Three women executed as witches in Derneburg Germany in October 1555.
Everett Collection
Witchcraft is an enduring source of fascination but also prone to popular misconceptions.
The natural world is an important part of Pagan practice.
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Practitioners of Pagan religions no longer need to go into a forest to find an object for their altars. Commercialization means that sacred objects are available online.
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In the last Census, 33,148 Australians identified with a nature religion, or Paganism. Who are the Pagans – and what do they do and believe?
For Wiccans, celebration of summer solstice is a spiritual practice.
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For Wiccans, midsummer, with the maximum hours of sunlight, is the time for celebrating new life.
WitchTok is the subculture of pagans who use TikTok to share spells, learn about mythology and connect with co-religionists.
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Whether someone is scrolling mindlessly or actively conducting research, WitchTok connects witches to their practices and community.
Most Wiccans in the U.S. practice alone, though they congregate in large gatherings to conduct rituals and learn from one another.
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Interest in Wicca and witchcraft appears to be increasing, but what exactly is Wicca in the first place?
An old Canadian law which outlaws magic fraud is about to be eliminated. This print by William Hogarth, ‘Credulity Superstition and Fanaticism,’ from 1762 epitomizes the Enlightenment view that witchcraft and religious fanaticism go hand in hand.
William Hogarth/1762
An antiquated Canadian law against magic and witchcraft is about to be repealed. A close look at its history reveals that it is far less superstitious than it appears.