Doreen Valiente, often referred to as the "Groundbreaker of Wicca," was a prominent figure in the modern witchcraft movement. Born on January 4, 1922, in London, Valiente is regarded as one of the most influential witches of the 20th century. Valiente's contribution to Wicca is immeasurable. She played a significant role in the development and popularization of the religion, helping to shape its practices and beliefs. Valiente emphasized the importance of nature worship, ritual, and the presence of both male and female energies in Wiccan ceremonies. Valiente's involvement in the Craft began in the 1950s.
In later times witch balls were made reflective by silvering the interior of the ball, in the same ways mirrors were silvered, this created a mercury glass magick mirror of sorts that would reflect negativity away. These became the beautiful Victorian gazing balls seen in homes and gardens of the time. I talk about these in my book The Witch’s Mirror.
Both witch bottles and witch balls were used as magickal protection against witchcraft being cast against the owner of the ball or bottle, although they were made differently. In later times witch balls were made reflective by silvering the interior of the ball, in the same ways mirrors were silvered, this created a mercury glass magick mirror of sorts that would reflect negativity away.
Valiente's involvement in the Craft began in the 1950s. She joined a coven led by Gerald Gardner, who is often called the "Father of Wicca." Valiente quickly became one of Gardner's most trusted confidantes and collaborators.
Witch balsl diy
Winter is the best time of the year to find glass ornaments so I thought, hey, let’s make a witch ball together! Witch balls have a long and interesting history, and while they’ve changed over time, the magickal concept of how they work remains. Let’s explore witch balls and I have a video where I put one together step-by-step.
How witch balls look and how they’re made has definitely changed through the ages. While these ornamental charms were traditionally used as protection wards, modern witches have been inspired by this very old magick and transformed witch balls into charms created for every magical purpose under the sun and moon!
According to History Daily (I’ll leave a couple links below this post for more reading on the subject) these glass balls started being used around the same time that we see witch bottles being used, as early as the seventeenth to eighteenth century and they had a similar purpose, to ward away malign energies from homes and families. Yep, I made a witch bottle too, here’s the video.
Both witch bottles and witch balls were used as magickal protection against witchcraft being cast against the owner of the ball or bottle, although they were made differently. Witch bottles were either glass or clay containers and filled with sharp or tangled items like glass shards, nails, bent pins. A witch bottle also included a marker or taglock such as spit or urine so that the bottle would be a stand-in for the intended victim of curses, hexes, or ill-intentioned spells. The spell would hit the bottle instead of the actual target; getting trapped inside, cut, stabbed, and rendered useless. Witch bottles have been found by archeologists buried under the front step or hidden beneath floorboards or built into the foundation of home from that time.
In contrast, Witch balls (sometimes called watch balls) were hung in the open, usually in windows, they were made of glass, and were often magickal on their own without adding anything inside. The idea was that the malevolent spirit, hex, or curse would be attracted to and absorbed inside the hollow ball and dissipate once sunlight hit it. According to the Philadelphia Archeology Forum the origin of witch balls go back to the 1600’s when people used glass balls for storing salt hung by the fireplace to keep the salt dry. Breaking one would have been bad luck since salt was very valuable back then.
In the early seventeenth century fishermen used hollow glass buoys on their nets, the weighty yet hollow glass would always float to the surface. Years later the practice of trying suspected witches by dunking them in water started being used. The unfortunate suspect was bound and tossed in the water, sinking (and drowning) meant they were innocent of the charges, if they floated, they were found guilty of witchcraft. Of course it was an illogical system but it served the witch hunters and accusers well, too bad for the accused who were in a no-win situation.
Apparently, witches floated and hollow glass balls floated too. Does this mean the two were related? Maybe. I will say Sailors tended to be a pretty superstitious bunch at the time, probably because their livelihood and very lives depended on circumstances beyond their control. Those beautiful glass floats may have seemed like a way to counteract baneful witchcraft by matching like to like or fighting fire with fire. Wives of fishermen began hanging a float in the window of their home as a talisman to protect the fishermen while out at sea to ensure their safe return. It probably wasn’t long before the ball became a talisman considered to protect the home while the fishermen were away as well. Glass blowers saw a market so in addition to the fishing floats, they began making spherical bottles with corks that people could fill with holy water. There’s a fascinating article by Kathryn Kane on The Regency ReddingGoat blog that I’ll leave in a link at the bottom of this post.
Eventually the practice spread and soon glass blowers were making witch balls regularly. They were now sealed spheres had strands of glass inside meant to trap and entangle aggressive spirits or spells like a web. It was the first item created when a new glass shop was opened and was hung in the shop as protection from baneful spirits and to bring good luck and prosperity.
Witch balls were items that could be easily turned out at the end of the day when the rest of the work was complete. NailSea glassworks in Bristol took them to the next level adding more colors and patterns. If you were looking for a witch ball in the late seventeen hundred Nail Sea was top of the line.
There are many traditions about witch balls, some say it must hang in the east window of the largest room in the house. Some said it should be dusted regularly to re-empower it. Some communities expected every home to hang a witch ball in order to protect the whole community from misfortune. In areas where a village witch or cunning person was relied on, that local magical practitioner would enchant the witch balls for the community. In areas where witches (or whatever title the village magic users were going by were maligned the witch balls were expected to protect against all magic. (but of course witch balls are magic as well!)
In later times witch balls were made reflective by silvering the interior of the ball, in the same ways mirrors were silvered, this created a mercury glass magick mirror of sorts that would reflect negativity away. These became the beautiful Victorian gazing balls seen in homes and gardens of the time. I talk about these in my book The Witch’s Mirror.
Modern witch balls can be found in all of the old forms, fishing floats, hand blown masterpieces, and reflective glass orbs. Many modern witches have taken to creating our own witch balls. Since glass blowing is a very specific set of skills and equipment, many witches opt to using tree ornaments and filling them with their own magickal items and enchantment. These would be similar to the old ones that were made with a cork and were intended to be filled. Traditionally witch balls were used for protection, but modern witches have begun making witch balls for every purpose including luck, money, love, it’s completely up to the imagination! After all, witchcraft is a living practice, changing with the times and often shifted by the inspiration of the witches who practice their craft.
Keep in mind this will expand but try to lot leave gaps, if possible. I let it expand over night.
Together, they worked to revitalize and codify Wicca, drawing from various occult traditions, folklore, and ceremonial magic. One of Valiente's greatest contributions was the redrafting of many of the rituals and spells used in Wicca. She helped refine the language and symbolism used in ceremonies, making them more accessible and inclusive to practitioners. Her poetic and evocative writing style brought a sense of beauty and power to Wiccan rituals. Valiente also strived to bring credibility and recognition to Wicca. She played a crucial role in pushing for the repeal of the Witchcraft Act of 1735 in the United Kingdom, which criminalized witchcraft. Her advocacy and public speaking engagements helped change public perception and led to the acceptance of Wicca as a legitimate religion. In addition to her work with Gardner, Valiente independently researched and explored various aspects of witchcraft. She delved into the historical roots of witchcraft, studying ancient practices, folklore, and mythology. Valiente's expertise and knowledge greatly enriched the Wiccan movement and provided it with a solid foundation. Valiente's written works, such as "Witchcraft for Tomorrow" and "The Rebirth of Witchcraft," continue to be influential texts in the Wiccan community. Her writings not only explain the principles and beliefs of Wicca but also provide guidance on practicing the Craft and connecting with the divine. Doreen Valiente passed away on September 1, 1999, but her legacy lives on. Her contributions to Wicca continue to shape the understanding and practice of the religion, making her a true groundbreaker and an inspiring figure for modern witches around the world..
Reviews for "Initiation and the Witchcraft Path: Gerald Gardner's Relevance in Modern Wicca"
1. John - 2/5 - I found "Groundbreaker of Wicca" to be quite underwhelming. I was expecting a detailed exploration of the origins and development of Wicca, but instead, the book felt like a collection of random anecdotes and personal experiences. The author's writing style was also quite disjointed and hard to follow at times. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and wanting more substance from this book.
2. Sarah - 3/5 - While "Groundbreaker of Wicca" had its interesting moments, I found it to be lacking in depth and critical analysis. The author seemed to rely heavily on personal experiences and anecdotes, without providing a well-rounded perspective on the subject matter. Additionally, the book lacked a clear structure, making it difficult to follow along and understand the main concepts being presented. I would recommend this book for those seeking a light introduction to Wicca, but it falls short for those looking for a more comprehensive and scholarly study.
3. Mark - 2/5 - As someone who is familiar with Wicca and its history, I was disappointed by "Groundbreaker of Wicca". The author claimed to be a pioneer of Wiccan traditions, but their personal biases seemed to overshadow any objective analysis. The book felt more like a self-promotion than an accurate exploration of Wicca's origins. I also found the writing style to be repetitive and overly simplistic. Overall, I was left questioning the credibility and expertise of the author, and would not recommend this book to serious seekers of knowledge on the subject.
4. Emily - 2/5 - "Groundbreaker of Wicca" failed to meet my expectations. The book lacked depth and seemed to focus more on the author's own experiences and opinions rather than providing a thorough exploration of the subject matter. The writing style was also quite casual and conversational, which made it difficult to take some of the content seriously. I was hoping for a more scholarly and rigorous examination of Wicca's origins, but this book fell short in delivering that. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and wanting more substance from this read.