4 Lessons The Aphrodisian Witch Learned as Head Priestess of the Magical Misfit Mystery School
Get schooled with this encouraging fact sesh from our Head Witchress Across the Pond
Happy Saturnday, Shmeeds!
Today the final piece-and one of my favorites- of the Trail Blazer edition of $HMEDIUM. This article is written by one of the coolest witches I know on and off the internet. Vicky aka The Aphrodisian Witch is not only someone who’s work I’ve watched with straight up AWE; but, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel like a cool big sibling watching Vicky’s evolution in the virtual temples of the spiritual realms.
One of our international contributors, Vicky’s got one of the most unique, multi-faceted, and downright mind blowing ways to look at magic/esoterics that I have ever seen. Last year I was beyond honored to get to teach Intentional Gaming for Vicky’s students; and, I’ve never been happier to place my knowledge in the hands of someone else.
Vicky’s gone through what many of us have: imposter syndrome, self doubt, and general “fuck it I’m done” when it comes to knowingly leading + educating others. If you know what’s been up on my end, you know I’ve made a bit of a personal shift in my life-which of course has also shifted my work. You can expect an update later this coming week (I don’t think $HMEDIUM is going anywhere).
Being able to post Vicky’s article (and read it again) today? Well, definitely what I needed. I hope this article gives you the encouragement it gave me. and, hammers home my favorite lesson to teach:
You are perfect just the way you are, to do the work in your way, because THAT is what’s needed most.
XOXO
Auntie Kieu
4 Lessons Vicky The Aphrodisian Witch Learned As Head Priestess of a Magical School for Outcasts
“I’m fucking done. I can’t do it. Nobody is going to join - it’s too far out there. Nobody in the witchcraft community wants or needs this.”, I sobbed to my now-husband, who was pretty used to my lack of confidence when it comes to this work that I care so deeply about.
It’s a little wild to think that 18 months ago [based on when this article was originally written], I was debating whether The Aphrodisian Witch would go anywhere; I had even less confidence in my BIG project, ROSE WITCH COVEN. Starting a magical community for mystical folks who feel out of place and forgotten in the spiritual collective seemed like a pipe dream - a little too niche, perhaps. I was also acutely aware that as a disabled and neurodivergent person, it may not even be practical for me to design a long term programme. There were so many unknowns, and so much stuff outside of my control (how RUDE for the Universe to do shit without my direct involvement!).
Spoiler alert: it actually fucking worked. Turns out, there’s a LOT of people who feel the same way I did: disenchanted, bored, tired, left out, too weird, too different.
Now I am two cohorts of ROSE WITCH COVEN in, and I feel a lot more confident within my own mentoring and my creative skills; confident enough to feel INSPIRED by the changes I feel coming. As my mystical baby (ROSE WITCH COVEN, lol) grows up, I feel incredibly privileged for all the lessons I’ve learned through doing this. And now, as it shifts into something new, more aligned, more accessible, more sustainable for me to run, and just more fun, I do not feel frozen with fear at all the possibilities. I feel turned on by all the roads that lie ahead. So, here are 4 lessons that I’ve learned from being the Head Priestess of a Magical School for Outcasts.
LESSON 1: It actually doesn’t matter what magic people learn.
I mean, obviously it’s important that people learn tangible skills; physical teachings need to be helpful and worthwhile. When I first started mentoring the ROSE WITCH COVEN witches, I got so incredibly stressed about the content of the lessons; I painstakingly crafted scripts, lesson notes and plans, would record over and over again if I stumbled over words, was terrified of going off script and saying something “wrong”.
And yet, the feedback that I have consistently got, time and time again, is that the teachings are great - but it is me, as a mentor, who has made the difference. My students frequently tell me that the way I conduct myself, the space I hold for my own body and capacity has motivated them to do the same for their own body and inner witch. It is the “on the fly” mentoring and advice I give that seem to have the most impact. When I am in my flow and allowing my inner witch to come through, as opposed to thinking purely intellectually, I am able to connect in a more authentic way to the support my students are looking for. As I move through my mentoring journey, I have been able to root myself in the knowledge that it is me that is the magic, not the practices I teach. People are learning with me, specifically, for a reason.
Now, don’t get me wrong; a lot of the times, I reject acknowledging that my work could be medicine - imposter syndrome can be a total pain in the ass. But, even that is getting easier to overcome as I grow. And it’s much easier when I settle into the knowledge that the magic will always translate in the way it needs to.
LESSON 2: The digital world is a man-made astral space - CHANGE MY FUCKING MIND.
All of my business currently takes place online. I have crafted all of my teachings and mentorship specifically to be for online platforms, and the majority of my students and clients find me through Instagram. They meet me in the digital astral plane, as The Aphrodisian Witch, a part of me that I have projected into the digital astral plane. Now, whilst The Aphrodisian Witch is a big part of me, it is not me, in my whole form. Yet, it is through The Aphrodisian Witch that I do a lot of my magic and spellwork, working with the digital astral plane and it’s tools (eg. socials, the internet etc).
When I created the digital space that houses ROSE WITCH COVEN, it took on an energy of its own. Now, the “coven space” or “temple” where RWC lives does not exist in the physical world - it exists solely in the digital one. But that doesn’t make it any less real. The energetic container is still there, housing all the teachings, practices and rituals of RWC, and the students in each individual cohort.
My social media, and the webpages for all things related to my work is the virtual front desk to the inner temple of ROSE WITCH COVEN, helping folks to figure out whether they want to enter or pursue another path. All of this is taking place in the digital astral realm.
We all project a part of ourselves online, into this digital astral plane.
We all create virtual spaces and energetic containers for our creative projects, our friend groups, our businesses, our desires, and ourselves. We are all connecting with this man-made astral space, consistently. And we, as magical practitioners, desperately need to utilise this new plane of existence.
LESSON 3: Nobody thinks they are doing enough, and everyone thinks they are a fraud.
HOOOOOO boy, this lesson is probably one of the most reassuring things I have learned. I have found that through mentoring over 40 witches in some shape or form within RWC, and the over 100 folks I have read a natal chart for, that EVERYONE feels like they are not doing enough in their spiritual practice. Almost everyone holds shame around doing the amount they are capable of- regardless whether someone is doing 0 hours of intentional spiritual work a week, or 40 hours of intentional spiritual work, they never feel like they are doing enough.
And this is something that I have found personally too - regardless of where I am at in my personal and professional practices, I never feel like I am doing enough. I am never doing enough for Aphrodite, for my guides, ancestors, descendants, the Earth, my inner witch, my future self. Even if I dedicated every waking moment to my witchcraft and business, it would never be enough. But, settling into that knowledge has allowed me to accept it! Knowing I will never do enough takes the pressure off, and I can just do what I am capable of (a notion which is very supportive of me disrupting internalised ableism around my chronic illness).
In a similar vein of thought, it usually surprises folks when I mention about the intense imposter syndrome that I have around spirituality and my work, because I usually project confidence (psst, it’s all a lie!). This is something nearly every spiritual mentor and business owner has echoed back to me - “Someday, everyone is going to find out that I am a fraud - that I am spiritually unenlightened, that I am imperfect, that I do not trust my intuition, that I struggle with motivation, etc, etc etc”. Turns out, every spiritual professional, mentor, teacher, reader, guide etc doubts the power of their intuition and their work, at some point in time. So, relax into the knowledge that it’s not just you. Literally everyone feels it in some shape or form.
LESSON 4: I am at my best when I am both student & teacher
I am blessed with a brain that can absorb a shit-ton of information (I’m sure this is the Universe’s way of making up for the strange way my chronically ill body operates). I also have an uncanny ability to ingest information and regurgitate out in something that is a little more accessible to understand.
In a contradictory way, I find that I am at my best in my teaching when I spend more time learning, regardless whether what I am learning about is related to what I am teaching about. Manipulating this mode of being allows me to prioritise learning, especially in times when I want to push myself to work and teach more. Allowing myself to root in the role of perpetual student also humbles the hell out of me too.
ROSE WITCH COVEN is morphing into something new, something broader and yet more aligned, something more accessible and sustainable (for both me and for my students). I am also morphing into something new, as are you, dear reader.
The doors to MAGICAL MISFIT MYSTERY SCHOOL are open - the next evolution of my mentoring and teaching journey. If you are feeling that pull across the astral plane, if your curiosity has been peaked, the School awaits you, with open arms. If not, I hope these lessons found a place in your life, and allow you to reflect on the lessons you have learned as you’ve metamorphosed into your next evolution.