The practice of hexes and curses by modern Witches NEW YORK – Do you curse? — It’s one of the most loaded questions in modern Witchcraft circles. And for good reason. For centuries, it was the Witch’s curse that people feared. Dead livestock, crop failure, disease – each was attributed to the Witch. History is replete with the outright persecution of magical practitioners based on ignorance or, in some cases, the fearful notion that they engaged [...]

“You are the candle, you are the sword”: a profile of Dr. Leo Louis Martello Leo Martello – 1970 Witch-In, Central Park, NYC [courtesy] NEW YORK – Long before it was commonplace for modern-day Pagans to participate in large-scale public rituals, there was the “Witch-In.” The event – a gathering of Witches, Wiccans, and other magical practitioners – was held in New York City’s Central Park on October 31st, 1970. It drew over a [...]

Hekate: the goddess who reigns over many realms Altar to Hecate [Image credit: Antonio Pagliarulo] Among the pantheon of deities worshipped by modern-day Witches, the goddess Hekate has witnessed a stunning resurgence. Known for her three-headed visage that can be traced back millennia, Hekate has moved beyond her role as the goddess of the crossroads, synonymous with magic, mystery, death, and rebirth. She is now a towering presence on the global spiritual landscape and in [...]

End-of-pandemic hopes rise, just in time for pagan holiday Ostara Buzz on social media is forecasting a more robust celebration this year for Ostara, the pagan holiday adapted as Easter by Christians. (RNS) — For many of Laurie Cabot’s neighbors in Salem, Massachusetts, the vernal equinox, the first day of spring, is a sign of hope that warmer weather will soon bring relief from a long pandemic winter spent mostly apart. For Cabot, the official [...]

This Valentine’s Day, some pass up chocolates and flowers for love spells Though magic is a cornerstone of modern-day witchcraft, many who practice spells are not witches but seekers looking to make positive change in their lives. Ali Marie has long felt unconnected to the Valentine’s Day displays that bloomed each February at her local supermarket in Long Island City, across the East River from Manhattan. The candy-and-flowers tradition was more likely to fill Marie, [...]