Witchcraft Today

It’s impossible to overlook the significance of holidays to all of us at this time of year. No matter your religious affiliation, there is something about this wintry, dark time of year that is otherworldly and magickal. The Winter Solstice has been a sacred and holy day for what seems like the life of mankind, as we have seen evidence of its celebration far back in our pre-history, and through out the world. Christians celebrate it as Christmas, the birth of the savior, but like so many other Christian holidays, it actually draws its roots and much of its mythology from Europe’s pagan heritage.

Take Santa Claus, for instance. His legends began as a Sami bringer of gifts who would come down the pole in the middle of the communal tent every winter solstice with gifts for everyone (these people lived in cold climates, so he was in furs- these became red furs with white trim over time). As I sit back and remember my childhood, I can still feel the sense of magic and wonder that came every year when my family fished the Christmas decorations out of storage and put them up. While I was excited about the gifts and toys I was received (I was a child of the 80s!), there was a deeper feeling of joy, love, and happiness that was always there, hovering in the background. Over the years, putting up the decorations became a holiday ritual that grew a profound personal meaning to me- it set the tone for the season. To this day, my wife and I continue to decorate the house every year, and it still gives me the same warm fuzzy inside.

The holiday was always filled with magickal things and miracles; from snowmen that came alive, to elves that made toys, to reindeer that could fly. The best part was that the whole thing was centered around this fat guy with a beard and a red furry suit that squeezed his fat ass down the chimney to leave those presents behind. It’s pretty obvious, really, why the Big Guy from the North Pole completely eclipsed Jesus in my mind as the spirit of Christmas. I think this probably goes for others who are reading this. Stop and think about it for a minute- when you think of Christmas time, who pops to mind: Santa or Jesus? Which one makes you smile bigger?

As I grew into adolescence and young adulthood, that sense of the magickal side of Christmas grew more and more important to me. Santa Claus became more than a source of free gifts, he became a symbol of karmic fairness, of universal love, and of unlimited generosity. Not a bad archetype to attune with.

I try to carry that sense of magick and wonder with me today, for it is the true spirit of the holiday in my eyes. Blessed Winter Solstice.

Welcome to the second installment of the Quantum Witchcraft series. In the first part, we talked about the many kinds of parallel universes that exist. In looking at this knowledge from the perspective of witches, we see that there is indeed reason to believe in the existence of other worlds, which could be interpreted as proof of the existence of the Astral Plane, the Faery Realm, and any other mythological place (Atlantis is out there… somewhere!).

But what does quantum physics have to say about other aspects of witchcraft? One of the famous hallmarks of witchcraft (many would say, its very essence) is the casting of spells. Witches, magicians, shamans and others throughout the world have been renowned for their ability to influence the real world, through seemingly incongruous actions involving ritual implements, chants and incantations, and often the help of another world. Whatever the name, in every culture throughout the world, there have been those few who seem able to bend reality to achieve a desired outcome. Quantum physics, as well as some other contemporary neurological and psychological research, corroborate the ability of the human mind to affect reality by force of will.

Random number generators are computer programs that produce a sequence of 0s and 1s. It’s like a virtual coin toss. If the computer where to generate a thousand numbers, the law of probability states that approximately half will be 0s and half will be 1s (within a certain margin of error). Experiments have been conducted in which participants would watch the random numbers being generated, and project the intent of producing more of one number than another. Consistently, it was shown that people had a statistically significant impact on what numbers were generated. In other words, if they wanted more 0s, they tended to get more 0s. The change was minor, but was observed consistently. This same principle applies if you were to sit down and toss a coin- if you project the intent of it coming up heads, it will come up heads more often.

Here’s a fun game: next time you have a small group of people around, have one of them bring out a coin. Then tell everyone to watch the coin, and to picture it landing on heads- always coming up heads. Then have your friend toss the coin ten times, and see how many times it comes up heads for you. You’ll be surprised by the results. It works just as well if you try to make the coin come up tails, too. Remember, the Law of Probability states that your results should be five heads to five tails, with a slight chance of six to four one way or the other.

Let’s now return to the Quantum Many Worlds theory, which was Level Three in the Tegmark’s Hierarchy of Universes. We know that each time we toss the coin, what in reality happens is that there is a split into two parallel universes, where in one universe the coin is heads and in the other it’s tails. But we only perceive one- which becomes reality to us. If the human mind can affect probabilities, and therefore which side of the coin comes up, then in actuality what we are doing is guiding ourselves to the universes in which the desired outcome is real. By visualizing and projecting the intent for the coin to be heads,we guide ourselves into those quantum parallel universes in which the coin is heads.

This idea is extended to anything that we put our intention to manifesting. You can manifest jobs, love, success, good luck, good health, and all manner of things. This is the essence of spell casting. The witch who does magick is putting intent into achieving a desired result. The exact methods used to cast the spell will depend on the intent, and will vary from witch to witch, put it is the same force of will that bends reality and gets the results.

At this point, some are probably saying , “Wait a minute, if this is true, then why haven’t I won the lottery yet?” That answer comes in two parts. First, the mind can affect probability, but the scientific experiments to date have not seen a drastic change in probability due to projected intent. The Law of Magick is a natural law that must coexist with the other natural laws, like gravity and probability. If the will can only slightly affect the outcome of a coin toss, which is a fifty-fifty shot, then how can the outcome of a lottery be affected significantly, which has odds more like being struck by lightning? Second, maybe you haven’t won the lottery because your real problem isn’t a lack of money ( I know, I know, it sounds far fetched to me, too).

But if the mind can only bend reality a little, then how can witches and other magickal practitioners achieve significant results with spells? Witches use tools to accentuate their power when working magick. There are the great classics, the athame, the cauldron, the pentacle; but unconventional tools are okay, as long as they are significant to the one using them. The subconscious mind is a much more active and powerful creator of reality than the conscious mind, and when the two act in conjunction, their synergy is greater than the sum of their parts. In order to achieve this, witches will use tools that are rich in symbolism, or will use incantations and rhymes to communicate the desire with the unconscious. The premise is to build a bridge between the conscious mind and the subconscious by communicating the desire through symbols.

So, imagine that a witch realizes she needs money to cover her rent. She does a quick divination, which reveals to her that magick is a safe solution to her problem. She proceeds to gather her implements prepare herself and her space, and casts her spell. She then forgets all about it, and a short time later her money problem is resolved. Maybe she found extra work, perhaps she finally sold something that she’d had in the garage for awhile. How it manifests itself isn’t the point, it’s that it did manifest.

The quantum explanation of this phenomenon might go something like this- at the start of the situation we had a set of conditions, namely a witch in need of rent money. Now, the future isn’t set in stone, it is in a state of superposition, in which all the possible outcomes exist side by side- a whole set of ways that the witch made her rent, and another whole set of possible ways in which she failed. Her intent is to guide herself to a reality in which her rent is paid. There are numerous ways that this could happen, which means that the chances it could happen are greater. By not placing a specific label (such as , “I want to win the lottery tomorrow!”) on the desire, the doorway was open to many other possible realities. The important thing to her is that the rent was paid.

From the quantum many worlds interpretation, witchcraft and other magickal practices can be viewed as a way of actively guiding oneself through the quantum multiverse, by manifesting the reality which contains the desired outcome. Remember, that if you cast a spell, there are some universes where you get your desire, and then there are others in which you don’t.

Which reality do you want to be in?

One may ask, what in the world does quantum physics have to do with witchcraft? This article discusses some of the revelations of contemporary theoretical physics and how those ideas inform our ideas concerning Wicca. Wiccans believe in the existence of other worlds, both the internal and the external, the physical and the non-physical. These beliefs are usually couched in antiquated or occult terms, such as the Spirit World, the Astral Plane, or the Dreamtime. Theories differ as to whether we are delving into our subconscious, or moving in other ethereal realms, but with the perspective brought to us by contemporary science, we are confronted with the realization that those worlds, which seem so subjective and ephemeral to our everyday worlds, are just as real as the place we wake up in each day.

Tegmark’s Alternate Universes
Max Tegmark of Penn State university recently described four distinct types of parallel universes. The first type is what he calls “Beyond our cosmic horizon.” If the universe is infinite in all directions, and there are only so many possible arrangements of matter, then there is a point in which the universe starts repeating itself, in effect creating separate and distinct universes that all follow the same basic rules (gravity, electromagnetism, nuclear forces and so on). These places are so far away that the light from our sun will probably never reach them, but they exist nonetheless, and are exact copies of our universe, as we know it. Our universe, then, is infinite in all directions, and contains an infinite number of these “known universes,” a small portion of which are exact duplicates of our universe. Now, that’s a lot to absorb by itself, but the more they came to think about things and crunch some numbers, scientists came to realize that our universe is a distinct entity or object in itself, that is comprised of an infinite amount of three dimensional space, but according to what they knew about the birth and development of the universe, it wasn’t the only possible universe. What else could there be?

Way back, when the Big went Bang, space began to expand, and our universe was created. But, at the same time, other universes were created because space kept expanding, faster than even the speed of light. Now, in this space were collections of matter and energy, that sort of formed into bubbles, as water will bead, and each formed its own universe, each of which contained an infinite three dimensional space, housing an infinite number of Hubble volumes(known universes), a small portion of which contain exact duplicates of our universe, as we know it. This is the second level of alternate universes, and doesn’t have a poetic name like the level I’s. It is called “Chaotic post inflationary bubbles.” These universes never interact with each other (at least directly), because the expansion of space is forcing them to move away from each other faster than the speed of light. Since nothing can travel faster than the speed of light, nothing from our universe could make it to the other universe.

The level three multiverse is different from the other two, in that it is much closer to us, but it is the same in that they still exist in a place where we can never interact with them. This is the Quantum Many Worlds level. Grab a coin and flip it, but don’t reveal it yet. Is it heads or tails? You won’t know until you reveal it. Until you do, you cannot say whether the coin is heads or tails, so in truth it exists in a state of limbo where it is neither, but has an equal chance of being either. This limbo-like state of both-and-neither is generally referred to as quantum superposition. Now reveal the coin. Let’s just say it came up heads, and once you see it you can definitely say which of the two possible states it now exists in. That means that the superposition of the quantum world collapsed down into one state of being, by your perspective. That is, the coin came up either heads or tails for you. But, when that superposition collapsed into a position (heads or tails for you), it also collapsed into the other possibility at the same time, not witnessed by you, but by an alternate you in another quantum universe. Every time you flip the coin, then, you create two distinct universes, one in which it came up tails and the other in which it came up heads. These two universes never interact with each other, and you only perceive one of them, but both exist nonetheless. The same principle applies to any situation in life where there could be more than one possible outcome, whether it be through your choices, or random events. In each case, alternate universes split apart, each one expressing one of the possible outcomes. Now we have three distinct levels of alternative universes, each existing side by side with our own, and each following the same basic rules. But what about universes with different rules?

Which leads us to Level Four. Up to now, each of the types of alternate universes have had some common ground rules, if not in their development, then in their starting conditions and the rules governing their development. This type of multiverse breaks all those rules. The theory behind this level holds that mathematics is so useful because the universe is inherently mathematical, as opposed to the idea that the universe just is, and math is a close approximation to it. Each universe can be defined through a mathematical formula. These formulas can be incredibly complex,with a near-infinite number of variables, such as our own universe. But a universe doesn’t need to be that complex- other universes can be described through much simpler equations. At this level, virtually any universe you can imagine exists. These can be universes that are large empty polygons, or could even be a realm that would look, feel, and in all other ways resemble the Fairy lands of mythology. The defining point here is that the rules that govern the universe can differ from our own drastically. While Tegmark contends that in most of those universes, there would not be conditions that would life to form, it inly requires some imagination to realize that some of them must contain life, and some of those universes are exact duplicates of our own.

With these ideas, we establish that there may be a factual basis for literally any creation of the human mind, and for many things that no person ever thought possible. Although we are separated from these other worlds, either through vast cosmic distances, or through displacement on the quantum level, we can visualize them and construct them in our minds. Our science is telling us that they must exist in order to satisfy conditions in quantum field theory and relativity. In other words, if these other worlds don’t exist, then science as we understand it is fundamentally wrong!

Having defined the other worlds of witchcraft from a scientific perspective, we shall now move on to explain how magic works, through the interpretation of quantum physics. See part 2!

Please note that the title of this spell can be a little misleading. This is not a spell that finds goblins, but a spell that calls upon goblins to find things that you have lost.

“What! Goblins!” you exclaim. “Aren’t they mean, nasty, dirty little brutes?”

Well, yeah. But that does not make them completely without merit. Like most faery folk, they can be downright helpful if treated with the right respect. Cookies help, too. Plus, you better believe that the goblins in your house know what happened to your car keys.

To cast the spell, clap your hands in front of you twice.
Then exclaim in The Voice, “Goblins! Find my _____.”
Keep looking for the lost item, being sure to check in places you already looked. Within minutes you will find it, and it’s usually in one of the spots you’ve checked already.
Once you’ve found the item, be sure to leave an offering for the goblins. Usually sweets and other rich foods go over well, but some goblins are partial to tobacco. All the normal rules for goblins are in place- they can be mischievous if treated poorly or taken for granted!

Witchcraft can be described in certain generalities, such as the belief in the gods, honoring the sacred days, revering Mother Earth, magick and the law of three. However, one of the core principles of the Craft is the subjectivity of reality- the fact that different things work for different people. Each person has individual experiences and beliefs that are solely their own, and no one else can understand them in exactly the same way. The sheer diversity of people in the Wiccan communities led to the formation of Traditions, by which practitioners of like mind can congregate. There are also classifications of Witch that are not really traditions, per se, but still such a distinctive and common type of witch that they deserve their own mention.To steal from recent political talk, if there ever was a “flock of mavericks,” then surely it’s the Wiccan community. The list of traditions and types is a very long one, but has its uses in describing the Pagan community.

The broadest classification that can be given to a witch really distinguishes the style and environment of their practices. There are the Traditional Witches; the ones who belong to a coven. Each coven tends to identify itself further through its designated teachings and recognized lineage. These distinctions can be placed along a particular author or mentor, such as the Gardnerian tradition. In other cases, the distinction of tradition comes from the pantheon or mythology that is revered. Faerie Wicca, which is firmly rooted in Irish Gaelic folklore and mythology, is an example of this sort of tradition. These are only examples, but the point is that witches are very independently minded, and each is going to have his or her own way of doing things. The defining feature of the Traditionals is that they belong to a coven.

By contrast, the solitary witch is one that practices the craft alone and does not belong to a coven. Often, these witches were also never initiated into a coven. To some Traditionals, this makes their credentials as a witch weak at best. However, one must always be careful of speaking in generalities. Many prominent witches who are in covens, or even have founded traditions (like Buckland), accept the existence of solitaries and grant at least some measure of recognition. A solitary is someone who may practice alone, but there are those who practice the craft and don’t even know it.

These witches are called natural witches, who by virtue of their own character, are witches at heart. They use magick, they talk to spirits and faeries, they understand and revere nature. In some ways, they can be considered the most powerful of witches as they come to it naturally. They have no need to learn it or get good at it like the rest of us. At times ,they go through life with no idea that they are doing witchcraft, and may have no exposure to it at all.

Often these Naturals are confused with another kind of witch- the Kitchen Witch. Witchcraft is a feminine tradition at heart, and the kitchen and hearth has been the domain of the goddess since we started building houses. There is an inextricable link between kitchens and the craft, just as the craft is linked with the Goddess. Being a Kitchen Witch is not an exclusive vocation- most kitchen witches crossover into one of the other categories (traditional, solitary, or natural).

Another title that is applied to Wiccans often, and appropriately so, is Eclectic. One prominent Witch wrote “any good witch is eclectic- they’ll steal anything!” By this,it is meant that Wicca is an organic belief system that grows and changes with its adherents, over the generations as well as the duration of their lives. Wiccans are also bereft of many of their traditions, and must rely on infusions of knowledge and energy from other contemporary Earth religions, such as shamanism. Witches will look to other mystical practitioners for inspiration and guidance, because there is a lack of central authority in Witchcraft (not a bad thing, mind you!). So any good witch is eclectic, because we must be adaptable and willing to change to fit the times.

Today’s topic is the history of witchcraft. I found a great article right here on Today.com that discusses Neopaganism.  It gives an overview of the history, practices, and structure of modern Neopaganism in general, and talks specifically about Wicca in several places.

Paganism/Neopaganism:

http://religionsreviewed.today.com/2008/09/06/paganism-neo-paganism/

I considered this article to be an objective treatment of modern neopaganism, and thought it was fair and accurate. It is definitely not written from a Neopagan’s point of view, which is what makes it so valuable. However, while reading it, I couldn’t help but comment on certain things.

Neopaganism and Witchcraft
Remember- every Witch is a Neopagan, but not every Neopagan is a Witch.
As a neopagan, I recognize that the lore, teachings, wisdom of our elders has been lost to us.  That’s why neopaganism draws from so many sources that have retained the mystical remnants of their religions.  Shamanism, from all areas of the world, has been revered as a source of mystical knowledge from cultures that haven’t been Westernized.  Deep inside of us is the hope and belief that covens of witches went into hiding centuries ago, and have survived to this day, in secret (which is in all likelihood true, anyway).  Neopagans recognize the spirit of our ancestors, those who practiced Our Ways in the old times, and that spirit is what we seek to emulate.  Neopaganism is eclectic, because we recognize the subjective nature of the religious experience- that each has his own way, her own path.  Even the staunchest Traditionalist Witches know that.

Gardnerian Witchcraft
Gardner himself acknowledged that he invented most of the material presented in Uncle Bucky’s Big Blue Book (The Complete Book of Witchcraft, by Raymond Buckland). He was a real witch, initiated into a real coven, but he swore vows upon entry that he wouldn’t reveal the secrets of his coven.  So he invented Garnderian witchcraft, which was certainly inspired by the practices of his real coven.  It upsets me to hear of elitist witches who say that solitaries aren’t real witches because they haven’t been initiated into a coven, when they practice from the Gardnerian book. Hello!  He made the stuff up!  Your witchcraft is no more legitimate than my witchcraft. We’re both trying to recapture a spirit that was lost to our people long ago.

Witches as Survivors of Genocide
Witches do have a bit of a complex about the Burning Times. Christianity, specifically the Church, pushed paganism aside and eventually stamped it out over a period of centuries.  There is no denying that the Burning Times was one of mankind’s darkest hours, right up there with the Holocaust, and it has since come to symbolize the culmination of rampant fear and hatred of the unknown and the mystical that permeates our society to this day.  Many witches feel marginalized just for being different, and so they identify with the (relatively) few real Witches that died during the Burning Times, those who died just for practicing their own ways.  Just for being Witches.  All religions have their myths, and the Burning Times has become one of ours.  That is why you will see a lot of “Christian-bashing” done by Neopagans- it’s an expression of the outrage that our traditions were taken from us generations ago.