Like urban legends, the symbols of contemporary Halloween festivities make great theater, but bear little resemblance to their less fanciful origins. Malevolent ghosts, leering jack-o’-lanterns, witches plying the skies atop broomsticks — when it comes to embodying authentic traditions, they’re no more accurate than chocolate bunnies and plastic eggs in mirroring the Christian roots of Easter.
Continue reading Myths about witches: Pagan roots behind Halloween never were meant to be spooky
Tag Archives: Life
Under their spell
Far below nature’s magic show, I stood outside an old white house on a stretch of freshly cut grass, bemused at the sight of 12 modern witches moving across the lawn in scattered unison, occasionally smiling at one another as they passed. The youthful, contented expressions on their faces as they cast their spells reminded me of something I had seen in movies, but the Hollywood comparisons would end there.
A Hallowed Day For Real Witches
George Takei Comes Out
“George Takei, better known as Mr. Sulu from three seasons (and six movies) of the hit TV series Star Trek, has casually come out in a new interview with Frontiers magazine. “Brad’s my partner, we’ve been together for 18 years,” Takei tells Frontiers. “I’ve been ‘open,’ but I have not talked to the press.”
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Witch Hunt
“They’re not spooky – just misunderstood. SPM talks to ASU’s real-life witches”
The Wiccan way of Halloween
by MATT NEWTON
It’s Oct. 31, Halloween night. Children and adults dressed as monsters and movie stars are out trick-or-treating, or simply hanging out at a party. Maybe a few chaps are up catching a “Friday the 13th” marathon.
Elsewhere, in Williamsport, 16-year-old Amber Buechling is among many Wiccans and pagans alike celebrating a slightly different holiday, Samhain. Actually, most of what modern-day Halloween is has its roots in Samhain.
“I do celebrate Samhain. However, I also go out and trick-or-treat,” Amber says. The reason is simple: “Free candy!”
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Wiccans: ‘Harm None’: A witch’s story of volunteering with the Red Cross in Louisiana
“Lofgren and her partner, Cynthia Shea of Niantic, had just returned from Slidell, La., where they spent two weeks with the Red Cross aiding hurricane victims. For Lofgren, her experience was a manifestation of her spiritual beliefs as a Wiccan.”
Halloween lecture for adults
“The Norton Institute for Continuing Education (NICE) is sponsoring a lecture for adults on the witches of Salem by Gary Hylander at the Norton Public Library on Monday morning, Oct. 31 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Dr. Hylander is a professor of history at Stonehill College.”
For pagans, equinox a time of spiritual renewal
Out of the Broom Closet – Prospector – Campus Life
This was found in a college newspaper in Marysville,CA,USA. The article seemed to sum everything up very well, although the title should have been spell checked “Withes on Campus”, this may be a good source for people, trying to explain Wicca or Witchcraft, to others.
Out of the Broom Closet – Prospector – Campus Life
The website asks you to register, you can use http://bugmenot.com.
A full copy of the article if you would rather not go through all that.
Continue reading Out of the Broom Closet – Prospector – Campus Life