Hanging of Bridget Bishop, first victim in the Salem Witch Trials.

Bridget Bishop was one of nineteen people executed for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. Born some time in the 1630s, Bishop had was on her third marriage by the time the witch craze began. Bridget had one daughter, Christian Oliver, by her second husband in 1667, and married Edward Bishop, a lumber worker, in 1685.

Bridget was well-known in her neighborhood. She publicly fought with all of her husbands, dressed flamboyantly (although for Puritans, that just meant she liked to wear big hats and a red bodice with her black dress), and was the mistress not one but two taverns. She developed a reputation for entertaining into the wee hours of the night, playing forbidden games such as shuffle board, and generally being the target of much speculation and gossip. In other words, Bridget Bishop didn't seem to care what society thought of her - and because of that, she became a likely target when the accusations began. She was, in personality and reputation, the polar opposite of the pious Rebecca Nurse, although they both ended up on a scaffold.

In April, 1692, a warrant was issued for Bishop's arrest on charges of performing witchcraft and consorting with the devil himself. When she entered the courthouse, a number of the "afflicted" girls, including Mercy Lewis and Ann Putnam, howled that she was causing them pain. Bishop denied any wrongdoing, swearing that she was "innocent as the child unborn," according to Mary Norton's In the Devil's Snare.

Bishop's wild ways were used as evidence against her. Certainly the town dyer's claim that she brought him yards of lace to color was proof that she was up to something; after all, no sensible or respectable woman could need that much colored lace. In addition to this damning testimony, and the accusations of the teenage girls, Bishop's own brother-in-law swore he'd seen her "conversing with the Devil" who "came bodily into her." She was executed on June 10.

After Bishop's hanging, eighteen others were executed for the crime of witchcraft, and one man was pressed to death. Several others died in prison. Within months of Bridget Bishop's death, her husband remarried.

Bridget's descendants through Christian Oliver still live in New England today, and her tavern, the Bishop House, still stands.


-The Crafty Witch

Spider Mythology and Folklore

Depending on where you live, you probably see spiders starting to emerge from their hiding spots at some point in the summer. By fall, they tend to be fairly active because they’re seeking warmth – which is why you may find yourself suddenly face to face with an eight-legged visitor some night when you get up to use the bathroom. Don’t panic, though – most spiders are harmless, and people have learned to co-exist with them for thousands of years. Nearly all cultures have some sort of spider mythology, and folktales about these crawly creatures abound!

• Hopi (Native American): In the Hopi creation story, Spider Woman is the goddess of the earth. Together with Tawa, the sun god, she creates the first living beings. Eventually, the two of them create First Man and First Woman – Tawa conceptualizes them while Spider Woman molds them from clay.

• Greece: According to Greek legend, there was once a woman named Arachne who bragged that she was the best weaver around. This didn’t sit well with Athena, who was sure her own work was better. After a contest, Athena saw that Arachne’s work was indeed of higher quality, so she angrily destroyed it. Despondent, Arachne hanged herself, but Athena stepped in and turned the rope into a cobweb, and Arachne into a spider. Now Arachne can weave her lovely tapestries forever, and her name is where we get the word arachnid.

• Africa: In West Africa, the spider is portrayed as a trickster, much like Coyote in the Native American stories. Called Anansi, he is forever stirring up mischief to get the better of other animals. In many stories, he is a god associated with creation, either of wisdom or storytelling. His tales were part of a rich oral tradition, and found their way to Jamaica and the Caribbean by way of the slave trade. Today, Anansi stories still appear in Africa.

• Cherokee (Native American): A popular Cherokee tale credits Grandmother Spider with bringing light to the world. According to legend, in the early times everything was dark and no one could see at all because the sun was on the other side of the world. The animals agreed that someone must go and steal some light and bring the sun back so people could see. Possum and Buzzard both gave it a shot, but failed – and ended up with a burned tail and burned feathers, respectively. Finally, Grandmother Spider said she would try to capture the light. She made a bowl of clay, and using her eight legs, rolled it to where the sun sat, weaving a web as she traveled. Gently, she took the sun and placed it in the clay bowl, and rolled it home, following her web. She traveled from east to west, bringing light with her as she came, and brought the sun to the people. 
•  

In several cultures, spiders are credited with saving the lives of great leaders. In the Torah, there is a story of David, who would later become King of Israel, being pursued by soldiers sent by King Saul. David hid in a cave, and a spider crawled in and built a huge web across the entrance. When the soldiers saw the cave, they didn’t bother to search it – after all, no one could be hiding inside it if the spider web was undisturbed. A parallel story appears in the life of the prophet Mohammed, who hid in a cave when fleeing his enemies. A giant tree sprouted in front of the cave, and a spider built web between the cave and the tree, with similar results.


Some parts of the world see the spider as a negative and malevolent being. In Taranto, Italy, during the seventeenth century, a number of people fell victim to a strange malady which became known as Tarantism, and it was attributed to being bitten by a spider. Those afflicted were seen to dance frenetically for days at a time. It’s been suggested that this was actually a psychogenic illness, much like the fits of the accusers in the Salem Witch Trials.

Spiders in Magic

If you find a spider roaming around your home, it’s considered bad luck to kill them. From a practical standpoint, they do eat a lot of nuisance insects, so if possible, just let them be or release them outside.

Rosemary Ellen Guiley says in her Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft, and Wicca that in some traditions of folk magic, a black spider “eaten between two slices of buttered bread” will imbue a witch with great power. If you’re not interested in eating spiders, some traditions say that catching a spider and carrying it in a silk pouch around your neck will help prevent illness.

In some Neopagan traditions, the spider web itself is seen as a symbol of the Goddess and of creation of life. Incorporate spider webs into meditation or spellwork relating to Goddess energy.

An old English folk saying reminds us that if we find a spider on our clothing, it means money is coming our way. In some variations, the spider on the clothes means simply that it’s going to be a good day. Either way, don’t disregard the message!


Reblogged by by Patti Wigington

-The Crafty Witch

England's Witchcraft Act of 1563 Goes Into Effect (June 1st)

Until 1951, England had laws strictly prohibiting the practice of witchcraft. When the last act was repealed, Gerald Gardner began to publish his work, and brought witchcraft back into the public eye without threat of prosecution.

Put into effect on June 1, 1653, the Witchcraft Laws mandated the outlawing of any kind of witchcraft-related activities. The 1951 repeal made it easier for modern Wiccans -- Gardner was able to go public just a few years later, when he published Witchcraft Today in 1954.
 
It's important to note that the 1653 Witchcraft Laws were not the first to appear in the English judicial system. In 1541, King Henry VIII passed a piece of legislation that made witchcraft a felony, punishable by death.

In 1562, Henry's daughter, Queen Elizabeth I, passed a new law that said witchcraft would only be punished with death if harm had been caused - if no physical harm was done to the alleged victim, then the accused only faced imprisonment.

It is important to look back upon these days and learn the struggle we had to face, people fear what they cant understand.


-The Crafty Witch

Within Witchcraft/Wicca Is Any Of It Satanic?

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

Within Witchcraft/Wicca is any of it satanic? –Amanda

Absolutely NOT!  Satan or satanic rituals are not a part of the witchcraft/Wicca religion at all. I common misconception is that we are succubus, practice infanticide or even as wild as consorting with the devil.  We live by “Do what thou will as long as it harms none” and by the threefold law, “whatever you do comes back to you three times three times three” – If you do see or hear about anyone partaking in satanic rituals, they are Satanists not witches. Witches and Wiccans believe in peace and harmony for all.



-The Crafty Witch

Sybil Leek's Six Tenets of Witchcraft (6 of 6)

Knowledge

Finally, there is the tenet of knowledge. Without knowledge, there is no growth, no chance to evolve. While we may read books and take classes, true learning also comes from life experience. To truly advance on a spiritual plane, we must accept the fact that we don't know everything there is to know, and that we must always continue to learn, both in this lifetime and in the next. Once we stop learning, we stagnate as a spiritual being.

A final note: It is important to remember that, much like other guidelines found in modern Pagan religions, this list does not apply to every path. Not all witches adhere to these tenets. If you are an eclectic practitioner, you may want to look at this list and see how it can be applied to your own belief system.

 Reblogged From author *Pattie Willington

- The Crafty Witch

Sybil Leek's Six Tenets of Witchcraft (5 of 6)

Tolerance

Tolerance may be one of the least acted-upon principles of many modern belief systems. While many people espouse the virtue of tolerance, many refuse to be so, making blanket statements about people whose religion doesn’t coincide with our own. To tolerate someone else's belief doesn’t mean to put up with it begrudgingly; instead it means to accept their right to choose differently from us. We are all human beings, and all connected to the Divine; this factor makes us part of the cosmic whole. When in fact we look at the concept of "do no harm" -- and this includes with our words as well as our actions -- we must refrain from doing harm not because a rule tells us so, but because it's the right thing to do. After all, what goes around comes around.

 

 Reblogged From author *Pattie Willington

- The Crafty Witch

Origins of the Gardnerian Path

Gerald Gardner launched Wicca shortly after the end of World War II, and went public with his coven following the repeal of England’s Witchcraft Laws in the early 1950s. There is a good deal of debate within the Wiccan community about whether the Gardnerian path is the only “true” Wiccan tradition, but the point remains that it was certainly the first. Gardnerian covens require initiation, and work on a degree system. Much of their information is initiatory and oathbound, which means it can never be shared with those outside the coven.

Gardnerian Wicca in the Public Eye:

Gardner was an educated folklorist and occultist, and claimed to have been initiated himself into a coven of New Forest witches by a woman named Dorothy Clutterbuck. When England repealed the last of its witchcraft laws in 1951, Gardner went public with his coven, much to the consternation of many other witches in England. His active courting of publicity led to a rift between him and Valiente, who had been one of his High Priestesses. Gardner formed a series of covens throughout England prior to his death in 1964.

Gardner's Work Comes to America:

In 1963, Gardner initiated Raymond Buckland, who then flew back to his home in the United States and formed the first Gardnerian coven in America. Gardnerian Wiccans in America trace their lineage to Gardner through Buckland.

Because Gardnerian Wicca is a mystery tradition, its members do not generally advertise or actively recruit new members. In addition, public information about their specific practices and rituals is very difficult to find.

Reblogged

-The Crafty Witch

Sybil Leek's Six Tenets of Witchcraft (4 of 6)

Humility

When we stand before the gods, we know that we are imperfect, and they know this too -- and yet they still manage to tolerate us and guide us. We are flawed, and yet we often try to be the best person we can. This paradox, then, is an example of humility. It is the knowledge that while we may be mere lowly mortals, we are deserving of love and happiness and opportunity -- and the chance to make the world a better place, not only for ourselves but for others. As part of this process, we must love ourselves, because if we don't, who will?

 Reblogged From author *Pattie Willington

- The Crafty Witch

Sybil Leek's Six Tenets of Witchcraft (2 of 6)

Harmony

 Harmony is something we must give ourselves. It is not something others can attain for us, nor is it something that we can gain without effort. It is a gift to our soul, from our soul. How do we interact with others? Do we allow the shortcomings of the people in our life to negatively affect us? Are we forever blaming other people, and making excuses instead of finding reasons? If we are, then we are lacking harmony and must re-evaluate our life, and our perception of what things are. To truly find harmony, we have to stop looking around us and begin looking inside us. To this effect, harmony must work hand in hand with the concept of balance.

 

original author *Patti Willington

 

- The Crafty Witch

 

 

Sybil Leek's Six Tenets of Witchcraft (1 of 6)

In some forms of traditional witchcraft, there are six basic tenets. These simple principles are guidelines meant to help practitioners lead positive and spiritually fulfilling lives. Although they vary somewhat from one tradition to the next, they are nearly always similar in spirit and intent. This list, which was created by author Sybil Leek as an outline of tenets of faith, includes balance, harmony, trust, humility, tolerance, and learning. While not universal to all belief systems, these tenets can be a valuable tool for self-discovery.

Balance

Balance is found in all things. We find it in nature all the time. If balance can exist in the natural world, surely we can find it within ourselves. Our physical selves, our emotional state, and our spiritual plane… by finding the right balance of these three parts of our lives, we can live as better human beings. When our balance is thrown off, that's when we begin to suffer. Too much of anything sends us off-kilter -- for example, someone who takes on too much emotional baggage will begin to feel physically unwell. A person who is not having their spiritual needs met is likely to be emotionally fragile. Without balance, it is nearly impossible for us to be a well-rounded person.

 

Original author *Patti Wigington

 

-The Crafty Witch

The Robe and The Boline

The Robe

This is perhaps one of the most controversial items in this section. For those
of you who believe that the only way to work is skyclad (naked), by all means,
proceed. I'll not argue with you, work as you like. There are those of us, into
middle age and living in cooler climates, who like robes. Robes also appeal to
the more theatrical among us who enjoy costumes and for whom the robe sets a
mood. This area is best left to personal opinion. Robes can be quite ornate,
with hoods, rope belts, long and flowing fabrics; or very simple.

The matter of color is a personal one as well. Many prefer black, being the
color of the night sky, mystery, and the unknown. Some feel black has negative
connotations and wear white, it is up to each witch to decide for themselves. In
Ceremonial Magic and some traditions robes are worn in planetary colors,
elemental colors, and the colors of the office held by the individual. You may
decide to utilize color correspondences appropriate to the particular magical
working you will be doing when choosing the color of your robes. Do what suits
you. In some covens tabard in the elemental colors are worn by those who call
the quarters over the top of their normal robe.

Do consider practicalities when choosing a robe, if you will be attending
outdoor rituals be sure to consider the weather and select appropriate fabric to
keep warm if necessary. A heavy wool cloak can be added to help with this, as
well as long johns. Be aware of the sleeves and flowing fabric since you will
likely be around candles and perhaps even a fire. The fabric should be flame
resistant and the sleeves containable. Whatever sort of robe you use it should
never be worn for anything other than ritual, it is a magical garment and must
not be used for any mundane purpose. When you are done with ritual change into
your regular clothes.

The Boline

Pronounced as bow-leen, the Boline or white handled knife is the usable,
practical knife used to cut herbs, cords, whatever one must cut. It should be
kept sharp enough to actually be useful.A simple kitchen or hunting type knife
that has a painted white handle or sometimes a white horn or antler handle may
be used for a boline. There are bolines available that are shaped like a
crescent and are reminiscent of a Druids knife. These are lovely, and perfectly
acceptable, but by no means necessary. They can be difficult to cut with.



-The Crafty Witch

Birthday of Dorothy Clutterbuck (on Jan 19th)

Although she never publicly claimed to practice witchcraft -- or even left any evidence of it after her death -- Dorothy Clutterbuck is credited with initiating Gerald Gardner into the New Forest coven of witches. Dorothy was born in India in 1880 to a British Army captain, who brought his family back to England after his retirement from service. She was briefly married in her mid-fifties to a local justice of the peace who was killed in a car accident in 1939. By all appearances, Dorothy Clutterbuck seemed to be a perfectly respectable English country widow who attended church regularly and was an ardent supporter of the local conservative party.


Following her death in 1951, Gardner indicated that Dorothy had in fact been a member of the New Forest coven of witches that he had joined in 1939. There was some question about whether Dorothy initiated Gardner, but it appears that Gardner may have actually been initiated by Edith Woodford-Grimes.


The real controversy surrounding Dorothy Clutterbuck has been brought up by historians who question Gardner's statements. Jeffrey Russell, who has written a number of historical works on English and European witchcraft, suggests that Dorothy may have been "invented" by Gardner to support his claims of an ancient tradition of witchcraft in Britain. Ronald Hutton, author of Triumph of the Moon, suggests that the use of Dorothy's name as a potential witch might have been a joke on Gardner's part, done in order to conceal the true identity of his high priestess. Hutton also indicates that the date of Gardner's initiation would coincide with Dorothy's mourning period after the loss of her husband -- a time when she cancelled nearly all other social engagements -- and so it's unlikely that she was involved in his initiation ceremony.


Dorothy left a number of diaries, and there are different interpretations as to how the contents should be viewed. The diaries are a collection of poems, essays and other writings, which may or may not be associated to witchcraft or Paganism, depending on how one sees them. The diaries contain some references to fairies, nature and herb lore, but also include a number of references to Christian themes.


-The Crafty Witch