This article is reprinted with permission from National Catholic Register. I do know this for sure though: show me your witches, and I’ll show you your feelings about women. But whether or not there were actually women and men who practiced witchcraft in Rome or Lancashire or Salem, say, is less interesting to me than the fact that the idea of witches has remained so evocative and influential and so, well, bewitching in the first place. My older sister, Emily, and I called this spot our Magical Place. Followers of Wicca profess to be modern pagans. They have agency. Morganville, New Jersey, where I was raised, was a solidly suburban town, but it retained enough natural land features back then to still feel a little bit scruffy in spots. In the first case, it’s often an act of degradation, an attack against a perceived threat. I was raised Jewish but found myself attracted to belief systems that felt more individualized and mystical and that fully honored the feminine. She is also a vessel that contains our conflicting feelings about female power: our fear of it, our desire for it and our hope that it can — and will — grow stronger, despite the flames that are thrown at it. In simple terms, we can say witchcraft is what witches do. That is what makes her dangerous. Banquo also sees them and speaks with them. We had a small patch of woods in our backyard that abutted a horse farm, and the two were separated by a wisp of running water that we could cross via a plank of wood. There is also a chance that she is you, and that “witch” is an identity you have taken upon yourself for any number of reasons — heartfelt or flippant, public or private. What did we do about the coven in the town where I was priest? Please attempt to sign up again. Witches have long been portrayed in popular culture as dark and sinister beings — often with warted noses, green skin, and shrill voices that can make your blood curdle. They may seem like contradictions, but there is much to glean from their interplay. (And why the hell won’t they go away?). It might be right to confront them and show them what is wrong with their beliefs and practices, but that will probably not do much good. Witches have power on their own terms. I remain more convinced than ever that the concept of the witch endures because she transcends literalism and because she has so many dark and sparkling things to teach us. By signing up you are agreeing to our. Witchcraft is a broad term that varies culturally and societally, and thus can be difficult to define with precision. I was newly ordained as an Anglican priest and was heading to my first parish. A true witch understands what true power is and where it lies. C.S. My grandma Trudy was a librarian at the West Long Branch Library, which meant I got to spend many an afternoon lurking between the 001.9 and 135 Dewey decimal–sections, reading about Bigfoot and dream interpretation and Nostradamus. Grandmamma loves to tell about witches. Instead, when confronted with those who have given themselves to evil, I recommend skipping meals on Fridays, praying a few extra Rosaries, and invoking the holy angels -- especially St. Michael. The second is an act of reclamation, an expression of autonomy and pride. A lot of witches don’t have regular jobs and simply practice their witchcraft and live off the land. A few members of the youth group and I fasted on Fridays. A woman dancing in New York City’s Central Park with her coven to mark the change of the seasons or a new lunar phase. Whether they're more on the low-key side, dabbling in the occasional ironic crystal tilt, or they're out and proud about being in touch with their mystic side, these stars have publicly spoken about their connection and commitment to the occult, and the wonderful witchy things that come with it.