The witch dreaming is a concept that revolves around the idea of witches having dreams or visions that provide them with insight, guidance, or even magical powers. In many folklore traditions and witchcraft practices, dreams are considered to be a powerful tool for witches to connect with their spiritual selves and the supernatural realm. In the witchcraft community, dreams are seen as a form of communication between witches and the spiritual entities they work with, such as deities, ancestors, or even familiar spirits. It is believed that during dreams, witches can receive messages, instructions, or warnings from these entities, which can then be used to further their magical practices or personal development. Some witches also use dream work as a means of divination or prophecy. By actively seeking dreams or using certain techniques to induce dream states, witches aim to gain insights into future events or understand hidden aspects of their lives.
By actively seeking dreams or using certain techniques to induce dream states, witches aim to gain insights into future events or understand hidden aspects of their lives. This can be done through methods such as lucid dreaming, dream journaling, or meditation before sleep. Additionally, the witch dreaming can also refer to the dreams experienced by witches within their magical practice.
The Feminist Book of Lights & Shadows (1976)
The practice of witchcraft regained its momentum during the 1970s Women's Feminist Movement. Before then, the use of witchcraft was done in private, and ultimately, there were little to no media coverage on profound witch activities in America other than the retelling of the Salem Witch Trials in late 17th century.
Zsuzsanna Emese Mokcsay, better known by her alias Z Budapest, is a Hungarian born hereditary witch. She gained the status from her mother who was a psychic and sculptor. Her mother's work mainly focused on the Roman Goddess Diana, who is known for being the goddess of the hunt, moon, and underworld. Budapest immigrated to Chicago in 1959. When her husband went on vacation with their two sons and his mistress in 1970, she knew that living as a housewife would not satisfy her. So, she took a trip to southern California and remained there, where she discovered her newfound religion.
Influenced by the traditions of Wicca (contemporary Paganism) and Budapest's maternal lineage, Dianic Wicca was born. Dianic Wicca incorporates Goddess-centered cosmology with feminist-focused spirituality. Similarly, it celebrates the eight annual Wiccan holidays based on the lunar cycle, called Sabbats. These celebrations serve to link the divine individual with the natural world. Budapest is best known for being the founder of the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number 1 in 1971. She gave herself the role of High Priestess within the coven, and their first official meeting was hosted inside her home and consisted of only seven women. As the coven grew to hundreds of members, Budapest expanded their meeting location to the Malibu mountaintops. The group gathered on Sunday mornings to honor the Goddess and discuss rituals for rites of passage such as naming newborns, healing from injury, finding love, etc. In addition, Dianic Wiccans practiced the use of "negative magic" by hexing and cursing men who cause harm unto women. Budapest boasted that "witches threw the best parties"; needless to say, they performed rituals that celebrated the sisterhood of their coven through food, music, poetry, drama, and psychedelics.
The spells and rituals that the group wanted to initially publish can be found here, in The Feminist Book of Lights & Shadows, along with explanations and listings of materials needed for the rituals. In 1979, the book was republished under a compilation of Budapest's other works, titled The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries. A year prior to publishing the book, Budapest was arrested for providing tarot card readings to costumers in her occult shop. This event allowed Budapest to gain nation-wide publicity, and it became a historical marker for feminists, witches, and fortunetellers. Budapest claimed herself as "the first witch to go on trial in 300 years." Her roaring coverage in the media laid the foundation for the California Supreme Court's legalization of fortunetelling in 1985.
Feminists like Budapest dedicate most of their careers to help women "liberate their souls and heal from wounds of patriarchy." However, as she considers transgender men and women as an injustice to spiritual womanhood, her 1970s feminist ideology is seen as controversial among modern witches and new-wave feminists. Today, Zsuzsanna Budapest is working on a television series called "Baba Boogie and the Berkeley Broads," where a conflicted immortal tries to find a new generation of feminists so she can die peacefully.
This 2nd edition (yellow cover) book is a rare find as it is no longer being printed.
This book can be found in Special Collections in McCain Library room 305. The library is open Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information about this title, contact Jennifer Brannock at .
Text by Jannie Nguyen, sophomore Political Science major
**Items of the Month featured in 2023 and part of 2024 will be the work of Southern Miss students who took HON 303, a seminar held in Fall 2022 focusing on archives and special collections.
Notes
Apel, Thomas. "Diana." Mythopedia, April 15, 2022. https://mythopedia.com/topics/diana (Accessed 3 October 2022)
Budapest, Zsuzsanna Emese, et al. The Feminist Book of Lights and Shadows. Feminist Wicca, 1976.
Netburn, Deborah. "This Feminist Witch Introduced California to Goddess Worship." Sep. 18, 2021, Los Angeles Times, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-09-18/this-feminist-witch-introducedcalifornia-to-goddess-worship (Accessed 3 October 2022)
White, Ethan Doyle. "Wicca." Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Wicca. (Accessed 3 October 2022)
Wigington, Patti. "Dianic Wicca." Learn Religions, Sep. 9, 2021, https://www.learnreligions.com/what-isdianic-wicca-2562908 (Accessed 2 October 2022)
Young, Katherine. Her Voice, Her Faith: Women Speak on World Religions. Routledge, 2002: 243-279, EBSCOhost, https://search-ebscohostcom.lynx.lib.usm.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=421181&site=ehost-live (Accessed 2 October 2022)
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Many witches use dream magic, which involves performing spells or rituals during sleep or astral projection. This practice allows witches to tap into the dream realm's energy and work with it to manifest desires or achieve specific goals. Overall, the witch dreaming is a fascinating concept that highlights the importance of dreams in witchcraft and their potential for spiritual growth, guidance, and magical practices. It demonstrates the belief that dreams are not just random thoughts or images but can hold hidden truths and powerful connections to the supernatural world..
Reviews for "The Witch's Dreamlore: Folktales and Legends of Dreaming Witches"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Witch Dreaming." The plot was confusing and hard to follow, and the characters were poorly developed. I didn't feel invested in the story at all. The acting was also subpar, with wooden performances that made it hard to connect with any of the characters. Overall, it felt like a waste of time and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
2. Sarah - 1 star - I absolutely hated "The Witch Dreaming." The storyline was convoluted and nonsensical, leaving me feeling frustrated and confused. The pacing was way too slow, and I found myself bored throughout most of the movie. The special effects were also poorly executed, making the supernatural elements seem laughable rather than scary. It was a total letdown and I regret watching it.
3. Michael - 2 stars - "The Witch Dreaming" had so much potential, but it ultimately fell flat for me. The concept was intriguing, but the execution was lackluster. The film relied too heavily on jump scares and failed to build any real sense of tension or suspense. The dialogue was also weak, with cheesy lines that took away from the overall experience. I was hoping for a chilling and atmospheric horror movie, but all I got was a mediocre and forgettable film.
4. Emily - 2.5 stars - I was not impressed with "The Witch Dreaming." The story felt disjointed and disjointed, making it difficult to fully grasp the underlying plot. The film also suffered from inconsistent pacing, with moments of intense action followed by long periods of inactivity. The performances were decent, but they couldn't save the movie from its flaws. Overall, it was a mediocre film that didn't live up to its potential.
5. Daniel - 1.5 stars - "The Witch Dreaming" was a complete waste of my time. The plot was nonsensical and the characters were poorly developed. I found myself constantly checking my watch, waiting for something interesting to happen, but I was left disappointed. The scares were predictable and failed to elicit any real fear. I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone looking for a good horror flick.