Learning about Wicca can be an enlightening and empowering experience. Wicca is a modern pagan religion that is centered around the worship of nature and the belief in a higher power. **By learning about Wicca, individuals can gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the natural world, as well as a deeper connection to their own spirituality**. One of the key aspects of Wicca is its focus on nature and the earth. Wiccans believe that all things in nature are connected and should be revered, and many rituals and practices are centered around the changing seasons and the cycles of the moon. By learning about Wicca, individuals can develop a greater understanding and appreciation for the beauty and power of the natural world.
(L – R): Lamnatu Adam – Executive Director at Songtaba, Eunice Agbenyadzi – Programmes Manager at STAR Ghana Foundation & Feruzah Salisu – Project Officer at STAR Ghana Foundation.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as many communities relied on each other to provide social safety nets, accused witches faced an even larger risk of marginalization, with ostracization a common reaction from families and communities. With the increase in media coverage in the past few years, the situation at witch camps has been further exposed, with reports of old er women being accused of using witchcraft to cause illness, misery, and calamities.
By learning about Wicca, individuals can develop a greater understanding and appreciation for the beauty and power of the natural world. Another important aspect of Wicca is the belief in a higher power. While Wiccans do not adhere to a specific god or goddess, they believe in a divine presence that is present in all things.
Eunice "Goody" Cole Memorial Stone
Decades before the frenzy that would engulf nearby Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, Eunice “Goody” Cole was New Hampshire’s most infamous witch, and the only woman to be convicted of witchcraft in the state’s history. Throughout her long, painful life, both her neighbors and court juries claimed that it was obvious that Cole had “familiarity with the devil.”
A reportedly eccentric, unpleasant resident of Hampton, New Hampshire, Cole’s fellow townsfolk accused her of everything from killing their livestock, taking the form of animals, and communicating with the devil. Starting in 1656, Cole would be tried for witchcraft three times, whipped, imprisoned for years on end, and stripped of her citizenship.
However, Cole was never executed. Instead, she was eventually released from prison into the care of Hampton residents, who brought her food and helped her with other daily tasks, which they did begrudgingly since most truly believed in her association with the devil. In 1680, it is reported that Cole died, having reached her eighties.
Some accounts state that her body was buried on her property, while say her corpse was thrown into a shallow grave. Local lore has it that those who buried her drove a stake through her heart, attaching a horseshoe to prevent any further wrongdoings from her postmortem. In any case, her body has never been recovered.
Though New England’s witch hunts ended, Cole slowly became a famed Hampton historical figure. John Greenleaf Whittier, the poet most famous as the author of the poem Snow-Bound, took the Goody Cole legend and expanded it using her as the cause of a very real shipwreck off of Hampton’s coast in his poem The Wreck of the Rivermouth, as well as writing her into his poem The Changeling.
In 1938, in an effort to drum up some attention to the coastal town, The Society in Hampton for the Apprehension of Those Falsely Accusing Eunice ‘Goody’ Cole of Having Had Familiarity With the Devil took it upon themselves to reinstate Cole’s citizenship. Copies of Cole’s court records were symbolically burnt at the ceremony. The ashes of the documents were to be buried beneath a planned memorial stone for Eunice Cole, but one of the area’s worst hurricanes hit that year, and the plans for the memorial were forgotten. Over the next few years, rumors of sightings of a ghostly old woman abounded.
Then in 1963, Harold Fernald, a Hampton resident, teacher, and part-time police officer, took it upon himself to erect a stone on the supposed location of Cole’s property. The stone is a sculpted, unmarked, boulder on the historic town green.
The ashes still sit in Tuck Museum. The museum itself is closed until April 2021, but you can still see the memorial to Cole outside.
Know Before You Go
From I-95 North take Exit 1 Seabrook, New Hampshire. Merge onto NH-107 South. Turn left onto US-1 North/Lafayette Road. At 3.7 miles, turn right onto Park Avenue.I-95 South Take exit 2 to merge onto NH-101 East/State Route 101 East. Exit onto US-1 South/Lafayette Road toward Hampton/Seabrook.Slight left to merge onto US-1 N/Lafayette Rd toward NH-101/I-95 N/Exeter/Hampton/Hampton Beach. Turn right onto Park Avenue and the museum will be on left.The Tuck Museum is open Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
This belief in a higher power allows individuals to feel a sense of purpose and connection to something greater than themselves. Learning about Wicca can also provide individuals with a deeper understanding of their own spirituality. Through the study of Wiccan traditions and practices, individuals can explore their own beliefs and values and find what resonates with them. This exploration can lead to a sense of self-discovery and personal growth. In addition to its focus on nature and spirituality, Wicca also places a strong emphasis on personal responsibility and ethics. Wiccans believe in the ethical use of magical powers and strive to live in harmony with others and the natural world. By learning about Wicca, individuals can gain a greater understanding of these ethical teachings and apply them to their own lives. Overall, learning about Wicca can be a transformative experience that allows individuals to deepen their connection to nature, explore their spirituality, and cultivate a sense of personal responsibility. Whether one chooses to practice Wicca or simply gain knowledge about it, the journey of learning about Wicca can be a rewarding and enlightening one..
Reviews for "How to incorporate crystals and gemstones into your Wiccan practice"
1. Sarah Thompson - 2 stars
I was initially intrigued by the idea of learning about Wicca, but this book did not live up to my expectations. The author barely scratched the surface and failed to provide any in-depth information about the beliefs, practices, and history of Wicca. The content felt rushed and superficial. Additionally, the writing style was dry and lacked any sense of enthusiasm or passion for the subject matter. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to anyone genuinely interested in exploring Wicca.
2. Michael Johnson - 1 star
Learning about Wicca was a complete waste of my time. The author seemed more focused on promoting their own personal beliefs rather than providing factual information about Wicca. It felt like a hodgepodge of random ideas and opinions without any coherent structure or organization. The book lacked credibility and failed to adequately explain the principles and rituals of Wicca. Save your money and find a more comprehensive and reliable resource if you truly want to understand Wicca.
3. Emily Wilson - 2 stars
As someone who was genuinely curious about Wicca, this book left me feeling unsatisfied. The author's explanations were convoluted and confusing, making it difficult for me to grasp the fundamental concepts of Wicca. The frequent use of jargon without proper explanations further added to the confusion. I also desired more practical guidance on how to incorporate Wiccan practices into my daily life, which this book failed to provide. Overall, I found Learning about Wicca to be a frustrating and shallow introduction to a complex belief system.