OUIL501 | Essay Draft

GABRIELLA BREACHO | OUIL501 THE WITCHING HOUR: How has social paranoia and conviction of witchcraft affected witchcraft itself and female symbols in feminine spirituality and Wiccan traditions?

INTRODUCTION The nature of witchcraft is one that has undergone many transformations from past to present day, its history is riddled with misconception, misunderstanding and fear of a very impressionable society. Witchcraft has existed for thousands of years and its rich history has naturally invoked both the fear and imagination of the masses and after the 13th century magic was solidified as a form of satanic worship and that those who practiced anything other than the norm were titled as heretics.

It is said that over sixty thousand people were prosecuted in the time of the witch hunts, mostly all of them were women and were put to the stake and executed. Semitic religions such as Christianity are treated as patriarchal religions that would naturally conflict with the wildly feminine practice of witchcraft and the evolution of Wicca as a contemporary religion of today’s present. More modern practices of witchcraft revolve around the heavy use of female symbols and attributes, such as that of the Moon and the feminine deity of the Triple Goddess. However witchcraft goes beyond the stereotypical image of black magic and casting common curses into a craft that involves communicating with spirits, medicine and prophecy. Women called shamans, wise-women, healers, seers, fortune tellers and herbalists have commonly all fallen under the label of “witch”. In Gaskill’s ‘Witchcraft: A Very Short Introduction’ he suggests that, “Seen this way, the term ‘witch’ implies someone not like us, the opposite of an ideal. Witches are monsters haunting our dreams, confirming who we are not. Except witches are human.” (Gaskill, 2010) Yet even in today’s modern 21st century the witch hasn’t been able to shake off these negative connotations that will linger around her, whilst the witch-hunting days of the 15th-16th centuries are long gone the social stigma still sticks. This essay will explore the literary, religious and symbolic figures that are a part of the practice of witchcraft, and question the reasoning behind the treatment of these roles in relation to how they are represented through a long history of social paranoia and conviction.

Fig. 1

MAIN Divinity in witchcraft is typically associated with the Christian devil, in fact any kind of religious system in witchcraft is considered to be a part of Satanism and the practice of Wicca has a great misidentification with this. Ancient worship and the worship of nature in witchcraft is a common seen, especially with its association with pagan Wicca and the recognition and importance of a triad

deity known as the Triple Goddess. The Goddess figure represents the three major lunar cycles of the moon, and the moon itself has been the object of reverent worship throughout the ages (see Fig. 1). It also symbolises the key moments of womanhood: the maiden, the mother and the crone thus interlinking a woman’s like with that of the moon itself (as well as the lunar cycle reflecting the menstrual cycle from which the word ‘mēnsis’ in Latin means month). (2) The Greek goddess Hecate who is associated with ghosts, crossroads, necromancy and witchcraft has naturally been an object of worship through contemporary Pagan Wiccan practices and has been a popular starting point to discuss when analysing the history of witchcraft. (3) Hecate can simply be considered a dark goddess of the night and death itself, despite what popular belief might say her nature is complicated as any nature of the Greek gods is (see Fig 3). Hecate is no exception to that. Moon worship and moon cults aren’t a new idea in the west, much like how there have been organised sun cults worshipping certain deities or all of the known solar deities in one, Hecate is known to be worshipped through the reverence of the Triple Goddess. It is also important to note how most female goddesses known to western pantheons are either associated with the moon, death, the underworld or the mysteries surrounding the world itself. In ancient times Hecate was commonly depicted as a three-headed goddess, who was commonly split up into three aspects but all of them were interlinked somehow to the same deity. The Triple Goddess represents the waxing, waning and full cycle of the moon, the moon holds great significance throughout Wiccan beliefs as it is a most revered and sacred celestial object, “Wiccans believe that the full moon lunar energy creates heightened psychic awareness, and many perform their invocations, love magic and healing ceremonies at esbats.” (4. Drury, 2003. p.163).

The importance of the number three in Wicca comes as no surprise since the images of triad deities isn’t something unfamiliar to known mythology. The number three has great significance in culture, let alone significance in witchcraft. It was not only Hecate alone who has this link to the idea of the Triple Goddess, other female gods in said pantheon also have this link as being a part of one in the same idea of the mother, maiden and crone (see Fig. 2, the common depiction of the Norn’s from Norse mythology are also another spin on this rule of three).

Fig. 2

In the Roman pantheon their equivalent of Artemis, Persephone and Hecate was wildly considered a representation of this cycle as all of these said goddesses are linked by their depictions and their natural affinity to said stages of each cycle. The reverence of nature comes through these goddesses, it comes as no surprise since humankind has worshipped the very balance and forces of nature since the beginning. Observations from the Aeneid itself states, “Some that say that Lucina is the goddess of birth, Diana of growth and Hecate of death. On account of this three-fold power they have imagined her as three-fold and three-form, and for that reason they built temples at the meeting of three roads.”(5) The Greeks and Romans aren’t the only ones who have this set of three in their pantheons, it is found throughout other cultures and religious sects, ironically enough the masculine variation of these three found in Christianity is none other than the Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. By example from old religions in Celtic tradition this trio would be made up of Brigid, Dana and Morrigan whilst in Greek tradition it would be Persephone, Demeter and Hecate.

Why female deities are so wildly respected and revered through not just Wicca but other religions is that they embody the very essence and being of the female herself. The worship of fertility goddesses praising the gift of life within the mother’s womb, the wisdom of the crone and the purity and long-life of the maiden all translate into aspects of a woman’s life. These goddesses are normally associated with nature or the cycles of nature, the very personification and common name for Earth itself is just that: Mother Earth.

Fig. 3

Hecate’s role in various amounts of myths from Ancient Greece are numerous, despite her being one of the lesser known gods of the pantheon she has still remained a vitally important role throughout Greek Literature despite her somewhat dubious appearance. The image of Hecate alone is something that can easily be either misunderstood or stem from the stereotypical image of the witch itself grown from Christian superstition and all around fear. Today these stereotypes may do little harm but the misunderstanding of what witchcraft truly is goes without saying, as is the worship of many pagan deities that derive from the main religions of the age. The importance of Hecate in regards to witchcraft and Hecate being a symbol herself to this practice and contemporary

Pagan traditions again feeds into the worship and history of the Triple Goddess. As stated earlier, the three-fold of goddesses isn’t a new concept as it is seen throughout most of the world’s culture.

From the Orphic Hymn to Hecate, her presence alone can be something easily misunderstood and can be easily read as a figure that is dubious and peculiar, "Hekate ... pleased with dark ghosts that wander through the shade; Perseis, solitary goddess." (6) After the conversion of most of Western Europe into the Christian-Catholic faiths the Pagan and ancient beliefs of the ancient times faded into pure storytelling and myth. The worship of these deities was purged and met with violence, as Christianity has had a history of enforcing its holy beliefs onto other civilisations, “In some parts of Europe charges would also be brought against worship of Diana and other pagan fertility deities – a reference to the lingering folk and shamanic underbelly of some forms of witchcraft.” (4. Drury, 2003, p.63)

The worship of deities from considered ‘old religions’ which is a form of Paganism as these gods are considered to be Pagan gods, the return to the ancient and old traditions of the world has seen a rise in the late years, in particular the interest in Wicca has also risen. According to popular British clairvoyant and full-time witch Leanna Greenaway one of the reasons why people are turning to Wicca as not just a religion but as a lifestyle, “Wicca is an open-minded faith that you can fine-tune to suit your own needs. There is no specific rule book to follow, so it doesn’t matter if you want to practice lightly and cast the odd spell here and there or immerse yourself completely.” (7. Greenaway, 2014, p. 5). Unlike organised religions of present day Wicca isn’t constructed as it doesn’t have an official holy text to refer back to or commandments. Those within Wicca are free to practice it however they wish, whether they join a Coven or Circle or no, the free reign of spirituality is one of the major factors as to why people are picking up these traditional aspects of religion. There is not just one path in Wicca, a path that may be specific for one person’s own personal religious or spiritual journey. There can be many paths in which differ from each person. This message of a personalised journey within a person and finding themselves in harmony with both nature and their inner struggles naturally appeals to those who feel lost or find that the teachings of their birth no longer speak to them. How does witchcraft revolve around this? Witchcraft is the very birthplace of Wicca, although not all those who believe in Wicca may practice modern magick they still pray and may partake in the rituals and festivals surrounding the yearly cycle. Despite common belief one of the core values of witchcraft itself is that of nature and the worship of nature and divinity, given its associations with Paganism that is also highly considered a naturally influenced faith, witchcraft and its roots have always been heavily embedded in the focus of nature and giving praise to the spirits that inhabit every inch of the natural world. It is far from the demonic worshipping, decrepit hag image that the western world has clung onto for all these years. It is quite the opposite in fact, according to witch and writer Deborah Blake being a witch conveys these Pagan beliefs into one whole, “To be a witch is to be divine- or at least some element of the divine within. Pagans believe in the old gods; for most of us, that means both a goddess and a god, or at least some abstract version of a deity.” (9. Blake, 2009, p.9)Ellen Dugan a proclaimed natural witch and another who focuses her craft around the central themes of Wicca and the importance of its connections to witchcraft itself, “Witchcraft is often referred to as a nature-based religion. Witches follow the natural cycle of the world around us, from the waxing and waning of the moon to the eternal Wheel of the Year. We strive to connect with nature, whether stone or herb, bird or beast.” (8. Dugan, 2007, p.99) Practical magick is a subject that is still ripe with mystery thus from an outsider looking into the culture of witchcraft it is easy to associate it by naming all forms of practical magick as ‘black’ magick. There are two heavy distinctions when it comes to Wicca, the existence of both black and white magick is very much real and the popular title of ‘white witch’ comes into play. White magick is associating with healing properties or spiritual guidance. The very name witch has such a heavy stigma attached

to it still and yet people who practice their craft and Wiccans who are proud of their beliefs will rightfully say that they are witches to others. Despite the dark connotations that comes with proclaiming oneself as a witch or saying that one freely practices witchcraft and magick comes from a simple and mindful pride that all witches strive to be.

Fig. 4

It is all too common that the symbols used in Satanism and those of magick and Wicca get thoroughly confused with one another. The symbol of the pentagram (see Fig .3) has been the victim of much effortless misinformation and misunderstanding than all others. Whilst the symbol of the Triple Goddess rightfully depicts the waxing, waning and full moon, little do people know that the pentagram of Paganism and Wicca symbolises the elements of spirit, fire, earth air and water on each of its five-points. The pentagram is a powerful and positive symbol to those who practice witchcraft and has also been seen historical practices of alchemy as well. The common depiction of the pentagram that is known to the majority of the public is that of Satanism. Granted, the pentagram of Satanism is simply the pentagram of Wicca but turned around, symbolising the head of the Horned God depicted in most horror movies and portrayals of neo-paganism and Wicca today.

It is quite astounding how such a spiritually attuned symbol was claimed and is now equated with the worship of the devil, as something that would be featured in countless of stereotypical media of modern day witches who worship a goat-like deity. It is easy to sympathise with the frustration of most modern witches who do not wish to be associated with any kind of devil worship or forms of black magick, it is the completely opposite of their own beliefs as spiritual practitioners. One of the major focuses in witchcraft as a craft itself is the use of energy drawn from all five of these elements depicted on the pentagram itself, witchcraft involves drawing out the energies of nature by revering all that nature is and using it for the greater good. Greenaway states that despite this stigma of Satanism on the majority of Wiccans she still prides herself to call herself a witch despite whatever imagery that is brewed in another individual’s mind, “It gets tiresome having to explain to misinformed individuals that just because we are happy to call ourselves witches, that does not mean we are devil worshippers or Satanists. In fact, we are quite the opposite.” (7. Greenaway, 2014, p.

4) From centuries of fear, paranoia and misunderstanding it comes as no surprise as to why witches are commonly falsely depicted giving that the idea that witchcraft is evil and apart of the devil’s work has been ingrained in European and most of western society for decades. With the rise of New Age practices and open spirituality show a gradual growth from this common stigma and alternative routes of worship within both European societies and international communities. Naturally the

symbols of witchcraft and Wicca go along with this shift, as does the open worship of female goddesses from the old religions of ancient times.

Practical magick, as mentioned earlier, is primarily split into two kinds being both black and white magick. Contemporary magick had seen a rise in popularity and practice as the wave of New Age beliefs and Wicca has washed over society as a whole. Popular blogger and full-time witch Sarah Lawless writes of the rise and Constance of witchcraft not has a simple practice that is passed down but as something that is as old as history itself, it isn’t just a form of craft but a way of life and something that cannot be destroyed so easily, “There is no unbroken lineage, no unbroken witchcraft tradition in history. There is only Witchcraft itself, a wild thing that can never be caught and contained but insists on its wildness and on constant transformation, constant death and rebirth (as with all things in nature).” (10)

Fig. 5

CONCLUSION Understanding the importance of these symbols not just culturally but to the identity of femininity and womanhood alone, the worship of the goddess reveres the body of a female and celebrates her fertility, youth and old age of wisdom. The rising popularity of contemporary Wicca and Paganism often as an alternative to Semitic and modern religions of present day show a growing acceptance of alternative faiths and practices of worship other than the major organised faiths. This has also given a chance for the very title and name of ‘witch’ to lose its stigma that has been prevalent throughout European and international history. Despite their still being a fascination with the dark history of what witchcraft meant to the masses, as well as the fantasised depictions of witchcraft and magical women in cinema and literature today are still there and won’t go away for some time. Despite the time-and-time again misunderstanding from the majority of individuals these women still pride themselves to call themselves witches no matter the setback from both religious sects and the common public. The cultural evolution of present day’s scene is wildly more religiously accepting, with the freedom and popularity of spirituality itself becoming prominent in most countries the amount of women who are also turning to Wicca and Witchcraft in turn, in a way that can be seen as a reclamation of a practice that has had a long and difficult history of misconception and misunderstanding. That is the crux of social paranoia through the masses, in the West this paranoia is stemmed from superstition and the dangerous mob-mentality. But the gradual acceptance of

alternate faiths as well as the reclamation of the very word ‘witch itself shows a change of the times and the evolving social scene that is seen on today’s cultural landscape. The importance of these symbols won’t be going away for a long time and it is time that others ought to celebrate their meaning freely without conviction.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 1. Figure 1. The Triple Goddess [Vector]At: http://www.symbols.com/serp.php?st=life&p=4 [Accessed on: 14/12/15] 2. Figure 2. Gehrts, Johannes, “The Norns” (1889) [Drawing] At: http://germanicmythology.com/works/GEHRTSART.html [Accessed on: 19/12/15] 3. Figure 3. Pirner, Maximilián, “Hekate” (1901) [Painting] In: Hekate Liminal Rites - A Study of the Rituals, Magic and Symbols of the torch-bearing Triple Goddess of the Crossroads.

London: Avalonia 4. Figure 4. Pentagram of the Five Elements [Vector] At: http://witcheslore.com/ [Accessed on: 15/12/15] 5. Figure 5. Drury, Nevil, “The Empress III” (1909) [Illustration] Magic and Witchcraft: From Shamanism to the Technopagans. Singapore: Thames & Hudson Ltd. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Gaskill, M, (2010). Witchcraft: A Very Short Introduction. London: OUP Oxford 2. Graves, R, (2010). The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth, Amended and Enlarged Edition. London: Faber and Faber.

3. Pearson, J, (2013). A Popular Dictionary of Paganism. Abingdon: Routeledge.

4. Drury, N, (2003). Magic and Witchcraft: From Shamanism to the Technopagans. Singapore: Thames & Hudson Ltd. 5. McDonough, M, C, (2002). Servius’ Commentary on Book Four of Vergil’s Aeneid. United States of America: Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers.

6. Atsma, A, (2000). Classical E-Text. [Online] Available from: http://www.theoi.com/Text/OrphicHymns1.html [Date accessed: 25/11/15 ] 7. Robbins, S. & Greenaway, L, (2014). Wiccapedia: A Modern Day White Witche’s Guide. New York: Sterling Publishing Co. 8. Dugan, E, (2007). Natural Witchery: Intuitive, Personal & Practical Magick. United States of America: Llwellyn Publications 9. Blake, D, (2009). The Goddess is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch. United States of America: Llwellyn Publications 10. Sarah Anne Lawless. (2015). Sarah Anne Lawless. [Online] Available from: http://sarahannelawless.com/ [Date accessed: 21/11/15]