In my online witchy groups the past month or so I am seeing a trend. More and more people seem to be having experiences of a dark presence around them, seeing shadows, having darker dreams, and so on. Of course the influence can be coming from their own fear, what’s going on in our world, or other entities, but what I feel when reading them or talking to them is that they are being called by a dark god or goddess.
Perhaps I am noticing it more since recognizing and accepting The Morrigan. Perhaps it has to do with all the energy changes people have been feeling lately. Either way, these deities seem to be very active right now. The main three I am seeing in mass are The Morrigan, Hecate, and Lilith, although there are many more out there. I am seeing people, like myself, who have practiced for a very long time with no interest in deity work and all of a sudden being pulled towards it.
I am not the only one who has noticed and there has been some theories as to why this is happening. Some talk about the energies shifting, a great awakening, that may require people to advance through inner and shadow work more quickly, which appears to be a specialty of this kind of deity. Some talk about the need to ready oneself for battle, whether that be internal or external, and look at what is going on in our world right now. Whatever the reason though, it does seem their presence is becoming more common in the witch community.
Personally I find it fascinating to witness. I do wonder if my perception is slightly biased due to my relationship with The Morrigan, but then again perhaps it is that relationship that allows me to see it this way. I saw several people saying to the ones asking about the dark presence, doing exactly what was done to me, telling them it was something to ward against, to get rid of. Although I stepped in and offered my opinion on the possibility it might be a deity or guide reaching out to them. I wondered though, how many of these conversations were going on that I don’t see. How many people were being told to automatically reject what was reaching out for them before investigating it? How many may have been in a position like myself all those years ago, listening to people they felt knew more, and in the end pushing away something that is good?
I am not saying all dark presences are good, but I do think you need to analyze that before you make a rash judgement. Do you feel threatened by it or have fear of it? Now look inward, is the fear coming from the presence or from yourself because it is unknown to you? Is it trying to harm you? I don’t think any deity calling to you would actually harm you, that would defeat the purpose. I do think when encountering anything new, we should assess it. Not all warm and fuzzy things have good intentions either.
Dark Gods and Goddesses can have a more forceful way about them. They can be more demanding, aggressive feeling, and very blunt. Most seem focused on transformative change, inner or shadow work, strengthening one’s self, soul, death and rebirth. These things don’t make them evil, but until you understand their style, they can seem a little scary. They can also seem scary because the upfront work can be scary for some. Some people have a hard time with big change, some may have a hard time working through trauma, and still some may have a hard time taking the deep dive into themselves. The upfront work they require though is necessary in order to grow. That growth translates to knowledge, more powerful magic, and ability in your craft. In the end, it is worth it.
I also want to note that my relationship with The Morrigan is not dark. Yes she demands consistent work from me and can be very blunt. In the same breath though she emanates this beautiful love and guiding spirit about her. I don’t see her as a harsh Goddess in any respect. The trials I go through are of my own making. They are made by my own choices and path I choose to follow. This explosive growth in knowledge, my craft, and my spiritualism with her though is worth every smack on the hand. In all my years of practice I have never experienced anything quite like it.
There are Dark deities in every patheon and many seem similar to each other. I personally see this as them being part of a larger energy pattern. Each of them is their own energy pattern in their own right, but also a part of a larger pattern together. Has there been any deity that keeps popping up to you and catching your attention? You can also start by looking at what you are drawn to in terms of culture, patheon, type of magic, and start googling to see if there are any that stand out to you or that catch your attention. Then dive into learning about them. Look at a variety of sources and listen to other’s experiences. Your experience will be unique to you but hearing others can give you clues. If the connection strengthens or the feelings deepen, you are probably on the right track. If you are drawn to nature, Celtic aspects/ art, or energy/ elemental magic then I would suggest looking at The Morrigan.
You can also do meditation practices to try and connect with them to find out who they are. This is more about listening then asking. Grab a candle and some incense you like and see where it leads you! (in all honesty all you need is yourself, the rest is just to put you in the mind space)
Take notice of your surroundings. Are there signs there you may be missing? I do caution some intention here, as a sign will generally elicit some type of feeling deep within, not just seeing a certain type of bird for example.
If you feel this kind of presence around you, I encourage you to assess it carefully. I feel there is a good chance it is a Dark God or Goddess is reaching out to you.