Home Blessing Ritual

Home Blessing Ritual

Supplies Needed As Follows: 1.Small piece of Rose Quartz. 2.Frankincense(Incense). 3.Small size bowl(Glass works best). 4.Sage(Smudge Stick). 5.Wand 6.White candle. 7.olive oil 8.Matches(Lighter). 9.Candle snuffer 10.Candle holder 11.Spring,river,creek,or rain water.(Living water always works best for me)! 12.Sea Salt A.)Get all your supplies and take them to your Altar Area. B.)Scratch A Pentagram in your white […]

Libation

Libation

For a Wiccan, this is “cakes and ale” and is a sharing of food and drink that has a great deal of symbolism and meaning attached to it. For the Traditional Crafter, this goes deeper still. Known most often by its Cornish name of “Houzle”, the coming together of white bread and red wine or […]

What is a handfasting

What is a handfasting

A handfasting is a wedding or betrothal ceremony, and to be handfasted is equivalent to being married or betrothed. Before we get into the details, let’s back up a bit and have a quick history lesson. In most of pre-Christain Europe, weddings were fairly straightforward affairs, and this was especially true for northern Europe and […]

Treading The Mill

Treading The Mill

Unlike raising the Cone of Power, this practice is less about raising energy, and more about creating a vortex. Also known as the Widdershins Walk, this is the way to descend to the Wasteland, where we can work directly with our most ancient Ancestors. Craftings involving treading the Mill are generally concerned with moving between […]

Sunday Magick

Sunday Magick

Associated with our most powerful planetary influence, the Sun, which rules over things such as individuality, creativity, vitality, will power, and optimism, Sunday is the perfect day to celebrate who you are as an individual, and ideal time for self-expression, creative projects, music, dancing, and perhaps spending time with loved ones. Today, I recommend taking advantage of its power, energy, wealth of spirit. If weather permits, this […]

Gris – Gris

Gris – Gris

In Vodun, charms or talismans kept for good luck or to ward off evil. The original gris-gris were probably dolls or images of the gods, but most gris-gris today are small cloth bags filled with herbs, oils, stones, small bones, hair and nail clippings, pieces of clothing soiled with perspiration and/or other personal items, gathered […]

Center and Ground

Center and Ground

This is an essential magical technique that ties especially well into self-care. It’s a practice that can calm agitated personal energy, replenish low personal energy, and create a sense of belonging, connection, and reassurance. Center and Ground This is the first thing you should do before engaging in any kind of magical work, to ensure […]

Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice

Time: For three days from sunset on or around 20 December (20 June in the southern hemisphere) Focus: Rebirth, the return of light, the triumph of life over death, spiritual awakening, light in the midst of darkness, faith that the Wheel will turn and the life cycle begin anew. The mid-winter solstice pre-dates organised religion. […]

Herbs and the Minerals they Contain

Herbs and the Minerals they Contain

Herbs and the minerals they contain is a very involved subject and should be we researched well beforehand. MINERALS ***CALCIUM This mineral builds and protects bones and teeth. Helps maintain regular heartbeat. Preventsmuscle cramping. HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, burdock root, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, chicory, dandelion, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, flaxseed, hops, horsetail, kelp, lemongrass, mullein, nettle, […]

Herbs for Magical Intention

Herbs for Magical Intention

Anger– alyssum Animal Magic – cloth of gold Anti-Theft – Garlic, Juniper, Arthritis – buckeye Astral Projection – belladonna, Dittany of Crete Awareness – anise Balance – Holly, pine Banishing – black salt Beauty – aloe, Avocado, Catnip, Flax, Ginseng, Maidenhair, marigold, passion flower Binding – black salt, dragon’s blood Birth – Birch Blessings – elder flowers, lemon, myrrh Bullet-Proofing – edelweiss Business – cinnamon, marigold Calling Spirits – […]

Night Shade

Night Shade

(Atropa belladonna) Poison Folk Names: Banewort, Black Cherry, Deadly Nightshade, Death’s Herb, Devil’s Cherries, Divale, Dwale, Dwaleberry, Dwayberry, Fair Lady, Great Morel, Naughty Man’s Cherries, Sorcerer’s Berry, Witch’s Berry Gender: Feminine Planet: Saturn Element: Water Deities: Hecate, Bellona, Circe Ritual Uses: The priests of Bellona, according to ancient tradition, drank an infusion of belladonna prior […]

Cherokee Herbology

Cherokee Herbology

A Beginning of Understanding Agrimony (Agrimonia Gyposepala). Drink tea of burs to check bowels, and for fevers; root tea to build up blood. Alder, red/smooth/tag (Alnus Serrulata). For pains related to birth, ingredient in tea for menstrual period – acts as an emetic and a true purgative. Alder, white (Clethra Acuminata). Decoction of bark and […]

Basil

Basil

Other Names Albahaca, St. Joseph’s Wort, Sweet Basil General Information Basil is a member of the mint family with a characteristic square, hairy stem, labiate flowers and opposite leaves. It has a rich, spicy aroma reminiscent of the other mints with a hint of clove. Flowers appear as a whorl in summer and are usually […]

Dill

Dill

(Anethum graveolens) G Folk Names: Aneton, Dill Weed, Dilly, Garden Dill, Chebbit, Sowa, Keper, Hulwa, Buzzalchippet Gender: Masculine Planet: Mercury Element: Fire Powers: Protection, money, Lust, Love Magical Uses: The herb is protective when hung at the door and carried in protective sachets. Placed in the cradle it protects children. If it is placed over […]

Preparing Herbs for Use

Preparing Herbs for Use

Capsules Use all natural gelatin capsules when using powdered herbs. Many herbs have a bitter taste, this often is the medicinal value in the herb, but makes teas unpleasant. Capsules can be used to take herbs quickly and pleasantly. Decoction This is a preparation made by boiling herbal substances in water for a considerable period […]

Cleansing Detox Herbs

Cleansing Detox Herbs

Garlic–blood cleanser, lowers blood fats, natural antibiotic Red clover blossoms–blood cleanser, good during convalescence and healing Echinacea–lymph cleanser, improves lymphocyte and phagocyte actions Dandelion root–liver and blood cleanser, diuretic, filters toxins, a tonic Chaparral–strong blood cleanser, with possibilities for use in cancer therapy Cayenne pepper–blood purifier, increases fluid elimination and sweat Ginger root–stimulates circulation and […]

HERBS USED IN HAIR CARE

HERBS USED IN HAIR CARE

Herbs for Dry Hair: Burdock root, comfrey, elderflowers, Lavender , marsh mallow, parsley, sage, stinging nettle. Herbs for Damaged Hair: sage, rose, calendula, chamomile, burdock, thyme, rosemary Herbs for Oily Hair: Calendula, horsetail, lemon juice, lemon balm, lemongrass, lavender, mints, rosemary, southernwood, witch hazel and yarrow. Herbs to Prevent and Treat Dandruff: burdock root, chamomile, […]

Herbs Listed by Medical Symptom

Herbs Listed by Medical Symptom

Always double check before attempting to take the herb. Some herbs are poisonous!Aches: rosemary Acne: rosemary, thyme, witch-hazel Allergies: nettle Amenorrhea: chaste tree berry Antibacterial: lemon, thyme Antibiotic: calendula, comfrey, garlic, marigold, mullein, raspberry, sweet woodruff, thyme, tumeric Antiseptic: lavender, lemon, marigold, mint, pine, sweet woodruff, thyme Antiviral: thyme Anxiety: valerian Aphrodisiac: coriander, damiana, hibiscus, lavender Arthritis: ash leaves, bladderwrack, buckbean, nettles, parsley, rosemary, yarrow Asthma: coltsfoot, […]

Herbal Oils

Herbal Oils

Though extracting oils by steam distillation and other methods is almost prohibitively expensive, we are spared this cost by the wide availability of essential oils and synthetics on the market today. Many so-called “essential oils” are actually synthetic; this does not negate their use in magic, however. If they smell good, use them. Essential oils […]

Cherry

Cherry

(Prunus avium) Seed and wilted leaf: X Folk Names: Sweet Cherry, Mazzard Cherry Gender: Feminine Planet: Venus Element: Water Powers: Love, Divination Magical Uses: The cherry has long been used to stimulate or attract love. A beautiful Japanese spell to find love is simple: tie a single strand of your hair to a blossoming cherry […]

Lavender

Lavender

(Lavendula officinale orL. vera) Flower: G Folk Names: Elf Leaf, Nard, Nardus, Spike Gender: Masculine Planet: Mercury Element: Air Powers: Love, Protection, Sleep, Chastity, Longevity, Purification, Happiness, Peace Magical Uses: Lavender has long been used in love spells and sachets. Clothing nabbed with fragrant flowers (or lavender placed in drawers with clothes) attracts love. A […]

Willow Herb Epilobium

Willow Herb Epilobium

Epilobium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, containing about 197 species. The genus has a worldwide distribution. It is most prevalent in the subarctic, temperate and subantarctic regions, whereas in the subtropics and tropics Epilobium species are restricted to the cool montane biomes, such as the New Guinea Highlands. The taxonomy […]

FUNERAL HERBS

FUNERAL HERBS

Since ancient times herbs have played a part in funerals. They’ve been used to scent graves and cremation fires, to fill amulet bags and in making wreaths to decorate burial places. BASIL: Protection, Love BAY LAUREL: – Communication with the dead, protection, triumph, used in funeral wreaths. BIRCH: Rebirth. CEDAR: Prosperity, Purification. COMFREY: Healing. CYPRESS: […]

Sacred Herbs of the Saxons

Sacred Herbs of the Saxons

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris): Mugwort is well known as the premier herb for dreamwork. The silver on the underside of the leaves shows an affinity for the moon and the female reproductive system. Mugwort tea and essential oil help ease PMS symptoms. The essential oil also helps to relax the brain, improve circulation and aids in delivering […]

An Explanation of Herb Magick

An Explanation of Herb Magick

In the practice of magical herbery, the collections of what might be considered “herbs” is far greater than in the study of medicinal herbology. Magic can encompass so many thing, the possibilities are virtually endless. The following are generally considered “herbs” when dealing with most forms of herbal magic. All leaf varieties of plants, both […]

Herbal Baths

Herbal Baths

Baths are often used in herb magic, for they are an easy way to spread an herb’s power over the entire body. There are two methods; one, make a sachet (use about one-half to one cup of the appropriate enchanted herb) of cheesecloth. Drop this into the warm bath water. A better method entails the […]

Herbal Ointments

Herbal Ointments

An old form of herb magic as well as medicine, an ointment is simply any fatty substance to which powdered herbs and/or oils have been added. A good example of this is found in the text under MALLOW. In the past, lard was generally used as the base, but today vegetable shortening is usually substituted. […]

Wolfsbane

Wolfsbane

(Aconitum napellus, Arnica latifolia, Arnica montana) Poison Folk Names: Aconite, Cupid’s Car, Dumbledore’s Delight, Leopard’s Bane, Monkshood, Storm Hat, Thor’s Hat, Wolf’s Hat Gender: Feminine Planet: Saturn Element: Water Deity: Hecate Powers: Protection, Invisibility Magical Uses: Wolf’s bane is added to protection sachets, especially to guard against vampires and werewolves. This is quite fitting, since […]

Enchanting Herbs

Enchanting Herbs

Prior to actually using herbs in magic, they can be enchanted. Enchantment (in a magical context) aligns the vibrations of the plants involved with your magical need. Thus it is a process which increases the effectiveness of the herbs. Enchantment may be performed on a single herb or a mixture, but should not be done […]

Herbal Incense

Herbal Incense

Incense composition and use is an art form in itself. Basically, an incense is any combination of plant materials, perhaps combined with essential oils and a base, which are mixed together and burned or smouldered on charcoal. (This type of incense is known as “raw” or “granular.” It is usually used in magic, rather than […]

Camomile

Camomile

StatusAmber – Vulnerable and Near-ThreatenedBest Time to SeeJune, JulyColourYellow, WhiteHabitatGrassland A SMALL, ATTRACTIVE, CREEPING PLANT WITH DAISY-LIKE FLOWERS AND FEATHERY LEAVES. This perennial wild plant is low growing and spreads by rhizomes. It has a fresh apple scent when crushed and for this reason, Elizabethans planted Chamomile lawns and seats. WHERE TO FIND CHAMOMILE. It […]

Orris root

Orris root

Orris root (rhizoma iridis) is the root of Iris germanica and Iris pallida. It had the common name of Queen Elizabeth Root. Constituent chemicals The most valued component of orris root is oil of orris (0.1–0.2%), a yellow-white mass containing myristic acid. Oil of orris is sometimes sold as orris butter. Other components include fat, […]

Parsley

Parsley

The next time you pass over that bit of green garnish on your plate, stop and think again, for that parsley — so commonplace as to go almost unnoticed — is one of the oldest, tastiest, most nutritious, and easiest to grow of all our culinary herbs. The cultivation of parsley predates written history. Native […]

Clove

Clove

Folk Names: Mykhet, Carenfil Gender: Masculine Planet: Jupiter Element: Fire Powers: Protection, Exorcism, Love, Money Magical Uses: Burned as an incense, cloves attract riches, drive away hostile and negative forces, produce spiritual vibrations, and purify the area. Cloves are burned as incense to stop others from gossiping about you. Worn or carried, cloves attract the […]

Sources Of Herbal Minerals & Vitamins

Sources Of Herbal Minerals & Vitamins

VITAMIN A ~ Alfalfa, Burdock, Cayenne, Dandelion, Garlic, Kelp, Marshmallow, Papaya, Parsley, Raspberry, Red clover, Saffron, Watercress, Yellow dock THIAMINE B1 ~ Cayenne, Dandelion, Fenugreek, Kelp, Parsley, Raspberry RIBOFLAVIN B2~ Alfalfa, Burdock, Dandelion, Fenugreek, Kelp, Parsley, Raspberry NIACIN B3 ~ Alfalfa, Burdock, Dandelion, Fenugreek, Kelp, Parsley, Sage PYDIDOXINE B6 ~ Alfalfa, Wheat, Corn, Mugwort COBALAMIN […]

The Egg Hex

The Egg Hex

Supplies needed are as follows: 1)One egg, (Fresh eggs are the best) 2)Magic marker 3)shovel or digging tool 4)black candle 5)sage 6)matches or lighter 7)cinnamon incense 8)pepperment oil, or olive 9)angel trumpet pedals (Beware, angel trumpets are poison) *Handle with care! If you don’t have angel trumpets Mistletoe will work, hemlock works, point settas, or […]

Hex Signs

Hex Signs

Round magical signs and symbols used by the Pennsylvania Dutch, primarily to protect against witchcraft but also to effect spells. Hex signs are both amuletic and talismanic (see amulets; talismans). Traditionally, hex signs are painted on barns, stables and houses to protect against lightning, ensure fertility and protect animal and human occupants alike from becoming […]

Hex Breaking

Hex Breaking

Now the nature of the hex is simple. It’s basically a dark cloud that follows someone causing havoc and misery. This is what we will learn to break today. First you must be able to sense the hex. Write down the person’s name whom you think may be hexed. If you start to feel a […]

Hex

Hex

A spell or bewitchment. The term comes from the Pennsylvania Dutch, who borrowed it from their native German word for “witch,” Hexe, which in turn is derived from Old High German hagazussa or hagzissa (“hag”). In common usage, hex means an evil spell or curse, but among the Pennsylvania Dutch, for example, a hex can […]

Hexes

Hexes

The term hex comes from Early American Folk belief, and implies the use of magick to hurt or harm another person’s body, family, or property. The hex was usually cast by a hex-doctor or sorcerer, who used deep concentration and symbolic imaginary to affect his or her target. Although the hex is considered to be […]

Overlooked Herbs

Overlooked Herbs

Again and again, some herbs seem worth the effort that don’t get nearly enough praise or press . . . in my opinion, anyway. You might want to give them a try if you haven’t already. 10.Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans) This tall sage has light green leaves and red, trumpet shaped flowers that bees and butterflies […]

Herb Magick

Herb Magick

Centuries ago, our ancestors used herbs for more than just seasoning soup. As a matter of fact, herbs were used for healing and Magick long before they were used as seasonings. But the Witches and the Wise Ones all knew the Magickal use of herbs. They used herbs in potions, incenses and amulets to ward […]

Herbal Magic

Herbal Magic

What’s the difference between herbal magic and herbalism? Herbalism works on a medicinal level. Magic works with the energies of the plant. The two are not mutually exclusive.  Mainly, however, the energies of flowers, shrubs, herbs, and trees are used to support and encourage self-care magically as opposed to medicinally for the physical body. Herbal […]

Thyme

Thyme

Thyme has a powerful ability to kill off bacteria, viruses, and should be taken at first signs of a cold or illness. It is a rich source of several essential vitamins,such as vitamins A, E, C, K, B complex,and folic acid. It is also one of the best sources of calcium, iron, manganese, selenium, and […]

The Usage of Basil

The Usage of Basil

Basil has been called “the Witches Herb” for centuries. Basil has been used for exorcism, protection, in “flying ointments”, and love potions. “Where Basil grows, no evil goes!” and “Where Basil is, no evil lives,” goes the old adages. Basil, given as a gift, will bring good luck to a new home. Sprinkled around the […]

Hemp

Hemp

Folk Names: Chanvre, Gallowgrass, Ganeb, Ganja, Grass, Hanf, Kif, Marijuana, Neckweede, Tekrouri, Weed Gender: Feminine Planet: Saturn Element: Water Powers: Healing, Love, Visions, Meditation Magical Uses: Marijuana, or hemp as it was commonly named, was once widely used in magic. Due to laws enacted during the 1930’s which restrict its use and sale, many of […]

Herbal Infusions

Herbal Infusions

As well as magical sachets, you can make herbs into infusions. Add one level teaspoon (5 ml) of coarsely chopped dried herbs or two level teaspoons (10 ml) of freshly chopped leaves or flowers to a cup of boiling water; leave it for five minutes and strain. Once the liquid has cooled, you can sprinkle […]

Guide to Magical Herbs

Guide to Magical Herbs

All herbs and plants are magic: they are the pure embodiments of the Earth’s spirit, sustaining themselves with sunlight, vibration, water, and stardust (minerals). Herbs and plants feed us, nourish us, and heal us. Indivisibly, they are a necessary and integral part of our magical and spiritual lives as well. There are certain herbs that, […]

French Tarragon

French Tarragon

French tarragon is the variety generally considered best for the kitchen. Russian tarragon can be grown from seed but is much weaker in flavour when compared to the French variety. It seems to be one of the least familiar of the culinary herbs that is commonly found in dried and fresh forms in grocery stores. […]

Magickal Uses for Herbs

Magickal Uses for Herbs

Herbs by themselves have little magickal power. In order to practice powerful witchcraft using herbs, the herbs must be infused with power. This is advanced magick and requires the ability to invoke/evoke and direct the elements. Each herb carries elemental properties that correspond to its medicinal uses. These can be found under planetary rulerships. In […]

Myrrh

Myrrh

(Commiphora myrrha) P Ub Folk Names: Gum Myrrh Tree, Karan, Mirra Balsom Odendron Gender: Feminine Planet: Moon Element: Water Deities: Isis, Adonis, Ra, Marian Powers: Protection, Exorcism, Healing, Spirituality Ritual Uses: Myrrh was burned to Ra at noon in ancient Egypt and was also fumed in the temples of Isis. Magical Uses: Burned as incense […]

The Powers of Herbs

The Powers of Herbs

How does it work? When people discover I’m a magical herbalist, this is one of two questions asked. The other usually refers to my state of mental health. Nonetheless, the first question is a valid one and has never been satisfactorily explained. The basis of herb magic—and all magic—is the power. This power has worn […]

Herbs

Herbs

Herbs provide us with an abundance of medicinal, as well as magickal substances. Most herbs are easily grown and cared for because in reality, they are weeds. Herbs will grow in the shade, in between rocks, thrive in sandy soil, and can go for long periods of time without water. Once planted, herbs return year […]

Meadowsweet

Meadowsweet

Meadowsweet is a member of the rose family and can easily be found growing wild along streams and rivers, as well as damp woodlands. It is a high altitude plant that can grow as high as 3,300 feet. It is native to Europe and Asia and was successfully introduced and naturalized in North America. It […]

Magickal Usage for Herbs and Plants

Magickal Usage for Herbs and Plants

Animals* marjoram, oregano, peppermint, savory, spearmint, tarragon, wintergreen *Beauty* celery seed, lovage *Binding * ginger, mustard seed, pepper, poppyseed *Blessings* dill, lavender, rosemary *Business* sage *Calming* tarragon *Chastity* lavender *Clairvoyance* anise, basil, bay, cinnamon, cloves, coriander/cilantro, garlic, lavender, mace, nutmeg, onion, parsley, poppyseed, saffron, sage, star anise, thyme *Cleansing* anise, cloves, lavender, lovage, marjoram, onion, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, saffron, sage, thyme *Commanding* basil, fennel, garlic, […]

Herbalism

Herbalism

The following is meant to be a quick guide to common herbs one might find in the home or garden and their usages. This is for general information only. As with all alternative medicines, please consult with your doctor or medic and please do not exceed the recommended dose. AGNUS CASTUS – menstrual problems e.g. PMT, menopause […]

Threatened Magical Herbs

Threatened Magical Herbs

While many witches and other magic-users enjoy wild crafting for the ingredients for their rootwork, elixirs, spells and healing preparations, some herbs are threatened by over collection or loss of habitat and should never be collected in the wild. Some are threatened only in certain places and grow in abundance elsewhere. Always check your local […]

Herb Lore and Magick

Herb Lore and Magick

Aloe Vera Growing an aloe vera plant in the kitchen will help prevent burns and mishaps while cooking. It will also preven household accidents, and guard against evil. Anise Anise mixed with bay leaves provides an excellent bath additive prior to ritual. Using anise in potpourri around the house wards off evil, and anise in […]

Magickal Herbs

Magickal Herbs

“EARTH GROWN HERBS, A WITCHES BREW, YOUR ENERGY MAKES MY DREAMS COME TRUE. HEARKEN TO MY DEEP DESIRE AMIDST THE CANDLES RADIANT FIRE HERBS OF LUCK, PROSPERITY, HEED MY CALL AND BRING TO ME FINANCIAL ABUNDANCE AND SECURITY AS I WILL SO MOTE IT BE!” Nature has provided a veritable magical pantry in the plants […]

Hemlock

Hemlock

Folk Names: Beaver Poison, Herb Bennet, Keckies, Kex, Musquash Root, Poison Hemlock, Poison Parsley, Spotted Corobane, Spotted Hemlock, Water Parsley Gender: Feminine Planet: Saturn Element: Water Deities: Hecate Magical Uses: Another poisonous plant, hemlock was once used in magic to induce astral protection, and in spells to destroy sexual drives. Its juice was rubbed onto […]

Herbal Etiquette

Herbal Etiquette

When studying herbology within witchcraft, it is important to learn about how plants work and the best ways to gather our stores, whether they come from wild plants or plants in our garden. There is more to herbs and trees than meets the eye. All things have a soul: rocks, trees, animals and people. The […]

The Active Constituents of Herbs

The Active Constituents of Herbs

The active constituents of plants have only relatively recently been isolated. The active constituents in plants are the chemicals that have a medicinal effect on the body. They have been divided into 16 main groups: Alkanoids These plants contain a nitrogen-bearing molecule that makes them particularly effect as medicines. An example is Deadly Nightshade. Anthocyanins […]

Rite of the Mountain

Rite of the Mountain

Light incense. On a purple candle, inscribe the word mountain with a pin, nail, or clay inscribing tool. Place the candle in a safe holder, and light. Intone the following mountain charm: Herbal magick, speak to me Of mountain’s sacred journey Of strength and will along the way Of choosing carefully what I say. Treasures […]

Totem Representations

Totem Representations

You may also wish to collect images of the HedgeWitch totem representations for your personal altar. If these totems don’t suit you, simply change them to what you feel best matches your needs and personality. The Praying Mantis of wisdom The Butterflies of Communication The Toads of Luck and Prosperity The Bats of Earth’s Center […]

Duncan, Helen (1898–1956)

Duncan, Helen (1898–1956)

Duncan, Helen (1898–1956) British Spiritualist whose conviction on flimsy charges of witchcraft led to the repeal of Britain’s Witchcraft Act of 1736, thus clearing the way for the public practice of Witchcraft. Helen Duncan, a Scotswoman, was renowned for her natural mediumistic abilities by the 1920s. During the 1930s and 1940s, she travelled around Britain […]

Bury St. Edmonds Witches

Bury St. Edmonds Witches

Bury St. Edmonds Witches Of the various witch trials of Suffolk, England, conducted in Bury St. Edmonds during the 17th century, two episodes stand out. In 1645, 68 witches went to their deaths on the gallows, victims of the witch-hunting zeal of Matthew Hopkins and John Stearne. Seventeen years later, in 1662, Sir Matthew Hale […]

Gardner, Gerald B(rousseau) (1884–1964)

Gardner, Gerald B(rousseau) (1884–1964)

Gerald Gardner (1884–1964) English Witch and founder of contemporary Witchcraft as a religion. Hereditary Witches and practitioners of family tradition witchcraft object to Gardner being credited as the “founder” of the religion of Witchcraft, pointing out that family traditions have existed for centuries. Nonetheless, there is no evidence that the organized religion of Witchcraft and […]

Dafo

Dafo

The pseudonym or magical name of the woman who initiated Gerald Gardner into witchcraft around 1939–40.The identity of Dafo remains uncertain. She is sometimes confused with Old Dorothy Clutterbuck, who was Gardner’s first high priestess. He described her as his teacher and an authority on witchcraft. Little is known about Dafo’s life. She lived in […]

Cornelius Agrippa

Cornelius Agrippa

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim, 1486-1535, German mystic and alchemist. Agrippa of Nettesheim was born of a once-noble family near Cologne and studied both medicine and law there, apparently without taking a degree. In 1503, he assumed the name, Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim, adopting the von to suggest a noble background; three years later, he […]

Aleister Crowley, (1875–1947)

Aleister Crowley, (1875–1947)

Aleister Crowley, (1875–1947) The most controversial and perhaps least understood magician and occultist of his time, Aleister Crowley has been both vilified and idolized. He was a man of both low excesses and high brilliance. He considered himself to be the reincarnation of other great occultists: Pope Alexander VI, renowned for his love of physical […]

Eleanor Bone

Eleanor Bone

English Witch, one of the original high priestesses initiated by Gerald B. Gardner. Eleanor “Ray” Bone followed Gardner’s footsteps in the media attention and was sometimes called the Matriarch of British Witchcraft. Bone was born in London; her mother was a school headmistress. As a child, she saw the ghost of a pet, which stimulated […]

To be a Witch

To be a Witch

A witch is either a woman or a man who knows that he or she is a witch. A witch is a natural. A witch realizes certain powers; represents, rather than worships them; calls them Goddess and God (without it being a fixed, or boxed, ideology) and invokes them; fuses with them emotes and lives […]

Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis

The ability of witches, sorcerers  and other magically empowered persons to transform themselves and other humans at will into animals, birds and insects. In witchcraft trials, people testified that the accused witches had appeared before them or tormented them in some nonhuman shape. For example, in 1663 Jane Milburne of Newcastle, England, did not invite […]

Levitation

Levitation

A paranormal phenomenon whereby a body or object is raised up into the air in defiance of gravity. Levitation has been reported in cases of bewitchment, hauntings and possession; it also is attributed to saints and holy persons. In 1550 in Wertet, Brabant, a group of nuns reportedly levitated into the air, climbed trees like […]

Ill-Wishing in Witchcraft

Ill-Wishing in Witchcraft

A curse that is the product of envy, revenge and anger. In earlier times, people commonly blamed their misfortune on the ill-wishing of others. If two people argued and then one suffered a mishap, became ill or had other problems, the other party was suspected of ill-wishing them. Remarks such as “You’ll be sorry” were […]

Contemplation in Witchcraft

Contemplation in Witchcraft

Contemplation is a very natural way of focusing and inspiring the mindscape. It is best accessed through an activity (sometimes repetitive) that doesn’t require the mental concentration of reading or learning (e.g., rocking, watching a fire, simple weaving, unhurried gardening, unhurried cleaning, unhurried, purposeless walking). Contemplation is a time-to-spare active meditation that also gives surcease […]

Mulengro in Witchcraft

Mulengro in Witchcraft

Mulengro is the name of an entity that is like an alien barb; one that has become an out-of-control arrow that pierces generation upon generation with its poison. It feeds on its own likeness, and people are its host. Mulengro could be considered to be like the Qliphoth of Qabbalah and the devil that Christianity […]

What is Green Witchcraft

What is Green Witchcraft

Green Witchcraft is a term often used interchangeably with the descriptor Hedge Witch. There are certain similarities between the paths but the fundamental core of each path is very different. Where the Hedge Witch is focused on journeying to the Otherworld and receiving wisdom from the spirits she encounters, the Green Witch’s focus is much […]

What is Witchcraft

What is Witchcraft

Witchcraft is the set of beliefs and practices employed by Witches in ritual and spellwork. Often, magical work is incorporated into the Shabbat and Esbat celebrations observed by covens and solitary Witches, though spellwork may be employed on its own on other occasions. In fact, many Witches consider themselves to be constantly “practising” their Craft […]

To be a Witch

To be a Witch

A witch is either a woman or a man who knows that he or she is a witch. A witch is a natural. A witch realizes certain powers; represents, rather than worships them; calls them Goddess and God (without it being a fixed, or boxed, ideology) and invokes them; fuses with them emotes and lives […]

What is Witchcraft

What is Witchcraft

Witchcraft is the set of beliefs and practices employed by Witches in ritual and spellwork. Often, magical work is incorporated into the Shabbat and Esbat celebrations observed by covens and solitary Witches, though spellwork may be employed on its own on other occasions. In fact, many Witches consider themselves to be constantly “practising” their Craft […]

Traditional Witchcraft

Traditional Witchcraft

Traditional witchcraft is an umbrella term that includes many traditions. Essentially traditional witches are practitioners of forms of witchcraft that pre-date Wicca and new age practices. Some of these traditions may be passed down as family traditions, whilst others are cultural, where witches follow the traditions of their own or a specific culture. Traditional witchcraft […]

Cunning Man /Cunning Woman

Cunning Man /Cunning Woman

Village witch or healer who provided cures, remedies, charms, spells and divination, usually in exchange for a fee or gift. “Cunning” comes from the Old English term kenning, meaning “wise” or “knowledgeable.” Other terms for cunning man and cunning woman are wise man, wise woman, sorcerer, wizard, conjurer, charmer, blesser, white witch and witch. Traditionally, […]

Witchcraft in the Bible

Witchcraft in the Bible

The best-known Biblical text referring to witchcraft is verse 18 in the twenty-second chapter of Exodus, which states: “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” It is printed on the title-page of The Discovery of Witches by Matthew Hopkins, the notorious Witch-Finder General. His book was published in 1 647, “For the Benefit of the […]

African Witchcraft

In African tribal traditions, witchcraft is part of the accepted supernatural landscape and is generally something to be feared. Study of African tribal religions illustrates the African ancestry of modern Vodun, Santería and Candomblé. There is a fairly universal belief in a supreme God, who manifests himself in light and brightness: a shining, snowcapped mountain, […]

Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis

The ability of witches, sorcerers  and other magically empowered persons to transform themselves and other humans at will into animals, birds and insects. In witchcraft trials, people testified that the accused witches had appeared before them or tormented them in some nonhuman shape. For example, in 1663 Jane Milburne of Newcastle, England, did not invite […]

A History Of Witchcraft

A History Of Witchcraft

Witchcraft probably originated about 25,000 years ago in the Palaeolithic era. At that time, humankind and nature were seen as inextricably linked. People acknowledged every rock, tree and stream as deities in the life force, and the Earth as mother, offering both womb and tomb. Early man used sympathetic, or attracting, magick – in the […]

Canewdon Witches

Canewdon Witches

According to a prophecy by the famous 19th-century cunning man James Murrell, the Essex village of Canewdon, located in England’s “witch country” of East Anglia, would be populated with witches “forever.” Indeed, the village and the surrounding area have been steeped in witch lore since at least 1580, when a woman named Rose Pye was […]

Esbat’s

Esbat’s

An Esbat is a regular meeting of a coven of Witches at which religious worship is conducted, business is discussed and magic and healing work is done. The frequency of esbats depends on the coven. Most covens meet at the full Moon, which occurs 13 times a year. They may also meet at the new […]

Witches Curse

Witches Curse

A curse is a spell intended to bring misfortune, illness, harm or death to a victim. Curses are the most dreaded form of magic, as curses are universal. They are “laid” or “thrown” primarily for revenge and power but also for protection, usually of homes, treasures, tombs and grave sites. A curse can take effect […]

Great Rite in Witchcraft

Great Rite in Witchcraft

In contemporary Witchcraft, a powerful, magical rite of sexual intercourse that pays homage to the male/female polarity that exists in all things in the universe. The Great Rite expresses the physical, mental, spiritual, and astral union between man and woman and the union of the Goddess and God. The Great Rite is the hieros gamos, […]

Baphomet, An Explanation

Baphomet, An Explanation

This name was given to the statue of a mysterious deity alleged to be worshipped by the Knights Templars. The latter, although a powerful and wealthy order of chivalry, came to be distrusted by Church and State at the beginning of the fourteenth century, and were disbanded. They were accused of heresy, of worshipping the […]

Granny Magick

Granny Magick

The Appalachian Granny Magic Tradition of Witchcraft is one that is only recently being heard of. Though the tradition is a very old one, dating all the way back to the first settlers of the magical Appalachian Mountains who came over from Scotland and Ireland in the 1700’s. They brought along their even older Irish […]

Words on Witchcraft

Words on Witchcraft

In Witchcraft there is no formal priesthood although some witches working in a group or coven will have a High Priestess and High Priests who are leaders of that group. The fact that they are High Priestess and High Priests may not make them better witches, it simply denotes their standing and authority within the […]

Evil Eye

Evil Eye

The causing of illness, misfortune, calamity and death by the looks of strangers and by envious looks, amulets and incantations  ward the danger off. The evil eye exists around the world, dating to ancient times. The oldest recorded references to the evil eye appear in the cuneiform texts of the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians, about […]

The Season of the Witch

The Season of the Witch

From the Autumn Equinox until just after the Wild Hunt rides out around Samhain is the Season of the Witch. People all over the United States seem to know that this is true without being told so. The stores decorate for Halloween, reporters develop stories about local Witches, and Witches themselves feel a certain thrill in the chilly autumnal […]

Hermetica

Hermetica

Hermetica Forty-two sacred books of mystical wisdom attributed to the mythical Hermes Trismegistus, or “thrice great Hermes,” the combined Egyptian and Greek deities of Thoth and Hermes, respectively. The books, which date from somewhere between the third century b.c.e. and first century c.e., had an enormous impact on the development of Western occultism and magic. […]

The Theban Alphabet

The Theban alphabet otherwise known as the witch’s alphabet or runes of Honorious is believed to have emerged in the medieval period when cabbalistic practices were prominent among European magicians. Theban was first published in a book called the Polygraphia in 1518. This book was written by Johannes Trithemius. Before the first book was published, […]

Lycanthropy

Lycanthropy

The transformation of a human being into a wolf. There are two types of lycanthropy: a mania in which a person imagines himself to be a wolf and exhibits a craving for blood; and the magical-ecstatic transformation of a person into a werewolf (“man-wolf,” from the Old English werewolves , man, plus wolf), usually accomplished […]

Witchcraft & Flying

Witchcraft & Flying

A belief during the witch hunts, that the Devil, his demons and witches could transport themselves and others through the air. Flying (also called transvection) was done with the aid of a broom, fork or shovel, according to lore; some witches were said to ride demons who were transformed into animals such as goats, cows, […]

Calling the Quarters

Calling the Quarters

Also referred to as “drawing the quarters” this is a way of acknowledging the four cardinal directions and their Elemental associations, as well as the chosen deities of the coven or solitary Witch. In a coven, either the High Priestess, the High Priest, or another coven member will walk around the circle, stopping in each […]

Blasting

Blasting

The ability of witches to interfere with or destroy the fertility of man, beast, and crop. This malicious destruction was considered a common activity among witches, and remedies and preventive actions circulated in folklore and magic. Blasting is the antithesis of rituals to enhance fertility, and accusations of it date to the second century c.e. […]

Caul

Caul

The amniotic fetal membrane that sometimes clings to a newborn’s head or body after birth. Being born with a caul, or veil, has significance in folklore related to magical powers. A person born with a caul was believed to have psychic gifts such as the ability to see ghosts and spirits and to divine the […]

The Season of the Witch

The Season of the Witch

From the Autumn Equinox until just after the Wild Hunt rides out around Samhain is the Season of the Witch.  People all over the United States seem to know that this is true without being told so.  The stores decorate for Halloween, reporters develop stories about local Witches, and Witches themselves feel a certain thrill in the chilly autumnal […]

Flying Ointment

Flying Ointment

This greasy, trance-inducing substance was traditionally made of hallucinogenic (and often fatal) herbs that had been boiled in pig fat and then strained. It was called “green salve” or “witches’ ointment” and it some of the stock ingredients (solinicaeds) caused a “flying” sensation as the hallucination began — hence the popular image of the flying […]

The Brocken

The Brocken

The Brocken, also called the Blocksberg, was the most famous meeting place for witches in Europe. An old-fashioned poet, Matthison, wrote of it with gruesome awe. The horn of Satan grimly sounds; On Blocksberg’s flanks strange din resounds, And specters crowd its summit high. One wild story even claimed that here on Walpurgis Night (30th […]

Glyph

Glyph

In Witchcraft and magick, glyph is a term used to describe a powerful symbol that represents a person, place, or thing. When the glyph is consecrated, and/or acted upon, it can ward off psychic attack, illness, and bad luck. Most glyphs are a combination of an individual’s name and birth date. These are inscribed upon […]

The Black Fast

The Black Fast

This ritual was one of fasting to aid concentration, for some particular purpose. It was alleged to have been used by Mabel Brigge, who was executed for witchcraft at York in 1 538. The fast involved abstaining from meat, milk, and all food made with milk. During the period of the fast, the witch concentrated […]

Traditional Witchcraft

Traditional Witchcraft

Traditional witchcraft is an umbrella term that includes many traditions. Essentially traditional witches are practitioners of forms of witchcraft that pre-date Wicca and new age practices. Some of these traditions may be passed down as family traditions, whilst others are cultural, where witches follow the traditions of their own or a specific culture. Traditional witchcraft […]

Different Types & Traditions of Modern Witches

Different Types & Traditions of Modern Witches

Alexandrian – Founded in England during the 1960’s by Alexander Sanders, self-proclaimed “King of the Witches”. An offshoot of Gardnerian, Alexandrian covens focus strongly upon training, emphasizing on areas more generally associated with ceremonial magic, such as Qabalah, Angelic Magic and Enochian. The typical Alexandrian coven has a hierarchical structure, and generally meets on weekly, […]

To Be a Witch

To Be a Witch

A witch is either a woman or a man who knows that he or she is a witch. A witch is a natural. A witch realizes certain powers; represents, rather than worships them; calls them Goddess and God (without it being a fixed, or boxed, ideology) and invokes them; fuses with them emotes and lives […]

The Witches Cauldron

The Witches Cauldron

The cauldron, like the broomstick and the black cat, is one of the features of any scene of witchcraft as pictured in the popular mind. Some of the belief derives from Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, where the witches’ cauldron is introduced on the stage, with its accompanying dances and incantations. Actors regard Macbeth, because of the […]

Glyph

Glyph

In Witchcraft and magick, glyph is a term used to describe a powerful symbol that represents a person, place, or thing. When the glyph is consecrated, and/or acted upon, it can ward off psychic attack, illness, and bad luck. Most glyphs are a combination of an individual’s name and birth date. These are inscribed upon […]

Witchcraft Focus

Witchcraft Focus

Focus is rather difficult to describe in a linear fashion. It is achieved when you link emotion and intellect in one function for the purpose of actualization, by will, of the desired outcome. It does not allow the ego to interfere with its function. It is the deep stillness. It is the silence behind all […]

Learning Witchcraft

Learning Witchcraft

Whether reading grimoires or studying under a teacher, it can be difficult to truly know how to discern true value from innocent babble or even outright deception. As such, when one is Seeking out there, it behooves us to maintain a standard of discernment to help us consider what we discover.  The Measuring tape: Consider […]

Witchcraft Awareness

Witchcraft Awareness

Don’t miss anything. In all of your undertakings, have all your senses working at their fullest potency; this is necessary in your magical, ritual, and personal activities. Of primary significance is the activity of your sixth sense, which will have been triggered/awakened by the preceding exercises, and which will pick up the exchanges of energy […]

Understanding The Terms of Witchcraft

Understanding The Terms of Witchcraft

The Terms of witchcraft are meant to transport the practitioner into the heart of life itself, where words are ultimately limitations and qualifiers. More specifically, they can guide practitioners toward a direct mystical experience of deity, nature, and the individual spirit. Words are obliterated and become meaningless when the practitioner achieves this experiential state of […]

Exorcism

Exorcism

The expulsion of evil spirits by commanding them to depart. The expulsion is often done in the name of a deity, saints, angels or other intercessory figures. Exorcism comes from the Greek horkos, meaning “oath,” and translates as adjuro, or adjure, in Latin and English. To “exorcize,” then, does not really mean to cast out […]

Lucius Apuleius

Lucius Apuleius

Lucius Apuleius is best known to us as the author of The Golden Ass, one of the most famous romances in the world, containing as it does the story of Cupid and Psyche. His importance to the study of witchcraft rests on the fact that The Golden Ass is a romance of witchcraft, and illustrates […]

Blasting in Witchcraft

Blasting in Witchcraft

The ability of witches to interfere with or destroy the fertility of man, beast, and crop. This malicious destruction was considered a common activity among witches, and remedies and preventive actions circulated in folklore and magic. Blasting is the antithesis of rituals to enhance fertility, and accusations of it date to the second century c.e. […]

Mathew Hopkins

Mathew Hopkins

Hopkins, Matthew (?–1647?) England’s most notorious professional witch-hunter, who brought about the condemnations and executions of at least 230 alleged witches, more than all other witch-hunters combined during the 160-year peak of the country’s witch hysteria. Hopkins was born in Wenham, Suffolk, the son of a minister. Little is known about him before 1645, when […]

Hibbins, Ann (d. 1656)

Hibbins, Ann (d. 1656)

Hibbins, Ann (d. 1656) Prominent Boston woman convicted of witchcraft and executed. Her chief crime as a witch seemed to have been a bad temper, which was disliked by her neighbors. Ann Hibbins was married to William Hibbins, a well-to-do merchant in Boston. She also was the sister of Richard Bellingham, deputy governor of Massachusetts, […]

Graves, William (17th century)

Graves, William (17th century)

Graves, William (17th century) Connecticut man accused of witchcraft over a dispute with his daughter and son-in-law. Though no legal action was taken against William Graves, his case indicates how easily personal squabbles could be turned into serious witchcraft charges. Graves’ daughter, Abigail, married a man named Samuel Dibble. Graves may not have approved of […]

Bamberg Witches

Bamberg Witches

At the center of the worst witch tortures and trials in Germany was Bamberg, a small state ruled by Gottfried Johann Georg II Fuchs von Dornheim. The Hexenbischof (Witch Bishop) von Dornheim, as he was known, ruled the state from 1623 to 1633 and established an efficient witch-burning machine aided by the Inquisition. By the […]

Hawkins, Jane (17th century)

Hawkins, Jane (17th century)

Hawkins, Jane (17th century) Massachusetts midwife and healer expelled on suspicions of witchcraft in the delivery of a deformed, stillborn fetus. The witchcraft accusations were mixed with a religious controversy affecting Jane Hawkins as well. Hawkins, married to Richard Hawkins, was well known for her midwifery skills and medical remedies. She also was associated with […]

Arras witches (1459–1460)

Arras witches (1459–1460)

A mass witch hunt in Arras, northern France. The accused were brutally tortured and promised their lives, then burned at the stake. The incident roused the ire of the duke of Burgundy, and eventually those executed were posthumously exonerated. The witch hunt was one of the earliest in the region. Inquisitors used charges of witchcraft […]

Ladder

Ladder

Widely held superstitions that it is bad luck to walk beneath a ladder are related in part to fears about witches, especially during the witch hunt times in colonial America. Not all witches were burned—for example, in England and in the American colonies, witches were hung. When they dropped, they fell below the ladder leading […]

Chelmsford witches

Chelmsford witches

Chelmsford witches Four major witch trails in the 16th–17th centuries that resulted in numerous convictions and executions. The first trial occurred in the summer of 1566, under the rule of Queen Elizabeth, whose Parliament had passed the second of England’s three witchcraft acts in 1563. The Act of 1563 tightened penalties for witchcraft, making it […]

Gowdie, Isobel (?–ca. 1662)

Gowdie, Isobel (?–ca. 1662)

Scottish witch whose stories of wild sexual escapades with the Devil titillated and shocked her stern neighbors and reinforced the prevailing beliefs in witches as evil creatures bent on destroying their fellow man. Isobel Gowdie, an attractive woman with red hair, a color associated with witches, voluntarily confessed to witchcraft on four occasions in April […]

Cole, Ann (17th century)

Cole, Ann (17th century)

Accused witch in Hartford,Connecticut, who was believed to be under demonic possession. The case was recorded in a letter written by Reverend John Whiting, which in turn was published by Increase Mather in An Essay for the Recording of Illustrious Providences (1684). Ann Cole was described by Mather as a woman of great integrity and […]

Greensmith, Rebecca (17th century)

Greensmith, Rebecca (17th century)

Hartford, Connecticut, woman accused of witchcraft, who confessed and was executed. Rebecca Greensmith and her third husband, Nathaniel, lived next door to Ann Cole. The couple were reasonably affluent, but Rebecca was considered a “lewd and ignorant” woman. In 1662, when Cole was brought up on charges of witchcraft, Greensmith was already languishing in prison […]

Burning Times

Burning Times

A term used by Witches and Pagans to refer to the period in Western history of intense witch-hunting and executions, generally the mid-15th to mid18th centuries. Burning, one of the most extreme forms of execution, was urged by St. Augustine (354–430), who said that pagans, Jews, and heretics would burn forever in the eternal fire […]

Bodin, Jean (1529–1596)

Bodin, Jean (1529–1596)

Bodin, Jean (1529–1596) French demonologist and political theorist who encouraged the vicious persecution of witches and helped fan the fires of the Inquisition throughout Europe. Jean Bodin said that people who denied the existence of witchcraft were witches themselves and said that, with rare exceptions, no accused witch should go unpunished. Bodin was born in […]

The Persecution Of Witches

The Persecution Of Witches

n medieval times, there were possibly many issues, political, religious, and otherwise, that brought about the persecution of witches. Amongst other things, These issues included the religious emphasis on the sin of Eve and the belief in the inferiority of women. The belief in the inferiority of women had existed since the time of St […]

Visualization in Witchcraft

Visualization in Witchcraft

Proficiency in visualization is most important to all occult training. The receptacle of the imagination is integral to the processes of creation. Change through intent begins with inspiration, passing through the realm of the imagination, This can be manipulated by the emotions of enthusiasm, desire, empathy, and compatibility and is transformed into a manifest outcome […]

Pentacle Tarot

Pentacle Tarot

● Ace- material gains, growth, happiness; (R) immobility, empty wealth ● King- sensible, worldliness, manifest ideas; (R) inability, corrupt ● Queen- stability, culture, plans become reality; (R) neglect, delays ● Prince (Knight)- mature, responsible, implementation; (R) reckless, no gains ● Princess (Knave)- completion, study; (R) dissipation of energy, unrealistic ● 10- prosperity, stability, joy; (R) […]

Symbols Of Magick

Symbols Of Magick

Although you can carry out rituals using absolutely anything, you may like to create a special set of symbols for a variety of rituals. These you can keep in a separate box within your main store of magick artifacts so they do not get scattered or broken. You may include a thimble to symbolize domestic […]