Bewitched
Witches flourish in Britain today, not wizened hags on broomsticks but middle-class
house-wives who shop in supermarkets, not Devil-worshippers but people who believe that
witchcraft is the "Old Religion" of pre-Christian times. Witches hold 13
meetings a year , one each lunar month. Whenever possible, these meetings are held on the
full moon, and are known as "esbats" (to distinguish them from the sabbits, the
four major festivals of the year). The witches , who worship comic
forces, claim to work magic for general good of the community at their meetings, healing
the sick, for example or helping the crops to grow.
Traditionally
witches work naked- as a symbol of freedom and so that power can flow freely from their
bodies. The women wear neck-laces, which are symbols of eternity. A circle is drawn to
concentrate the power raised by the witches not to keep evil spirits out, spirits evil of
otherwise have no part in witch ritual.
In the
middle of the circle is an alter on are receptacles for salt and water, a bunch of herbs
cords a wand, censer of incense, a candle, scourge, a chalice, and crescent –shaped
cakes, which will be used in the cake and wine ceremony at the end of the esbat.
The high
priestess kneels at the altar and consecrates the salt and water, mixing them together
with her athame-the black-handles knife which each witch should possess and should carry
with her everywhere. Using the bunch of herbs as a sprinkler, she sprinkler the mixture of
salt and water on the witches to purify them. She herself is purified by the high priest.
The witches
then try to help those who are in trouble. The usual method is the traditional one of
dancing and chanting, though different covens work different ways. Sometimes wax images
are use for healing purposes, and a favourite way for a witch to work, is on her own, to
"bind a spell" using her athame and cord. Only three pieces of magical work can
be done at each meeting the they must replenish what they have given out. After the
magical work come the cake and wine ceremony, which is purely a rite of thanksgiving
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