Witchcraft is usually one of the first things people think of when it comes to Paganism and they'd be partially correct. In one form or another, rituals, charms, 'medicine bags' and amulets are used in many religions and occult practices around the world.
The image above is a photograph from a book I have about Witchcraft and Demonology; a collected record of different incidents throughout history. The record shows that any act usually percieved as theft, murder, vandalism or homosexuality was punishable by death, by imprisonment and also by taking the goods/property of the accused. An accusation of witchcraft or gay love could destroy an entire family. This could presumably also apply to people who were simply dowsing for water on their land. If someone was ill or thought to be having an affair, if someone just wanted to increase their own wealth, a heartless suspicion aired in public could create a life changing situation - or life ending situation for another person. Gossip can be dangerous.
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| Pentacle Art by Magickbaby |
However, there are Pagans who work curses and hexes. So what is this?
A curse is the act, through enchantment, charms, an image doll, a candle and so on -which controls or harms the other person. Creating an item with intention to make a person loose a partner or a spouse is a curse; to cause a person injury, to cause misfortune, pain, loss, suffering, illness, to 'bind' (restrict) their movements, to blind or gag that person in some way in the hopes of creating a physical, emotional or spiritual result is a curse or hex.
NOT ALL PAGANS PRACTICE WITCHCRAFT and not all Pagans wear the pentacle (as illustrated above). There are many different old paths connected to heathen/pagan worship and lifestyle and so a Pagan may wear a symbol of a particular deity, a nature symbol- such as the moon- any other variations of natural things such as trees and leaves, or no symbol at all. A number of us have tattoos as well and again, it's not a absolute requirement. Some people just love nature but are not practicing a religion.
The Occult is a term which simply meant 'hidden' or 'secret' and in this sense, the symbols and charms used often only have meaning to the wearer.
Classic examples of Curses and Hexes;
* the path/religion known as Wicca does not include curses as part of the lifestyle. Some people who use forms of spellwork, also known as energy work and the Craft, will not use certain items because of the associations connected to them. Wicca is viewed as a religion itself, a Wiccan may have a Pagan foundation, or aetheist, I have heard of Christian Wicca.
Voodoo/Voudu is originally and African/Carribean practice connected to Catholic worship. It links to the Bible and Saints, items within Voudu seem to 'crossover' into the practices of other cultures and give us things like...
War Water; water with iron nails added and sometimes other items such as urine, herbs, oils, sulphur etc. This is used traditionally as a protection, to break a hex or to curse someone.
General Craft;
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| Sacrifice means to let something go. We don't give animal sacrifice. |
Black Cords.
Dead items, rotten items.
Ice (to freeze someone).
The dark phase of the moon or a Saturday.
Image doll/Poppet (also called a Voodoo doll).
Broken things.
Bodily fluids and other personal items.
Days of the week become symbolic, with Saturday attributed to the old Roman god Saturnus. Originally an agriculture/farming deity, he later became known as a god of War and Death; the Reaper. This day can be seen as the anniversary of his energy, like a birthday, there are followers who will pray to him especially on Saturdays. Other old gods have certain festivals and are more likely to be petitioned on their holy days which can also be days of the week (some days are sacred to Norse gods, others to Roman, it depends on the language used- French has more of a Roman connection, English is more linked to Norse gods, both usually view Fridays as being devoted to a goddess (Freya and Venus).
A hex may be formed via a diety, or through simple occult (non Divine) means. Obviously the items used are often a form of 'sympathetic magik' wherein the item is hoped to create a similar result upon the target. The dark moon phase and black items sometimes evoke an absense of light, a smothering, or a shadow.
Black is also used as a form of protection- many witches, users of ritual and spiritual people will wear black to 'hide' or protect their energy. Black absorbs light.
There are more items associated with protection from curses than there are with laying curses! Things within astrology (such as Mercury Retrograde) are notorious for causing havoc among spiritual (and Pagan and Occult) people. See the movie The Craft and also Practical Magic for the Movie world version (read; exaggerated) of the Craft and Occult Wars.
I'd like to note that although women are often connected to witchcraft and curses, this is simply because women are usually more indulgent with details and products, so they turn their usual products into charms (enchanted body lotion, special baths, crystals in the bra etc). Men are more likely to just salt the house and wear a pendant. This is my experience, I'm not trying to create a sexist mindset or to place gender onto products. Witches in reality are both male and female. There are Druids, Shamen, Ritual Magicians, Magi and so on who use occult and symbolic energies, it angers me when people think every Pagan is a witch. Some are just Pagan.
Items used to deflect 'bad energy' or the 'evil eye' as well as to remove a suspected curse:
* A common belief in the cases of a curse is to find the charm or item used to create the curse and burn it. When it cannot be found, other methods are used. An individual who is overly tired, exhaused, has a bad day with things breaking or many arguments and negative incidents, may believe that they are cursed. Sometimes this can be due to simple bad health, stress or neglect. Many 'cures' for curses are designed to clean the body or boost the immune system, others are to strengthen mental health and relieve stress. A 'cure' may vary in detail or 'power' according to how bad the curse is deemed to be.
A minor curse, such as an attacker saying abusive things in a way that will not cause social, work-related or other damage, would be treated with a simple remedy, like a salt bath. Cleaning personal space, the home, the car and then burning appropriate herbs/incense is a common form of weekly or monthly care. A curse is not always viewed as being from an occult practitioner. It is, in it's most simple form, a bundle of 'bad energy'. A commonly used example of this is the atmosphere in a room after an argument.
Charms and amulets are worn by many religious folk to bring them closer to their god, or to grant spiritual protection. Taking this further, a charm can be cleaned and prayed over, or anointed with a sacred oil or water. This would connect the wearer to their faith while offering protection. It is popular to have a tattoo of a religious symbol, which is more personal than a pendant or ring that could be lost.
Oils and waters are commonly used to remove curses, a hex or 'bad luck', they are also worn to prevent anything damaging from occurring in the first place. The practice usually requires more detail and more application of an antidote if the ailment or 'bad energy' is intense.
Salt is one of the most universal substances used to deflect bad energy and to clean a person or home. Items are sometimes sprinkled with salt, crystals and genstones are often buried in salt to 'purify' or cleanse their energy- yet this can damage the crystal or gem. Some will start to dissolve or loose their lustre. Remember that salt is deadly when consumed in large amounts and even regular, smaller amounts can lead to disease.
Prayer, particularly when repeated, is thought to be one of the best charms for personal and spiritual protection.
Again, not all Pagans will practice any of the above, many use protection charms and other similar products. Because we are not part of a giant church/temple system, there is no way of knowing how many Pagans there are in the UK, how many Witches, Shaman, Druids, Magicians and so on we have here. Wicca would probably be included in a Pagan survey. The next Census is in 2021. If there is an option to write religion, I hope that Pagans can feel safe in writing an honest response. Given complaints and complications regarding the next census, I doubt that the information overall will be accurate given the levels of discrimination today and the brexit process. In two years, we may still be arguing about our place in the EU, we may be living through a second recession and whatever the future brings could impact upon any census or survey results.
Images found via Ecosia search engine, cover image from the book The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology by Rossel Hope Robbins publised by Bookplan.
Volk B, North East England
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