Change is Good by Angie Skelhorn

CHANGE IS GOOD

By Angie Skelhorn

Blood was revered for the miraculous power the red fluid possesses before the Roman invasion and Christianity.

Blood is identified with the soul, and is called the "river of life." Blood transports the vital energy of the universe through the body.

A woman's blood has been long considered the vehicle of her magic. The powerful magic that women have within can be passed to offspring 'in the blood'.

A few blood droplets burned on the flame can be part of a wise woman's dedication ritual. The tokening of blood is an ancient custom to indicate the seriousness of one's pledge to their faith. Blood is a powerful ingredient in love philters and charms. A minute quantity of the red fluid is said to catch the attention and excite a person's desires. Blood mixed in a man's food or drink supposedly will secure his commitment or cause impotency. In mythologies blood is drink for wisdom, fertility, regeneration, and immortality.

In a time gone by the church counsel feared what they didn't understand. Women who practiced the Earth Faith were constantly persecuted by Christian authorities. Women connected by blood, or cause, were faced with great adversity. Women were hunted down and executed. Women lost their lives for being women.

In order to neutralize or destroy a woman's magical powers they burned their blood in fires-hence the common European method of putting to death by burning at the stake. The practice, called blooding, was brutal.

Women were scored above the breath (cut between the mouth and nostrils) and allowed to bleed to death.

This must have been a period of anguish for women. They were not allowed to live among their families without some sort of shame during their menstrual cycles. I can't imagine the fear for women of all ages. What a crisis a girl would be in as she transitioned from child to adolescence. I'm sure most experienced emotional and psychological turmoil.

What an injustice to our female ancestors. What a hardship to endure. It is unbelievable to me that a celebrated passage of womanhood would turn a female's life upside down. How could one escape the danger and ridicule?

I am truly thankful for the change in attitude. I am lucky not to suffer like the women before me. I live in a country where a natural body function is not considered a threat.

Facts taken from-The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft Author-Rosemary Ellen Guiley

Author's bio: Angie is the fifth child born into a farming family. Her website-http://witchskel.weebly.com