Women's History Month 2004
Mar. 11th, 2004 03:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sff_corgi_ljLaurie Cabot
Laurie was born on the 6th of March 1933 in Wewoka, Oklahoma, at a time when her businessman father was in the process of moving the family from Boston to Anaheim in California. Cabot, her maiden name, she claims is descendant from a long line of Cabots based in Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands situated off the southwest coast of England and the northwest coast of France, a place steeped in the lore of witchcraft.
Laurie was originally raised in the Catholic Church and says it was in such a Church that she first experienced an altered state of consciousness: "Mary, the mother of Jesus also fascinated me and I wondered how she could give birth to someone divine without being divine herself?"
In 1947 accompanied by her mother, Laurie returned to Boston in order to finish her high school education. At the same time in an effort to understand her psychic gifts, she started on a comprehensive study of religion. Spending much of her time alone at the library, she soon caught the attention of a friendly member of staff, a woman who encouraged and advised her to look beyond Christianity into other belief systems for more information on psychic paranormal phenomena. Later the woman revealed herself to be a witch.
At the age of 16 when the three witches who were teaching her deemed she had learned sufficient knowledge, they initiated Laurie into a Craft coven proper. It was during the ceremony of initiation that Laurie underwent a profound transformational experience, and so began her life long association with witchcraft.
Through the 1950s, early 60s Laurie was twice married, first to an Italian and then to a Greek, each marriage producing a daughter, Jody in 1963 and Penny in 1965. After her second marriage broke down and they divorced in the late 1960’s, Laurie with a friend and her two daughters moved to the northern end of Boston. It was here that Laurie made a vow that she would live the rest of her life 'totally as a Witch', that she would wear nothing but traditional Witch clothing (long black robes), wear her Pentacle pendent displayed and emulate the Goddess by using black ‘eye-makeup’, according she says to an ancient tradition.
Having moved into Salem, Laurie started teaching ‘Witchcraft as a Science’ classes as part of the continuing education program at the local Wellesley High School, and thus began forming the beginnings of her ‘Science Tradition of Witchcraft’. Later she also taught classes for seven years at the Salem State College, again as part of the continuing education program. Despite her flamboyant style and outspokenness, and the petty criticisms such a style evoked from others, her reputation expanded and more and more people sought her advice. At one point she worked as a consultant for an Oil Company and even helped local police enquiries with her psychic abilities.
Undaunted by the rejection of her request to be 'The Official Witch of Salem' and the many other snide remarks she received, Laurie continued to build her reputation and use it to aid her work in the local community, at the same time striving to make Witchcraft a recognized religion. In 1973, Laurie started up what was to become one of Salem’s main annual events, the ‘Witches Ball’ (a celebration of ‘Samhain’, more commonly known as ‘All Hollows Eve’ or ‘Halloween’). This was a real Witch hosting a real Pagan festival in front of eyes of the general public. It attracted major media attention and over time has drawn national and international crowds.
Laurie was also fiercely defensive of a witch’s civil rights and has long urged other witches to make a stand for their equality, rights and public image. To help with this in 1986 she founded ‘The Witches League of Public Awareness’, an institution that serves as a media watchdog and civil rights advocate for witchcraft. The League’s mission statement reads: "The Witches' League for Public Awareness is a proactive educational network dedicated to correcting misinformation about Witches and Witchcraft. The work of the League springs from a shared vision of a world free from all religious persecution".
Well into her reclining years, Laurie still heads the family and continues to teach and write. She has also opened a new Witch shop in Salem, a magical Witch's cottage filled with the wonder and mystery of the old ways called ‘The Cat, The Crow and The Crown’.
Adapted from http://www.controverscial.com/Laurie%20Cabot.htm
Laurie's website: http://www.lauriecabot.com/
Laurie was born on the 6th of March 1933 in Wewoka, Oklahoma, at a time when her businessman father was in the process of moving the family from Boston to Anaheim in California. Cabot, her maiden name, she claims is descendant from a long line of Cabots based in Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands situated off the southwest coast of England and the northwest coast of France, a place steeped in the lore of witchcraft.
Laurie was originally raised in the Catholic Church and says it was in such a Church that she first experienced an altered state of consciousness: "Mary, the mother of Jesus also fascinated me and I wondered how she could give birth to someone divine without being divine herself?"
In 1947 accompanied by her mother, Laurie returned to Boston in order to finish her high school education. At the same time in an effort to understand her psychic gifts, she started on a comprehensive study of religion. Spending much of her time alone at the library, she soon caught the attention of a friendly member of staff, a woman who encouraged and advised her to look beyond Christianity into other belief systems for more information on psychic paranormal phenomena. Later the woman revealed herself to be a witch.
At the age of 16 when the three witches who were teaching her deemed she had learned sufficient knowledge, they initiated Laurie into a Craft coven proper. It was during the ceremony of initiation that Laurie underwent a profound transformational experience, and so began her life long association with witchcraft.
Through the 1950s, early 60s Laurie was twice married, first to an Italian and then to a Greek, each marriage producing a daughter, Jody in 1963 and Penny in 1965. After her second marriage broke down and they divorced in the late 1960’s, Laurie with a friend and her two daughters moved to the northern end of Boston. It was here that Laurie made a vow that she would live the rest of her life 'totally as a Witch', that she would wear nothing but traditional Witch clothing (long black robes), wear her Pentacle pendent displayed and emulate the Goddess by using black ‘eye-makeup’, according she says to an ancient tradition.
Having moved into Salem, Laurie started teaching ‘Witchcraft as a Science’ classes as part of the continuing education program at the local Wellesley High School, and thus began forming the beginnings of her ‘Science Tradition of Witchcraft’. Later she also taught classes for seven years at the Salem State College, again as part of the continuing education program. Despite her flamboyant style and outspokenness, and the petty criticisms such a style evoked from others, her reputation expanded and more and more people sought her advice. At one point she worked as a consultant for an Oil Company and even helped local police enquiries with her psychic abilities.
Undaunted by the rejection of her request to be 'The Official Witch of Salem' and the many other snide remarks she received, Laurie continued to build her reputation and use it to aid her work in the local community, at the same time striving to make Witchcraft a recognized religion. In 1973, Laurie started up what was to become one of Salem’s main annual events, the ‘Witches Ball’ (a celebration of ‘Samhain’, more commonly known as ‘All Hollows Eve’ or ‘Halloween’). This was a real Witch hosting a real Pagan festival in front of eyes of the general public. It attracted major media attention and over time has drawn national and international crowds.
Laurie was also fiercely defensive of a witch’s civil rights and has long urged other witches to make a stand for their equality, rights and public image. To help with this in 1986 she founded ‘The Witches League of Public Awareness’, an institution that serves as a media watchdog and civil rights advocate for witchcraft. The League’s mission statement reads: "The Witches' League for Public Awareness is a proactive educational network dedicated to correcting misinformation about Witches and Witchcraft. The work of the League springs from a shared vision of a world free from all religious persecution".
Well into her reclining years, Laurie still heads the family and continues to teach and write. She has also opened a new Witch shop in Salem, a magical Witch's cottage filled with the wonder and mystery of the old ways called ‘The Cat, The Crow and The Crown’.
Adapted from http://www.controverscial.com/Laurie%20Cabot.htm
Laurie's website: http://www.lauriecabot.com/
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Date: 2004-03-11 12:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-11 02:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-11 05:02 pm (UTC)I wanted to say... Thanks very much for doing these posts. I haven't had time to finish all of them, but I really enjoyed Tokyo Rose and this one! I'll be able to catch up on them when I get back from Florida. (You better have some sun by the time I get there! :-P )
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Date: 2004-03-11 05:35 pm (UTC)And thank you for all the Women's History Month posts. I read, even if I do not reply, and find them interesting and informative.