Reviving Witchcraft

Most are unaware there is a community within Central Michigan University that identifies as Witches year-round.

The end of October is a sacred time for many religions, specifically those who practice Witchcraft and other contemporary Pagans. Their holy day, Samhain, the traditional Celtic holiday focused on the end of the harvest and preparations for winter, falls on Halloween.

Practicing Witchcraft as either a Witch or Wiccan usually falls under the umbrella of Paganism, explained religion professor Dr. Laurel Zwissler. Paganism is usually classified as the practice of reviving ancient religions in conjunction with a spiritual appreciation for the earth.

"There are so many misunderstandings about what Witchcraft as a religion is, it makes sense to me that a lot of people would choose to be a little more private about their beliefs," Zwissler said. "I do know there is a Pagan presence on campus."

The population of people who practice Witchcraft is difficult to track, mostly because of the stigma attached to the minority religion, and lack of brick and mortar places of worship, Zwissler said. In popular culture Witches are typically portrayed as cartoon characters and are demonized. The fictitious myth of a Witch that exists in the media does not reflect people who actually practice the religion, but is still associated with them. That does not stop some, however, from practicing their religion despite negative backlash and lack of religious diversity on campus.

Roze Bentley has identified as a Witch for 20 years. The Mount Pleasant student is studying religion and said she instantly found a community within a registered student organization formed for religious diversity, Open Grove Society, upon arriving at CMU.

“A lot of people have a very negative, visceral reaction to the word ‘Witch,’” Bentley said. “There’s a stereotype of a harmful person, and really the religion is completely the opposite of that."

Witchcraft practices have deep roots in feminism, and have self-care as a central message to the faith.

"I think the reason we still claim that title is because we’re willing to identify with the least of us," Bentley said.

Bentley said reclaiming the stereotype is an act of empowerment, and taking a stand against stereotypes. That is one of the reasons she dresses up as a “stereotypical” Witch for Halloween.

“It’s sort of symbol reclaiming,” Bentley said. “The whole idea of when we gather together and use those symbols, it’s to set the space apart.”

Bentley said being apart of Pagan groups on campus is helpful because they are inclusive and welcoming, even though she is disappointed Open Grove Society is less active this year.

Reviving and practicing historic, ancient religions is a big part of being Pagan.

“It is a mish-mash of different traditions pulling all together and saying, ‘OK, we want to preserve some of this (over this) other overwhelming perspective,’ so in that way it is sort of an underdog faith,” she said.

Bentley said she is cautious of cultural appropriation in her own practices, especially when exploring religions in cultures that are still being practiced today.

“While I really love to celebrate Day of the Dead, I try to be a little more careful about it because I’m not actually Mexican, I just grew up around it,” she said.

Bentley said because of the stigma attached to being Pagan, Witch or Wiccan, practicing these minority religions involves a sort of “coming out” to family and friends about one’s spiritual identity.

The Dogma-Free Society is a registered student organization on campus that promotes religious diversity, focusing on Atheism, which sometimes faces stigmas as well.

"We're definitely interested in being able to promote freedom of religion and from religion," said vice president Kaylie Johnson. "Every student should be able to practice whatever they want without facing stigmas."

Johnson said she has heard of people practicing Witchcraft, and knows there is a bad stigma usually attached to identifying as a Witch or Wicca.

"I don't think people should judge or base their ideas of what Wiccans are from what is portrayed in the media,” she said. “People should cherish their diversity by being out about it if it's safe.”

Johnson said she faces stigmas for being nonreligious as well.

"If people assume everyone is the mainstream religion of Christianity, it's like we don't exist," she said.

Bentley explained some of the stigmas attached to Witches are that they are "drawn to evil things" have derived from movies and pop culture.

“I think the biggest area of (negative) stereotypes is that Witches are drawn to dark archetypes,” Bentley said. “We believe really strongly in balance and that you have to have the dark to have the light. A fair number of us have seen some dark things in our lives, and in some ways that brings comfort.”

Witchcraft was formed in medieval times when Christian leaders lumped together all non-Christian religions and called them “Witchcraft.” The movement of reviving the traditions of folklore is practiced today by contemporary witches like Bentley.

“There is no coherent Witchcraft tradition, there was never anything like that, there were different people in different places who did stuff that wasn’t Christianity,” Zwissler said. “The language that the church developed for all of those things that weren’t Christianity — they gave it a single name and they called it Witchcraft."

In terms of diversity of religions represented on CMU's campus, Zwissler thinks there is room for improvement.

"Mount Pleasant has many churches, but not a lot of other kinds of religious places (of worship)," Zwissler said. "This means that as a community, we are missing out on a lot of what goes on because there is not a lot of public space for people to talk about what is important for them if it’s not mainstream Christianity."

Canton senior David Nymberb is a member of St. Mary’s University Parish. He said religious diversity on campus is a good thing because of the exchange of different ideas it allows.

“Of course minority religions are welcome,” Nymberb said. “Neither campus nor the Catholic church is exclusive.”

He said if the topic came up and a witch was willing to have a civil conversation about their religion, he would be willing to talk it through with them.

“We’ve been taught to be as understanding as we can, but not to the extent where we compromise our own beliefs,” Nymberb said. “Our goal would be to explain our side. If they can agree with that, that’s great, but if not, we’ll leave it there. We won’t try to force the issue or anything like that.”

Bentley celebrates Samhain with other Pagans by performing a ritual where they each name the deities and ancestors they plan on honoring. The Witches form an altar in memorial for them. They also take part in a potluck dinner where they try to bring favorite recipes of their family members who have passed on.

There are eight major holidays most Witches recognize and some choose to celebrate with a community of Wiccan or Witches. Most Pagans use the Celtic Wheel of the Year, a calendar that marks holidays on the equinoxes, solstices and the midpoints between them. 

The holidays will often match up with holidays on the American calendar, like with Samhain and Halloween, and Yule and Christmas.

“It’s not untrue that we do spells," Bentley said. “Spellwork is generally aimed at the person performing the spell.”

She said there is such a thing as negative spells, or hexes, but most Witches will never use them, because it is the same as self-harming — putting negative energy into the world that will also effects the spell caster negatively.

Zwissler explained spells as setting goals.

“A spell is a fancy way of saying they put mental energy into imagining the world in a way that they want it to be,” Zwissler said. “If you imagine your problem already solved, then you can shift your own attitude and attitudes of the people around you to help make that real.”

In terms of day-to-day-practice, Bentley said she has a meditation space in her home where she has incense. She also journals and keeps notes on her rituals, and uses it as a way to find personal power and get to know herself. Keeping records of thoughts and meditation is important in Witchcraft, Bentley said. Some call journals their “Book of Shadows.”

Courses related to Witchcraft being offered next fall include REL 302: Witchcraft, Magic and the Occult, and REL 303: Goddesses.