Welcome to Charmed City

"My name is Kate and I am a Witch!"

The announcement from the stage stopped me in my tracks as I trekked up the blanket strewn hill towards the food stands in search of vegan-friendly fare. I turned to see Kate, a fellow Charm City Kitty wearing a white ceremonial-esque dress standing beside a man in a minister's stole. She invited same-sex couples to approach the stage for a relationship blessing, explaining the significance of the upcoming Solstice and her own Dianic tradition.

There was a Dianic Witch standing on a stage. In front of a hundred people. In Baltimore City. And I knew her.

Now, I realize finding a Dianic Witch at a (predominantly lesbian) LGBT Pride Festival is about as likely as finding a stoner at a Phish concert, but it reminded me that yes, there are magickal folk in Charm City. They may not be as publicly active and vocal as the pagan communities of DC and New York City, but witchcraft and NeoPaganism is alive and well in the City That Reads. Well, read. ("The Best City in America"? Reeeally?) Since moving here 6 months ago, I've encountered an Interfaith Goddess-worshipping minister, a Witches Meetup group, a Fae-inspired NeoPagan circle, a Pagan tribal-rock band, a lovely Wiccan/Santaria/Hoodoo supply store, and a smattering of "blessed be" bumperstickers. There also appears to be an active New Age and Yoga community, reflected in numerous studios and bookstores in Hampden, Mt. Washington, and various parts of Baltimore County.

The one factor that appears to be lacking in this city is unity. This isn't surprising given the very nature of Baltimore City and its continued tradition of segregation, spanning from race to even sexual orientation. "Smalltimore" seems eerily and ridiculously tiny and incestuous, probably due not to the actual population (which remains one of the 20 highest populated cities in America, and way outnumbers major cities like DC and Boston) but because of the insular nature of its communities. Given this tendency, I expected to find the same true for the Magickal community - I'd been impressed at conferences by the extreme organization of DC pagans, whose presence was represented at DC's Pride events as well as various Maryland faerie & magickal themed summer festivals. But unlike the DC pagans, Baltimore paganism seems to remain fragmented. A trip to local Hampden store Crystals, Candles, & Cauldrons to inquire about open Imbolc rituals revealed little in the way of public circles: the sole suggestion for non-closed/coven ritual attendance was a reportedly welcoming Druid group called CedarLight Grove. Being a new resident Witch far from her beloved NYC circle, I gathered some non-Pagan friends and held a seder-style sabbat dinner of my own. Hopefully the guests weren't too mislead with the use of "dinner party" instead of "Wiccan ritual" in the invitation.

'But KP,' you may ask, 'aren't Witches supposed to meet in secret, autonomous covens?' Traditionally they did. Many traditions, such as the Gardnerians and Alexandrians, still do. But more and more circles are opening their walls up to seekers who may not be interested in joining exclusive covens, or even claiming Wicca as their religious affiliation. The gradual presence of Pagans in the public consciousness (from the political actions of the Reclaiming tradition in the early 80s to authors like Scott Cunningham to the fight for Pagan civil rights led by Selena Fox and the Lady Liberty League) has opened the gates for anyone to find the Craft, or just experience formally secret rites and observances. Like pretty much all aspects of life in the information age, Witchcraft has gone viral.

My training and magickal background reflects this more open, public model. I am a 3rd degree witch & ordained High Priestess of the Wiccan Family Temple, an eclectic Wiccan church based in New York City. Through this affiliation I became a licensed marriage officiant in NYC, registered with the Office of the City Clerk. This certification would be not only impossible without the public and legal standing of my circle, but probably frowned upon in some more traditional covens. Times are changing. Paganism is evolving. And in this evolution, the need to strike a delicate balance between honoring the Old Ways and embracing the modern era is becoming increasingly apparent. In the ever breaking, ever mending city of Baltimore, it will be interesting to see how this balance manifests.

Having lived in the ultimate City of modernity that Never Sleeps, and witnessed the politically charged city of Change, I'm looking forward to experiencing life back in my hometown of Baltimore and the opportunity to witness the path of a magickal community reflective of a growing, changing, and Charmed City.

Bmore magickal, all.

Blessed Be,
KP