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In the sixty years following the publication of Gerald Gardner’s Witchcraft Today, new paths have appeared, and older ones emerged out of the shadow of repression and illegality, to express with a new and more confident voice their beliefs and practice, and share, with a steadily growing audience, their knowledge, their certainties, their questions and their vision. This book is a celebration of some of the many paths that Witchcraft/Wicca has taken and of the journeys that people have embarked upon.
"This complete self-study course in modern Wicca is a treasured classic - an essential and trusted guide that belongs in every witch's library."---Back cover
A clear, concise overview of the origins and history of the Wiccan and Neopagan movements, with A–Z coverage of concepts, rituals, practices, and practitioners. Witchcraft Today presents a concise survey of this fascinating movement, charts its development, and offers A–Z coverage of Neopagan concepts, rituals, practices, and practitioners ranging from African Religions and Celtic Tradition to Numerology and Theosophy. An excellent and thorough introduction that explains the origin and history of contemporary Wiccan and Neopagan beliefs and a chronology detail the development of these modern religions. A documents section reprints texts important to the central belief system of Wiccans and Neopagans, including the text of Charge of the Goddess, and a bibliography and index complete this timely source. Consult this work whether you need to know the characteristics of Wicca; the difference between Celtic, Alexandrian, and Blue Star traditions; the meaning of "skyclad;" the work of Emanuel Swedenborg; or the origins of Tarot.
Magic, always part of the occult underground in North America, has experienced a resurgence since the 1960s. Although most contemporary magical religions have come from abroad, they have found fertile ground in which to develop in North America. Who are today's believers in Witchcraft and how do they worship? Alternative spiritual paths have increased the ranks of followers dramatically, particularly among well-educated middle-class individuals. Witchcraft and Magic conveys the richness of magical religious experiences found in today's culture, covering the continent of North America and the Caribbean. These original essays survey current and historical issues pertinent to religions that incorporate magical or occult beliefs and practices, and they examine contemporary responses to these religions. The relationship between Witchcraft and Neopaganism is explored, as is their intersection with established groups practicing goddess worship. Recent years have seen the growth in New Age magic and Afro-Caribbean religions, and these developments are also addressed in this volume. All the religions covered offer adherents an alternative worldview and rituals that are aimed at helping individuals redefine themselves and make their interactions with the environment more empowered. Many modern occult religions share an absence of dogma or central authority to determine orthodoxy, and have become a contemporary experience embracing modern concerns like feminism, environmentalism, civil rights, and gay rights. Afro-Caribbean religions such as Santería, Palo, and Curanderismo, which do have a more developed dogma and authority structure, offer their followers a religion steeped in African and Hispanic traditions. Responses to the growth of magical religions have varied, from acceptance to an unfounded concern about the growth of a satanic underground. And, as magical religions have flourished, increased interest has resulted in a growing commercialization, with its threat of trivialization.
This book represents the first systematic study of the role of the Devil in English witchcraft pamphlets for the entire period of state-sanctioned witchcraft prosecutions (1563-1735). It provides a rereading of English witchcraft, one which moves away from an older historiography which underplays the role of the Devil in English witchcraft and instead highlights the crucial role that the Devil, often in the form of a familiar spirit, took in English witchcraft belief. One of the key ways in which this book explores the role of the Devil is through emotions. Stories of witches were made up of a complex web of emotionally implicated accusers, victims, witnesses, and supposed perpetrators. They reveal a range of emotional experiences that do not just stem from malefic witchcraft but also, and primarily, from a witch’s links with the Devil. This book, then, has two main objectives. First, to suggest that English witchcraft pamphlets challenge our understanding of English witchcraft as a predominantly non-diabolical crime, and second, to highlight how witchcraft narratives emphasized emotions as the primary motivation for witchcraft acts and accusations.
Witchcraft...Magic...and an undeniable link in history and modern spiritual practices. Humans are innately curious and yearn to unravel the mysteries of the universe that reason alone cannot explain. Whether Voodoo, Candomblé, Hoodoo, Neo-Paganism, or Wicca, each has played a significant role in various cultures, helping humans comprehend life, love, pain, and spirituality. A blend of different beliefs, witchcraft was heavily influenced by cultural and social factors that either encouraged or discouraged its practices—sometimes witches are good, sometimes bad, sometimes both... their intentions remain shrouded in mystery. If you desire to learn more about them, and the history of spiritual practices on the American continent from past to present, THIS is the book for you! From reviews and descriptions of mystical rituals without judgment to a fascinating play-by-play of how we got to where we are today, this book has it all! Inside Witches & Shamans (from Voodoo to Wicca): Uncover the enchanting origins of religious practices like Voodoo, Santeria, Wicca, and more! Unearth the true nature of magic and rituals within each unique spiritual practice. Discover how the arrival of European and African slaves shaped pre-colonial spirituality. Explore the profound impact of North and South American history on beliefs surrounding magic and witchcraft. And much, much more! Enrich your spiritual knowledge with a global view of how cultures connect to deeper and genuine expressions of mystical practices. Grab a copy of Witches & Shamans (from Voodoo to Wicca) and embark on a spellbinding journey—today!
This books draws on feminist commentary from the disciplines of anthropology, history, law, politics and sociology in order to deal with the phenomenon of modern-day witchcraft. It focuses on the re-emergence of witchcraft beliefs in contemporary society, suggesting that witchcraft accusations and persecution are being used as a marginalisation mechanism of women. The re-emergence of witchcraft beliefs in contemporary society and the prevalence of the violence associated with such beliefs has received little attention within academic literature, yet witchcraft-related violence against women is, progressively, becoming one of the most pervasive forms of violence facing women today. This book addresses this gap in the literature, discussing the return of witchcraft beliefs to contemporary society, whilst assessing the effectiveness of international human rights law in protecting women from witchcraft accusations and persecution.
It has been observed that the traditions, philosophies and beliefs that enjoy historical longevity are not those that remain static and unchanging, but rather those that evolve and adapt to meet the needs of different or changing societies. And that truth, of course, can be extended to religions and spiritualities that by necessity must remain relevant to peoples’ lives or become intellectual museum pieces. With topics ranging from CyberWitches to Activism, from Web Weaving to Urban Witchcraft, from the Arts to Kitchen and Solitary Witchcraft and more, What is Modern Witchcraft? considers contemporary developments in the ancient craft and discusses a number of questions and issues that are frequently raised today. What is Modern Witchcraft? is edited by Trevor Greenfield and features essays from Morgan Daimler, Annette George, Irisanya Moon, Rebecca Beattie, Philipp J. Kessler, Amie Ravenson, Rachel Patterson, Mélusine Draco, Dorothy Abrams, Arietta Bryant and Mabh Savage.
The Salem witch trials remain one of the most shocking and studied episodes in American history. Within the span of 15 months, the legal proceedings around the trials swept up at least 144 people, secured the confessions of 54 individuals and led to the execution of 20, mostly women. The hysteria and the accusations reached far beyond the geographic limits of Salem Village, eventually engulfing more than 20 towns and villages in the vicinity. Now, in this Special Edition from TIME-LIFE - The Salem Witch Trials - readers can revisit the witch trials, study their European origins and understand "the climate of fear" both then and now. This Special Edition is also full of historic photographs and images of Salem, the participants, and more, and a special section devoted to modern witchcraft and witches in the movies and on television.