January Witches

Since this is my first blog about witches for the year I thought I'd start with a definition. The word Wicca comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word wicce, a witch. Today, the words Wicca, Shamanism, Witchcraft, Witch, Wise Woman, Cunning Man, Magician are often used.

Wicca is a Pagan religion of Goddess and God. With the growing environmental awareness in society, it is also considered a Nature relgiion. In Wicca Nature itself is sacred and holy.

So, what's special about witches and January? How about January 13th? It is the Irish Festival of Brewing celebrated by pre-Christian Celtic people. The day is also called Midvintershlot. It was traditionally the longest and coldest day of winter. On this day, pagans took inventory of their food stocks to make sure they could survive the second half of winter. People took stock of grain stores. If a surplus was found to exist, they celebrated and that became the Festival of Brewing.

The fun starts on January 13 with a witch grabbing a bell and waiting for darkness. Then they ritually cleanse themselves, wash their clothes, and their bell. They dedicate the sound of their bell to the banishment of evil. Open the windows and doors of your home and clang your bell in every room, while ordering any spirit with bad intentions to leave. Close the windows and doors. Next circle you rhouse three times clanging the bell. Choose to be happy.

Enjoy.

-Darcy