The Goat and the Gazelle: Witchcraft Notes
An Evening in a Coven: Ritual Practice
Setting: A full moon, November , in a witches' coven in northeast London.
Participants: Members traveled from various locations including Bath, Leicester, and Scotland.
Pre-Ritual: Members drink tea until PM, as most London rituals traditionally follow tea.
Transformation of Space: The sitting room is cleared of furniture, and a -foot chalk circle is drawn on the carpet, which will be removed next morning.
Atmosphere and Symbolism:
Four candlesticks mark the room's corners, casting shadows from stag's antlers on the wall.
Antlers sit alongside a sheaf of wheat, depicting subtle sexual symbolism.
During spring and summer, the room is decorated with flowers.
The Altar:
Located at the center of the circle, it is an ancient-looking chest.
On top is an equally ancient box containing various incenses in drawers.
Decorated with flowers and herbs, surrounding a carved wooden Pan figure.
A Minoan goddess figure sits directly on the altar, amidst an assortment of ritual knives and tools.
Initiating the Magic Circle:
The high priestess begins by drawing an imaginary magic circle in the air above the chalk one, performing this action with piety.
She states, "let this be a boundary between the world of gods and that of men."
This imaginary circle is considered real for the duration of the evening.
To exit the circle, one must symbolically "slash" it in the air and redraw it upon returning.
The chalk circle is always drawn using the ritual knife.
All ritual items, such as cakes and wine, and all dancing, move in a clockwise direction.
These strict rules are fundamental to defining a witches' circle and are meticulously followed.
A Specific Healing Spell:
On this particular evening, a coven member requested a spell for a friend's sick baby.
A small model of the baby was created and placed on the altar, at the feet of the Minoan goddess figure.
Members formed a circle, held hands around the altar, and began running while chanting a specific phrase.
At the peak of the circle's energy, the high priestess suddenly stopped.
Everyone closed their eyes, raised their hands, and visualized a prearranged image: Mary, the woman who sought the spell, serving as the "link" between the coven and the unknown child.
The model baby, while not strictly necessary, served as an effective "focus" for concentration.
This practice mirrors folklore witches who used clay and wax effigies for imprecations; the coven kept plasticine in the altar for this purpose.
Outcome: By springtime, Mary reported the child's recovery and thanked the coven for their help.
The Origins of Modern Witchcraft
Creation & Figurehead: Modern witchcraft, in its current form, was largely established in the by Gerald Gardner, a civil servant.
Influences on Gardner:
Margaret Murray: Probably inspired by her historical account, which portrayed witchcraft as an organized pre-Christian fertility religion that demonologists later branded as devil-worship.
Academic Interest: More generally influenced by the growing interest in anthropology and folklore.
Occult Connections: Gardner had met Aleister Crowley, was aware of the Golden Dawn, and may have been a Freemason. His rituals exhibit influences from both Crowleyian practices and Freemasonry.
Gardner's Publications & Claims:
In the early , Gardner published fictitious ethnographies.
These detailed supposedly contemporary witches practicing ancient, secret rites of their agrarian ancestors.
These witches allegedly worshipped an earth goddess and her consort in ceremonies held under the full moon.
Gardner claimed to have been initiated into one of these groups, which he stated had been hidden from authorities since the historical "burning times" of witch hunts.
Gardner's Vision of Witchcraft: He viewed it as an ancient magico-religious cult, practiced secretly and uniquely suited to the Celtic race.
Romanticized Image: Gardner believed these witches possessed ancient knowledge and powers, passed down through generations, and unlike the alienated society around them, they were happy and content.
Romanticism in Practice (Quote): "Instead of the great sabbats with perhaps a thousand or more attendants the coven became a small meeting in private houses, probably a dozen or so according to the size of the room. The numbers being few, they were no longer able to gain power, to rise to the hyperaesthetic state by means of hundreds of wild dancers shrieking wildly, and they had to use other secret methods to induce this state. This came easily to the descendants of the heath, but not to the people of non-Celtic race. Some knowledge and power had survived, as many of the families had intermarried, and in time their powers grew, and in out of the way places the cult survived, The fact that they were happy gave them a reason to struggle on. It is from these people that the surviving witch families probably descend. They know that their fathers and grandfathers belonged and had spoken to them oi meetings about the time of Waterloo, when it was an old cult, thought to exist from all time. Though the persecution had died down from want of fuel, they realized that their only chance to be left alone was to remain unknown and this is as true today as it was five hundred years ago."
Historical Narratives and Beliefs
The Invention of Tradition: The text notes the intriguing topic of how history gains authority, even in a rational age.
Witches' Claims of Secrecy: Witches often speak of a secretive tradition, hidden for centuries from the Church and passed down through families to the present.
Evidential Support:
While such claims are not impossible, there is very little concrete evidence to support them.
The most sympathetic academic work suggesting an organized, pre-Christian witchcraft rests on "shaky foundations."
More recent scholarship proposes that there were at least shared fantasies about membership in witch-related societies.
In early modern Europe, those accused of witchcraft were most likely innocent of any actual practice.
Ambivalent Attitudes Towards History: Witches hold a shared vision of their past, with the only difference being whether they view it as myth or legend. Many believe the objective truth of the vision is secondary to its evocative power.
The Basic Mythical Account:
Ancient Origins: Witchcraft is described as a religion dating back to Paleolithic times, rooted in the worship of the god of the hunt and the goddess of fertility.
Historical Remnants: Evidence is cited in cave paintings and ancient goddess figurines, thousands of years old.
Universal Religion: This early religion was universal, with names changing by location but the core deities remaining consistent.
Christian Inroads: Christianity's spread in Europe was slow; kings and nobles converted first, but many common folk continued to practice both religions simultaneously.
Pagan Persistence: Rural inhabitants, labeled "Pagans" and "Heathens," preserved the old ways.
Cooption Tactics: Churches were often built on older sacred sites, and ancient festival dates were maintained, although their names were changed. Old rites continued in folk festivals, with Christianity initially pursuing a policy of slow cooptation.
Persecution and Demonization: During periods of persecution, the Church, in a conqueror's fashion, transformed the god of the Old Religion into the Christian devil.
Underground Survival: The Old Religion was forced underground, and its only scattered records were distorted by its adversaries.
Resurgence: Small families maintained the religion, and it began to resurface in after the Witchcraft Laws in England were repealed.
Impact of the Tale: This narrative, with its elements of secrecy, martyrdom, and hidden powers, is deeply moving to witches, whether they consider it actual history or myth.
A Nature-based Revival: Witchcraft is conceptualized as a revival or re-emergence of an ancient nature-religion, arguably the oldest, where the earth was worshipped as a woman under various names globally (e.g., Astarte, Inanna, Isis, Cerridwen).
Practitioner Philosophy: Witches frequently read works by scholars like Frazer and Neumann, endeavoring to recapture the essence of early humanity's worship of nature, which they perceive as vital, powerful, and mysterious.
Connecting with Nature: They visit stone circles and pre-Christian sites, becoming amateur scholars of pagan traditions behind customs like the Easter egg and the Yule log.
Core Goal: Above all, witches seek to "connect" with the natural world around them.
Understanding the Craft: Witchcraft, they assert, is about a tactile, intuitive comprehension of seasonal cycles and the songs of birds. It embodies an awareness of the holiness of all things, encapsulated by the saying, "there is no part of us that is not of the gods."
A Simple Exercise (The Witches' Circle):
To begin to grasp the power of the word "witch," one can enter a circle, perhaps on a full moon, in a park or forest clearing.
No ritual tools or special attire are required.
One might create a chant, a series of names of personally beloved or familiar gods and goddesses from childhood myths, or simple names for earth, moon, and stars, easily repeatable like a mantra.
Through this practice, the moon might seem closer, the wind's rustling leaves might synchronize with one's breathing, the chant might intensify, other sounds might recede, or the woods might become either strangely noisy or profoundly still.
The experience aims to dissolve the distinct boundary between oneself and living nature (birds, trees, lizards).
Outcome: The relationship with the natural world fundamentally changes, embodying the idea that "The Witch is the change of definitions and relationships."
The Goddess: Central Concept of Witchcraft
Core Principle: The Goddess, as the personification of nature, is the central concept in witchcraft.
Individual Understanding: Each witch develops a personal understanding of the Goddess, which evolves significantly over time.
Multi-faceted Nature: The Goddess is depicted as multi-faceted and ever-changing, embodying nature and its myriad transformations.
Aspects and Manifestations:
She is Artemis, the virgin huntress, representing the crescent moon and the freshness of morning.
She is Selene, Aphrodite, and Demeter, symbolizing the full bloom of earth's fertility.
She is Hecate and the axe-bearing Cerridwen, the crone figure who brings destruction, akin to dying forests making way for new growth.
Theme of Cyclicity: A constant theme associated with the Goddess is cyclicity and transformation, exemplified by the spinning Fates, the weaving spider, Aphrodite's annual virgin re-emergence from the sea, and Isis, who swells, floods, and diminishes like the Nile River.
Unity in Diversity: Every face of the Goddess is considered a distinct goddess, yet each is also an aspect of the same overarching divine feminine. Different goddesses may resonate with individuals during various years and seasons of their lives.
Distinction from Judeo-Christian God: The Goddess is profoundly different from the Judeo-Christian God.
She is immanent: "in the world, of the world, the very being of the world."
A witch's response to the question "whether I believe in the Goddess" is often, "Do you believe in rocks?" highlighting her intrinsic connection to existence.
Entity and Metaphor: While deeply embedded in the physical world, she is also perceived as an entity and a metaphor to whom one can communicate ("I relate to the Goddess, every day, in one way or another. I have a little chitchat with Mommy.").
Religious Duality: Witches describe a "duality" in their religious understanding:
On one hand, the Goddess merely personifies the natural world through myth and imagery.
On the other hand, she exists as a guiding, punishing, or rewarding figure, becoming a central presence in one's personal universe.
Slippage from Metaphor: The author suspects that for practitioners, there is a natural "slippage" from treating the Goddess as a metaphor to perceiving her as an extant being. It is difficult, particularly in a Judeo-Christian society, to truly treat a deity figure as only a metaphor, regardless of how the religion is rationalized. She ultimately becomes a deity who cares for the individual.
Types and Practices of Covens
Formation of Covens: Gardner began initiating people into groups called "covens," typically led by women known as "high priestesses."
Proliferation: Covens subsequently spawned new covens as individuals purchased Gardner's and other related books and established their own groups.
Diversity of Witchcraft: Numerous forms of witchcraft now exist, categorized by their founders or political ideologies, including Gardnerian, Alexandrian, feminist, and "traditional" types.
Feminist Covens: Generally initiate only women and center around a distinctly female spirituality.
Gardnerian Covens: Directly trace their lineage and practices back to Gerald Gardner.
Alexandrian Witchcraft: Emerged from Alex Sanders' more ceremonial interpretation of Gardnerian witchcraft. Sanders was charismatic, attracted tabloid attention, became a public figure in the late , and initiated hundreds of applicants, sometimes on the very evening of their application.
Traditional Witches: Claim to uphold ancient family traditions, though the author encountered none who could substantiate an inherited ritual practice.
Common Core of Practice: Despite varying styles, covens share fundamental practices.
Meeting Times: They gather on or around astrologically significant days:
Solstices and Equinoxes: Major turning points of the year.
"Quarter Days": Festivals midway between solstices and equinoxes, often fire festivals in Frazerian ethnography:
Beltane (May )
Lammas (August )
Halloween (October )
Candlemas (February )
These days are for seasonal rituals, called "sabbats," celebrating cosmic shifts like the longest days or summer's harvest.
Full Moons: Covens also meet on full moons (witches are highly aware of lunar phases) for "esbats," where they perform spells with specific intentions, such as curing an ailment or securing employment.
Coven Membership:
Typically ranges from to members.
Members ideally view themselves as a "family."
Initiation Process: The author's experience indicated that initiation usually followed about a year of casual acquaintance. This extended period ensured social comfort and, crucially, trust among all group members.
Social Homogeneity: As a result of this selection process, covens tended to be somewhat socially homogeneous.
Degrees of Initiation (Traditional Covens):
First Degree: Novices are anointed "witch" and introduced to the "witches' weapons."
Second Degree: Usually attained after a year, granting authority to start one's own coven. The initiation involves symbolically "meeting" death: a male initiate acts the part, while a female initiate encounters and accepts him. The ritual's intent is to teach that willingness to surrender the self confers control over it and over the transformations of life and death.
Third Degree: Not attempted for several years, this is primarily a rite of mystical sexuality, sometimes "symbolic" rather than "actual." It is always performed privately with only two initiates present. The underlying idea is to become the Goddess or God in one of their most powerful manifestations, embodying the two dynamic elements of the duality that creates the world.
Symbolic Tools and Environment:
Witchcraft is a secretive, "otherworld" practice, rich in symbolic objects.
Athames: Dark-handled knives are the principal tools and symbols of witches' powers.
Other Tools: Special cups, platters, and incense burners are common; sometimes whips are used for "purification" before a rite.
Altar: Always present, typically adorned with herbs, incense, and a statue of the Goddess.
Candles and Elements: Candles are placed at the four cardinal directions (east, south, west, north), representing the four ancient elements (air, fire, water, earth), which in turn symbolize different "energies" (thought; will power; emotion; material stability).
Ritual Nudity:
Most covens practice rituals in the nude, a symbol of secrecy and defiance of convention.
Ostensibly, this signifies freedom, but is also likely influenced by the evocative link between witchcraft and sexuality, and a utopian vision of a paradisiacal past.
The author notes that there are typically no orgies, little eroticism, and behavior is generally not different from when clothes are worn.
Nudity probably contributes to the attractive fantasy that draws outsiders to the practice, a part of its paganism rather than a source of salacious sexuality. This was the author's observation across the five covens studied.
Anthropological Observations of a Coven
Author's Affiliation: The author was initiated into one of the oldest witches' groups, a coven that has been continuously active for over years.
Gardner's Legacy: This coven was Gerald Gardner's own, and three of its current members were initiated directly under his tutelage.
Ancestor Worship: The anthropologist noted traces of ancestor worship, such as the use of Gardner's personal pentacle (a magical platter for communion "mooncakes") and his goddess statue during rituals.
Coven Demographics (Author's Time): The coven comprised members:
Long-term Members (Over years initiated, in their fifties):
An ex-Cambridge computer consultant who lectured globally to computer professionals.
A computer software analyst, serving as high priest for years.
A teacher.
An ex-Oxford university lecturer.
Mid-term Members (Initiated - years ago):
The high priestess, initiated years prior, a professional psychologist.
A woman in her forties, initiated around years previously, who joined after her own coven disbanded.
A man in his fifties, an electronic engineer in the music industry, also from the disbanded coven.
Newer Members:
Helga, formerly associated with the Glittering Sword coven, preferred to identify as a Nordic Volva rather than a Celtic witch, abandoning witchcraft for other magical practices. Her partner, Eliot, and another young Austrian member from the Glittering Sword joined the coven.
A woman in her thirties, a professional artist primarily focused on raising a young child.
A middle-level manager of a large business, in his late thirties, who was the author's "psychic twin" (initiated on the same night).
A man in his thirties who managed a large housing estate.
Social and Intellectual Connections:
The computer consultant and the teacher had been married for years.
The high priest and high priestess had lived together for years.
Four other members had partners who were not part of the coven, though two of these partners belonged to other magical groups.
Three members were either married to or closely related to university lecturers, indicating this was an unusually intellectual group.
Comparison to Other Covens:
This particular coven exhibited a wide age range and was predominantly composed of middle-class intellectuals, with many members having partners outside the group.
This composition was not universally standard: another coven in contact with this group had members, all within years of each other, including three married couples and three single individuals.
A Cambridge coven also showed a substantial age span and diverse professions.
However, a coven in Clapham was entirely upper working-class, with all members falling within a -year age range.
The "Book of Shadows" and Key Rituals
Standard Ritual Text: The coven relied on a standard ritual text, Gardner's "Book of Shadows," created with the assistance of Doreen Valiente (a prominent figure in "the Craft").
Tradition of Copying: This book was supposedly copied by each initiate throughout the ages.
Example Ritual Snippet: A fragment cited from the Book of Shadows for Beltane includes: "Beltane special objects: jug of wine, earthenware chalice, wreaths of ivy… High priestess in east, high priest at altar with jug of wine and earthenware chalice …"
Observance of Tradition: The group meticulously performed these rites as written, year after year. Despite being aware that Gardner (with help) authored them, they felt a responsibility to uphold the tradition as the original coven.
Rewriting and Authenticity: The high priest had actually rewritten some portions due to the simplicity of Gardner's original versions. However, he maintained the pretense that they were Gardner's, never mentioning his own authorship.
Seasonal Rituals: "Drawing Down the Moon":
These rituals are notable for the priestess's role in incarnating the Goddess, a process known as "drawing down the moon."
The high priest, acting as her ritual partner, stands opposite her in the circle and invokes her as the Goddess.
As the embodied Goddess, she then delivers what is termed "the Charge," which serves as the closest equivalent to a liturgy within the Craft.
Publication of "The Charge": Gardner's Book of Shadows, containing the text of "the Charge," has since been published and annotated by two witches.
The "Charge" – Words of the Goddess
High Priest's Invocation: The high priest begins by calling upon the "great Mother," listing various names by which she was known, including Artemis, Astarte, Athene, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianhod, Isis, and Bride.
High Priestess (as Goddess) Speaks:
She commands assembly: "Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, then shall ye assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of me, who am Queen of all witches."
Promise of knowledge and freedom: To those eager to learn sorcery but lacking its deepest secrets, she pledges to teach unknown things. She also promises freedom from slavery.
Symbol of Freedom: As a sign of this freedom, participants are to be naked in their rites, and encouraged to "dance, sing, feast make music and love, all in my praise."
Law of Love & Ideals: Her declaration states: "For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and mine is also joy on earth; for my law is love unto all beings. Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it; let naught stop you or turn you aside."
Gate to Immortality: She identifies herself as: "For mine is the secret door which opens up the land of Youth, and mine is the cup of the wine of life, and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of immortality."
Gifts of the Goddess: "I am the gracious Goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man. Upon earth I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, I give peace, and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice; for behold, I am the mother of all living, and my love is poured out upon the earth."
High Priest Invokes Star Goddess: The high priest then invokes the "Star Goddess," whose feet contain the hosts of heaven and whose body encircles the universe.
High Priestess (as Goddess) Continues:
Self-description and call: "I who am the beauty of the green earth, and the white Moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man, call unto thy soul. Arise and come unto me."
Source of Existence: "For I am the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe. From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return; and before my face, beloved of Gods and men, let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite."
Rituals of Joy:** "Let me worship Ire with the heart that rejoiceth; for behold all acts of low [love] and pleasure are my rituals."
Virtues to Cultivate: Calls for the presence of "beauty and strength, power and compassion, honour and humility, mirth and reverence within you."
Inner Truth:** "And thou who thinkest Io seek for me, know that seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the mystery; that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee, l or behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire."
Linguistic Style: The language used in these ritual circles is characterized by nature-imagery, romantic poetry, and themes of freedom.
Core Message: The fundamental message of this speech is the inherent divinity of every individual, affirming that "every woman can be Goddess" and "every man, too, can be god."
Stag God: In certain Gardnerian rituals, such as Halloween, the high priestess invokes the stag god into her priest, who then delivers similar speeches.
Spell Casting and "Cone of Power"
Absence of Prescribed Forms: When the author's coven performed spells, there was no single prescribed ritual form, as no two spells were identical.
Concept of Energy Raising: The underlying principle of a spell is that a coven can collectively generate energy by tapping into its members' individual powers.
"Cone of Power": This energy is then concentrated within the magical circle, forming a "cone of power," and directed towards its specific objective through collective imagination.
Steps in Spell Casting:
Chant/Meditation: The first step always involves chanting or meditating to alter one's state of consciousness, thereby accessing personal power.
Focus Imagination: Subsequently, the imagination is focused on a real or envisioned visual representation of the spell's intended goal.
Common Technique:
The most frequent method observed was running in a circle, hands held, with all eyes fixed on the central altar candle.
During this, they chanted a phrase believed to be an old Basque witches' chant:
"Eko, eko, azarak
Eko, eko, za mi lak
Eko, eko, Cemunnos
Eko, eko. Aradia"
Climax of the Spell: At the peak of their circular running, the group would abruptly stop, raise their linked hands high, close their eyes, and concentrate intensely on a pre-arranged image.
"Witches' Rune" (Longer Chant): Sometimes, evenings would begin with a more extended chant known as the "Witches' Rune":
"Darksome night and shining moon
East, then South, then West, then North;
Hearken to the Witches' Rune—
Here we come to call ye forth!Earth and water, air and fire.
Wand and pentacle and sword,
Work ye unto our desire,
Hearken ye unto our word!Cords and censer, scourge and knife.
Powers of the witch's blade—
Waken all ye unto life,
Come ye as the charm is made!Queen of heaven, Queen of Hell,
Horned hunter of the night—
Lend your power unto the spell,
And work our will by magic ritual!By all the power of land and sea.
By all the might of moon and sun—
As we do will, so mote it be;
Chant the spell, and be it done!"Themes of the Rune: The poem's tone captures a great deal about witchcraft, including the use of special "weapons" with distinct powers, the application of earthly and goddess power within spells, and the spell's dependence on the witches' collective will.
Consistency: Most of the coven meetings attended by the author in England (across approximately six Gardnerian-inspired groups) exhibited similar styles in their spell casting.
Feminist Covens and "Women's Mysteries"
Prevalence: Feminist covens are relatively uncommon in England but hold significant importance in the United States.
Appeal to Feminists: Witchcraft resonates with feminists for several reasons:
Female Deity Worship: Witches typically worship a female deity instead of a male patriarch, honoring her as she was reputedly worshipped universally before the dominance of monotheistic religions (e.g., as the moon, the earth, a sheaf of wheat).
"Woman's Spirituality": Members of feminist covens discuss witchcraft's embrace of cyclic transformation—birth, growth, and decay—as a unique "woman's spirituality." They often highlight it as the only spirituality where women can be proud of menstruation, love-making, and childbirth.
Reclaiming "Witch": These women (and sometimes men) are also driven by a desire to reclaim the word "witch," which they view as a manifestation of male fear and rejection of women deemed too beautiful, too sexual, or past their years of fertility.
The witches of European witch-craze fantasies were often depicted as either alluring young temptresses or grotesque hags.
Values: Feminist covens emphasize creativity and collectivity, aligning with common values of feminist political perspectives.
Ritual Differences: Their rituals often diverge significantly from those of Gardnerian groups.
Example: Halloween on a Kent Barrow:
Participants: A group of about women gathered, describing their activities as "women's mysteries" rather than explicitly identifying as "witches."
Ritual Preparation Meeting: One woman, designated to outline the ritual, held a preliminary meeting. She stated she had "cobbled together something from Starhawk and Budapest" (two feminist witchcraft manual authors), which was met with encouragement.
Collaborative Planning: She explained the ritual's structure and solicited suggestions. One participant brought red ochre and patchouli oil for use, and another suggested they be used for mutual purification. The idea of "doing" the elements first was raised, with volunteers for each directional quarter. The person for earth inquired about maize flour.
Feminist Meeting Style: The meeting was characterized by an emphasis on equality, emotional honesty, earthiness, and a slower pace, typical of feminist organizational gatherings.
Ceremony at Midnight: Upon arrival at the barrow hours later, the women circled. Four women invoked the elements at the different directions using their own spontaneous words.
Atmosphere: The midnight setting was striking: leafless trees stark against a dark sky, a gentle wind, and an empty countryside with a bull in a nearby field.
Purification Rite: One woman took the red ochre pot and drew a circle on the cheek of the woman to her left, saying, "may this protect you on Halloween night"; the pot then circulated.
Invocation to Hecate: The ritual's drafter read an invocation to Hecate, largely from Starhawk, copied into a looseleaf binder with a laminated pentacle on the front. Its themes included:
The thin veil between worlds on this night (New Year in the time of the year's death, harvest gathered, fields fallow).
The opening of gates of life and death, allowing the dead to walk and revealing the Mystery to the living: "every ending is but a new beginning."
Meeting in "time out of time" to greet "Death which is also Life" and the triple Goddess of rebirth.
Fire & Ancestral Presence: A fire was lit in a dustbin lid (a cauldron was too heavy to transport from London). Each woman then invited women they knew, both living and dead, to be present.
Chant of Release: They chanted, again from Starhawk, passing incense while each person said, "x lives, x passes, x dies" (with 'x' representing concepts like anger, failure, blindness). The chorus was: "it is the cold of the night, it is the dark."
Symbolic Fruits (Pomegranate & Apple):
A pomegranate was held up, declared "the fruit of life," then stabbed and pronounced "which is death." It was passed around, each woman placing a seed into her neighbor's mouth, saying, "taste of the seeds of death."
An apple was then shown as "the fruit of death." Sliced sideways, it revealed a five-pointed star at its center, then identified as containing "the five-pointed star of life." It was passed, each woman feeding her neighbor and saying, "taste of the fruit of life."
Final Rituals: A chalice of wine and bread were passed with the blessing, "may you never be hungry." Masks and sparklers were distributed, and the women danced around and over the fire.
Participatory Nature: Many of these actions required spontaneous, unrehearsed participation from all members, contrasting with Gardnerian covens where non-performers typically observe until called to worship or take communion (though members often rotate ritual roles).
Shared Creation: There was a strong sense that parts of the ritual were collectively written and some were entirely spontaneous.
Solo Witches
Definition: Solo witches are individuals who identify as witches despite having no formal initiation or affiliation with a coven.
Demographics: The author encountered several such individuals, who were consistently women.
Examples:
One woman ran an organization called "Spæk Enterprises," selling candles shaped like cats and Isis.
Another woman, uninitiated, was nonetheless a well-established figure within the broader pagan community.
Mick (Best-Known Example): The author's most familiar solo witch was Mick, who lived alone in a Jacobean cottage on the edge of the Fens (desolate drained farmland outside Cambridge) and managed a chicken farm.
Claimed Powers: Mick asserted that she discovered her powers at age when she "cursed" her math teacher, who then promptly broke his leg in two places.
Integral Identity: Witchcraft was fundamental to her self-identity, which she took seriously, albeit with a theatrical flair.
Witchy Persona: Her cottage was aptly named "Broomstick Cottage." She kept cats and had a cast-iron cauldron near her fireplace. In a corner, a small altar held a statue of Pan and a ritual knife stained with her own blood.
Local Recognition: She was known to many villagers, and in Cambridge, the author heard of the "Fen witch" from at least four different sources.
Social Role: When approached by two boys who identified her home as "where the witch lives," Mick explained she was "collected" for her personality, suggesting people found it exotic to host a witch for supper. She likely cherished these claims as they contributed to her social standing. Described as funny, sociable, and often the life of a party, Mick also appeared somewhat lonely and romantic. For her, witchcraft served a function similar to other religions, reducing loneliness, imbuing a bleak landscape with charm, and providing a social role.
The "Goat and the Gazelle": Humor and Duality in Witchcraft
Distinct "Feel" of Witchcraft: The practice carries a unique blend of humor and enthusiasm, often absent in other groups.
Fusion of Ideal and Mundane: Witchcraft intertwines spiritual intensity and romanticism with the endearing, "paunchy flaws of the flesh," such as fantasies of "elfin unicorns" coexisting comfortably with "bawdy Pans."
"The Goat and the Gazelle" Metaphor: The high priest of the author's coven used this phrase, explaining that "all witches have a little of each," to describe this inherent duality within the craft.
Humor as a Necessity: The practice itself can appear slightly ridiculous (e.g., standing naked in a living room), necessitating a sense of humor to tolerate it, alongside sufficient romanticism to treat it seriously.
Unique Incorporation of Humor: Witches are identified as perhaps the only magicians who consciously integrate humor into their practice.
"Mirth and Reverence": Their central invocation, delivered by the priestess embodying the goddess, explicitly calls for "mirth and reverence."
Laughter in Ritual Space: While rarely heard during the rites themselves, laughter frequently resonates within the circle.
High Priestess's Insight: One high priestess spontaneously articulated this perspective: "being alive is really rather funny. Wicca [another name for witchcraft] is the only religion that captures this."