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Page 6
October 27, 1999
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^îortlanù (©bseruer
Focus
thMjnt té a 23Sitcl)?
B y J o P owell
C on ir i b it in g W r iter
Come this time o f year when one hears
the word “witch” certain notions and images
are conjured up. Most likely the stereotypi
cal Halloween witch comes to mind. Perhaps
some of the images invoked might include
conical hats, black cats, broomsticks, and
magic. But, just who is a witch and what do
they do?
When someone is a witch, it is presumed that
he or she, usually it’s a she, has magical pow
ers or is an evil spirit incarnate. The source
and nature of these powers, their witchcraft,
is thought to be supernatural and can include
an array of abilities such as flying, reading
minds, and casting spells. Almost every cul
ture has some sort o f witch in its mythology
and historical lore. The ancient Greeks, Ro
mans, and Babylonians as well as African,
Asian, and Native American cultures all be
lieved in the existence of witches.
Currently, in American and northern Euro
pean societies, there are a growing number
of witches. These witches are not the stereo
typical archetype. They are not bad witches
casting evil spells or turning people into
newts. Most modem witches practice a non-
malevolent form o f witchcraft known as
Wicca or the Craft.
The word witch has its roots in Old English
and comes from the word wic meaning to
bend or to transform. Closely associated with
the word witch is the word wicca, which is
also derived from wic. The word wicca means
to be wise. It is thought that a practitioner of
Wicca is seeking wisdom and does so through
some form of magical transformation. In the
days of pre-Christian Europe, most people
practiced some sort of Wiccan lifestyle, com
monly referred to as the Old Religion. Once
Christianity was established and rose to
power, the Old Religion became known as
pagan. The word pagan originated from the
Latin word meaning country folk, one who
lives rurally. The country folk or pagans were
the last to convert to Christianity.
M odem witches are seemingly average
people just like you or me. In day to day life,
they don’t necessarily stand out. Many mod
em witches practice Wicca to satisfy their
spiritual needs while also trying to honor the
earth and the environment. Wicca involves
white or green magic, which has no ill inten
tions. Part o f the creed for Wiccan witches
includes to a large part a vow to do only good
with their practice. There is no worship of
deities in this practice and it’s not exactly a
religion. It’s a spiritual practice and lifestyle.
Intention and invocation, am ulets and
talismen, incense, herbs, precious stones,
feathers and shells
are a few o f the ac
coutrements of the
Wiccan witch.
Wiccan or Neo-Pa-
gan activities are
closely tied to the
circular celestial
year, not the linear
Gregorian calendar
year. Some of these
rituals include cel
ebrations on the
equinox and sol
stice. These are of
ten com m unity
gatherings that cel
ebrate the fertility that comes with spring, the
warmth and bounty of summer and fall, and
the time o f introspection brought on by the
darkness of winter. These rituals date back
further into our human past than written lan
guage itself. Learning about this history helps
one to better understand modem day Wicca.
The Old Religion honored the feminine and
placed a high value on female characteris
tics unlike contemporary male oriented reli
gions. The physical and mystical connection
that the ancients had to the feminine was
through agriculture and the rotating seasons.
The feminine aspect, the full and ripe preg
nant female, came to represent fertility and
rebirth. Along with that came a high value
placed upon the tangible environment; other
animals, the earth, air, water, sun, and sea
sons.
Over time, the rituals evolved specifically
incorporating aspects of the feminine and the
environment, rituals that by today’s standards
would be considered constituents o f a reli
gion. One might equate these rituals to na
tive peoples who utilize shamanic practices
to reach the spiritual element of the Divine.
As a result, the modem Wiccan movement is feared. Modern witches struggle with the
closely associated with Goddess worship. It word "witch" and for this very reason some
isn’t worship per se, moreover it is a rever choose to not use the word at all.
ent Earth-based world view focusing upon Modem day witches can be found practicing
favorable feminine characteristics, ones that alone or in groups. Since it is not organized,
are nurturing, kind, powerful, just, fertile and there is room for individuality and creativ
ity. There is no need for alarm when encoun
as such, abundant.
It was the sad and misogynist events o f the tering a Wiccan witch. People who subscribe
European Witch Burning era during the to Wiccan values are not associated with the
Middle Ages that so dark side of occultism nor do they worship
lidified the negative satan. Instead, a Wiccan witch might be found
connotations associ creating a blessing ritual for a new child or
ated with witches home, or they might be found dancing around
and
w itchcraft. the May pole, or delivering a Yule log to
Negative connota friends during the winter solstice, or simply
tions that obviously they may be found sitting under a tree enjoy
still persist today. ing the beauty of Mother Nature.
During that time, up Blessed be! Happy Samhain! (That’s pagan
to 9 million people, for Holloween).
Hey ho fo r Hallowe 'en,
the m ajorities o f
When
all the witches are to be seen:
which were women,
Some
in black, and some in green,
were accused, tor
Hey
ho fo r Hallowe 'en
tured, and most of
A
free
lecture
and
discussion on the Witch
ten were executed as
Burning
era
will
be
held at In Other Words
witches and heretics
Bookstore
on
3734
SE Hawthorn Blvd. in
o f the Church. The
Portland
at
503/232-6003
on Monday, No
reign of terror lasted several hundred years
and was aimed at those who refused to con vember 1 at 7PM.
form to or to
those who
challenged
the Church
in any way.
This holo
caust was
e s p e c ia lly
V ...
aim ed
at
people who
went by the
old ways,
Better Than The Best You’ve Ever Had!
the Old Reli
Tennessee Reds Famous For Brisket & Ribs
gion. The
SOON TO BE FAMOUS
long lasting
sociological
-fraiLy ^ p e c u d s
imprints o f
this carnage
/tto n d a if
Beef Ribs (2) & U Chicken with one side
left us with
Mixed Grill Sausage, XA Chicken & Ribs with one side
the impres
sion that all
Beef Brisket with Texas sauce and 2 sides
witches are
evil
and
Pork Lion with Tarheel sauce and 2 sides
should be
"faà /liunsôns
G ao k in
Catfish with 2 sides
Flying from page 6
and in fact you should “never do
magic in anger.”
In one respect, Phillips and her
fellow witches do meet a popular
stereotype: Halloween is a sacred
holiday for them, as are Ground
Hog and M ay Day (know n to
witches as Soow-Winn, Imbolc and
Beltave, respectively) and the sol
stices and equinoxes. On these oc
casions, Phillips and four other
w itches, who call them selves
Strand by Strand, have held mass
ceremonies that have attracted up
to 100 people. They’re giving it a
rest this year, but the curious can
find out more about contemporary
witchcraft through the newsletter
“Open Ways,” available at the God
dess Gallery and Moonshadow on
Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard.
They can also visit the web sites
www.aracnnet.com-raving/inde&a -
atml, or www.witchvox.com.
Pork Shoulder with 2 sides
1 /2 Chicken with 2 sides
Rib Tips & Sausage with one side
M“
/ l i t imp Alt ■ ^ t t o o i f a )
/Veto /Address
736 N. Lombard St. • Portland, Oregon 97217
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