Balkan Traditional Witchcraft Quotes

“Tuesday is the opposite of Monday. Children born on Tuesday will be unfortunate. You should avoid any business on Tuesday, even cutting nails or washing hair. Still, it is considered a magical day, and that is why it is most appropriate day in the week for performing rituals. People believed that this is the day of supernatural forces, and that is the reason for being most appropriate day.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“One of the so-called minor holidays is “vodena nedelja” (Water Sunday) on May 13. As its name says, this holiday is dedicated to water; that is, water demons — spirits from which people need to induce mercy in the springtime when the snow is melting, rains are falling, and the possibility of floods is increased. It was sometimes believed that water spirits have special powers at this time of year, so the rituals related to them were performed then.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“The most significant among them is the period known in the Balkans as The Unbaptized days that lasted from Christmas until Epiphany. During that period, many people did not want to leave homes, especially at night, to avoid contact with those “forces”.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“Good Friday is Friday before Easter. According to Christianity, it is the day when the Jesus were crucified. However, people celebrate this holiday in very specific way. On Friday people fasted, and on the next day they ate an egg, a red-colored one if possible. They then took Communion with the bud of hazelnut tree. Another very interesting fact is that on that day, people cannot eat garlic and the house must be cleaned in an almost ritual manner. The broom that was used had to be disposed of in a body of water. It is said that on this day, Witches perform various types of magic, and you must be careful not to fall under a Witches’ influence.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“As I mentioned before, ethnologists believe that this period was once reserved for the celebration of female spirits of nature and female deities. If we combine the period of time when these holidays were celebrated and the significance of the snake, it is not difficult to conclude what manner of deity it was. The snake is the spirit of vegetation, but also an underworld “demon”. The celebration time itself falls into the period of slowly decreasing daylight, after the Autumnal Equinox, when nature is slowly dying down, and life forces are ending their cycle on earth and returning to the underworld.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“For everyone, especially gatherers of herbs, Witches, and doctors, “biljni petak” (Herb Friday) was a very important holiday. It was celebrated on the Friday before May 6, today’s St. George’s day. On the night before this day, it was thought that herbs received unusual powers, be those herbal or magical. During the night, people start collecting”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“Also very respected, especially by women, was the celebration of today’s Saint Petka, celebrated by women on October 27th. She was nun and saint that died in the 11th century. She lived near Constantinople and her relics were transferred to the city of Jasi in Romania. At one time, her relics were in Belgrade by order of empress Milica.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“According to them, only women celebrated Saint Evdhokia, took her as their patron, and respected as her as a giver of health. In central Serbia, only women that practiced sorcery celebrated her.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“It is believed that the Witch’s day is Tuesday, and that their part of the day is at night, which is understandable considering the importance of the moon during rituals, and the fact this is the time when the two worlds overlap and when Witches leave their bodies.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“The most frequently reported is the claim that Witches are active on March 1st by the old calendar; that is, March 14th by the new; also during Christmas, then during the autumn equinox, and carnival.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“The moon had a decorative function, and was placed on clothing, kitchen dishes, and jewelry. Even then, it was not solely decoration; the symbol of the moon should be interpreted in a way that the human relationship to the moon as to heavenly body. Above all, the moon is a source of otherworld magic and supernatural creatures. The moon itself is a deity, and whether it is perceived as male or female, it is a source of magical power and protection. By carrying its symbol, a person invokes its powers and magical characteristics, and at the same time makes contact with given deity that it represents. The moon is a fundamental symbol of Balkan Witchcraft. It is symbol of Witches, their powers, and their affiliation. The crescent was a prerequisite part of any amulet that a blacksmith created; it and other symbols created a series that were important to the person for which the amulet was created. On old amulets, the new moon was always depicted with its points down.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“has always been considered that the benevolent God lives in the east, and that his opposite lives in the west. The God of life, birth, and prosperity lives on this side, while God of the dead and the underworld resides in the depths where sun goes at the end of the day. The sun which was reborn was seen as a victor over darkness and the carrier of light, without which there would be no life.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“Sweet basil ( ocimum basilicum) is a herb with a wide range of functions among the people of the former Yugoslavia. I think that an entire book could be written about it, because it was used on almost any occasion, in every place and from all sides, even if they were in direct conflict. I will explain. Basil was used in all rituals actions related to birth, marriage, and death. Basil is also a very common herb in the Orthodox Church, where it used for holy water. Witches also use it very often, and both sorcerers and fortune-tellers consider it a necessary herb in many rituals.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“One of the famous stars is Danica. In contrast to ancient times, today we know it is the planet Venus. It is considered the sister or wife of the moon or sun, sometimes even their daughter, which was usual in the context of stars. Its role in rituals was not large, except in situations when it was necessary to testify, confirm, or to help perform rituals, However, among the Vlach people of eastern Serbia, this star is of masculine gender and its name is Lusafur, a transliteration of the Latin word” Lucifer” which means “svetlonosa- the one who carries the light”. Based on that, he is very important, because it is believed that he himself brings the sun and the light that is necessary for every living thing on this planet. Just as he brings light, in the same way, he takes something away. What he takes away is symbolized by white quartz. What remains of this belief about Lusafur among the Vlach people can be evidenced in posthumous rituals, where white quartz must be sewn into the clothes of the deceased so Lusafur could take it into the world of the dead, which means that he has role of a psychopomp – a soul’s guide to underworld.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“In a human form, the moon is always represented as a young man, while it is symbolized in the shape of a horse, or cow, which is particularly interesting if we remember that the moon is masculine gender. In folk riddles, the moon is called a cow, and it is believed that Witches pulled it down from the sky to earth in that form. Besides that, every mythological creature, including deities, that are presented with some physical defect such as a limp or blindness, it is believed that they are lunar in orientation because those defects show the moon as it falls down and rises again.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“When we talk about the moon, we must first make two separate distinctions. Among the Balkan people of the former Yugoslavia, the moon is masculine in gender and that is how it should be addressed. According to tradition, he is the Sun’s brother, the husband of Danica (the planet Venus), and the old grandfather. Some people refer to him with respect by calling him father or grandfather. He is considered a source of good welfare, happiness, and joy. He also symbolizes and provides health. In some areas he is called the oldest ancestor, and thus, people consider him their father or grandfather. However, within the Vlach people in northeastern and eastern Serbia, the moon is called Luna and is feminine in gender.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“The color red is one of the most important and certainly the most used in ancient Balkan Witchcraft. There are several reasons for this. The first is that red is the color of protection, which protects and chases away all negative forces, demons, spells, and evil magic directed toward an individual.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“Green is a very important and positive color. It is the color of vibrance, nature, and the spirits of vegetation. I recommended it in rituals for invoking spirits of nature. Green is a color of the underworld and its residents. As a color of protection and celebration, it is used in many rituals and celebrations. A green branch of rosemary or basil provides protection during celebrations. Aside from that, it is obviously the color of fertility, because it represents nature and growth. In conclusion, it is the color of the Forest Mother, fairies, and other, though no less important, spirits of nature.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“E nglish Walnut(juglans regia) is unlike any other tree. It is a tree of Witches, demons, and underworld spirits. It is the sacred tree that people have great respect for, yet they fear it at the same time. Underneath it’s large canopy was favorite meeting place of Witches; it is said that they gathered there to celebrate their holidays.
It is strongly forbidden to fall asleep under the Walnut tree, because a sleeping man is very vulnerable and his soul wanders from him. If that happens, Witches could take it, or other creatures could take it somewhere he doesn’t it want to go. We can assume that this is the underworld, the tree itself represents some sort of portal. It is no surprise that this tree is connected with supernatural beings. This tree is vital of the cult of the dead or the cult of ancestors, which adds credence to our assumption. In Pagan times, the walnut was the residence for souls of the ancestors.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“E lder(sambucus nigra) is a demonic tree, which means that supernatural beings reside inside them, and they are filled with magical power. It is forbidden to cut this tree because there are almost always fairies among its branches and in its flowers, most of which are invisible to people. Dodole (young girls who perform rituals to invoke rain) decorate themselves with elder and magical flutes are also made from it.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“B irchWood(betula) is a very powerful tree. Brooms made from their branches could sweep away any evil, whether by jumping over them, or cleaning a space with them. Young girls (witches) invoked fairies with those brooms to persuade the fairies to protect them.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“Scarlet Pimpernel (anagallisarvensis) Was once dedicated to the Slavic deity Svetovid, and is used today in rituals related to foretelling. It is considered that it is enough to keep this herb under the pillow, tell it what you want to know, and it will appear in your dreams.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“When an amulet is made from basil, a stalk is tied with red or white yarn, along with a lock of hair from the person for which the amulet is being made. This type of amulet had various functions, mostly for protection, health, happiness, and prosperity. When a Witch extinguished live coals, she cut the water in the bowl with her kustura or she stirs it with basil. Basil is considered a universal medicine for magical treatment of the sick. It could be used for fumigation of a sick person, drinking water in which basil was soaked overnight, or making amulets for recovery.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“Beside this, there is the Snake Czar that wears a golden crown and carries a small green branch in his mouth. The one who acquires the crown will acquire magical knowledge, learn the language of animals and herbs, will know how to recognize medicinal herbs, and many other things.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“The largest amount of these herbs were collected on the holiday that is dedicated to herbs, called “Biljni petak” (Herb Friday). Biljni petak (herbal friday) got its name because it is the last Friday before the 6th May, meaning that the actual date changes from year to year. The herbs must been collected manually, early in the morning before sunrise, because it is said herbs become medicines after midnight on Thursday.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“In the territory of eastern Serbia Witches used to perform rituals on anthills. They are considered to have direct contact with underworld and can transmit instructions to those beings that reside there.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“The horse is almost unavoidable when we speak of sacred animals because it is closely connected to the underworld. Most supernatural creatures or creatures with supernatural capabilities, and even Witches have the ability to change into the form of a horse.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“The rabbit is a sacred animal that is identified with the Moon. Many taboos are associated with the rabbit, and a great number of rituals that include the rabbit must be performed during Christmas. Pregnant women must not eat or look at a dead rabbit.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“The frog is a very sacred animal; the people of our country call Baba out of affection and respect. No frog should ever be killed, because if a person kills a frog, they also kill their mother. The frog represents the collective female spirit. A frog that lives under the threshold is very respected and is considered the guardian of the household and the family within.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft

“Among the majority of the Balkan people, the wolf is a demonic animal. It can represent the souls of ancestors, underworld demons, and it could represent the deity of the underworld. The wolf is a respected animal and its name should not be pronounced out loud, especially after midnight.”
― Radomir Ristic, Balkan Traditional Witchcraft