The Witching Hour
2006 copyright Zsuzsana Summer
A client asked me recently about the best time of
day for
doing a certain magickal ritual and the question prompted
me to
put together some information on why the darkest dark
of night is most
conducive to magick, as well as to ghost-
hunting and paranormal phenomena in
general.
The 'Witching Hour' is traditionally believed to be the
time when ghosts, demons and witches are the most powerful
and it is the
time when spells and rituals are worked most
effectively. To be precise, the
witching hour is at
midnight on a full moon. (Moon phases are crucial to
magick,
with the new moon, waxing moon, waning moon and full moon
all
having their own distinct properties). Many people,
though, refer to the
midnight hour on any night as the
witching hour.
Looking at the
field of ghost-hunting, researchers also
say that most ghostly and
paranormal phenomena occur after
3 P.M., but the vast majority occur after
nightfall, with
peak hours for experiencing ghostly manifestations being
between midnight and 3 A.M. which is in keeping with the
general image
we have of things going 'bump' in the night.
A possible scientific
explanation for the magic and
mystique of the midnight hour is that the
earth's
atmosphere, which is constantly bombarded by strong solar
winds
during the day, is pulled in close and dense to the
earth's surface while we
are facing the sun. At nighttime,
when we are sheltered from the sun, our
atmosphere becomes
much larger, stretching out into space and having much
less density. There is, therefore, less interference and
resistance to
electrical and magnetic energies. This makes
it easier for electric or
magnetically based entities and
phenomena to manifest, and perhaps even
eases their very
entry into our atmosphere. This atmospheric phenomenon is
also the reason that in general, radio stations come in
much more
clearly at night, even those far away, than they
do during the daytime.
Many experienced ghost hunters also believe that "between"
times are
very conducive to ghostly manifestations.
"Between" times include dusk and
dawn, eclipses, equinoxes,
and solstices. It is also said that while a clock
is
chiming midnight is a "between" time. Many also point to
the end of
the calendar year as a magical time, and speak-
ing of calendars, some people
feel that ghosts still know
very well what day it is on the other side of
the veil as
they often appear on or around the anniversary of their
passing. These changes and shifts that we mark in earth
time are perhaps
felt in other planes and dimensions as
well, and because they mark a
shifting energy and
conditions are in flux, this creates a portal or maybe
even rings a doorbell in the spirit world.
It seems that mysticism
and science both hold possible
explanations for the eerie reputation of the
witching hour
and the increase of paranormal activity people experience
at night. We also have to consider that with less back-
ground noise and
distractions at night, and our lessened
ability to gauge our 3D world as
clearly in the darkness,
there are obvious factors that contribute to our
heightened
sensitivity at this hour, so while ghosts have an easier
time
making themselves known, we also have an easier time
of perceiving them.
Are you afraid of the dark? Or do you get shivers when the
clock
strikes 12? Perhaps you have a favourite relative
that visits you in spirit
form each year on a certain day.
You are not alone. Washington Irving,
authour of "The
Legend in Sleepy Hollow", wrote, back in the 1830's: "Two
pairs of eyes are watching me now, from the couch and the
ledge by the
window. Faerieland shines in those eyes. And
I must leave you, for it's the
witching hour and a full
moon is rising..."
carpe diem!
(c)
Zsuzsana Summer
www.arcanamatrix.com