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A real-life witch has slammed on-lookers who believe witches are all evil and says they are wrongfully treated like a villain from a horror movie.
Melanie Clowes, from Endon, Stoke-on-Trent, says that witches are not something to "laugh at anymore" and said they should be taken more seriously.
The mum-of-three, who has been practising witchcraft for more than 30 years, says she knows people who have been "burnt or hung" just for practising a religion.
Melanie, 46, says she began reading tarot cards at the age of 14 and was able to cast spells for protection and luck by the age of 17, reports Stoke-on-Trent Live.
She plans to call out anyone who projects stereotypes onto her and other witches after being left distraught by what she says are wrongful attributes.
The mum, who is known on social media as The Celtic Witch, said: “It’s a pagan path and I do take it very seriously. I believe in God and the Goddess. What I do is honour the season when it changes.
“I practise rituals on the full moon. I practise regarding what herbs I can grow in my garden, which would be completely different to a witch who lives in Spain, so to speak.
“I like to help other people and educate them about witchcraft. I like people to know we are not just a witch for Halloween, we are a witch all the time. Everything is for the greater good."
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Melanie said she was "always fascinated by witches" and her father taught her the paganism side of things which included learning about nature as "soon as I could walk".
“It’s using nature and honouring nature. My church is nature. I enjoy the connection I have to the land. It’s the beauty of nature which is my favourite thing that goes on par with helping people," she said.
She worked at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) as a nurse and support worker up until she turned 30. She was based in the leukaemia and maternity wards.
Speaking about the characteristics associated with being a witch, she said: “The concept of a witch being evil, cackling and green-faced is a cliché.
"It isn’t true. I have friends all over the world, from Tobago to Germany to Spain, that are witches. Their path is different to mine.
“We are not devil-worshipping and we wouldn’t hurt anybody. We ask for permission to take a flower from the ground, so we would never hurt anybody or anything.
“The cliché really upsets me."
"People like to conceive us as some sort of evil entity or something you see out of a horror film. It really isn’t like that."
The witch, who is with educational witchcraft organisation Children of Artemis, has urged people to look for a "trustworthy organisation".
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"If somebody wanted to follow my path, I’d say reach out to somebody who fits you and do your research because there’s a lot of people in it for the wrong reasons," she said.
“Witchcraft to me is what I am. It’s my soul and my entire being. It’s as important to me as a vicar is to a church. It’s my life.
“It doesn’t matter what you look like or anything like that. I want people to know we are good and decent people, who are trying to do the best for our planet and for the people and animals on it.”
- Halloween
- NHS
- Animals
- Full Moon
- Spain
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