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OCCULTISM IN AMERICA
…from colonial times

Two major forms:

1. Astrology - charted the course of the heavens; related the lives of human beings to the stars; revealed cosmic clues aimed at determining good and bad days.

2. Witchcraft - 3 types: formal witchcraft, popular witchcraft, Satanic witchcraft (?)
WITCHCRAFT
…Three Types
1. Formal Witchcraft: serious practice of the nature religions (paganism) that once dominated Europe before Christianity.

Pennsylvania German community

Johannes Kelpius (1573-1708) founds "brotherhood" in Germantown, PA

The Woman in the Wilderness: blended pagan, Christian, and Jewish elements

searched for sacred power through nature

WITCHCRAFT
…Three Types

2. Popular witchcraft - magic used to remedy everyday problems

"Cunning folk" drew on special rituals to contact the powers of nature and benefit the community:

heal the sick

locate treasure with a divining rod

bring fair winds for sailing, etc.

WITCHCRAFT
…Three Types

3. "Satanic Witchcraft" - believed to use the power of Satan as a counterforce to the power of the Christian God

usually poor, eccentric, elderly women

said to use their powers to the disadvantage of others

Salem witchcraft episode of 1692 - supposed witches were burned alive!

NEO-PAGANISM & WICCA

…The Neo-pagan spiritual impulse:

REMYTHOLGIZING THE WORLD!!

1. Myth

2. Magic

3. Meaning

a quest to rediscover meaning

one of the fastest growing new religious movements in America, today

NEO-PAGANISM & WICCA

Neo-paganism = a broad term embracing a wide variety of contemporary groups:

environmentalism - earth-oriented

feminist movement

ritual magic

typically tries to recreate primal religions using current cultural ideas and ideals

NEO-PAGANISM & WICCA

Wicca = ("to bend or alter") a branch of neo-paganism descending from the pre-Christian religions of Europe:

also feminist and environmentalist

ritual magic-based

Wiccans, or witches, deny any connection to evil or Satan

reawaken ancient powers and dieties

CASTING THE CIRCLE

Casting a circle creates a sacred space wherein magic or ritual can be worked

Key "circle symbols" and their meanings:

1. The Sword = air; the intellect

2. The Wand = fire; the human will

3. The Cup = water; the human emotions

4. The Pentacle = earth; the human body
CASTING THE CIRCLE

THE FOUR ELEMENTS AND FOUR DIRECTIONS ARE HONORED:

1. East = Air

2. South = Fire

3. West = Water

4. North = Earth

The circle caster = 5th element, SPIRIT

RITUAL MAGIC

Magic, or spellwork, is a means by which a prayer or petition is carried out in ritual.

1. Facilitators of magic = candles, colored cloth, herbs, incense; used for atmosphere and focus

2. Real magic = focus and intention create the "real magic."

Wicca
Ethical Principles

"Instant Karma" - the "threefold law" -Whatever you do comes back to you three times over.

Core credo = "An it harm none, do what thou wilt."

doctrine of reincarnation assures justice in this world and beyond

use magic to achieve balance & harmony

THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT

Perpetuates every dangerous and ignorant stereotype about witches and witchcraft

witches are Satanic

witches lurk in nature and use it as a cover for evil

witches steal children and sacrifice them to some satanic deity

witches use magic for evil purposes