Traditional Witchcraft and the Occult: Can Witchcraft Really Help You to Achieve Wealth and Success?

Spells for Money and Wealth

Many people – probably most people – doubt that witchcraft can be used for prosperity or success.

Those who do believe are often inclined to see witchcraft only as a self-help tool, something that can be used to clear out old thought patterns, leading to more positive thoughts and success in financial and career endeavors.

While witchcraft undoubtedly has an effect on the person performing it and it may well be used to reprogram the brain for success the ways the positive thinking cult gurus claim, however, this is not the main purpose of witchcraft.

Witchcraft is primarily used to affect the outside environment, to destroy negative forces around us, to clear the path to success of all obstacles, to destroy those who would oppose our success and to arrange affairs in the world in our favor.

Thinking positive is simply not enough. While there are powerful mental forces in the the universe, mere thoughts are not powerful enough to have an effect on the outer environment. There must be great force behind the thoughts – or the will. Successfully using that power consistently comes from an understanding of the occult sciences.

A lot of people who were skeptics before trying a spell in to get money in an emergency situation are amazed at how effective it can be. Maybe they have a sudden expense come up and they need a particular sum. After working a spell, they get that exact amount of money to the penny. This is a common story, but all too often people stop there.

But, in order to get the best results out of prosperity spells, they should be worked very regularly. Moreover, it is important to develop a plan of action involving witchcraft for creating a more financially stable life beginning by clearing out any hexes that may have been placed upon you, clearing out obstacles, meeting your immediate obligations, then finally accumulating wealth so you can live the life you always dreamed of.

The book, Spells for Money and Wealth, shows you how to do this.

Although a lot of people are suffering right now because of the current economy, not everyone is at the same place financially.

If you are in debt, you will need to do a little more work than someone who is not. First of all, you must destroy any hexes or other adversarial energy, which may be intelligences or thought forms, that may be working against you. Once you’ve done that, you must destroy obstacles in your outer environment.

Spells for Money and Wealth

Then, you must get a steady flow of money coming through your door. While Spells for Money and Wealth contains spells for emergency situations, it is ideal to get far enough ahead that emergencies are either rare or non-existent. The regular practice of witchcraft for prosperity helps to bring a steady flow of money into your bank account. After this, you can begin to accrue wealth.

While you can accomplish a great deal under your own occult power, it is important to have powerful spiritual allies who can arrange circumstances in the physical world in your favor. Alliances with the dead, the saints, the deities of the ancient world and other powerful spirits can help you accomplish specific goals.

This and more is discussed in Spells for Money and Wealth.

Learn How to Cast a Magic Spell for Prosperity and Financial Success

Are you unhappy with your present financial situation?
Would you like more money?
Would you like a better job, a raise or a promotion?
Are there things you would like to buy, but you need more money?
Do you want to be surrounded by other successful and wealth people?
Would you like to never have to worry about having enough money, again?

Here’s the opportunity to end your money problems forever…

This is the original book of Spells for Money and Wealth by author, researcher and occultist, Angela Kaelin.

Maybe you have already asked yourself why some people seem to enjoy a life of luxury and have the knack of making money easily.

A few of these successful people are famous or run famous companies, but most are just ordinary men and women – just like you or me who somehow seem to have the mysterious power to attract money, good fortune, riches and success.

It is a fact that many people are still using witchcraft today.

Now, this genuine powerful occult knowledge is offered at a price you can afford!

While more people are becoming interested in witchcraft and the occult, many are quickly disappointed because they try a magic spell and it doesn’t work or they buy a useless lucky charm and soon realize that they have wasted their money.

Now you can prove to yourself once and for all that occult forces do exist.

How to get what you want by means of occult knowledge and power…

Spells for Money and Wealth reveals the mystical and occult formulas used by successful occultists throughout history to keep a steady flow of money coming through their doors and includes wealth-drawing you can use to bring riches into your own life and ultimately get whatever it is you want out of your success.

Discover how to:

Clear out old energy patterns that are keeping you from success
Destroy obstacles
Lay the foundation for financial success
Transform yourself so you can take on any challenge
Attract powerful and influential friends
Have the red carpet rolled out for you

Ultimately, achieve whatever you want to in your business or career. Imagine yourself never having to worry about money, again – having all the wealth you will ever need and enjoying the fruits of your successful endeavors.

Spells for Money and Wealth

Looking for a job promotion?
A pay raise?
A business of you own?
Maybe you would like a lifetime of leisure and relaxation – knowing that you need never work, again.

With all the money you want, what would you buy?

A big house
A new car?
An exotic vacation?
A life of happiness?

Don’t miss this opportunity!

Get Spells for Money and Wealth today!

Copyright 2013-2019 © Winter Tempest Books.
All rights reserved.

Witchcraft and Love Magic in the Ozark Mountains Old-fashioned Love Spells

by A. Giovanni

(This article is reprinted here with the permission of the author, A. Giovanni.)

Granny and Jed Clampett from The Beverly Hillbillies. (Public domain image.)

Most people who have seen the old television comedy “The Beverly Hillbillies” have no idea about some of the little grains of truth in the show. The show’s creator, Paul Henning, was a native Missourian who was clearly very familiar with the area and the people of the Ozark Mountain region. On the show, the Clampetts make visits to such locations as Silver Dollar City, Springfield and Joplin, Missouri.

What most people who have watched the show never guess is that Granny was more than just Elly May’s grandmother. Granny, who once says she comes from Taney County, which is the southwestern Missouri county where Branson is located, is a “granny woman,” which is an old Ozark term for conjure woman. The word, “medicine,” is another word for potion among old-timers.

“Hillbilly” is perceived by some a pejorative term and probably to others it seems like a joke. The rest of the world probably can’t imagine what the area is still like–even today. It’s probably especially hard for city-folk to imagine that there are such people as those who live in the hills outside of beautiful, modern Branson, Missouri. They’ve have always been secretive and distrusting of outsiders and for years nobody knew much at all about them until a folk researcher named Vance Randolph married an Ozarker and spent decades trying to ingratiate himself into their culture, which is really impossible for anyone who wasn’t born among them.

In the 1940s he published several books, but arguably the best one is “Ozark Mountain Magic and Folklore.” The ancestors of the original Ozark Mountain settlers came from England and Scotland by way of Appalachia. And, as is alluded to in a two-part episode where the hillbillies go back to England to find their noble ancestors, their ancestors were probably among the earliest American arrivals and were made of a rough, tough stock of people who could survive even the worst adversity.

The Ozark Mountains is still very rough terrain, but 100 years ago, it was only a special breed of people with strong survival skills who were able to live there. The winters are hard and the people live in relative isolation from each other in the hills and “hollers.” Before recent modernization of the highways and literally cutting through the rocks of mountains made travel easier, they were isolated from the outside world and often from each other. They had to rely on what they knew about the environment, animals, insects, plants and herbs and the practice of witchcraft, which grew and thrived among them.

They had magic for all the important aspects of life, but love and courtships was very important, especially for young women although young men, also, practiced love magic. Girls conducted a variety of spells to see their future husbands or to know his name. They used charms and potions to induce love and lust and to dominate their boyfriends and husband.

The following are just a few love spells collected by Randolph in the Missouri Ozarks:

Beltane, the 1st day of May, is a very important day for those who want to know the identity of their future husbands.

Mirror scrying

If you would like to see your future husband, you must go to a well at noon on May Day and hold a mirror in such a way that it reflects the daylight into the darkness. Then, look into the water and you should see the face of your future mate. But, if you happen to see yourself lying in a coffin, you will die before the next May Day. If you see nothing, you’ll probably be an old maid.

A variation on this procedure requires you to have a glass of water, a gold ring and a mirror. Place the glass in front of the mirror and gaze fixedly at the reflection of the ring in the water.

If you want to see the face of your future husband, rise very early on May 1st and go to the well carrying a guinea egg and a glass. Once at the well, break the egg into the cup and gaze into the water. There you should see the initials of your husband to be reflected in the water of the well.

Similarly, if you wake early on May 1st and look into the reflection of a mirror, you should see the reflection of your future husband’s face or his initials

If you would like to dream about your future mate, look at the new moon over your right shoulder at night and repeat the following incantation:

“New moon, new moon, do tell me

Who my own true lover will be,

The color of his hair, the clothes that he will wear

And the happy day he will wed me.”

Love Attraction and Lover Return Spells

Wear a yellow garter to attract a man and keep him faithful.

Carry a wasps nest to attract men. If you attach it to the aforementioned garter, so much the better.

The following love charm will probably only be practical if you work in a morgue or have legal access to dead bodies. You must obtain a needle that has been stuck into a dead body. Cover it with dirt in which a corpse has been laid. Then wrap the whole thing in a piece of cloth cut from the shroud that has covered a dead body. Keep this charm with you to make any woman fall in love with you.

If you take the needle from the above charm and stick into the footprint in your own yard where your lover has stepped, he will have to stay with you whether he wants to or not. If he leaves you, he will get sick and if he stays away very long he will die.

Use the following spell if your lover has been away from you for a while and you want to see him. This spell is said to work regardless of circumstances and is most effective on married men or those otherwise engaged or involved.

Arrange your shoes in a “T” shape. As you do so recite the following incantation:

“When my true love I want to see, I place my shoes in the shape of a ‘T’.”

If you have quarreled with your true love and want to make up, prick the middle finger of your left hand with a needle. Write your initials on an ironwood chip and bury it. He’ll be back within three days.

If you want to inspire desire and lust in your lover, keep dried turkey bones in the room or car where the two of you will meet. This will put him or her in an amorous mood.

The dried tongue of a turtle dove, likewise concealed, will render a girl unable to resist your advances.

There are many more spells and customs among the people of the Ozarks, but it’s difficult to know how many people still practicing such things. The area, especially around Branson and the Lakes has become the new home for a lot of fundamentalist Christians who believe that theirs is the only history. And, they are very fearful of anything that seems to them to be witchcraft. So, witches in the area are very much in the closet.

Copyright © 2012 A. Giovanni. All rights reserved.

Traditional Witches’ Book of Love Spells

Cast your own powerful love spells.

Includes formulas for necessary inks, potions and magical oils.

No moralizing, no judgments, no fluff.

Spells to Find an Unknown Love
Spells to Attract a Particular Person
Spells to Bind a Lover to You
Commanding Spells
Spells to Reunite Lovers
Spells to Banish Unwanted Persons

 

 

About Santa Muerte or Holy Death: Ritual to Consecrate a Talisman to the White Lady of Mexico

by Sophia diGregorio

Sophia diGregorio is the author of The Grimoire of Santa Muerte: Spells and Rituals of Most Holy Death, the Unofficial Saint of Mexico

Santa Muerte, or Holy Death Death, is believed by some to be a representation of an ancient Aztec goddess called Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of the Dead. Although this origin is disputed by other researchers who point to a long history of death goddesses throughout Mexico and in Western Europe, as well. She may be a little bit of both.

Santa Muerte was practically unknown until a few years ago. According to one account, her influence grew in Tepito, which is a neighborhood in Mexico City that the police were unable to control. She is sometimes described as a “narco-saint” and is associated in the minds of law enforcement agencies with the drug trade. But, her significance and popularity is much broader than that.

Santa Muerte is not necessarily associated with crime, but she might be characterized as a spirit of defiance, which has grown out of the injustices perpetrated by the government and law enforcement agencies on good, hard-working Mexican people. The police and the organized criminal class is intertwined in Mexico, just as they are in many large cities in the U.S.

Los Zetas, the infamous drug traffickers said to be responsible for a great deal of violence in Mexico, was formed by police officers. In cities like Juarez, it is estimated by some that 1/3 of the police department is comprised of members of drug cartels. In other parts of Mexico, the police engage in the human trafficking of people from Guatemala and El Salvador. Sporadically, there are reports of good townspeople fighting the police to rescue the victims.

So, you can see that, at least in some places in Mexico, if you have been victimized by criminals, the police and the legal system may not be the best place to turn for help.

In past centuries, the Catholic Church has stood between criminal governments and the people, but the Catholic Church in Mexico has failed to meet the needs of many Mexicans either physically or spiritually.

Because of this, Santa Muerte has become a refuge for those who need protection from criminals of both the common and police classes.

In circumstances of oppression like this, witchcraft always grows darker and stronger. Such is the case with the Santa Muerte.

Her popularity is, also, growing in parts of the U.S. where people face similar injustices and dangers from the same two classes of people.

Grimoire of Santa Muerte: Spells and Rituals of Most Holy Death, the Unofficial Saint of Mexico

Getting to Know Santa Muerte

Grimoire of Santa Muerte: Spells and Rituals of Most Holy Death, the Unofficial by Sophia diGregorio

In most representations of Santa Muerte, she is depicted as a skeleton wearing a hood and holding a scythe like the grim reaper. The scythe and her deathly appearance symbolize her power over life and death. Essentially, she is the spirit of death and probably a combination of several such spirits from both Mexico and southwestern Europe.

Because of her thin, skeletal image, she is sometimes called “la niña blanca” (the white lady or “thewhite girl”) or “la niña flaca” (“the skinny girl”). She is quietly referred to by many as, “mi amiga” (“my friend”).

Commonly, she is depicted holding the earth in her hands as a representation of her earthly powers. Sometimes she is standing on it, similar to some depictions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In some depictions, she seems to be holding what looks like a crystal ball, however, in other representations it is clearly the earth with the various continents she holds in her hand.

She often holds the scales of justice. This is reminiscent of the Egyptian goddess Maat, who represents law, order, balance and justice. One of Santa Muerte’s most important functions is to mete out justice in instances where crimes and criminals would otherwise go unpunished.

Frequently, she is depicted with one or two owls either perched at her feet or behind her shoulders. The owl has associations with witchcraft in Mexico, Europe and around the world. In Mexico, it is believed by some that witches can turn into owls and there are many reports of human-looking owls (Lechuzas) flying in the air along the Rio Grande and all the way from Monterrey, Mexico to northern Texas. Furthermore, the owl is regarded as a bad omen in Mexico and to hear an owl hooting is seen as a sign that death is nearby.

As further evidence of Santa Muerte’s connection to other goddesses of death in Western Europe and earlier civilizations, the owl is associated with Hecate, the Greek goddess of the Underworld and Minerva or Athena the Roman goddess of Wisdom. The Akkadian goddess Ishtar, who is depicted with owl-like claws and wings, is accompanied by two owls, one on either side of her.

Less often, we see Santa Muerte depicted with a black cat, which is among her chief pets. Cats are associated with both good and bad fortune and with protection, however, they are often considered an omen of bad luck in Mexico.

Santa Muerte statues used primarily for success in business and finances are usually painted gold and she is depicted with golden coins.

Sometimes she carries an oil lamp to light the way. The light is, also, a symbol of illumination and always a symbol of Luciferian rebellion and the willful desire to obtain the knowledge of the gods.

She is, also, often pictured with caskets, skeletons, skulls and horseshoes.

The horseshoe is an ancient symbol with many different meanings. In this instance it may be associated not only with good fortune and protection, but with the crescent moon because Santa Muerte is similar to other goddesses from the Mediterranean. Our Lady of Guadalupe is, also, frequently depicted with a crescent moon.

Statues of Santa Muerte commonly have a cavity in the bottom filled with amulets, seeds or other representations of her power

Grimoire of Santa Muerte: Spells and Rituals of Most Holy Death, the Unofficial Saint of Mexico

Colors Associations of  Santa Muerte

The colors, altar cloths, candles and other dressings used to honor Santa Muerte and to facilitate magical working differs slightly from those used by most modern witches in the U.S. and England. In some ways, they seem closer to the color associations of Buddhism and Hinduism.

Gold, red, black, and white are probably the most commonly seen colors. But, she is dressed in other colors, as well.

Gold or golden yellow is for money, success and financial concerns

Red is for matters of love, romance and protection, especially from the Evil Eye

Black is for total protection from enemies, hexing and revenge, and protection from the Evil Eye

White and bone-color are for peace and harmony in the home and among neighbors

Blue is for increased mental powers and concentration

Green is used in matters pertaining to the law, courts and justice

Amber is used for healing and releasing habits and addictions

Purple is, also, used for health and healing and sometimes revenge.

In the modern devotion to Santa Muerte, she is typically approached like any Catholic saint. Unlike other saints her powers are not limited and she does not pass judgment on you or your needs or desires. People often giver her a special altar, which becomes a place of power over time as you work with her.

Once you are used to working with her, you can ask her to lend her power to any of your spells. She is extremely versatile and will be able to help you with all your needs. Simply, tailor your candles and other dressings for her altar, accordingly.

In the U.S., you may have difficulty finding Santa Muerte articles unless you live in Texas or the southwest. If you are fortunate enough to have a Mexican grocery store near you, you may find Santa Muerte candles, scapulars, pendants and other articles sold along with images of other saints. Most Mexican tiendas, also, keep dried herbs, incense and magical powders on hand.

Grimoire of Santa Muerte: Spells and Rituals of Most Holy Death, the Unofficial Saint of Mexico

Ritual to Consecrate a Talisman to the White Lady of Mexico

If you would like to keep the power of Santa Muerte with you, always, you can use the following ceremony to consecrate a pendant to her to create a talisman.

You will need the following:

A statue of Santa Muerte (a prayer card or even an image of her printed from the computer)

Red Ribbon or Cord
White Candle
A glass of fresh, clean water
A Santa Muerte pendant (you may substitute a skull, skeleton or grim reaper)
A red or black cotton handkerchief
Santa Muerte Money Spell

Cleanse the pendant and chain by rubbing it with a little alcohol. Then, allow it to dry.

This consecration ceremony takes place over the course of 3 nights. So, place two marks on the candle to divide it into three sections.

If you are using a prayer card or paper image of Santa Muerte, place it under the candle holder on your altar. Place the glass of water near the candle. Water is the most basic offering to the spirit. You may, also, bread, candy, fruit or some other small offering to her in a little bowl.

On a Tuesday or Thursday night during a Full Moon, light the candle and pray to Santa Muerte, asking for her protection while holding the pendant in your hand, as follows:

“Most Holy Death, I ask that through this image you will cover me with the cloak of your protection, that you always take care of me and guide me through all snares and dangers. Give me your blessing so that I never lack the things I need. Give me strength, health, prosperity and protection. [Add any other petition.]”

You may use a different prayer, the above is only an example. In fact, the words and actions in this consecration are less important than your own energy. There are a lot of prayers to Holy Death, but there is no standard prayer. Many people like to begin and end with a recitation of The Our Father, but this is not a requirement. The best thing you can do is really speak from your heart and make a connection with the spirit of Santa Muerte. Whatever wording you use, ask for her protection to be granted to you through the pendant.

When you have finished your prayer. fold the pendant and cord up into the handkerchief and place it on or in front of the Santa Muerte statue. If you are using an card or paper image, place the handkerchief in front of the candle. Allow it to burn down to the first notch. Then, snuff out the candle and take the handkerchief and place it in the bottom of a drawer.

On the second night, retrieve the handkerchief with the pendant from the drawer and repeat this procedure. It is not necessary to cleanse the pendant, again, as long as no one else touches it. When the candle as burned to the second notch, snuff it out. Place the handkerchief in the drawer.

On the third night, repeat this procedure, allowing the candle to burn down completely. Now, the pendant is ready to wear.

Whenever you need help, touch the medal and ask Santa Muerte to be with you.

Some practitioners repeat this ritual every three months to maintain its power.

The Judeo-Christian god demands worship and his followers consider themselves his servants. By contrast, Santa Muerte serves the people. She doesn’t take anything from the people; she doesn’t demand service and she doesn’t pass judgment or punish. She only gives protection and power to those who have no other advocate and no other recourse.

Grimoire of Santa Muerte: Spells and Rituals of Most Holy Death, the Unofficial Saint of Mexico

Santa Muerte is a Mexican saint, but her devotion is truly a gift from Mexico to the world!

Grimoire of Santa Muerte: Spells and Rituals of Most Holy Death, the Unofficial by Sophia diGregorio

In January 2013, a new book in English, The Grimoire of Santa Muerte: Spells and Rituals of Most Holy Death, the Unofficial Saint of Mexico is the first book especially for American (and English-speaking) devotees of Santa Muerte. There have been numerous books in Spanish from Mexican presses written for Mexican audiences, but few in English written especially for people who are not as familiar with Mexican culture and Catholicism. This book was written by an American Santa Muerte devotee and lover of Mexican history, culture and language especially for non-Spanish speakers.

It contains information about Santa Muerte, her history and legends. It shows how to construct an altar for her, how to consecrate it and it gives prayers, spells and rituals for obtaining the assistance of Santa Muerte for love, protection, prosperity, healing and all of the necessities of life. The next book in the series delves into how to really tap into the power of Santa Muerte and is set to be released in the winter of 2014.

Grimoire of Santa Muerte, Vol. 2: Altars, Meditations, Divination and Witchcraft Rituals for Devotees of Most Holy Death

Update: The 2nd Volume of this series was released in July 2016. A third one, on the subject of healing with Santa Muerte, is in progress.

Comments

Note: The comments below were provided by readers of this article when it was hosted at another website. The responses by “TraditionalWitchcraft” are those of the author of this article.

Duby:

Very captivating to say the least. Your knowledge and research on these subjects must be very time consuming, but well worth the effort. I fear with the way things are changing within the US we may soon need Santa Muerte to protect us as well.

TraditionalWitchcraft:

Thank you for your kind comment, as well. I really live and breathe the occult. I think it occupies most of my waking time and a lot of my dreams.

And, yes, I think for some of us, this is happening already here in the U.S. and actually has been for a long time. I have had protection from Santa Muerte and a host of saints. In my experience, they don’t work for the Catholic church, they just work! Mexico is a really magical place, so maybe they get their power from something down there.

Dominique:

Thanks for this article!  I’m taking notes…

TraditionalWitchcraft:

Dominique,

The above prayer could be expanded. She is sometimes called Santisima Muerte or Most Holy Death because some say she is actually a high ranking spirit who commands armies of both angels and demons.

My natural tendency is to start with the Our Father and to end the same way and to address her as Most Holy Death or Santisima Muerte. I always ask her to enlighten my home and cloak me with her protection. Since I’m a person who needs a lot more spiritual protection (we all have as many locks and alarms on our houses as we feel we need – some of us need more than others to feel safe) I always invoke her darker side for protection from evil.

The longer you work with her, the stronger and more powerful her presence seems to become in your life.

magicman:

Hi,

I have been living out of my car for 5 years. Now I just have enough money to rent a space in a persons living room for a wile. I desire some more income for my own apartment and a girlfriend. Will Santa Murte help with this? Can I have other things as well like I have St Romo and some Buddha things or is she jealous ? Thanks For the help Grant What color should I get?

TraditionalWitchcraft:

Magicman,

It sounds like you have had a streak of bad luck. Santa Muerte is appealed to by people who have had had difficult times and need a little boost. Gold Santa Muerte statues and golden yellow candles are used to appeal to her for financial help. Red Santa Muerte statues and red candles are used to request favors in the romance department.

If you have limited space or are in a situation where you are not free to burn candles, you might want to just get a small Santa Muerte statue – I’d start with the gold. Keep her with you, say prayers to her, invoke her power and generally establish a relationship with her. I suggest gold because you’ll probably want to get your finances straightened out so that you’ll have time to devote to a relationship. You can still use the gold statue, but use a red candle – most practitioners agree that the color of the candle dominates. Also, you can always sew a little red cape for your gold statue to use in love rituals.

Some people say she is jealous. I don’t find this to be true – I work with an army of spirits, including Hindu ones. I find her to be perfectly compatible with other saints and spirits – although she is less specialized and more powerful than most of them. I do have a special altar for her and this is recommended by most people.

Thank you for your comment and your question. I hope this helps. And, I hope things improve for you very soon. The fact that it’s hard times for so many people is exactly why Santa Muerte has become more and more popular.

She does seem to demand devotion. Many people who work with her grow to genuinely love her, so if you work with her for very long the devotion will probably follow very naturally. She is one of the most powerful spirits I’ve run across.

My continuing research on Santa Muerte suggests that she is an ancient spirit that has been helping people, much like Our Lady, for a very long time.

Grimoire of Santa Muerte: Spells and Rituals of Most Holy Death, the Unofficial by Sophia diGregorio

As the authority of both church and state have crumbled, Santa Muerte’s following has grown ever larger.  Devotion to Santa Muerte is not so much a matter of faith or belief, but a matter of experience. To know the power of Santa Muerte for yourself, you must forge a personal connection with her.

The Grimoire of Santa Muerte: Spells and Rituals of Most Holy Death, the Unofficial Saint of Mexico was written especially with non-Catholic, non-Spanish speaking people in mind. The author attempts to make Santa Muerte accessible to English-speaking readers.

You can find it at Amazon.com and other online outlets.

A nice article and review of this book may be found at: http://ideefixemon.blogspot.com/2013/02/santa-muerte-unoffical-saint-of-mexico.html

Grimoire of Santa Muerte, Vol. 2: Altars, Meditations, Divination and Witchcraft Rituals for Devotees of Most Holy Death

Grimoire of Santa Muerte, Vol. 2: Altars, Meditations, Divination and Witchcraft Rituals for Devotees of Most Holy Death provides potentially life-transforming rituals and prayers to Santa Muerte. This book goes deeper into the modern devotion to Santa Muerte and the author shares more insights into Most Holy Death.

Get it at Amazon…

…or get this or our other Winter Tempest Books in print using cryptocurrencies.

 

 

Green Man Nature Spirit Symbolism in George Romero’s Movie “Season of the Witch” or “Jack’s Wife”

by Sophia diGregorio.

Young Pan by L. Bakst

(This is my third review and analysis of “Season of the Witch.” The first one is entitled, “Traditional Witch’s Review of the 1973 George Romero Movie, “Season of the Witch,” aka. “Hungry Wives” and “Jack’s Wife” and the second one is entitled, “Review of “Season of the Witch” (1973) or “Hungry Wives.”)

The Green Man is a nature spirit who represents licentiousness and liberation in the untamed wilderness. He represents mankind’s untamed nature. You’ll see  images of the Green Man in a lot of people’s gardens because he’s a spirit of growth and abundance.

He represents the difference between the “civilized” town-life and life in the wild, untamed forest. The pagans and the wise ones usually lived outside the city and were closer to nature, so he might be seen as a representation of paganism vs. Christianity. He is sometimes associated with Cernnunos, Pan, “The Horned God” or the Satyr.

Christian doctrine is opposed to the natural man. It is something I heard often among the Mormons. They said that god doesn’t like “the natural man” and his natural desires must be subordinated to the will of god. We find it in the Bible in the King James version of 1 Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

To many neo-pagans, Wiccans and other modern witches, the Green Man may be seen as a symbol of personal transformation. His face sprouting with new growth is a representation of a person transforming from a Christian (city-dweller) to a pagan (natural man or woman of the forest).

The Green Man motif is seen often in English literature. In Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” he is the fairy Puck, who places a spell on all of the people of the forest, including the fairy queen, the actors and the four lovers. The Green Man is a god of the Spring, of renewal and rebirth.’

Robin Goodfellow or Robinhood is another example of the use of the Green Man motif. Robin Goodfellow is a natural man, a law unto himself. He is a trickster and a little devil in the classic sense of the term, who gets the best of the evil Sheriff of Nottingham.

Another classic use of the Green Man motif can be seen in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” The Green Knight is a representation of the unknown dangers of the forest. We see J.R.R. Tolkein make use of this theme in the first book of “The Lord of the Rings” when the hobbits first leave the shire and meet Tom and his wife.

In Season of the Witch, we see writer and director George Romero make use of this classic literary motif to show what is happening to the main character, Joan. Joan is a Catholic who is slowly transforming into a natural woman – a witch.

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Green Man Symbolism in Season of the Witch

If you haven’t already read my review of Season of the Witch, you’ll find them here: The first one is entitled, “Traditional Witch’s Review of the 1973 George Romero Movie, “Season of the Witch,” aka. “Hungry Wives” and “Jack’s Wife” and the second one is entitled, “Review of “Season of the Witch” (1973) or “Hungry Wives.”) These reviews discuss more of this movie’s theme and its overall use of symbolism.

Romero lamented in the documentary footage of the DVD for this movie that he didn’t have the money to shoot the scene where the main character, Joan, is being pursued in a nightmare by a man wearing a Green Man mask. He compares it to a similar scene in Rosemary’s Baby, which achieves a film effect closer to what he probably had in mind. But, the corresponding scene in Season of the Witch has marvelous symbolism in it and this really makes up for the whole thing. Romero’s use of symbolism throughout this movie is nothing short of brilliant.

You’ll want to pay close attention right from the opening sequence on because there’s nothing in this movie that’s not supposed to be there. The Green Man transformation happens to the main character, Joan, who is apparently a pretty heavily indoctrinated Catholic. While we’re all born witches, those who’ve been indoctrinated by the Christians have to find their way back to the forest and that’s symbolically what this movie is about… and it’s about women finding their freedom at the same time.

There is a sexual theme, but this has always been part of “selling your soul to the devil” – it’s in all the old witch trial accounts and folk lore about witches. Women who are witches are sexually free because they understand they are not owned by the church or a man. This is part of the green man transformation theme in this movie, which Romero really wrote to express his views on the Women’s Movement in the early 1970s.

Romero’s “Season of the Witch” is a movie is about both sexual liberation and witchcraft and these two things are intertwined throughout the movie. For example, in the ritual she conjures “Virago” – The term means a powerful, Amazon-like woman. So, she is conjuring her own power, essentially (this was adapted from Huson’s book and the original entity’s name is Vassago). And, the actress who plays this role is very statuesque and powerful-looking like an Amazon-woman, but her power has been usurped by her white, middle-class suburban life, which is what she has been told is an ideal. This was supposed to be the thing that made women happy, but she’s not happy, at all. Joan is about 40-years old and her life-choices were not very broad. Her friend Shirley is a little older and feels this even more intensely, that life has passed her by, she’s lost her sex appeal and she’s not ready for things to be over because there are so many things she wants to “cut loose” and do.

The man in the mask coming after her in her dreams is her own sexual liberation coupled with her interest in the occult, which subconsciously really scares her. She verbalizes her fear of the occult at the tarot reading and again before the conjuration. But, we really see her fear of both the occult and her own sexuality in the nightmare of the man in the Green Man mask.

Here the Green Man is a representation of Joan’s freedom from both Christianity (Green Man is a representation of the god of the witches) and her life in “the dog pound,” which is the prison of the middle-class existence of women. As much as Joan wants what he represents, she is afraid of him, so she her subconscious mind produces these nightmares about him chasing her though the house.

The ending is a little ironic, if that’s the right word. She ends up shooting her husband. As much as she’s afraid of witchcraft and all it represents, she is even more afraid of staying trapped in her present situation. Her fears drive her to accidentally shoot her husband.

Joan doesn’t like swearing and in the extended version, she and Shirley are about to leave Greg and Nikki during the discussion about witchcraft because of his use of foul language – in the theatrical version he uses the “F” word, which we’re used to now, but was really out of line, especially in the company of women in the 1970s. Also, at the dinner table, when she’s wearing the ashes on her head, the tea pot starts shaking (as if from her annoyance or anger) at her husband who is swearing on the phone. And, then the last thing we hear from her husband as he’s trying to open the door downstairs in the rain is “Son of a …” – and then there’s the shotgun blast and he’s dead!

I urge you to see Season of the Witch, especially if you like complex horror or have an interest in the subject of witchcraft because this movie portrays it very well.

The movie was done in Philadelphia in 1972 and released in 1973. But, it wasn’t promoted properly and maybe it was a little too deep for some audiences, especially those who were expecting a porno movie, which was one of the ways they tried to promote it. That’s why they called it “Hungry Wives.” The original title was “Jack’s Wife.” It wasn’t re-released again until 2005 under the title “Season of the Witch.” By this time people knew who George Romero was. But, this movie isn’t much like his later work. It’s much better, I think.

Click here to visit Psychic Powers and Magic Spells

What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan and Traditional Witchcraft

What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan Occult Practices and Traditional Witchcraft

What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan and Traditional Witchcraft was written to show the true history of Wicca in Britain and the development of neo-Wicca in the U.S. It tells the benefits and the drawbacks of what has become the most popular, accessible and socially acceptable form of witchcraft. Wicca is the most popular aspect of the occult today, but it is certainly not all there is. This book encourages readers who want more to continue their exploration of witchcraft and their study of its origins.

It was written by a metaphysical bookstore owner who often heard the question, “What else is there?” Find “What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan and Traditional Witchcraft“ by Sophia diGregorio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble.

Amazon.com: “What’s Next After  Wicca?  Non-Wiccan and Traditional Witchcraft“

See other books by Sophia diGregorio

 

Review of “Season of the Witch” (1973) or “Hungry Wives”

by Sophia diGregorio

 

(This is my second review and analysis of this fascinating film. The first one is entitled, “Traditional Witch’s Review of the 1973 George Romero Movie, “Season of the Witch,” aka. “Hungry Wives” and “Jack’s Wife, and the third one involves an analysis regarding Green Man symbolism, entitled, “Green Man Nature Spirit Symbolism in George Romero’s Movie “’Season of the Witch or Jack’s Wife’”, which follows this post.)

About Season of the Witch or Hungry Wives

“Season of the Witch” was originally filmed and directed by George A. Romero in 1972, but not released to theaters until 1973 as “Hungry Wives.” The original title was “Jack’s Wife,” which really describes the main character, Joan Mitchell (played by Jan White), who, as a suburban, middle-class housewife has no real identity of her own.

Although, the director has expressed regrets about this film, which was one of his earliest efforts, it is truly an amazing work of art and one I just can’t stop watching. It is outstanding for its script and its actors, but possibly the first amazing thing about the movie is the opening dream sequence, which makes wonderful use of symbolism to tell us almost everything about the main character in just a few minutes.

Although, Romero denies any personal belief in “the devil,” it is evident that someone was familiar with the work of Paul Huson and his book, “Mastering Witchcraft,” which is quoted throughout the film. Rituals are taken verbatim from the book, in fact, the exact symbol of the Goetic demon Vassago from Huson’s book is used in the conjuration rite, along with other spells for new witches.

Season of the Witch seems to tell two stories depending upon the viewer’s perspective. Based on the deeply divided reviews of this film, it seems that those unfamiliar with witchcraft see a completely different movie than those familiar with the subject.

Other viewers are confused about the kind of witchcraft that is portrayed in the film, which is not Wicca. Wicca, although not entirely unknown in the U.S. at the time this film was made, was not very popular. It was certainly not popular with the author Paul Huson, who was originally from England and familiar with British Traditional Wicca. Wicca, mainly in the form of Neo-wicca, would not become popular in the U.S. for another 20 to 25 years.

This movie is, at least, as relevant now as it was back in the early 1970s when the Women’s Movement was first getting underway. It may be even more relevant now as women’s basic human rights in the U.S. are more threatened than ever by extremist Christian organizations and the increasing violence of the secular patriarchy.

Click here to visit Psychic Powers and Magic Spells

The Representation of Witchcraft in This Movie

Some reviewers have complained that there is too little about witchcraft in this film because we only see a couple of ritual scenes at the end. But, the theme of witchcraft runs throughout this film from beginning to end, if you know what you’re looking at. This film is not an in-your-face kind of horror film and it is sure to disappoint people who are looking for something sensationalistic. What it is is a remarkably realistic movie about real witchcraft.

From the beginning, we see that Joan has the power to dream things that later happen in one way or another. For instance, her dream of being locked up at the dog pound by her husband is realized that night at the cocktail party. They do a Mad Lib reading wherein,”Jack Mitchell works at the dog pound.” Joan’s psychiatrist, who locked her into the kennel in her dream, is present at the party, too. And, while these things are subtle, they are the kinds of things that happen to people when their psychic abilities begin to open up.

At the cocktail party, Joan’s best friend Shirley mentions a friend of theirs who is involved in witchcraft. The following night, the two of them visit this lady and Shirley has a tarot reading. Joan expresses both an interest in and fear of witchcraft. The tarot reader gives a very accurate reading, acknowledging to Shirley that her husband has been having an affair and describing the woman involved. This is something Shirley already knew about, but had not told anyone else.

After the tarot reading Joan and Shirley return to Joan’s house where her daughter Nikki and her boyfriend, Greg get into a discussion about the power of the mind. Joan has never met Greg before, but she’s had a dream about him, in which his sexual services were offered to her. During the discussion Greg expresses his doubts about the reality of witchcraft and says its effects can all be explained psychologically.

Joan’s dreams continue to carry a great deal of meaning, especially to the viewer, because they tell a lot about her life and her state of mind, however, they become increasingly frightening and violent. Some of the nightmares feature an intruder wearing a Green Man mask. Interestingly, this mask has been interpreted as a “devil mask” by some viewers. But, the Green Man is Puck or Robin Goodfellow, a familiar motif in pagan literature and lore as a spirit of the forests and nature, also, at times associated with lust and licentiousness.

Read more about Green Man Symbolism in Season of the Witch at the hub: “Green Man Nature Spirit Symbolism in George Romero’s Season of the Witch or Jack’s Wife.”

From time to time throughout the film, when something significant to the plot happens, we see a shot of of an interesting bull figurine, which represents the pre-christian era. It is a representation of the Sacred Bull of Mesopotamia and has been used to represent pagan gods and goddesses, such as Moloch of Canaan and Hathor of Egypt.

After Joan comes home early and overhears her daughter having sex with her boyfriend, the girl runs away. Her husband is angry at Joan’s response to the situation and hits her across the face. As Joan’s oppression becomes more profound, her interest in witchcraft deepens and she continues to read more about it.

With the song, “Season of the Witch,” by Donovan playing in the background Joan shops for all the ritual items and things she needs to set up her altar, paying for it all with MasterCard!

When her husband returns from his most recent business trip, Joan has to pretend that she’s still Catholic. But, we see that her witch powers have grown because as her husband speaks angrily on the phone with a colleague during dinner, a pitcher on the table rocks back and forth.

Click here to visit Psychic Powers and Magic Spells

Joan Performs a Conjuration from Paul Huson’s “Mastering Witchcraft”

Joan does a ritual, as recommended in Paul Huson’s “Mastering Witchcraft,” to renounce Christianity. We see her opening up a page of the bible and writing the Our Father prayer backwards. Afterward, she attempts to bring her daughter’s boyfriend Greg to her by means of witchcraft. When this fails or, at least, doesn’t work quickly enough, she calls him on the phone.

To many viewers this appears as just a little extra-marital sex justified by dabbling in witchcraft, but it is far more than that. We know from Joan’s own words that she is very sexually repressed. This programming is related to her relationship to the conventional morality of the patriarchy and the Catholic church. Reversing this kind of repression is not a simple matter, but anyone who has done it will recognize the procedure in the film. After doing the ritual to renounce her Christianity, she embraces witchcraft by having sex with Greg and breaking down the psychological and emotional barriers she has attached to sex.

In other words, this is not sex simply for the sake of sex. At least, it isn’t to Joan. She is using him for her own purpose. Although, Greg (and a lot of viewers) believe this is just a “cop out.” It isn’t. It is a method of deprogramming one’s self that is used by many women who escape a misogynistic mind control cult.

Joan tries to conjure a spirit with the help of Greg. The sigil of the Goetic demon Vassago will be immediately recognized by anyone who is familiar with it. Although, the spirit is renamed “Virago.” The word “virago” means a strong, brave or war-like, Amazon woman, which seems to indicate that this entity represents her own power.

The conjuration is a success. We know this because we see a cat (the form taken by familiar spirits) entering through a basement window and crawling up the stairs. When Joan leaves the room and comes back, she sees a strange cat standing in the middle of the circle and she screams.

In the final scenes, Joan’s nightmares seem to come true in a very real and violent way. These scenes are woven in between scenes of Joan being initiated into the coven.

At the end of the film, Joan is sitting among her friends at a cocktail party, again. But, this time she looks very regal and powerful. Someone comments about how good she looks an her last words are, “I’m a witch.” According to Romero, during the filming of the scene as she said these words, the ceiling cracked above her head. He called this one of many coincidences that occurred during the filming.

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The Theme of Misogyny

Throughout the film, we see hints of the varying types and degrees of repression the women suffer from. Joan has a daughter, thus fulfilling what woman’s purpose was thought to be by some people at this time. In fact, there are still people who think this way. She finds her role as Jack’s wife unfulfilling and lonely and she feels more like the family dog than a real human being.

At the beginning, we see a woman at the party being assaulted and degraded. While this man should have been prosecuted or, at least, chastised for what he did, it is just brushed off. Anyone who has been in this situation knows that all of the blame always falls on the victim or she is told that it’s no big deal and just something she knows she has to put up with.

The sexualized sense of ownership that Jack has of his daughter Nikki is disturbing, although it is subtle. It, too, is the sort of thing that many people might write off as just the words and actions of a concerned, loving father. But, it is in fact a form of sex abuse and we can imagine that it is something he has made a habit of. In the patriarchy, wives and children, especially daughters, are property. As Jack tells us when he hits Joan, they are to be brutalized into conformity, if necessary.

Some of the last lines of the film are from misogynistic police who say that “she’ll get away” with what’s she’s done to her husband. “Women always get everything in the end,” one of them says bitterly.

This film depicts something that was really happening in the 1970s and is still happening today, which is the fusion of the original Women’s Movement with witchcraft. This is why “Season of the Witch” is mentioned in “What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan Occult Practices and Traditional Witchcraft,” in reference to the growing interest in this subject of witchcraft as a social under-current in the 1960s and ’70s in the U.S.

I can’t recommend “Season of the Witch” strongly enough to anyone interested in the portrayal of witchcraft in movies or witchcraft, in general. This film has been called “feminist” by some and maybe it is, given the era it portrays and the way in which this is done. But, more than this, it is a film about the lives of women and about witchcraft. It depicts both realistically. It has as much value as a lot of great literature that gives us historical insights into the lives of people. Although, it is hard to imagine a film more relevant to many women’s lives.

Click here to visit Psychic Powers and Magic Spells

What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan and Traditional Witchcraft

What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan Occult Practices and Traditional Witchcraft

What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan and Traditional Witchcraft was written to show the true history of Wicca in Britain and the development of neo-Wicca in the U.S. It tells the benefits and the drawbacks of what has become the most popular, accessible and socially acceptable form of witchcraft. Wicca is the most popular aspect of the occult today, but it is certainly not all there is. This book encourages readers who want more to continue their exploration of witchcraft and their study of its origins.

It was written by a metaphysical bookstore owner who often heard the question, “What else is there?” Find What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan and Traditional Witchcraft by Sophia diGregorio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble.

Amazon.com: “What’s Next After  Wicca?  Non-Wiccan and Traditional Witchcraft“

See other books by Sophia diGregorio

 

Traditional Witch’s Review of the 1973 George Romero Movie, “Season of the Witch,” aka. “Hungry Wives” and “Jack’s Wife”

by Sophia diGregorio

(This note added on Aug. 17, 2013: This is the first of my three reviews and analyses of this excellent film.  The second one is entitled, “Review of Season of the Witch (1973) or “Hungry Wives“ and the third is an analysis regarding Green Man symbolism in this movie, entitled “Green Man Nature Spirit Symbolism in George Romero’s Movie “’Season of the Witch or Jack’s Wife.'”)

I feel compelled to write a review of this film for a couple of reasons.  One is that I’ve seen so many very bad reviews on it at not only at Amazon, but elsewhere, in which the viewers give it one star ratings on the basis of their own lack of understanding, but, also, because it is one of the most outstanding witchcraft movies I have run across in a long time and as a long-time occultist I was pleasantly surprised by it.

It is a fact that witchcraft is almost never accurately represented in film.  But, “Season of the Witch,” which is obviously based in part on the book, “Mastering Witchcraft” by Paul Huson, is a startling exception.

Click here for “What’s Next After Wicca?”

It depicts the fusion of the original Women’s Movement of the early 1970s with a resurgence of interest in the subject of witchcraft by women who had been cut off from their own natures by the artificially constructed suburban middle-class society.  This is why “Season of the Witch” is mentioned in “What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan Occult Practices and Traditional Witchcraft,” in reference to the growing interest in this subject of witchcraft as a social under-current in the 1960s and ’70s in the U.S.

The original title of this film was “Hungry Wives,” but it was a relative flop at the theaters in 1973 and was not re-released until 2005 under the title “Season of the Witch,” possibly to capitalize on the excellent track by the same name, a hauntingly beautiful song by Donovan.  I do not know what Romero’s intentions were with this film, but he must have learned the lesson:  “Never over-estimate the intelligence of your audience.”  This is the only reason I can see why this brilliant film would have failed with audiences. It is both a product of its time and well-ahead of it.

It is only fair to point out to those only familiar with modern Wicca that the witchcraft represented in Huson’s book and in “Season of the Witch” is not Wicca.  Although, Wicca wasn’t  entirely unknown in the U.S. at the time this film was made, it wasn’t not yet a trend and would not become one for another 20 years.  Wicca is a relative late-comer, especially in the U.S. where it is heavily Christianized and is often philosophically at odds with traditional witchcraft.

“Season of the Witch” opens with a dream sequence, which is amazing for its ability to tell us so much about the life of Joan Mitchell, aka. Jack’s wife in a matter of a few seconds.  Jack is seen walking through the woods with Joan behind him, although he doesn’t see her or even seem to remember she is there.  Although, she is some distance behind him, she is being struck in the face by limbs and brambles as he walks on, engaged in reading the newspaper.  In the next instance we see Joan in a swing and she looks as if she is about to run into Jack as he is still walking along reading his newspaper; but, they never intersect.  They never meet and throughout the dream he ignores her.

A current of misogyny runs throughout the film, although sometimes it is hard to notice because its the same one we all grew up with and deal with every day.  We see the father’s sexualized misogyny toward his daughter as he and Joan go off to a cocktail party. “Try to stay virgin,” he says.  And, throughout the film he is obsessed with his daughter’s sexuality in a disturbing way.  Although, it is no different from what is considered socially acceptable for “caring” fathers to feel about their daughters, it is a sense of sexual ownership and possession.

Once at the cocktail party we see that two women are talking and one of them is standing back to back with a man who simply reaches out from behind him, so that no one else can see, and assaults her in a sexual way.  The woman turns and gives the man an angry look, but the conversation continues and the man suffers no consequences for his assault.

Numerous dream sequences throughout show us how Joan feels about her life, which is one of relative privilege.  She has friends whom she meets for games of bridge and cocktail parties.  She has a daughter, thus fulfilling what woman’s purpose was thought to be by some people at this time.  Their house is equipped with three television sets and she has all the things she really needs. But, she is alone a lot because Jack is so focused on his work and even when he is there, she feels terribly alone and disconnected from him.  She sees her life passing her by and from the dream sequences we learn that she fears becoming old and she feels she is treated more like the family pet than a human being by her husband.

Some people are taken aback by the use of contemporary slang, but there is nothing in this film that isn’t there for a good reason.  This kind of language is used to show you that Joan and her social circle are part of the “in” crowd.  The have the “nowest clothes” and are the kind of people who wouldn’t dream of bucking any trend or fad sold to them through television or through the sub-culture of which they are a part.  Although, they talk about how now, “anything goes,” the fact is that there is still a very strong compulsion among them to dress, speak, think and behave in certain restricted ways.  There is great social pressure to be “with it” and not deviate from the norms of their social class, which is very staid, sexually repressive and misogynistic.

At the cocktail party, Joan’s best friend Shirley mentions a friend of theirs who is involved in witchcraft.  In another scene Joan mildly chastises her for bringing up witchcraft at the party since they were going to visit this lady soon after for a tarot reading.

The first evidence we see for the reality of witchcraft in the film is that the witch touches on the subject of “the romance that failed,” which is a reference to something Shirley had not told anyone about.  Shirley is about 10-years older and facing difficulties in her life because she is aging and becoming less desirable to her husband whom she has caught engaging in an affair with a younger woman.  Shirley’s life represents a future that Joan fears.

Once they return to Joan’s house, Shirley, Joan and her daughter Nikki and one of Nikki’s professors, Greg, with whom she is carrying on a sexual relationship have drinks and a discussion about the power of the mind.  Greg doubts the possibility of witchcraft.  He says that the effects of witchcraft have a psychosomatic explanation.

Throughout the film, we see hints of the varying types and degrees of repression the women suffer from.

By the end of the party, Shirley is upset after being humiliated by Greg and Joan plans to take her home and stay with her that night.  But, they have an argument on the way to Shirley’s house and Joan changes her mind and comes home.

When she arrives, she sees that Greg’s car is back and he and her daughter Nikki are in Nikki’s room.  We hear sounds of them “making it” in the next room.  Not knowing what else to do, Joan goes to her own room, where we see that she begins engaging in her own sexual fantasy, clearly longing for the sexual and personal freedom she has never had.

Nikki discovers her mother is home early and becomes angry, knowing that her mother must have heard what was happening in the next room.  In the next scene we see that Nikki has run away.

Shiva on the bull Nandi destroying demons

There is a wonderful atmosphere of rain and storms throughout the previously described scene and we see shots of this intriguing bull figurine, which is the symbol of a pre-christian era, the Age of Taurus.  Throughout the film, when something significant to the plot is taking place, we often see a shot of of this bull, which represents the Sacred Bull of Mesopotamia and which has been used to represent pagan gods and goddesses, such as Moloch of Canaan and Hathor of Egypt.  It may, also, be a representation of the white bull of Shiva, the Nandi Bail (Bull).

When her husband returns home from work, he is angry with Joan for not responding in the way he thought she should have to returning home and finding their daughter being “balled in the next room.”  He swears and hits Joan across the face.

With both her husband away on business and daughter gone, Joan takes advantage of her time alone to make her own discovery of witchcraft.  With the song, “Season of the Witch,” by Donovan playing in the background she shops for all the ritual items and things she needs to set up her altar.  Of course, she pays for it all with MasterCard!

When her husband returns home, again, in a foul mood and swearing at dinner, we see evidence of Joan’s growing powers as the dishware trembles.  This is very subtle, but important to understanding what is happening.

Joan continues to have increasingly terrifying and violent nightmares in which a burglar wearing a mask resembling the Green Man, breaks into her house and rapes her.  Many viewers have mistaken the Green Man mask for a devil or demon mask, which certainly says something about these viewers and where they are coming from.  Of course, the Green Man is a familiar motif in pagan literature and lore as a spirit of the forests and nature, also, at times associated with lust and licentiousness.

If you are familiar with Paul Huson’s “Mastering Witchcraft,” you will experience a few thrilling, if not jaw-dropping moments, as you watch this movie for the first time.  Joan performs rituals straight out of this book, even using quotations directly from Huson.

The sex scenes in this film are seen differently by many, but my own take is that Joan is destroying her old sexual programming by engaging in behavior that pushes the limits and boundaries of her staid, conventional middle-class thinking.  As evidence that this is the case, we hear her say in her conversation with Greg, after her daughter’s disappearance, that she finds it difficult to accept the idea of sex without love.  She doesn’t use this exact phrase, but Shirley does a couple of times earlier in the film.  And, we see that the idea of sex for pleasure and without commitment is something that Joan would have difficulty with.

She must surely realize that if she is to throw off this Christianized thinking and return to her natural state of being as a witch, she must undo this programming.  Greg offers her that opportunity and she takes him up on his offer.

Soon after, we see Joan conduct a ritual to renounce Christianity.  This is the part in the movie where she opens a passage in the Bible and writes the “Our Father”  with the words jumbled and reversed on a piece of paper.

After she has done a ritual and taken action to break down this wall of Christian mind control programming through extra-marital “balling, ” she attempts to conjure a demonic spirit.  Although, the method of her conjuration is flawed. She does it incorrectly, perhaps because she is a new witch.

The procedure unfolds as follows:

She decides to conjure the demon “Virago,” who is clearly the Goetic demon Vassago re-named for the purposes of the movie.  The word “virago” means a strong, brave or war-like, Amazon woman.  So, this is a demon she is conjuring to increase her own power.

Realizing that she needs two people (increased kinetic energy), she calls Greg to her, again.  She begins by trying to reach out to him telepathically, but when this fails, she calls him on the phone. Anxious for more “balling,” he doesn’t hesitate to come at her bidding.

Normally, the demon would be invoked into a circle or triangle of his own, but Joan calls the demon into the circle which surrounds both her and Greg.  Normally, she and Greg would have their own separate circles during a conjuration.

Despite these mistakes, we see that her conjuration is a success as a cat (the form taken by familiar spirits) enters the house through an open window in the basement. As the ceremony proceeds, it appears that Greg is overtaken by the demonic spirit and he rapes Joan.  As this happens we see the cat coming up the stairs toward the circle.

Joan tells Greg not to come back.

After Greg departs, Joan comes back into the room and screams as she sees a strange cat standing in the circle where she conjured Virago.

It is interesting to note that even Greg’s name, which is derived from “egregor” or “watcher,” which is a kind of demon, may have some significance.

In the closing scene, we see a confusion of terrible nightmares and actual early return of her husband, Jack, whom she was not expecting.  Terrified, she fires a shotgun through the door, killing her husband and the final source of her oppression.

The final scenes of the film intersperse her initiation into the coven, as the misogynistic police discuss how she will get away with the murder of her husband and how women always “get it all in the end.”

Sometimes the best way to communicate complex ideas is to show and illustrate them, which this film does beautifully, however, it requires that the viewer meet the film-maker, at least, part of the way by paying attention.

Some people have called this a feminist film.  Whether it was intended to be or not is unknown.  It is known that attempts were made to promote it as soft porn, which failed, because it simply isn’t that.  It’s far more intellectual than that and is sure to disappoint anyone looking for cheap thrills.  What it does is tell the story of what was happening in many women’s lives at the time and what is still happening, although times have changed a little bit.

Witchcraft has long been the domain of those outside the mainstream, dominant culture–the slave classes,  including women. Pointing this out may or may not be feminist, but it is undoubtedly truthful.

Click here to visit Psychic Powers and Magic Spells

What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan and Traditional Witchcraft

What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan Occult Practices and Traditional Witchcraft

What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan and Traditional Witchcraft was written to show the true history of Wicca in Britain and the development of neo-Wicca in the U.S. It tells the benefits and the drawbacks of what has become the most popular, accessible and socially acceptable form of witchcraft. Wicca is the most popular aspect of the occult today, but it is certainly not all there is. This book encourages readers who want more to continue their exploration of witchcraft and their study of its origins.

It was written by a metaphysical bookstore owner who often heard the question, “What else is there?” Find What’s Next After Wicca? Non-Wiccan and Traditional Witchcraft by Sophia diGregorio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble.

Amazon.com: “What’s Next After  Wicca?  Non-Wiccan and Traditional Witchcraft“

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