About the Witch

Once upon a time, there was a little girl…


She was a very good little girl, really, she was. Just a bit different is all. She hated going to Mass. She balked and argued, whined and bawled, and threw a frightful fit, but always lost in the end.She spent her childhood talking to animals, communing with trees, developing telepathic relationships with the oddest things– like her Halloween pumpkin, a spider in the attic window, and a very spooky life-size doll– a disturbing haunted doll, it was, but that’s another story.

She became quiet and compliant, and grew and grew and grew.

Until one day, as a teen-ager, there was a really, really bad boy who had to go away. Hmmmm, she thought, how will she make this bad, bad boy go away?

And then, the idea came to her– a wild idea, an incredible idea.

Feverishly, she began gathering articles from around the house– a red candle, a red ink pen, a photograph of the Really Really Bad Boy, matches, and other odds and ends. With pounding heart, arms full of “stuff”, she descended the stairs to the dark dank cellar of her grandmother’s house.

Amid quivering shadows cast by the flame of a red candle, she shouted and raved at the image, marking a large red ‘x’ across his mid-section; then, with a final stab of the pen, she spit on the image and held it to the bouncing flame– up it went, blackening, shriveling,

shrinking…away…away…away…away.

And in that first most magickal moment, as the energy began to build and swirl about her feet and race up her legs in a magickal rush, she knew.

A witch was born.

witch 12
Amythyst Raine, photo by Anne Turrell

I am a highly eclectic witch.  I practice with abandon old-fashioned and quaint kitchen witchery, but I’ve also performed rituals within a cast circle amongst all the pomp and ceremony of High Magick.  I have steeped myself in dark and mysterious hoodoo practices, and I have followed the herbal path of the green witch.  I worship the Mother Goddess, and I relegate the God to His rightful place as Her consort. I am many things.  My spiritual practices and beliefs are widely varied and uniquely personal.

I have successfully combined all of the magickal practices listed above on my Personal Spiritual Path, which I’ve dubbed: “Gray Magerium”

Below is an overview of the three main magickal practices that make up my very special version of Witchcraft– Hoodoo, Wicca, & Green Witchcraft:

Hoodoo, Wicca, Green Witchcraft:
Voodoo (*Hoodoo) consists of a large body of African folkloric practices and beliefs with a considerable admixture of American Indian botanical knowledge and European folklore. Although most of its adherents are black, contrary to popular opinion, it has always been practiced by both whites and blacks in America. Other regionally popular names for voodoo in the black community include “conjuration”, “conjure”, “witchcraft”, “rootwork”, and “tricking”. The first three are simply English words; the fourth is a recognition of the pre-eminence that dried roots play in the making of charms and the casting of spells, and the fifth is a special meaning for a common English word.

*Hoodoo…is Voodoo without the religious aspects– pure magick.

Wicca is a neo-pagan religion based on the pre-Christian traditions of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Its origins can be traced even further back to Paleolithic peoples who worshipped a Hunter God and a Fertility Goddess. Cave paintings found in France (and dated at 30,000 years old) depict a man with the head of a stag, and a woman with a swollen, pregnant belly. They stand in a circle with eleven mortals. These archetypes of the divine are worshipped by Wiccans to this very day. By these standards, the religion that is now called Wicca, is perhaps the oldest religion in the world.  (The type of Wicca I incorporate into my practice is called “Dianic Wicca”, it is decidedly feminist, and it focuses on the Goddess and the worship of matriarchal divinity.)

In 1951, the laws against Witchcraft were repealed in England. A man named Gerald Gardner was the first to come into the public eye with a description of what modern witches were practicing. His information came from the traditions of a coven called the New Forest Witches, and from Ceremonial Magick and the Cabballah. He began what is now called the Gardnerian Tradition of Wicca. From Gardnerian came Alexandrian Tradition, and a host of other offshoots that today number in the hundreds.

Green Witchcraft is a personalized practice, differing from person to person, incorporating the use of herbs in magick, use of everyday items in magick, and possibly a religious belief system as well, which also will differ from practitioner to practitioner. There is no one, established tradition of green witchcraft.

“A Green Witch is a woman of power, whose religion is her life, whose life is her art,
and whose art is the wise use of the green.” 

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42 thoughts on “About the Witch”

    • Hello, Mak… what you’re describing is an exorcism. You might want to contact someone who is experienced in this endeavor, whether it’s a local Catholic priest, a shaman, or someone else who has the where-with-all to successfully tackle a problem like this.

      Reply ↓

  3. I just wanted to say thank you for all you do for others . It is a honor to be part of such a loving family of Grey witches my beautiful sister . I have 2 of your books that I have read and used and plan to hopefully purchase the rest . Beautiful hearts like yours are truly inspirational . Thank you again beautiful Sister . Greatest of blessings to you

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  4. Hello, I performed the cow tongue spell for legal battles. Today was court day. Much changed and many new people will be involved and previously unknown players/influences have come to light. I was hoping for some advice. Do I take the original cow tongue out of the freezer and add the new people that will impact and influence the case then put it back in the freezer or would I bury the original tongue and perform the ritual all anew with a new cow tongue? I hope you can advise me as this case is so important and it’s a family matter involving an innocent little baby girl. Any and all advice will be much appreciated.

    Reply ↓

    • I’ve only used this spell once myself, and I was lucky to get everything covered in one fell magickal swoop. You’re right in that there are two options that I see (doing it all over again, or finding a way to add new names to the spell that’s already done). I’d go with option number two… BUT, I wouldn’t undo anything that you’ve done, like in untying anything, or disrupting the beef tongue in that way at all. Place all the new names in a small bag, that gauze drawstring kind you find at hobby and craft stores, tie it shut and take a wide ribbon to tie this bag to the beef tongue. I hope that I explained it clearly?? I believe that everything will be all tied up and bound together. Good luck with the court case!!

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  5. I just wanted to say thanks for your great site! You happened to be the only resource I’ve found for correspondence to Statice flowers! It worked out that I received extra blossoms (chrysanthemums also) from a Valentine’s Day arrangement and decided to dry some for a variation of Florida Water. As beautiful as Statice are, there doesn’t seem to be much magickal information on them. I’ve happily added your site to my reader. Thanks again!

    Reply ↓

  6. Hi just found your blog while searching for more information for beginning witchcraft practice. Green and kitchen witchcraft really have always pulled me and now I want to take that path.

    Reply ↓

    • If you feel the pull, then you are hearing the call. I’ll have two new books coming out this year, one a beginners guide to Wicca, and the other a book on green witchcraft. Watch my blogs, facebook, and websites for more info and links to purhase.

      Reply ↓

  7. Hi I stumbled upon your page while I was trying to figure something out and I was wondering if you might know of anything to help me. When I was a baby probably 1 or 2 I got blood bound to my aunt because of some of the things I did and I was to young to learn to control it, I’m not looking for a way to unbind me I am just trying to find the spell that could bind me to my aunt. I would deeply appreciate if you could help me.

    Reply ↓

    • I’m a little confused, and I suspect you are too. So, you got “blood bound” to your Aunt… I don’t know what your interpretation of Blood Bound is, but my interpretation is a familial connection, or a connection created through ritual and the use of blood. You were blood bound to your Aunt from conception because she’s family, not because of any actions on your part. You say you don’t want a spell that would break the binding you have with your Aunt (which would not be possible in my opinion from my definition and understanding); but you want a spell that would “bind” you to your Aunt. This is an oxymoron. I think you need to figure out what the issues are with 1) yourself; 2) your aunt; and 3) you need to do some research and some reading for a better understanding of what exactly you’re looking for.

      Reply ↓

  8. Merry Meet Sister,

    You have a lovely page and an energy of abundance to be able to help so many people with your knowledge. Infinite thanks and may the universe continue to enhance your light. With much gratitude
    Blessed Be
    -Bella

    Reply ↓

  9. I just came upon your website. I want to help a friend that i see and feel as he is my brother. I started looking up on how to help him win his court case. After reading on your website i felt like im in the right place. Just wanted to thank you ahead of time… Thankyou
    Beatriz

    Reply ↓

      • Yep I really adore tarot cards.❤️I’ve got a few decks but I always keep seeing new ones that I’d like to work with as well. I’ve only got one actual oracle deck, an angel deck and really rustic runes made in stones which I love the earthy feeling of so much.
        Hope your having a great week Amythyst!
        Blessed Be & Namaste🙏🏻
        CazWytch⭐️❤️🌙

        Reply ↓

    • Hi, Jamila…I’ll be 58 years-old this year, so I hope I’ve managed to accomplish something in my lifetime! A pagan activist works like an activist for any other cause to further the cause– whether this includes media (I do quite a bit of radio), or writing op-ed articles for newspapers, encouraging people to become active politically (like getting out there to vote, etc.), or supporting more well-known people who are trying to do this very thing. An activist wants to educate and inform.

      Reply ↓

      • You definitely have! Thank you for explaining to me. That sounds really cool; I will definitely check out your radio pieces. I wish I could be good at as many things as you! My problem is that I get easily distracted and lose motivation – but I’m trying to work on it 🙂 And make more time.

        Thanks for replying o my comment,
        Jamila

        Reply ↓

  17. Just wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award. The main reason for my accepting my own nomination was to recognize some of the very lovely souls and blogs out there, and share them with others. I completely understand if you don’t resonate with following the guidelines, and/or don’t have the time to do so. You’re still someone I want to honor! Much love, Tania http://taniamarieartist.wordpress.com/2014/11/13/one-lovely-blog-award/

    Reply ↓

    • Thank you so much, Tania!! I’m honored!…I want to accept this award, and I’ll try to do so. Our Wi-Fi is down right now, so my internet time is cut to once a day visits to Wi-Fi hot spots– we hope to have this issue cleared up as soon as possible, but I can’t predict when.

      Reply ↓

  18. Thanks for the marvelous posting! I really enjoyed reading it, you may be a great author. I will be sure to bookmark your blog and may come back in the future.

    I want to encourage you to ultimately continue your great posts, have a nice weekend!

    Reply ↓

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