Azure Jane Lunatic (Azz) 🌺 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
azurelunatic) wrote2002-09-05 08:34 am
azurelunatic) wrote2002-09-05 08:34 am
Quiet. I'm hacking at my speech.
It's about that time of year when Halloween merchandise begins to appear in the stores. One of the classic Halloween costumes is the witch, with pointy hat, pointy nose, and broomstick.
Real-life witches use a variety of tools, though not always the stereotypical objects that are included in Halloween costumes. There are many varieties of witchcraft, just as there are many subdivisions in other religions. The four main tools of the witch, based on traditions that date back to the medieval alchemists and perhaps further, are representative of the four classical elements: air, fire, water, and earth.
Any discussion of the elements in this mystical system requires starting from the East, which is associated with the element Air. The classical element of air has the properties of heat, moisture, and motion, and is often associated with changeability, or information. There is some debate over which tool to use for Air between traditions; some traditions say that the Wand is for Air, but other traditions claim it's the dagger, or athame. There is also debate over how to pronouce that word; some pronounce it a-thame, some pronounce it a-tha-may. Mercury, the messenger of the gods, the guy with the winged sandals, was associated with the element of Air.
South is associated with Fire. Fire is hot and dry, and is a very active element, more so than Air. Air can be seen as a lot of flurry with no real action; Fire is the element of action, of getting things done. It's very quick, and often warlike; Mars, the god of war, was a Fire. The wand is used to represent Fire, except when the dagger is used. Both the elements of Air and Fire are traditionally considered to be more masculine. In times when possessing the tools of witchcraft could get one in deep trouble, the wand, or staff, was often disguised as a broom, thus associating witches with broomsticks.
There is no debate over what symbolism the chalice has. The chalice, placed at the West, is associated with water, which is cool and, of course, wet. The element of water is associated with all things emotional. The color blue is often used to symbolize water. Water is very often considered a feminine element.
The final element is Earth, at the north. Earth has the properties of coolness and dryness, and is symbolized by the pentacle, which is an object with a five-pointed star, or pentagram, inscribed upon it. The pentagram is a shape with a number of different significances. From a Christian-influenced viewpoint, the pentagram with one point upright symbolizes Man, standing upright under God, and the pentagram reversed, signifies the Fallen Angel, descending. From an elemental viewpoint, the pentagram is always symbolic of the four physical elements, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth, with Spirit as the quintessence, or Fifth Element, unseen but bringing all together.
A witch has more traditional tools than these, of course, but these are the main elemental representations used by a witch. This Halloween, when you see people dressed up as witches -- some of them may be witches on more than just Halloween night.
Real-life witches use a variety of tools, though not always the stereotypical objects that are included in Halloween costumes. There are many varieties of witchcraft, just as there are many subdivisions in other religions. The four main tools of the witch, based on traditions that date back to the medieval alchemists and perhaps further, are representative of the four classical elements: air, fire, water, and earth.
Any discussion of the elements in this mystical system requires starting from the East, which is associated with the element Air. The classical element of air has the properties of heat, moisture, and motion, and is often associated with changeability, or information. There is some debate over which tool to use for Air between traditions; some traditions say that the Wand is for Air, but other traditions claim it's the dagger, or athame. There is also debate over how to pronouce that word; some pronounce it a-thame, some pronounce it a-tha-may. Mercury, the messenger of the gods, the guy with the winged sandals, was associated with the element of Air.
South is associated with Fire. Fire is hot and dry, and is a very active element, more so than Air. Air can be seen as a lot of flurry with no real action; Fire is the element of action, of getting things done. It's very quick, and often warlike; Mars, the god of war, was a Fire. The wand is used to represent Fire, except when the dagger is used. Both the elements of Air and Fire are traditionally considered to be more masculine. In times when possessing the tools of witchcraft could get one in deep trouble, the wand, or staff, was often disguised as a broom, thus associating witches with broomsticks.
There is no debate over what symbolism the chalice has. The chalice, placed at the West, is associated with water, which is cool and, of course, wet. The element of water is associated with all things emotional. The color blue is often used to symbolize water. Water is very often considered a feminine element.
The final element is Earth, at the north. Earth has the properties of coolness and dryness, and is symbolized by the pentacle, which is an object with a five-pointed star, or pentagram, inscribed upon it. The pentagram is a shape with a number of different significances. From a Christian-influenced viewpoint, the pentagram with one point upright symbolizes Man, standing upright under God, and the pentagram reversed, signifies the Fallen Angel, descending. From an elemental viewpoint, the pentagram is always symbolic of the four physical elements, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth, with Spirit as the quintessence, or Fifth Element, unseen but bringing all together.
A witch has more traditional tools than these, of course, but these are the main elemental representations used by a witch. This Halloween, when you see people dressed up as witches -- some of them may be witches on more than just Halloween night.
I'm dressing up as a witch for Hallowe'en!
I have too many costume ideas and not enough opportunities for fancy dress. We need a Hallowe'en every three months or so...
Re: I'm dressing up as a witch for Hallowe'en!
I'm going to see if I can convince Chris to dress as Silent Bob again this year, because we're going to be in Atlanta, and I want to show everybody there how well he does the Silent Bob. He's *good* at it, and he looks, I swear, like a red-headed Kevin Smith. It's fabulous. And he's even facially expressive enough to *be* Silent Bob.
Re: I'm dressing up as a witch for Hallowe'en!
Adidas tracksuit. Trousers tucked into my socks. Ponytail hairsprayed within an inch of it's life with two wodges hanging down. Dangly gold jewellry. Too much fake tan lotion. Nasty sneer. Pink t-shirt saying 'Princess' or something like that on it. And a little button saying 'Scallies are terrifying.' Just so they know it's supposed to be ironic.
Re: I'm dressing up as a witch for Hallowe'en!
Re: I'm dressing up as a witch for Hallowe'en!
They wear Rockport, Berghaus, Adidas, Ellese and Kappa. Name brands and designer sportwear are deeply important to them. They listen to chart music, fear the unfamiliar and they always, always tuck their trousers into their socks. (Apparantly this started out as an aid to shoplifting and ended up a de rigeur fashion statement.)
They are also referred to as Trendies, Townies and Kevs. They refer to their opposite numbers as Moshers, Skatefreaks and Smellies.
So you've got these two cultures, one prizing conformity, the other prizing individuality. The Hallowe'en costume would involve turning up to the individualism club dressed as a conformist, with the irony being that I'd be the only person there who would be dressed that way.
Re: I'm dressing up as a witch for Hallowe'en!
They're scared of me.