Hannah Golden

When many people think of a witch, they imagine someone with a black pointy hat and a sea-sick skin tone; a Halloween caricature, akin to a fictional character like the Wicked Witch of the West or a horror movie trope like The Blair Witch Project. There have been so many misconceptions and myths surrounding witchcraft, but even as the negative connotations prevail, modern witches continue to carve their own path and defy stereotypes. 

As a practicing witch, I’ve been no stranger to those stereotypes. Traditionally, witchcraft has been seen as a harbinger for evil, and even today people are burning books they say contain witchcraft, and that can be a hard stereotype to break. However, what they don’t realize is that witches can look like anyone and come from anywhere, even on Penn State Abington’s campus. 

“Witchcraft” itself is not a concrete religion or ideology. Many people imagine witches using tools such as crystals, tarot cards, and astrology in their practice. While those things are widely used and often helpful in a practice, witchcraft can look like anything. The definition of witchcraft is “traditionally, the exercise or invocation of alleged supernatural powers to control people or events, practices typically involving sorcery or magic,” however, that’s not necessarily true. Some witches, such as myself, may view their practice more as channeling their energy into an intention and manifestation (like blowing out your birthday candles). Other witches may pray to deities such as Artemis or Thor to aid in practicing their craft. Some witches may do a combination of those things, or do something completely different. Witchcraft is often defined by an individual witch, and is as unique as the witch practicing it.

To put witchcraft into a local perspective, I interviewed two other witches on campus, Emily Chan and Sierrarose Biello, about their experiences on being a witch and their journey with their craft.

Q: How did your interest in witchcraft/your practice start?

Chan: I had been exposed to the world of the occult from a young age. When I was little my mom always used to tell me about our ancestors, how they were shamans and/or high priests in ancient china as far back as the Qing Dynasty. I think I’ve been interested in spirituality for as long as I can remember.

Biello: My interest in witchcraft has always been a thing throughout my childhood, like with Tarot cards with my grandmother and my mom with the crystals. Even though it was little things to my mom, she would sometimes tell me stories of witches, how they were outcast but didn’t care, how they actually found cures (herbs) to sickness, and that they were smart. As a child hearing those stories, I felt connected in some way and believed it had some meaning. I got more introduced to it my junior year in high school from a substitute teacher. She showed me the connections that crystals and orgonites had towards energy, as well as how to read [Tarot] cards and connect to my intuition. I was raised in a Roman Catholic house so I was used to hearing to stay away from “black magic” and pray to the holy trinity, but I never felt like my intentions were heard that way. However, when I was introduced to script manifesting, smoke cleansing and putting intentions in a small crystal and a candle, I felt more connected to myself, that I was being heard, in tuned with my guides and intuition, and just more comfortable.

Q: Have you ever experienced judgement regarding your craft/your self-label in being a witch? Any negative stereotypes, bullying, etc.?

Chan: I wouldn’t say I was ever bullied. I’ve felt judgement. Specifically from my mother. We were both spiritual people. But she was very traditional. She spent her late teen years and early twenties exploring Christianity and almost became Mormon at one point despite our ancestors and her heritage. Though she left the church as she aged, she was never a fan of my form of spirituality, that being witchcraft, and didn’t want me to practice any of it so I did it in secret.

Biello: I’ve felt judged too. When I started showing my interest in doing witchcraft my mom would give me a side eye look and later on lecture me, saying that it leads to “Satanism.” When I talked about manifesting and having a manifestation journal to peers, there were only a few who would give a leery look and would start dissing on it saying that it seems more trend-based and not genuine or real. Basically just shitting on it. But whenever I talk about it though, most of the time people are actually interested and want to know more.

Q: How do you feel being a witch on Abington’s campus? Do you find yourself feeling more isolated with your beliefs/practices or do you find many others like you?

Biello: Being a witch on campus I like the thought of being hidden and not noticed by my craft. However, I have met a few others like me and I find it reassuring and that we could learn from one another.

Q: What are your thoughts on witchcraft “trends” such as witchtok, liking witchcraft only for the aesthetic of it, etc.?

Chan: My stance is that it’s a double edged sword. On one hand it brings awareness to the practice and makes people less likely to be judgmental. But at the same time it brings judgement to beginners/novices for “jumping on the bandwagon.”

All three of us practiced our craft differently, but in the end, we were brought together by our practice, our shared journey, and our pride in being modern witches. Perhaps we will always be stereotyped as evil or “scary,” but the least we can do is educate others on our practice and shed some light on this typically dark corner or spirituality.