Johanna Hobson says you can buy a broom at Coles or you can make a better one yourself – and she would know, her Bendigo store has begun running witchcraft classes.
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The series of workshops at Johanna's Gifts & New Age store explored everything from runes and pentagrams to casting circles and spell casting. They had a particular focus on white magic.
Mrs Hobson said the focus was on healing, empowering, creating positive energy and ensuring good luck.
“It’s all positive. We are not doing anything negative like banishment, ouija or voodoo,” she said.
Workshop presenter Gaye Washington said there was growing interest in witchcraft, with a number of stores in town offering workshops as well as useful tools like candles and crystals.
Although as far as she knew, hers was the only workshop in which people could build their own broom.
Ms Washington said witchs’ brooms were so important they were often named. Hers was called Dina.
“Brooms are a witches best friend. The bristles should always be pointed down, but they should be pointed upwards on the full moon to be recharged with positive energy,” She said.
Ms Washington said she had been known to put the broom by the front door after negative guests had left to help cleanse the building.
And brooms were also important tools for the crafting of spells, because they could purify a room before magic was performed.
Bree Clohesy was one woman attending the workshop last Wednesday. She had been a pagan on and off since leaving high school.
“For me this is about furthering my understanding of my practice, getting a refresher on information I already know, talking to people with a common interest and engaging in my practice with a community,” she said.
“I see it as a lifestyle, so witchcraft for me can go into everything from cooking a meal to choosing where I live and helping my friends,” she said.
“Depending on which planets are ruling, there might be times when I may need to be aware I might not be making the best decisions. I might need to find out the best times for making changes.”
Ms Washington said witchcraft meant different things to different people. Where Ms Clohesy saw it a lifestyle choice, others said it was a religion, others as a way to heal or to gain confidence.
Bronwyn Griffith said part of the appeal was the sense of sisterhood.
And, as Ms Washington said, witchcraft was also about having a whole lot of fun.
For more information on the workshops, call Johanna's Gifts & New Age store on 5463 5444
Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
