There is magic all around us. Sometimes that ‘magic’ is Quantum Consciousness or some other science we do not fully understand or have the tools to measure its matter, or is the matter we experience only an illusion that are interpreted by our senses.

The word Witch can conjure many scary images, propagated throughout history to the present day. It is often used as an insult, which, I find ironic! Like it’s a bad thing to be a free thinker??? Today the term “witch-hunt” is usually used in conjunction with a ‘whistle-blower’ or someone to blame.

The Witchcraft Acts were historically a succession of governing laws in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and the British colonies on penalties for the practice witchcraft. The last Scottish ‘witch’ sentenced to prison in the UK was spiritualist Helen Duncan, she was convicted in 1944. Even after she served her custodial sentence she continued to be harassed and abused by the police, some believe this harassment ultimately resulted in her death.

So What is a Witch? Simply it’s the wilful transferring of energies between the material and ethereal realms. Underpinning all witchcraft is a deep abiding love and respect of the earth, the universe and the glorious array of life and energies that surrounds us, because we know we are all connected and all part of the same. We feel it!
Science has taken a new interest in consciousness. What it is and do we need our bodies to access it? These questions are now of paramount importance with the onslaught of Artificial Intelligence. Is AI Witchcraft? Are AI creators and users dabbling in something they do not fully understand the consequences of? But I digress……

Witches should always strive for knowledge, with an open and inquisitive mind. Follow the path of life with honesty and integrity. Smart witches understand nature’s bounty and are in tune with their surroundings, making use and giving gratitude to the energies and earthly matter that surrounds them.
Partially based on ancestor worship all witches also revere The Mother Goddess in one form or another. They may also call on a pantheon of other Gods, Deities and even Saints they have an affiliation with or whose powers and energy they wish to draw on. Or maybe it’s all just quantum physics?

Like most cultures, religions and social groups, there are many flavours of witchcraft. Wicca is one of the more modern and popular crafts. Some witches identify as Kitchen Witch, Hedge Witch, Green Witch, White Witch, Black Witch etc. I would probably most identify as a Celtic Witch. No matter how a witch chooses to personally identify and exercise their freedom, they should not restrict other people’s views of how they identify us or perceive us as witches. We have ‘thick skin’ and realise an insult only hurts if we allow it by giving it any worth. Thanks to Walt Disney I spend more time than I want educating ‘muggles’ on their misguided ideas of witches. However I respect the freedom of others to have their opinions and continually paint witches in a disgusting way and pervert every seasonal pagan festival with capitalist nonsense and bad energy. Is any other minority so accepting forgiving or understanding? Or do witches just realise it’s their problem not ours.

Looking at Wikipedia definition of Witchcraft - "the use of magic or supernatural powers to inflict harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning”.
I suppose if it’s repeated often enough people believe it they form bias opinions. A wise man once told me “Find out for your Feckin self!”

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Scottish Witches

Below is a list of Useful External Web links I would recommend browsing.

The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft 1563-1736 - https://witches.hca.ed.ac.uk/

The database contains all people known to have been accused of witchcraft in early modern Scotland—nearly 4,000 of them. There is information on where and when they were accused, how they were tried, what their fate was, and on a wide range of themes relating to social and cultural history. There is also supporting material. An 'Introduction to Scottish witchcraft' explains some of the findings from the database and puts them in context. The 'Further Reading' section is also important; the database won't tell you everything on its own. However, it will tell you some things that you could find out in no other way. We hope you find it a useful tool. All this should help you think about the history of witchcraft and what it means to us today.

Interactive witchcraft map | The University of Edinburgh - https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/

Excellent interactive map that includes Scottish witch trial information including names of the accused, residences, Detention Locations, Trial Locations, Death Locations, People Associated and Extra Visualisations

The myths of witches - https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/the-myths-of-witches

Written by Dr Ciaran Jones, Historian of the Scottish witch trials. The National Trust for Scotland has recently been seeking to answer some of these questions, as well as uncover the historical connections between the Trust’s properties and the witch trials – a period in the 16th and 17th centuries when witchcraft was a statutory crime in Scotland.

Witches in Scottish literature -https://www.nls.uk/learning-zone/literature-and-language/themes-in-focus/witches/

Scottish writers have a rich tradition of placing nature, the countryside, folklore and historical and events at the heart of their work.

The sudden changes of light in the Scottish landscape, the lonely stretches of moor and hill, deep glens and forbidding lochs have inspired many supernatural tales.

Witch's iron collar - National Museums Scotland - https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/stories/scottish-history-and-archaeology/witchs-iron-collar/

The trial of the North Berwick 'coven' began a pattern of persecution of suspected witches by torture and capital punishment. Witch hunts often took place at a time of upheaval, warfare, famine or disease. In Scotland, the main phases of the witchcraze were the late 1620s, the late 1640s and 1661-2.

Remembering the Accused Witches of Scotland - https://www.raws.scot/

We are RAWS, a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. We are campaigning to raise awareness of the ordinary women & men who were accused of witchcraft during this dark period of Scottish history.

Witches of Scotland - https://www.witchesofscotland.com/

Witches of Scotland is a campaign for justice, a legal pardon, an apology and a national monument for the thousands of people who were convicted of witchcraft and executed in Scotland between 1563 and 1736. Learn more about the sources, podcast, IWD 2022 and how to join the campaign

Nicola Sturgeon apologises to people accused of witchcraft  - Published 8 March 2022 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-60667533

Nicola Sturgeon has offered a formal apology to people accused of witchcraft between the 16th and 18th centuries, many of whom were executed.  The Scottish first minister said she was choosing to acknowledge an "egregious historic injustice".  It is thought 4,000 Scots, most of them women, were accused of breaking the Witchcraft Act between 1563 and 1736.  Ms Sturgeon also told MSPs that parliament could choose to legislate to pardon those convicted under the law.

Witches Playing Football - www.salsburghheritagegroup.co.uk

We find the kirk-session of at the Kirk O' Shotts dealing with a number of witches. Indeed, in 1683, thirty men met between the Kirk of Shotts and Cambusnethen, who had forsaken the ordinances of God, and there did debate the authority of Scripture, and thereafter played at football with them [the witches], and after that burned them; this was verified by two ministers, Mr William Violent and Mr John Oliphant, who had certain information of it.

Saining Not Smudging - https://cailleachs-herbarium.com/2019/02/saining-not-smudging-purification-and-lustration-in-scottish-folk-magic-practice/

Saining practices are important but why did Scottish folk magic practitioners carry them out? Saining practices are carried out primarily to remove influences of negative spirits on people, places, objects, and livestock or to protect and keep folks from harm.