West, Harry G. Ethnographic Sorcery (p. 24); 2007. The University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0226893983 (pbk.). Kitchen witches love working at home and making their everyday tasks and surroundings sacred. L is for… Lammas Historically, the Christian concept of witchcraft derives from Old Testament laws against it. In medieval and early modern Europe, many Christians believed in magic. As opposed to the helpful magic of the cunning folk, witchcraft was seen as evil and associated with Satan and Devil worship. This often resulted in deaths, torture and scapegoating (casting blame for misfortune), [68] [41] :9–12 and many years of large scale witch-trials and witch hunts, especially in Protestant Europe, before largely ending during the Age of Enlightenment. Christian views in the modern day are diverse, ranging from intense belief and opposition (especially by Christian fundamentalists) to non-belief. During the Age of Colonialism, many cultures were exposed to the Western world via colonialism, usually accompanied by intensive Christian missionary activity (see Christianization). In these cultures, beliefs about witchcraft were partly influenced by the prevailing Western concepts of the time. First used as a derogatory term to describe polytheists, who believe in more than one god or goddess, implying their inferiority. Later the term shifted to describe anyone who believes in ‘the false gods’ and the word ‘heathen’ was used alongside it. Now, it’s used as an umbrella term for occult and esoteric religions and spirituality. Pentagram Behar, Ruth (1987). "Sex and Sin, Witchcraft and the Devil in Late-Colonial Mexico". American Ethnologist. 14 (1): 34–54. doi: 10.1525/ae.1987.14.1.02a00030. hdl: 2027.42/136539. JSTOR 645632.

Boyer, Paul and Stephen Nissenbaum, eds. The Salem Witchcraft Papers: Verbatim Transcripts of the Legal Documents of the Salem Witchcraft Outbreak of 1692, Volumes I and II. New York: Da Capo Press, 1977. [ ISBNmissing]Secular witches choose to believe the energies they work with come from themselves, the natural world or the universe rather than following or calling upon personified deities or spirits in their practices. Solitary Witch

This section should specify the language of its non-English content, using {{ lang}}, {{ transliteration}} for transliterated languages, and {{ IPA}} for phonetic transcriptions, with an appropriate ISO 639 code. Wikipedia's multilingual support templates may also be used. See why. ( August 2021) The act of consecrating is to purify and dedicate an object to a specific use. Usually witches consecrate new wands or tools to make them sacred. Coven The Elements are the literal forces of Nature, and so they are sacred and revered by Wiccans. They are incorporated into ritual and magic, and ultimately into the daily consciousness of those who live and work with the natural rhythms of life, death, and rebirth. Every aspect of material existence is bound up in Earth, Air, Fire and Water, while Spirit, the Fifth Element, is present in each of the other four. A timeless philosophy Additionally, magic and witchcraft is an opportunity for people to take control over their own circumstances, said Mankey. Kent, Elizabeth. "Masculinity and Male Witches in Old and New England." History Workshop 60 (2005): 69–92.a b Ankarloo, Bengt; Clark, Stuart (2001). Witchcraft and Magic in Europe: Biblical and Pagan Societies. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Philadelphia Press. ISBN 978-0826486066.

Witchcraft is a nebulous term and is hard to distinctly define as it is open to interpretation depending on the practitioner or scholar. Rasbold, K. (2019). Crossroads of Conjure: The Roots and Practices of Granny Magic, Hoodoo, Brujería, and Curanderismo. Llewellyn Worldwide. In Kenya, there have been reports of mobs burning people accused of witchcraft, reflecting the deep-seated beliefs in the supernatural. [93] Malawi faces a similar issue of child witchcraft accusations, with traditional healers and some Christian counterparts involved in exorcisms, causing abandonment and abuse of children. [94] In Nigeria, Pentecostal pastors have intertwined Christianity with witchcraft beliefs for profit, leading to the torture and killing of accused children. [95] Sierra Leone's Mende people see witchcraft convictions as beneficial, as the accused receive support and care from the community. [96]Grossman uses altars to engage with the physical realm to elevate her practice. She also uses herbalism and plants, as well as talismans and amulets to bring protective energy. Molina, Javier Aguilar 2006. "The Invention of Child Witches in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Social cleansing, religious commerce and the difficulties of being a parent in an urban culture". London: Save the Children Being a witch is about using the power and intuition from within to better yourself and those around you. Draconic witches follow dragon deities, similar to the gods and goddesses that are followed by other witches. They have their own slightly different set of ethics which they use to honour their deities. Dream Journal Pearlman, Jonathan (11 April 2013). "Papua New Guinea urged to halt witchcraft violence after latest 'sorcery' case". The Telegraph. London, England: Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018 . Retrieved 5 April 2018.