I have a soft spot for witches. Not the ghoulishly scary ones with green eyes and cackling voices, but witches in fairy tales who live in the woods, old ladies who live in creepy houses who are labeled witches by children with wild imaginations, women of long ago who were accused of witchcraft by frenzied neighbors caught up in religious fervor.

I like to believe these women, denied beauty of face and marriage or single by choice, became self-reliant and of strong will, yet were misunderstood by a society of men who thought women incapable of making decisions and handling their own affairs.

Many studied the beneficial uses of plants and were herbalists sought out by others. Again, when their only intent was to ease pain or cure a sickness, they were condemned by the church for doing the devil’s work.   

There may have been some at the time who appeared deranged, but I reason they may have ingested plants that created delusion such as the Native Americans practiced. An equal comparison can be made to our own culture and misuse of manufactured drugs.

Also, in the past not much was known about mental illness or causes of dementia. You can easily see why some may have been thought to be possessed.

Spells? Hexes? Potions? A form of what could be called witchcraft has been present in most cultures, and endures today. In years past, the belief in witches was due to ignorance or projection of one person’s fears onto another. Now that we have greater scientific knowledge you would think people would not be susceptible to “witchcraft.” The truth is, though we can understand something intellectually, we are still emotional beings. Innocent animals are slaughtered for their body parts to make a potion because someone in Asia thinks it will make him more virile. A witchdoctor in Africa puts a hex on a person to become ill or die and it comes to pass. I’m sure you have heard of someone say, “I knew that was going to happen,” in what we declare a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy.’

Why do humans still believe in these powers and why do they appear to work? The answer is simple: If a person feels strongly through positive anticipation, or fear, that the potion or hex will take affect there is a greater chance that it will. Even scientific controlled studies have shown this can happen, for example, when a person feels better after taking a placebo rather than the medication being tested.

Witches, or people who call themselves witches, exist today. You may even have someone who practices witchcraft living near you. Before you get all excited and judgmental, let me tell you it has changed and evolved. It is not the witchcraft of old.

The philosophy and practice is more akin to ‘new age’ and its mysticism and spirituality. Those who call themselves witches believe in only positive energy and doing good. There are many books devoted to the craft. One I recently read, The Door to Witchcraft  by Tonya Brown, is filled with instructions for spells and potions. I was not tempted to try them; besides, some of the ingredients were rare and you had to hunt them down. However, while reading I was reminded of the incense I burned in the 60s and the scented candles I buy today to create an atmosphere or good feeling in the air. Then I understood: the potions and spells are used to appeal to the senses and help create the positive energy to cause the desired affect.

Does my affinity for witches make me want to practice witchcraft? I do grow herbs, but I only use them for cooking. No. It looks like too much work, and it doesn’t suit my logical, cynical mind. One witch practice, though, I do agree with: sending out positive energy. Without the frills.