Also known as Wicca, the Craft, or the Old Religion Witchcraft is the practice of using mystical powers to achieve various objectives. Some use it to harm, some use it to heal physical ailments, and some use it to win love. The practice of witchcraft is believed to be more than 30,000 years old, with evidence found in Spain and Russia.

In the past, witches have been shunned and feared because of their magical prowess. Due to superstition, the deaths of many people were blamed on witches and their crafts. In 1692, there were the witchcraft trials in Salem, when 19 men and women were accused and sentenced to death on the grounds of using witchcraft. They were taken to Gallows Hill where they were hanged. Interestingly, the accusations against them were never proven and they were convicted based solely on the mere testimony of some teenagers.

These are some of the more famous witches in history:

• Mother Shipton: Born in one of the caves in England in 1488, her real name was Ursula Sontheil. She wrote many prophecies which later came true. One of them was the victory of King Henry VIII in the war against France. Throughout the years, there have been a good compilation of books and literature about Mother Shipton and her prophecies.

• Dame Alice Kyteler: A wealthy Irish woman, she was believed to have killed her four husbands. She was accused of sorcery and was put to trial. But the night before she was to be burned at the stake, she escaped and was never heard from again.

• Elisabeth Sawyer: Widely known as the �Witch of Edmonton,� Elisabeth was a poor woman who was accused of putting spells on children and animals. She was hanged to death in 1621.

There are also modern day witches such as Laurie Cabot, who teaches witchcraft and also gives prophecies and readings. Some of the more popular spells being used in witchcraft today are love spells and beauty spells. For love spells, the following steps are to be taken:

• First, get something from the person you want to put the spell on, such as a necklace or photo.

• Next, place the object in a beautiful glass filled with water. If water will destroy it, place it in a glass filled with salt.

• Third, place it on an altar for 3-4 hours in the dark.

• Fourth, put your favorite incense on the altar with its smoke reaching the object.

• Lastly, return the object to the owner, and pretty soon this person will be put under your spell.

Witchcraft also observes some pagan celebrations. This has been practiced for many centuries by those who follow it. Some of the celebrations are the Samhain celebrations which take place during Halloween and Imbolc which takes place on the 31^st of January.

Some resources that provide information on witchcraft include:

• Life and Times of a Modern Day Witch: A book about modern-day witches.

• Witchcraft Today: Shows how witchcraft is being practiced in the present times.

• Wicca schools: Teaches witchcraft to people young and old.

• Witchcraft resources: Top 100 resources on the origin and practice of witchcraft.

Even in this modern day and age, there are still many people who believe in witchcraft. From all indications, it seems that witchcraft is here to stay for many more long years.