perchance you ’ve interpret all of theHarry Potter booksand watched every episode ofCharmedorBewitched , so you intend you know what witches are all about . Modern witchesdon’t precisely set most of the TV and picture show characters you ’ve seen , however .
Are they near ? Are they evil ? Do they regorge spells to cause bad things to befall ?
The true definition of a witch , as well as the story of witch in general , is widely debated . Many texts account witchcraft as accord with the Devil in substitution for top executive to do wickedness and harm others . While this may have some truth in certain faction , for most modern - day witches it is quite far from their actual belief and practice .
In this article , we ’ll dig into the mysterious and concealed Earth of the modern beldame , puddle through some of the hag ’s dispute history , bump out whyHalloweenis a big night for them and take a peep into some of their rituals .
impression in illusion and witchcraft has been around since the beginning of clip . Early man paid protection to the gods and goddesses that rule his world and brought healthy crop and mild winters . The musical theme ofmagiccame about when thing were n’t so good : It grew from the chaos that company high-risk weather , unwellness and shortages of food . When times were bad , priest-doctor , medicine people , beldame and other types of thaumaturge would cast spells and execute ritual to harness the power of the divinity . Harnessing this power had mixed issue : Witches , who were mainly woman , were originally catch as wise therapist who could both sustain and put down ; this belief in their major power , however , finally lead to venerate , and this often drive witches to live as outcasts . In the next part , we ’ll learn about the persecution of witches .
Witch Hunts
OnceChristianitytook hold in the previous Middle Ages , the beldame who performed magic were seen asdevil worshipperswho held Black Masses , hexed masses and vaporize around on brooms . This was also the clip of theReformation , which set about as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church but resulted in the creative activity ofProtestant churches . Although it pass primarily in the sixteenth century , it had its roots in the fourteenth century – about the time when thewitch huntcraze begin .
Witch hunts in Europe and in the European colonies began around the 1450s and lasted until the 1750s . Because there were so many epidemic ( like theBlack Plague ) and natural tragedy , outbreaks of mass hysteria leash to pinpoint witch and witchery as the perpetrator .
During the variouswitch trials , prosecutors often used extremetortureto infusion " confession " from presumed witches . Innumerable Wiccan were executed by public suspension or burning .
The Salem Witch Trials
In 1692 , in Salem , Mass. , there was an outbreak of beldame hunting and witch trial run that all come out with some foreign behavior from two young girls . The daughter were have convulsions and screaming that they were being nobble or bite . The doctor who examine them finally settle they were under some form of spell or bewitchment . One by one , women in the town of Salem and even in surrounding areas began being accused of witchery .
The servant of one of the young woman ' families was West Indian and admitted incourtto dealings with the deuce , flying on " joystick , " and being upset because " they " made her hurt those girls . This testimonial clinched thehysteriathat was already building . Salem residents were then sure that the devil was live and very combat-ready in their land – and who knew what would bump next .
Over a period of nine months , more than100 peoplewere immure for being hag , and20 were executed . Finally , a newfangled court was constituted to replace the General Court , which had been holding the test . This court , theSuperior Court of Judicature , reversed the policy of the previous motor inn . From this level on , only three more citizenry were found guilty of witchcraft , and those three were later pardon .
Theories today are varied regarding what was actually wrong with the two young girls who started it all . Some say they were well actresses , and once they had initiate it and saw all of the attention they were getting , they had to keep it up . Another theory is that they actually had clinicalhysteria , which would excuse the convulsions .
Modern Witchcraft
Witchcraft is apagan religion . Pagan religious belief worshipmultiple deitiesrather than a individual god . heathenism is one of the oldest religions and include all religion that are not Christian , Muslim or Jewish , meaning Paganism include the Hindu , Buddhist , Taoist , Confucian and American Amerind religions as well as all other nature - oriented faith . According to the 1998 Cambridge Fact Finder , Paganism account for 50 percentage of all faith .
The word " Pagan " actually stem from the LatinPaginiorPaganus , words meaning " hearth " or " home base dweller " or , more simply , " country person " – those pronounce as Pagans were conceive subscript to those exist in city . It did n’t , however , mean those hoi polloi were " sorry . " It was n’t until the 1450s that fear of witchcraft became more predominant , and people begin associating witchcraft and paganism with devil adoration , evil hexes and spells .
Types of Witchcraft
There are many type of witchcraft , many of which overlap and all of which can be defined in unlike way by dissimilar people , but here are some pugnacious guidelines for their designations :
For a list of even more character of witchery , visitNeopagan.net : Classifying Witchcrafts .
Most of those who call themselves witches today belong to theWiccan religion , so we ’ll focus on Wicca for the duration of this article .
Wicca
Wicca , a modern Pagan religion that worships theEarthand nature , was established in the forties and ' 50s byGerald Gardner . Isabella Stewart Gardner define witchcraft as apositive and lifetime - affirming organized religion . The central Wiccan root word is , " if it does no impairment , do your own will . " Gardner also ascribed to this definition many witchcraft practices and skill that had exist for centuries and been part of many different religions and cultures . These practice included such things as divination ( foreknowledge ) , herblore , sorcerous and psychic abilities . mod witchery in Britain , Europe , North America and Australia all germinate based on the Gardnerian definition and opinion system .
No Devil
Magickal Energy
The Wiccan feeling is that when witches become one with the deities through rituals , they become in tune with the overalllife forceorcosmic energy . This allows the witch to somewhat control that vim ( mean the energy from themselves and their environment ) and direct it for " personal " change through magick .
The theory follows the scientific concept thatall topic vibrates with its own energy . The speed of that quivering is dictate by the movement of the molecules that make up the target . Whether the target is whole or not is also determine by the effort of the corpuscle . concord to the Holy Writ " Spellworks for Covens , " energy from the witch ’s body also has a palpitation – both aphysical rate of vibrationand aspiritual pace of vibration . During magnate - promote ritual , witches believe that the molecules from both their forcible and spiritual side mix together to increase their overall energy and create apathwayfor Department of Energy to flow through them . In ordering not to deplete their own personal energy storage , they can also pull energy from the Earth and sky .
Practicing Wicca
Bothmenandwomencan be Wiccan . homo are also called witches , not warlock . The wordwarlockactually means " cuss breaker " and date back to the enchantress hunts : It was used to refer to those who betrayed other witch , and in the witching earth it still has a bad connotation .
A someone does not want a " gift " in order be a Wiccan witch , onlytraining . TheWiccan Redeis the enchantress ’s law and codification of moral philosophy . It says ( in part ):
SeeWitches ' Voice : The Wiccan Redeto take the full school text .
What this means is that hag should not perform magick that would harm another person . And if they do , it will follow back to themthreefold . So , if a Wiccan hexes someone , he or she will experience misfortune that is three times bad . This is a very important part of the Wiccan notion . The magick they do is hypothesise to be forpersonal change only .
Learning the Craft
Witches can either exercise their foxiness in groups , calledcovens , or by themselves assolitaries . Modern members are receive into covens with a conventional initiation ceremonial occasion . In the Gardnerian tradition , there arethree stage of learning , each of which lasts a twelvemonth and a day . Covens in the main have their own formula , procedure and name for these phases , but they tend to come down into the follow categories :
Once a raw member has discharge all stage , he or she is a full - feather witch with the index to perform and participate in formal rite .
In the next section , we will excuse the basics of the Wiccan ritual . But before we get into that , let ’s take a feeling at some of the different tools of the witch ’s trade .
Witch Accessories
Athame(knife )
A knife is n’t one of the traditional witch ’s props you may get at thecostumeshop , but the athame is an important part of many rituals . The athame is a double - inch tongue with a blade about 6 inch long . It is not terribly penetrative – it is used tomark the edge of the circleand to stir the table salt andwaterthat are used to consecrate ( or make sacred ) the roach . It is also used sometimes to cut up symbols or run-in into standard candle . The athame ’s owner mark either the handgrip or the brand with his or her witchery name and stack away it in a white container or fabric . The athame is also used in theGreat Rite ritual(more on the Great Rite afterward ) as a phallic symbol , representing one one-half of the union of the God and Goddess from which new life story comes .
Bell
Some witches use a bell during ritual , but there is no official or required use of one . Some case of when a bell might be rung is when the circle is opened or shut , to invoke the God or Goddess or simply to stand for when certain form of the ritual are finish or beginning .
Besom(broom )
Witches do n’t really flee on broom , although many do have them . They ’re used to purify an area of lounge free energy ( similar to the utilisation of salvia below ) before " casting a band . " circle are cast before any ritual .
Boline(knife )
The boline is another knife used in Wiccan rites . In line to the athame , the boline is very sharp and is usually made of copper . Its sole usance is tocutherbs .
Book of Shadows
The Book of Shadows is basically the witch ’s guidebook . It check all of a picky witch ’s ( or coven ’s ) ritual and import information . It is the written record of everything the Wiccan in that coven call for to know , such as descriptions and explanations of all of the sabbat ( more on sabbats later on ) .
Candles
When a lot is shake off for a ritual , there arefour quadrantsrepresenting north , Dixieland , east and west . Quartercandlesof specific colors are used : N is immature ( ground ) , south is red ( fire ) , eastward is yellow ( air ) and west is gloomy ( water ) . The candles are placed at the circumference of the circle . There are also three candles used on the altar – the colour of these candles represents the ritual being performed .
Cauldron
The caldron is a necessary part of witches ' paraphernalia . While many years ago , caldron were a part of every habitation , now they ’re rarely see except atHalloweenor as a 1000 medallion . But cauldron with magical powers go back to the myth of the Celtic Goddess Cerridwen , whose cauldron represent thecycle of birth , renewal , rebirth and transformation . Witches today often glow small fire ( balefires ) or incense in their cauldron . The caldron can also stand for thewombduring the Great Rite ritual , which calls up the join of the God and Goddess from which new lifetime comes .
Chalice
A chalice ( cup ) is used in observance to represent the distaff principle of water . The chalice can also be used in situation of the cauldron in performing the Great Rite , as well as in a " Cake and Ale " rite where a cup ofwineis blessed by the High Priest and passed from member to penis in the circle .
Clothing
vesture is optionalfor most ritual , although most covens require that everyone is in agreement to goingskyclad(naked ) before anyone does . Otherwise , hag wear long , hooded robes of varying , usually coloured semblance .
Paton
An communion table paton is a plate ( or disk ) of either metal or wood with a pentagram design on it . It is used on the communion table to guard the tools needed for the ceremony and to act as a focal point .
Pentacle/Pentagram
The pentacle is a five - pointed star ( a pentagram ) enclosed within a circle . The " erect " pentacle or pentagram ( one point up , two points down ) is a wide recognise symbolization of witchcraft . The points represent world , fire , water , air and spirit . The circle represents the God and Goddess that provide the energy of the pentangle to be concenter . It is symbolical of the mind of bringing together spirit and earth .
Sage
Before a ritual , the area must be sanctify . Sage is often used ( as is a besom , above ) to cleanse the area of undesirable energies . When burned , the salvia creates a thickset , grayish smoke .
Salt container
Another purify agent is salt . The salt is commonly in either a seashell or a methamphetamine dish . Salt is fuse with water to represent the elements of earth and water in parliamentary law to sanctify the dress circle .
Staff
beldam can use a faculty like they would a wand . The faculty is usually shoulder height .
Sword
Some crone choose to use a sword rather than an athame to commemorate the boundary of the circle .
Thurible(incense burner )
Incense represents the element of air . When burn up , it also represents fervour , both of which are used to purify the surface area or the tools being used . The thurible is often a belittled cauldron of alloy or any other fire - immune material .
Wand
Many witches use wands . scepter represent flack and the life force of the witch . It is a symbolisation of power , wisdom and healing . The wand , like the sword , stave and athame , can be used to cast the roach . It may also be used to direct energy during a spell .
Water container
The weewee container used in the consecration of the circle can be any eccentric of container as long as it is large enough to hold three pinches of saltiness and be stirred with the athame . H2O is another purification federal agent .
Wiccan Ritual Preparation
This ritual preparation is a introductory abstract of the Gardnerian tradition of Wicca . Other traditions borrow extensively from this method acting , but they do have variances . What follows is a internal representation of the step that may be followed in carrying out a ritual – like any religion , unlike sects have unlike method , and there is no unmarried " right way " of holding a ceremony .
Everything up to this point has been grooming for the rite . It is at this clock time that the witches commence the actual ritual they are performing .
Performing and Ending the Ritual
There are many ceremony and ritual execute by Wiccan witches . The Great Rite is a central one , so we will describe that ritual here .
Performing the Ritual
The Great Rite ritual represents thesexual unionof the God and Goddess , from which raw life comes . This conjugation is not only to add good harvest , but is also to persist in the rophy of life so that the new God can be born at Yule ( see the next section to learn about Yule ) . When this religious rite is performed , it can either be symbolic – using the athame and cauldron to represent the sexual union – or else the sexual act can be do by the High Priest and Priestess . If the sexual act is to be do , the entire coven must be in agreement that that is how they want the Great Rite carried out , and the existent union is performed inprivate , not with the rest of the coven present . Often , the High Priest and Priestess aremarried .
More vulgar is thesymbolicversion of the Great Rite . In this version , the cauldron or chalice represents the womb and is held by the High Priestess . The athame is the priapic representation and is held by the High Priest . This rite may alter , but in some covens it keep up that the gamey Priestess kneeling at the altar with the cauldron in her hands facing the High Priest . The High Priest face her with his athame . Each enumerate line to convey theSun Kingto dance with theMaiden of Spring . Then , the High Priest lowers the athame into the cauldron as they both recite word of theLand of Youth , theWine of Lifeand theCauldron of Cerridwen . The in high spirits Priest then takes the caldron , bear it up in the air and proclaims that this rite symbolizes the conjugation of the God and Goddess .
Once the rite is complete , the circle must be close .
Closing the Circle
The steps of casting the circle are reworked , only feebleminded . The invoked deities are thank for their help , the quarters are release and the gamy Priest or Priestess " ingest down " the rotary by walk around the perimeter ( in an diametric direction from before ) with his or her athame pointed outwards .
The Wiccan Sabbats
Part of the Wiccan school of thought is theeternal cycle of life . The Wheel of the Year is essentially the Wiccan calendar , and it shows the never - ending cycles/second .
The Wiccan year begins on thesabbat(holy day ) of Yule , when the Goddess throw birth to the God . The God develop strong through spring and summertime , and then in fall , the God and Goddess unite . At this time , the Goddess becomespregnantwith the Modern God . The former God dies on Samhain ( Halloween ) to be reborn at Yule . This cycle is acted out symbolically during certain rituals and is known as the Great Rite ( see late plane section ) .
There areeight sabbat ritualsthroughout the year :
So now you ’ve had a small peek into the world of modern Wiccan witches . For more selective information on witchery , paganism and related topics , check out the links on the next page .
