If you thought witches, spells and covens belonged in fairy tales then think again, as practising witch Sarah Cavanagh (56), from Co Armagh, tells Stephanie Bell

I was born in England but came to live in Northern Ireland when I was 16. I’ve been living in Co Armagh for more than 20 years now.

I think becoming a witch and a pagan is something that evolves; you don’t just suddenly wake up one day and decide ‘Ok I am a witch’.

I believe your spirituality evolves and you choose a vehicle for it which is right for you. I suppose I found several vehicles before I realised paganism was my true vehicle.

I was into Buddhism when I was 16 and I became a vegetarian around that time. I also become interested in Hinduism. I was brought up a Catholic but never maintained an interest in it.

I have always been able to find the similarities in different religions rather than the differences.

When I was 20, someone gave me Tarot cards as a gift and showed me how to use them. This sparked my interest in Aleister Crowley, who is famous for being involved in the occult and witchcraft.

I started to read about him, paganism and alternatives to Christianity. In Northern Ireland when I was growing up there was no alternative to Christianity, you were a Protestant or a Catholic or else very confused.

Shortly after, I started practising witchcraft on my own. If you practice on your own and are not part of a coven you are known as a hedge witch.

My beliefs are very much centred round trying not to damage the planet by trying to eat things that are locally grown and buy things that can be locally sourced, although this is not always possible.

Very central to witchcraft is the belief ‘do what you will if it harms no one’ and as a witch, this is my guiding principle and by which I try to live my life.

To me, our identity has value and our diversity has value and globalisation is making us lose our identity, as we all start to eat the same things and wear the same clothes.

I have been lucky to meet a number of witches and we all get together every month and at certain times of the year.

It’s not a case of people in pointy hats dancing round a bonfire, although we do have our outdoor temples which are wonderful.

We light a fire and create a circle round it which makes it a sacred space. The only rule is that there are no rules.

There are certain rituals we follow.

Spells and magic are all part of it.

Each of us has a magic wand inside us which is our mind. It is our own personal power to draw things to us and to be creative.

The new form of spirituality being called The Secret is based on the power of attraction, as in like attracts like, and believes the mind has the power to create its own universe.

This has always been what paganism is about. The real magic wand is the power of your mind.

Spells always have to be well intentioned. You can do it for yourself or to assist someone else to do it for themselves. You can’t cast a spell for someone else.

We use leaves and herbs which are relative to healing the different parts of us which need help or affirmations.

I have several spell books but we all develop our own way of making up potions.

If you make up a potion to help someone who is having a particular problem — for example, they are having difficulty standing up for themselves in work — you bring the potion along to the coven in a small bowl.

You then give it to the person who needs it and they add their own ingredient before offering it up to the fire.

When this happens, we all focus our minds on that person and their need and make affirmations and give thanks that the spell has already worked, as it is belief in the power which makes it work.

We meet as a coven when there is a full moon and also during eight sabbats which occur throughout the year, for example, the summer solstice, Halloween, harvest etc.

We light a fire and form a circle round it and to us it is like a tonic, a place of empowerment.

We follow a documented ritual. It is like a circle of gratitude, when we acknowledge what we have and express our gratitude to the source, or higher power.

We bring out our worries and fears into the circle and help each other with strategies for dealing with our problems.

To us, creativity and connectivity are two things which go together and it is in the nature of human beings to be creative and connected to the planet.

If we are not being creative, then we are not being true to who we really are and we will not be happy.

Years ago, I would have worried about what people thought and would not have told anyone I was a witch.

Now there are so many people like me, that I simply think that the people who matter don’t mind and the people who mind, don’t matter.

I know there are people who would think I am crazy but I |really don’t care about them.

I think the world would be very dull if we were all the same and we should celebrate our differences.

One of my daughters thinks it’s mad while the other is interested in it, both of them are vegetarians and environmentalists.

Our coven is all female and we are normal women who are teachers, nurses, parents etc.

We share common beliefs and witchcraft, like any true religion, makes no difference between anyone because our beliefs come from a very deep place within us. I do believe Jesus was a child of God and he came from the same source as I do and is a chip off the old block.

I think he was very evolved and enlightened and was capable of performing magic.

I would have a lot more in common with Jesus than most Christians and I am sure he would have been very at home in our outdoor temple where we respect the planet and everyone on it.

We are not chasing any consumer goods and I am sure that Jesus wouldn’t have condemned us.”