The old magical idea of the physical body and the spiritual or subtle body can be useful here.
We might imagine our physical self as the red body — the body of blood, bone, muscle and flesh.
This is the body that becomes hungry and tired. It experiences pleasure and pain. It grows older and eventually dies.
Then imagine another aspect of ourselves: the wind body.
Depending upon your beliefs, you might call this the spirit, soul, fetch, astral self, magical self or simply the deeper imagination.
Whether we understand this literally, spiritually or symbolically is a personal matter.
The important point is that Witchcraft does not necessarily require us to despise the physical body in favour of the spiritual one.
The body is not the enemy.
Our senses are among our greatest magical tools.
We see.
We listen.
We smell.
We touch.
We feel changes in atmosphere.
We notice the cold wind suddenly moving through the trees or the unexpected silence that falls across a familiar place.
The Solitary Pagan Witch learns to pay attention.
