you describe your work, please?
I work with the hidden, natural laws of nature. They're hidden only in that most people are unaware of them through choice or ignorance.
There are many kinds of witchcraft. I'm not a Wiccan, though I do consider myself a witch.
A witch is someone, male or female, who explores and exploits these natural laws or nature - or of science - by deliberate acts of will power. We are constantly surrounded by things which we're not usually aware of, even mundane things such as radio waves or x-rays. Science exploits these energies mechanically, with machines. But the human body is the greatest machine, and some of us have an innate potential to learn how to use other similarly subtle energies. Therefore, I consider the body to be sacred; it's the machine through which I explore my world.
How did your interest develop? Did you take formal classes or join related groups?
As a child, I saw things which others could not. I used to be visited by a shadow, a silhouette which would just appear near me in the wrong place for a shadow to fall. It felt ancient and watchful, and it felt very quiet - which might seem an odd thing to say but this is how it felt. Nobody else ever saw it. Nobody believed me and so I was called a liar or a fantasist, an attention seeker who'd grow out of it.
And in my teens I did grow out of it, for a few years, when puberty then college took my attention. Then I saw the shadow again and by co-incidence, if indeed that was what it was, I came across a book which referred to shadow people and so I did quite a lot of research. Much of what was written may have been nonsense, of course, or maybe this is what most people prefer to believe.
My interest developed from there, as my reading broadened and I became interested in the Anunnaki and the Nephilim.
Then in my mid-twenties I worked with a coven and learned much from them. I stayed with them for several years until the impetus began to drift, as most groups find happens. Then some of us branched off to do our own thing, to pursue our own interests, and so that all quickly fell apart then.
I began my own coven, but found this a very disatisfying experience and so I quickly handed the reigns over to someone else and I moved on. I worked solitary for over a decade, and then gradually, over time, I came to know the company that I currently work with.
What do you consider to be your main successes so far?
I enjoy a considerable degree of financial success, and my lifestyle satisfies me. I have a good pension scheme and private health care. I have absolutely no patience with fluff-minded New Agers who bleat platitudes about spirituality then can't pay their rent, or who imagine the world owes them a living largely because of their beliefs. My status is a result of my skills both as a witch and a hard-working employee. I do not consider the spiritual and material as existing in opposition to each other. Each is an equal dimension of life.
What project are you working on right now?
I'm working on a book, non-fiction of course, about my philosophy, which concerns the hidden nature and hidden history of humankind. My Amazon choices should provide sufficient hints at my directions for those with the eyes to see.
How do you plan to develop your work in the future?
I plan to continue living and enjoying life for as long as I can. Everything else is secondary to this.
Have there been particular books, paintings or films which have influenced your work?
Many books; my apartment is full of books. I recommend those on my Amazon choice on this page. The Andrew Collins is a favourite, as is Lawrence Gardner.
My work hasn't been influenced by any specific films. I enjoy watching films, of course.
What is your personal philosophy?
Plan ahead; look after the business side of life so that you can be free to enjoy the pleasurable side. Take your body seriously; health is precious. Choose friends wisely. Open your mind to new experiences, and be willing to step outside of your comfort zone. Dare to live!
What advice would you offer to someone hoping to take up a similar interest to yourself?
Work hard and play hard, for the reasons I've just given. Read, think, plan then do. With regard to witchcraft, my way is not for many. Mine requires much study and diligence, practice and dedication. This is why it's called The Craft, as it requires study and methodical practice. It's not something you can buy; it's not about the style and colour of clothes you wear. It's about progressive learning about yourself and the universe, and how each is an extension of the other.
There's an old saying which has been repeated so many times that it's become corny now: "When the pupil is ready, the master will appear." But I have found this to hold true more than once. What a person should ask themselves, then, is how to become ready.
- West Cheshire Lad
Thomas Joseph Walton, AKA West Cheshire Lad, is Wirral's unknown mystic. - Interview with a Druid
What follows is an informal interview with a practitioner of Britain's ancient native religion of Druidry.
© 2010 Adele Cosgrove-Bray