So what is a domestic witch? How being a domestic witch different from being a kitchen witch? These are questions that I’ve been asked several times. The answers are both simple and complex.
First off, what is a domestic witch? My definition would be any person, be they male, female, married, with or without children, young or old, who wants to honor the domestic part of their life while enhancing it with magic.
What’s the difference between a domestic witch and a kitchen witch? Not a whole lot, honestly! But while a kitchen witch might concentrate their efforts on the central part of the house, the hearth or kitchen, the domestic witch brings magic into every corner of the home and the activities that it takes to run it.
A domestic witch might bring magic into the laundry room, into the correspondences she writes concerning household matters, charges the laundry with herbs or oils, and knows, all the while, that she honors her family and deity by doing the household chores with joy and love.
And before you ask, no, that doesn’t mean working like a slave to carry out every whim of the family! A big part of being a domestic witch is teaching your children (or if necessary, you significant other!) to be independent and feel the same joy in doing for others. It’s not about being a stereotypical 1950’s housewife that does everything herself, with a smile plastered on her face (and a flask tucked in her apron!). Many domestic divas do set their sites on being more similar to that 50’s mom – being more available to their children, taking pride in their home, cooking family meals and bringing the family together. Things that in this busy world sometimes get pushed to the back burner. Being a domestic witch is also about being a modern witch, who works as an equal to their partner and with their chosen deity to make a warm, welcoming environment and to raise (if they choose to be parents) healthy, happy children who are self sufficient, self assured, and able to make (hopefully) good choices for themselves.
Can a man be a domestic witch? Sure! Any man who wants to create a home that is a haven can work with magic to create the place he craves. Whether single or in a partnership, there is no reason why today’s modern male can’t take on the role of creating a magical household. Male domestic witches take pride in their homes, their land, their families. Domestic witchery is not about being a housewife, it’s about a love of the domestic arts and the deities who over see them.
In my next article for The Modern Pagan, I will discuss household deities and how to choose and honor one. The article will also be the start of a series in which, every now and then, I will introduce one of several household deities – gods, goddesses, and ancient animalistic beings that people have worshiped for centuries.