Today’s Wicca

least 1957, when Mitcham-born Doreen Valiente argued with Gerald Gardner, the publicist for the newly established religion of Wicca, and went off in a huff to found her own coven. A rhyme to chant as you dance round the Hallowe’en fire is to be found

they do cast spells, writes FIONOLA MEREDITH , who talks to some Irish practitioners of the ancient craft of Wicca WITCHES HAVE SUFFERED from centuries of bad press. The very mention of witchcraft calls up images of sinister warty crones; cauldrons full

be scarcely a pamphlet if it was confined to paganism lived as a religion in the modern world. Wicca, the most popular form, goes back as far as 1948. In that year Gerald Gardner (1884-1964) turned his attentions from the magic of the Ordo Templi

Fiona Shaw) allows herself to be possessed by vengeful, dead witch Antonia. This is a big no-no, say Wicca practitioners. Marnie is reckless with her powers, and makes witchcraft look “too easy,” they say. Christopher Penczak, co-founder and

They were discussing the depiction of the supernatural in Bengali cinema. The occasion also marked fifteen years of Wicca in India. The discussion started with Rituparno Ghosh talking about the way Rabindranath Tagore handled the supernatural.