Traditional Witchcraft for the Woods and Forests: A Witch's Guide to the Woodland with Guided Meditations and Pathworking

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Nigel Pearson’s ‘ Treading the Mill’ is an immensely practical book through which the reader can get ‘hands on’ with the crafting of magical tools and substances as well as exploring ritual and ‘inner’ working. Robin Artisson While Western Europe often employed harsh torture methods, Russia implemented a more civil system of fines for witchcraft during the seventeenth century. This approach contrasted with the West's cruelties and represented a significant difference in persecution methods. Ivan IV, or Ivan the Terrible, was deeply convinced that witchcraft led to the death of his wife, spurring him to excommunicate and impose the death penalty on those practicing witchcraft. This fear of witchcraft persisted during Ivan IV's rule, leading to the accusation of boyars with witchcraft during the Oprichnina period, followed by increased witchcraft concerns during the Time of Troubles. [117] William Shakespeare wrote about the infamous " Three Witches" in his tragedy Macbeth during the reign of James I, who was notorious for his ruthless prosecution of witchcraft. [78] Becoming king of Scotland in 1567 and of England in 1603, James VI and I brought to Scotland and England continental explanations of witchcraft. He set out the much stiffer Witchcraft Act 1603, which made it a felony under common law. His goal was to focus fear on female communities and large gatherings of women. He thought they threatened his political power so he laid the foundation for witchcraft and occultism policies, especially in Scotland. The point was that a widespread belief in the conspiracy of witches and a witches' Sabbath with the devil deprived women of political influence. Occult power was supposedly a womanly trait because women were weaker and more susceptible to the devil. [91] My final choice is a charming little book, ‘ The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies’ by Robert Kirk. Published originally in 17th century Scotland, this remarkable study reveals the vibrant realms of the ‘other’ that spill over into our own, creating havoc and mischief. Laced with folklore and popular superstition, the author, a Scottish minister ‘roamed the highlands of Scotland for stories of wraiths, elves and ‘other agents of the spirit world.’ His enchanting account preserves for us the nature of belief and how witchcraft traditions were absorbed into common folk practises. Nigel Pearson

Macfarlane, Alan (1999). Witchcraft in Tudor and Stuart England: A Regional and Comparative Study. Psychology Press. p.130. ISBN 978-0415196123. If anyone, deceived by the Devil, shall believe, as is customary among pagans, that any man or woman is a night-witch, and eats men, and on that account burn that person to death... he shall be executed. [58] The earliest known portrait of Saint Augustine in a 6th-century fresco, Lateran, Rome A number of modern researchers have argued for the existence of hallucinogenic plants in the practice of European witchcraft; among them, anthropologists Edward B. Taylor, Bernard Barnett, [155] Michael J. Harner and Julio C. Baroja [156] and pharmacologists Louis Lewin [157] and Erich Hesse. [158] Many medieval writers also comment on the use of hallucinogenic plants in witches' ointments, including Joseph Glanvill, [159] Jordanes de Bergamo, Sieur de Beauvoys de Chauvincourt, Martin Delrio, Raphael Holinshed, Andrés Laguna, Johannes Nider, Sieur Jean de Nynald, Henry Boguet, Giovanni Porta, Nicholas Rémy, Bartolommeo Spina, Richard Verstegan, Johann Vincent and Pedro Ciruelo. [160] The "supernatural" or "night" witch: portrayed in court narratives as a demon appearing in visions and dreams. [34] Since the 1940s, neopagan witchcraft movements have emerged in Europe, seeking to revive and reinterpret ancient pagan and mystical practices. Wicca, pioneered by Gerald Gardner, stands out as one of the most influential neopagan traditions. Drawing inspiration from ceremonial magic, historical paganism, and the now-discredited witch-cult theory, Wicca emphasizes a connection to nature, the divine, and personal growth. Similarly, Stregheria in Italy reflects a desire to reconnect with the country's pre-Christian spiritual roots. Many of these neopagans choose to self-identify as "witches." Contemporary, neopagan witchcraft in Europe encompasses a wide range of traditions, reflecting a blend of historical influences, modern interpretations, new religious movements, and a search for spiritual authenticity in a rapidly changing world.Witch’s Workbook – Ann Grammary: This vintage gem is like an extension of what Mastering Witchcraft offers, in that it provides a complete system of working magic which is somewhat more idiosyncratic than the other text, but still relatively free of a slant linking it to a specific tradition. There are a lot of good charms in this book but most importantly I feel that it teaches them from an angle that allows for the Craft to maintain its mystery, and emphasizes the importance of sacrifice when it comes to wrangling with Fate. Grammary makes it clear that the path is hard, requires practice, and that you don’t get anything for nothing. There are of course a great deal of very important texts out there which should be read to better understand the modern history of traditional witchcraft, what the various living sodalities have contributed to it, and a wealth of primary source material, but I feel that what a new-comer needs most are practical things to try before they will know whether to investigate further. Chris Orapello Figures like Maria Campina, revered as the "Queen of Witches", exemplify the prominence of Roma witches in contemporary Romania. Campina's claims of inheriting her powers from her ancestors and her expertise in fortune-telling have earned her respect within both the Roma community and wider society. Her influence serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of Roma witchcraft. [134] [135] Main article: Magic in the Greco-Roman world Caius Furius Cressinus Accused of Sorcery, Jean-Pierre Saint-Ours, 1792 Another common belief was that witches had a demonic helper or " familiar", often in animal form. Witches were also often thought to be able to shapeshift into animals themselves, particularly cats and owls. [4] :264 Main article: Cunning folk Diorama of a cunning woman or wise woman in the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic

Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335 – c. 395) had said that demons had children with women called cambions, which added to the children they had between them, contributed to increase the number of demons. However, the first popular account of such a union and offspring does not occur in Western literature until around 1136, when Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote the story of Merlin in his pseudohistorical account of British history, Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain), in which he reported that Merlin's father was an incubus. [71] Another notable tradition is Traditional Witchcraft, which stands apart from mainstream Wicca and emphasizes older, more "traditional" roots. This category includes Cochrane's Craft, founded by Robert Cochrane as a counterpoint to Gardnerian Wicca, and the Sabbatic Craft, as defined by Andrew Chumbley, which draws on a patchwork of ancient symbols and practices while emphasizing the imagery of the "Witches' Sabbath." In the early 14th century, many accusations were brought against clergymen and other learned people who were capable of reading and writing magic; Pope Boniface VIII (d. 1303) was posthumously tried for apostasy, murder, and sodomy, in addition to allegedly entering into a pact with the Devil (while popes had been accused of crimes before, the demonolatry charge was new). The Templars were also tried as Devil-invoking heretics in 1305–14. The middle years of the 14th century were quieter, but towards the end of the century, accusations increased and were brought against ordinary people more frequently. [78] Marginal decorations of " des vaudoises" in Le champion des dames, by Martin Le France, 1451 Roma witchcraft stands as a distinctive and culturally significant tradition within the Roma community, weaving together spirituality, healing practices, and fortune-telling abilities passed down through generations of Roma women. Rooted in history and mythology, this practice bears witness to the matrilineal nature of Roma culture, where women are the bearers of these ancient arts. [134] [135]From the sixteenth century on, there were some writers who protested against witch trials, witch hunting and the belief that witchcraft existed. Among them were Johann Weyer, Reginald Scot, [54] and Friedrich Spee. [55] European witch-trials reached their peak in the early 17th century, after which popular sentiment began to turn against the practice. In 1682, King Louis XIV prohibited further witch-trials in France. In 1736, Great Britain formally ended witch-trials with passage of the Witchcraft Act. [56] Legal codes [ edit ] In England, the early Penitentials are greatly concerned with the repression of pagan ceremonies, which under the cover of Christian festivities were very largely practised at Christmas and on New Year's Day. These rites were closely connected with witchcraft, and especially do S. Theodore, S. Aldhelm, Ecgberht of York, and other prelates prohibit the masquerade as a horned animal, a stag, or a bull, which S. Caesarius of Arles had denounced as a "foul tradition", an "evil custom", a "most heinous abomination". The laws of King Æthelstan (924–40), corresponsive with the early French laws, punished any person casting a spell which resulted in death by extracting the extreme penalty. [ citation needed] The Canon Episcopi, which was written circa 900 AD (though alleged to date from 314 AD), once more following the teachings of Saint Augustine, declared that witches did not exist and that anyone who believed in them was a heretic. The crucial passage from the Canon Episcopi reads as follows: It is also not to be omitted that some unconstrained women, perverted by Satan, seduced by illusions and phantasms of demons, believe and openly profess that, in the dead of night, they ride upon certain beasts with the pagan goddess Diana, with a countless horde of women, and in the silence of the dead of the night to fly over vast tracts of country, and to obey her commands as their mistress, and to be summoned to her service on other nights. But it were well if they alone perished in their infidelity and did not draw so many others into the pit of their faithlessness. For an innumerable multitude, deceived by this false opinion, believe this to be true and, so believing, wander from the right faith and relapse into pagan errors when they think that there is any divinity or power except the one God. [59] Gemma Gary’s “ Traditional Witchcraft” is now a modern classic, due to its detailed but easily understood instructions on practical Craft. That it details the magic of Cornwall is both fascinating as a glimpse into that area, but also more than equally applicable in other areas also. Her rites are based not only on traditional lore, but her own, practical experience, which makes the book only the more valuable.

The Christian concept of witchcraft derives from Old Testament laws against it. In medieval and early modern Europe, many common folk who were Christians believed in magic. As opposed to the helpful magic of the cunning folk, witchcraft was seen as evil and associated with the Devil and Devil worship. This often resulted in deaths, torture and scapegoating (casting blame for misfortune), [6] [7] and many years of large scale witch-trials and witch hunts, especially in Protestant Europe, before largely ending during the European Age of Enlightenment. The characterization of the witch in Europe is not derived from a single source. The familiar witch of folklore and popular superstition is a combination of numerous influences. Russell, Jeffrey Burton. "Witchcraft". Britannica.com. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013 . Retrieved June 29, 2013. There are accounts of people being prosecuted and punished for witchcraft in the ancient Greco-Roman world, before Christianity. In ancient Greece, for example, Theoris, a woman of Lemnos, was prosecuted for and executed along with her family. [12] Records refer to her as pharmakis (potion specialist), [4] :55 mantis (diviner), [4] :54 and hiereia (priestess), but the sentence against her and her family was for asebeia (impiety). [4] :56 Orion Foxwood has written a very personal book in “ The Flame in the Cauldron”. It details a lot of his own experiences in learning about the Craft and gives useful and practical examples drawn not only from his own Appalachian heritage, but also from teachings he received from Old Craft mentors from England. It is a curious mix of lore and practicality, but all the more interesting for that. During the 20th century, interest in witchcraft rose in Britain. From the 1920s, Margaret Murray popularized the ' witch-cult hypothesis': the idea that those persecuted as 'witches' in early modern Europe were followers of a benevolent pagan religion that had survived the Christianization of Europe. This has been discredited by further historical research. [4] :121 [122]

Can You Be More Than One Type Of Witch?

Unlike the severe witchcraft trials that plagued Western Europe, witchcraft historically took on a different form in Romania. The Romanian Orthodox Church's integration of pre-Christian beliefs and the reliance on village healers in the absence of modern medicine led to a less punitive approach. Instead of harsh punishments, those accused of witchcraft often faced spiritual consequences, such as fasting or temporary bans from the church. [134] [135]

For a historic perspective on belief and practice, Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits: Shamanistic Visionary Traditions in Early Modern British Witchcraft and Magic by Emma Wilby is a great place to start. Although it is an academic book, Wilby’s writing style is highly engaging and informative. Her book will also add a deeper layer to one’s understanding of witchcraft history through her analysis of folk beliefs and witchcraft trial records.

My second choice is ‘ Between the Living and the Dead’ by Éva Pócs. Somewhat different, Ms. Pócs peers through a folkloric lens into the fantastic dreaming worlds of the supernatural, of spirit flight, doppelgangers, werewolves, snake-seers, night-battles, the un-dead and the Sabbat. No less intense, this work studies also the nature of belief, and how we seek to communicate with the ‘Other.’ Such magic-workers "were normally contrasted with the witch who practised maleficium—that is, magic used for harmful ends". [23] In the early years of the witch hunts "the cunning folk were widely tolerated by church, state and general populace". [23] Some of the more hostile churchmen and secular authorities tried to smear folk-healers and magic-workers by branding them 'witches' and associating them with harmful 'witchcraft', [4] :x-xi but generally the masses did not accept this and continued to make use of their services. [24] The English MP and skeptic Reginald Scot sought to disprove magic and witchcraft, writing in The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584), "At this day it is indifferent to say in the English tongue, 'she is a witch' or 'she is a wise woman '". [25] Emma Wilby says folk magicians in Europe were viewed ambivalently by communities, and were considered as capable of harming as of healing, which could lead to their being accused as "witches" in the negative sense. She suggests some English "witches" convicted of consorting with demons may have been cunning folk whose supposed fairy familiars had been demonised. [26] Then there are books that may be described as “practical” guides- books where people talk about working tools, and rituals, and suchlike. I could fairly answer this question if asked to give five books from four different areas of knowledge. But since you have asked for just five, I gave them as best I could. The craze reached its height between 1560 and 1660. After 1580, the Jesuits replaced the Dominicans as the chief Catholic witch-hunters, and the Catholic Rudolf II (1576–1612) presided over a long persecution in Austria. The nuns of Loudun (1630), novelized by Aldous Huxley and made into a film by Ken Russell, provide an example of the craze during this time. The nuns had conspired to accuse Father Urbain Grandier of witchcraft by faking symptoms of possession and torment; they feigned convulsions, rolled and gibbered on the ground, and accused Grandier of indecencies. Grandier was convicted and burned; however, after the plot succeeded, the symptoms of the nuns only grew worse, and they became more and more sexual in nature. This attests to the degree of mania and insanity present in such witch trials. [ citation needed] Illustration of witches, perhaps being tortured before James VI, from his Daemonologie (1597)