Sacrificing

Since I have made a Facebook page to link my web store and blog I was stunned and somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of people that have reached out to me with questions, comments and just overall communication. I’m thrilled you all are so interested in my blog and work, for that I am making March Q&A month, even though I already have posts lined up feel free to keep the questions coming. Some questions may seem a bit silly but I welcome almost all questions, just not any which may be harassment/offensive to some. Keep it clean.


Today’s Q&A
Do you do any sacrifices on animals or anything? –E.B.
Wiccans and Pagans do not sacrifice animals or any of living being, I can not sit here and tell you all people practicing the craft do/don't but I can tell you its not the way of wiccans and pagan "Harm None". Though I do get annoyed when some people say there is no sacrificing within the craft. The only religion I know of that does is Santeria,  but don't get the wrong idea. Where there is a sacrificial ceremony it is not to worship the devil or demons, some religions and cultures believe it is an offering to there gods.

-The Crafty Witch

Conjuring

Since I have made a Facebook page to link my web store and blog I was stunned and somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of people that have reached out to me with questions, comments and just overall communication. I’m thrilled you all are so interested in my blog and work, for that I am making March Q&A month, even though I already have posts lined up feel free to keep the questions coming. Some questions may seem a bit silly but I welcome almost all questions, just not any which may be harassment/offensive to some. Keep it clean.

Today’s Q&A

Dont' you have to conjure things to do magic? -Amber

Sometimes, but most people are mislead to believe it is paranormal being like evil ghosts and demons. Magic can be a part of wicca/pagan/holistic nature, but in fact it is very similar to praying and asking guidance from a spirit guide or invoking a Goddess or God. Not all rituals require your to invoke or call upon a higher being. Most rituals/practices have you use visuals, such as candles, stones etc.


-The Crafty Witch

Happy Krampusnacht!

December 6 is the day in which parts of Germany and Bavaria celebrate Krampusnacht, which is a throwback to a pre-Christian tradition. The word Krampus means "claw", and apparently certain Alpine villiages have big parties featuring a scary clawed incubus who hangs around with Santa Claus. The Krampus costume also includes sheepskin, horns, and a switch that the incubus uses to swat children and unsuspecting young ladies. The Krampus' job is to punish those who have been bad, while Santa rewards the people on his "nice" list. There's been a resurgence in interest in Krampus over the past century or so, but it seems as though the custom goes back hundreds of years.


While the men parade around dressed as creepy demons, the women get to have some fun too, wearing masks and representing Frau Perchta, who was a Nordic goddess, who may have been an aspect of Freyja, the fertility goddess. Interestingly, in the Pennsylvania Dutch community, there's a character called Pelsnickel or Belznickel who is an awful lot like Krampus, so it appears that the tradition migrated across the water when Germans settled in America.

Krampus.com, which calls itself the official home of "Krampus, the holiday devil," calls Krampus a "dark counterpart of Saint Nicholas, the traditional European gift-bringer who visits on his holy day of December 6th... The bishop-garbed St. Nicholas rewards good kids with gifts and treats; unlike the archetypal Santa, however, St. Nicholas never punishes naughty children, parceling out this task to a ghastly helper from below."

-The Crafty Witch

Ghost, Demons & Other Spirit Entities. . . Oh My!

GHOSTS

To call these entities ghosts demands first a definition of what we mean by ghosts. But by almost any definition, shadow people are somewhat different than ghost phenomena. Whereas ghost apparitions are almost always a misty white, vaporish or have a decidedly human form and appearance (very often with discernable "clothing"), shadow beings are much darker and more shadow-like. In general, although the shadow people often do have a human outline or shape, because they are dark, the details of their appearance is lacking. This is in contrast to many ghost sightings in which the witness can describe the ghost's facial features, style of clothing and other details. The one detail most often noted in some shadow being sightings are their glowing red eyes.

DEMONS OR OTHER SPIRIT ENTITIES

The dark countenance and malevolent feelings that are often reported in association with these creatures has led some researchers to speculate that they may be demonic in nature. If they are demons, we have to wonder what their purpose or intent is in letting themselves be seen in this manner. Is it merely to frighten?

By Stephen Wagner

-The Crafty Witch