Wonder why I call it an enchantress, not witch?
It’s all cos here at Rockstar Priestess we do Avalon things the way of Morgan le Fay.
Our archetype of a witch is of the old lady living in the woods, lavender hanging from her rafters, wolfsbane in the garden. She’s the outsider, the wise woman people only go to when they are desperate – the rest of the time she is shunned because she is different.
(We are talking old timey fairy tale witches from arthurian tales – not new-age witches with their crystal pendants talking about the law of attraction on Malibu beach.)
Priestesses don’t quite fit that stereotype of the old outsider witch, no matter how much all we want to go live in a cottage in the woods and have crows as our friends.
They key thing about priestesses is that they are about community. In ancient times you will find em’ at the centre of everything – smack bang in the middle of the city, tending the temple, talking to the politicians and being an important part of every day life.
So if we are a witchy priestess… often on the path of service we don’t get to hermit away.
But enchantress, not witch?
Enchantress was the word used to describe the magical women of the Arthurian Court. Morgan le Fay, Nimue and the Lady of the Lake were all described as enchantresses, not witches. Why is this?
Well, back in medieval times these women would have been at the centre of society. They would be educated and have time to study the high arts of magic, and since these were high-status women they would have had the opportunity to create huge social change.
Just like us, super lucky and objectively wealthy (heating and and spare-time having that we are.)
In essence, our Arthurian enchantresses got to be enchantresses because they had the time, space and position to do so – in other worlds the privilege.
I feel like those of us in the western world are so lucky to return to the arts of witchery and enchantment! We get to spend our spare time reading grimoires by candle light and playing with oracle and spells, just like those velvet-clad Arthurian enchantresses.
We get to use our magic to shift paradigms, initiate others into what’s possible… and yes, change the world.
Being a modern Enchantress is a big deal: it’s being aware of the blessings you have been dealt and working with them. It’s historically the term used to describe these faery women and magical folks of Avalon, and it describes a kind of magical woman who isn’t outcast by society.
Hooray for the Enchantress!
Psssst… Love the word WITCH? Me too! Nothing wrong with Witch!
I always call myself a witch, but I know many spiritual people new to this stuff still feel nervous about the word. From the priestess side, I know a lot of priestesses who would never identify with the world witch (… even though they are objectively witchy AF). Even though I love it, I know that it is loaded with all sorts of difficult cultural context that many people aren’t up for clearing and taking on – that’s ok.
That’s another reason why I like the word Enchantress. It’s less heavy and more friendly to folks who don’t associate with the word witch but still manifest with the best of them.
