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Witchcraft
This is the category where your questions about witches and witchcraft as a spiritual path should go. Based on an ancient shamanistic way of life, witchcraft is a spiritual system known as "The Craft of the Wise" and were a valuable part of villages and communities. Practitioners were the healers and leaders of their people. Modern witches follow the cycles of the sun, the moon and the seasons of the earth for guidance and knowledge. Most, but not all witches practice some form of magic in its true meaning.
1,155 Questions
Traditionally a Witch could have several helpers, often referred to as Familiars. Cats were the favored forms, especially black ones. The fear that all cats were Witches' familiars was one of the primary reasons for the famous cat massacres that swept through medieval Europe.
Familiars were given names like any household pet, which most of them undoubtedly were. During the Witch hysteria of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the obsession with familiars was confined mostly to England and Scotland, where they are mentioned in numerous trial records, especially those related to Hopkins. The Witchcraft Act of 1604 made it a felony to "consult, convene with, entertain, employ, feed, or reward any evil and wicked spirit to or for any intent or purpose." But the Malleus Maleficarum (1486), the major Witch inquisitor's handbook, offers no instructions concerning familiars in the interrogation and trial of Witches. The book does acknowledge that an animal familiar "always works with the Witch in everything."
Outside of Witch trials, more benevolent familiars were believed to exist, serving wizards and wise men (and women) who were magicians or village healers. The familiars helped diagnose illnesses and the sources of bewitchment and were used for divining and finding lost objects and treasures. Magicians conjured them in rituals, then locked then in bottles, rings and stones. They sometimes sold them as charms, claiming the spirits would ensure success in gambling, love, business or whatever the customer wanted. This sort of familiar was technically not illegal; England's Witchcraft Act of 1604 prohibited only evil and wicked spirits. Some familiars were said to be Faeries.
Many modern Witches have animal familiars, usually cats, which are their magical helpers. Some also have dogs, birds, snakes or toads. Some Witches say that it is possible to endow pets with magical powers and turn them into familiars, though others don't believe it should be done. Still others believe familiars are never "pets" (and should never be treated as such) but are animals who volunteer to work as familiars and are Karmically attracted to Witches. Witches who do not have familiars send out psychic "calls" to draw the right animal.
Familiars reputedly are sensitive to psychic vibrations and power and are welcomed partners inside the magic circle and other magical work. They also serve as psychic radar, reacting visibly to the presence of any negative or evil energy, whether it be an unseen force or a person who dabbles in the wrong kind of magic. Familiars are also given psychic protection by their Witches. Some Witches it seems also use the term familiar to describe thought-forms created magically and empowered to carry out a certain task on the astral plane.
Sorcerers and shamans in cultures around the world also have helpers in the form of spirits. Dispatching them on errands to heal, harm or kill - called sending. The physical shape of a familiar varies. New Guinea sorcerers rely on snakes and crocodiles, while in Malaya, the familiar is usually an owl or badger passed down from generation to generation.
Throughout Africa, the wild creatures of the bush are said to be Witches' familiars: for the Lugbara, they are said to be the toad, snake, lizard, water frog, bat, owl, leopard, jackal and a type of monkey that screeches in the night; for the Dinka, they are black cobras and hyenas. The Zulus' familiars are said to be corpses dug up and re-animated with magic; they are sent out at on night errands to scare travelers with their shrieking and pranks. In Shamanism, a novice shaman acquires his familiar spirits, usually manifesting in animal, reptile or bird shapes, when he completes his initiation. He or she may send them out to do battle in his or her place, but if they die, so does the shaman. Familiars usually stay with their shaman until death, then disappear. Among certain Eskimos, the familiar is embodied in an artificial seal, not a live animal.
They don't lie any more or less than any other people.
What is witchcraft called in India?
There are so many names for Witchcraft and Witches in India. In Hindi, Magic is called "Jadhu". But that is stage magic. A wtch is also called "Chudhali", but that has so much negative stigma attached to that word than for the word Witch in modern Europe and USA. In Tibet, there are storirs about a mistical female creature full of energy and having the ability of casting spells called "Dakini". They are skyclad. Spell-Craft is called "Mantra Shastra" in Sanskrit. A Wizard could be said to be equivalent for a "Rishi" (Sanskrit) or "Yogi".
Is it ok for teens to use black magic?
It is important first to be sure of your terminology. Magic is the manipulation of naturally occurring powers by the hand and will of an ethical practitioner. Magic is neither good nor bad, black nor white is just is. The manner in which the magic "power" is gathered and used is what determines its polarity.
Those people who practice magic come in all shapes, sizes, colours, nationalities, genders, and ages. The common thread in most of them is a recognition that you must take full and complete responsibility for your actions and the results thereof, because there is a universal balance and the "Rule of Three" (That which you send out, will return to you threefold) does work.
If you are interested in learning the practice of magic, I recommend you spend time reading, studying and searching for an ethical teacher. There are hundreds of books on the subject available in your local library and New Age/Metaphysical/Occult bookshops. Reading one will not make you ready to undertake magic. Reading twenty or so will put you on the right path. If you are unsure a specific book is a "good one" check to see if there is a chapter on the Ethics of Magic in it, if not, I would recommend you keep searching. Buckland, Conway, Cunningham, Grimassi, Amber K, Starhawk and Telesco all have multiple books on various aspects of the subject and are a great start.
Teens do need to be aware of the sensativities of their parents, after all you are living beneath their roof and dependant upon their largess.
If you are looking into magic as a possible spiritual path, be prepared for the possiblity of challenge or even disaproval from your parents. Of all the spiritual paths Magic and Witchcraft/Paganism are some of the most misunderstood.
If you are looking into the practice of magic as a "hobby" or casual source of "power over others" then I recommend you rethink your plan... see the Rule of Three above.
I am a young Wiccan are there any trustworthy sites where I can learn about rituals and spells?
There are many websites which deal with Magick and spells. A good place to start your search for reputable sites, can be found in my link below this answer. The following books will also provide a good introduction to Witchcraft. A great place to find more is in the new age/ wiccan/ pagan section of your local bookstore.
Raymond Buckland:Buckland's complete book of Witchcraft, Llewellyn Publ,, (1986).Scott Cunningham: Wicca: A guide for the solitary practitioner, Llewellyn Publ., (1990).
Does the werewolf spell work and is it safe?
Don't use random spells off the internet your liable to be disappointed that they don't work or worse they do work and you dont get what you think you were going to get. Magick is something that can be done by everyone but that doesn't mean you should. You need a proper understanding of the science behind it.
What is the difference between harmful magic and helpful folk magic?
Harmful Magick: Any act of magick that is cast to cause harm or even cause death to another person or group of people, animals, and the earth. example: breakup a marriage
Helpful Magick: Any act of magick that is cast to help another person or group of people, animals, and the earth. example: healing
Is it true goth or emo do black magic?
Goth and/or Emo is a fashion statement and a life-style (and a mind-set). They are not necessarily practitioners of any Magic. Such people follow that kind of a trend for the shock purpose and/or attention seeking purpose.
Therefore such people would also claim that they practice Black Magic for the Shock Purpose of it, to impress people and get attention of the others. There is nothing to take in to consideration in such people because it is empty inside them. Just be friend with them and show them kindness, and that you can treat them equally regardless of the fashion statement or lifestyle they choose.
People who really practice any form of a magical art cannot be distinguished from their outer appearance, unless they are dressed in the regalia of their esoteric order, for a ritual event.
Tell them that you still believe in the same things that Christians do. and there is nothing wrong with practicing magic. I might avoid using the the word "witch", because of its negative connotation. If people still do not believe you, just drop it. You know what you believe, and what others think about it does not matter. Also, ignore people like the one above. Remember that the bible didn't drop down from the sky, people wrote it, people edited it, and translated it, and as such we don't know what was in the original on or not. Witch/Bible/Wiccan/Pagan"Witchcraft in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) refers mostly to women who used spoken curses to injure other people or destroy their property. The term, "witchcraft" in the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) refers to murderers who use poisons to kill people. In North America, "Witch" and "Witchcraft" most often refer to Wiccans and Wicca. Wiccans are modern-day Neopagans They follow Wicca, a religion that has been created, in part, from ancient Celtic beliefs, practices, Gods, Goddesses, holy days and symbols. They follow the Wiccan Rede a rule of behavior that prohibits Wiccans from performing any activity that dominates, manipulates, controls, or injures others. It has nothing to do with "the devil" or"hell" as they do not exist for Pagans. Hollywood movie devils/witches are not at all what we are about,in fact, just the opposite.
In terms of behavior, Wicca is a benign and healing religion; the "witchcrafts" mentioned in the Bible are evil and destructive. The two are exact opposites. Many translations of the Bible, such as the King James Version and the New International Version, condemn what they call "Witches" and "Witchcraft". This causes serious misunderstandings. No one has been able to find any translation of either the Hebrew or Christian Scriptures which contains the words Wicca or Wiccans. The Old Testament condemns, in particular, non-monotheistic religions. One example is The Book of Joshua, where God authorizes the genocide of Canaanites because they were Pagans. Since many Wiccans believe in the existence of a dual divinity (a Goddess and a God), Wicca would fall under this general condemnation of non-monotheistic religions, as would Hindus and followers of Native American spirituality and hundreds of other religions. The Christian Scriptures ( New Testament.) attack Jews as being children of the Devil. They contain many passages which condemned Gnostic Christianity,( a part of the early Christian movement which believed in the existence of two deities). The Scriptures also state that all non-Christians worship either Satan or a demon. Period. End of discussion. This was not "might worship" it was an absolute truth according to the bible. This latter condemnation would include followers of Wicca and hundreds of other religions. that together, constitute about 67% of the human race. They criticize a wide variety of non-Judeo-Christian religions, not Wicca specifically. English translations of the Bible refer to Witches and Witchcraft by name. A careful analysis of the original passages in the original Greek and Hebrew, shows that they condemn individuals who: (A) Use spoken curses to harm or murder others. (B) Use poison to harm or murder others. Wiccans are prohibited from engaging in either of these activities. Wiccans are prohibited by the Wiccan Rede from dominating, manipulating, controlling, or doing harm to others. The use of the terms "Witch" or "Witchcraft" in English translations of the Bible is either a poor translation or a mistranslation or outright religious intolerance and hatred. The Bible appears to contain no direct references to Wicca and Wiccans. The minority of Wiccans who are open about their faith suffer extreme persecution from a minority of very well meaning, very devout Christians who honestly believe that they are following the guidance of various Biblical passages. So it may be best to say nothing and follow the best of both religions according to your own interpretations. Few Wiccans even believe in the devil so could not worship what to them, does not exist. Tell them that you only worship God, as Jesus revealed him. Jesus showed how God loves us. He was willing to give his life to save us. He wants to support us in our daily life, he wants us to have a friendly relationship with him. Tell them that you that you don't use powers that originate from anti-Christian sources. Tell them that the fact that you are a witch does not mean that you worship other gods besides the Christian God, because God gives you everything you need and because you believe that worshipping another god would be harmful. Tell them that you only use the powers that God created. Don't tell them anything. People who concern themselves with other people's spiritual beliefs tend to be too closed-minded to bother with.
Why do witches wear pointy hats?
First, let's make sure we mean the same thing by "witch." Traditionally, the word "witch" was used in England to mean a person, male or female, who tried to harm others with magic. Now some people use it to mean a person (sometimes specifically a woman) who uses rituals of some kind to try to get good magic to happen.
In the history of the Scotland, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and England there are many references to people who believed that they could do rituals to get magic to happen and the fact that they thought that while doing the rituals a person ought to wear certain clothes to help make the magic happen, including a pointed, cone shaped hat with a brim. Some people still believe this. Try looking up the phrase "Black Hat Society" in a search engine and see what information you get. One such society whose members believe in magic and use pointed hats is in Utah in the US.
Some who practice magic rituals say pointed hats are not used in magic, but that is just because they follow a different tradition than those who do use pointed hats.
The pointed, cone shaped hat is a symbol of wisdom and of the "cone of power": magic power that magicians believe they can raise in the air by their rituals. Shapes are often considered magical in many traditions, and the hat's shape is considered very magical in this kind of magic tradition.
In these countries I listed above, the explanation of why people who are witches or magicians are described or drawn or depicted in movies as having pointed, cone shaped hats with brims could not possibly be, as some say, that people with the usual pre-Christian beliefs of the country that lived in the countryside wore old-fashioned pointed hats and all did magic rituals. Prior to Christianity becoming popular in these countries and also at the time when a lot of people still had pre-Christian beliefs in these places, while others in the countries were Christian, people in these places did not wear pointed, cone shaped hats with brims as a fashion statement or a traditional costume in either the country or the city. These hats are only associated with magic rituals in these countries. Also, we know what the people there thought before these countries converted to Christianity, and although most people were polytheists, they didn't usually
practice magic. Brimless, pointed, cone shaped hats worn by women in medieval times were not associated with magic or witchcraft in these countries. People in these countries had their own writing systems before becoming Christians, so there is plenty of written history that backs all this up.
It should be noted that, in these ethnic groups listed above, the practice of magic for good purposes was always somewhat tolerated, even during times where there were witch hunts, because a minority in all these countries had traditionally always done such magic folk practices. The reason I know about this is that I have at least a little ancestry from people who came from each of all the above listed countries to the U.S.
I should clarify that the people in England I'm talking about that in some cases practiced such a custom are the true English who didn't control the government of England for centuries, because they were conquered by an ethnic group called the Normans. I don't know whether Normans who believed in magic rituals used pointed hats.
The belief in doing magic rituals while wearing this kind of pointed hat may exist in other European countries as well.
How do you make a real magic weapon?
Magick is not supposed to be used to do harm unto others. It is against the Wiccan Rede. An it harm none, do as ye will!
Would Rasputin be proof that magic and the supernatural is evil to religion?
No. Rasputin was simply a corrupt and possibly insane man who was close the the Russian royal family in its final years. He knew some methods to help the Czar's son with his hemophilia, but there was no magic involved.
no. No it isn't, it is a method of diagnosis & treatment developed by Chiropractor George Goodheart in 1963. It incorporates chiropractic with oriental practices.
How do you find out who is behind a black magic spell?
First, are you sure there is a spell?
Not all streaks of bad luck, illnesses, misfortunes or lost boy/girl friends are the result of magic.
- let me digress here for a moment, magic has no polarity of itself, magic is just power, however if it is raised and directed to the detriment or harm of another or others, it is referred to by those outside the craft as black magic - Sometimes things just go wrong.
If you are experiencing a string of unpleasantness, and you have been dabbling in the craft yourself, this may just be the backlash of the Rule of Three (That which you send out WILL return to you Threefold).
Eventually it will stop, once your three times has run its course.
If you are not a practitioner of the craft and do not know anyone who is, then I find it unlikely you are under any spell at all. Look to yourself.
If you are sure you are under a spell, someone must have planted the idea, check with them first.
Ask what they know about it, and what makes them think it is a spell.
If you are intending to "send the spell back" or retaliate I suggest you re-read the Rule of Three, sending it back is unnecessary as the gods/fates/universe have that well in hand.
As to the retaliation... just don't go there.
Think long and hard on your motivations for searching out this "person", two wrongs don't make a right, learn to protect yourself from further such incidences and trust to the gods for the rest.
What is theological witchcraft?
Theological witchcraft refers to the genuine religious practices of witchcraft and is usually associated with the Malleus Maleficarum (Witch's Hammer)
What are witches in the 17th centry like?
They were just ordinary people. Witches are not real, ignorant people decided to blame someone for things they could not understand
How were witches executed in europe?
Witches were killed in a variety of ways. If they actually made it through the torturing without dying then they were likely burned alive or hung.
Cheats for sue's witch magic makeover?
1) Purple Gem for Sue's Eye Color.
2) Pink & Flesh for Sue's Skin Color.
3) Bunny for Sue's Head or Face.
4) 2nd Bottle for Sue's Body (Shape). Shelf over animal boxes.
5) First of everything that you haven't clicked.
6) YOUR A WINNER! CONGRATULATIONS!
THIS IS THE REAL ONE! DO NOT BE FOOLED BY OTHERS! I tried this one out of five and it was correct.
How do you make magic candles?
Typically you will start with a candle.
Then you charge it. This can be done by exposing it to starlight or moonlight, or by holding it to your 3rd eye (forehead) and concentrating on it.
Your candle is now charge.
You can further anoint it with oils, herbs, ribbons or other items.
Depending on the desired effect, you may want to use a specific colored candle. Different colors can have different effects.
I think i believe in magic but is there a way that i am to be sure?
Funny thing about the practice of magic. First you have to believe.
How do you find your witch name?
Your "witch name" or "craft name" as it is more commonly called, is something that you choose for yourself. There are varying methodologies used in the choosing. Some people just randomly assume a name they find appealing, while others incorporate numerology practices into the choosing that allows them to find a name that corresponds with their name number or birth number. Ultimately, it is up to you to figure out what you want your name to be. Many people have multiple names. Some have a "public craft name" that they will use at public gatherings and online as well as semi private name that they use only amongst individuals in their coven and also a private craft name only known to themselves. There are also people that choose to not have any other name than their given name.
