Joanna Wiedźma (polish.folk.witch on Instagram) has shared some prompts to get people thinking about online witchcraft community. To participate, use the hashtag #occultea and tag her on Instagram or Threads.
Topic 4: Capitalising Off Community
• Do I consider online communities as equally valid to in-person communities?
• How have online occult/witchcraft communities impacted me as a person & practitioner?
• What are some of the dangers of the current phenomenon of capitalising off the witchcraft community?
• Have I been personally affected by this, or have I witnessed someone else be affected?
• Should there be paywalled communities and online courses?
• How does one ensure the authenticity of courses/workshops/memberships/etc. as a financial investment?
Do I consider online communities as equally valid to in-person communities?
Equally valid, but effective in different areas of magical life. An in-person group (if you can access one) is great for learning to love the people you’re with, and for embodied experiences in a group. You can learn magic experientially and using your whole body-mind-spirit. An online community or course is great for learning information about magic, and connecting with others to learn about different ways of doing magic.
How have online occult/witchcraft communities impacted me as a person & practitioner?
I have been able to connect with other practitioners in far flung places, and stay connected with people I’ve met at in-person events.
What are some of the dangers of the current phenomenon of capitalising off the witchcraft community?
I think there’s a strong danger that people will take for granted the things they can get for free, like training in a traditional initiatory Wiccan coven (which does not cost money but it does cost commitment, showing up regularly and on time, and putting in the effort to learn).
There’s also a danger that people will think that a coven is always an online group that you pay to join.
Traditional initiatory Wicca does not charge money for coven training, and I doubt we ever will.
Should there be paywalled communities and online courses?
I think it’s ok to do a paid course on a very specialized topic like leadership skills, or Tarot reading, or in-depth ancestor work. But people shouldn’t be charging for the bread-and-butter aspects of witchcraft.
How does one ensure the authenticity of courses/workshops/memberships/etc. as a financial investment?
Look at the whole behaviour of the person selling you the course. How long have they been practising? Can others vouch for their length of practice? Do they have their life in order, or are they a bit flaky? Do they dismiss or welcome questions? If they claim to be part of a tradition, can their claims be verified?
Dowsing for Divinity 