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The origin of witchcraft, where it all began. 

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The origin of witchcraft, where it all began. 

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Early witches were people who used magical spells or called upon spirits in order to help or bring about change. Most witches were thought to be pagans doing the Devil’s work. Many, however, were simply natural healers or so-called “wise women” whose choice of profession was misunderstood.

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This photo is meant to be a representation of the first recorded moment of witchcraft! 

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While it is unclear when witches came to be about, the earliest record of a witch is in the bible, in the book of 1 Samuel written between 931 B.C and 721 B.C. It tells the story of when King Saul sought the Witch of Endor to summon the dead prophet Samuel’s spirit to help him defeat the Philistine army.

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Witch hysteria really took hold in Europe during the mid-1400s, when many accused witches confessed, often under torture, to a variety of wicked behaviors. Within a century, witch hunts were common and most of the accused were executed by burning at the stake or hanging. The publication of “Malleus Maleficarum”—written by two well-respected German Dominicans in 1486—likely spurred witch mania to go viral. The book was essentially a guide on how to identify, hunt, and interrogate witches. The book quickly gained popularity among Protestants and catholics trying to flush out witches living among them.

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The Salem witch trials began when 9-year-old Elizabeth Parris and 11-year-old Abigail Williams began suffering from fits, body contortions, and uncontrolled screaming (today, it is believed that they were poisoned by a fungus that caused spasms and delusions). As more young women began to exhibit symptoms, mass hysteria ensued, and three women were accused of witchcraft: Sarah Good, Sarah Osborn, and Tituba, an enslaved woman owned by Parris’s father. Tituba confessed to being a witch and began accusing others of using black magic. On June 10, Bridget Bishop became the first accused witch to be put to death during the Salem Witch Trials when she was hanged at the Salem gallows. Ultimately, around 150 people were accused and 18 were put to death. Women weren’t the only victims of the Salem Witch Trials; six men were also convicted and executed.

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Modern-day witches of the Western world, still struggle to shake their historical stereotypes. Most practice Wicca now, Wiccans avoid evil and the appearance of evil at all costs. Their motto is to “harm none,” and they strive to live a peaceful, tolerant, and balanced life in tune with nature and humanity. Many modern-day witches still perform witchcraft, but there’s seldom anything sinister about it. Their spells and incantations are often derived from their Book of Shadows, a 20th-century collection of wisdom and witchcraft, and can be compared to the act of prayer in other religions. A modern-day witchcraft potion is more likely to be an herbal remedy for the flu instead of a hex to harm someone. Today’s witchcraft spells are usually used to stop someone from doing evil or harming themselves.

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Witches have always walked among us, but in today's time, more women are choosing to use the way of the witch. People can even use the term witch to align with their spiritual beliefs and their beliefs in the supernatural. Not all witches have to practice witchcraft, to call themselves witches. Nonetheless, witches have always been and will always be more than real.

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You'd be surprised how many famous people practice witchcraft people like the most known witches Stevie Nicks, Lana Del Ray, David Bowie, Ariana Grande, and even Elvis Presley practiced witchcraft!

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There are many types of different witches all of whom practice witchcraft, but in different ways. I will now explain some of the many types of witches!

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A witch who is part of a wider group of witches and is probably led by a high priestess. Coven witches focus more on ceremonial and ritualistic magic.

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Baby witches, this term is used simply for beginner witches. They start following their teachers, who are more experienced witches, and then over time experiment with the types of magic.

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Green witches are all about nature, healing, and nurturing. They draw their power, tools, and rituals from the earth and the outdoors and use plant, flower, and herbal preparations as a primary source of spell ingredients and ritual content. Green witches respect nature above all else.

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Crystal witches are connected to the vibration and power that comes from crystals, gems, rocks, and stones. They practice crystal magic in order to attract energy, manifest, and amplify.

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Gray witches balance between good and dark magic, depending on the situation. Gray witches will put curses and hexes on people, but only to seek justice on unfair circumstances. They typically will call on an unseen spirit to help them redirect bad energy to where it was meant to go in the first place.

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Solitary witches tend work alone and in their own stream rather than with a coven like most witches. They either follow one type of magic or sometimes use a combination of the many different types.