Thursday, March 8, 2012

If I am not me, then who the hell am I?

I feel that one of the sad facts about Internet forums is that many people believe whatever is repeated long enough.  I don't recall which Republican once made the following comment, but I think it's true.  He said that he could convince people that a square is really a triangle if he just said it often enough.  I see a parallel here that I believe applies to reputations as well.  When I read things on Internet forums about me, I am always at a loss to understand how people who don't know me and have not had first hand experience of me, have such strong opinions about my character.

One of the many odd things about being an author is to encounter statements about me that are wildly inventive.  I'm not sure why some people use their time to create false tales about me, but I suppose that's another blog to consider at some future time.  But I will add that a friend recently commented that detractors are people who want to limit.  They are opposed to expansion and to alternative views.  I suppose that living in a closed box that way is comforting and protective.  A threat to that causes anger, which is a fear-based emotion, and so the need to remove or diminish the threat becomes imperative.  So with key boards at the ready, off these people go into Internet forums to attack the threat to their version of reality.

Some recent nonsense on the Internet forums has caused me to muse about something:  are we who we are, or are we (to some degree) what people paint us to be?  Does a false image become a truth because it's fed?  It does seem to take on a life of its own.  So, from a magical perspective, what does this manifest in connection to the real person who is falsely depicted?  One occult principle states that thoughts are things, which means that manifestation can take place when enough concentration and effort is applied.  Interesting possibilities there....

One of my favorite false allegations is that I'm not even Italian.  This was a popular tale created by critics of my first book, which was on Italian Witchcraft.  The tale disappeared for awhile, but has recently popped up again. False allegations seem to reappear whenever I have a new book come out, which I do at this time.  But the fact is that my mother was born and raised in Italy.  My father was an American soldier (of German and Scott descent) who met her during WWII and married her at the close of the war.  I am first generation Italian-American.  Because my surname at birth is that of my father's name, it's not an Italian name.  A critic of mine uses that to declare that I'm not "even a drop" Italian. It's fascinating to me the lengths that people will go to distort things in order to fit their agenda.  So, does the energy of the lies that I am not of Italian descent result in a magical transformation of  my DNA and make me non-Italian?

Another allegation against me is one I really love, and recalling it is always good because it makes me laugh to this day.  It appeared on an Internet Forum in the Wicca section on AOL many years ago.  A critic wrote on the forum that "Raven Grimassi is a fraud and an oath-breaker" - which is a contradictory notion.  You see, I cannot be both because one negates the other.  If I am a fraud then I have no initiation background and therefore no oath to break.  If I am an oath bound initiate then I cannot be a fraud.  But people seem to love this type of nonsense, and they keep it alive.  I guess that's why people love reality shows - drama entertains even when its complete nonsense.  I assume they don't care about the impact of unsubstantiated allegations against a person's reputation and character, nor the harm it can do.  Or, perhaps they do realize it and that's what they want to do - harm the reputation.  It's really psychic attack if you think about it. What do you suppose inspires such dark hearts?

One really fascinating element is when I correct the misrepresentation (or outright lies) on the Internet.  It's regarded as being defensive, which is then transformed into being a lie on my part (in order to support my "phoney baloney" books).  Not responding is regarded as having something to hide.  So being who I am becomes irrelevant to how people choose to see me.  Sometimes I feel that I have slipped into an alternative universe where I am supposed to be that person they describe, but I'm stuck being who I really am (the guy from back in the universe that I originally came from!). The Grimassi described by my detractors got switched from here to my original dimension, and I can only wonder how the evil Grimassi is doing in my universe back home - lol

So, I must answer my own question and say that I am who I know myself to be, and therefore, logically speaking, the person other people choose to falsely shape me into has to be all about them.  From a magical perspective they have created an entity that attaches itself to them and then feeds off their negative energy.   The occult principle here is "like attracts like" and so negative people draw negative concepts to them through their thoughts and desires, and that forms into their reality ( a necessary illusion for their agenda).   I suppose there is some justice in the idea that as a result they have to live in their heads with the evil Grimassi they create while I continue on to live my authenticity and my writings flourish.  That's the ying and the yang of it all.

So, for my loyal readers, friends, colleagues, students and fellow initiates, I will continue to do the work of spirit that I am called to do.  I want to spend whatever time I have left on this planet dealing with matters of sacredness.  That is the best use of my energy.

16 comments:

  1. I love you just the way you be....

    and yes being on a mission to heal the wounds of supression, pain, suffering, judgements, sickness on the planet is a huge responsibility!!

    I think the animal brain is trying to remember the way of the heart and when humans are constantly stuck in the animal brain of it all some serious stupid things seem to be uttered out of the mouth zone!!

    This transformational time in our universe is all about awakening our DNA and living from our hearts...perhaps someday we will transcend the paradox of the universe and just "be" instead of seeming to be stuck in the extreme polar ends of things.

    I encourage you to be the shining beam of truth and honesty that you are....those that seek knowledge and understanding will get you and those that are into sensational nonsense will continue to judge...confirms the journey is so needed and soo worth it....!!!

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  2. There is a strange subset of the NeoPagan world that seems to thrive on the idea that Witchcraft is some kind of modern invention, and that there was no such thing as a Witch before Gerald Gardner. Such people tend to attack anyone and everything that might possibly cause them to question their dearly-held worldview, which at times seems to border on almost religious fanaticism. I've known people who honestly believed that if something was not written down in an "officially approved" history book, then it wasn't true. I think it's unfortunate that you've had problems with such people, but it's not surprising. Fundamentalists can be found everywhere, sadly.

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  3. hmmmmm....I think the evil Mr. Grimassi in the parallel universe sounds totally fascinating! I bet we'd egt along just fine! thanks haters for helping manifest him! I'm going to go find him and we're going to do some fraudulent blasphemy TOGETHER!!! MWAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

    ;-D

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  4. I've thought about this one a lot, actually. Years ago, before I had much of any presence online, a very well-known blogger randomly picked me out of a hat and started attacking my partner and I. He would refer to us negatively as A, B and C, and while there may have been seeds of A & B within me, within a few short years I actually became a great expression of all three, though I thought and think of them as good things. I constantly wonder whether the simple fact that tens of thousands of people knew me only as those (at the time) spurious things, effected the changes. It may not change the facts of our histories, but I suspect that it can influence the choices in our futures.

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  5. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
    John Wooden

    One of my favorite quotes...

    There are far more people who admire you than there are detractors, nasty as those detractors can be. Bounce the negativity right back at 'em.

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    1. Thanks, and yes, I know that my work is appreciated by numbers that dwarf the amount of detractors. It's puzzling because my character is what the detractors attack, and yet they don't know me personally, nor have they had personal experiences with me from which they could come away with an informed opinion. Instead they rely upon hearsay, rumor and lies. If they simply stuck to opinions about my writings, formed from actually reading them, then this wouldn't be an issue.

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    2. This seems to be the opposite of the Old World Witch. She was Accused of WitchBeing. Instead of having to prove who she was, she was trying to stay out of the limelight and could trust no one. You are in the limelight by choice, and notoriety is like a two sided mirror. One glimpse gives you the good side of being famous, and the other glimpse is of the negative. You already know these things. Ignore the negative comments and concentrate on the good ones. If you do this, you will feel better.

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  6. I thought it was a usual latin, i liked and greatly helped their words , as always give me plenty of light , and encounter much education on the same , hugs in )o( Lady Majo

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  8. In short............someone who practices the craft should no better than to attack your character and the work that you have done. They clearly have no credibility based solely on that! The root is jealousy and that has no place in the craft and no one has to tell you that they get back what they send your way. Keep working you are far more balanced in your approach and the current "Powers in so called control" do not like it. However, they are losing strength the time of change is approaching in the meantime stay clear of them and do not let it cloud your mind. There are some of us that are smart enough not to read their propaganda.

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  9. We are here to learn and depending on what you value, it becomes a part of you. It is said that a life unexamined is a life not worth living..I don't know if I would go so far as to say that..but certainly most criticism should be leveled inward..that is where it is most valuable..this is where we will learn the value of mercy & kindness it is only then you will look with a kinder eye to those outside of your inner circle of truth.

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    1. I live a life that is not examined in retrospect but in each day. It is examined against the code that I live by, as it has always been. Holding to this is what allows me to thrive and move forward despite the misrepresentation and misinformation that is fostered by my detractors on the Internet.

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    2. RG Your writings lend a unique perspective to the seeker..food for ravens & for sparrows :)

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  10. Wem are all here to learn. Sadly, not all see things that way. However, there are certain aspects of an Italian Witch that will not be talked about openly, that does not mean to say that they are not 'Authentic' in the slightest. Who is to say who are the True Practitioners and who are not? That is for no one to decide.

    So, what are then 'Authentic forms of Witchcraft'?, Gerald Gardner, he was a Freemason before he was ever a Pagan and he created the Gardnerian Tradition so he is an Authentic Gardnerian and anyone who follows his teachings precisely to the letter, IS an Authentic Witch (Freemasonry is NOT an issue here or what I talk about here). Anyone with a Practice that IS precisely derived from one or more Religions is certainly Authentic, this is how / where the Solitary Practitioner comes in and most other Religions, such as Strega.

    Eventually your own way of practicing your choosen Craft IS an Authentic Form; Who is it for anyone to say it is the Right or Wrong way or any less Authentic? I know there are individuals and groups in this World and on Facebook that tell you what is Right or Wrong, Good and Bad.

    Location: There will be a difference from Region-to-Region, Country-to-Country and there will be things that an Italian Witch can, may or may not share with you personally, they have that right; They will keep their Practice close to their chest and they would not speak openly of that Practice unless Trust was gained to some extent. That Italian Witch may wonder why your asking such a personal question; 'Why is my practice of importance to you and what do you plan to do with any information I give to you?'

    No Italian Witch, Male or Female, will tell you that they are 100% correct on everything, that includes Witchcraft. As with any Religion, there is no Right or Wrong, Good or Bad way to Believe or Practice your Religion. When most of where standing on that road we call Faith and Religion for the very first time; We were told to Study, We were told to Experiment, etc, as the late Scott Cunningham did tell us in his books. Does that make him any less Authentic?

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    1. Truly, it is a bonus if others find your magic enchanting, powerful, attractive, authentic :) What really matters is what will the cosmos think of it? If it is respected then you have your answer and nothing on this earth can mar or change it into nothingness. I think this is ultimately a personal goal of this witch.

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