Family Wiccan Traditions International, Inc.

By Camenae E. deWelles (a.k.a. Jillian M. Smith)
“The Literary Witch”

Author’s Note: The following is based solely on my personal experience and relationship with my son. I don’t assume these techniques will apply well with all children.

Movies can be exciting, stimulating, a brief escape from reality and a spark to the imagination. I love movies. In fact, I’ll pop in a DVD before I’ll watch network television, the news or anything else available on cable or satellite.

What I have found most interesting in the past few years is the increasingly ample opportunities to teach my son, Ulrick, about magic, the elements and even ethics as we sit and watch his favorites. Using his examples, here are a few ways animated stories and movies can be used to interest children in their magic lessons. Each child is different, of course.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

One of my personal favorites. This has magic oozing out of every painted cell. The manipulation of the elements has found its way off the television screen in my house and into the bathtub, the back yard and the kitchen. As a fire sign, Ulrick is extremely attracted to flames. Any time we have a fire pit or a blaze in the fire place, he can be found standing as close as he thinks he can get away with. He’ll mimic the movements of the fire benders on Avatar, and the same with the water during bath time and the stomping on the ground when playing outside. Of course, air bending can be done anywhere.

Discussions can include, how does each element work? What does each element do? How do they work together? Which are used for healing and how? Why do we use the elements in magic? Why don’t we include elements such as metals and wood, like the Chinese traditions? Why does the Avatar need to master all four elements? Why are others only able to master one element?

Some of the answers are completely hypothetical, of course, and can lead to more discussion and insight from your child.

The Pagemaster

An oldie but a goodie. The first time Ulrick saw this one, he wanted a library card. The incredible imagination it takes to be able to have a book come to life in my child’s life is amazing to me. This film encourages reading, not just for the sake of reading but for understanding one’s self and others and learning to problem solve through researching in books. As mundane as this might seem, these are skills a child will benefit from as they get older, especially if they begin self-learning. The Pagemaster also sparks a child’s imagination where they may begin to act out their favorite books and stories, and incorporate magical elements.

As a Southerner, I have lived in a culture most of my life where storytelling is respected and anticipated. Whether told orally or read out of a book, stories are innately attractive, perhaps from childhood or past life memories. It took The Pagemaster for Ulrick to really start appreciating books and the library at his age (4 years). And stories are magic, regardless where they come from.

The Black Cauldron & The Princess and the Frog

Generally, I’m loathe to use Disney films as examples; however, I put these together because of one concept – how magic is used. In each film, it is understood that magic itself is benign, and it is how the practitioner uses that magic that makes it positive or negative.

The black cauldron is a source of life and death (Cerridwen’s cauldron). The Horned King (I understand the negative connotations of that title being associated with the negative, but we’ll skip that argument for another time.) uses the magic of the cauldron for his own ends, to gain power for himself at the expense of everyone and everything else.

The same is true of Shadowman in The Princess and the Frog. (I promise not to get too detailed in case you’ve yet to see it!) All his conjurations are for his own gain, and again, power. He uses magic in a negative way against everyone else. Mama Odie, on the other hand, uses magic to heal and guide. This film is a fabulous example of using magic ethically and understanding potential consequences of each (where the Law of Three may apply). While perhaps not ideally represented (at least for Pagans), Voudoun is used as a great illustration of ethics and values in practicing magic. And it opens up an opportunity for learning about a different spiritual path than perhaps is practiced in your home.

The X-Men & The Fantastic 4

There has been a theory floating around for some time now that modern-day superheroes are actually the Gods in disguise, a way of transmuting their characters into something contemporary, predominantly Christian, culture can accept. Ulrick’s fascination with superheroes has provided wonderful, albeit brief, opportunities to talk about being psychic (Dr. Jean Gray or Professor X) or creating a “force field” of energy for protection (Susan Storm).

There’s also psychology at work in talking with Ulrick about Ben “The Thing” and The Incredible Hulk and their anger problems. The elements can be discussed regarding Storm, Iceman, Johnny “The Human Torch” and others, and Mystique is a shape-shifter. The majority of the mutations that occur within the world of The X-Men are humans taking on aspects of animals, a shamanistic influence, and the occasional supernatural mutation, such as Angel.

Whether mainstream culture chooses to acknowledge it or not, contemporary film and television is full opportunities to talk about magic. Sometimes these are not quite as obvious as others, and some are blatant then written off as imaginative and fastastical. But, that’s a child’s world … fantastic and magical!

Cam deWelles is a High Priestess through FWTI and Church of the Spiral Tree, a Reiki Master-Teacher, healer, herbalist and Mother Priestess to Ulrick. She has earned a B.A. in English from Auburn University and has a background in marketing, advertising, journalism and creative writing. Self-titled “The Literary Witch,” Cam is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Contemporary Pagan Literature and Feminist Theory.

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