Imaginary Powers of Witches

Posted by Jill Stefko May 30, 2008

Today, Paganism is clearly becoming recognized as a Shamanic or earth religion. In earlier times, those who practiced Paganism or were different and/or despised were considered devil worshippers and persecuted as such. Superstition, fear, political and religious power mongers and ignorance of the general populace gave rise to beliefs in witches’ supernatural powers.

Imagine living in the Burning Times, the zenith of witch hunts and persecutions, and believing witches really existed and made pacts with the devil, who gave them supernatural powers.

They flew on brooms and had familiars, demons in the form of animals, usually black cats which paved the way to laws enacted: Cats Persecuted as Familiars. Cats weren’t the only animals who were accused as Familiars and Totems points out.

One belief was that witches could cause hysterical fits and endow people with unnatural “talents,” as is evidenced by Witchcraft-Bilson & Leicester Boys.

Witchcraft: Storm Raising and North Berwick Witches' Persecution are about people, including King James VI of Scotland, later James I of England, believing witches could cause horrific violent tempests.

Elizabeth Sawyer, Witch of Edmonton, England, was accused of bewitching animals and children and putting a curse on a woman who died shortly thereafter. She was convicted and executed.

It was assumed witches could shapeshift into supernatural animals to carry out their evil work. There was a link between Witchcraft and Werewolves.

Malleus Maleficarum, the manual for witch hunters widely used in Europe in Medieval times, supported the belief that witches really existed. Although it was banned by the Catholic Church, it was used for three centuries by believers after its banishment, creating intense fear that, sometimes, led to hysteria.