Today’s Wicca

It’s that time of year again. Pretty soon miniature Hannah Montanas and Edward Cullens will be terrorizing neighbourhoods, begging for candy and ringing doorbells in the middle of supper. Later, the tartlets who dress up their doggies will hit the nightclubs, as Halloween has become more of a sexy circus and less of a supernatural celebration. Where’s the spook factor in hanging out with 5,000 of

With Halloween less than a week away, several Pagan organizations sponsored an event Sunday afternoon designed to better educate people about Paganism and how Pagans observe it.

“In the general public when I say the word, witch, they think of the media stereotype and the literature stereotype,” said Rose Wise, high priestess of the Ozark Avalon Church of Nature. “The first one is the green face

Wicca, or witchcraft, is growing as a recognized religion in this country. About the same number of people identify themselves as Wiccans or neopagan as Hindu, according to a 2007 religious survey cited by the U.S. Census Bureau. Yet myths and misperceptions abound.

1. Modern practitioners of Wicca invoke magic and cast spells.

True. But the intent is to do good, not evil, says Kestral Mor

Even as a child, Je’Amour P. Matthews knew her life path would not be mainstream.

While staunch Roman Catholic parents were teaching her about that church, she said, some maternal aunts were secretly grooming her to be the family’s next strega — Italian for female witch. It made for an interesting childhood — with memorable Sunday services.

“I was dragged to church relentlessly. Any time I