Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

Just in time for Halloween, check out these links for some fascinating insight into the popularity and power of the modern witch image.


Coven Ready: from Instagram to TV, why are witches so popular?

Exploring this idea that 'witch' is political, and maybe the swell of interest in magic and empowerment is a response to the current political climate, The Guardian also posits the appeal of escapism. It's all well and good to remind ourselves that the magic we see on television is fictional, but that doesn't mean modern witchcraft (and its psychological and tangible impact) isn't firmly rooted in our present reality.

13 Books about Witches that you'll completely change the way you think about them.

A diverse collection of fiction and non-fiction, here are 13 books that examine the past, present, and future definition of that oft-maligned term "witch". Call me a stickler, but I still don't think you have the right to call yourself a witch just because you gaze into the mirror and tell yourself you're a bad ass shattering all the glass ceilings, mkay?

Bring out your dark side this Halloween

Whether or not you fancy yourself a witch, Halloween provides us an opportunity to play with our dark sides or the aspects of ourselves that make us fearful. What better way to add a touch of dark whimsy than with some of these beauty products? I'll pass on the black lipstick this year, but I know a few of you could rock it pretty hard.

Bed-knobs, broomsticks, and Buffy - our favorite witches

Thinking back to my childhood, I can pinpoint the first witch I ever found truly fascinating. The Wicked Witch of the West (from Wizard of Oz) - later known as Elphaba - really got the short end of the stick. First, some stranger from another world murders her sister. Then an accomplice helps that murderer steal from her sister's corpse. And all her attempts to regain what was rightfully hers culminates in her gruesome death. Not fair.

A witch is born from a woman scorned - and you'll find similar examples in Eglantine from Bed-knobs & Broomstick and Willow from Buffy.

'I am not a Witch' - a poignant and darkly comedic film about witch camps in Ghana

This is definitely on my list of films to see. Witch hunts and a borderline hysterical fear of magic and all things superstitious are still very prevalent in many African and Asian regions, with real people facing real and horrific consequences for being accused.

Salem may have come a long way from their days of witch-hunting frenzy, but that doesn't mean the rest of the world has caught up.

Color Magick: A Witch's Guide to color meaning and energies

While each color has general properties that most witches agree on, keep in mind that the most important aspect of any spell is you, and we all relate to colors in different ways. That being said, feel free to experiment until you find what works best for you. 

Disclaimer: 

• Witch has largely been reclaimed as a modern feminist term, but it's important to note that witch is also a gender neutral term in terms of practice and tradition. Men, women, and those in between are all welcome to call themselves witches if they practice the craft. 
• Wicca is but one branch of paganism, an umbrella of different magical and polytheistic belief systems, and does not encompass the whole of witchcraft, nor do they have a monopoly on its practice.
• I am a practicing witch and my path is personal and unique. I do not speak for the beliefs or practices of other witches.