So lately I've been coming across a theme on the internet with bloggers about the trend of witchcraft, the selling of witchy products and the seemingly endless lot of "witches" who are copying other witches to try and make a buck. This post by Nefaeria got me thinking, as did this one by Sage and Bone. It does seem that there is now a proliferation of "witches" (I use quotations because I am not entirely convinced they're all witches) who whip up some ointments, oils, herbal concoctions etc to make a quick buck and it is concerning because as Nefaeria mentions, a lot of these products contain entheogens of varying degrees. It is almost like some of them woke up and decided to whack out some flying ointments without a care as to what they were putting in. I'll admit I've been experimenting with ointments and whatnot but some plants like Datura scare the shit out of me yet these people blindly buy some from a random place and add it in. I for the life of me can't figure out why these people who have little or no experience with dangerous herbs would do this. I mean don't they get that they could be sued if some one gets poisoned? Or worse yet, dies?

Is it an arrogance that the minute you decide you're a witch you feel like you can run around using dangerous plants? Is it thinking that witchcraft is a way to make a quick buck? Chuck up some pretty glitter wands and flog them? Do any of these people actually care about what they're selling or is all about the money? Do new witches suddenly think that because they're witches they can whore out the Craft and posture about, letting everyone know they're a witch and they sell witch stuff? I know there are genuine witches out there making a living and doing the best they can and I feel like they are the ones getting kicked in the pants by the wannabes who see it as a money machine and not something to be respected and revered. I know some of my fellow witches here sell on Etsy and your items are beautiful, personal and powerful. If a witch wants to go into business, why not do something like you guys do? Something that matters and has purpose.

I'll be the first to admit that I had created a large website with the intention of selling wholesale mass produced witch stuff. But it felt dead and empty to me, the products were a means to an end and I found that I didn't enjoy it anymore. So I emptied my store and am now re-evaluating where I want to go with my business. To me, it feels as though these other "witches" doing this can't be true witches because they are selling what everyone else is selling in hopes of making money. I know for me, the path I want to take now is more personal, beautiful handcrafted items, things I grow and make myself.

To me, my path is a beautiful and sacred thing, it is who I am and when I do eventually go back to selling it will be select items that I feel would enhance the path of other witches, some will be wholesale things (popular like cauldrons etc) but a bulk of it will be handcrafted by me or by others I know. I feel like there is a bastardisation of witchcraft in business and I would rather see people scale it back to making personal items that mean something as opposed to signing up to a wholesale site and listing 7000 products. It's too much and I think it cheapens the Craft at every turn.

I just wish there could be a little more respect for the path we walk instead of seeing it as a money making opportunity. I really wish that these "witches" could see that they're hurting something larger than themselves, and most of all I wish they truly understood what it means to be a witch because I think they would think twice about what they do or say. Especially the ones who, like Sage and Bone mentions, change their spirituality like they change their underwear.