Beginning Witchcraft Even More Very Basics

Questions:

1. Who first practiced witchcraft, is there a certain group?
2.Can witches actually read minds, or is there a trick, and can they tell the future?
3.Can witches make objects fly, or is that another one of them make believe fairy tales?
4. I hear that witches have certain names. Is that for a certain reason?
5. Can you do a spell to make yourself a better person? How about to have someone like you, or get money, etc.
6. How does the Three Fold Law work? If you pick on someone youll have it back on you three times? Or does it only work for spells?
7. I have practiced witchcraft before, now you said that that makes you a witch. What if that spell doesnt work? How do you know if a spell did?
8. Youve probably answered this but not in those wordsCan you be born into witchcraft?

Answers:

1) Nobody really knows. It is believed by many scholars that forms of Paganism were amongst the first religions ever practiced. Though those Pagans are quite a bit different than those of today. Wicca, on the other hand, is a fairly new religion originating with Gerald Gardner in 1939.

2) Can witches read minds or tell the future... That is an interesting question. People claim that I can read minds. I think it has more to do with understanding how people in general think (applied psychology) than anything else. As for telling the future, I have been told I am very good with a Tarot deck, and I've predicted events. Someone examining the events very closely may put it up to coincidence or educated guesses, but I've been correct too often to get that lucky.

3) Make things fly? In my experience, that's a tale. Some people will tell you differently.

4) Often witches go by a second name. For some, it is a way to feel more magickal, or to get into a specific mood. Just like many people use different names on the Internet. In many cases, a second name is also used to protect their legal name if they are afraid to give out their real name.

5) Yes. We'll need to go into the concepts behind how spells work. Some you can expect to work better than others. Spells for things like self-improvement are almost always the strongest.

6) The three-fold law is based on how you treat others, and your intent when working magick. This could also use some further discussion. But if you try to emotionally hurt someone, than you're very likely to get hurt even worse. Of course, the opposite is true. If you help someone, it's likely that you'll get help in return. (Yes, this is one of the reasons why Pagans and Wiccans like doing nice things!) In my experience, Pagan or not, the rule of three applies in the world.

7) The real question is, do you consider yourself a Witch? How do you know if it worked? Depends on the spell!

8) Can you be born into Witchcraft? Just as much as you can be born into Christianity or Judaism. Any religion or practice requires some teaching. However, some people are more likely to accept one set of beliefs over another regardless of what their parents brought them up as.

Bright Blessings

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Tom Peete Cross - Witchcraft In North Carolina
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George Lyman Kittredge - Notes On Witchcraft Ocr Version

Raven Grimassi Interview Exploring The Magic Of The Ancients

Book: Raven Grimassi Interview Exploring The Magic Of The Ancients by Michael Night Sky

I personally feel that the origins of Witchcraft are Prehistoric and evidence of it is found in a combination of ancient literary works and historical references. The writings of Homer, Horace, Lucan and Ovid, just to name a few all refer to Witches and Witchcraft. By also factoring in the etymology of words translated as “Witch” and “Witchcraft” we can also uncover evidence that Witches existed in ancient times. What is important here are references to non-supernatural, magic-using beings. For example, one of the earliest words used to indicate Witchcraft is the Greek word pharmakis, which indicates dealings with the properties of plants. Our English word pharmacist is derived from the Greek word for Witchcraft.

Within ancient literary works, we find the themes of earlier oral tales; though such tales are largely fiction, they are based upon known elements of culture and society to make the story more believable. For example, the ancient tales about Medea, written by Lucan and Ovid, include magic, cauldrons, ritual circles, wands, and aid from deities and spirit forces. These elements fit into what we know of the religious and magical systems of the period, and so it is reasonably safe to assume these elements are reliable. The writings of Horace (in his Epodes) depict the “Witch” as a woman who calls upon the goddess Diana and works magic of an Astronomical nature. Lucan references the concept of a Triple Goddess associated with Witchcraft: Hecate, Diana, Persephone. (Raven Grimassi)

Buy Michael Night Sky's book: Raven Grimassi Interview Exploring The Magic Of The Ancients

Books in PDF format to read:

Paul Foster Case - An Introduction To The Study Of The Tarot
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Cave Of The Ancients
John Dee - Grimoirium Imperium Or The Book Of The Old Spirits
Michael Night Sky - Raven Grimassi Interview Exploring The Magic Of The Ancients

The Calling To The First Of Witch Blood An Invocation Of Cain

Book: The Calling To The First Of Witch Blood An Invocation Of Cain by Michael Ford

A short dedication to the Luciferian Sabbat and those seeking their own light within the gnosis of the Adversary. The initiation of the witch into the Circle of Cain, the living Son of Satan and Lilith, the great Harlot and Demoness, the Adversarial deific force of dark instinctual desire and willed continual existence.

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Witchcraft In Yorkshire

Book: Witchcraft In Yorkshire by Patricia Crowther

Patricia Crowther`s witchcraft in Yorkshire was originally published in the UK in 1973. A small book of the region`s lore, this important and detailed book described customs, legends, spells, and beliefs of the Yorkshire area of the UK. This facsimile reproduction of the original 1973 book is now available as a limited edition, yet at an affordable price, with all the original language, observations, and commentary intact. Even the back cover photo is from that era. The front cover alone has been updated in tribute to the importance of this very influencial work. The foreword to this new edition puts this book in modern perspective, stating, "The small book you are now holding in your hands was an early effort by one of the first publicly announced practitioners to contribute to a fuller picture of the witch, and of witchcraft. The text provides samplings of how witchcraft and folk-magic manifested themselves, over many years, within the borders of Yorkshire."

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The Book Of The Witch Moon

Book: The Book Of The Witch Moon by Michael Ford

Presenting the forbidden works of Chaos, Vampiric and Luciferian Sorcery. A grimoire which explores the dark feminine current of HECATE, Witch Moon explores ritual and dream Lycanthropy, Chaos Sorcery and Luciferian Ritual practice as well as the darksome practice of Vampirism and Predatory Spirituality. The Nine Angles and the Trapezoid workings, inspired by Anton LaVey and presented around the cult of Daeva-Yasna, the persian demon-sorcery of Yatuk Dinoih. Contains the rituals of Dream, ritual and astral vampirism as an initiatory tool, other Cabalistic workings presenting the Qlippoth. Contains the Grimoire based on Ancient Egyptian Vampirism, LIBER AAPEP, Luciferian Magick practice, The Chaos Cult Workings of Choronzon as Vampire, The Rites of Hecate, the Infernal and Luciferian Sabbat, and the foundations of Satanic practice in Magick.

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Self Initiation For The Solitary Witch

Book: Self Initiation For The Solitary Witch by Shanddaramon

In Hellenistic Greece and, most likely, far earlier in history, there existed several mystery schools. These spiritual schools existed, in theory at least, to teach people about the Great Mysteries of the gods. This learning took place in stages or degrees. Students began by dedicating themselves to a particular school of study. With each successive degree, the initiate delved into a deeper and more profound learning of these mysteries. This book brings the learning style of the mystery school to the path of the practitioner of Wicca. It divides intense learning and practice into five different degrees. Each chapter discusses a level in detail and contains a listing of the degree associations, a list of goals, a discussion of the focus of each level and its related Great Mystery, and a detailed explanation of each step in the degree, followed by a brief review. For each degree there is a color, title, prefix, number, and a list of goals.

The seeker may use these as needed. For example, the color could be used for the decoration of a robe, belt, or pendant to indicate to others the degree earned. The title can also indicate your level. The prefix can be used when referring to your name (common or magickal), and the number can refer to the level of the path. As always, these trappings are to be used only if doing so appeals to you. For those who do not wish to wear robes, pendants, or fancy belts, or who do not wish to discuss or share with others their progress, these adornments are pointless. If, however, they create a sense of fun and mystery for the seeker, then use them in this manner—for fun is a great part of this religion. Using any of these items to differentiate you from others solely for the purpose of elitist fancies is against the theme of this path. Constant vigilance against this attitude is necessary for the dignity of this tradition. More than that, however, is the fact that such arrogance is a hindrance in spiritual development.

Each chapter also includes several charts, graphs, and tables to help you understand the concepts discussed. These are listed as Items and are numbered. These Items should be transferred to your journal or collection of notes (such as a Book of Shadows) so that you will have a quick and easy reference as you continue to study. Each of the degrees also suggests that the seeker perform a final ritual. These rituals can be as simple or as complex as desired, and may be enacted singly or with a group of people that support such an activity. It is important to mark one’s progress, and such rituals are a fitting and meaningful way to do so. The first ritual that will be introduced will be the Dedication ceremony. Strictly speaking, this ceremony will not be a full-blown Wiccan ritual because little of the ritual practice will have been learned at this point. It will, instead, be a simply designed ceremony. Learning how to do rituals will be a main focus of early development, and the initiation ritual practiced at the end of every degree is a good way to practice and refine what has been learned. I recommend that each degree take a minimum of a year and a day of study, but you will be able to best determine your own rate of development.

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Liber Kkk Or Kaos Keraunos Kybernetos

Book: Liber Kkk Or Kaos Keraunos Kybernetos by Peter Carroll

Liber KKK is the first, complete, systematic magical training programme for some centuries. It is a definitive replacement for the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, which system has become obsolete due to its monotheist transcendentalism and its dependency on repressive forms of inhibitory gnosis now considered inappropriate.

Liber KKK is presented as a series of general magical techniques which the magician must develop into a workable programme using whatever symbols, instruments and forms of gnosis that appeal to him. It would be inappropriate for a Chaos Magic text to prescribe any particular beliefs or dogmas, except that magic works if certain general principles are followed. It would be inappropriate for any Chaos magician to slavishly adhere to the fine detail of any system. Much can be learnt from Liber KKK in the process of adapting general procedures to personal taste and objectives. Liber KKK may be attempted by any adult. The word "magician" applies equally to either sex and the use of the male personal pronouns in the text is merely a literary convention in the absence of neutral forms in English.

Liber KKK is a series of twenty-five magical operations or "conjurations". The five classical conjurations of Evocation, Divination, Enchantment, Invocation and Illumination are each performed on the five levels of Sorcery, shamanic Magic, Ritual Magic, Astral Magic and High Magic. Thus the whole work systematically resumes the entire tradition of magical technique, leading the magician from simple practices and the manufacture of tools towards the mastery of more complex experiments on the psychic level.

It is highly desirable that the magician has some form of private temple for his conjurations. Yet it is essential that the magician remains active in the world for the period of the work as a whole. The work does not entail any form of retreat from the world, but rather the world surrounding the magician is used as the proving ground for magic. Thus the business and social affairs of the magician are the prime focus for his magic. In performing that magic he gradually defines his style or spirituality. For it is senseless to define spirituality as other than the way one lives. If the Way of Magic is to have a spiritual component it can only be discovered through the performance, all strictures and exhortations are useless.

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A Rebel And Witch The Historical Context

Book: A Rebel And Witch The Historical Context by Marylynn Saul

Morgan le Fay, alternatively known as Morgane, Morgaine, Morgana and other variants, is a powerful sorceress in the Arthurian legend. Early works featuring Morgan do not elaborate her character beyond her role as a fay or magician. She became much more prominent in the later cyclical prose works such as the Lancelot-Grail and the Post-Vulgate Cycle, in which she becomes an antagonist to King Arthur and Queen Guinevere: she is said to be the daughter of Arthur's mother, the Lady Igraine, and her first husband, Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, so that Arthur is her half brother (by Igraine and Uther Pendragon).

The early accounts of Geoffrey of Monmouth and Gerald of Wales refer to Morgan in conjunction with the Isle of Apples (later Avalon) to which the fatally-wounded Arthur was carried. To the former she was an enchantress, one of nine sisters, while to the latter she was the ruler and patroness of an area near Glastonbury and a close blood-relation of King Arthur. In the early romances of Chretien de Troyes, also, she figures as a healer.

Though in later stories she becomes an adversary of the Round Table when Guinevere discovers her adultery with one of her husband's knights, she eventually reconciles with her brother, and even retains her original role, serving as one of the four enchantresses who carry the king to Avalon after his final battle at Camlann. She has at least two older sisters, Elaine and Morgause, the latter of whom is the mother of Gawain and the traitor Mordred. In Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur and elsewhere, she is married, unhappily, to King Urien of Gore and Ywain is her son.

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Marylynn Saul - A Rebel And Witch The Historical Context

Witches Potions And Spells

Book: Witches Potions And Spells by Kathryn Paulsen

Witches have great knowledge of how to make magical potions and charms. A potion is a drink that causes a desired effect in a person's behavior. A charm is a magical incantation that helps to bring about a spell. Witches also are believed to be able to see into the future.

According to tradition, witches are said to be masters of the supernatural world. They conjure and command spirits. They may have special helping spirits called familiars, who take the form of animals, particularly cats, snakes, owls, and dogs.

Most witches practice in secrecy. Some do so because they believe that is the tradition. Others do so because they wish to avoid persecution. Because of secrecy, it is difficult to estimate how many people practicewitchcraft.

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How To Create Your Clean Wicca Witchcraft Altar

The first step is to thoroughly clean the room that will contain your altar. It is best to mix sea salt into water. If you can't find any sea salt to use (any new age shop should have some), just use cleaning supplies you would normally use.

Scrub down the walls, ceiling and floor (if you don't have a rug). Make sure to pick up the clutter, and organize the room as best you can. The less clutter and mess, the easier it will be to control the energy that collects.

Now, you need to determine where North, South, East, and west are. You can use a compass, or ask someone who knows (if you don't). Once you figure them out, make sure to mark them using any small objects so that you won't forget. The reason you are doing this is because your altar will be setup-facing North because it is the direction of "Earth" and the primary energy you will connect to.

Next, you need to mark your circle. You can use white cord, or any small objects that are sacred to you. (such as candles or figurines) If you have enough room, try to mark the circle between 5 to 9 feet in diameter. (If you don't have enough space your circle can be smaller, but it may be a little more difficult to stay inside of the circle when doing your spell work.

When you mark the circle start in the East and move clockwise around the circle, finishing again in the East. Think of this is a "permanent" circles that you will "redraw" each time you do ritual or spell work. (You'll see how to redraw it later)

Now it is time to decorate your temple (the area around your circle). You can hang meaningful posters, fabric, and pictures. You can set up candles all around the room in any way that feels right for you. Try to set up a mystical feel, one that builds strong emotions for Magick work. The decorating can be simple or elaborate, whatever evokes strong feelings inside of you.

Next, you need to do an initial cleansing and purification of your space. So you must first prepare the cleansing water for this ritual. You will "charge" the water with positive and pure energy from your heart. Then you will use this water to cleanse your space.

This purification is very important to perform correctly or your space will be tainted - and it will never "feel" right. Your Magick will probably suffer as a result.

I can't stress how important the preparation of your cleansing water, and the actually cleansing and purifying of your space is. It so critical for you to actually see the rituals being done that I have included a DVD section on them in the full witchcraft Academy. Not only is there a detailed step-by-step guide for you to follow (with pictures and images), but you will actually see a demonstration of this powerful (and important) ritual.

Once you have fully cleansed and purified your space, it is time to set up your altar. Throughout this process, keep in mind that you can use any materials to set up an altar - but it is best to avoid using synthetic or metal materials. You can use a small wooden table that is between knee and chest high (you may even consider a circular table - which are popular for altars) The idea here is to maintain the natural energies of the Earth by using materials coming directly from the earth (if possible).

Set up your feminine diety elements to the left, and your mail diety elements to the right. (For Wiccans, Goddess elements to the left, and your God elements to the right)

If you want to see a full layout of elements and how to arrange them on your altar to heighten your connection to Magick - see the Home Academy to follow the exact steps. It also includes pictures of different altar setups and a video demonstration of setup and "consecration" of tools and other items on your altar. (This is a must to harmonize the energy within the tools with the energy of the altar and your sacred space)

Replace the markers you used to define the directions (North, South, East, and West) with white candles. In the DVDs you will also see how you can use colored candles that represent each of the elemental colors of the four directions. I like to place more candles around the border of the circle because I like to work my magic by candlelight.

Finally, repeat the purification ritual in the Home Academy for your altar and the circle. Then take a broom, or use your arm to clear out the space of the circle and push any negative or dark energy away.

Your first Witchcraft alter is born, congratulations! Now you can gradually increase it's power to attract the Magick energies you will need in your spell work by adding meaningful objects to it. There are many specific examples of altar setups, and examples of objects that you can add. Above all, these objects must be a reflection of you. The more of "you" that goes into your altar, the more power you will be able to draw from it - and the more protection it will offer as you do your Magick.

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Midnight Circle A Commentary Of Azothoz A Book Of The Adversary

Book: Midnight Circle A Commentary Of Azothoz A Book Of The Adversary by Michael Ford

A Commentary of AZOTHOZ – A Book of the Adversary. Presented by The Night Ravener (Akhtya Seker Arimanius ~ Michael W. Ford)- A Brother in the Pact of Witchblood.

AZOTHOZ presents in poetic form the antinomian concept of separation from the natural order. This is clear throughout the various grimoires such as NOX UMBRA, BOOK OF CAIN, YATUK DINOIH, GOETIA (Luciferian Edition), and The TOAD RITE. Azothoz is actually a strong foundation from which these works arose. As written as lyric and poem form, the original praxis of the spiral force is not only directed inward, it is invoked in the circle of being. As some may have studied, Aleister Crowley[1] has placed significant focus on the Spiral Force, the traveling point of magickal energy. The same may be stated in the Antinomian practice of Left Hand Path Magick, it is the spiral force from below (darkness) which ascends through the body (self) towards the Luciferian Realms (Light).

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3 Green Books

Book: 3 Green Books by Morwyn

Reformed Druids like stories and short pithy wisdom sayings. Over the years, various Arch-Druids have collected good stories to share with their fellow Grove members, especially during the meditative part of the Order of Worship. Some consider the meditation to be the very heart and purpose of the ritual, so chose a selection carefully. If you can’t find one, perhaps one of these may work for you. At Carleton, the first Green Book (named after its cover), proved influential, but the 2nd and 3rd volumes seem much less so.

We have thought it appropriate to print The Green Book to bring it to a larger audience, in the hope that others, too, may find it useful in the search for awareness. The pages of the original are unnumbered, for David encouraged his successors to add such meditations as they found appropriate. We encourage our readers to do likewise, and have accordingly left the pages unnumbered. There have been additions since David’s time, but they have been few. For this edition we have included several selections that have long wanted adding; the Yeats poems, for example, which have almost become part of the Carleton liturgy. We have resisted the temptations to make a few excisions. We should especially have liked to excise the “Sayings of the ancient Druids” which are no more Druidic than is Stonehenge, and which certainly cannot be said to represent the beliefs of the Reformed Druids; yet David included it, and we shall not gainsay him.

Herewith, then is The Green Book, in substantially the same form as it was bequeathed to Carleton by David. May you find joy in the reading!

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The Dark Powers

I felt (once again) the need to submit this article based on the fact that there is little known about this aspect of The Craft. I have recieved many questions about this subject and will try to cover as much of it as possible in this article.

The dark powers I refer to are the dark aspects of the Goddess and God. These powers come from the Crone and Lord of Shadows; the Hag and the Hunter. These are the two dark forms of the Lady and Lord. These powers are not only about the negative in our lives, but also very potent with the negative aspects in the universe. It is possible, in time, to turn these negatives to positives and apply them to your spellcraft. By accepting that the dark powers are in balance with the light powers, you are able to utilize the wholeness of the power. Shadow and light must be equal in our lives. Energy can be drawn to either light or dark, so when we die, the energy we have drawn will provide the soul's passage.

Dark powers are not something we should fear. When you are able to utilize the dark powers in balance with the light, you are able to take control of the power in whole. The unity you make with light and dark offers wholeness and peace, which may then be transferred to external energies and spells. Dark moons, however, are not very productive in spells and rituals. These signify a time not to call on the Lady and Lord, but to have quiet time or sleep and dreamtime.

Using dark power in meditation and spellcraft is very useful. You can call upon this power and use it's strong negativity for good, not for an increase of anger or rage. Casting a circle for a dark aspected spell or meditation is done deosil (N-W-S-E) or counter-clockwise. Call the elements and begin your practice. You can also use some of your tools for dark and dark only. Some of these are: a black mirror, gourd rattle, athame (if you can afford to), and cauldron. I use all the same for both light and dark. Some witches have seperate for each power.

Dark power colors are as follows:
Black - absorb/block negativity; remove negativity; focus on Shadowland/Underworld
Gray - Feary paths; neutralizing negativity; veiling
Purple - spiritual development; power, cleansing and intuition; progress
White - protection/truth; peace
Red - Power, energy and strength
Lavender - Sidhe magics, psychic growth and spiritual development
Silver - lunar energy

Dark powers are extremely strong and very useful. I do recommend that one know their own strength and know their Craft before one attempts working with them. Being that they are dark, and negative at that, it is possible to misuse them. Be careful what you do, and blessed be!

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Mysterious Delusions Witchcraft In Salem

Book: Mysterious Delusions Witchcraft In Salem by Walter Rowe

The Salem witchcraft trials are events that most Americans have heard of, but about which they actually know very little. For example, some people believe that witches were burnt in Salem. Actually, the prescribed punishment for witchcraft under English law was hanging. Another commonly held belief is that the witchcraft hysteria started when a group of young girls in Salem, under the tutelage of Tituba, an African slave, used magical spells to try to find out the occupations of the men that they would marry. This cluster of beliefs now has the status of an academic urban legend. The notion that a group of girls was using magic to find out about their future husbands stems from a careless reading of a remark of Rev. John Hale, who wrote that one of the young accusers had confided to him her own use of magic in this way. (by Walter F. Rowe, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Forensic Sciences The George Washington University Washington, DC)

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Do All Witches Practice Magick

Magick is a tool. As a tool, it can be used within any religion. Some people who follow the religion of Witchcraft do not practice magick. It would be inaccurate to say that magick has nothing to do With Witchcraft. Still, there are those who choose not to practice magick. Foremost, witchcraft is a religion.

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Anonymous - Rep Insight The Witches Resource Pack
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Salem Possessed The Social Origins Of Witchcraft

Book: Salem Possessed The Social Origins Of Witchcraft by Paul Boyer

This is a wonderful book. Boyer and Neissenbaum take you to society and the time right before the witch trials took place. They give you all the information you need to feel what life was like there and to understand the underlying tensions and disputes, jealousies and arrogance. Things were changing. Some people wanted --and benefited from the changes-- others didn't want, and were antagonistic to, the changes. The ideal of the community was being tested by economic opportunity, which was fostering economic greed. An increasing stratified society was coming into being. Meanwhile, there was no mechanism available for petty disputes to be resolved via the courts or other public venues -- this is just a short list of the variety of problems that sat unresolved and which eventually broke loose in the hysteria of a witch hunting. This is an amazingly complex and fascinating story--the research and scholarship here is extraordinary. If you want to know what lead up to the witch trials this is the book you want to read.

Provides an admirable illustration of the general rule that, in Old and New England alike, much of the best sociological history of the Twentieth Century has only been made possible by the antiquarian and genealogical interests of the nineteenth...This sensitive, intelligent, and well-written book will certainly revive interest in the terrible happenings at Salem.
--Keith Thomas (New York Review of Books )

The authors' whole approach to the Salem disaster is canny, rewarding, and sure to fascinate readers interested in that aberrant affair. (The Atlantic )

This is an 'inner history' of Salem Village that aims to raise the events of 1692 from melodrama to tragedy...It is a large achievement. This book is progressive history at its best, with brilliant insights, well-organized evidence, maps, and footnotes at the bottom of the page.
--Cedric B. Cowing (American Historical Review )

This short book is a solid contribution to the understanding of the 1692 witch trials. The authors use impressively rich demographic detail to support the thesis that the witch trials are best explained as symptoms of typical social tensions in provincial towns at the time. According to Boyer and Nissenbaum, Salem villagers played roles determined by economic, geographic, and status interests.
--Richard Ekman (Canadian Historical Review )

An important, imaginative book that brings new insights to the study of the 1692 witchcraft outbreak in Massachusetts. Building on Charles Upham's Salem Witchcraft (1867), Boyer and Nissenbaum explore decades of community tension and conflict in order to explain why Salem was the focus of this episode. The authors reveal a complex set of relationships between persons allied with the growing mercantile interests of Salem Town and those linked to the subsistence-based economy of outlying Salem Village.
--Carol Karlsen (Journal of Women in Culture and Society )

A provocative book. Drawing upon an impressive range of unpublished local sources, Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum provide a challenging new Interpretation of the outbreak of witchcraft in Salem Village. They argue that previous historians erroneously divorced the tragic events of 1692 from the long-term development of the village and therefore failed to realize that the witch trials were simply one particularly violent chapter in a series of local controversies dating back to the 1660s. In their reconstruction of the socio-economic conditions that contributed to the intense factionalism in Salem Village, Boyer and Nissenbaum have made a major contribution to the social history of colonial New England...[They] have provided us with a first-rate discussion of factionalism in a seventeenth-century New England community. Their handling of economic, familial, and spatial relationships within Salem Village is both sophisticated and imaginative.
--T. H. Breen (William and Mary Quarterly )

An illuminating and imaginative interpretation... of the social and moral state of Salem village in 1692. A sensitive, intelligent, and well-written book. (New York Review of Books )

A large achievement. This book is progressive history at its very best, with brilliant insights. (American historical Review )

Salem Possessed is a provocative book. Drawing upon an impressive range of unpublished local sources, Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum provide a challenging new interpretation of the outbreak of witchcraft in Salem Village... A major contribution to the social history of colonial New England... Sophisticated and imaginative. (William and Many Quarterly )

Buy Paul Boyer's book: Salem Possessed The Social Origins Of Witchcraft

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Michael Bailey - Historical Dictionary Of Witchcraft
Howard Williams - The Superstitions Of Witchcraft
Reginald Scot - The Discoverie Of Witchcraft
Michael Harrison - The Roots Of Witchcraft
Anonymous - Basic Technologies Of Witchcraft

Modern Witchcraft On Wikipedia

To show and prove the misconception of witchcraft (which stemmed from Judaism and the Kaballah.) " ...historically notably in Early Modern Europe, where witchcraft came to be seen as a vast diabolical conspiracy against Christianity, and accusations of witchcraft led to large-scale witch-hunts..."

Witchcraft, in various historical, anthropological, religious and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. Witchcraft often refers to the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers in order to inflict harm or damage upon members of a community or their property. Other uses of the term distinguish between bad witchcraft and good witchcraft, with the latter often involving healing, perhaps remedying bad witchcraft. The concept of witchcraft is normally treated as a cultural ideology, a means of explaining human misfortune by blaming it either on a supernatural entity or a known person in the community.Pocs 1999, pp. 9?12. A witch (from Old English wicce f. / wicca m.) is a practitioner of witchcraft.

Belief in witchcraft, and by consequence witch-hunts, is found in many cultures worldwide, today mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa (e.g. in the witch smellers in Bantu culture), and historically notably in Early Modern Europe of the 14th to 18th century, where witchcraft came to be seen as a vast diabolical conspiracy against Christianity, and accusations of witchcraft led to large-scale witch-hunts, especially in Germanic Europe."Witchcraft". Encyclop?dia Britannica.

The "witch-cult hypothesis", a controversial theory that European witchcraft was a suppressed pagan religion, was popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Since the mid-20th century, Witchcraft has become the self-designation of a branch of neopaganism, especially in the Wicca tradition following Gerald Gardner, who claimed a religious tradition of Witchcraft with pre-Christian roots.Adler, Margot (1979) Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today. Boston: Beacon Press. pp. 45?47, 84?5, 105.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Anonymous - Witchcraft Dictionary
Jaroslav Nemec - Witchcraft And Medicine
Louise Huebner - Witchcraft For All
Gerald Gardner - Witchcraft Today

Your Magical Name

Why a Magical Name?:
Ah, the magical name. So many people find wicca and decide right off the bat that they’re going to name themselves Lady Such-and-Such or Lord Whatsis. Go to a pagan event and you’ll meet more fifteen-year-old Lady Morganas than you can shake a stick at. And it’s virtually guaranteed that within about three months, Lady Morgana will decide her magical name, sometimes called a craft name, is really supposed to be Starfluffle or Moongypsy, and she’ll change it.

In fact, she’ll probably change it two to three times a year.

The Name-of-the-Month Club:
This odd phenomenon, known as the Name-of-the-Month Syndrome, happens most often because the person in question hasn’t taken the time to research and learn, which is crucial to finding the right magical name.

A magical name is unique to the practitioner, and there are several ways to find yours. When you find the right name, you’ll keep it for a long time. In some traditions, it‘s customary to wait until you‘ve studied a year and a day before claiming your magical name. Some Pagans have two magical names -- one which they use in public and one which is known only to the gods and members of the person’s coven.

Think Long-Range:
One method by which people sometimes find their magical name is to simply choose something they like. A problem with this method is that what we like on one day, we may find silly a year down the road. If you’re going to choose a name based on whether it sounds cool or not, stop and think about it. What is it about the name that appeals to you? Ten years from now, are still going to feel comfortable saying, “Hi, I‘m Fairypuddle,” when you meet a new person?

Names with Meaning:
Choose a name not only for its sound, but its attributes as well. For example, someone wishing to convey strength in their name might include “oak“ or “iron“ as part of their moniker. A person who is highly creative might select a name that reflects their art or craft. You may want to choose a name based rooted in folklore or mythology. Many people include the name of an animal that resonates with them. A cautionary note here: in the Pagan community, certain animals pop up all the time. You’ll meet two dozen Ravens and just as many Cats, but it’s unlikely you’ll encounter anyone calling himself Wombat or Penguin.

Names to Avoid:
Another bit of advice -- generally, the titles Lord and Lady are reserved for people who are elders or have a significant amount of leadership experience under their belt. To name oneself Lady So-and-So without any credentials is considered presumptuous by many Pagans. Likewise, in many traditions it’s seen as hubris to give oneself the name of a deity. You may want to choose a name that indicates your dedication to a god or goddess, but don’t co-opt their names. It’s just rude. If you're a dedicant to Apollo, don't call yourself Master Apollo, call yourself something like Apollonius instead.

Using Your Birth Number:
Another popular method of finding a magical name is to choose one that corresponds with your birth number. To find your birth number, begin by adding the digits of your birth date.

If your birthday was September 1, 1966, you would start with the numbers 911966 = 9 + 1 + 1 + 9 + 6 + 6 = 32.

Now take those two numbers (3 and 2), and bring it down to a single digit: 3 + 2 = 5. That number -- in this case, 5 -- is your birth number.

Use the grid below to find a name that corresponds to the number 5, by calculating the sum of the corresponding letters.

1 = A, J, S

2 = B, K, T

3 = C, L, U

4 = D, M, V

5 = E, N, W

6 = F, O, X

7 = G, P, Y

8 = H, Q, Z

9 = I, R

Let’s say you’ve decide you like the name Willow. Using the letters in “Willow” you would take the numbers 5 + 9 + 3 + 3 + 6 + 5 = 32. From there, 3 + 2 = 5. If the name you like doesn’t match your birth numbers, try some creative or alternate spellings to see what happens.

A Gift from the Gods:
In some cases, you may be fortunate enough to have your new name bestowed upon you by a god or goddess. In these instances, you may encounter someone in a dream or a vision who tells you, “Your name is Such-and-such.” While you may choose to add to it or come up with a variation on it later, if this happens to you, accept the name as the gift that it is.

Whatever method you end up using, think carefully before you finalize your new name. While it’s okay to change your name later on as you evolve spiritually, changing your name every few weeks or every time you see a new episode of “Charmed” is probably not the best course of action. Find the name that is right for you -- and when it IS the right one, you will know.


Books You Might Enjoy:

Anonymous - The Mystical Qabbalah
Kenneth Grant - Magical Revival
Aninymous - The Angelical Alphabet

Witchcraft And Sorcery

Witchcraft and sorcery are almost identical terms as both use the magic spells, mystical or paranormal means to harness occult forces to produce desired results. Ideally speaking, persons pursuing witchcraft do not aim at producing evil results. Somehow the term sorcery is used pejoratively to denote the use of supernatural powers to produce unnatural and negative course of events.

Another factor that differentiates witchcraft from sorcery is that while sorcery can be learnt and practiced by anyone, witchcraft is considered to result from inherent mystical powers and is practiced by invisible means. Modern witches, however, claim that witchcraft can be acquired through learning as well.

Both Witchcraft And Sorcery have existed since times immemorial in all the societies and cultures around the world. In ancient Greece, witchcraft existed as early as the time when Homer lived. The legendary Medea was considered as the best known sorceress in classical times. The Roman Horace describes two witches in his famous Satires. There are several references to witches in Bible. Saul (1 Samuel 28) consulted Witch of Endor.

Though witches were hounded and persecuted as being aligned with evil spirits in the past ages, Witchcraft has acquired respectability with the passage of time. It has washed away the stigma attached to it and cleared many popular misconceptions about it.

In twentieth century, witchcraft movement termed as wicca the Craft, the Wisecraft is professed and practiced as religion.
The term wicca comes from an old English word wicca which has its origin from the Germanic root ‘wic’ and means ‘to bend or turn’. A witch is supposed to bend or turn the course of events for a good cause. Earlier the female practitioners of witchcraft were called witches, while their male counterparts were called wizards. But now the term witch is used both for male and female practitioners of witchcraft.

Witchcraft as a religion was developed in the United Kingdom by Gerald B Gardner, a British civil servant. Gardner had a life long interest in occult and supernatural forces. Witchcraft is now openly and proudly practiced in almost all the English speaking countries including the United States of America besides many traditional societies and cultures around the world. In Africa people seek medical aid for external physical problems and consult witch doctors for internal illnesses.

It is now widely believed that witches cast their spells for good objectives like love, health and wealth. Genuine believers in witchcraft do not cause harm to others. They worship God or deity or Mother Nature which is believed to possess both male and female aspects. They, however, emphasize on the female aspect or the Goddess side of the deity. Wicca is a religion of fertility. It celebrates the seasonal cycles of the nature that are central to the farming communities. The religious rites are tied to the cycles of moon which is the symbol of the power of the Goddess and also the seasons of the year.

Religious witches use their craft for the benefit of the people. They religiously follow their golden rule called The wiccan Rede which says: "An' it harm none, do what ye will.” They believe in the theory of karma that any act of witchcraft will return to its practitioner magnified three folds, whether it is good or evil.

Wicca is the most democratic and free religion in the world. There is no central authority. The witches work in loosely organized groups called covens. Some covens are made up exclusively of women, some of men while others have mixed membership. There are witches who do not join any coven at all and practice their faith alone as solitaries.

Modern witchcraft is a recreation of pagan, folk and magical rites selected from the major cultures and societies across the world such as Babylonian, Celtic, Egyptian, ancient Greek, Roman, and Sumerian Buddhism, Hinduism, and the rites of American Indians.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Aj Drew - Wicca Spellcraft For Men
Gabor Klaniczay - Witchcraft Mythologies And Persecutions
Louise Huebner - Witchcraft For All
Gerald Gardner - Witchcraft Today
Jaroslav Nemec - Witchcraft And Medicine

Witchcraft Tools

Be it English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, or Scottish, witches all seemed to use similar tools to do similar things. Perhaps more than that, it is this commonality, based for the most part on myth, clerical stereotypes and confessions extracted under torture that has served to leave the image of the witch so intensely on the Western imagination.

The lore of witches, for example, is widespread with stories of witches riding on broomsticks. This tradition appears to be ancient and transcripts of the 16th and 17th century witch trials are filled with references to it. One of them, Isobel Gowdie, a famous Scottish witch, went so far in her confession as to give her formula for making a broom, beanstalk or straw fly.

Equally famous and popular accessories were the long black hooded cloak and the bubbling cauldron. The cloak, though of ancient origin, seems to have had no special use except from helping to hide the witch’s anonymity, but the cauldron was a commonplace of making magic. From cauldron brews the witch might make lethal poisons and enchanted potions and ointments.

A 14th century French witch, Anne Marie de Georgel, admitted making a stew composed of poisonous herbs, parts of the dead bodies of men and animals. The herbs that are used in such wicked stews probably gathered when the moon had waned. When the moon was full, herbs were picked to produce wholesome effects. As an example, the green and silver leaves of mugwort, plucked at full moon, were carefully brewed and used in the use to improving clairvoyant power.

For their sabbats, or meetings, witches needed such items as candles. Also part of the sabbat ritual was a Magic Circle that had been traced on the ground by the tip of a magical knife. These circles were created to gather the witches’ special power.

To make a spell-casting drink a witch might use a household bottle or jug. In post World War II London several such jug were found buried in the foundation of old houses. They contained human hair entangled with metal nails, fingernail parings and pieces of hearth-shaped cloth pierced with pins.


Books You Might Enjoy:

Tarostar - The Witchs Spellcraft Revised
Louise Huebner - Witchcraft For All
Gerald Gardner - Witchcraft Today