I saw this in a group I am in on Facebook today. My first thought was, “This is an excellent question.” Than, “We are again being sterotyped.” May it should not have ruffled my feathers but it did. Up until about 14 years ago i still went primitive tent camping and never once did I cook in a cauldron. Close as I cam to it was a 3-legged cast iron Dutch oven.
I would love to hear what your thought or reaction is to this cartoon.
Religious tensions in England during the 16th and 17th centuries resulted in the introduction of serious penalties for witchcraft. Henry VIII’s Act of 1541[1] (33 Hen. 8. c. 8) was the first to define witchcraft as a felony, a crime punishable by death and the forfeiture of goods and chattels.[2] It was forbidden to:
… use devise practise or exercise, or cause to be devysed practised or exercised, any Invovacons or cojuracons of Sprites witchecraftes enchauntementes or sorceries to thentent to fynde money or treasure or to waste consume or destroy any persone in his bodie membres, or to pvoke [provoke] any persone to unlawfull love, or for any other unlawfull intente or purpose … or for dispite of Cryste, or for lucre of money, dygge up or pull downe any Crosse or Crosses or by such Invovacons or cojuracons of Sprites witchecraftes enchauntementes or sorceries or any of them take upon them to tell or declare where goodes stollen or lost shall become …[3]
The Act also removed the benefit of clergy, a legal device that exempted the accused from the jurisdiction of the King’s courts, from those convicted of witchcraft.[3] This statute was repealed by Henry’s son, Edward VI, in 1547.[4]
An 1562[1] Act Against Conjurations, Enchantments and Witchcrafts (5 Eliz. 1. c. 16) was passed early in the reign of Elizabeth I. It was in some respects more merciful towards those found guilty of witchcraft than its predecessor, demanding the death penalty only where harm had been caused; lesser offences were punishable by a term of imprisonment. The Act provided that anyone who should “use, practise, or exercise any Witchcraft, Enchantment, Charm, or Sorcery, whereby any person shall happen to be killed or destroyed”, was guilty of a felony without benefit of clergy, and was to be put to death.[5]
Indictments for homicide caused by witchcraft begin to appear in the historical record in the period following the passage of the 1563 Act. Out of the 1,158 homicide victims identified in the surviving records, 228 or 20.6% were suspected of being killed by witchcraft. By comparison, poison was suspected in only 31 of the cases. Out of the 157 people accused of killing with witchcraft, roughly half were acquitted. Only nine of the accused were men.[6]
Under the Scottish Witchcraft Act 1563 both the practice of witchcraft and consulting with witches were capital offences.[7] This Act stayed on Scottish statute books until repealed as a result of a House of Lords amendment to the bill for the post-union Witchcraft Act 1735.[8][9]
The Irish act (28 Eliz. 1. c. 2, An Act against Witchcraft and Sorcerie) was largely identical to the English act of 1562. The penalty for causing death by witchcraft was as a felony without benefit of clergy (that is, capital punishment), which was also the penalty for a second offence of causing injury or material loss by witchcraft; for a first such offence, the penalty was one year’s imprisonment including six hours in the pillory once per quarter. This was also the penalty for a first offence of using witchcraft to “discover hidden treasure, … or stolen goods, or to provoke unlawful love”; for a second such offence, it was life imprisonment.[10]
The last prosecution under the 1586 act was the 1711 Islandmagee witch trial.[11] Nobody is known for certain to have been executed under the act. Of those accused of causing death by witchcraft, William Sellor was convicted at the Islandmagee trial, but there is no surviving record of his sentence;[11] Florence Newton died during her 1661 trial;[12] Marion Fisher’s 1655 conviction was overturned by Sir James Barry; and the strangling of a suspected witch in Antrim in 1698 was a lynching.[11]
The 1586 act was repealed in 1821.[13]
In 1603,[1] the year James I‘s accession to the English throne, the Elizabethan Act was broadened by Edward Coke and others to bring the penalty of death without benefit of clergy to any one who invoked evil spirits or communed with familiar spirits. The Act’s full title was An Act against Conjuration, Witchcraft and dealing with evil and wicked spirits, (1 Ja. I c. 12).[14] It was this statute that was enforced by Matthew Hopkins, the self-styled Witch-Finder General.
The Acts of Elizabeth and James changed the law of witchcraft by making it a felony, thus removing the accused from the jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical courts to the courts of common law. This provided, at least, that the accused persons theoretically enjoyed the benefits of ordinary criminal procedure. Burning at the stake was eliminated except in cases of witchcraft that were also petty treason; most convicted were hanged instead. Any witch who had committed a minor witchcraft offence (punishable by one year in prison) and was accused and found guilty a second time was sentenced to death.[citation needed]
The Witchcraft Act 1604 was employed in the British American colonies, e.g., in the trial of Margaret Mattson, a woman accused of witchcraft in the Province of Pennsylvania. (She was acquitted by William Penn after trial in Philadelphia in 1683.)
Through the 1640s the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the Commission of the Kirk lobbied for the enforcement and extension of the Witchcraft Act 1563, which had been the basis of previous witch trials. The Covenanter regime passed a series of acts to enforce godliness in 1649, which made capital offences of blasphemy, the worship of false gods and for beaters and cursers of their parents. They also passed a new witchcraft act that ratified the existing act of 1563 and extended it to deal with consulters of “Devils and familiar spirits”, who would now be punished with death.[15]
The Witchcraft Act of 1735 (9 Geo. 2 c. 5) marked a complete reversal in attitudes. Penalties for the practice of witchcraft as traditionally constituted, which by that time was considered by many influential figures to be an impossible crime, were replaced by penalties for the pretence of witchcraft. A person who claimed to have the power to call up spirits, or foretell the future, or cast spells, or discover the whereabouts of stolen goods, was to be punished as a vagrant and a con artist, subject to fines and imprisonment. The Act applied to the whole of Great Britain, repealing both the 1563 Scottish Act and the 1604 English Act.[7]
The Witchcraft Act of 1735 remained in force in Britain well into the 20th century, until its eventual repeal with the enactment of the Fraudulent Mediums Act of 1951.
The Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951 was repealed on 26 May 2008[17] by new Consumer Protection Regulations following an EU directive targeting unfair sales and marketing practices.[18]
The Witchcraft Suppression Act, 1957 of South Africa, which is still in force,[19] was based on the Witchcraft Act 1735.[20]
An Act, Against Conjuration, Witchcraft, and Dealing with Evil and Wicked Spirits, passed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony General Court, October 1692.[21][22]
Angel Numbers are a way for your Angels to communicate with you. They are a means to send specific coded messages to you by your Angels in the form of number sequences. Numbers are a universal language, therefore; the Angels try to communicate with you using them letting us know of their presence.
Angel numbers are a series of repeating numbers that you come across in your everyday life. This is not a coincidence that you keep seeing a specific set of numbers again and again. In fact, the Angels are trying to communicate with you.
Good whatever time it is when you read this. It is sunny and hot here but by following the Old Gods and Goddesses I still see a beautiful day ahead of me.
Blessed be dear WOTC Family. My wish for you and yours is to have an awesome day.
1 D0, you prefer detailed information or just highlights for the different divination topics we post?
A – Detailed
B – Highlights
2 Do you have a certain pantheon you would like to read more about?
A – Celtic
B – Greek
C – Roman
D – Egyptian
E – Other – please put a specific pantheon or two with this letter.
3 Any other suggestions for posts you would like to see.
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These are the Astronomy Picture of the Day for the proceeding week starting on the past Monday through this Sunday. Just click on the hyperlink next to the date for the pictures you want to see.
2023 May 07: The Helix Nebula from CFHT
2023 May 06: Twilight in a Flower
2023 May 05: Shackleton from ShadowCam
2023 May 04: The Galaxy, the Jet, and a Famous Black Hole
2023 May 03: Centaurus A: A Peculiar Island of Stars
2023 May 02: Flat Rock Hills on Mars
2023 May 01: Carina Nebula North
Magickal Intentions: Growth, Advancements, Enlightenment, Rational Thought, Exorcism, Healing, Prosperity, Hope, Exorcism, Money
Incense: Lemon, Frankincense
Planet: Sun
Sign: Leo
Angel: Michael
Colors: Gold, Yellow, Orange and White
Herbs/Plants: Marigold, Heliotrope, Sunflower, Buttercup, Cedar, Beech, Oak Stones: Carnelian, Citrine, Tiger’s Eye, Amber, Clear Quartz and Red Agate
Oil: (Sun) Cedar, Frankincense, Neroli, Rosemary
The first day of the week is ruled by the Sun. It is an excellent time to work efforts involving business partnerships, work promotions, business ventures, and professional success. Spells where friendships, mental or physical health, or bringing joy back into life are an issue work well on this day, too.
Dreamer’s blood tests came back fine. Her calcium level is a little high but the vet said it might be normal for Dreamer. We have to have just the calicum blood test redone in six weeks to see if it has risen or not. Thank you for your help in getting the blood tests done.
Green Tara is known as “The Mother of Compassion”. She’s worshipped in a variety of Hindu and Buddhist traditions and guards against natural disasters, the elements of mother nature. Green Tara nurtures humanity on a worldly level, alleviating suffering and misery. This goddess influences self-mastery through meditation and can be called upon to help us strengthen those areas of our personality, ego, and self-esteem which need improvement.
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Light a green candle to Green Tara, and recite the mantra below out loud, over and over again, if necessary, until you believe it with all your heart:
If I am weak, I will be strong; if I am stubborn, I will be flexible; if I am arrogant, I will be humble; if I am cruel, I will be kind.
I will succeed at all endeavors, and if I should slip up on one or two, it won’t be because I have not tried. I am intelligent and worthy of success. I am beautiful inside and out; I am creative; I am sensitive; I am healthy; I am cunning; I am energetic; I am a shaker and a mover; I am a good wife, mother, daughter…I am an exeptional wife; I am an exceptional mother; I am an exceptional daughter.
I shine.
I succeed.
I am.
When going through any type of life crisis, whether physical illness, mental challenges, or self-esteem issues, Green Tara can be invoked for deep meditation, allowing us to safely journey within ourselves to find and follow the paths lease tread within our psyche. She will open new doors of understanding, enabling us to grow from within and manifest our growth to the physical world around us.
Herbs: eyebright, marjoram, mint, slippery elm, anise
Animal: sow, raven, mare, owl
Color: green, yellow
Planet: Mercury
Day: Wednesday
Element: Air
Feminine Face: Maiden
Symbol: malachite, emerald, mirrors (for self-examination)
Venus/Water/East/West/South/Dawn/Female/Libra/Taurus
Magickal Intentions: Love, Romance, Marriage, Sexual Matters, Physical Beauty, Friendship and Partnerships, Strangers, Heart
Color: aqua, blue, light blue, brown, green, pale green, magenta, peach, pink, rose, white, all pastels
Number: 5, 6
Metal: copper
Charm: green or white garments, scepter
Stone: alexandrite, amethyst, coral, diamond, emerald, jade, jet, black moonstone, peridot, smoky quartz, tiger’s-eye, pink tourmaline
Animal: camel, dove, elephant, goat, horse, pigeon, sparrow
Plant: apple, birch, cherry, clematis, clove, coriander, heather, hemlock, hibiscus, ivy, lotus, moss, myrtle, oats, pepperwort, peppermint, pinecone, quince, raspberry, rose, pink rose, red rose, rose hips, saffron, sage, savin, stephanotis, strawberry, thyme, vanilla, verbena, violet, water lily, yarrow, and all flowers
Incense: ambergris, camphor, mace, musk, myrrh, rose, saffron, sage, sandalwood, sweetgrass, vanilla, violet, all floral scents
Goddess: Aphrodite, Asherah, Baalith, Brigid, Erzulie, Freya (Passionate Queen), Frigg, Gefion, Harbor (Beautiful One), Hestia, Inanna, Ishtar (Lady of Passion and Desire), Lakshmi, Lilith, Mokosh, Nehalennia, Nerthus, Ostara, Pombagira, Sarasvati, Shakti, Shekinah, Sirtur, Al Uzza, Venus (Queen of Pleasure), Vesta
God: Allah, Bacchus, Bes, Cupid, the Dagda, Dionysus, El, Eros (God of Love), Freyr, Frit Ailek, Shukra
Evocation: Agrat Bat Mahalat, Anael, Hagiel, Mokosba, Rasbid, Sachiel, Uriel, Velas
Courtesy of Moonlight Musings
Dreamer went for her blood tests yesterday afternoon. We are anxiously waiting for the results to come back sometime today. As soon as we know the results you will too. Because of donations not only we were able to get the blood tests we were able to get her 30 days worth of the medication that is helping to improve her quality of life. She is walking, getting up and down of of the bed and couch easier, playing a little bit again, and is once again enjoying going for a small walk twice a day! Thank you to everyone who made this possible!
Today I officially go back to my maiden name! I am keeping it after Big Dawg and I get married. The reason is I am an only child and wish to honor my father’s blood line. If I could I would add my mother’s maiden name to my father’s last name to honor the woman who raised me by myself from the age of 12-years-old and helped me raise my 5 children. If not for my mom my 3 younger children might have wound up in the foster care system because of my drinking and drugging in my 30’s and 40’s. I owe more to her than I can ever express and miss her still every single day. I miss my dad too but he crossed over when I was so young that unfortunately I can no longer see his face except in dreams and pictures. Thankfully I am a spirit talker so I can still hear my parents voices.
Hel (Old Norse Hel, “Hidden”[1]) is a giantess and/or goddess who rules over the identically-named Hel, the underworld where many of the dead dwell. Her name’s meaning of “Hidden” surely has to do with the underworld and the dead being “hidden” or buried beneath the ground.
According to the thirteenth-century Icelandic scholar Snorri Sturluson, Hel is the daughter of Loki and the giantess Angrboda (Old Norse Angrboða, “Anguish-boding”), and therefore the sister of the wolf Fenrir and the world serpent, Jormungand.[2] This makes her part of a highly dangerous and disreputable family.
Hel is generally presented as being rather greedy, harsh, and cruel, or at least indifferent to the concerns of both the living and the dead. However, her personality is little-developed in what survives of Old Norse literature. She’s mostly mentioned only in passing. Snorri describes her appearance as being half-black, half-white, and with a perpetually grim and fierce expression on her face.[3]
The only surviving myth in which she features prominently is that of The Death of Baldur. The beloved god Baldur was slain by none other than Hel’s father, Loki, and the gods sent an emissary named Hermod to Hel in hopes of retrieving Baldur. Hermod pleaded with Hel, telling her how every living thing was in sorrow over the loss of Baldur. But Hel wouldn’t give up her prize so easily. She told Hermod – in a taunting way, we can imagine – that she would only consent to release Baldur if every last thing in the universe wept for him. Hermod and the other gods went around and got almost everything in the cosmos to weep for Baldur. Only one giantess, who was probably Loki in disguise, refused. But because of that one refusal, the terms of Hel’s offer weren’t met, and Hel kept Baldur in her cold clutches.
Because of how sparsely-defined her character is, many scholars view Hel as more of a late literary personification of the grave than a goddess who was actually worshiped or appeased in her own right.[4] Due to the lack of conclusive evidence either way, this must remain an open question.
Looking for more great information on Norse mythology and religion? While this site provides the ultimate online introduction to the topic, my book The Viking Spirit provides the ultimate introduction to Norse mythology and religion period. I’ve also written a popular list of The 10 Best Norse Mythology Books, which you’ll probably find helpful in your pursuit.
References:
[1] Orel, Vladimir. 2003. A Handbook of Germanic Etymology. p. 156, 168.
[2] Snorri Sturluson. The Prose Edda. Gylfaginning, chapter 34.
[3] Ibid.
[4] See, for example:
Ellis, Hilda Roderick. 1968. The Road to Hel: A Study of the Conception of the Dead in Old Norse Literature. p. 84.
And:
Simek, Rudolf. 1993. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. Translated by Angela Hall. p. 138.
Loki is known as the trickster god and deity of mayhem and mischief in Norse mythology. He is one of the most well-known gods of Norse mythology. He is at least half-giant; however, some think he is full-giant but sneaked his way to becoming a god.
Loki’s father was Fárbauti and his mother was Laufey. It is unknown whether his mother was a lesser known goddess or a giant, and his father definitely was a giant.
This duplicity may have attributed to Loki’s split feelings about the gods of Asgard. Sometimes he is helpful to them, but other times he insults them, causes trouble, and during Ragnarok leads the giants into battle against Asgard.
Loki has been associated with mistletoe, two intertwined snakes, and also a helmet with two horns.
Loki had the power to shape-shift in Norse legends. In various stories, he turned into a salmon, mare, seal, fly, and elderly woman. He also used a combination of masterful trickery and cunning to achieve his objectives.
The first time Loki helped the gods was when they were building Asgard. The gods had run out of funds and all they had built was a wall. Loki came up with the idea that a giant should finish the job for them. The gods agreed, as did the giant. But, the giant asked for the Sun, the Moon, and the goddess Freya as payment if he completed the job on time. The gods weren’t sure, but Loki assured them that the giant would never finish on time. The giant had a huge stallion called Svadilfari to help him, and the gods got nervous. Loki changed shape into a mare and seduced the giant’s horse. As a result of Loki’s trickery, the giant wasn’t able to finish on schedule and tried to kidnap Freya. Before the giant could, Thor cracked his skull with a hammer. However, Loki, as the female horse, got pregnant and gave birth to an eight-legged stallion named Sleipnir, which he gave to Odin.
Another time he helps the gods of Asgard is when Thor lost his hammer, Mjolnir. Thor asks Loki for help and they work together to find where the hammer is located. Thrymr, the giant, had stolen the weapon and taken it to the home of the giants. He would only return it if Freya would agree to marry him. Loki came up with a plan that included his and Thor’s cross-dressing to get the hammer back. It succeeded, and Thrymr was punished.
During a great feast in Asgard, Loki wasn’t invited and was upset. He asked the guard what the gods were talking about, and the guard told him they were talking about war, weapons, and saying negative things about Loki. Loki burst in, and the gods became silent. Loki then asks for a seat, and Odin finally agrees to let him sit. Loki gives a toast to all the gods except for Bragi, whom he insults instead. They start arguing and other gods and goddesses get involved.
Loki begins to insult them all, including Odin, and when Frigg, Odin’s wife, tries to stop Loki, he ends up insulting her as well. She tells Loki that if her son Baldur were still alive, Loki wouldn’t be able to escape the wrath of the gods. Loki then reminds her that he is responsible for Baldur’s death. The insults continue when Freya calls Loki mad – he retorts that she is a whore. Heimdall tells Loki he’s drunk and to stop, but Loki insults Heimdall. Skadi tells Loki to watch it or he’ll be bound up, and Loki insults her. Sif, the wife of Thor, gives him mead in a golden goblet saying she is blameless and he can’t insult her. Loki claims she is his lover. Thor finally arrives, threatens Loki to silence with Mjolmir, and Loki finally leaves after insulting Thor. He disguises himself as a salmon, but the gods find him and finally bind him until Ragnarok.
Some of the tomorrow posts for the northern hemisphere/today’s posts for the southern hemisphere will be late getting up. We have to take Dreamer to the vets and with doing multiple posts already today I am typing and moving slower but they will be up before I go to sleep.
I way over did it yesterday so not only is my fibromyalgia and arthritis yelling at so are muscles in my body I forgot I had. 😅. I clean a friend’s house and do his laundry which I did yesterday morning. Got home ate delicious ribs and rice that Big Dawg cooked so I could have an afternoon to relax. Did I relax like I should of? Ummmm…nope! Instead, I decided to my deep spring cleaning in the living room. When I was almost done with everything and already feeling it our lightweight vacuum cleaner decided to bite me as I was using the hose and pulled it to far to get under our beautiful china cabinet, whose is spending its time right now as my witchy bookcase. It hit me in the head, right shoulder and my right forearm leaving behind a cut along with some bruising. This type of thing is not new for me, my sister Silver Sage keeps threatening to buy me a bubble suit 🤣. Which goes along with a t-shirt I have that says, “I’m not clumsy. It’s just the floor hates me, The tables and chairs are bullies. And the walls get in the way.” Anyone else have this unfortunate side effect to do things to fast or when you are pushing yourself past common sense limits?
So, the thought I have for you today is a simple one…
Watch out your house and objects in it can revolt at anytime to take you down! ROFLMAO
May 2023 is a time to review the progress we have achieved during the year so far. We can make course corrections to achieve our ambitions during the year’s remaining months. May 2023 Horoscope will give an idea of the events likely to occur during the month for all the zodiacs from Aris to Pisces with he monthly horoscopes.
We intend to forewarn the dangers, if any, and give the positive things that may help you enjoy the month of May.
May’s full Moon reaches its peak on May 5, 2023! Here’s everything you should know about this month’s full Moon, including how it came to be called the “Flower Moon.”
May’s full Flower Moon reaches peak illumination at 1:36 P.M. (EDT) on Friday, May 5. It will be below the horizon at this time, so plan to venture outdoors on the nights of the 4th and the 5th to get the best view of the bright full Flower Moon! Find a location with unobstructed views of the horizon, if possible. See what time the moon will be visible in your area with our Moonrise and Moonset Calculator.
The full moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not solely to the full Moon.
May’s Flower Moon name should be no surprise; flowers spring forth across North America in abundance this month!
“Flower Moon” has been attributed to Algonquin peoples, as confirmed by Christina Ruddy of The Algonquin Way Cultural Centre in Pikwakanagan, Ontario.
May’s Moon was also referred to as the “Month of Flowers” by Jonathan Carver in his 1798 publication, Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America: 1766, 1767, 1768 (pp. 250-252), as a likely Dakota name. Carver stayed with the Naudowessie (Dakota) over a period of time; his expedition covered the Great Lakes region, including Wisconsin and Minnesota areas.
Henry David Thoreau sparked the Native American Moon names as well, referencing the Flower Moon and Carver when he wrote about Native Americans.
May’s Moon names tend to speak to the arrival of spring and all that it entails!
The Cree names Budding Moon and Leaf Budding Moon celebrate the awakening of local flora, which really begin to leaf out now in many areas. Similarly, Planting Moon (Dakota, Lakota) marks the time when seeds should be started for the farming season ahead.
The activities of animals marked spring’s arrival, too, which is highlighted by the Cree names Egg Laying Moon and Frog Moon, as well as the Oglala term Moon of the Shedding Ponies. All three names indicate that warmer weather is on the way!
All dates and times are EDT. See our Moon Phase Calendar for times in your location.
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Full Moon: May 5, 1:36 P.M. EDT |
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Last Quarter: May 12, 10:29 A.M. EDT |
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New Moon: May 19, 11:55 A.M. EDT |
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First Quarter: May 27, 11:23 A.M. EDT |
The Stigma Of A Word: Witch
Author: Arachne Priestess
How many of us, amongst our vast and diverse Pagan community, wear pentagrams (religious talismans, totem fetishes, or other religious symbols) around the neck openly? How many of us wish we could, but don’t due to fear of retaliation, religious persecution, family concerns, or worse? And how many of us have born the stigma that comes from that freedom of choice, suffering at the hands of the closed minded, the bigots, the religious zealots who hold that one truth above all else, ‘thou shalt not suffer a witch to live’?
How many have lost jobs, born verbal and physical abuse, or lost loved ones because of who they are or what they are, a Witch? And what is the result upon the hearts and spirits of those who have suffered so?
So many questions, most with answers we’d probably rather not hear, and yet, it is a critical part of walking this path that must be faced head on. And when we meet this challenge, we are left with one stark question in our minds: Why?
Why was she abused? Why did his family turn away from him? Why did he lose his job? Why did she lose her kids? Why was he called a devil worshiper? Why? Why? Why………and the list goes on. Why must we suffer so for what we have become?
It took something powerful and dramatic to bring most of us to whatever form of Paganism we’ve chosen, because it is not a choice we would choose in adulthood just to spite our father’s religion, our families and/or our societies. Human beings, by their very nature, are social creatures that tend to conform to the strictures set forth by its leaders. So it must have taken something drastic, and possibly something extremely painful, to make each of us push away from society and adopt not only a new religion, but on the whole, a new way of life.
Then, upon that transition, we discover that we are pariah in the eyes of the very society that once embraced us because of a single word and the stigma attached to it. Through all of this culture shock we endure, we preserve, and we prevail. But sadly, at a very dear cost to ourselves and those around us. It is a price that is inflicted not only on those around us, but also upon our hearts and spirits.
We are isolated, offering up to the world a façade, while we secret our true selves away to only be shown when the curtains are drawn tight and the lights are dimmed. Our children are censored in what they may speak of at school, out of fear of bullying and retaliation. We are censored at work, often amongst family and friends, and even sometimes by our spouses.
And we see those brave souls who choose to openly defy the norm by exercising their religious freedoms, by wearing pentagrams in the open, dressing in full regalia, being activists for Paganism, religious freedom, and tolerance, and those who embrace this way of life wholeheartedly without fear of reprisal, and who could not help but feel a little jealous in our confines? I would be less than honest if I didn’t include myself in this group. But even those symbols of occasional envy suffer at the hands of hatred and intolerance.
And we are left with the stark realization that no one is immune and we journey back to the beginning of our path and the singular question of why. Why, because of a single word ~Witch~, are we branded and forced to bear a scarlet letter?
Why, indeed, and what will grow out of this treatment to be instilled within our hearts for a lifetime? These are questions that not many wish to think about, much less speak of. But again, it is an essential, if not critical, part of our paths that must be faced head on.
How many amongst us feel resentment toward their former religions, their ex-friends and lovers, and their families, despite our universal decrees of tolerance? How many of us cannot see beyond that bitterness to let grow the innate potential that resides within us all? It is a bitterness that is seeded and takes root within the heart. It grows exponentially until it pervades our entire existence, forcing us to view the world through a veil of our own bigotry. It not only turns us away from all of those who are of a different faith, but it turns Pagan against Pagan.
It is an illness, not suffered just by Christians alone, but by all groups, Pagans included. And while its true that we have our reasons for being bitter and resentful, it is also imperative to find the strength to move beyond it.
For to replace one form of hate with another, despite the reasons, is still replacing one form of evil with another. The only thing that can grow out of ignorance and intolerance is more ignorance and more intolerance.
And yet, here we stand as Witches, proud and true, despite this stigma, despite the loneliness, despite the atrocious intolerance of others and despite our own innate bitterness. We are who and what we are, not in spite of our troubles, but because of them, because we have found the strength to not only preserve, but to grow within our own spirituality.
And no matter how isolated we may feel, we are never truly alone. We have the Goddess, in all of her many beloved aspects, and we have each other. Let us be the solace and the salve of a wounded world, and not the bitter rage of resentment toward those who would wound her children.
It is a lesson that must be learned over a lifetime, to let go and forgive. It is a lesson of healing, not only for us, but for those around us, as well. One lifetime of forgiveness and healing begets another, and to our children we leave sound lessons well learned.
And then they, too, will become the solace and the salve of a wounded and ravaged world, as the children of a Goddess who not only welcomes, but also embraces, all of those who are different and unique.
Witches Of The Craft® 
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