I am a Witch, Prime, produced by Frankie Guerra and directed by Andrew Castruita.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B0B8SRF16V/ref=atv_hm_mys_c_cm9Ytn_1_16

Blurb: Witchcraft is mainstream. The rise of Witchcraft has been steadily rising and for good reason. Hear from practicing Witches on how being a modern day Witch is not what your parents warned you about. For better or worse, Witchcraft is here to stay.

Reading is what I do. I’m reading (and enjoying) Jan Murphy (2023) The Psychic Fairy Queen. I’d guess she would be considered a witch. Witches are poetic and lie outside mainstream narratives in their beliefs. Perhaps it’s no coincidence she’s published by Spellbound Books. (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/173847934X?ref_=pe_27063361_487360311_302_E_... ).

The miracle in Jan’s case was twofold her recovery from polio. But also the larger miracle of the establishment of the NHS. Right time. Right place.

It’s a way of life for us. It’s who we are:

Lucille Fur,

Dr Barbara Ardinger,

Michelle Peterson,

Amanda Yates Garcia,

Jamie Della,

Emerald O’Kelly,

Oruel Rising,

Laurel Rising,

Dana Kirkendoll,

Cassie Inez.

Christmas is a magical time. In Christian theology, Jesus was or is God, born to a woman. Whether naturally (i.e. the Virgin Mary had sex with her husband, Joseph) or unnaturally, the Virgin Mary remained a Virgin, but became pregnant through the intervention of the spirit is a shibboleth. But most Christians agree that Jesus was a baby. He was crucified for our sins. He rose from the dead in accordance with the scriptures which foretold such a coming. These miraculous events form the narrative of Christianity.

Most of us will be familiar with the saying: Thou shall not suffer a witch to live, which doesn’t sound very Christian-like in any language.  My favourite come-uppance was Marge Simpson in an episode of The Simpsons, flying on a broom-stick, green faced and cackling.

Harry Potter has made witchcraft widely popular. But the Bible condemns the practice of sorcery, divination, and witchcraft. This involves attempts to seek supernatural knowledge or power through magical or occult means (Deuteronomy 18:10-12, Leviticus 20:6).

Consulting Mediums or Spiritists: Those who consult mediums or spiritists to communicate with the dead or spirits are also condemned in biblical texts (Leviticus 20:27, Deuteronomy 18:11).

Use of Magic or Spells: The use of spells, incantations, or magical practices to manipulate or control natural forces or spiritual entities is regarded as forbidden (Isaiah 47:9, Malachi 3:5).

Punishment for Witchcraft or Sorcery (as mentioned in the Bible):

Death Penalty: In certain instances, the punishment for engaging in witchcraft, sorcery, or consulting mediums is prescribed as death. For example, Leviticus 20:27 states that those who practice witchcraft among the Israelites shall be put to death.

Banishment and Exclusion: The Bible also mentions instances where those practicing sorcery or witchcraft were to be banished or removed from the community (Micah 5:12, Exodus 22:18).

In the Bible, there are instances where biblical figures are said to have consulted with soothsayers, mediums, or spiritists. These actions were generally condemned or disapproved of, but the specific punishments for these figures varied. Here are a few examples:

1. King Saul: Saul, the first king of Israel, consulted a medium or a woman with a familiar spirit at Endor when he was distressed and seeking guidance before a battle (1 Samuel 28:7-25). Saul sought to communicate with the deceased prophet Samuel. Samuel's spirit was summoned, and he foretold Saul's downfall. As a consequence, Saul and his sons died in battle, fulfilling the prophecy given through the medium.
2. King Manasseh of Judah: Manasseh, a king of Judah, was criticized for practicing various forms of divination, witchcraft, and consulting mediums (2 Kings 21:6, 2 Chronicles 33:6). However, there isn't a specific narrative that details his punishment for these actions.
3. King Ahab and the Queen Jezebel: Ahab, King of Israel, and his wife Jezebel were known for promoting idolatry and engaging in wicked practices. Jezebel, in particular, supported prophets of the false god Baal. Although not explicitly stated as consulting mediums, they were associated with promoting practices condemned in the Bible. Ahab met his end in battle (1 Kings 22:29-38), and Jezebel met a gruesome fate as prophesied (2 Kings 9:30-37).

While these biblical figures engaged in actions that involved seeking guidance or engaging with practices considered contrary to the laws or beliefs of ancient Israel, the direct link between their actions and specific punishments can sometimes be ambiguous or attributed to broader narratives surrounding their lives rather than solely their interaction with soothsayers or mediums. The consequences often entailed tragic ends or judgments pronounced upon them through prophetic warnings rather than immediate punishment for the act of consulting mediums.

Top of Form

When this cinnamon blows, abundance will come to stay =spell.

I think it’s more about intent. Everyone should do this once a month and see what happens.

Misconceptions.

Emee. We’re devil worshippers. We’re in a relationship with the devil. We attack people. Or attack people  needlessly. Just that we’re evil…

Ourel, Chaos Magician.

Dr Barbara Ardinger, author of Pagan Every Day.

We don’t fly through the air on broomsticks (why not?) We don’t worship any kind of devil, because the devil is a Christian invention. The devil was modelled on a European forest god, Cernunnos (Karnonos), because he had horns.

In the middle-aged the Christians invented the devil because they were mysoginsitc. And they were anti-nature. They had to persecute everything that didn’t go exactly in their path.

So  you can find lots of stories about witches lining up to kiss the devil’s rear end. That’s nonsense. We are just ordinary people. Men and women.

Michelle, Reiki Master/healer. We’re not all evil, devil worshipping people. A lot of times witches can be wiccan. But not all wiccans are witches.

In the wiccan religion, they don’t believe in Satan. They don’t believe in the devil. So that’s a huge misconception that we worship the devil. We hold ritualistic spells. We’re slaughtering animals and small children. We ride broomsticks and have green skin. Wear the pointy hat and have the long black dresses. But that has nothing to do with our magic. Our craft.

Amanda Yates Garcia author of Initiated Memoirs of a Witch. One of the most annoying things about practicing witchcraft now is people don’t really have a frame of reference for it…So they think it is somehow ridiculous. If  you’re a witch they believe they have powers that just can’t be real. It’s like Harry Potter. We live in this fantastical world. Really that we’re trying to escape from reality. And I’d say it’s the exact opposite.

Lucy, Chaos Magic.  What I feel like witches are give a really bad rep. The Salem Witch Trials. There was no magic at Salem…Just a place where people got murdered. I don’t even think there were practicing witches…Everything I’ve learned is karma. So I don’t see anybody going out there way to do something bad…It’s just people don’t understand. Nobody ever talked to a witch. Cause even if we didn’t like you. And we put out bad spells that would come back three times worse.

Laurel Rising, Witch. So I think there’s this big misconception, either we’re worshipping the devil or sacrificing animals. We’ve got a big cauldron in the woods and we’re dancing naked under the moon. There are a million misconceptions people have about witches. And that’s not to say some witches don’t dance naked under a full moon. A big one is that all witches are part of the same practice or religion. That’s a misconception I even had.

Julia Della author of  The Book of Spells.   People think that being a witch is the equivalent of being a bitch…Not being careful with their power…  And what they’ll say is aren’t there bad witches? One of the ways I answer that to someone is ‘Being a witch is being able to learn how to manifest and being in tune with the earth.’ So you can manifest a lot of things. You can manifest money. If you were a wealthy person. Are there good people that have money? Or bad people that have money? Of course, there’s both. And that’s a power. So the power of your witchcraft. The power of your ability to manifest something can be used for good or it can be used for not so good. For myself, I will believe in karma. I believe in the threefold law. That whatever I plant to the universe… I’m not going to plant tomatoes and get back cucumbers. I plant seeds of hope and light and inspiration. Then that’s what’s going to come back to me.

Be cautious with your thoughts (chaos witch) some things you put out there, you hex yourself.

You’re creating your own negative energy.

Family and Friends.

Dr Barbara Ardinger, author of Pagan Every Day. My mother had been dead for a long time and my father had a stepmother and she cut off the whole family. My grandmother didn’t mind. She was in her eighties at the time. She didn’t understand it. But she didn’t object. Other members of my family were confused. But who cares? I was the one that moved to California. Out of Missourri. So they knew I was nuts anyway. So it didn’t matter. A lot of friends I’ve had have not been witches. A lot of them have been witches. I don’t sit and think there’s any difference. When you’re friends you’re friends. You accept each other.

Ourel, Chaos Magician. My mother I’m sure feel negative about it because she’s very religious. But she has not expressed any malcontent with myself or my sister, who’s also a witch… she even has expressed a slight curiosity, which is intriguing. I thought that people over a certain age become stuck in their ways, but maybe there’s more hope than that.  

Laurel Rising, my brother, whom I’m closest to, is a witch himself. And so we can connect on that. My mom is still very much so a committed evangelical Christian. Has asked me question, but the thing I’ve appreciated about her is she has not tried to talk me out of it (or burn  me at the stake). Or tell me I’m going to hell or anything like that. She asks questions. I answer  them. She says, OK, you know?

Emee, I kept it a secret by hiding the books I read. Hiding it behind the guise of really liking Harry Potter. That was a really good way of doing it. ‘Oh, I like this wand, Oh, it’s Harry Potter’. [hiding in plain sight] But I would go to church. I’d read the Bible. And I would go to group Bible studies. And I’d talk with my father who’s a big Christian. I’d basically do anything that needed to be done to make sure nobody knew who I really was. Now, I don’t go to church. Because there is no church for us. I do have group meetings with my coven. I read books now. Just like before. I’m not prepared to hide the symbols of my faith.

Michelle, Reiki Master/healer. When I first  met my husband many moons ago, my husband is very logical. There’s a logical explanation for everything that happens. Something goes bump in the night, it was the wind. But as we progressed in our relationship, he asked more questions, and he starts understanding and become more open to that kinda thing. He’s always been very supportive. He may laugh at some things. Be like ‘Yes dear, it was a ghost’. But everybody, my mum’s religious, but sensitive. She’s been very accepting. My two best friends, are very, very accepting.

  Lucy, Chaos Magic.  I’m not crazy, open about it. It’s just something I didn't believe and I do now. I’m very vocal about not believing in God or being a supporter of like, religion. I’m not super open about it. I’ll definitely bring it up if somebody talks about stones or… once that door is open, I’ll open the door. I’m just not the one opening the door.

Ourel, Chaos Magician. Nobody has ever said I can’t be friends with you because of what you believe. Or I can’t spend time with you. Or I can’t listen to you. Most people have been pretty respectful and open to or hearing more even.

Esmee: ? There are times I’ll kinda get quiet and say that’s not what’s going to happen. I have my belief and you have yours. Agree to disagree and we go our separate ways. Not stop talking. We just don’t talk about it. I’m open. I know they’re open. And I know they’re open about theirs. So we just go back and forth and share information now. And when it gets a little much, we take a step back.   

Michelle, Reiki Master/healer. My dad, on the otherhand. I just found out who my dad was a few years ago. And thanks to my husband’s great detective skills and looking at Ancestry.com I found my birth dad. Funny enough, my birth dad is a minister. Yep. That was kinda my karmic joke. My friend and I were laughing, like, he’ll be either a preacher of or a minister, or something. Sure enough, he’s a minister. So when we first started talking. And he found out I was a witch. I was into witchcraft. Oh, I got the lectures. Even a couple of years ago, he sent me a Bible for Christmas. I appreciate that and take it’s done out of love. But it was frustrating because I’d told him where my path was and why. Look, he said, I accept you for who you are. And I love you. But it doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying. And I said, OK, that’s fair.  

Julia Della author of  The Book of Spells.   Put it into a jar and you’re really thinking about everything you grow. While you’re thinking of your intention. Well, I heard,  you’ve got to turn it inward towards yourself. Unless advised otherwise.  Alright dropping that (the spell) in first. Oh, we didn’t blew it. I knew it. I forgot something. I feel I do this every time. I have to unfold it. Maybe, that’s just secretly part of my state. OK, we’re going to do more blue. Whoo. That doesn’t look blue. Then drop your nails or thumbtack in. Terra? Basil and cinnamon ginger. You don’t have to do that, but that’s OK. We are going to do salt. I would do a little bowl. But this thing works as well. I will do my best. Why I like this one is it didn’t say you can use tap water. Since it is a way of purifying your enemies or something. Rainwater? I don’t believe you have to leave it out in the rain. If it was a full moon. That water now becomes moon water. It’s powerful and I think it can energise stuff through your walls. So keep that in mind. If you’ve got a full glass of water. And you don’t use it. You’ve got moonwater (all water that it’s in the oceans, seas, rivers etc is therefore moom water). Rainwater. I never remember. Because we’ve go so little water in South Cal. Snow would be cool. If you could just collect snow. And energise it with the moon. Alright. We’re going to pour in the water and imagine the negativity flooding away. I’m going to grab a little cup for that. Cup of water.

Definition of a Witch.

Amanda Yates Garcia author of Initiated Memoirs of a Witch. As a wordsmith I tend to look at the etymology of a word. And the word witch come from the word wicce. And that means wise. So a witch is a wise person. And it doesn’t have to be a woman. It can be a man. It can be any gender. It’s not specific to that. Just about living your life in a wise way. The wise ways are living your life attuned to nature. Living your life with the cycles of the season. And I’m member of a community of sentient beings. And not a separate energy outside that.   

Ourel, Chaos Magician. My definition of a witch is someone that believes they have the power to manipulate unseen natural forces to affect a goal.

Laurel Rising, I think there is this common definition of a witch is like a woman with some kind of magical abilities or powers. I don’t ascribe gender to it. Guys can be witches. Non-binary can be witches. So to me a witch is anyone that considers themself to be a witch. Who is connected to a type of spirituality that includes magic. Nature. You know. Herbalism. Anything that can be considered …of a world.

Michelle, Reiki Master/healer. For me, personally, there are so many definitions and versions of the word witch. For me, personally, it just means somebody that is comfortable with themselves and may have a little bit or lot of magic in them. They’re unique. They’re different. They may not be cookie cutter. You know the dictionary said it’s a woman who has supernatural or mystical powers. I don’t think the word powers means what media thinks it means. You can be a healer. And that can be your superpower. So for me, a witch is very personal and what makes you special.

[esmee?] a witch is someone who uses the powers of witchcraft in order to engage with the natural world. So a witch is someone who uses spells, incantations, prayers, rites, rituals, to connect with the spirits of the land and as a tool for personal empowerment.

Dr Barbara Ardinger, witch is said to be an old English word that means strong or powerful or wise. Today witch has a broader meaning. And mainly, thanks to the social media, it’s taken on a more glamorousness.  The Hollywood kind of glamour. And it’s supposed to be something fancy and romantic. A young woman, maybe, says she is a witch and she’s working on maybe being a seductress who uses magic. As I see witchcraft it’s a religion. We worship the goddess Diana. I’m an initiated…I pay attention to the pagan gods. But not the standard brand or religion. And I’m a very grounded witch because I don’t go out and do a lot of glamorous things. Glamourous in the Hollywood sense. You’re not going to find me on Facebook doing …

  Lucy, Chaos Magic. Wow, I didn’t start calling myself a witch. I realised that when I’m sitting there concentrating on things, I’m like manifesting. Then when I realised that was witchcraft, when I started calling myself a witch. Then if you manifest a lot. Or someone that plays a random rock or stone in your pocket. Then you’re a witch to me. Even if you’re not doing it intentionally, with the like, you know, carrying a rock around for good luck. I feel that… for whatever reason. That to me is what makes you a witch.

Esmee? The word witch to me is someone that identifies as a witch. Not everybody practices paganism. Or even kitchen witchery, identifies as a witch if you identify as a witch, you’re a witch. But you can be a Christian and still be a witch. It’s very personal. It’s a very personal journey.

Julia Della author of  The Book of Spells.  My cup of tap water. OK. Now, I don’t have a black candle. And I feel like… OK… we’ll need this one (white candle).  White candle is basically your go to if you don’t have the colour necessary. A pack of birthday candles is the easiest way, you get all the colours for sure. Technically, I should be doing this on my altar. But that’s OK. We’re going to cover this in wax and then…I’m going to keep it on my altar…but not my working altar.  Now, technically, I’m not going to have to wait for this candle to burn all the way out. I use this to put it out. I always just put them out. I don’t allow them to burn all the way out. I always rated it more of a fire hazard than anything. Safety is important. How you do this is… I don’t need a lot of wax, but at least I can get it started. The little sprinkle bottles work really well. And these tiny little jars, when empty, are perfect. OK, a little bit more. The wind is being unfriendly to us. Oh…I didn’t use a word in there. I used salt instead. See, sometimes you think you use everything and you don’t. This is sea salt. I feel is such a powerful, protection on its own. Almost sealed. Fuck off to all the negative energy. Now…cool…

Religion & Witchcraft.

Laurel Rising, There are some religions that have a witchcraft practice. Wicca being one of them. I’m not Wiccan. So I can’t speak on the specifics of their religion. But it is a specific religion. Paganism is another. Many of the followers of pagan will call themselves witches. And then, there are some, like me, eclectic witches who consider witchcraft our spiritual practice but not necessarily an organised religion.

We worship the 8 stations on the wheel. The old Pantheon.

Julia Della author of  The Book of Spells.    

The Pentagram is fire, water, air, ground and I think, your soul?

When you’re dreaming, you can go to parallel universes or somehow. Then you should be protecting yourself. A way to do it: imagining a white light around you. And usually, like a circle. You can point with your finger or a wand as well. Five points of the pentagram.

Magic’s Role

Esmee: Magic is a way of breaking down the membranes of truth so that we can expand our world view. See form multiple points of view and then find solutions to our problems, we maybe hadn’t seen before. Find opportunities we hadn’t recognised before or create allies in the world, where before there was no connection. It’s about re-enchanting the world through the connections we have with other people. Creating lines of intimacy. Different beings. Whether that’s another person. Or a place. Or an animal.

Transforming reality according to your will. Witchcraft is known to be done through a shift in your will or awareness. That’s the first step. You can’t just wave your wand and everything is different in your life. But what you’re doing with magic is your opening up to seeing reality from a different perspective. Often we get locked into visions of what our reality is. Who we are. What our life is like. What the truth is.

Laura: A lot of magic we do has to do with our intentions.

I think the magic is within us. The Higher Power to focus on what our goals are. And think about the actions we want to do to achieve those goals and set our mind to it and interact with energies so we can produce the result.

Witchcraft in pop culture

Lucy: That was like the eighties was the Satanic panic. I actually didn’t know a lot about. My fiancée was explaining this to me. How bad it was. Everybody thought these pagans were eating like…babies! Or something… Witches got thrown in there too. I realised that because I put myself in the category of witch and wear pentagrams for protection… I get looked at as a Satanist. I think it’s funny, but in reality that’s just giving the negative…that’s not what it is.

The Satanic Panic was a period characterised by a moral panic centred around allegations of Satanic ritual abuse and widespread conspiracy theories involving Satanism and occult practices. While there were similarities in themes and concerns, the manifestations and scale of the panic differed between Britain and America:

In America:

Scale and Impact: The Satanic Panic in America was more widespread and had a larger cultural impact. It emerged in the 1980s and extended into the early 1990s, gripping various parts of the country. The panic led to numerous high-profile cases, media sensationalism, and a national fear of Satanic cults and rituals supposedly involved in child abuse, kidnapping, and ritualistic killings.

Media Sensationalism: The American Satanic Panic was fuelled by sensationalised media coverage, talk shows, books, and movies that portrayed lurid and unsubstantiated claims of Satanic abuse. Personal testimonies, often from children, were given significant weight despite lacking credible evidence.

Legal Cases: Some high-profile legal cases emerged during this period, resulting in arrests and trials based on allegations of Satanic ritual abuse. However, many of these cases later fell apart due to lack of evidence or the realization that the allegations were unfounded.

Therapy and Recovered Memories: There was a reliance on controversial therapeutic techniques, such as recovered memory therapy, which led to individuals supposedly recalling repressed memories of Satanic abuse during therapy sessions. These memories were often later discredited as potentially being influenced by suggestive or leading therapeutic practices.

In Britain:

Smaller Scale and Duration: The Satanic Panic in Britain was not as widespread or enduring as in America. While similar concerns arose, they did not reach the same level of hysteria or cultural impact.

Influence from America: Some aspects of the Satanic Panic in Britain were influenced by media reports and literature originating in the United States. However, the panic did not take root to the same extent in British society.

Lack of Legal Cases: There were fewer high-profile legal cases or trials in Britain related to Satanic ritual abuse compared to the United States. Allegations of Satanic abuse did not result in as many legal actions or convictions.

Cultural and Religious Context: The cultural and religious landscape in Britain, including differing attitudes towards religious conservatism and sensationalism, might have contributed to a lesser degree of societal impact compared to America.

The Devil & Witchcraft.

Lucy: Satanism. It’s like the church of Satan is bad. One of them is. But the actual Satanists don’t believe in Satan. I think there is like, eleven commandments and the eleventh are like the others, like being a good person. Satanists aren’t practicing and believing in Satan. I know there are people praying to Satan. But I don’t know. I don’t think Satan is about Satan at all.

Laura. When I do think of Satanism, I do think of the Satanic panic of the eighties. Being told in my Christian schools and worship that anything that was not of God was of Satan. You know when Christians say ‘The Devil’, they are talking about Lucifer or Satan. So to me, we’re talking about two different things. Because…Are there people that worship Satan? Are there people that worship the Devil? Probably. You know, I’m sure there are. None of the witches I know do that. You know that’s not to say not any witches do that. But from everything I’ve learned, that’s not what witchcraft is about. That’s what’s put out there by, em, Christianity. Because of the fear.

Dr Barbara Ardinger, Yeh, the medieval Christian message. Priests and Pope and Bishops did it. And one reason they did it was they were misogynistic. And in those days, women, especially older women, and especially women that had healing abilities, oh… they were devilish. You know the doctors were men. And all they did was use astrology. It was the women that actually got down and done the herbal healing. Delivered babies. So witchcraft was associate to the devil by Christian Popes. And preachers. Protestant and Catholic. But it was almost all Christian. And it was almost all men. Very, very, few women.

Amanda Yates Garcia author of Initiated Memoirs of a Witch. So the way the myth of devil worship to attached to witchcraft is when… so we have the divine female, the great goddess energy, that’s typically, if you’re really going to simplify it that’s defined as the Gaia. The mother earth energy. And the male energy is typically the great god, it typically considered the horned god. The spirit of the vegetation. And so this is a green god. And if you think of him like Puck, from A Midsummer’s Nights Dream. Or Peter Pan. Pan means all [universal]. So that’s the etymology in me again. The writer. Back to the wordsmithing. Pan means all. So a pandemic. A panic. You know it’s all a panacea. So it’s all. We used to have a conference called pantheon. Pan>all. Theo>God. Conference all. So Pan was green. Half man. Half goat. Viral. Seed-energy of life. Mother energy is we go to rest. And we go to grow. And the god energy is this expansive. Like ying and yang. Yang is the male and the outward. The doingness. The female is the rest. The inward. So the green god has horns. Has a beard. Goat. Well, what do  you do the first time you take over a culture? You kill the storytellers. Or you re-tell their stories. Or you paint their god red. Call him the devil. And tell them that’s who you worshipped.

Tools & Process.

   Ourel, Chaos Magician. Magic is a process by which you first identify a problem you want to fix. You figure out some kind of ritual. Some sort of behaviour. Ritual. Action. You decide this ritual means this problem is solved. You perform the ritual and then let it go be part of the universe. We need to perform the magic and then forget about it.

Esmee? Tools are not required. They’re just helpful. All tools are.

Jars are a big thing with witches. You put everything in jars. Candles are big. Stones. Eggshells that have been ground down. Really useful in multiple ways. For me I use herbs and spices. Just regular  food. Regular household items. For a garden witch, growing plants. Soil and a shovel even. They are items of trade. It just depends on your specific path.

Dr Barbara Ardinger, author of Pagan Every Day. I’m too old. You don’t need them. But it’s good when you’re doing something to have a concrete symbol in your hand. If you’re familiar with the tarot. The tarot has four suits. And they are… if I can remember them… Sword and Wands and Cups and Air. And Witchcraft uses what is called an athame or ceremonial knife.

  In various witchcraft traditions and practices, a ceremonial knife is often referred to as an "athame" (pronounced ath-uh-may). The athame holds significance as a ritual tool and symbol within certain Wiccan and pagan traditions.

The athame typically has a double-edged blade and a black handle, although variations can exist based on personal preferences or traditions. It is considered a consecrated tool used for specific ceremonial purposes and is not intended for physical cutting or practical use.

The athame serves several symbolic and ritualistic purposes:

1. Representation of Elemental Energy: In some traditions, the athame represents the element of Air or Fire, depending on the specific tradition or individual belief systems. It is often associated with the masculine energy or the divine masculine principle.
2. Directing Energy: During rituals and ceremonies, the athame is used to direct or channel energy. Practitioners may use it to cast circles, trace symbols, direct intention, or focus energy during spellwork or rituals.
3. Ceremonial Symbolism: The athame holds symbolic significance within rituals, representing the witch's will, personal power, and the ability to transform or direct energies. It may also symbolize the cutting away of negativity or barriers.
4. Consecration and Ritual Work: Prior to use, the athame is consecrated or ritually cleansed and charged. It may be used in rituals for invoking, banishing, or as part of other magical workings.

It's important to note that the athame's use and significance can vary among different witchcraft traditions and individual practitioners. In some traditions, other ritual tools, such as wands or swords, might serve similar or different purposes within ceremonial practices. The use of ceremonial tools like the athame is deeply rooted in symbolism, personal belief, and ritualistic practices within specific spiritual paths.

Usually it has a black handle and it has symbols on it. You don’t stab somebody with it. You don’t cut stuff with it. You cut air with it.

You’ve heard about wands. I’ve got a whole bunch of wands.

Wands have held significant symbolic and ritualistic importance in various cultures, traditions, and belief systems throughout history. The purpose and symbolism of wands have evolved over time, and their significance varies among different practices. Here are explanations of the purpose of wands, both historically and in contemporary contexts:

Historical and Mythological Significance:

1. Magical and Spiritual Tools: In ancient cultures, wands were seen as instruments of power and magic. They were associated with practitioners of magic, shamans, and priests who used wands in rituals, ceremonies, and spellcasting.
2. Symbolism of Authority and Power: Wands were often considered symbols of authority and leadership. In ancient Egypt, rulers and pharaohs held a scepter or wand as a symbol of their divine authority.
3. Elemental Associations: In some traditions, wands were associated with specific elements such as fire or air. They were believed to help channel and direct elemental energies during rituals or ceremonies.
4. Mythological References: Wands appear in various mythologies and folklore, such as the wand of Merlin in Arthurian legends or the wand of Hermes in Greek mythology. These wands were often associated with magical powers and wisdom.

Contemporary Usage in Spiritual and Magical Practices:

1. Ritual and Spellwork: In modern witchcraft, Wicca, and other pagan traditions, wands are used as ritual tools. They can be employed in directing energy, casting circles, invoking or banishing, and conducting spellwork. Each wand might be associated with specific intentions or magical purposes.
2. Focus and Intention: Wands serve as a focal point for the practitioner's intention and energy. They help concentrate and direct the practitioner's will and magical energy during rituals or ceremonies.
3. Representation of Elements: In some contemporary practices, wands are associated with specific elements (fire, air) and might be used in rituals involving those elements.
4. Personalized Tools: Many practitioners create or select wands that resonate with them energetically. Wands can be crafted from various materials (wood, metal, crystals) and might be personalized according to the practitioner's preferences or spiritual beliefs.

It's important to note that the purpose and significance of wands can vary widely among different traditions, magical practices, and individual practitioners. Their symbolism often revolves around directing energy, intention, and serving as tools for spiritual or magical workings.

And wands you use to point and to touch. Water conveys emotion. So if you have a chalice. It’s just a glass. It can be a bowl. And water conveys emotion. Then it can be cleaning. And air just… moves things around.

Esmee. I work a lot with herbs, with plants, with crystals. Things that are, I guess, in nature. Things that are accessible. But I guess as my knowledge is expanding, I’m working more and more with astrology, with tarot. The more I learn about these things I still feel like a beginner. I think as I learn more I’ll be using them in more ways. I work with a lot of, you know, moon magic. Kinda nature cycles.

Wicca is a modern pagan religious movement that emerged in the mid-20th century, primarily in England, and was popularized by figures like Gerald Gardner. It is a modern form of witchcraft or neo-paganism that draws inspiration from ancient pagan practices, folklore, and ceremonial magic.

Key aspects of Wicca include:

1. Nature-based Spirituality: Wicca reveres nature and its cycles, often celebrating seasonal festivals known as Sabbats, which coincide with equinoxes, solstices, and agricultural cycles.
2. Worship of Deities: Wiccans may honour and work with a variety of deities, often including a dual deity of a god and a goddess, representing the divine masculine and feminine energies. These deities might be derived from various mythologies or pantheons.
3. Ritual and Magic: Rituals, ceremonies, and magic play integral roles in Wiccan practice. Rituals involve casting circles, invoking deities, conducting spells, and working with energy for healing, empowerment, or spiritual growth.
4. Ethical Principles: Wiccans often adhere to ethical guidelines such as the "Wiccan Rede," which promotes the idea of "harm none" and emphasises ethical responsibility in their actions.

Wicca is considered a form of modern paganism due to its incorporation of ancient pagan beliefs, practices, and symbolism, albeit in a more contemporary context. Paganism, as a broader term, encompasses various pre-Christian religious and spiritual traditions that were practiced in ancient times. These traditions were often polytheistic and connected with nature, worshiping multiple gods and goddesses associated with natural elements, celestial bodies, and agricultural cycles.

In terms of how Wicca relates to pagan and modern beliefs:

1. Connection to Paganism: Wicca is a subset of modern pagan belief systems. It draws inspiration from ancient pagan traditions while incorporating modern concepts and practices. Many Wiccans identify themselves as pagans because of their reverence for nature and incorporating ancient spiritual elements into their practice.
2. Continuation of Ancient Traditions: While Wicca is a modern movement, it seeks to revive and reinterpret ancient pagan beliefs and practices in a contemporary context. It shares similarities with historical pagan practices but is also influenced by more recent ceremonial magic, occultism, and modern interpretations of spirituality.
3. Individual and Eclectic Practices: Within modern Wicca and pagan communities, there's diversity in beliefs and practices. Some practitioners follow traditional Wiccan practices, while others adopt eclectic or personalized approaches, drawing from multiple spiritual traditions, beliefs, and magical practices.

Wicca's relationship to paganism and modern beliefs lies in its blending of ancient spiritual elements with contemporary interpretations, creating a vibrant and evolving spiritual path for many practitioners.

Michelle, Reiki Master/healer. A lot of it has to do with intent. Words. If I’m doing healing, spell-healing work, I’ll use candles. Crystals. I’ll use spirit guides. My familiar, who is past [dead]. He’s in the spiritual realm. And he still helps me. So for me it depends on what I’m doing. I don’t necessarily need tools for that. Being out here, I can pick up a rock. Pick up a twig. And those can be magical tools.

Future of Witchcraft.

Esmee? My hope for witchcraft is that it becomes more and more specific to places and time. So the witchcraft that I/We practice in Los Angeles is going to be different from the Witchcraft practiced in, like, Kansas. My hope is the witches of the future bring their own background. Their own knowledge. Their own places into the work. And let the spirit of the land and the spirit of their own connections inform them. I’m looking forward to a liturgy of witchcraft. Witches are poets. Witches are artists. Witches are healers. Are dancers. Are actors and I’m looking forward to the arts being the stewards of witchcraft in the world. Letting it find its own voice. I’m really looking forward to and hoping, we can just get over this idea that witchcraft is a spooky, sensational thing. I just don’t want to talk about that anymore. Done. I don’t want to talk about that anymore. It’s really boring. It’s just not like that. I hope we can just get over that. I just feel that witches just have a much more interesting point of view for us and the world, which is about their relationship to the natural world and the rituals of honouring the sacred within the natural world. And my connection to it. And you know, witches are environmentalists. They’re ecologists. And I think it’s more interesting to talk about that. Rather than coming back to the same old thing: Is witchcraft about Satanism? And where’s your warty nose. It’s just like so boring. I don’t want to talk about it ever again. Like, I think, the more witchcraft gains in popularity, the less groundwork that we have to do every time to get people to understand what witchcraft is. There’s just more interesting things to say that it’s not about cursing people. Just frustrating to have to go back every single time.   

Amanda Yates Garcia author of Initiated Memoirs of a Witch.  I think the true area of witchcraft is coming true as we allow our personal power to becomes actualised? Wherever you come from in the world, the more words like ‘manifest’ are being used. Even though people aren’t necessarily calling that witchcraft. That is what it is. Knowing that you’re wise enough. Your words have power. Because that’s all that a spell is. A spell just means ‘to cast your word’. Another way I describe it is the word ‘prayer’. People understand that word. It’s easy for them. It’s been used in a lot of different religions. So it doesn’t have any frightening connotations. A spell is a prayer in 3D. So in other words, we put out these symbols. These ideas that represent, for example, you have creative writing block. And you might create an altar that represents Air. Because Air is part of the East. And East is where the sun rises. So new ideas and inspiration. And beginnings all happen in the East. So if you put down a pen, and a fan, and all these feathers. And all these things that represent that energy to you. You can show anyone from any religion. That’s a feather. Feathers are flight. We know the sun rises in the East. There’s a picture of the Sun. This is what I mean to be inspired from the divine energy. You start taking away the words that frighten people. And you use the common words. Then we can begin to grow into that. There’s always going to be people who don’t understand. And don’t understand that we need equality for all. Right? But if we keep talking. I we keep talking about the life. And about the diversity. And about the free will. Then I believe that’s the language that’s going to open up more doors, where people can get rid of their fear. False evidence appearing real.

Ourel, Chaos Magician. In the future I see witchcraft more accepted by groups that still uncomfortable with it. I see it being more spoken about in day to day conversations. I see us eventually able to meet in a world without our armour on. We can come together as witch and non-witch. As this religion. That religion. All of use together as human beings [I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony? New Seekers?] And talk about the things that matter to each and every one of us. Without anyone of any group, passing judgement on anybody else. I see witches as themselves evolving. And I see the rest of the world evolving too.

Laurel Rising,  Witchcraft is very popular right now.  So there’s a lot of people exploring, especially with the quarantine that’s happened. People are exploring more. Because it makes sense to them. Or they’ve been doubting. Depression sometimes does that. Even being by yourself definitely makes you question. So people are exploring more. So I think we’re going to see a rise in paganism and in witchcraft.  But it might not last. Because Christianity and other religions are very prominent in the world. They have an iron grip on people. And not matter what, it’s going to go back to it. And it kind of flip-flops.

Lucy, Chaos Magic. I think we’ll see it more accepted. Hopefully, you know, having, like a social app would be amazing. Because that’s always what I see apps trying to do that. Whether it’s just not having the funding or…it would be just amazing to have a social-media app. Of witches. Or baby witches. Just… Allies of witches. I feel like would be really cool. Like I was saying how in the UK they have a witch newspaper. I hope we have that. Like even if it’s a silly little magazine. I feel like, if a newspaper were to print a witch newspaper, that we’d have people gathering and rioting about it for some silly reason. Like I think there’d be mom’s that were angry and shouting ‘No, my children cannot see a witch newspaper.’

Michelle, Reiki Master/healer: I’m hoping it will be more obvious. There will be more people that are open about what they are doing. Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening. Like what I was saying before about social media. And you have the difference of opinion or different in your lifestyle. You get it from all sides. Because you’re different. I’m really hopeful people will be more accepting of you. And more people will be apt to come out of the broom closet so to speak. But I’m really sceptical if we’re going to be allowed to do that. I think tools and things will become… I think they’re going away. The thing is so digitalised.  I’m afraid there won’t be books. Everything will be online. I’m old school. I’m an old witch. I like tangible stuff. I don’t want a digital candle. I don’t want to click a button and the flame lights up. I want that energy. I want that heat from that candle. I want to see it flicker. So I’m hoping that technology doesn’t take away certain aspects. Certain personal aspects of the craft. I’m hopeful, but sceptical.

Esmee 2: Like the witches of the future developing a more sophisticated, grounded, rigorous, understanding of what they’re doing in their work. I love practicing it. Gaining power. Looking to connect with other spiritual traditions through the world.   

Amanda Yates Garcia author of Initiated Memoirs of a Witch.  I think as we begin to believe and recognise our vulnerability. We begin to recognise more of our humanity. The more we become human. The more everyone will become accepted.

Chaos magic is a contemporary form of magical practice that emphasizes individual belief systems, flexibility, and experimentation in the pursuit of magical goals. It diverges from traditional magical systems by prioritizing personal experience and results over adherence to specific dogmas or established rituals.

Key aspects of chaos magic include:

1. Belief as a Tool: Chaos magic operates on the concept that belief itself is a tool for manipulating reality. Practitioners may adopt and use different belief systems, symbols, or deities based on their effectiveness in achieving desired outcomes rather than strict adherence to a single tradition.
2. Eclecticism and Adaptability: Chaos magicians often borrow techniques and concepts from various magical traditions, religions, psychology, science, pop culture, or any source that resonates with them. They mix and match practices to create a personalised system that works for their goals.
3. Paradigm Shifting: A significant aspect of chaos magic involves "paradigm shifting," where practitioners deliberately change their belief systems to suit their needs or goals. They might switch between different belief systems or paradigms to enhance their magical workings.
4. Symbolism and Sigil Magic: Sigil magic is a common practice within chaos magic. Practitioners create sigils (symbolic representations of their desires) and charge them with intent to manifest those desires in reality.
5. Experimental and Results-Oriented: Chaos magic encourages experimentation and practical application. It focuses on achieving desired results through various techniques, often without being bound by rigid rituals or doctrines.

Uses of Chaos Magic:

1. Manifesting Desires: Chaos magic can be used for manifesting personal desires, goals, or intentions through various magical techniques such as sigilization, visualisation, and altered states of consciousness.
2. Psychological Exploration: Some practitioners use chaos magic as a tool for psychological exploration, self-discovery, and personal growth. It can involve altering one's perception and beliefs to explore different aspects of the psyche.
3. Empowerment and Self-Transformation: Chaos magic may be utilized for self-empowerment, enhancing creativity, overcoming personal obstacles, or fostering a sense of personal agency and autonomy.
4. Experimentation and Innovation: Chaos magic encourages innovation and experimentation in magical practices. It allows practitioners to explore unconventional approaches to magic and spirituality.

Chaos magic, as a fluid and adaptable practice, is less concerned with adhering to established traditions and more focused on achieving practical results through personalized and experimental approaches to magic. Its applications are diverse and can vary widely based on individual goals and intentions.

Julia Della author of The Book of Spells. Top of Form

Chaos magic is using the powers within yourself to change your current reality. It’s just your thought process. And how you think about things. And your intent and stuff before you do things. It’s just working with your own natural chaos. Other that by a book [rejects book learning?]