| There are three things that people say to me most commonly when they discover I’m a Witch. Number 1: You don’t look like a Witch. Number 2: I thought you guys aren’t into making money? Number 3: I’m surprised that you think that stuff really works! I am a business person. I am also a Witch. For some, these two facts together are almost too difficult to believe; after all, aren’t Witches and pagans meant to be non-materialistic? Aren’t they all crystal-waving, purple-tied-dye-wearing, corporate-hating, New Age weirdoes?
I work in the mainstream corporate world with both those who are Witch and non-Witch professionals. I combine my corporate work with the kind of consulting that probably wouldn’t be called traditional by most contemporary definitions. I link the ancient, powerful, evolving tradition of the Witch with the modern business reality of today. I work from the inside out, teaching people how to increase their personal power, to focus on what they want, to set intentions and to open themselves to the real magic of success through fearless participation and an alignment with the Goddess. I teach people how to give and get support in this endeavor through free circles called Career Covens so that they will never feel like they are alone. This work is not for the faint-hearted, nor is it just for those who would call themselves pagans or Witches.
How did I combine these two? Like many people, I tended to separate my business life and my spiritual practice. The daily grind didn’t seem to have any room for the depth, breadth and beauty of the Witch’s Way. There just didn’t seem like there was a middle ground, and certainly few role models who were providing me with a detailed “how-to” guide. This disconnection bothered me. I realized that if I was going to be authentic with myself that my spiritual practice should extend naturally into every area of my life, not just where it was an easy fit. It seemed almost cowardly to hide who I really was in a place that I spent a good deal of my time. And so, I set myself to the task of bringing the principles of the Witch’s Way into my office day by day, without being too blatant.
I wouldn’t wear a pentagram with Armani. I wouldn’t chant loudly at my next morning meeting. However, I would look to the principles and laws of magic and Witchcraft, and apply them for guidance in action, whether the problem be as simple as gossip or as complex as finding career purpose. An open, tolerant and intensely intelligent spiritual practice such as the Witch’s Way has worked for thousands of years, so surely the principles would work if applied today. What began for me as a slightly light-hearted personal experiment soon turned into seriously positive results. I started involving other colleagues in my ideas, drip-feeding them some practical principles without really telling them the whole, big, Witchy picture.
What happened astounded both my colleagues and me. Obstacles were blown away. Creativity flourished. Bad bosses got better. Pay packets got fatter. Great clients rolled in. Opportunities popped out from nowhere. Alliances formed where walls had been previously. People were happier and more satisfied. And change, amazingly powerful change, was everywhere!
Coming from a very “rational” background, it was very important to me to give proof that these techniques worked, understanding that faith does play a part. All around me were people, ordinary people that were getting great results with spellcraft and other magical practices; most of them didn’t even know what it was that they were truly doing. Since I knew that I was not the only person out there who wanted to combine work and Spirit, it occurred to me that I could expose these ideas to more people and assist them in getting the kind of results that I had continually seen take effect.
I decided I would write a book giving real evidence that these techniques work by tracking subjects through case studies. I asked (and at times cajoled) over 60 ordinary people from the US, UK and Australia whether they would entrust their current work life and career problems to me, and if they would follow a series of “techniques” or “spiritual practices” and record their results. The two-year result is a core part of Witch in the Boardroom.
Writing, to me, is the ability to express myself and co-create with the Goddess. What I have now nicknamed “The Muse” has always fed me ideas and will nag me until I express them in some way. My career has almost always involved writing, whether it was copywriting, PR pieces or even travel stories for magazines. Before I understood my path and purpose, even as a child, writing was always something that felt integral to happiness and creativity. This is not to say it’s always easy. What I will say is that gluing myself to a chair can often be the only way to get done what needs to be done!
Witchcraft and magic enable me to bypass the ordinary and gatecrash the extraordinary. I love this. They give me the tools I need to not only survive modern life, but to actually succeed and relish within it. I know they work because I have seen them transform the lives of people close to me and many other ordinary people I have been privileged to work with.
I believe that there is a hunger for instruction on how to put a rich, full and balanced spirit back into business and our professional relationships. I am also aware that my combination of principles may not make friends in either the very traditional Pagan or mainstream business camps. However, our tradition is one that evolves with flexibility and there is room within it for a wide range of beliefs and lifestyles. This is its strength. Witch in the Boardroom is a practical, but highly spiritual guide. I hope that readers who are looking to achieve success faster, with less harm, with more balance and with connection and pleasure will find proven techniques to do just that. For more information, check out www.themodernwitch.com. |
