Solidarity Witch Research Paper

The second individual I interviewed is a grey solidarity witch, with two familiars and five children. As described by the informant, a grey witch is a person who “will do no harm unless it 's for protection of myself or my loved ones, or those that cannot protect themselves who ask for help.” A solidarity witch is a person who focusses their magic on healing and helping. When the informant was telling me about her practice as a solidarity witch, she emphasized that she did not practice love spells. Love spells are seen as controversial among witches because such spells may be written to control a person into falling in love with another. This factor of controlling someone against their natural will can be seen as a violation of autonomy; therefore the use of love spells has been ethically debated. This informant was raised Pagan. Although her parents passed their knowledge unto her, she has not made her children follow her path, though she has revealed her beliefs to them. Her parents, who raised her in their path, used to deny themselves of the title of ‘witch,’ but now, her mother and herself “wear it like a neon sign!” Four of the five of her children have decided to follow more “traditional” religious faiths, but her youngest child, at 22, is considering “taking up the practice.” This witch considers herself a mentor rather than a recruiter, seemingly proven as she has not pressured her other children to practice the craft. When I asked her how her religious practices effected her on a daily basis, she responded with “It makes me conscious of each and every day, to take gratitude in everything, and waste nothing if I can help it.” She however said that “I keep my circle of friends small” because “those that can 't accept me are usually afraid of that which they do not