Goddess Witch
A Blog For Womankind
Mar 10 2011

History of Witchcraft

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As one of the world’s oldest creeds, witchcraft existed even before Druidry, which was basically worshiping the sun while witches worshipped the Earth and nature. During the 5th century BCE, people living in the British Islands adopted Druidism as their official religion. Witches, however, came to co-exist with Druids and were initially Christians. At that time, the church believed in reincarnation until the original sin dogma was embraced, but this belief influenced witches into adopting the notion of heredity and knowledge that is passed through generations by physical and supernatural means. Around 1000 AD, witches were esteemed members of a village and were not feared. They were the ones who knew which herbs would eliminate pain and sickness in both people and animals. It was only later that witches became frightening and malevolent creatures, no doubt due to the Christian church attributing simple herbal treatments to something that could only be produced by the Devil

 

 

The Depravity of Witches

 

Sometime in the early 1500’s, witches began to be viewed as consorting with the Devil for evil purposes. Anyone exhibiting healing powers outside of the teachings of the church (such as using prayer) were immediately condemned and said to have received such power from the Devil himself. The Scottish Witchcraft Act of 1563 stated that people who even spoke to a “witch” about treating their illnesses were to be found guilty of practicing witchcraft. This is also a time when witches began being depicted in paintings and drawings as ugly, old and predominantly female. When the Black Plague swept through medieval Europe, it was attributed to witchcraft and God’s anger at impious individuals. Poor crops, livestock dying and extreme weather also was blamed on witches because people had no other way to explain incidents which cause needless suffering in a world controlled by a benevolent God.

 

 

Puritans

 

The Salem Witch trials are probably one of the more irrational and horrible events in American history, a period of time which saw the hanging of thousands of innocent people in the Puritan colonies of New England. If someone was accused of being a witch during the 1600’s in Massachusetts, they were those who had several of these traits:

     

  • -women who were barren

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  • -spinsters

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  • -ugly or physically deformed women

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  • -independent  and willful women

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  • -reclusive women

 

Very rarely were men accused of being a witch, since they were the ones who did all of the accusing! Also, anyone who decided to confess was not hanged but sent to jail for many years. If they happened to survive their incarceration and were released, they were immediately ostracized, which contributed little to their chances of survival.

 

Fortunately, witches are no longer treated so horribly but are considered to be followers of a natural kind of religion. There are many witches in the world today who openly practice their magic and are generally accepted by different communities as being harmless.

 

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Mar 9 2011

Hecate, Goddess of Witchcraft

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Hecate (sometimes spelled “Hekate”) is the Roman-Greek goddess of witchcraft, magic and necromancy. Also related to childbirth, doorways, lunar myths and torches, she is today said to be a goddess of witches, also known as the “crone goddess”.  Hecate’s appearance as a major Greco-Roman goddess is seen in Hesiod’s Theogony written as early as 700 BCE, along with appearing in an inscription from late Miletus claiming her as the goddess of entrances. In Ptolemaic Alexandria, she can be seen as a three-faced goddess presiding over witchcraft, curses and magic. Zeus is said to have honored Hecate above all other goddesses and gave her anything she desired.

 

Appearance and Character

As an independent goddess who cherished her solitude, Hecate was said to resemble her cousin Artemis as a goddess who did not want to sacrifice her autonomous nature in order to be married. Hecate is described as a luminous creature preferring to walk alone at night, through cemeteries or under the moon’s dark phase. However, some legends depict her as being invisible or simply a “will-o-the-wisp” type of light. Her constant companions were her sacred hounds, who had three heads so they were able to see everywhere around them at all times. Sometimes Hecate herself was illustrated with having three heads, that of a horse, a snake and a boar.

 

Persephone

When Persephone was abducted by Hades, god of the underworld, Hecate remained her only confidante. Hades was thankful for Hecate’s companionship, since Persephone could not leave the underworld, and considered her an honored guest whenever she visited the underworld. Her ability to befriend Hades and safely come and go from the underworld probably contributed to her reputation for having the power to conjure up ghosts, dreams and predict the future. This also enabled her to adopt the role of “Queen of the Night”, someone who frequently traveled with spirits or social misfits. She thus became later known as a protectress of oppressed individuals, or those who have been forgotten by society.

 

Due to her intuitiveness and perspicacity, along with her tolerance of that which most people consider immaterial or unknowable, Hecate was regarded as having great powers. Some consider her one of the greatest goddesses to have existed in Greek-Roman mythology.

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Mar 8 2011

Modern Witches

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When someone claims to be a witch, they are usually referring to the fact they belong to the Wiccan religion, which employs all kinds of modern day witchcraft. Wicca originated in Great Britain around 1900, and was later mainstreamed during the 1960’s. Wicca is considered a “duotheistic” religion because adherents worship both a god and a goddess called the “Triple Goddess” and the “Horned God”.  Wiccans also practice a type of ceremonial magic, which is comprised of ancient rituals and spells handed down from past witches. This magic is now blended with a code of morality called the “Wiccan Rede”. In addition, Wiccans celebrate the changing of the seasons by participating in festivals called “Sabbats”.

 

God and Goddess

Wicca views the Triple Goddess and Horned God as complementing each other in a way that a sense of balance is maintained, similar to the Yin and Yang of Taoism. These figures are symbolically represented by the Earth (Earth Mother) and the Sun, with the Horned God being the sun, wilderness, sexuality and the cycle of life. He is frequently referred to by other names such as Pan, Atho and Cernunnos. Sometimes the Horned God is seen as the “Green Man” a traditional folk figure depicted in European architecture and art correlating with the natural realm of life. The Triple Goddess, on the other hand, is occasionally viewed as the Moon Goddess who oversees wisdom, virginity and fertility. She can also be portrayed as a triadic figure constituting the Maiden, Mother and Crone goddess which represents the life cycle of women.

 

Wiccan Magic

The majority of Wiccans see magic as a powerful force able to manipulate the natural world. Aleister Crowley once defined magic as “the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will”. It is thought by practicing Wiccans that magic is simply misunderstood and ignored by contemporary scientific thought.  It is not supernatural as many tend to believe, but rather a strong power which resides in the natural world waiting to be utilized by those who are aware of it. Also, a common belief about magic is that is it simply tapping into the full potential of the five senses and accomplishing unexpected results. However, other Wiccans state that they do not know how magic works but believe that it does produce a change in a condition based on the assumption that they have actually seen it work.

 

Wicca is an ancient and fascinating religion shrouded in centuries of rituals, magic and myths. It is also one of the fastest growing “religions” in the world today.

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Mar 7 2011

The Goddess Aphrodite

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There are many gods and goddesses that were named and worshipped by the Greeks throughout history, but perhaps one of the most popular goddesses was Aphrodite. She played a very prominent role in the tales of Greek mythology, and her worship still passion over her followers today.

 

The Worship of Aphrodite

In Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, and sexual rapture. Today, her festival is called the Aphrodisiac, and it is celebrated in various centers of Greece. It is held to especial esteem in Athens and Corinth. Her priestesses were women who were known to represent the goddess, and sexual intercourse with them was considered a form of worship. Her various attributes are the dolphin, the dove, the swan, the pomegranate, and the lime tree.  She is said to be accompanied by the Graces.

 

Aphrodite’s Tale

Aphrodite’s name is derived from aphros, which means sea foam. This is because, according to Hesiod, she was born when Cronus castrated his father, Uranus, and threw the remains into the ocean. The water then began to churn and from it rose Aphrodite, who was then carried to either Cyprus or Cythera. The myth states that after her birth, Zeus feared the gods would quarrel over Aphrodite’s hand in marriage, so he married her off to Hephaestus, the smith god. He loved her so much, he made her a golden girdle, but it made her even more irresistible. Displeased with being the wife of a hard-working smith, Aphrodite had affairs with many gods and mortals. Her mortal lovers included the famous Adonis.

 

Though her tale may be regarded today as a controversial one, the Greeks adored Aphrodite and showered her with affection more than they did many other gods and goddesses. She remains a popular figure in myth, worship, love, and culture.

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Mar 6 2011

Rune Divination

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Runes are a form of ancient inscription, found in many Germany texts, which to this day still remain mysterious. This is partially due to their use in witchcraft, where they are used for divination. The rely less on fortune-telling and more on the interconnectedness of all things.

 

Rune-casting Technique

Rune-casting, also known as rune divination, works in the subconscious. There is a rune pouch, which the rune symbols in it, and this bag represents the universe. One poses a question, and immerses their conscious and unconscious mind with that question. Then, when runes are selected out of the pouch, they are not random choices, but rather choices made by the subconscious. When rune-casting, one is addressing a particular issue, evaluating its past, present, and future. Since the future is always changing, a rune reading is more of an evaluation process than fortune telling. . A rune-caster does not see the future, he or she just examines cause and effect and points out a likely outcome.

 

Casting the Norms

The Norms are the Norse goddesses of fate. Urdh is the goddess of the past, Verdhandi is the goddess of the present, and Skuld is the goddess of the future. Fate (also referred to as wyrd) was an important factor in the psychology of ancient beliefs. A Norn cast consists of three runes, draw one a time from the rune pouch, and placed in a row. The first represents the past of the situation in question, the second represents the present state of things, and the last represents the likely outcome that should result if the present path is continued.

 

Runes are a lesser known method of divination, but they are one of the simpler forms. Because it relies on the subconscious mind rather than magical powers, it can be practiced by anyone who has the dedication.

 

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Mar 5 2011

An Introduction to Metaphysics

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An ancient philosophy that tens to spark controversy is metaphysics is basically the study of all reality. It can be very vague, offering more questions than answers, but it is a study that many people devote themselves to.

 

Metaphysics: A Definition

The term metaphysics comes from the Greek phrase Ta Meta ta Physkia, which means “the books after the books on nature”. This simply derived from a lack of a name for the material. The librarian who was cataloguing Aristotle’s works did not have a title for them, and he wanted to shelve them after the material called “nature”, so he called this material “after nature”. Though it has changed somewhat since its founding days with Aristotle, metaphysics is the study of the fundamental nature of all reality. It touches on “what is it?”, “why is it?”, and “how can we understand it?”. Metaphysicians study all reality, both visible and invisible, as well as what constitutes reality, both natural and supernatural.

 

Metaphysics and the Supernatural

Over time, metaphysics has become the face of the study of things which transcend the natural world. More specifically, things that allegedly exist separately from nature and have a more intrinsic reality that we do.  Thus, the popular notion of metaphysics has turned into the study of any question regarding reality that cannot be answered by science. This sense of metaphysics is regarded as some to be largely pointless. The argument is that these studies can neither state truth nor false, so they don’t really carry any meaning and shouldn’t be considered seriously.

Metaphysics is an ancient study, and as it was when it was first founded by Aristotle, it remains a controversial one. While some schools of thought flock to it, others shun it, but it stands alone in addressing the unknown questions in life.

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Mar 4 2011

A Witch’s Garden

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Starting a witch’s garden takes a lot of planning and preparation, not to mention an abundance of magical herbs and various plants. It can be useful to ask the spirits of the place for help in finding a place for your garden, when you are planning it. And as always, start small and stick to the practices.

Garden Borders

For a witch’s garden, it is very important to make a distinction between what is part of the garden and what is not. For those who focus on planetary influences, Saturn states that borders need to be maintained. The borders serve the main purpose of making sure you keep up with your garden. Most magical plants are domesticated, so they do not fair well on their own. It is good to tend to the entire garden, and not just the plants themselves, so the plants will grow bigger and happier. A border can be invisible, it can be a trench, or it can be rocks. Whatever works for you and your garden.

Sacrifices

Sacrifices to the land are often discussed among witches. Some choose to tuck some tobacco into the soil after they have harvested. Others believe that simply caring for a garden is giving back to it. Whenever you fertilize, spread compost, or add water, you are giving to the land. Just the same, grooming your herbs and picking off harmful insects is giving to the land. Tilling under the soil, using raised beds, or mulching, these acts are all a form of giving to the land. We often tend to forget that the simplest things, like basic work, can be magic.

A garden can focus on Elementals, planetary influences, a deity, or spell work. All it takes is dedication, knowledge, the right plants, the right process, and a magical touch.

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Mar 3 2011

Hecate: An Introduction

by admin

 

There are no greater mythical tales than those provided to us by Greek history. The Greeks named and worshipped many gods, and while some are better known, such as Zeus and Aphrodite, there are lesser known ones that are just as majestic. One of these gods, or rather goddesses, is Hecate.

Hecate’s Tale

Hecate was known to be the goddess of magic, witchcraft, night, the moon, ghosts, and necromancy. Her history states that she was the daughter of Perses, a Titan, and Asteria. Her power, reigning over heaven, earth, and sea, was said to have been given to her by her mother. Hecate’s main conquest is noted as having searched for Persephone, alongside Dementor, Persephone’s mother. She was said to have guided Dementor with flaming torches, through the night, until they found her daughter. Then, Hecate became Persephone’s minister and joined her in the underworld. In Greek paintings, Hecate is often depicted as a woman with two torches, wearing a maiden’s skirt and hunting boots. In statues, she was depicted in triple form, representing her as a goddess of crossroads.

Hecate’s Acts

Hecate is said to have two animal companions, a female dog and a polecat. The dog is said to have originally been Hekabe, a Trojan queen. Hecate was said to have transformed her into her dog state after the fall of Troy, when the queen jumped into the sea. The polecat is said to have been the witch Gale. Hecate transformed her to punish her for her incontinence.

Hecate was a prominent and powerful goddess, who was regarded by the Greeks as having a more wicked nature. Though she was said to dwell in the underworld, her powers were recognized in heaven and earth as well, and she remains an important subject in Greek history.

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