Witches of Halloween

As we are getting closer to Halloween or Samhain (depending on your point of view) , Witches seem to be lost in the myths and fabrications of Halloween. I thought it would be nice to put out some honest and truthful information about Witches.

Beliefs of witchcraft and magick have existed around the world since the beginning of time. Although ‘Witch’ is a more recent term, Elders, Healers, Sages, and ‘the Wise Ones’, those who carried the knowledge of healing and magick, were considered some of the most important members of any community.

For centuries, this information has been a part of our history. This wonderful knowledge would be carried in secret through the generations and handed down in secret through the ages. Seen as a great gift, the art of healing and magick was seek-ed out as good and those who had the knowledge were honored.

Unfortunately, in our society even today many people somehow associate Witchcraft with evil and have regarded all those called ‘Witch’ as someone who uses magick to harm others. The word “Witch” as well as the practice of Witchcraft, has been marked with negative connotations. For some, just hearing the word Witch, Witchcraft, Wiccan, Druid, Wisecraft, the Old Religion, or Pagan will still cause anger, fear and even hate.

Dictionary definitions for Witch:

A witch is seen as an old woman that is extremely thin or fat, ugly or hideously disfigured and works immoral and black magick. (Real magick having not color.)
A Witch is an ugly or unpleasant old woman known as a hag or crone.
Witches follow a practice of witchcraft where a female has the capability to enchant and bewitch any man to do her bidding. (Notice not men.)
Witches are those that cast spells for the work of evil or Satan.
A Witch is a woman believed to have evil and magickal powers, popularly depicted as wearing a black cloak and pointed hat flying on her broomstick with a black cat.

None of these, of course, are true. Many witches like myself, rather than trying to fight the ridiculous superstitions placed on us, have decided to embrace the depiction and have fun with it. So I do have a black cape, pointy hat, and a long broom, (That flying thing I’m still working on.) I have a black cat but I happen to have a black puppy as well.

For hundreds of years, countless people were called ‘Witch’ and blamed for any dreadful or disappointing event that hit mankind. When actually throughout history Witches have been our confessors, scholars, scientist, leaders, psychiatrists and teachers. Witches have been considered the Wise Ones, the healers, midwives, doctors, nurses, and the ones who carried all knowledge. But somehow, even today, Witches are seen as evil.

Witches are not evil and we don’t wish to hurt anyone or anything. Most Witches believe that to cause harm would cast the harm back onto them three times three. Witches are both Male and Female. The title of Warlock is not commonly used by Witches yet is growing in popularity among our younger male Witches. A male Witch is a Witch who happens to be male.

Witches do not worship the devil; most of us don’t even believe in the concept of a devil since he was invented to control people with fear in case they didn’t believe or follow the Christian laws.

But we Witches do take our beliefs very seriously. Witches are not part of some kind of great cult out to steal the souls of the unsuspecting. We are just ordinary people who live, for the most part, ordinary lives. We have jobs, families, and lives like everyone else. Witches are not like the TV witches that pop in and out of rooms or fly across the sky on their broomsticks. (Although it looks like it could be fun.) Witches don’t trap small children to roast for dinner or make into gingerbread. Witches don’t go out looking to cause havoc or to plunder villages.

We do not feel the need to try to convert all those we meet nor do we wish to be preached to. As Witches, all we ask is for the same rights and freedoms as anyone else. We want to feel safe and know that we will not be rebuked or persecuted for our beliefs. We do not want to be made out of sinister beings or as being responsible for all the misfortunes that may arise with the world.

But Witches are very real and you would be surprised to find that we are your neighbors, friends, coworkers and even family. It is sad that so many wills chose not to get to know someone who is different than they are out of fear. Surprisingly, they would find us to be people they can always count on and who will openly offer to help. We are the good neighbors if only given the opportunity.

Most Witches practice magick for beneficial purposes and would never dream of harming anyone. Witches do magick for good in performing such actions as casting spells for love, healing, and knowledge. Don’t freak here! Spells for Witches are in most cases a form of Prayer. Yes, Witches Pray… just differently and knowing that what work we do, especially with the energy and blessings of our Deities, will manifest. Many Witches also have a great knowledge of herbs and how to use them in natural healing as well as in working magick.

Witches are not all old or warty. We are not wicked or evil. We don’t act immorally nor are we out to injure others. Witches do not live in caves or gingerbread houses. If given the chance, you would find we are basically like everyone else… except that, we live in a magickal world where all things are possible.

It is so sad to me that in this enlightened age something as simple as fear can cause people to judge and condemn us just as many did in the Dark Ages. Fear and bigotry cause them to put up walls that may never come down.

We shall not judge you for your beliefs and ask that you not judge us. You may disagree with what we believe and that’s okay. We don’t agree with you either. But that should not stop us from learning from each other. For it is only through an understanding of each person’s path that we can grow, and perhaps in time, truly find the freedoms we believe in. For us “Witches, Hindu, Pagan, Druid, Wiccan, Christian, Atheists and all people, no matter their beliefs, should have one magickal goal: That we can stand as one people who work together to create a world of peace and understanding.