An Interview with
Judy Silifant

Hedge Witch

Q. Would you tell our readers a little about yourself?

Firstly - I am! Then I am Judi. After that I am woman, lover, mother, wife & worker. I am always the student no matter what or who wishes to teach me. (For those who need to know who I am on another level - I am 46, married with three daughters - who have grown up and felt safe and capable enough to leave home - and I have a black cat named Lucy!) I am 5'6'' with waist length hair which is no longer naturally auburn (tee hee). I grew up and have lived in the Cape Town area all my life. I went to school at a convent till grade seven and then discovered co-ed schools. I had a passion for horses and horse riding all my teenage years. I love water painting and have found there are few crafts my hands are unable to get a grip on.

Q. How did you discover Paganism?

I had a Granny who was good at subliminal creation. She taught me all the little powerful healing tricks of the wise woman without me even realizing what she was doing until I reached the age of about thirty two. When I was little Gran had a small silver pill box full of garnet chips which she would take out of the display cabinet and let me play with. I would sit in the sun on the veranda and make mandalas with them and watch the light being reflected through them onto the white table cloth. She taught me the joy of crisp clean lavender scented sheets and greeting the sunrise with a cup of tea while being out in the garden no matter what time of year it was. Because of her I discovered the diamonds on the grass in the early morning which made me feel richer than any millionaire. I then discovered the joy of gardening and the natural way to go for me was herbs. I didn't even have to think about it. The next on the list was stones and crystals. Then came the need to discover who I was. This opened up a whole Pandora's box of shadow and light. I learned meditation and visualization techniques. I did a crystal healing course. I did reiki and roamed the new age stalls at many fairs. There started to emerge for me a pattern of these parts which started to make sense and left others which I could not relate to. I then discovered my own ability to co-create with the universe using the very elements of which it is made. Now this I could relate to. When one gardens the natural progression is one which firstly becomes aware - very aware - of the seasons, then of planting times, hence an awareness of the lunar cycles. Gosh! need I say more. Then one Sunday, out of the blue, while browsing the flea market I glimpsed a copy of "Good Magic" by Marina Medici. I have never looked back.

Q. What kind of Witch are you?

I consider myself a Hedge Witch. The old wise woman was often not part of the village community directly but neither was she able to live too far from the town. She lived on the border of the community like the small creatures who live at the edge of a field in the hedgerows. One of the earlier books I read was by Rae Beth. This really felt right for me and her description of a Hedge Witch felt familiar and comfortable. I have discovered that visualization and journey work - which I do a lot of - are the marks of a Hedge Witch. I have also read that these practices of the Hedge Witch have often been compared to Shamanism. My Granny (my father's mother) was Cornish. Her whole family was from time immemorial. She told me stories of Cornish Piskies (not pixies) and Faery folk and even what are now known as Earth Lights which are often found near the ancient stone monuments. My Grandfather's family were Welsh miners who eventually moved to Cornwall to the tin mines. My Mother's family was all Irish as far back the twelfth century. So it was not possible for me to completely escape the fay influence. It is in my genes.

Besides I had the most wonderful confirmation in 2000 when I traveled for the first time in my life to the UK to spend time with a friend who had emigrated and was living in Devon. The first stone circle that I had the honour of visiting was Scorhill stone circle outside Gidleigh on Dartmoor in Devon. When I first spied the circle, the sensation I had was one of exhilaration and reverence all at once. I wanted to run into the circle but a subtle awareness stopped me and I couldn't help but walk slowly forward in total awe hardly daring to touch the stones. It is hard to describe one's first meeting with a stone circle. I made a conscious decision to first connect with each stone before entering the circle. When I did I sat down in the middle, closed my eyes and could feel a push and pull sensation vertically through my body and I had a feeling of timelessness as though I could have remained in that same spot for the rest of eternity. It was as though I had become as one of the stones in that moment. My body seemed to remember a time when I was totally and completely connected to Mother Earth and I wanted for nothing. The sense of familiarity was odd as I knew I had never been there and had never even seen a picture of the circle as it is not well know except in the area. In 2002 I visited the UK again and this time went to Cornwall. Well! That experience confirmed everything for me. This time I had a similar but much stronger feeling when standing on the cliffs at Tintagel looking out over the Atlantic. Something in me just knew this was home.

Q. Are you a member of a coven or a solitary practitioner?

I am a solitary practitioner. My personal experience of coven participation has been difficult because of varying perceptions and traditions which differ. Associations are not something you can change willy nilly for the sake of a group if you have been working with your own particular "brand" for a long time. For example when I look North I cannot see or feel anything other than Earth. The whole continent of Africa to me is so symbolic of Earth that I am unable to visualize any of the other elements in that direction. Also there is the matter of group dynamics and in ritual I have found that this aspect can be quite distracting. Although I can, and often do, work with one or two like-minded friends with great effect. Where I have enjoyed group dynamics is in a more social, knowledge gathering environment.

Q. How has your family adjusted to your life-style?

Because of my age and the fact that my daughters are no longer at home my family have not needed to do much in the way of adjusting. For their sake I still do Christmas dinner and Easter (these are just another two opportunities to make great magic for the family). My Mom still thinks I am kidding when I talk about the phase of the moon or mention that I am brewing some or other concoction. She doesn't understand my altar and has said to my sister that I shouldn't take all "that fung shui business so seriously after all it's very Pagan and not very Catholic" which always makes me chuckle somewhat. My daughters accept it as quite normal and only the youngest has ever shown that she may like to understand a little more of what it is All about. Perhaps, like me, when they are older life will gently nudge them up the path towards the moon.

Q. What do you do for a living? Are you open about being a Witch?

As I have mentioned below I work in a semi corporate office environment. I do not hide the fact that I am a Witch when asked and answer any questions put to me. Though I have never volunteered the information. I do wear a pentacle but am seldom asked about it. Most folk think I'm Jewish. Someone once asked me if I was a Jehovah's Witness!

Q. What are your opinions with regard to the Pagan community in South Africa?

I can't say that I have any definite opinions regarding the Pagan community in SA as I have not been in contact with very many. The few that I have met are folk I have enjoyed knowing and learning from albeit that some of these acquaintances did not last very long because of the distance between us geographically. I do have a few close friends who are witches and some wiccan but we only get together now and then as most of them are solitary.

Q. What do you do for a living?

It is quite fun answering this one because folk are often surprised. I am an office manager for a financial consulting and advisory brokerage. I think the analytical world of facts and figures tends to balance the "otherworldly" part of my life. (Sacred geometry is a passion of mine so maybe this isn't so odd after all.)

Q. Do you teach Witchcraft to novices? And, do you charge for instruction?

No, I do not teach novices but I have had occasion to advise or offer instruction when asked by folk who are interested. No, I have never charged. I have attempted to get a study group off the ground but with not much luck. I have not given up though and still regularly send out notices. If anyone would like me to keep them informed of when I am having these they should feel free to contact me (details below). Nevertheless anyone out there who wishes to share knowledge or ask questions is most welcome. Just so that folk understand where I am coming from I would like to say that I do not use high magic and I work only with a limited section of the Celtic family of deities. I work primarily with the elements and elementals.

Contact Judi Silifant