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A human phenomenon -

Belief in witches and witchcraft has been so pervasive throughout history, in every inhabited corner of the world, that some scholars suggest it might be an innate part of human nature.

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The plight of witches -

The traditions and rituals of witchcraft have been deeply embedded in many different cultures for a long time. In the past, witches (and those accused of being witches) were demonized and hunted.

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Taboos and negative connotations -

Even in more recent history, witch culture has been considered taboo, creepy, and sacrilegious. In many religious countries it’s seen as an affront to God and is automatically associated with Satanism and the darker side of the occult.

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Witches in popular culture -

The idea of a witch as portrayed in cinema brings to mind a hook-nosed crone cackling over a boiling cauldron as she carries out some nefarious deed. Artists from William Shakespeare to Roald Dahl have helped to create this image.

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Witches in popular culture -

The image of witches as insidious, evil women reflects greatly on society’s attitudes towards women through the ages. A woman could be tried as a witch for the most benign reasons if she was seen to be stepping outside of her prescribed role.

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Persecution of women - During the period in history when the Salem Witch Trials occurred, a woman was suspicious if she had too many children, or too few. If she was poor, it was a negative reflection on her character. If she was too wealthy, then she may have gained her riches in a sinful way. And God forbid a woman might speak her mind or enjoy sex!

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Witch hunts -

The witch hunts of this era say more about attitudes towards women than they do about the other-worldly talents of these so-called witches.

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The witchcraft revivals -

As the years went by and women began to establish a better social position for themselves, witchcraft experienced numerous renaissances.

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Women's suffrage -

Unsurprisingly, one of the key revival periods of witchcraft occurred during the women’s suffrage movement at the turn of the 20th century. Witches began to be rebranded as spiritual leaders and wisewomen rather than evil sorcerers.

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Second-wave feminism -

There was another surge in interest around the Woodstock era in the 1960s, when second-wave feminism was on the rise. A group of witch activists called W.I.T.C.H. (Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell) famously put a hex on Wall Street as a form of protest in 1968.

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Anita Hill -

It peaked again in the ‘90s around the time of the notorious Anita Hill trial. Law professor Anita Hill accused Clarence Thomas of sexually harassing her in the workplace. Thomas was a nominee for the Supreme Court at the time.

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Year of the Woman -

The trial was widely considered a national disgrace and Thomas was still voted into the Supreme Court afterwards. The case had a profound impact and the following year (1992) was named Year of the Woman, after a record number of women ran for political office.

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Trump election and Me Too -

The popularity of witchcraft spiked again recently with Donald Trump’s election and the Me Too Movement. For more than a century, witches have emerged at moments in history when feminism is on the rise and trust in the establishment is at a low.

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The modern witch -

Witchcraft is being reclaimed as a spiritual practice centering around female empowerment. Witch and author Pam Grossman believes that the modern witch performs magic at her altar when casting spells, but is also performing magic when she marches in the streets for a cause she believes in.

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Redefining the witch -

Juliet Diaz, a New Jersey-based witch and winner of the prestigious title of Best Witch in 2018, has her own definition of what it means to be a witch. She believes a witch is simply “an embodiment of her truth in all its power.”

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Who practices witchcraft? -

Witchcraft tends to be practiced by those who feel marginalized. While it’s predominantly women who identify as witches, it’s also popular in LGBTQ communities and with people of color. "Witch" is a gender-neutral term and witch communities are often open and accepting of people who perceive themselves as outsiders.

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A safe community -

Those who feel frustrated and disappointed with the social and political structures around them tend to look for solace and community elsewhere.

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Astrology and spirituality in the 21st century -

Astrology is enjoying a renaissance of cultural acceptance that hasn’t been seen since the 1970s. Witchcraft fits smoothly into this new age of self-care rituals. It offers a way for people to connect to themselves and nature through spiritual practices that are rooted in feminine power.

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‘The Modern Witch’s Guide to Happiness’ -

The Bible for many a modern witch is ‘The Modern Witch’s Guide to Happiness’ by Luna Bailey. Many of the practices she outlines provide the perfect blend of spirituality, female empowerment, and self-care.

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Swapping caldrons for crystals -

Rather than pointed hats and caldrons, modern witches tend to have crystals and sage as central parts of their accoutrement. Bailey advises setting up an altar as a space dedicated to this new practice and place of growth.

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Witchcraft and nature -

A key feature of Bailey’s guide to modern witchcraft involves connection with nature. She advises her readers to touch leaves, collect souvenirs of each season, and listen out for sounds from the Earth in their daily lives.

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A sound psychological basis -

Spending time in nature is inherently soothing for most people. There are many other spiritual and psychological practices that rely on this, such as “forest bathing” for stress relief.

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Burn and banish -

Some of the spells recommended by Bailey in her book also have a great deal of crossover with common therapeutic exercises. One “burning and banishing” spell involves writing down things you’re worried about on pieces of paper, and then burning them.

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Proven benefits -

The benefits of journaling or writing letters (even if you don’t send them) is widely accepted, and adding the extra step of burning what you’ve written naturally makes the experience even more cathartic.

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Tarot cards -

Tarot cards may be one of the most woo-woo elements of modern witchcraft, but once you get down to it, this can also be another therapeutic practice. You select cards and interpret them with particular questions or objectives in mind.

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Comparing tarot cards with dream analysis -

In therapy, patients may be encouraged to discuss their dreams with their psychologist. Although the Freudian theory that dreams are a direct line to our subconscious desires doesn’t necessarily hold true today, there is still value in analyzing them.

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Comparing tarot cards with dream analysis -

The meaning that the patient projects onto the dream can be just as informative as the dream itself. The same could be said of tarot cards.

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A flexible and open community -

The fact that there is no set criteria for being a witch is one of its main appeals. There are people who identify as sea witches, city witches, cottage witches, and plant witches. Each person seems to express their own personality and lifestyle through their style of witchcraft.

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Redefining magic through mindfulness -

Many modern witches are trying to draw awareness to the fact that everything around us is magical. The experience of being a living person on planet Earth is already so incredible, we don't need the TV fantasies of magical wands and flying broomsticks.

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Who's in? -

To be a witch in the 21st century is to be a feminist, a lover of nature, an outsider, and an activist. With that in mind, it would be surprising if witchcraft wasn't on the rise.

Sources: (The Atlantic) (Vogue) (The Independent) (The Conversation) (NCBI)

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