~ October Supplemental ~

Kid's Realm

Witches' Hats

By: Amanda Formaro
Difficulty: Very Easy
Age: 5 and up
Parental supervision is recommended

This bewitching witch's hat makes a great table decoration for your Halloween party.

What you'll need:

●  2 sheets of black construction paper
●  1 sheet felt (green, orange, purple, or red)
●  Strip of black felt
●  White craft glue
●  Scissors
●  Tape

How to make it:

1.  Roll 1 sheet of black paper into a cone. Secure with tape (see image). Trim the bottom of the cone so that it will stand up on the table.
2.  Use a cup or jar as a guide and cut out a circle from black paper large enough for the hat brim.
3.  Glue the cone to the circle and set aside to dry.
4.  Cut ¼” or ½” strips of felt and glue them around the cone.
5.  Cut a strip of black felt to go around the base of the cone.
6.  If you like, cut a bat out of black felt and glue to your hat.
 

Tips:

●  Buy construction paper at the dollar store for plenty of fun projects.
●  Felt is inexpensive so stock up on 5 or 6 sheets each time you go to the store.
●  Traditional Halloween colors include black, orange, purple, red and green. However, you can use whatever colors you like for this project!

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

by Jeanne Leiter

It was dangerous, being a witch in past times. It was dangerous to even look like a witch. Or be accused of being a witch. Or even voicing beliefs different than the ruling religion of the time. In those past, superstitious, fearful times, a witch appeared as a widow or single woman living on the edge of town, gathering herbs to heal her neighbors, feeding stray cats, ravens, and wolves. She was one with Nature.

Witches who were killed also came in the flavor of Jews, gentle-men, and those whose sexual tastes differed from the approved. But, we are here to speak of the women. Those women who were truly witches. What does that mean? Note: male “witches” are commonly called wizards or warlocks; and “hag” seems to come from a root word meaning fence or enclosure–perhaps referring to those women living on the edge of a wooded area keeping their pigs or chickens safe by enclosing them. There is no clear historical definition of witch. Most likely it came from root words which evolved into Wicca, meaning to bend or pliable. That fits with current thoughts about witchcraft, that the practitioner can bend, alter, reality with Magick. If one changes one’s thoughts by focusing on intentions in the spirit world and in everyday reality, then reality is truly changed.

What about all the accouterments of the witch–pointy hat, broom, and cauldron? Were these props created by Madison Avenue? All these signify the persona of witch. Why?

To talk about the conical, pointed hat, let’s go back two paragraphs. In order to “alter” reality, working your intentions in the spirit world and ordinary reality, one must focus all one’s energy and thoughts toward the intended goal. What better metaphor for focusing one’s attention and sending it out to the Universe than a pointed hat. All thoughts, all intentions, all energy coalesces in the brain and is dispersed through the crown chakra into the Universe. History shows us that pointed hats were worn by those in power or by shamans and healers. In the past, women wore hats when they went outdoors. Their “focus tool” was a common, pointed hat. A magickal tool hiding in plain sight.

The broom is a very powerful magickal tool. Its name is probably derived from the plant “broom”, its branches attached to a longer branch for cleaning the house. These bound twigs were sufficient for sweeping a dirt floor. Metaphorically they could, and can, sweep away debris that is keeping you from your goal. The debris may be physical, such as a person in your life who is co-dependent with you, a relationship that must be clarified or an unorganized work space. It might be emotional, such as anger around a or past hurt or fear of attempting a new endeavor. It could be spiritual, as in feeling that you are remiss in spending time thanking/thinking/praying to the Source behind the Source, not giving to charity as much as you used to or not allowing your inner being to shine. Whatever the type of debris, it can be swept away with your magickal broom. The witches of time past used their brooms to clean their houses, and they used their brooms in ritual, sweeping clear the debris in their lives. The ritual magickal tool–the broom–sat in the corner, hiding in plain sight.

What could be more common-place than a cooking pot? All of past history women, including witches, had a cast-iron pot, a cauldron, hanging in the fireplace–at the hearth, the heart and soul of the home. It heated the food that sustained life, and made it more enjoyable (desserts). Many women had only one cooking vessel. If a woman wanted to brew a potion to bring down a fever or ease the pains of childbirth, it had to be cooked in the family cauldron. Numerous midwives and healers concocted brews to put off pregnancy or to lure a lover. The cauldron in these cases sustained emotional and spiritual life. The magickal potions lovingly created in the cast-iron cauldron aided neighbors to walk a little easier down their paths. Water placed in the cauldron could be used for scrying (seeing into the past, present, future or elucidating a problem or sickness, etc). The cauldrons of the past, whether a family cooking pot (magic even today) or a magickal container that could change people’s lives, were left hanging over the wood fires. Hiding in plain sight.

You too can have magickal tools, three of which are pointed hat, broom, and cauldron. And don’t worry about your neighbors fingering you for a witch–which can still cause problems today–for you can hide these tools in plain sight.