The Truth About Halloween's Most Popular Symbols: Witches
Posted: Tuesday, October 28, 2008
by Holly Day
When we hear the word "witch", we generally think about a grey or green-skinned old hags, leaning on a black cauldron, cooking an awful mixture, chanting strange words and having faith in Satan.
Obviously, such false idea of the character has been driven by fairy tales as well as Hollywood derivative productions because it makes them more profitable film out of them.
Firstly the word 'witch' is a bastardization of the words wicca, wiccian, or wicce; whose meaning is 'wise woman', or in the plural, 'wise women'. From the beginning of the human era, there have been women and men who wanted to learn the ways of healing, the course of the planets, the virtues of medicinal plants as well as other aspects of the natural world.
Witches are normally active members of the Wicca, a well-known earth-based religion but many other people, that can be also called witches, are not followers of this specific religion. The truth is that those called "witches" practise a mix of ancient customs that come from the old pagan times. These rituals existed centuries before the advent of Christianity. Christians propagated the word "witch" as well as the idea that those who lived under the cycles of nature were worshipping the church of the devil.
It was the Catholic religion which established the concept of Satan or a demon. Before the establishment of the Catholic religion, nobody would have been thinking about the concept of Satan or a demon. Christians tried to make us believe that pagans were Satan believers; but that is untrue as in fact the real meaning of the word "pagan" is "people of the country".
Systematically thinking to women when one hears the word "witch" is also a common mistake as a lot of men are witches. Hollywood, by the need of profitability and probably machismo, has also led people to the wrong idea that "warlocks" would be the term that defines male witches.
In reality the word "warlock" originates from the Middle English "warloghe", and from Old English "wrloga"; which means "the one that breaks faith" or "betrayer". The word "warlock" was used by the pagan people as a word of loathing to identify one who had bretrayed his people and the ways of Nature.
Everyone knows that witches are able to cast spells. "Spell" is a word that actually derived from the old German "Spiel" and signifies "prayer". Basically, to cast a spell stands for "to pray for a certain final result" and it is not different than what the Christians, Moslims, Buddhists, Hinduists, etc. do. Rather than relying on the goodwill of a saint or any other symbolic character, witches harness the forces of the universe to get what they want.
There are instruments used by witches that are supposed to help them cast spells by evoking the right atmosphere and frame of mind. These tools are like the accessories and costumes actors use to help get them get into character.
Many people believe witches are evil but being given that magic is what is done with and that nothing is entirely black or white, everyone is free to have their personal opinion about witchcraft and decide whether or not anyone is good or evil.
And in witchcraft, as it is the case in many other religions, we can do what we want for as long as we do not hurt anyone.
"For as you send, so shall it return to ye thrice-fold."
Always remember this and happy spell casting on Halloween!
D. Halet is an European history, Holidays and Tarot Cards passionate; she writes articles and creates websites dedicated to these subjects.For more info on Halloween Costume ideas, visit My Happy Halloween! and receive a free My Happy Halloween Guide.
This Article has been viewed 137 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.