Spellbound Article

Moontide Herbal Arts Owner:There’s Nothing Satanic in This Magic

 The above was the title and heading of a Watertown Daily Times article written about my shop and myself on Wednesday, June 14, 2000. Below is the article, written by Jay Garvey, with my comments in brackets.

             Victoria Bennett doesn’t look like the stereotypical witch. She isn’t an old, bent-over hag. She doesn’t have warts. She doesn’t have a long, crooked nose. And her skin isn’t green. [There you have it folks, I’m not hideous. Should anyone ever think so, I have it in print that I am not…and one must believe everything they read, now mustn’t they?]

            She is a witch though, and has been for the past 20 years. Ms. Bennett belongs to a religion called Wicca. Its followers are modern-day witches. [And so we are.]

            Ms. Bennett recently [October 15, 1999] opened Moontide Herbal Arts, 20 Public Square, Watertown, a store that caters to the needs of Wiccans. [And anyone else who wants the best incense, choice in herbs and general beautiful things in town.] It is her fifth year and third store selling magical items, but her first attempt in the area. [The Magickal Painted Bird was the name of my two other Wiccan shops, both in Danbury, CT.]

            Most of the goods carried by the store are for use by Wiccans [untrue!], but they can be used by anyone [true enough]. Although other people can, and do, use what she sells, only about 25 percent of her customers are not Wiccan, Ms Bennett estimated. [Now I’m sure that I didn’t give that number, as I would say that about 50 percent of my customers are not Wiccan. Perhaps the interviewer misunderstood.]

            “It’s very Wiccan-specific.” She said, “but anyone can use it. It’s for anyone who wants to change their environment.” [Now, I know that I didn’t say that. That doesn’t even sound like me. It would seem that young Mr. Garvey does a bit of misquoting.]

            Ms. Bennett had family members who were Wiccans [though they weren’t called Wiccans at that time] and through them [somewhat], she decided that she was interested in becoming one herself. Unlike many other religions, children aren’t’ born into Wicca. They have to, as adults, make the decision to become a Wiccan. One doesn’t become a full member of the religion until after a fairly long period during which he or she tries Wicca and decides if it is a good fit.

            Ms. Bennett estimates there are about 500 Wiccans in the area [actually, I said that there are about 500 Wiccans on Fort Drum alone, a number that I now know to be an underestimation. Someone from a Fort Drum equal opportunity office puts the number at over 600 and growing. As for Jefferson County, as many as three to five percent of residents are practicing Wiccans or other alternative pagan types.], but there is no building that serves as a Wiccan church. The nearest one she is aware of is in Connecticut. This is not of great concern to local witches, however, because many Wiccans practice their religion alone or with small groups in private homes. Because nature plays an important role in the Wiccan religion, many Wiccans also worship outdoors to become closer to nature.

            One of the largest Wiccan groups in the region meets at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church on outer Gotham Street. Ms. Bennett says that Unitarian churches are common places for Wiccans to meet. “Unitarians are very accepting because they believe that all religions are valid. It’s the different paths-same journey idea.” [Again. A misquotation, but not too far off the mark.]

[And the second half of the article continues with the heading:] Moontide: From Candles to Aromatherapy to Magic

            Wicca’s principles include belief in both a god and a goddess. The god and goddess provide balance to the world because they represent opposites. Witches believe that to understand anything, all of its sides must be understood. Everything has a male side and a female side, and a good side and a bad side. [Frankly, I don’t know where he got this.]

            Wiccans believe that after we die, we are reincarnated. They believe in magic [spelled magick with a “ck” when you talk about that of a metaphysical kind as opposed to the David Copperfield variety] and that surroundings can be changed through it. [I had said circumstances, not surroundings.] Of all their beliefs, the one they feel is most important is that magick should only be used for good. Wiccans define this belief by saying, “an it harm none, do what thou wilt.” [Well, at least he got that right. Good job.]

            So modern witches don’t put curses on people or turn them into toads. As for putting spells on people, Ms. Bennett said, “No, I would never do that. That would be manipulating people, which is wrong. Maybe I’d do a confidence spell if they asked me, but never because I wanted to. [Now, I ask you…does that sound like me speaking?]

            Ms. Bennett often finds that people don’t react well when they find out she is a witch. “They think I’m evil or that I’m a devil worshipper,” she said. But she and other Wiccans do not worship the devil. [We don’t BELIEVE in the devil, I would have had him say.] According to Ms. Bennett, they are just regular people who have chosen an uncommon religion.

            Ms Bennett’s store carries a large selection of jewelry, especially rings and amulets [no so many rings, but I’ve a huge selection of pendants, amulets, if you like]. Many of these items have some sort of pentagram, which may be part of the reason for the confusion of Wiccans and devil worshippers.

            A pentagram is a five-pointed stare enclosed in a circle that is often associated with the devil. To Satanist, it represents the image of the devil [give me a break]. To Wiccans it is a symbol of protection and represents the collective consciousness of mankind, not the devil. Its five points also have symbolic meaning to Wiccans, representing the elements earth, fire, wind [here, of course, he should have written air], water and spirit. [Perhaps it would have been nice for Mr. Garvey to have mentioned here that Wiccans wear their pentagram with the one point upward, while Satanists choose the inverted version with the two points in the upward position. Oh, well.]

            Moontide Herbal Arts sells a variety of goods used for magical purposes. Herbs and incense take up much of the space, and their aroma dominates the inside of the store. According to Ms. Bennett, each herb had its own purpose and can be mixed to create even more effects. [Very vague here.] Some of the herbs [all of the herbs] also have medicinal properties, and others are used for aromatherapy.

            The store also sells books describing the religion of Wiccan and magic. [Every time a see magic spelled that way, and not Magick, I picture a man in tight pants sawing a scantily clad woman in half.] The books include information on Wiccan holidays and the origins of the religion which is believed to pre-date Christianity. [That is not just a “belief” that is a historical fact.]

            Besides herbs, Ms. Bennett sells other instruments used by Wiccans in performing their rituals, including candles, bowls, rocks and ceremonial knives.

            Ms. Bennett hopes that her store will be successful and that people accept Wicca as a legitimate religion. “I want people to realize that we are not stereotypical witches; we are just people practicing our religion.” [I won’t say another word about being misquoted.]

            [All in all, this was not a bad article, and it certainly has given the shop a bit of advertising. Many new people have come in, and for that, I offer a sincere thank you to the writer, Mr. Jay Garvey and to the Watertown Daily Times. Again, thank you.]