The world of witchcraft
Behind the misconstrued images of potions and curses, witchcraft has a vast and complex history. There is more to witchcraft and Wicca beyond the veil of hexes that ancient American stories often portray. In the modern age, archaic practice has resurged as a popular and respected religion across the country.
The word ‘witchcraft’ comes from the term ‘wiccecraeft’, with ‘wicce’ meaning to “practice sorcery,” and ‘craeft’ to “craft” or “skill.” Early witches practiced witchcraft by bespelling others with magic and calling upon spirits for help. Society back then commonly believed the women to be conjuring Devilish magic as pagans. But as it were, many simply acted as natural healers with misunderstood practices.
Although the origins of witches in the historical timeline are blurry, the earliest mentions of them are found in the Bible. Written between 931 B.C. and 721 B.C., the Book of 1 Samuel details King Saul’s encounter with the Witch of Endor. The witch was to summon the dead prophet Samuel’s spirit to defeat the Philistine army. Other mentions in the Bible include Old Testament verses condemning witches.
Resentment and fear stirred around witches in Europe during the mid-1400s. Many accused witches confessed, often under torture, to a variety of wicked behaviors. Hunts for these women took place, and the shunned were executed by burning at the stake or hanging. This was especially prevalent in late-1600s America, during the Salem Witch Trials in colonial Massachusetts.
Despite their stereotype, Wiccans avoid evil and the appearance of evil at all costs. Modern-day believers hold the philosophy of harming none and pledge to live a spiritual, peaceful life in balance with nature and humanity. Their spells and incantations originate from their Book of Shadows, a 20th-century collection of wisdom and witchcraft, which shares the idea of prayer in other religions. What some would consider a witchcraft potion today is no different from an herbal remedy for the flu rather than a harmful hex.
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