Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

3 Pagans and a Cat

Home
Pagan
Green Earth Witch: Honoring Earth Mother In Nature-Based Witchcraft

Green Earth Witch: Honoring Earth Mother In Nature-Based Witchcraft

Last updated on: July 3, 2020 at 11:57 am by Gwyn

Green Earth Witch: Honoring Earth Mother In Nature-Based Witchcraft 2020-07-03T11:57:14-04:00 Gwyn

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

So, it’s always interesting to have a spiritual epiphany. My moment is now, writing out who I am as a Witch and the path that most accurately defines my practice. And while I have devotional relationships with several goddesses, I have come to realize my witchcraft centers around one deity. The Earth Mother. Now, I’m working out how I honor her with intention through a personal path I’m calling Green Earth Witchcraft.

Green Earth

Green Earth Witchcraft honors the Earth Mother. Image by Annca via pixabay.com

Green Earth Witchcraft: Honoring the Earth Mother As Planet and Deity

For years now, I have called myself a Green Witch. According to Ode, this is not new although I did not use that specific terminology back in the day. They remember my magickal path coming to focus on the Earth Mother twenty years ago. Hearing me talk about her as I do now. Because of a “Christian retrograde” of about eight years in the middle, I’d not realized I’ve been unconsciously crafting this path of Green Earth Witchcraft for myself since the beginning of my journey as a Witch.

Even in the last year when Modern Hekatean Witchcraft seemed to be my direction, the Earth Mother has remained an important part of defining me as a magickal practitioner and how I practice witchcraft. And when I say “Earth Mother” I do not mean Gaia, Demeter, Spider Grandmother, etc., these are separate deities with individual mythologies and followers (although Oberon Zell’s “Millenial Gaia” is an image that reflects my understanding of the Earth Mother pretty well).

For me, the Earth Mother is the planet upon which we live and a deity in her own right among all the other gods and goddesses. She is “Mother Nature” who works in concert with the Sun and Moon as a life-sustaining force for all life on her sphere. I’m coming to view the sun and moon in a similar way as the Earth Mother. I’ll have to explore that at some point. Also, the Earth deity is a “Mother” to me because I resonate with “goddess” more than “god.” That’s just me. Another Witch may experience the Earth as a deity as “Parent” or “Father”, whatever rings true for them.

In my UPG or “unverified personal gnosis”, the Earth Mother is a sustaining goddess and source from which “nature” derives and is ordered. Plants. Trees. Animals (including human beings). Insects. Rocks, soil, minerals, stones, and magma. Water and desert sands. All of it. She sets the patterns of the oceans, the winds in the atmosphere, the changing seasons. And it is my belief that all things thriving or existing upon, below, or within the realm of her sphere are connected (energetically, spiritually, emotionally, magically) allowing us to become spirit allies in our various workings and paths.

Green Earth

Green Earth Witchcraft works with plant spirits. Image by Geralt via pixabay.com

Green Witchcraft vs Green Earth Witchcraft?

I have decided to write all this for various reasons. Clarification for myself and readers/3PaaC podcast listeners so that from now on when I speak or write of the Earth Mother or Green Earth Witchcraft, you understand who and what I mean. Also, writing this out is helping to define into words a path I’ve been practicing intuitively for many years.

Until now, Green Witchcraft has been the best way to express what I practice and believe. However, expansion is needed because the Earth Mother is my goddess. Modern Green Witchcraft does not necessarily reflect what I believe or practice on the whole. Therefore, Green Earth Witchcraft better describes this self-styled path into which I have initiated myself. And I’ve discovered it is natural to me. Even the guided meditations I lead tend to gravitate toward the Earth Mother. Why?

Because I am a Green Earth Witch.

I’ve written a lot about my beliefs and practice under the modern understanding of “Green Witchcraft” when it should have been “Green Earth Witchcraft.” So, from now on that will be how I title any post of a similar nature (no pun intended). Additionally, I believe the Earth Mother is reaching out to those who would seek her guidance, strength, stability in a new way. I’m hoping that writing this out helps others who may seek to define what they have been experiencing or feeling drawn toward if “Green Witchcraft” isn’t quite enough to express or understand their practice.

What is Green Earth Witchcraft? Image by Vera Petruk via Shutterstock.com. Used by licensed permission.

Green Earth Witchcraft: What Is It?

For me, it is a witchcraft path that honors the Earth Mother while working with the four elements as spirits, cultivating relationships with plant and other nature spirits, celebrating the seasonal changes, while practicing nature-based spellcraft. As with Green Witchcraft, there is a connection to eco-concerns that include bringing principles of recycle-renew-reuse into daily life as much as possible, lowering our carbon footprint as is possible, etc. Protecting the planet through our actions is part of honoring the Earth Mother. Herbalism plays a large part (magickal and mundane) although one does not have to study herbalism to be a Green Earth Witch.

Also, honoring the Moon and the Sun as partners of the Earth Mother. The three who work in concert so we may live. I tend to be drawn toward “green” things: rocks, stones, herbs, oils and natural wax, textiles, plants, flowers, seeds, fruits, trees, and the elements of air, earth, fire, water in my spellcraft. Sometimes my personal practice will include working with animal, bird, insect, reptile spirits but not very often. Depends on the circumstance calling for spellwork. And yes, Green Earth Witchcraft includes baneful magick because nature has teeth.

I suppose the greatest difference between Green Witchcraft and Green Earth Witchcraft is that the Earth Mother is revered as both planet and deity. And I do not work with the Good Neighbors. I do not feel drawn to do so, although I do respect them. And while my practice as a Green Earth Witch has been solitary, I am toying with the idea of creating an online coven if there is interest expressed by others to learn more or share rituals. It’s funny. Ode asked me during our recent episode on Initiations if I feel called to be a priestess of a particular deity. I suspect the Earth Mother has been calling me to the job and I’ve been missing the message. Time will tell.

Witchcraft/Paganism is a journey. You can change the course. Image by bertvthul via pixabay.com

It’s Okay To Change Course Mid-step

Over the years, I have learned that it is okay to change course when you realize you are going down the wrong path as a Witch or Pagan. Hell, if I didn’t believe that I’d still be a disenfranchised Christian. My point is that there is more than one way to practice witchcraft, spirituality, deity worship, etc., even if you have started a journey somewhere else.

I have been an Eclectic Wiccan, Traditional Witch, Secular Witch, Green Witch, Modern Hekataen Witch. As a solitary practitioner, I define myself and it can take time to suss out. Also, we grow and change as people, therefore our witchcraft and/or spiritual path develops (or recedes) with us. Or at least, that has been my experience. Others may find one thing and stick to it for life and that’s great. Or you may find you’ve created a path to tread but it takes time to recognize it.

So, this is me. Taking time. Paying attention. Defining this path I’m on as a Green Earth Witch. If you find yourself in a similar position then take heart. While it may not be easy, you can move toward the practice, path, or tradition that suits you. Who knows. You may lead others to a better path as well.

Uncategorized

Earth Mother

Green Earth Witch

Green Earth Witchcraft

green witchcraft

magickal practice

nature-based witchcraft

solitary practice

Unverified Personal Gnosis

witchcraft

About Gwyn

Gwyn is one of the hosts of 3 Pagans and a Cat, a podcast about the questions and discussions between three pagan family members, each exploring different pagan paths and how their various traditions can intersect. The most practiced pagan on the path, Gwyn is a Green Earth Witch devoted to the Earth Mother, Hekate, Brighid, and Frigga. She is a Clairsentient Medium, Tarot Reader, loves writing and, spending time with her family, as well as working with herbs, essential oils, and plants. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post

June 30, 2020

Solitary Self-Initiation or Dedication. Does It Matter?

Next Post

July 6, 2020 Tarot: History, Practice, Spiritual Art

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 February 2023 September 2022 June 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 October 2021 September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who led a rebellion called "the men of Belial" against David near his end?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Absalom Amasa Sheba son of Bichri Adonijah