Is there any more iconic imagery associated with October and Halloween than the classic witch sailing through the skies atop a broom, beneath a bright full moon? Despite its tragic past and condemnation from puritanical pilgrims of the past, we are fascinated by witchery. For this piece, I sought a well-versed soul on the topic for a few questions… Beth Metal is a tarot reader, spirit channel, and friendly celestial witch-next-door. You might know her through her psychic reading practice, Near Beth Experience, where she offers private reading sessions, spiritual consultations, and tarot card reading at parties and events. Beth’s work centers on deploying imagination, resonance, and desire as essential technologies that can open new pathways toward personal and collective joy and liberation. When she’s not providing readings, you can find her laughing with her best friends, binging her favorite movies, or dancing in the kitchen with her dark goddess. Beth is based in PVD, where she lives in a wonderfully alive old house with her calico cat, Arrow.
Richard Laliberte (Motif): Why do you believe early history labeled witchcraft as essentially evil, and how has it become less taboo? Beth Metal: I think there are several important layers here! The first, and perhaps most important, is that witchcraft inherently undermines man-made authority. Witchcraft is a practice between the individual and the natural world of spirit, plants, energy, ancestry, and earth magic. It doesn’t require a priest or icon for salvation, and it doesn’t outsource power to the husband or puritanical officials. Ultimately, this meant that being accused of witchcraft was an accusation of non-compliance, and the “witch” became the feminine insubordinate. Witches became labeled as evil to dissuade others from engaging with them or engaging with their own cultural roots and practices, which were often indigenous or landbased pagan traditions. We can take this narrative to the start of the patriarchy, Christianity, and subsequent colonialism. Puritanical rule was rampant, and witchcraft was seen as a door to the devil. Theoretically, the devil would enter and destroy a community. In another perspective, what would actually be destroyed was the archaic structure separating individuals from their own power and desire. The devil notoriously offers sovereignty, free will, pleasure, embodiment, and intellectual and material liberation, all of which were considered blasphemous, dangerous, and punishable by death. Temptation was sinful. I also think it’s important to remember that most of the people accused of witchcraft in places like Salem, for example, did not necessarily identify as witches. They were midwives, healers, medicine keepers, cunning folk, pagans, who were persecuted for rocking the boat or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They are more akin to social disruptors – everyday people facing persecution for seeking or performing a safe abortion, protesting genocide on a university campus, or using a gender-neutral bathroom. This is important to mention because if we’re talking about witchcraft and its history, we’re not simply talking about self-identifying witches. We’re talking about cultural subversion, reclaiming personal power, and liberating ourselves and each other from our conditioning. I know for a fact that local legend Giles Corey had a watermelon pin on his shirt when he cried “More weight!” for the ones he loved. Is witchcraft less taboo now? Absolutely. You can find full moon rituals, embodiment practices, crystal shops, and psychic readers all over social media and most metropolitan areas. We are collectively waking up to the fact that we have power as individuals and that we aren’t meant to rely solely on externalized manifestations of power (such as the state). People want guidance and insight from mystics and seers, and the word “witch” has been reclaimed; even romanticized.
RL: How has the practice remained relevant in the New England area?
BM: Witchcraft remains relevant in so many ways! Some witches are part of a cultural or family lineage that has been practiced for generations. Others have found their own identities as witches through personal gnosis and modern-day relationships with the land, chosen family, or their own spiritual or ancestral practices. New England, in particular, has begun to venerate the witch and witchcraft, drawing pilgrimages from all over the world. It seems we’re in a witch renaissance when it comes to things like tarot, metaphysical shops, and exploring rituals (such as new/full moon rituals, bath spells, candle magic, and even ceremonial magick). There also seems to be more collective interest in honoring the natural seasons and cycles of the earth, perhaps inspired by things like climate change. New Englanders are seasonal people, and I think that also creates a special bond with the Wheel of the Year, herbal medicines, storytelling, and local lore. Personally, I believe animism and subversion are essential roots of both ancient and modern witchcraft. As witches, we recognize the living spirit in every aspect of our world, are willing to learn how to listen to and engage with energies (think: spellwork), and perhaps most importantly see through the zeitgeist that would have us ignoring these truths and relinquishing our power. We aren’t afraid of the unknown or of change – or we are at least on the journey of soothing that fear – and in many instances, we pioneer times of collective change. In this sense, there is a layer of disruption against the capitalist agenda that I find inherent and important to witchcraft.
RL: What local resources are there in RI for those wanting to learn more?
BM: There are a plethora of metaphysical shops, witch meetups, spiritual practitioners, and psychic card readers here in RI, including me! Not to mention plenty of books on witchcraft and its history in your local library. I think the best way to learn more is to engage your intuition in the questioning process – what exactly are you curious about? Let yourself lean into that desire to learn more, do some research (a quick Google search will open plenty of local doors for you), and see what opportunities present themselves. Maybe you’ll hear someone talking about a full-moon meetup, their favorite witch shop, or apothecary (such as Earth Tones or Farmacy Herbs here in Providence), or an upcoming psychic faire. I know that Grimoire Academy is hosting a psychic faire at the Waterfire Arts Center in Providence on October 26 and 27, and they always have excellent readers – most of them witches or witch-adjacent – as well as books on witchcraft, decks, potions, jewelry, and other tools for practice. October couldn’t be a better time to get curious, connect with local witches, and learn about the craft. •
Photo: Beth Metal, Beth Metal’s Website
