Wicca Elemental Magic: A Guide to the Elements, Witchcraft, and Magic Spells (Wicca for Beginners Series)

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For Pam Grossman, author of "Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power," witchcraft is a spiritual and creative practice of personal change and bringing about change in the world. Grossman had been interested in magic, mythology and fairy tales since childhood, and with age, her connection grew deeper. But the Greeks were hardly the only ones to grasp the idea of all things arising from a handful of natural phenomena. This concept is also found, in one form or another, in ancient Egypt and Babylonia, as well as in Hinduism, Buddhism, and religions within China and Japan. Eastern traditions differ slightly in their recognition of the Elements. For example, Chinese astrology distinguishes the Earth-based substances of Wood and Metal as individual Elements in their own right, while ancient Indian philosophy mirrors the original Greek system but adds Akasha—or “Space”—as a fifth Element.

a b c Breslaw, E. G. (2011). "Witchcraft in Early North America". Journal of American History. p.504. doi: 10.1093/jahist/jar254. Ole Peter Grell and Robert W. Scribner (2002). Tolerance and Intolerance in the European Reformation. Cambridge University Press. p. 45. "Not all the stereotypes created by elites were capable of popular reception ... The most interesting example concerns cunning folk, whom secular and religious authorities consistently sought to associate with negative stereotypes of superstition or witchcraft. This proved no deterrent to their activities or to the positive evaluation in the popular mind of what they had to offer." a b c d Davies, Owen (2003). Cunning-Folk: Popular Magic in English History. London: Hambledon Continuum. ISBN 978-1-85285-297-9. Since the 1940s, neopagan witchcraft movements have emerged in Europe, seeking to revive and reinterpret ancient pagan and mystical practices. Wicca, pioneered by Gerald Gardner, stands out as one of the most influential neopagan traditions. Drawing inspiration from ceremonial magic, historical paganism, and the now-discredited witch-cult theory, Wicca emphasizes a connection to nature, the divine, and personal growth. Similarly, Stregheria in Italy reflects a desire to reconnect with the country's pre-Christian spiritual roots. Many of these neopagans choose to self-identify as "witches." Contemporary, neopagan witchcraft in Europe encompasses a wide range of traditions, reflecting a blend of historical influences, modern interpretations, new religious movements, and a search for spiritual authenticity in a rapidly changing world. 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.

Green witches heavily involve nature in their practice, usually doing their spells and rituals in forests, mountains, or beaches – wherever they can – and growing their own herb gardens. They are interested in botany and strive to protect the planet and the environment to the best of their abilities. Grounding 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) a b c Jasper Buse (1995). Cook Islands Maori Dictionary. Cook Islands Ministry of Education. ISBN 978-0728602304. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016 . Retrieved 27 February 2016.

One of the most influential works on witchcraft and concepts of magic was E. E. Evans-Pritchard's Witchcraft, Oracles, and Magic Among the Azande, a study of Azande witchcraft beliefs published in 1937. This provided definitions for witchcraft which became a convention in anthropology. [18] However, some researchers argue that the general adoption of Evans-Pritchard's definitions constrained discussion of witchcraft beliefs, and even broader discussion of magic and religion, in ways that his work does not support. [19] Evans-Pritchard reserved the term "witchcraft" for the actions of those who inflict harm by their inborn power and used "sorcery" for those who needed tools to do so. [20] Historians found these definitions difficult to apply to European witchcraft, where witches were believed to use physical techniques, as well as some who were believed to cause harm by thought alone. [2] :464–465 [21] The distinction "has now largely been abandoned, although some anthropologists still sometimes find it relevant to the particular societies with which they are concerned". [1] :19–22 The word is over a thousand years old: Old English formed the compound wiccecræft from wicce ('witch') and cræft ('craft'). [25] The masculine form was wicca ('male sorcerer'). [26] A coven is the name given to a group of practitioners that perform rituals or celebrate the sabbats together. The word originally referred to a group of people with similar interests. Crystal ElixirAs of 2021, the number of Americans who identify with Wicca or paganism has risen over the last two decades with approximately 1.5 million witches in the U.S. Pope, J.C. (1968). Homilies of Aelfric: a supplementary collection (Early English Text Society 260). Vol.II. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. p.796. 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.

The perfect place to visit this Halloween: Salem, Massachusetts, is 'Witch City' What is witchcraft? Burns, William (2003). Witch Hunts in Europe and America: An Encyclopedia. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp.141–142. Janzen, John M.; MacGaffey, Wyatt (1974). "An Anthology of Kongo Religion: Primary Texts from Lower Zaïre". University of Kansas Publications in Anthropology. Lawrence (5). Williams, Howard (1865). The Superstitions of Witchcraft. London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, & Green– via Project Gutenberg.

Witchcraft's historical evolution in the Middle East reveals a multi-phase journey influenced by culture, spirituality, and societal norms. Ancient witchcraft in the Near East intertwined mysticism with nature through rituals and incantations aligned with local beliefs. In ancient Judaism, magic had a complex relationship, with some forms accepted due to mysticism [65] while others were considered heretical. [62] The medieval Middle East experienced shifting perceptions of witchcraft under Islamic and Christian influences, sometimes revered for healing and other times condemned as heresy. Hall, David, ed. Witch-hunting in Seventeenth-century New England: A Documentary History, 1638–1692. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1991.