Samhain originated in Celtic culture 2, years ago. The Celts believed that during Samhain, the barrier between the mortal world and the spirit world was lifted, allowing them to communicate with the dead. They held feasts in their honor, wore costumes, sang songs, and acted out plays.
Although the tradition has largely faded, its customs evolved into what we now call Halloween. Samhain is still celebrated by modern Wiccans and other pagans. Obeah is a blend of magic and religion, and originated in the Caribbean during the slave trade.
This version of magic, which came from West Africa, uses spells to make predictions or make tasks easier. Although there are no official religious institutions or structures for Obeah, its practitioners are seen as spiritual guides. The most prominent form of Obeah is the practice of voodoo in Haiti. It can also be misused to harm others. Santa Muerte is portrayed as a woman wearing a skull mask and a long cloak, and her statues are believed to have magical powers.
Black sculptures of Santa Muerte are often used in cursing rituals, and many view the presence of her statue as a deathly omen. Those looking to practice dark magic would use the statue of Santa Muerte to channel it. Much like Salem in , some countries are still identifying witches — with or without evidence — and persecuting them for their perceived crimes.
In Romania, the government introduced a new law taxing witches, fortune tellers, and astrologers in A law was also drafted that punished witches for incorrectly predicting the future. In response, a coven of those of magical professions gathered on the banks of the Danube River, throwing toxic mandrake into the water with the aim of cursing the government and president.
One witch even vowed to use a mixture of deceased canine and feline fecal matter in a spell against lawmakers. Witchcraft is one of the most common crimes in the country, with around 40 percent of prosecutions involving witchcraft-related charges.
Long gone were the days of executions and severe punishment for practicing witchcraft, in the witch laws were repealed effectively meaning it was no longer a crime to practice witchcraft. Gerald Gardner, a practicing witch, published witchcraft today in causing another spike in the trend and the creation of a new religion by Gardner himself called Wicca.
Owing to its history of mainly young women being accused and persecuted for not remaining repressed we see witchcraft exist on the fringes of society just out of the grasp of Christianity. It generally interests those that are repressed by the main religion of the society. We see soars in witchcraft popularity during times of female liberation and in times where a society feels disillusioned and untrusting of their government and leaders so turns to themselves to manifest their wishes.
As Christianity loosens its grip and we move further into an era of science the stigma and suspicion around witchcraft ebbs away. Thanks to social media, we are becoming a global society. With tolerance comes the freedom for all to practice their beliefs and talk about them openly without persecution on social media. The mixture of political unease and the self-development trend online means more and more are turning to witchcraft as a lifestyle choice and belief system. Atheists, the religious and anyone in-between can incorporate a witchcraft practice into their daily routine with the former using the psychological and mindfulness approach and the latter allowing their god to be the granter of the magic through them.
A quick google search can reveal s of forums and groups for different religions incorporating witchcraft, most popular are Christian witches, Buddhist witches and atheist witches. Witchcraft is an umbrella term and there are many avenues of the lifestyle to be explored:. Aside from witchcraft we are seeing overarching trends of ethical purchases, green businesses and Veganism grow, these fit perfectly alongside witchcraft and are part of its success and rise in popularity.
In its place is a culture who want to practice their beliefs and help the planet at the same time. Witchcraft has survived so long despite barbaric persecution because it is not concerned with global domination and wealth but instead the ability to look within and be happy and grateful for what we currently have. Written by Alicia Vamvoukakis. History of witches: How and where did it begin?
Who practiced witchcraft and why? The witch trails Witch mania swept the globe starting in Europe in the mid s and continued to the s ending in North America. Elderly and not married. Any other race than Caucasian. Have any kind of birthmark anywhere. Happen to live on the fringes of society and be independent. Or behaved in any way that threatened the delicate and insecure patriarchy. Lithograph by Joseph E. Baker A law passed making false accusations of witchcraft illegal.
Christians vs witchcraft history But why did early Christianity have such a problem with witchcraft anyway? Occultism in the Victorian era The next big shift we see in history is in the Victorian era. Witchcraft no longer illegal Long gone were the days of executions and severe punishment for practicing witchcraft, in the witch laws were repealed effectively meaning it was no longer a crime to practice witchcraft.
Witchcraft and witches today As Christianity loosens its grip and we move further into an era of science the stigma and suspicion around witchcraft ebbs away. There are many traditional ways to set up an altar and using a classic layout is a great way to start, but feel free to change things up as you learn what works for you.
The beauty of setting up an altar is in the way that you create your personal, unique sacred space. How you choose to do so is up to you.
Many witches create portable altars for magic on the go — plus you can stay connected to your craft by carrying it around with you. The point of a grimoire is to hold all of your experiences, questions, research, any and everything related to your craft all in one place.
When we think of the term grimoire or book of shadows , most of us picture those old, leather bound, beautifully illustrated books full of ancient knowledge and wisdom. A grimoire simply for keeping all of your witchy knowledge and practices straight. Modern grimoires come in all different shapes and sizes. Three ring binders with lined paper, digital files on an iPad, mini notebooks, legal pads, etc.
If you can write in it, you can make it a grimoire. For example, to create a protective shield around yourself, you might visualize a warm golden light emanating from your core and illuminating a barrier of healing light around your body. There are many reasons to join the Craft. Some people just want to learn about different religions and simply want to know more. Others might be interested in teaching children about Paganism.
The Craft has many benefits for those who practice it as well, such as providing a sense of community, making you feel strong, and being able to connect with other beings on a spiritual level.
Witchcraft is a craft that has changed its forms over time. It has always been with our humanity, and for many centuries it was no more than an art form with concepts like witchcraft, magic, and sorcery.
The most recent form of witchcraft is the understanding of psychic energy in order to communicate with different spirits. The Craft of Witchcraft is a spiritual practice that includes the use of visualization, magic, and ritual to explore altered states of consciousness.
In this article, author Chelsea Dubois explains that witchcraft can be used as a tool for healing or transformation. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Skip to content One of the most fascinating subjects that people are fascinated with is witchcraft. What is Witchcraft? History of Witchcraft Witchcraft in modern times is often thought of as a satanic, evil practice.
Purpose of Witchcraft There are many purposes for Witchcraft. What can be done with Witchcraft? What are some techniques witches use for spellcasting? What are the Beliefs of Witchcraft? Modern Craft Practice In modern practice, it is not uncommon for a witch to even have a group of covens to work with.
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