Fear of witchcraft was common in Ulster in the early 1700s, leading to at least one mass trial and church-inspired inquiries into claims of witchcraft – particularly in County Antrim, according to University of Ulster historian Dr Máirtín Ó Catháin.
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Tag Archives: Wicca
Wicca today
“If you conjure up an image of a witch, you probably picture an evil looking lady with a pointy hat, pointed nose and a broomstick. But that’s not how the modern-day witch appears and Julie-Anne Farmer is living proof of that.”
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The Power of Witches
Even after the kids take off their Halloween costumes, witches remain among us
Debby Reis (The Peak)
BURNABY, B.C. (CUP) — Back in high school, like many other teenaged girls, I became interested in the occult. Witches in particular held interest for me. But the image of a witch in my head went beyond that of the fairy tale hag.
My witch had a mystical beauty about her, and more importantly, she had power. I didn’t quite understand this power, but I knew I wanted it. I learned to read palms and tarot cards, and whenever I looked at someone’s hand, I felt a little bit of that power when their lines and fingertips told me about who they were.
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DEBRA Hall’s unusual new business is all thanks to casting a spell – quite literally.
And while the American may have chosen to launch her shop the Wiccan’s Whisper in the month of Halloween, that’s where the similarity between this modern-day witch and the scary story book creations ends.
Debra had struggled from job to job when she decided to use her powers as a white witch to cast a spell for help and direction. The result was a market stall, which then led to her setting up the Copley Road business.
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Witchcraft trends need to be faced, says author
(SH) – The witches ball included the midnight spinning of the “Wheel of the Year” and a chance to gaze into the “Fire of Transformation” before the faithful were guided into the “Underworld and our Ritual Space.”
The Samhain celebration last weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., also included deejay music, dancing, door prizes and fun for the children.
“No photos at rituals! Some of us are still closeted,” said the online invitation from the MoonPath Chapter of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans. “Perhaps it’s time to come out of the broom closet?”
There were plenty of signs this Halloween season that more witches and wizards are doing precisely that.
Are there SpiralScouts circles in your area offering pagan parents an alternative to the rigid morality of the Boy Scouts? Have teenagers formed reading clubs at school to dig into popular books like “Wild Girls: The Path of the Young Goddess” and “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft”?
Continue reading Witchcraft trends need to be faced, says author
Roman holiday, pagan tradition
Halloween is the holiday that most associate with witches and pagans, but it’s actually one of eight sabbats – or holidays – that pagans celebrate.
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Wiccan fights for religious freedom
DERBY — Make-believe witches may worry most about not getting enough chocolate today. But a real-life witch has her hands full with more pressing matters.
Alicia Folberth, a Wiccan high priestess, has persuaded the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities to review her complaint last June that she was fired, ostensibly because of her need for time off to practice her faith.
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Interview with a witch
Four years ago, OnMilwaukee.com posted the first “Interview with a Witch” segment, and because of its popularity, later created two more segments in the series. Now, the three articles are combined and updated with new information to provide a clear and honest glimpse into the life of a Milwaukee witch. Luna is 36 years old, lives in Bay View and works as an artist and hair stylist. Fifteen years ago she was initiated as a High Priestess, and today, is a part of a small coven.
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Halloween is time to dispel myths for pagans
SALISBURY — When she saw the devil costume in a local store, frustration boiled inside her.
Everything classic about the devil was there, said Morning Dove. There were horns and red makeup, but the pentacle — the symbol of her Wiccan religion — was like a slap in the face.
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All fired up for our celebration of life
Do you believe the original meanings of many festivals have been lost?
THE wheel of the year constantly turning has brought us once more to Hallowe’en, or Samhain (pronounced sow-in), as our Celtic ancestors would have known it.
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