30 Dark Facts We Never Knew About Modern Day Witches

1. The Origin of Witches

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Witches are shrouded in history and rooted in ancient beliefs, folklore, and superstitions.  During the 16th and 17th centuries, many people, mostly women, faced persecution in the grimmest and gruesomest of ways.  The witch trials of this time reflected the social and religious fears of the period.

2. Witchcraft

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The word 'witchcraft' has many meanings, both good and bad, in various cultures around the world.  It's usually associated with nature and the supernatural, as well as using magical forces to change everyday occurrences.  But if history has taught us anything about witches, it's that people have feared them for centuries.

3. Witch Trials

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It has been just under 400 years since one of the most famous witch trials took place in Salem Massachusetts where 141 men and women were tried as witches with at least 20 of them sentenced to execution.  There have been many more famous trials across the world, including the 1612 Pendle Witch Trials in the north of England.

4. Are witch trials really a thing of the past?

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You might be surprised to learn that witch trials are not actually a thing of the past, especially since the last recorded charge of witchcraft in the US took place in 1878.   In fact, they're very much a thing in our modern world today and they are growing in prevalence worldwide.

5. 21st Century Witch Trials

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Witch trials and hunts are actually happening across the world today.  Organizations like the United Nations have found that the number of these trials is increasing significantly globally.  They are almost always fuelled with violence and sometimes deadly.

6. Witch-Hunts

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So-called "witch-hunters" practice hunts throughout the world today and they are so often violent that some say that it's them that ought to be feared more than the so-called "witches" they profess to fight.  In fact, there are regions of the world that have adopted anti-witch hunting laws but there are still many states that have not.

7. Surviving the Trial

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Survival of witch trials was unlikely during the 17th Century with their methods of investigation nigh on impossible to survive.  And despite there never being a rigidly proven case of witchcraft in human history, depending on where you are in the world, if someone's accused, they may face prejudice or even life-ruining persecution or violence.

8. Riots

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Rumors and fears of witchcraft have not only caused violent witch hunts but there have been stories of fatal riots in places too.  In 2008, thirteen people were killed and many more were injured in a riot at a Congo football match after accusations a player was practicing witchcraft.

9. Real sources of fear

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The fact is that the belief in witches has often been found to be borne out of fear and these fears are projected onto unfortunate people.  These fears might include real fears of disease, famine, and natural disasters.  Even rapid and unexpected success has been believed to be the work of witchcraft.

10. The Secret Life of Modern-Day Western Witches

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So it's important to acknowledge that witchcraft and beliefs in this supernatural phenomenon vary across different cultures, religions, beliefs, and societies.  In the Western world, self-proclaimed witches live amongst us, practicing their versions of witchcraft.

11. Hiding in plain sight

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Interestingly, many of these who are referred to as modern witches live in mainstream society and often have very mainstream jobs and lifestyles.  Often, witches choose to hide their 'other' lives and practice their passions in the safety of other like-minded individuals.

12. Paganism

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Paganism is a religion that does play a significant role for many modern-day witches as it provides a spiritual framework that is rooted in ancient traditions and places a focus on nature.  Interestingly, Modern Paganism is represented by different movements and organizations and is a syncretic and nature-based religion.  Modern Paganism is also the basis for Wicca.

13. Wicca

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Wicca is a modern Pagan spiritual practice that is often associated with the concept of 'witchcraft'.  This practice emphasizes reverence for nature, the worship of deities, and also the practice of magic.  This spiritual movement follows the cycles of the moon and the seasons.

14. The Druids

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Druids of the past were ancient Celtic priests, scholars, and spiritual leaders who practiced divination, rituals, and revered nature.  In modern Druidry, this spiritual movement holds many similarities to those religions associated with witchcraft, and many believe that they hold secret knowledge.

15. It's not all blood and gore

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Despite some of the fears in the past, and even to this day across the globe, that witches were evil, and used dark magic and sacrifices, there are those who will tell you that it's not actually all blood and gore.  And because of these fears, many self-proclaimed witches will hide that part of their lives.

16. Nature really is magical

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Many modern witches will tell you that it's nature that's the thing that holds the REAL magic.  Just like in traditional Pagan, Wicca, and other ancient practices such as Druidry, modern witches worship and revere nature.  And these witches will assure you that it has nothing to do with the so-called devil.

17. Seasons are honored

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So as nature is worshipped, the four seasons are honored, with witches celebrating life and rebirth at the start of the year and then death and decay at the end.  The seasons are accompanied by various celebrations and traditions, including the Spring equinox, Ostara, as well as the Autumn equinox, Mabon, and more.

18. Life & Rebirth

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At the start of the year giving thanks to nature means celebrating the life and rebirth that comes with the beginning of a new year and Spring.  After a period of cold and darkness, Spring blesses the world with essentially what is seen as a new start and regrowth.  The Spring Equinox, Ostara, is celebrated.

19. Death & Decay

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When modern witches do admit that they actually celebrate death and decay, it's not the Halloween picture that you might envisage.  In fact, it's once again rooted in nature, as the decay and death of nature happens so it can make way for new life.  The Autumn Equinox, Mabon, is celebrated, and then in Winter, the Solstice known as Yule, one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world is honored.

20. Samhain

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Samhain (a Gaelic world pronounced 'sow-win') is a pagan religious festival that has roots in ancient Celtic spiritual traditions.  This celebration is the origin of what we recognize as Halloween and it was first observed by the pagans.  Modern-day witches, or Wiccans, recognize Samhain by creating a specific altar, including specific colors of the season, tools of divination, candles, harvest foods, pictures, and symbols of death.

21. Spells like knives

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When you think about witchcraft, you might automatically associate it with spells.  One modern witch has told sources about how Wiccans use spells usually to do good, such as getting promotions or trying to solve problems in life.  But, unfortunately, like in everyday life, there are some that might use them for bad.  Just like knives, spells in the hands of evil can have the potential to be bad.

22. There are still covens around the world

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There are still witch covens around the world too. These covens in modern Wicca are generally groups that meet and support each other with their lifestyle and share their interests.  They celebrate Celtic festivals and follow the moon cycles, as well as the seasons.

23. Witch school exists!

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Across the Western world, there are actually witch schools.  And no, they're probably not as grand as Hogwarts, but they are actually real.  In the UK, for instance, there; 's a witch school in Blackpool in Lancashire that has taught more than 60 witches.

24. You've probably done a spell without even realizing it!

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The truth is, you've probably done what are considered spells without even realizing it.  If you've ever made a wish whilst blowing out your birthday cake candles, then that's actually a form of spell.  There are other examples too, but it just proves that there are so many secret and hidden traditions in our everyday lives that originate in magic.

25. So, can anyone be a witch?

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There is this common misconception that witches are women, probably unmarried, solitary, and the like.  This might sound familiar if you're ideas of witches come from historical misconceptions and myths.  But the truth is, anyone with the awareness of their own power and willingness to use it, qualifies as a witch.

26. Hexes are real

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Hexes are a form of spell that is used to perhaps inflict harm on someone else.  However, this is an assumption and usually, they're just a form of protection.  If a witch performs a hex with the intention of harming someone, it is clear that they're in a dark place and perhaps need help.

27. Powerful acts of rebellion

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Identifying as a witch can be an incredibly powerful act of rebellion.  It challenges societal norms and empowers people to connect with nature, and spirituality and reclaim historically oppressed or marginalized identities.  It is said to defy conventional religious and societal norms and can be incredibly empowering.

28. Activism

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Modern witchcraft can also be a form of activism by promoting social change, environmental consciousness, and empowerment.  It has the power to promote equality and raise awareness of issues surrounding gender, ethnicity, and environmental sustainability.

29. Can magic be good or bad?

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Dividing magic into binary into good and bad or black and white isn't the whole picture.  The thing is, these binaries have troubling undertones, including the latter having racist undertones.  And it's not that simple either.  Who's to say whether magic is good or bad, magic is magic and it's all about how it's used and who is reaping the rewards.

30. Witchcraft today

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In the world today, problems surrounding witchcraft lie within people's misconceptions, stereotypes, and cultural appropriation.  Many practitioners work hard to emphasize the importance of respecting its roots and understanding its diverse and fascinating traditions.