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Ancestral Celt
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Post subject: Hexing v Healing  Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 9:07 pm |
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| Journeymaker |
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Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:25 am
Posts: 437
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Has anyone else noticed that older books on witchcraft focussed on hexing and cursing, but for the modern witch looking at books, these are rarely discussed and certainly instruction is absent?
Yet, the ability to curse, hex or work magic to the detriment of others (steal their milk, crops, lover) using foul ingredients seems to have been mainstay of the historical witch. Even love spells of old involved the use of semen, blood and urine and not always with the consent of the intended paramour. When I hear of a modern witch collecting afterbirth, hen's feet, graveyard dirt, snake skin and poisonous substances, surely the knowledge to know how to work with these items is unlikey to come from modern books?
Nowadays, the focus of today's witchy authors seems to be on healing the self, raising protection or attracting good fortune and love, but the ingredients are now more likely to be a pretty crystal, nice incense, or an unbroken mirror (no blood, sweat, tears or toenails for the modern witch). Historically, finding lost items, reversing bad luck, providing protection were once the preserve of the cunning folk, who worked against witches, but no-one ever seems to take up that title anymore.
So what's changed? Why do modern authors stay away from the older forms of witchcraft and its ingredients, with apparently years of proven results? Why, too, are there so few books on hexes, curses and other baleful magic? Where do these modern witches working the old fashioned way get their knowledge?
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Briganta
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Post subject: Re: Hexing v Healing Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 3:53 am |
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| Moderator and Magicka Life Member |
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Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:53 am
Posts: 4715
Location: Running with the wolves
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Oh, for sure. I think part of it is because so many new authors came along writing books, mostly published by Llewellyn, that watered down the old Wicca to the point that it's not really Wicca anymore. Maybe they did this because they wanted to show that Wicca was all love and light (which part of it is, of course)and I believe that many of the authors were nervous to include the other side and/or they did not want to be responsible for new people to run amok mucking around with the darker aspects of the Craft. Evan John Jones wrote in his book "Witchcraft, A Tradition Renewed" that 'the rites of cursing will never appear in these pages because they are ours and for us alone'.
I think the only way a newcomer can learn of this side of Wicca is if they're lucky enough to find a teacher who has this knowledge or is initiated into a trad coven.
Briganta
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Michael
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Post subject: Re: Hexing v Healing Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 4:26 am |
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| Magicka Guardian, Life Member & Ezine |
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Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 10:13 am
Posts: 4636
Location: California
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I agree with Brigranta for the most part! I feel that there are many possibilities in this scenario though. I have never shunned that aspect about me, cursing, hexing etc... I think that it is a vital part in living the life of a Witch. I am not saying that implementing them is something to do always but the knowledge and understanding of it is definitely important. It is interesting that it is with the rise of Wicca that these things have been shunned to a point. I mean if you look at Hoodoo, Vodoun, Santeria etc.. they still use these practices very much so. I feel that to re-gain strength and to get a foot in the door many people who publicly speak about Wicca and the Witch tend to talk about all of the more (acceptable to the masses) aspects of the Craft because we know that the world judges quite a bit. We know if people truly found out that we curse they wouldn't care for what reasons or even try to understand who we are and what we do and all of that. All they would see is that the stories are true, we are evil beings because we wish to harm another etc etc etc.... So for me Wicca as is given to the public is far too close to that of Christianity therefore it is widely accepted and appreciated by those who are seeking another path yet something that is not soo far off from where they are now in certain aspects. Why not the use for the old time ingredients? Well I think a lot of it has to do with politics or politically correct jazz. Nowadays if you say your spell requires blood you probably could get sued because someone decided to bleed themselves or someone they knew and blah blah blah etc etc etc.. you get the picture. Another thing is that ingredients change with time. What one used before may not be needed to use now since things are constantly changing and being upgraded. Although I still use blood, hair, nails, semen, etc etc etc.. in the work that I do. Its how I've been taught and Its how I practice my craft. Its a lot like when 2 people go out on a date. You don't delve in to all your deep dark secrets, your family crazies, uncle charlie who has been in and out of jail all his life, aunt jezz who gossips about EVERYONE and EVERYTHING etc etc etc.. No you share the good stuff so you can slowly build that knowledge base and understanding and then you get to the deeper aspects of the self. Thats sort of how I feel this is. AHH enough of my rambles lol. Blessed Be!
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katherined
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Post subject: Re: Hexing v Healing Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 5:21 am |
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| Admin Assistant, Mod & Life Member |
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Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2008 11:52 pm
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Location: Somewhere under a rainbow....
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You all are absolutely right. A lot of that info is sort of hidden away from the general public view. It's probably a good PR move...Imo, it's probably for the better that a lot of dilletantes are not running amuck with curses and hexes, LOL. But truly, I believe that someone who needs that info will find it. I have found some really interesting info on cursing and hexing by simply seeking it out. Anyone who is determined enough will certainly find it.
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HighPriest999
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Post subject: Re: Hexing v Healing Posted: Wed May 26, 2010 7:45 am |
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| Fire Dragon |
Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 9:34 am
Posts: 33
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Maybe the older witches and their possessions were burnt at the stake and so they couldn't write anymore books. If we could go to the Vatican and look into their secret vault that would be interesting to see what ancient knowledge we could find.
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