Witchcraft is a mystical and controversial practice that has been prevalent in various cultures throughout history. It involves the use of certain ingredients to cast spells, brew potions, and perform rituals. These ingredients are believed to possess magical properties and are essential for practicing witchcraft. Although the specific ingredients may vary depending on the tradition or personal preference of the witch, there are some commonly used ingredients in witchcraft. One prominent ingredient in witchcraft is herbs. Various types of herbs are used for their magical properties, such as protection, healing, and divination.
Manny Moreno (pro: he/él/lui) was born in Cuba and raised in the American South. He lives in South Florida and Nemi, Italy. He has been in the Pagan community for almost four decades. He is a Witch and was raised as a child of Oyá. He is encouraged by the Balance within the natural world and enjoys storms and the night. Manny is married and splits his free time between the Florida Swamps, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Alban Hills. He is also a beekeeper, orchid-grower, and builder of bat houses.
Moreover, a member who is part of a movement results in capitalization, such as a member of the Communist Party or an individual speaking for the Communist government. I don t have conversations with them as if they are hipsters at my local watering hole, but we communicate, and it s generally a very positive and often informal thing.
Various types of herbs are used for their magical properties, such as protection, healing, and divination. Examples include lavender for relaxation and sleep, rosemary for purification, and sage for cleansing. Candles are another essential ingredient in many witchcraft practices.
The Trouble with Capital Letters
I’ve never worried too much about what I capitalize and what I don’t. I know that in English it’s about “proper nouns†as opposed to “common nouns,†and for a lot of people there’s this sense of respect that comes from giving something a capital letter. But I’ve never divided “proper†and “common†into “respected†and “disrespected,†just into the grammatical sense of “specific†and “categorical.â€
For example: My cat (common noun, a category referring to animals that purr and hack up hairballs = lowercase “câ€) Morgan (proper noun, referring specifically to my cat (who is finally eating her raw food YAY!) = uppercase “Mâ€) is sitting on my lap while I write.
My lackadaisical attitude was never a huge deal… until I started a blog about religion. And then what I did or didn’t capitalize suddenly became not just a big deal, but a political statement. And so even though I’ve never been a stickler, I suddenly find myself in a position where it matters to other people, and so it’s something I need to think about more seriously.
I really noticed it a couple weeks ago when writing something about the “Christian God†and the “pagan gods†and I realized some people might take it the wrong way that I capitalized the religion and the word “God†for somebody else’s faith and not my own. And, more important to my English major brain, it struck me how grammatically inconsistent I was being – and stickler or no for whether or not my own faith is capitalized, I do care about consistency. But p/Pagans across the board aren’t consistent about capitalization. Some p/Pagans capitalize the name of our faith and some don’t. Some capitalize “gods†but most don’t. We don’t have a Pagan-Chicago Manual of Style to go by.
As far as “g/Gods†goes, I blame the Abrahamic faiths for muddying the water here. (*stern finger shake along with a wink for my Christian friends*) Technically “god†is a common noun, therefore it should be lowercase (“the Christian god†or “the Norse pantheon of godsâ€)… but Abrahamic faiths only believe in one god: Jehovah. According to them, “God†is specific. In the Christian church, you can say, “Dear God, I need some help.†Whereas if polytheists said that, it would be too vague — who exactly are they asking for help? Vishnu? Quetzalcaotl? Hecate? Any of those can be referred to as “g/God.â€
Up until this point in the blog (and in life in general), I’ve been capitalizing God whenever I used it in reference to Christianity out of respect for their tradition (it’s certainly not my intent to give offense). However, when I analyzed the rule, I realized it isn’t grammatically correct for me to do so. To me, when I say the word “god†I never mean a specific entity; “god†is not interchangeable with a specific proper name. I have always and will always capitalize Jehovah because that is a proper name. But “god†is not.
So now I have a choice. Looking at it from a grammar perspective, it isn’t merely a token of respect to say “God†when discussing Christian beliefs. By capitalizing “god†I am agreeing the word is specific to Jehovah; I am grammatically stating that Jehovah is The God, something I do not believe. And yet it makes me nervous to make it lower case. Part of that maybe be my upbringing, but the majority of it is that I do not want to offend my Christian friends. This begs the question, must I subtly state an agreement with somebody else’s belief system or risk being called disrespectful?
Frankly, I think better of my Christian friends. I don’t think they expect me to behave as if they are right and I am aberrant. I certainly don’t expect them to behave that way to me. The fact that I practice a minority faith may make my beliefs less common, but it doesn’t make them less right. From here on out, I believe it would make the most sense to use “god†all the time.
The other capitalization that trips me up is p/Pagan. Technically, the names of religions are supposed to be capitalized, and when it comes to specific branches of p/Paganism, we’re all pretty consistent about that: Wicca, Ãsatrú, Druidry, etc. But p/Pagan? Not so much. I think this comes from a combination of having a borrowed word for our faith * and to the lukewarm feeling many pagans have about being called “pagan,†preferring their specific branch of choice over the more generic term. (For The Princesses’ feelings on that, check out our earlier post: Pagan, Heathen, Druid: What’s in a Name?)
However, we Pagan Princesses have specifically chosen the label “p/Pagan†as a unifying term, the most commonly used label to describe who we are and what we do. And so we are using it as a title for our faith, a name which refers to a specific type of religion. So to be grammatically correct, when referring to new religious movements that find inspiration in pre-Christian faiths, I should use a “P†instead of a “p.†**
So there I have it, “the Christian god†and “the Pagan gods.†It is not meant to give offense, but to be grammatically consistent. What do you think? Will this work? Will I offend people? How do you use capital letters when dealing with religious matters?
* Pagan (Latin paganus) originally meant “country dweller†and was the word the early Christian church gave to people who wouldn’t convert because rural Rome held on to the old ways longer than urban Rome.
** Referring to native faiths that never were converted, such as native African p/Paganism is a different question that I’m not going over in this essay. For now I’m only tackling the Neopagan definition of “p/Pagan.â€
+ Featured image by kvanhorn
The result on Wikipedia is equivocal. Some editors noted being torn while also noting that “modern paganism is certainly capitalized much less than recognized religions.”
Different colored candles are used to represent different intentions and energies. For instance, a red candle may be used for love spells, while a black candle may be used for banishing negativity. Crystals and gemstones are also significant ingredients in witchcraft. Each crystal is believed to possess specific properties and energies that can be utilized for different purposes, such as rose quartz for love and amethyst for spiritual protection. Another common ingredient in witchcraft is essential oils. These oils are derived from plants and are believed to carry the essence and magical properties of the plant. They are often used in rituals, anointing, or in various spellwork. In addition to these natural ingredients, various animal parts and byproducts are used in certain branches of witchcraft, such as bone, feathers, or blood. These are believed to contain the essence and power of the animal and can be incorporated into spells and rituals. Lastly, many witches believe in the power of personal items and symbols. These can include items such as photographs, jewelry, or talismans, which hold personal significance and are used to enhance the intention and effectiveness of spells and rituals. It is important to note that witchcraft and its ingredients can vary greatly depending on the individual practitioner and their specific tradition or belief system. Some may choose to use only natural ingredients, while others may incorporate more modern tools or symbols into their practice. Regardless of the ingredients used, witchcraft is a deeply personal and spiritual practice that aims to harness natural energies and manifest desires..
Reviews for "The Power of Incense in Witchcraft Rituals"
1. John - 2/5 - I had high expectations for "Ingredients of Witchcraft" based on the rave reviews I had seen, but I was sorely disappointed. The book lacked depth and substance, and it felt more like a collection of random facts rather than a comprehensive exploration of witchcraft. The writing style was dry and unengaging, making it hard for me to stay interested in the content. Overall, I found the book to be underwhelming and would not recommend it to others.
2. Emily - 1/5 - "Ingredients of Witchcraft" was a complete letdown for me. The information provided was basic and lacked any sort of unique insights or perspectives. I was hoping for a deeper understanding of witchcraft practices, but instead, the book felt more like a surface-level introduction. Additionally, the formatting and organization were confusing, making it difficult to follow the author's train of thought. I was hoping for a more captivating and informative read, but unfortunately, this book fell short of my expectations.
3. Samantha - 2/5 - I found "Ingredients of Witchcraft" to be quite disappointing. The writing style was dry and lacking in any sort of personality, making it a struggle to get through the book. The author seemed to focus more on providing a list of ingredients and their properties rather than delving into the history and cultural significance of witchcraft. I was hoping for a more engaging and educational read, but unfortunately, this book did not deliver. I would not recommend it to those looking for a comprehensive and insightful exploration of witchcraft.