The Witch's Pyramid

To Know ⤞ Intellego

To dedicate ourselves to learning the tenets of our faith and practice thoroughly. And to strive for knowledge and question everything- even the things we hold dear. This includes knowledge of all forms; academic, experiential, practical, theoretical, visceral, philosophical, self, external, and so on.

For everything, in the end, is relevant to the Witch. And knowledge comes in many forms- and all are important and necessary ... But learning is also a continuous process. We will never have all of the answers, even after Initiation. And so we must be dedicated to seeking out such knowledge, wisdom, and truth, our entire lives; to be the Eternal Neophyte.

To Dare ⤞ Volo

A challenge to be courageous and to put what knowledge is learned into action. Firstly, to properly hone one’s skills and prove what one has learned. But secondly, to live appropriately by the virtues of the faith one professes. And thirdly, to have the strength to push ourselves beyond the boundaries of what we have learned when necessary and within reason.

The religion also inherently requires certain leaps of trust and faith, however. Because to be a practitioner is still, sadly, to live on the margins and boundaries of acceptable society; to be spiritually marked as ‘other’, and live a life that is inherently different from the mundane (one in service of the Spirits of the ‘other’ who marked you). You must therefore dare to have trust and faith in them.

To Will ⤞ Provoco

To be capable of focusing your collective energy on your given task or desire. This does not mean the development of sheer willpower, however. But rather, it means the understanding of one's will and desire, its attunement and strengthening through routine examination and exercise, and the ability to direct it through the proper channels in order to exact the necessary change.

Will manifests change, drives growth, and fuels the magical fires of the Forge of Creation; our will is what drives both mundane change and magical manifestation. In order to compel, for instance, we must exert our will on others. Likewise, in order to resist compulsion, our will must be strong. Roadblocks and various obstacles, too, need a certain strength of will to overcome them. Thus, it is the singular most important ‘tool’ in the practitioner’s magical arsenal. That tool, however, does not act alone, but rather acts in continuity with the other tools available to the Witch.

To Keep Silent ⤞ Taceo

To know when to (and not to) speak. To be mindful of what you share with others and remember that things, once spoken, cannot be unspoken. To remember that some things simply should remain private; that not every thought or action need be given voice- and that for those which do, there is almost always an appropriate time, place, and protocol.

To also know the value of listening, more than speaking. To not fall prey to enjoying the sound of your own voice too much. To be mindful of others, and considerate of how one’s words impact those around you. To know the true responsibility that comes with teaching others The Ways.

To keep any oaths taken (or, at least, to not break them needlessly or mindlessly). And, especially, to remember to listen to one’s Spirits and intuition.

To Go Forth ⤞ Procedo

If the above virtues are kept appropriately, this culminates in a harmony that allows the practitioner to then “Go Forth” with knowledge, willingness, and daring (properly tempered by wisdom and silence), and put everything to right practice- allowing them to achieve new levels of understanding, and even forge new paths through synthesis and revelation.