Category: Witchcraft

What is a Witch’s Bottle?

What is a Witch’s Bottle?

Witch bottles are counter magical devices used as protection against witchcraft and conjure. They are described in historical sources in England and the United States. The first mention of a witch bottle appears in the 17th century.

Origins and purpose

One of the earliest descriptions of a witch bottle in Suffolk, England, appears in 1681 in Joseph Glanvill’s Saducismus Triumphatus, or Evidence concerning Witches and Apparitions:

For an old Man that Traveled up and down the Country, and had some acquaintance at that house, calling in and asking the Man of the house how he did and his Wife; He told him that himself was well, but his Wife had been a long time in a languishing condition, and that she was haunted with a thing in the shape of a Bird that would flurr [sic] near to her face, and that she could not enjoy her natural rest well. The Old Man bid him and his Wife be of good courage. It was but a dead Spright, he said, and he would put him in a course to rid his Wife of this languishment and trouble, He therefore advised him to take a Bottle, and put his Wives Urine into it, together with Pins and Needles and Nails, and Cork them up and set the Bottle to the Fire well corkt, which when it had felt a while the heat of the Fire began to move and joggle a little, but he for sureness took the Fire shovel, and held it hard upon the Cork, And as he thought, he felt something one while on this side, another while on that, shove the Fire shovel off, which he still quickly put on Again, but at last at one shoving the Cork bounced out, and the Urine, Pins, Nails and Needles all flew up, and gave a report like a Pistol, and his Wife continued in the same trouble and languishment still.

Not long after, the Old Man came to the house again, and inquired of the Man of the house how his Wife did. Who answered, as ill as ever, if not worse. He askt him if he had followed his direction. Yes, says he, and told him the event as is above said. Ha, quoth he, it seems it was too nimble for you. But now I will put you in a way that will make the business sure. Take your Wive’s Urine as before, and Cork, it in a Bottle with Nails, Pins and Needles, and bury it in the Earth; and that will do the feat. The Man did accordingly. And his Wife began to mend sensibly and in a competent time was finely well recovered; But there came a Woman from a Town some miles off to their house, with a lamentable Out-cry, that they had killed her Husband. They askt her what she meant and thought her distracted, telling her they knew neither her nor her Husband. Yes, saith she, you have killed my Husband, he told me so on his Death-bed. But at last they understood by her, that her Husband was a Wizard, and had bewitched this Mans Wife and that this Counter-practice prescribed by the Old Man, which saved the Mans Wife from languishment, was the death of that Wizard that had bewitched her.

Since at least the early modern period it has been a common custom to hide objects such as written charms, dried cats, horse skulls, concealed shoes, and witch bottles in the structure of a building. Folk magic contends that witch bottles protect against evil spirits and magical attack, and counteract spells cast by witches; they are countermagical devices, the purpose of which is to draw in and trap harmful intentions directed at their owners.

Description

Some of the earliest documented witch bottles consist of salt glazed stoneware jugs known as Bartmann jugs, Bellarmines, or “Greybeards.” Bellarmines were named after a particularly fearsome Catholic Inquisitor, Robert Bellarmine, who persecuted Protestants and was instrumental in the burning of Giordano Bruno. Greybeards and Bellarmines were made of brown or gray stoneware glazed with salt and embossed with a bearded face.

Later witch bottles were made from glass bottles, small glass vials, and a variety of other containers.

Preparation

A witch or folk healer would prepare the witch’s bottle. Historically, the witch’s bottle contained the victim’s (the person who believed they had a spell put on them, for example) urine, hair or nail clippings, or red thread from sprite traps. Later witch bottles were filled with rosemary, needles and pins, and red wine. Historically and currently, the bottle is then buried at the farthest corner of the property, beneath the house hearth, or placed in an inconspicuous spot in the house. It is believed that after being buried, the bottle captures evil which is impaled on the pins and needles, drowned by the wine, and sent away by the rosemary.

Sometimes sea water or earth are used instead. Other types of witch bottles may contain sand, stones, knotted threads, feathers, shells, herbs, flowers, salt, vinegar, oil, coins, or ashes. A similar magical device is the “lemon and pins” charm.

Another variation is within the disposal of the bottle. Some witch’s bottles were thrown into a fire and when they exploded, the spell was broken or the witch supposedly killed.

The witch bottle was believed to be active as long as the bottle remained hidden and unbroken. People did go through a lot of trouble in hiding their witch bottles – those buried underneath fireplaces have been found only after the rest of the building has been torn down or otherwise disappeared. The origins of this tradition have been dated at least to the 16th century. In ancient times the bottles were made of stone and originally contained rusty nails, urine, thorns, hair, menstrual blood, and pieces of glass, wood, and bone.

Witch bottles in England

This form of “bottled spell” dates back hundreds of years, and were prevalent in Elizabethan England – especially Anglia, where superstitions and belief in witches were strong. The bottles were most often found buried under the fireplace, under the floor, and plastered inside walls.

Witch bottles in North America

To date, eight possible witch bottles have been identified in the United States. Archaeologist Marshall Becker was the first to identify an American witch bottle in an archaeological context. Known as the Essington witch bottle, the artifact was recovered during excavations on Great Tinicum Island in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

 

Source:
Wikipedia

WOTC Footnote – Why Doing Black Magick Isn’t Such A Good Idea

goth fantasy woman
Why Doing Black Magick Isn’t Such A Good Idea

 

Maybe you’re wondering, why not use magick to put someone who’s wronged you in his place? It’s tempting, for sure. Except remember that in the world of magick, whatever you do returns to you like a boomerang. Indeed, many magicians say it comes back magnified threefold. That’s a good reason for keeping your thoughts focused on positive stuff. It’s also why usually the best way to get what you want— especially on days when everything seems to be going wrong— is to bless instead of curse.

 

The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells

Skye Alexander

 

Let’s Talk Witch – Magick Isn’t Just Black and White

Woman

Magick Isn’t Just Black and White

 

Magick is ethically neutral, just like electricity is neutral. Both magick and electricity can be used to help or to harm. Magick is simply the intentional use of energy. Casting a magick spell is simply a means to an end. A witch uses willpower to direct energy toward a particular goal. Her intention is what colors the magick white, black, or gray.

You’ve probably heard people describe themselves as white witches, meaning they uphold the “do no harm” rule. The truth, though, is that most magick isn’t black or white, it’s gray— including the magick most self-proclaimed white witches perform. That doesn’t mean it’s bad or harmful, however. In fact, the spells of most witches and magicians fall into the gray area.

White, Black, or Gray?

Not every witch will agree with the following definitions of white, black, and gray magick. However, these guidelines can help you sort out the differences:

White magick’s purpose is to further spiritual growth, by strengthening your connection with the divine realm and/ or gaining wisdom from a higher source.

Black magick intends to harm or manipulate another person, or to interfere with his/ her free will.

Every other kind of magick is a shade of gray.

This means that if you do a spell to get a better job or to attract a lover you’re operating in the gray zone. Nothing wrong with that. It’s easy, though, to stray from the path and inadvertently cast a questionable spell— especially when you’re having a bad day or dealing with difficult people. Let’s say a coworker is a real pain in the neck and you do a spell to get even with her for a dirty deed. Your revenge may seem justifiable, but it’s still black magick.

Here’s another little-known fact: Most black magick isn’t performed by evil sorcerers or wicked wizards, it’s done by ordinary people who don’t even realize what they’re up to. Have you ever cursed some jerk for stealing your parking space or cutting in front of you in a long supermarket line? That’s black magick, too.

 

The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells

Skye Alexander

Poppets 101 – Introduction to Poppet Magic

Poppets 101 – Introduction to Poppet Magic

The poppet is simply a doll. Although TV shows and movies typically show poppets as the stereotypical “voodoo doll,” poppets have been around for a long time. There are a number of different ways to create a poppet. This is one of the most commonly used implements in sympathetic magic, which follows along on the theory that “like creates like”. They can be used to harm or to heal, so if you create a poppet of a person, anything done to the poppet will affect the person it represents.

Bear in mind that some magical traditions discourage the use of poppets. If you’re not sure whether or not it’s okay for you to use poppet magic, you may want to check with someone in your tradition.

A poppet is usually made from cloth or fabric, but you can also make one from clay, wax, wood, or just about any other material. You can fill your poppet with herbs, stones, bits of wood, paper, or anything else that suits your needs. In addition to magical items, it’s a good idea to include some cotton or poly fill as stuffing material. Once the poppet is created, you’ll need to connect it to the person it represents.

Here’s how you can make a poppet of your own: Create Your Poppet. You can have a lot of fun with them, and all you need are a few pieces of scrap fabric and a few craft supplies.

 

Create Your Poppet

 

Planning Your Poppetry

A poppet can be as simple or as elaborate as you like — it all depends on how much time and effort you want to put into it. You can construct one out of just about any material — cloth, clay, wood, wax. Use your imagination! In some magical traditions, it’s believed that the more work you put into it, and the more complex it is, the stronger your link will be to your goal. Because a poppet is a device for sympathetic magic, all of its components will be symbols of what it is you hope to achieve.

You can do your poppet-making as part of the working itself, or it can be made ahead of time so you can use the poppet later on. Which method you choose is really up to you.

Remember, your poppet represents a person, so figure out before you begin who it symbolizes. Is it you? A friend who’s asked you for help? An un-named lover you want to bring into your life? A gossip you want to shut up? The possibilities are endless, but just like in any spell working, you’ll need to set a goal before you begin. It keeps you from having to deal with “do-overs” later. These instructions are for a basic poppet construction, using fabric. Feel free to modify your design as you need to.

Selecting Your Fabric

There are no real rules when it comes to choosing your material, but it’s not a bad idea to select fabric based on your goal. If you’re doing a money spell, use a piece of green or gold cloth. If you’re looking at healing, perhaps something in a soft blue or silver would be best. Check out fabric stores around the holidays, and you can find all kinds of neat patterns.

Valentine’s Day designs are perfect for matters of the heart, and there are plenty of prints with dollar signs, coins, stars and moons, and other fun designs.

Another option is to use fabric that links the poppet to the person it represents. Doing a healing spell for a friend? Ask the person for an old t-shirt. If you’re trying to draw love into your life, consider using a scrap from that sexy lingerie you wore last night. If you just can’t find the right material, use a plain muslin or white felt. Here are a few ideas for designs and colors for poppet magic.

  • Animals: Brown or green fabrics, patterns with cats or dogs, anything pet-related
  • Banishing: Black fabric, designs such as swords or wands, dragons or fire
  • Creativity: Orange or yellow fabric, prints of suns or other fire symbols
  • Healing: Silver, white or blue, with designs of clouds or other air symbols
  • Love: Pink or red material, designs like hearts, roses or other flowers, Cupids
  • Money: Silver, gold or green fabric, or designs of dollar bills or coins, cups or earthy symbols
  • Protection: Red or white material, with patterns of shields, keys or locks, fences, mistletoe

When it comes to types of fabric, use what’s easiest for you to work with. Cotton prints are easy to sew, but if you’ve never used a needle and thread before, you might want to try something stiffer like felt — it comes in every color you can imagine, and will hold its shape as you sew. If you’re an experienced sewer, use anything you like.

Cutting and Sewing Your Poppet

A poppet represents a person, so ideally it should look (sort of) like a person. Give it a head, two arms, two legs, a torso. You can make your own outline or you can use the ultimate poppet pattern — a gingerbread man. If you’re doing a spell for an animal — such as a healing spell for a sick pet — make the poppet shape accordingly. Your poppet doesn’t have to be huge, but it should be big enough that you can stuff it with your ingredients later.

Take two pieces of your fabric, and place them right side together on a flat surface. Place the pattern on top, pin it in place, and cut it out. Leave a little room around the edges for a seam allowance — usually a 3/8″ margin is good. Remove the pattern, and there are your two poppet shapes. Time to start sewing!

If you’ve never sewn anything by hand before, don’t panic. It’s not hard, but it does require some patience. You could always use a sewing machine if you’re pressed for time, but most experienced poppet-makers agree that it’s worth the effort to do it by hand. Pin the two pieces of material with the right sides together, and stitch around the edges. Leave an opening somewhere, wide enough to stick a couple of fingers in. Turn the poppet inside out, and begin stuffing.

Personalize Your Poppet

Fill your poppet with something soft, like polyfill or cotton balls. Old pantyhose work nicely too. Work the stuffing all the way into the nooks and crannies of the arms and legs, and then fill the torso and head.

This is where you’ll place your spell components — herbs, stones, whatever. In some magical traditions, something from the person represented goes inside the poppet. This is alternately referred to as a taglock or a magical link — it can be bits of hair, nail clippings, body fluids, a business card, or even a photograph. Once everything is inside, sew the poppet completely shut.

The more you can customize your poppet, the better. Even if you’ve placed a magical link, or taglock, inside, you’ll want to decorate the outside too. Draw or paint or sew a face onto your doll. Add yard or string for hair. Dress your poppet in something that looks like the person’s clothing. Copy any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing features onto the poppet as well. Add magical or astrological symbols if you like. While you’re doing this, tell the poppet who it represents. You can say something along the lines of, “I have made you, and you are Jane Jones.”

Your poppet can be used for any number of things — love, money, protection, healing, to get a job. Anything you can imagine, you can make a poppet to bring it about. Simply figure out your goal and the means to achieve it. The only limits on poppet construction are your own creativity and imagination.

Source:

Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article located on & owned by About.com

Poppet History – Global Poppet Magic

Poppet History – Global Poppet Magic

 

Ramses and the Poppets:

When most people think of a poppet, they automatically think of the Voodoo doll, thanks to this item’s negative portrayal in movies and on television. However, the use of dolls in sympathetic magic goes back several millennia. Back in the days of ancient Egypt, the enemies of Ramses III (who were numerous, and included some of his harem women and at least one high-ranking official) used wax images of the Pharaoh, to bring about his death.

 

Greek Kolossi:

It wasn’t uncommon for the Greeks to use sympathetic magic in workings related to love or war. Christopher Faraone, Professor of Classical Languages and Literatures at the University of Chicago, is one of the foremost authorities on Greek magic today, and says that Greek poppets called Kolossoi were sometimes used to restrain a ghost or even a dangerous deity, or to bind two lovers together. In Idyll 2, The Witch (Pharmakeutria), written about 200 b.c.e., the tragedian Theocritus refers to melting and burning wax dolls. He relates the tale of Simaetha, rejected by Delphis, attempts to get her lover back with magic.

The Princess Who Played with Dolls:

Wax dolls certainly weren’t limited to the ancient classical world. The one-time Princess of Wales, Caroline of Brunswick, was married to the man who later became King George IV, and evidently couldn’t stand him. She spent many hours forming wax dolls of her husband and jabbing them with pins. Although there’s no concrete evidence as to what this may have done to George, when Caroline ran off to Italy with her young lover, George didn’t object.

The royal couple remained married but lived separately until Caroline’s death in 1821, according to Witchcraft and Evidence in Early Modern England by Malcolm Gaskill.

West African Fetish Magic:

West African slaves brought with them a doll called a fetish when they were forced to leave their homes and come to the American colonies. In this case, the doll is not so much representative of an individual, but is in fact possessed by spirits connected to the doll’s owner. A fetish contains significant power and is typically worn or carried by its owner as a talisman. During America’s Colonial period, slave owners were allowed to kill any slave found with a fetish in his possession.

American Hoodoo and Folk Magic:

In American Hoodoo and folk magic, the use of poppets as a magical tool became popular following the Civil War. There is some dispute as to whether the dolls are used at all in Haiti, which is the home of Vodoun religion, and a few sources disagree on whether the use of poppets is truly a Vodoun practice or not. However, the Voodoo Museum of New Orleans does stock a variety of dolls in their gift shop.

Regardless of how you make your poppet — out of cloth, a chunk of meat, or a glob of wax, remember that poppets have a long tradition behind them, and that tradition is influences by the magical practices of a wide range of cultures. Treat your poppets well, and they will do the same for you.

 

Source:

  Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article located on & owned by About.com

Sympathetic Magic

Sympathetic Magic

Definition:

In many traditions of magic, both older and modern, the concept of sympathetic magic plays a crucial role. The idea behind sympathetic magic is, at its core, that a person can be effected magically by actions performed towards something that represents them.

A perfect example of this is the use of the poppet or doll in magical workings. The poppet has been around for a long time – there is documentation that the ancient Greeks and Egyptians used them – long before pop culture discovered “Voodoo dolls.” A doll is used to represent a person, and the magical acts performed on the doll are then reflected on the person himself.

Sir George James Frazer, who wrote The Golden Bough, summarized the concept of sympathetic magic as “like produces like.”

Frazer broke down the idea further into two distinct parts – the Law of Similarity and the Law of Contact/Contagion. He said, “From the first of these principles, namely the Law of Similarity, the magician infers that he can produce any effect he desires merely by imitating it: from the second he infers that whatever he does to a material object will affect equally the person with whom the object was once in contact, whether it formed part of his body or not.”

To carry the idea of sympathetic magic a step further, in many modern magical traditions we use correspondences, or connections between non-magical items and magical concepts.

It’s why sage is associated with wisdom, or rose quartz with love, or the color red with passion.

There are some theories that prehistoric cave art may represent the earliest documented examples of sympathetic magic. If, for instance, a tribe’s shaman wanted to ensure a successful hunt, he might paint images of the hunting group killing an animal that could later be consumed by the whole tribe.

 

Source:

Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article located on & owned by About.com

Italian Hereditary Witchcraft: Stregheria c.2015

 

 Italian Hereditary Witchcraft: Stregheria

What is Stregheria?

Stregheria is a branch of modern Paganism that celebrates early Italian witchcraft. Its adherents say that their tradition has pre-Christian roots, and refer to it as La Vecchia Religione, the Old Religion. There are a number of different traditions of Stregheria, each with its own history and set of guidelines. Stregheria appears to be based upon the writings of Charles Leland, who published Aradia: Gospel of the Witches in the late 1800s.

Although there’s some question about the validity of Leland’s scholarship, Aradia continues to be the basis of most Stregheria traditions. The work purports to be a scripture of an ancient pre-Christian witch cult.

As with many other Neopagan religions, Stregheria honors both male and female deities, typically personified as the moon goddess and the horned god. Author Raven Grimassi, in his book Ways of the Strega says Stregheria is a blend of ancient Etruscan religion blended with Italian folk magic and early rural Catholicism.

Grimassi says of his tradition of Stregheria, “The Arician Tradition strives to maintain the ancient mystery teachings while at the same time working to adapt to modern times. Therefore we do embrace new material and teachings, but we do not discard older material.”

Interestingly, there are some practitioners of Italian witchcraft who have tried to distance their version of Stregheria from Grimassi’s and the other Neopagan forms of the religion. Some, in fact, have complained that it’s become “too blended” with Wicca and other non-Italian traditions.

Maria Fontaine, a third-generation Stregha from Pittsburgh, says, “A lot of what’s traditionally sold as Stregheria by Neopagan authors is an offshoot of Wicca with Italian names and customs mixed in. Although there are some similarities, it’s very different from traditional Italian folk magic. It’s like the difference between eating real Italian food in a village in Tuscany, and going to your local Olive Garden restaurant for dinner. There’s nothing wrong with either, they’re just very different.”

Source: Patti Wigington,Paganism/Wicca Expert Article found on & owned by About.com

WOTC Extra – Thinking Makes It So

RETOUR DE CHASSE Thinking Makes It So

In the movie What Dreams May Come, the character played by Robin Williams dies and then wakes up in the afterlife. The place looks, smells, tastes, and feels more or less like the so-called real world. But he quickly learns that in this place, whatever he thinks or desires manifests instantly. All of it is a construct of consciousness.

Magick works in the same way. What you think is what you get. The manifestation may not be immediate— although it can be. If your belief and your intent are strong enough, if you bring passion to your spell, and if you can focus your energy clearly toward a specific goal, then you have a good chance of achieving what you want.

Knowing exactly what you want to accomplish and stating your intention with absolute clarity is essential whenever you perform a spell. Otherwise, your spell could backfire. The fact is, you’re doing magick all the time, whether or not you realize it. As noted later, the Law of Attraction states that your thoughts, emotions, and actions affect the energetic patterns around you, and the most significant “tools” in magick are your thoughts and feelings. That’s why it’s important to use your magickal power with clear intent, so you can produce the results you truly desire.

Underlying all magick is a simple principle of physics: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Remember that old computer axiom, garbage in, garbage out? Magick is like that, too: If you put bad thoughts and feelings in, you’ll get bad stuff back and vice versa. So be care what you ask for!

The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells
Skye Alexander

Let’s Talk Witch – Ten Good Things Magick Can do for You

Egyptian beautyLet’s Talk Witch – Ten Good Things Magick Can do for You

 
Before we ever get into the how, let’s consider why learning to do magick is worth your time and effort. Here are ten ways magick can help to make your life better. It can:
 
Improve your love life
Attract prosperity
Keep you and your loved ones safe from harm
Enhance your health
Protect your home and personal property
Open up new career opportunities
Give you more control over your life
Improve interactions with family, friends, and coworkers
Ward off problems and enemies
Strengthen your intuition and psychic skills
 
People who don’t understand magick have made it seem weird or evil, and Hollywood sensationalizes it to the point of absurdity. Actually, there’s nothing scary, strange, or silly about magick— it’s a natural ability you were born with, a talent you can develop just like musical or mathematical talent. All it takes is desire, a little training and practice.

The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells
Skye Alexander

COLOR MAGIC

Wiccan Priestess COLOR MAGIC

We all use and make decisions about color in our daily lives— what colors we wear, which paints we use, the cars we drive, the food we eat, even the shampoos we buy. A whole host of decisions we make every day are at least partly decided by color. Most people have a favorite color. Mine is purple, and most of my home is decorated in shades of this color. Even my cloak is a beautiful shade of heather. It is a color that I am comfortable with. You will have your own favorite shade that features prominently in your life— and hopefully you have an understanding partner if your favorite color is acid green or Barbie pink!

The use of color can really enhance your magic and spell work, because each color lends its own energy and its associations to your spells and rituals. There are many ways to include color magic in your work— from candle magic to knot magic, from spell bags to plant magic. In fact, all of your magic will be greatly enhanced by your own knowledge of which colors work in which ways. I believe that there is no right or wrong color chart; what works for one will not necessarily work for all. If a certain color means a certain thing to you, who’s to say that you’re wrong and some impersonal chart is right? For example, when you think of the Goddess, do you see her as white? Silver? Gold? Blue? Who’s to tell you which is the right color?

The right color is the one with which you feel confident and comfortable working. And the right colors are the ones you can remember. If you want to create a spell spontaneously, you don’t want to have to go looking for a color-correspondence chart to find out which color works in a certain way. You have to trust what’s in your heart and work in a way that is true to you. I suggest you create your own color chart in your Book of Shadows. Spend some time thinking about what each color evokes for you and write it down. If you need some guidelines, below is the basic list I use in my own magic. Maybe it will give you a starting point or help you add to your own list. If you already work with color, try exploring some of the more intricate shades of each color to expand your catalog.

White: protection and purity; use in all magic as a universal color

Black: to absorb negativity and spirit contact; for banishing spells

Yellow: confidence and growth; for harmony spells Red: strength and passion; for power spells

Blue: health and patience; for awareness spells

Purple: peace and meditation; for blessing spells Pink: relaxation and friendship; for love spells

Green: nature and Fae magic; for wealth spells

Brown: earth and animals; for grounding spells

Orange: luck and vitality; for strength spells

Silver: the Goddess and the moon; for balance spells

Gold: the God and the sun; for power spells

Every color, of course, has varying shades— from pastel to deep or bright. Make your list as simple or as complicated as you like. A good way to build your own list is to have someone read off colors to you and you say the first thing that comes into your head that you associate with each color. That way, you will know that you are working with what’s true to your heart and with something that you will remember.
 

Hedgewitch Book of Days: Spells, Rituals, and Recipes for the Magical Year
Mandy Mitchell

WOTC Extra – Your Personal Code

Nature Comments & GraphicsYour Personal Code

Every magickal tradition, from the Druids to Wicca to Santeria, has its own code–principles that guide the practitioner, boundaries that she won’t cross, a core set of beliefs that permeate everything she does. These core beliefs define an individual’s magickal practice. In Wicca, for instance, the primary principle is to harm nothing and no one.

But people also develop their own personal codes. Have you defined yours? As previously noted, cultural differences play a part in sculpting a particular individual’s beliefs. In the end, however, each of us must refine our own codes as we evolve from children to adults. What’s right for one person might not be okay for another. At the heart of any belief system lies a code by which you live your life, and it may not have any connection to what other people consider good and bad.

Following your own truth will become ever more important as you develop your magickal ability and grow more adept at using your powers. Each witch relies on her inner voice (or conscience, if you will) in determining how she wields magick. There is no cut-and-dried answer to whether anyone is a good or a bad witch.

As a beginner to the wonderful world of witchcraft, you will learn something new every day and experience new sensations and feelings as you explore your newfound path. Some may surprise you, some will challenge you, and lots will fascinate and excite you. One thing you can be sure of now that you’ve started down this road: You’ll never be quite the same again.

The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells
Skye Alexander

Let’s Talk Witch – Witchcraft and Ethics

Nature Comments & GraphicsWitchcraft and Ethics

 

Just like everyone else, witches confront issues that require them to make ethical choices. For instance, should magick be used as a weapon, even if it’s only to fight back? Should you use magick to get what you want, even if that means you put someone else at a disadvantage? And where do you draw the line between white and black magick?

Some witches may not concern themselves with the ethical results of a spell or ritual— what counts is that the spell works. With a spell, you’re attempting to stack the odds in your favor— or in another person’s favor, if the spell is for someone else. You’re attempting to influence something in the future. We all do this constantly, of course, in various ways, but when a witch casts a spell she brings her full conscious and creative awareness to the process.

Wiccans and some other witches believe that magick has a boomerang effect: Whatever you do comes back to you. If you do a spell that hurts someone else, you’ll hurt yourself in the process or attract someone to you who will cause you harm. For that reason, witches often follow a version of the Golden Rule when doing spells: Be kind to others and be kind to yourself.

Magicians recognize that even though the human mind and spirit have unlimited potential, we can’t possibly foresee all the possible outcomes of a spell. Human beings are not omniscient, and sometimes even good intentions lead to terrible results. Just to be on the safe side, you might want to end a spell or ritual with a phrase such as “This is done for the greatest good of all and may it harm none.” In essence, this turns over responsibility for the outcome to higher (and wiser) powers who have a better understanding of how to bring about the best possible outcome.

 

 

The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells
Skye Alexander

 

Let’s Talk Witch – Characteristics of a True Witch

Characteristics of a True Witch

 

In general, “witch” is a term that refers to a female sorcerer or wizard. However, a sorcerer or a wizard is usually a male who is inclined to be manipulative in his craft. A witch, on the other hand, is a deeply religious individual who is usually pure in heart and practices witchcraft through combining meditation and spiritual elements. In addition, a witch is a gifted individual who may seem to have supernatural abilities. A witch displays compassion and practices witchcraft without any hidden motives. More often than not, a witch works for others who are suffering and in pain, bringing them relief and comfort.

Generally, a witch is often misunderstood as an evil individual and maligned for bringing unfortunate circumstances to another person. However, in today’s society, witches along with their beliefs and practices have regained their lost ground and earned the respect of the society. The term witch is now being brought back to its old name, Wicca.

There are several characteristics of a true witch. By true, it means a witch whose beliefs and practices correspond with the Wiccan Rede, “As it harm none, do as thou wilt.” For instance, a witch employs witchcraft for healing, especially of unexplained health problems. Normally, a witch uses her personal abilities or powers combined with energies from candles, herbs, stones, and other natural materials. A witch employs witchcraft to ameliorate mankind as well as the
world.

A witch does not hurt people and more importantly, she does not worship the devil.

A witch derives her strength primarily from nature including earth, water, air, and fire. She believes that water is able to purify; fire is able to cleanse and transport an individual into the spiritual world; and air enshrouds an individual and lifts them to the freedom of the skies and housewife who attends to the needs of her family and does daily chores.

A witch also has emotions although she can function at a larger level rather than personal. For instance, if she is sad, it can be caused by the world’s suffering and not just because of a personal matter.

A female witch is different from an ordinary woman in the sense that the former can connect with her goddess. This connection is intended for her soul to achieve a state of oneness.
A witch carries out her craft by utilizing a number of rituals alone or with a coven. More often than not, rituals are done in an altar room filled with the smell of incense while candles are lit, and chants or incantations are spoken. Witchcraft rituals usually involve meditating while staring into the candle flames. Once a witch enters into a trance, she dances with the power of the fire coming from the candles. Consequently, she sees images in her head that become a permanent part of her psyche.

A true witch does not do anything to utilize witchcraft to damage a living or non-living thing. Given that a witch believes that retaliation can be a lot worse than her act. A true witch believes that whatever you do, regardless if it is good or bad, will come back to you threefold.

Although it can be difficult to determine if someone you know or someone who lives just next door is a witch, some witches wear a Pentacle or pentagram, which looks like a five-pointed star. A pentagram is a symbol that represents the five elements of nature. It does not represent the worship of anything but nature.

Witchcraft: A Beginner’s Guide To Wiccan Ways: Symbols, Witch Craft, Love Potions Magick, Spell, Rituals, Power, Wicca, Witchcraft, Simple, Belief, Secrets,The … For Beginners To Learn Witchcraft Book 2)
Sebastian Collins

Let’s Talk Witch – Color Magic


Native American Comments & Graphics
Let’s Talk Witch – COLOR MAGIC

 

We all use and make decisions about color in our daily lives— what colors we wear, which paints we use, the cars we drive, the food we eat, even the shampoos we buy. A whole host of decisions we make every day are at least partly decided by color. Most people have a favorite color. Mine is purple, and most of my home is decorated in shades of this color. Even my cloak is a beautiful shade of heather. It is a color that I am comfortable with. You will have your own favorite shade that features prominently in your life— and hopefully you have an understanding partner if your favorite color is acid green or Barbie pink!

The use of color can really enhance your magic and spell work, because each color lends its own energy and its associations to your spells and rituals. There are many ways to include color magic in your work— from candle magic to knot magic, from spell bags to plant magic. In fact, all of your magic will be greatly enhanced by your own knowledge of which colors work in which ways. I believe that there is no right or wrong color chart; what works for one will not necessarily work for all. If a certain color means a certain thing to you, who’s to say that you’re wrong and some impersonal chart is right? For example, when you think of the Goddess, do you see her as white? Silver? Gold? Blue? Who’s to tell you which is the right color?

The right color is the one with which you feel confident and comfortable working. And the right colors are the ones you can remember. If you want to create a spell spontaneously, you don’t want to have to go looking for a color-correspondence chart to find out which color works in a certain way. You have to trust what’s in your heart and work in a way that is true to you. I suggest you create your own color chart in your Book of Shadows. Spend some time thinking about what each color evokes for you and write it down. If you need some guidelines, below is the basic list I use in my own magic. Maybe it will give you a starting point or help you add to your own list. If you already work with color, trying exploring some of the more intricate shades of each color to expand your catalog.

White: protection and purity; use in all magick as a universal color
Black: to absorb negativity and spirit contact; for banishing spells
Yellow: confidence and growth; for harmony spells
Red: strength and passion; for power spells
Blue: health and patience; for awareness spells
Purple: peace and meditation; for blessing and spells
Pink: relaxation and friendship; for love spells
Green: nature and Fae magic; for wealth
Brown: earth and animals; for grounding spells
Orange: luck and vitality; for strength spells
Silver: the Goddess and the moon; for balance spells
Gold: the God and the sun; for power spells

Every color, of course, has varying shades— from pastel to deep or bright. Make your list as simple or as complicated as you like. A good way to build your own list is to have someone read off colors to you and you say the first thing that comes into your head that you associate with each color. That way, you will know that you are working with what’s true to your heart and with something that you will remember.

The ways in which you can use color in your magic are as varied as the colors themselves. Once you have your own color chart, there are many ways to incorporate each color into your magickal workings.

 

 

Hedgewitch Book of Days: Spells, Rituals, and Recipes for the Magical Year
Mandy Mitchell

WOTC Extra – Beliefs and Practices of Modern-day Witches


Fantasy Comments & Graphics
Beliefs and Practices of Modern-day Witches

Modern-day witches have an extensive range of beliefs and practices. On the other hand, there are distinct principles, which came from Gardnerian Wicca although traditional witchcraft beliefs and practices are diverse.

Some of the beliefs of modern-day witches include:
– Developing natural gifts for occult magic or divination
– The Goddess is the focus of worship
– Everyone has a spiritual path to follow
– Everyone is innately divine
– Natural or divine forces are called forth in rituals
– The earth and nature are sacred representations of the Goddess
-Rituals are associated with the moon phases and the seasons
– Visualization, meditation, invocation, burning candles and chanting reinforce the religion’s core belief

More often than not, these beliefs and practices are combined with doctrines from other groups such as mystical traditions, ancient Egyptian spirituality, Native American spiritual practices, Celtic/ Norse paganism, Eastern Shamanism, and Greek and Roman goddess worship. Just like Wicca, these groups also have significant reverence in nature and peace. They likewise believe that human beings will always be at peace when they are in harmony with nature.

Modern-day witches also make use of divination methods and tools including astrology, tarot cards, the I Ching, candle magick, psychic readings, runes, and other mystical practices, which are encouraged by most witchcraft covens.

Wiccans believe the serpent as a symbol of female spiritual power and eternal life. This aspect makes Wicca comparable to Hinduism as the followers of the latter also practice meditation as a way of enlightenment from the power referred to as the serpent power.

True witches also make use of other symbols including the Ankh, which is an Egyptian cross-like symbol associated with (the goddess) Isis worship; pentagram and pentacle, which is a five-pointed star used for spells, protection, and conjuring among others; crystals, which are believed to have spiritual and healing properties; and the crescent moon, which is considered as a symbol of the Goddess.

On the other hand, true witches do not believe in forgiveness since that they do not believe in sin. When there is no sin, there is no need for forgiveness. In the same way, witches do not believe in salvation given that there is nothing to be redeemed from.

When it comes to matters of afterlife, different covens and witchcraft groups vary in their positions. In general witches do not have a concept of heaven or hell. Most witches believe in endless reincarnation and the law of karma. These witches believe that reincarnation will occur incessantly until an individual is enlightened sufficiently to move on to another kind of existence.

The beliefs of true witches and Wiccans are in agreement with most humanist religions, which are common in many modern societies. Witches and Wiccans believe they are free to do anything as long as their action do not oppose the higher power. They disagree with having an absolute truth. Furthermore, witches and Wiccans are insulted when they are told of the existence of evil on Earth and that everyone commits sins.

Witchcraft: A Beginner’s Guide To Wiccan Ways: Symbols, Witch Craft, Love Potions Magick, Spell, Rituals, Power, Wicca, Witchcraft, Simple, Belief, Secrets,The … For Beginners To Learn Witchcraft Book 2)
Sebastian Collins

Let’s Talk Witch – Modern-day Witches


Fantasy Comments & Graphics

Let’s Talk Witch – Modern-day Witches

 

Based on tradition, there are more male witches (yes, witches not warlocks) than females in some societies. Today, however, females dominate Witchcraft and Wicca, although the religion is not only for women.

Based on the studies, modern witches began to emerge through Gerald Gardner, and English archaeologist with a broad background in the Occult. He learned the secrets of the Malaysian magical knife while he lived in Southeast Asia. He then became a nudist and a Mason. When he returned to England in 1939, he became a member of the Corona Fellowship of Rosicrucians. He met Dorothy Clutterbuck, who introduced him to witchcraft.

Gardner wrote the book, “Witchcraft Today,” which implied that he did not come across a pre-existing coven. In addition, Gardner also wrote a paper that was published in Ripley’s Believe It or Not. He disclosed that he acquired his magical resources and some Western magical texts in Asia. In his paper, Gardner also disclosed that he created a new religion, which is primarily focused on the worship of the Mother Goddess.
From there, the focus of modern witchcraft is on the worship of the Mother Goddess as initiated by Gardner. His beliefs and writings were significantly influenced by Freemasonry, Theosophy, ritual and sex magic, and other occult sources resulting in the emergence of modern-day Witchcraft or Wicca.

Witchcraft: A Beginner’s Guide To Wiccan Ways: Symbols, Witch Craft, Love Potions Magick, Spell, Rituals, Power, Wicca, Witchcraft, Simple, Belief, Secrets,The … For Beginners To Learn Witchcraft Book 2)
Sebastian Collins

 

WOTC Extra – Maintaining Cohesion in a Solitary Practice


Gothic Comments

Maintaining Cohesion in a Solitary Practice

 

It can be very lonely working as a solitary Wiccan, no matter what your reasons for the solitary path may be. At times it can seem that there are more obstacles, more frustrations, more opportunities for self-doubt. It’s all too easy to let your practice become lax and unfocused, because there’s no one else to monitor your progress and encourage you when you need it.

Giving yourself smaller daily rituals to engage in—no matter how short and simple they are—keeps you in touch with the gods and your spirituality on a more regular basis. If you touch the Divine on a daily basis, it’s much easier to touch the Divine on the big occasions. The human mind can be remarkably apathetic when it comes to actually stirring ourselves to do something requiring energy and input. Doing a sabbat every six weeks can be a really huge undertaking if you haven’t trained yourself with baby steps in between.

Wicca should never be something you take time out of your regular life to practice. The point of a spiritual path such as Wicca is to incorporate your spiritual practice into your daily life without fuss and drama. Your spirituality should inform your thoughts, opinions, and action in daily life as well as in ritual. Practicing Wicca every moment of the day should make your life more harmonious, not more complicated.

So often a solitary Wiccan becomes more of a philosopher than an active participant in the dance of life. It can be very easy to think about Wicca, and to slowly cease your actual ritual practice. While thinking and reflecting upon your spiritual evolution is essential to further development, maintaining your regular daily practice is paramount. Your ritual practice is your interface with the world beyond.

Solitary Wicca For Life: Complete Guide to Mastering the Craft on Your Own

Arin Murphy-Hiscock

Let’s Talk Witch – Growing as a Solitary Wiccan/Witch


Gothic Comments

Growing as a Solitary Wiccan/Witch

 

How do you relate to the larger picture when you work alone? Here are some methods by which you can structure and appreciate your own evolution and spiritual growth, and how this spiritual practice relates to the world at large.

To offer recognition of the divine feminine, to show one’s respect for nature, to have the opportunity for self-improvement and self-self-empowerment, and in appreciation of the decentralized aspects of the religion—these are all common reasons people choose to practice Wicca.

How do we define the goal of Wicca? A common answer is “to serve the gods.” We work with the gods, not for them. And while this is one of the goals of Wicca, it is not the only purpose. You can serve God or gods in any other religion. What makes Wicca unique?

Scott Cunningham titled one of his books Living Wicca, and this wonderful phrase encapsulates what Wicca truly is: Wicca is more than a practice—it’s a way of life. To live Wicca means living in awareness, in peace, in balance, and in harmony. It means living with the goal of every action contributing positively, and every situation teaching you something. It means being mindful, sincere, and true. Living Wicca means recognizing the Divine in everything that surrounds you, and always being able to feel your connection to the gods and the universe.

The true goal of Wicca is to create a way of life that brings you to this state. That state isn’t an end; it is a means by which you can improve your life and maintain the harmony so essential to a better life and a better world.

Solitary Wicca For Life: Complete Guide to Mastering the Craft on Your Own

Arin Murphy-Hiscock