The broomstick has long been associated with witchcraft and is an iconic symbol in folklore and popular culture. It holds significance in the context of witchcraft due to its historical connection to rituals and practices. One theory suggests that broomsticks were used as instruments for applying ointments to sensitive areas of the body for the purpose of achieving an altered state of consciousness. The ointments contained various ingredients, including hallucinogenic herbs, which were absorbed through the skin. The broomstick was then used to help spread the ointment, hence the association between witches and flying on broomsticks. Another theory proposes that the broomstick symbolizes the sweeping away of negative energy and spiritual cleansing.
If people all over the world can find so many ways to harness it, then you can find a way to harness it too.
You re going to have to be creative, adapt techniques and exercises for your use, and spend time looking for forms of magic that aren t visualization-dependent. You re going to have to be creative, adapt techniques and exercises for your use, and spend time looking for forms of magic that aren t visualization-dependent.
Another theory proposes that the broomstick symbolizes the sweeping away of negative energy and spiritual cleansing. In rituals, witches would "sweep" the area in which they intended to perform their magic, removing any detrimental or unwanted influences. The sweeping motion was believed to create a sacred space for the practitioner and strengthen their connection to the spiritual realm.
The Thumbsucking Witch
You probably never did this, but when I was a little girl, I sucked my thumb. Long after other kids had quit, I was still doing it. Losing patience, my mom tried painting my thumbs with some gross-tasting liquid to make me stop. Instead, I sucked my poisoned thumbs and wept with indignation. She put me on incentive programs, offered me prizes, rolled her eyes, issued dire warnings about other kids not wanting to be friends with me, but it was all in vain. I was an only child and prone to tears – I wasn’t about to surrender my only reliable source of comfort for a Barbie doll or some vague threat of social isolation.
So my mother told me about the Thumbsucking Witch.
The Thumbsucking Witch was supposed to be nice, but every child knows there’s no such thing as a nice witch. Witches are mean, fairies are nice. Elementary stuff, but Mom insisted the Thumbsucking Witch was good-natured. When she caught me sucking my thumb, she would give me a friendly little pinch and I would remember to stop.
A witch who pinched me just at the moment I had achieved a temporary and uneasy peace? This was my mother’s idea of “good-natured” and “friendly?” What, then, qualified as evil? These were the kinds of questions that kept me sucking my thumb.
According to my mother, I couldn’t see the Thumbsucking Witch but she could see me. Was she invisible or just hiding in the room somewhere? Could she see me when I was in the bathroom? The closet? Was anywhere safe? Was she ever NOT watching me?
I believe both the Cold War and my mother’s fascination with James Bond spy movies provide relevant context for my surveillance paranoia.
I believed in the Thumbsucking Witch. I didn’t believe she was nice – I was no Pollyanna—but I believed she existed and followed me everywhere, waiting for me to screw up so she could punish me. This, by the way, is a pretty typical GenX origin story.
Anyway, I met her. I met the Thumbsucking Witch late one night when I couldn’t sleep. She poked her head and torso through my window, wearing standard-issue pointy black hat and billowing black robes, though no wand — curious. Nothing about her was friendly. She stayed for about half an hour, shaming and reprimanding me for my disgusting, babyish habit. Again and again I would bring my thumb to my lips and then force it back down under the covers, delirious with fear and longing.
When the witch flew away, having first extracted my trembling promise to quit sucking my thumb and threatening to return if I didn’t, I climbed down from my playhouse bed and ran to my parents’ room. I had been right the whole time; the Thumbsucking Witch was not nice. How dare my mother lie to me about something so fundamental? How dare she?
Mom was unimpressed with my hysterics. “Marta, the Thumbsucking Witch isn’t real. I made her up so you would stop sucking your thumb. You must have just had a bad dream.”
I would have none of it. “She was in my window, she was MEAN and she scared me.” I can only imagine what this scene must have been like for my mother, who had a Master’s degree in psychology and had just graduated from law school. How to counsel such an irrational client?
My mother was not the type to indulge drama and sent me back to bed, bawling I’m sure, afraid to suck my thumb and yet needing it to calm down. I wanted to believe that my mother was telling the truth, that the Thumbsucking Witch was just a character she had made up to get me to quit a bad habit — it made sense — but I had seen the Thumbsucking Witch. I had heard her. I knew she had visited my room and frightened me. Didn’t I?
How is a five-year-old supposed to reconcile the rational truth with her perceived experience? How is a 45-year-old supposed to do that?
So odd, the things that cross your mind as you listen to the news.
I hope you’re well and happy, ready for whatever comes next. I, for one, am wishing for a dull, quiet year, but it doesn’t look like we’re going to get one. Never mind … we have each other.
Alright, let’s get this out of the way right up front, there is nothing wrong with you! You are not somehow broken because you cannot see things in your mind’s eye. You do not have any less access to the powers that make magic possible than any other person. You’re simply working with a different toolkit than the average person is.
The broomstick has also been linked to fertility and abundance. In some traditional rituals, the broomstick was used to symbolize the union between the masculine and feminine aspects of nature, representing the balance of opposites and the creation of new life. It was believed to harness the energies of the earth and sky, bringing forth abundance and prosperity. Overall, the broomstick holds multiple meanings in the context of witchcraft. It represents the use of natural tools for spiritual practices, the act of sweeping away negativity, and the connection to the cycles of nature. While its association with flying witches may be the most well-known aspect, the broomstick encompasses a deeper symbolism that reflects the beliefs and practices of witches throughout history..
Reviews for "The Broomstick and Femininity: Examining the Connection in Witchcraft"
1. Emily - 2/5 stars - The broomstick and its meaning in the context of witchcraft was a disappointment for me. I was expecting a more in-depth exploration of the topic, but instead, it presented a shallow overview of the history and symbolism of broomsticks in witchcraft. The book lacked substantial research and failed to provide any new insights into the subject. Overall, I found it to be a lackluster read and not worth the time or money.
2. Peter - 3/5 stars - While "The broomstick and its meaning in the context of witchcraft" had some interesting information, I found it to be a bit repetitive and disorganized. The author jumped from one aspect to another without providing a cohesive narrative or analysis. Additionally, there were several instances where the writing felt biased and subjective, rather than presenting a balanced view. I expected a more scholarly approach to the subject, but unfortunately, this book didn't meet my expectations.
3. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I found "The broomstick and its meaning in the context of witchcraft" to be completely uninformative and misleading. The book made sweeping generalizations about the role of broomsticks in witchcraft without providing any credible sources or evidence. It felt more like a collection of opinions and hearsay rather than well-researched facts. I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking a serious and accurate exploration of the topic.