FINDING MY RELIGION: Neo-pagan witch on celebrating the dead and casting spells

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 10/31/5 | David Ian Miller

[SmithL]

This being Halloween, M. Macha NightMare will dress up with a pointy hat, black clothing and a broomstick. It's mostly for fun, but it's also what people expect from the 62-year-old educator, author and priestess, who also happens to be a witch.

NightMare -- not her given name -- considers herself a Neo-Pagan, an eclectic term describing a diverse cluster of religious movements in the last 100 years or so seeking to resurrect pre-Christian spiritual beliefs, like a reverence for nature and Goddess worship. Some Neo-Pagans are witches, others are Wiccans and still others are both and neither.

NightMare, who lives in San Rafael, spends much of her time traveling and teaching about Paganism. She is the author of several books, including "The Pagan Book of Living and Dying" (Harper San Francisco, 1997), which she co-authored with well-known Pagan activist Starhawk, and "Pagan Pride: Honoring the Craft and Culture of Earth and Goddess" (Citadel Press, 2004).

[SmithL]

Isn't she cute. Although I saw much better costumes at a party Saturday night.

[MadManDan]

To each his own. I gotta say though, at least these people don't go around forcefully converting others or blowing people up like another so-called religion we've all heard of. I have no problem with these paganists.

[SIDENET]

LOL!

[proudofthesouth]

I thought Witches and Wiccans were the same thing....

[LongElegantLegs]

As the people were marching from the rally site across the bridge up to the gates of the Bohemian Grove -- that's when I did the spell. I kissed the water and began washing the suit and white shirt in the river. It's kind of funny, but shortly after I did that Enron blew up.

Stop drinking the damn bong water!

[DGray]

Nope. Some Wiccans are witches, but not all; and some witches are Wiccans, but not all.

True Wiccans have a specific mythology, ritual format and training structure, while non-Wiccan witches vary widely in their ways of doing things. Nearly all, however, subscribe the to back God/Goddess duality and a concept of the year based on ancient agricultural models.

[DGray]

back= "basic", sorry

[Tax-chick]

NightMare -- not her given name --

No, REALLY?

[i.l.e.]

Some say that a large percentage of ECUSA priestesses are also WICCANS.