Exploring Witchcraft History: How Enthusiasts are Rediscovering the Past

In recent years, there has been a surge in popularity and interest around the figure of the witch. What was once seen as a fringe fascination has now become mainstream, with a growing community of individuals who proudly identify themselves as witch enthusiasts. This rise in popularity can be attributed to a variety of factors, including the resurgence of feminist ideology, the increasing popularity of witchcraft in popular culture, and the desire for a connection to nature and spirituality. One of the main reasons for the rise of the witch enthusiasts is the renewed interest in feminist ideology. In a time when women are fighting for equality and challenging traditional gender norms, the figure of the witch has become a symbol of female empowerment. Historically, witches were seen as powerful women who defied societal expectations and challenged the patriarchal norms of their time.

Historically, witches were seen as powerful women who defied societal expectations and challenged the patriarchal norms of their time. The modern witch enthusiasts see themselves as reclaiming this power and embracing their own individuality. The witch has become a figure of rebellion and strength, and many women are drawn to this image as they navigate the complexities of the modern world.

The rise of the witch enthusiasts

Happy Halloween, Tudor Enthusiasts! I was contemplating a Halloween-themed blog post for today. I already did the "haunted Tudors" post last year - which I hope you'll read if you get the chance! When I considered the topic of witchcraft (which is interesting all on its own) I thought it would be perfect for a spooky post today. I hope you find it as fascinating as I do! Because witches were not as prevalent during the 16th century, I've extended this post to encompass the 17th century as well - because that is when witch hunting really got going. Let's take a look at witches of the Tudor and Stuart dynasties.

Witchcraft in a Nutshell
Witchcraft persecutions began during Elizabeth I's reign - around 1563, which was actually much later than other areas of Europe. Witch hunts in southern France and Switzerland began as early as the 14th century.
In early modern tradition, witches were stereotypically women. The common belief was that these women would make a diabolical pact with evil spirits and appeal to their intervention. They would reject Jesus and the holy sacraments, and take part in "the Witch's Sabbath" - a parody of the mass and sacraments. By paying honor to the 'Prince of Darkness,' they would in turn receive preternatural powers - thereby becoming evil.
Folklore said that the 'Devil's Mark' would appear on the new witch's skin like a brand, to signify that the evil pact had been made. It was said during Elizabeth I's reign that the devil's mark had been spotted on Anne Boleyn - though this has been popularly seen as a cruel and unwarranted slam against her.
Interestingly, the reasons for a woman to make a pact with the devil were varied - people believed that women, in their frustrations and struggles, would appeal to the devil in order to gain powers to deal with infertility, fear for her children's well-being, or revenge against a lover.
Although witch persecutions were not really in effect until 1563, the use of witchcraft had been deemed as heresy by Pope Innocent VIII in 1484. From then until about 1750, roughly 200,000 witches were tortured, burnt, and hung across Western Europe.

What was a Witch like?
Witches were frequently characterized as being ugly and old women. (Though in Anne Boleyn's case, people were apparently willing to overlook those characteristics when they called her a witch). They were typically described as "crone-like," with snaggle teeth, sunken cheeks, and hairy lips. Not a pretty picture, and certainly similar to how we picture witches today! Also, if they were the owner of a cat, they were all the more likely to be considered a witch - that's right, even in the early modern period, cats were considered a sign of witchcraft. For that reason, most cats during the Tudor period in England were burnt or otherwise destroyed because of the fear that they would attract evil. As sad as that is, I find it interesting - we hear frequently about how kings and queens kept pets such as dogs and monkeys. but never cats! Now we know why!

Witch Persecutions
Witch persecutions were not a pretty thing. Similar to your average 16th century execution methods, the witches were handled cruelly and harshly, and were typically put under some kind of awful torture to gain a confession of their craft and other witches in the village. 'Thumb screws' and 'leg irons' seem to be the most common forms of torture used on the witches, and they usually resulted in a confession - This, of course, would have been taken as proof that witchcraft really did exist in England, because a woman being tortured would confess it! Whether it was said out of pain and agony or not, it certainly gave witch-hunters cause to continue looking and persecuting. and it only increased the fear of evil and the devil!
1645-1646 marks a short period of time when 'witch fever' gripped England hard. A man named Matthew Hopkins, a renowned witch finder, had 68 people put to death in Bury St. Edmunds and 19 people hung in Chelmsford in a single day. He was given exorbitant amounts of money for touring England and ridding towns and villages of evil witches. The grateful townsfolk would do anything and pay any price to rid their homes of the devil's influence! Because of this, many people lost their lives.
Hopkins' main 'tool' to discover witches during this period was by using a needle and poking/prodding a wart, mole, or insect bite to see if the woman felt any pain. If she didn't, it was 'solid proof' that the mark was indeed the devil's mark! There could be no question that she was a witch and would have to be executed! However, his 'needle' was no needle at all. It was a 3 inch spike that retracted into the spring-loaded handle so the women would not feel a thing.

• From April 1661-Autumn 1662, 600 witches were found - 100 were executed.
  
• Mother Samuel, from Huntingdonshire, was tortured into confessing to the death of Lady Cromwell in 1590. She, her daughter, and her husband were all hanged and their naked bodies were left there for onlookers to see.
  
• In 1616, nine witches were hanged at Market Bosworth, Leicestershire, England, for causing epilepsy in a boy.
  
• Major Thomas Weir was strangled and burnt for witchcraft in 1670 [at age 70] for incest and bestiality. His sister, Jean, was hanged for similar crimes.
  
• Margaret Aikens, a 16th century Scottish woman was known as "The Great Witch of Balver." She said she could detect other witches, and under supervision, she was taken around the world for that purpose.
  
• Jane Wenham was the last person in England to be convicted of witchcraft. This was in 1712.
  

Witchcraft continued.
During James I's reign, the 'new world' of America was discovered - and unsurprisingly, witch hunting continued there. The Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts in 1692 stemmed from King James' fear of witches - and that fear continued through his son Charles I, and all the way throughout the Stuart dynasty. Witches were no longer the subject of folklore and medieval myths - they were a real, tangible representation of the devil. They could inflict diseases on people, spoil crops, bring about bad weather, and perform other unspeakable and detestable acts of devil's work. Witches and witchcraft were a scary reality of the 16th and 17th centuries in England. Even to this day the history of witches remains something of a mystery. Was there really some kind of mythical power that certain women held? Did people truly (successfully) practice the dark arts? Or were the thousands of executions and horrible tortures for nothing? Although certainly a sad and somewhat creepy history - it is an interesting history of a type of people and a major fear of the Tudor and Stuart dynasties.

I hope you enjoyed my Halloween-themed post today! If you're dressing up as an historical figure for Halloween, please send pictures to the Tudor Enthusiast's Facebook page! Be safe, have fun, and enjoy a spooktacular Halloween!

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Some interesting info but you need to check your figures - nowhere near 200,000 witches accused/killed - more like 6000 on current estimates - quite a difference

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People back in the 17th Century took the Bible literally and believed that Heaven and Hell were real places. Everyone, not just the monarchy, thought that witches made a pact with the Devil in return for their supernatural abilities. They killed the witches because they feared the Devil, not because they worshipped him.

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If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9 RSV)

It is necessary that we note first the difference between the words, sin and sins. In Verse 8 it is in the singular number, "If we say we have no sin," in Verse 9 it is plural, "If we confess our sins." Now this marks a very important distinction, the distinction between the root which is sin, singular, and the fruit, which are sins, plural. Sin is that fallen twist in man which makes him want to play God on every occasion. We know how this is: We want the world to revolve around us, always to be the center of things. That self-centeredness is sin. It goes by other names as well -- pride, selfishness, or independence. That is the root, the twist in human nature which makes us commit sins.

Sins, therefore, are those specific forms which this inward bent makes us take from time to time. They can cover a wide range of experience. There are many kinds of sins, but all from one root, sin. This is now what Apostle John is zeroing in on. He says if we say we have no sin, that is, no capacity to commit sins, if we deny the very possibility of sins, then we deceive ourselves. Obviously, this is a worse case than the previous one. In the first instance, you remember, Apostle John says, "If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth" (1 John 1:6 RSV), i.e., we are trying to deceive others and to some degree we often succeed. But if we say we have no ability to sin at all, we are only deceiving ourselves. Others are quite aware that we are lying to and deceiving ourselves. They are not fooled, it is we who are. That is always pathetic. The man who ignores the light deceives others, but seldom himself. He knows that he is not living as he ought, he knows he is ignoring light. But this one deceives himself. He actually believes that he can no longer sin, that there is no longer any possibility of evil in him.

You say, does this really happen? Are there people so deluded that they have come to the place where they really think they cannot sin? Unfortunately, we must say "Yes," it often happens in our day, and for several reasons. But whenever it happens, the one who makes this claim loses immediately that glorious "fellowship" which makes Christianity so vital and unforgettable. He loses his power, his influence, his vitality, and his effectiveness as a Christian. His life becomes lusterless, orthodox, dull, and deadening. Now how does this happen? There are primarily three ways in which this occurs:

First, a Christian can become the victim of one of the cults which teach along this line. There are cults which deny the reality of sin, who say that sin is but "an error of mortal mind." Sin, they say, has no real existence, it is a mere figment of the imagination, and all that is necessary to deal with sin is to correct your thinking. You will recognize that this teaching is widespread. It is represented by groups such as Christian Science, the Unity School of Christianity, and Religious Science. Also, it is widespread in non-Christian religions such as Theosophy, Hinduism, and Buddhism. They teach this concept that sin does not really exist, it is merely in the mind. Truth exists, and good exists, but sin does not have objective reality.

Unfortunately there are many who are really Christians who have fallen into this trap and believe that sin merely calls for an adjustment in their thinking. But John says if you believe that, the truth is not in you, there is no light in you, for light is truth and truth is light. The truth as it is revealed in Jesus says quite differently. According to the word of the Lord, both directly from his own lips and through the apostles that followed, the truth is that sin is a very objective reality. It does exist, it is always a present possibility. It finds its final expression in the great hosts of satanically-controlled beings who are at work in the world, as we have seen in previous series, influencing and controlling the thinking of men. Sin is personified in the person of the adversary, the devil, but it exists as a very powerful and persuasive factor in life. To treat it as though it is not there is but to practice self-deception and to become the victim of the saddest of delusions.

Sin does exist. There is nothing more pathetic than the person who denies the reality of sin.

What happens when a person dies? I am fearful of dying.

The Bible speaks of physical death and spiritual death. When a person dies physically, the soul and spirit leave the body in an inanimate state on earth. Those who die physically in Christ are united spiritually with God, while those who die apart from Christ await the final judgment. Physical death, therefore, is the separation of the soul and spirit from the body.

Spiritual death is the separation of the soul and spirit from God. It is possible to be physically alive on earth while being spiritually dead. Apostle Paul describes those “who were dead in trespasses and sins” in Ephesians 2:1. Paul also wrote that sin entered the world through Adam and spread to every person (Romans 5:12), and that the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Spiritually dead persons are “made alive” through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:1). Whatever one’s spiritual condition at the time of physical death, whether spiritually alive or spiritually dead, passes through to eternity.

So physical death is the separation of the spiritual nature of man from the body, while spiritual death is the separation of the spiritual nature of man from God. For a Christian (born again), physical death is nothing more than a doorway through which we pass into eternal life. Jesus said it best: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). There is no reason for a Christian to fear physical death. Through faith in Christ, we have eternal life even before die physically (John 17:3).

If you were to die right now, do you think you would enter into Heaven? Would you like to have the absolute assurance that you will be welcome there? If so then, pray this simple prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I know I cannot earn my way into Heaven. I thank you for sacrificing your life so that my sins could be forgiven. I know the only way anyone can receive forgiveness is through you, and so I come to you now and ask you to come into my life, forgive me of my sins, cleanse me, heal me, and be my personal savior so I may have eternal life through you. I pray in your name Jesus. Amen.

As a continuation of your faith in Christ, you should start studying the Bible daily in order to gain a closer relationship with God, also find a local church to attend that teaches directly from the Bible so you will have someone to answer any questions you may still have. Welcome to the family of God!

Unfortunately there are many who are really Christians who have fallen into this trap and believe that sin merely calls for an adjustment in their thinking. But John says if you believe that, the truth is not in you, there is no light in you, for light is truth and truth is light. The truth as it is revealed in Jesus says quite differently. According to the word of the Lord, both directly from his own lips and through the apostles that followed, the truth is that sin is a very objective reality. It does exist, it is always a present possibility. It finds its final expression in the great hosts of satanically-controlled beings who are at work in the world, as we have seen in previous series, influencing and controlling the thinking of men. Sin is personified in the person of the adversary, the devil, but it exists as a very powerful and persuasive factor in life. To treat it as though it is not there is but to practice self-deception and to become the victim of the saddest of delusions.

Additionally, the increasing popularity of witchcraft in popular culture has helped fuel the rise of the witch enthusiasts. From movies like "The Craft" to TV shows like "American Horror Story: Coven", witches have become a staple in mainstream media. These portrayals often depict witches as complex characters with an array of supernatural abilities, further adding to their allure. The media has played a significant role in shaping the public perception of witches and has contributed to a more positive and accepting view of witchcraft. Furthermore, many individuals are turning to witchcraft as a means of reconnecting with nature and finding spiritual fulfillment. In a world that is increasingly digital and disconnected, witchcraft offers a pathway to a deeper connection with the natural world. Many witch enthusiasts practice various forms of nature-based spirituality, including herbalism, tarot reading, and moon ceremonies. These practices provide a sense of grounding and offer individuals a way to tap into their own intuition and inner wisdom. In conclusion, the rise of the witch enthusiasts can be attributed to a variety of factors, including the resurgence of feminist ideology, the influence of popular culture, and the desire for a deeper connection to nature and spirituality. As the interest in witches continues to grow, so too does the community of individuals who proudly embrace the label of witch enthusiast. The rise of the witch enthusiasts represents a shift in societal attitudes and a reclaiming of power and identity..

Reviews for "Witchcraft and Meditation: The Spiritual Practices of Enthusiasts"

1. John - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "The Rise of the Witch Enthusiasts". The plot was weak and predictable, and the characters were one-dimensional. I found it hard to connect with any of them or care about their journey. The writing style felt forced and at times even amateurish. Overall, I felt like this book was a waste of my time.

2. Samantha - 1/5 - I absolutely hated "The Rise of the Witch Enthusiasts". The story was slow, uneventful, and lacked any depth. The author attempted to create suspense, but it fell flat. The characters were uninteresting and lacked development. The whole concept of witch enthusiasts was not explored enough, leaving me unsatisfied and disconnected from the narrative. I would not recommend this book to anyone.

3. Michael - 2/5 - "The Rise of the Witch Enthusiasts" failed to captivate my interest. The pacing was off, dragging in some parts while rushing through others. The plot lacked originality and felt like a hodgepodge of clichés. The dialogues were poorly written, lacking authenticity and depth. The ending was unsatisfying, leaving many loose ends. Overall, I found the book underwhelming and forgettable.

4. Emily - 2.5/5 - While there were moments of intrigue in "The Rise of the Witch Enthusiasts", overall, I found it underwhelming. The writing style was disjointed, and the characters were not well-developed. The author attempted to create a unique and mysterious world, but their execution fell short. The pacing was off, making it hard to get invested in the story. Despite some interesting ideas, this book ultimately fell flat for me.

The Witch's Craft: The Artistic Expressions within the Enthusiast Community