Different religions, cults and beliefs can be associated with different images and symbols. One symbol that stands out as the most iconic in the Wicca religion is the pentagram. However, in recent years the pentagram has been inverted to represent evil and devil worship. It is interesting to see how much more controversial witchcraft has become since people stopped noticing the difference between a pentagram (meaning nature and soul) and the inverted pentagram used in satanic worship. Witchcraft is now popular in the new age world and a more contemporary take on the religion (e.g Neo Paganism) is likely the future of this following. Because of this more and more witches are using technology to reach out to each other to try and resurrect this dying tradition. For this reason I took to photoshop to create an image of what I believe the new age of witchcraft looks like, from the geometric fashion shapes to the contemporary editing and of course the misconception of the inverted pentagram. Thanks for reading.
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Witches worship the pentagram, a star shape with five points, contained in a circle. Each point represents a different element we worship; earth, air, water, fire and spirit. The outer circle suggests a shield of protection for all of these elements. Being a witch means worshiping these elements and respecting the natural world.
I visited the beach not long back and my trip could be classed as the perfect Wiccan day out. Firstly I sat amongst the rocks and sand, admiring the view of the sea. I then went into the sea and felt the cold water against my skin. To warm myself after this I lit a small bonfire in the base of a cave and kept refuge from the powerful wind that day. I noticed on my trip that throughout my entire visit I did not encounter one person. It lead me to wonder where everyone else was at this time when they could be here. Teenagers would be sleeping or playing video games, parents shopping in the super market, football hooligans shouting and screaming at a TV screen or children cooped up in doors, surrounded by masses of toys and games. It seems such a shame that people in this day and age would prefer to be inside with their materialistic values when they could be experiencing the world and all it has to offer. Thanks for reading. An association is often made by society that witches spend their time cackling around a cauldron in an abandoned house or plotting and practicing in the depths of a dark cave but that is not exactly true. Most witches find it much more revitalising and pleasant to practice their magic in the heart of the woods. Away from modern day distraction like 3G and motorways, witches like myself often lose themselves to the peaceful serenity of the wooded world. It is a personal hotspot of mine to take a walk deep into the countryside where I can enjoy nature and all it's elements, enjoy the sun on my skin and even have a ritual or two under the moonlight. Last week I took to the forest to gather some lavender to make smudge sticks and I brought with me a few vials to store them in until I dry them out at home. I also took with me a lantern as there tends to be minimal light the deeper you get into the forest. In some ways I refer to the lantern as added protection when I go out and about on my own at night. I would advise to anyone to take a light source when they venture off at night and maybe even to bring a more reliable light source (flash light) as when the wind picks up the flame doesn't seem to last too long. Thanks for reading. "Walpurga was born in Devonshire, England of a family of the local aristocracy. She was the daughter of St. Richard the Pilgrim, one of the under-kings of the West Saxons, and of Winna, sister of St. Boniface, Apostle of Germany, and had two brothers, St. Willibald and St. Winibald. Saint Richard is buried in the Basilica of San Frediano, Lucca, where he died on pilgrimage in 722. Saint Richard is also known as Richard the Saxon Pilgrim, of Droitwich."
To this day many countries have celebrated Walpurgisnacht or Hexennacht (literally "Witches' Night") with food, dancing and bonfires on April 30th of every year. As more of a German tradition, the English haven't took to it as much as other European countries but the Wicca community tend to participate regardless. We celebrate Walpurga for being such a strong, positive female role model as she was said to be the first female author in both England and Germany. Over the year Walpurgisnacht has become a Wiccan festival welcoming May and reminding us of the spring equinox and to keep care of our environment over the coming months and prepare it for the Winter once more. I celebrated Walpurgisnacht for the 5th year in a row last night with fellow witches in the local area. Thanks for reading. Smudge sticks are a great way to cleanse your home, your place of work or even yourself and loved ones from negative energy. For years smudge sticks were only accessible at gypsy market stalls and psychic fairs but these days we tend to opt for making our own, saving money and making them more personal to those who use them.
There is a "knack" to making smudge sticks effectively and today i'm going to show you how. Firstly you will need clippers, string (preferably cotton) and plants such as sage, mugwort, rosemary, lavender or juniper. For a more therapeutic blend I would advise sage and lavender. Then you will need to allow these plants to dry out over the course of a few days. Place them on a windowsill that gets plenty of sunlight. Once dry, cut them all to a similar length (around about five inches) and then begin to bind them with the cotton string. Make around four different ties along the stick to make the plants secure. Once this is done your smudge stick is ready to burn. Light the end with a match and slowly move the stick around the area you wish to cleanse allowing a following of smoke to trail in it's path. I used one of my own sticks a couple of weeks ago to cleanse myself from negative energy. I decided to do this in a forest to eliminate distractions from other people and other things as I feel this is more effective that perhaps doing it in your bedroom. Thanks for reading. Possession, whether it be demonic, evil or otherwise, tends to be one of the most feared situations amongst witches. The possibility of becoming the living tomb of one of the most evil and malevolent spirits has unfortunately been known to happen throughout the history of witchcraft. The common misconception of such activity is that it is what the witch intended. This is not the case. It is more likely that an evil spirit will latch onto someone who tries their hardest to deflect it, whether it be with gem stones, candles, spells of protection, potions and so on. In recent years popular culture amongst which the likes of "The Last Exorcism" and "Paranormal Activity" depict demonic possession which created a great deal of distress amongst those, like us, who are more sensitive to the darker side of humanity. Possession is often related to in terms of christianity and we often hear stories (much like the story of Robbie Mannheim who had over 30 exorcisms performed on him by different Priests and Jesuits). Possession is however an incredibly rare occurrence with often no more than 10 global reports every year making it no more than an unlikely horror story we are forced to live in fear of. Thanks for reading. When planning to conduct a ritual whether it be as small scale as a cleanse after a long day or more complex like channelling the deceased you need to make sure you are two things: prepared and protected. Rituals tend to only work if you put enough effort or care into setting them up before hand and so I’m going to show you all the essentials you need for an effective, safe cleanse. Firstly you will need candles, which in most cases is a given. Don't worry if you find yourself without a coloured wax candle because it has been proven that tea lights have just about the same effect. Light the candles with a match to produce energy and place them around yourself in a circle. These candles will act as a shield of protection against any evil spirits that may try and get through to you while you are at your most vulnerable. I would also advise that between each tea light place a piece of coal. The coal will absorb any negativity trying to cross the threshold between you and your optimism in this ritual. These pieces of coal can vary in shapes and sizes depending on the scale of your ritual. For something as simple as a cleanse, around six pieces of coal the size of the tip of your thumb should suffice. If you are attempting a ritual on a larger scale, aim for eight pieces of coal that are about the size of your closed fist. If you are aiming to use a smudge stick in this cleansing ritual I would suggest the use of a small cauldron, no larger than a tennis ball with around two centimetres of sand at the bottom. This will be a safe place to keep your lit smudge stick during the ritual to avoid burning yourself or your clothing. The sand at the bottom of the cauldron acts as a safety blanket to ensure that your cauldron does not crack under the heat from the flame. Particular cleanses require different elements of relevance. For example if you are having a cleanse after the loss of a loved one you may do so whilst holding their photograph or an object with direct reference to their existence. If you are merely looking to get back in tuned with your natural surroundings I may suggest a couple of pine cones, a holly leaf and a berry, each representing the natural elements around you. Finally you will need the scripture in which you will be reading from. These days this tends to be sourced online but for my personal rituals I tend to opt for written copies of the spell I will be using. For this I tend to use my personal Book of Shadows, which is full of spells I have acquired over time from the people I’ve met and the stories I have been told. Together with all of these items you are certain to have a peaceful, safe effective ritual. Thanks for reading. |
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