This list below is the top ten books (in random order) I found most informative and useful when I began my studies into Wicca and Paganism. Books are second best to learning first-hand with a teacher, but due to the rising popularity of Wicca, many publishers are publishing anything and everything. It’s very difficult to ...
During the cold New England winter of 1691, four girls gathered to share tales of demonic spirits, incantations, and fortune telling. The leader of such supposed “Devil worshipping,” was the Barbadian slave known simply as Tituba. Little did she know these witchcraft circles would ultimately lead to more than innocent entertainment; Tituba became one of ...
The Azande of southern Sudan (along with other cultures in Central and West Africa) believe that mangu, or witchcraft, is a physical substance found in the bodies of witches. It is inherited by children from their parents, but only those of the same gender. In other words, all the sons of a male witch will ...
“She made hail fall on the fields of her enemies, caused their wheat to rot by means of a pestilential fog, and damaged the vineyards with frost. She caused the oxen and sheep of her neighbours to sicken and die for the advantages this might bring to her. For the same motives she caused her ...
There is a myth perpetuated by popular movies and literature that one should never do magic for personal gain- especially money. For some reason, the idea of trying to use magic to fix or improve your financial situation has gotten a bad rap as being “unethical” and “abusing power.” This would come as a huge ...
Although misogyny is often appropriately named as a motivation for the prevalence of witchcraft accusations in early modern Europe, other significant factors contributed to the movement. It is impossible to ignore the fact that the reforming churches’ emphasis on Christian purity led to the development of extreme anti-witchcraft attitudes and behaviors among laypeople. Additionally, Europe’s ...
The character of Lady Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s greatest literary achievements. She possesses a manipulative cruelty that influences the characters to do evil. But the true genius of Lady Macbeth is perhaps overlooked by casual readers of Macbeth who are unfamiliar with Elizabethan society. Shakespeare appealed to the audiences of his day by transforming ...
