Mysticism vs. Witchcraft
On the Yin & Yang of Real Magic
Magic is like a bridge, connecting spirit and matter, and that which moves across it flows in two directions.
On one side, information flows from Spirit to Earth; this receptive lane of magic is Mysticism.
The term “mysticism” evolved from the Ancient Greek verb myein, which means “to close the eyes or mouth.” And to sit in silence, in a meditative pose, is very much the hallmark image of the mystic.
For at its core, mysticism is rooted in the notion of being able to obtain secret knowledge through the mysterious act of divine union. It’s about becoming one with the flow of information moving from Spirit to Earth, and its accompanying practices include things like: meditation, spiritual channeling, and ecstatic dance.
But really, anytime you soften your ego in order to allow yourself to receive hidden information through mysterious (intuitive) means (and this can be as simple as closing your eyes and listening to your heart in a yoga class), then you are connecting with the branch of magic known as mysticism.
Mystical experiences (a.k.a. experiences of divine union) can absolutely occur as spontaneous flashes in the average person’s life. They can also be embraced as a full spiritual practice in which a person strives to maintain a near-constant state of unification with the divine so information is always flowing freely from Spirit to Matter. When this is practiced, a person is called a mystic.
On the other side, information flows from Earth to Spirit; this active lane of magic is Witchcraft.
The term “witchcraft” evolved from the Old English words wicce, meaning female witch or wise woman, and cræft, meaning power.
For centuries, this branch of magic has been vilified, but the practices themselves are much older than the word, and they used to be the work of healers, shamans, Druids, and other ancient priests/priestesses.
However, with the spread of the Roman Empire, all active magic was condemned as witchcraft (aka malevolent magic). This perspective persisted, leading to the deaths of 30-60,000 people in the Early Modern Era, and between 2009 to 2019, 20,000 were believed to have been killed for witchcraft across sixty countries.
But witchcraft — or simply, active magic — is not inherently evil. In fact, it is one of the most powerful healing tools we have.
Examples of witchcraft include the Eucharist, prayer, and ceremonial intention setting as well as candle magic and spells. In other words, witchcraft is employed every time we actively engage with the flow of magic that moves from Matter to Spirit. And we do this by taking action (eating the bread, lighting the candle) to create spiritual changes that shape our material reality.
The most powerful magic comes from balancing the two sides.
Mysticism and witchcraft are not actually at odds with each other, and when magic moves freely in both directions, a third, powerful, loving magic returns to Earth.
Some people just practice mysticism (the yin side of magic). They meditate. They tune in. They receive, receive, receive.
Some people just practice witchcraft (the yang side of magic). They cast spells. They try to manifest and make things happen. They work, work, work.
The problem with exclusively practicing one kind of magic or the other is that alone, both are missing something.
Think about it this way: each of us is in a lifelong relationship with Spirit.
Mysticism is essentially always you calling Spirit to listen. It would be like if you were in a friendship where you only ever listened to the other person and were never given a chance to speak. So, mysticism (without witchcraft) is missing you.
And witchcraft is like if you were always calling up a friend and asking them to do something for you but you didn’t really care about what they wanted and weren’t interested in listening to them and what was going on in their life. So, witchcraft (without mysticism) is missing Spirit.
But when your relationship with Spirit comes into balance, you start listening just as much as you speak, and the magic you work isn’t driven by personal wants and what you alone think is best. Rather, every bit of magic you practice becomes relational, and magic itself becomes a collaboration between You and the Divine.
When you achieve this, a third kind of magic may become available to you: BRIDGEWORK.
Bridgework is the practice of witchcraft from a place of true divine union, and it is only through this balanced approach to magic that you can collaborate with Spirit not just from the earth side of reality but on the Bridge of Magic itself.
You may be called to the bridge. You may not be. And how the bridge is experienced looks different for different people. But in balancing magic and stepping onto the bridge, you allow yourself to become a conduit for Heaven on Earth, and this, I believe, just might have the power to change the world.
Want to learn more about how to nurture your relationship with Spirit and find a balanced, magical flow in life?