The Encyclopedia Of Demons And Demonology

Witches of Eastwick, The 271
Witchcraft the religion, also called Wicca, has become
the largest segment of modern Pagan religions. There
are numerous traditions, many involving reconstructions
of pagan beliefs and practices, as well as shamanic
elements.
Luciferian Witchcraft
A tradition of Luciferian Witchcraft, founded by Michael
W. Ford, emphasizes the Left Hand Path of magic centered
on the Devil, the Adversary, the gnosis of FALLEN
ANGELS, and sex magic. The practitioner becomes like
Cain, isolated and living outside the natural order of society,
in order to focus inward. According to Ford, Luciferian
Witchcraft complements the philosophies and
works of Crowley; Anton Szandor Lavey, who founded
the Church of Satan (see SATANISM); and the English occultist
AUSTIN OSMAN SPARE, who created a unique system
of sigil MAGIC.
One of the central rites in Luciferian Witchcraft is the
Dragon within the Triangle of Darkness, an evocation
circle for the meeting of Daemon and Man and Woman,
“to uplift and envenom their spirit with the Adversarial
Gnosis.” The Adversary challenges and tests; the initiate
descends into darkness and chaos to emerge as a Luciferian
Bringer of Light. The black magick and witchcraft of
the Luciferian tradition involve the shadow aspects of the
sorcerer’s own psyche. A permanent pact is made with
the forces of darkness and chaos, and a Sigillium Diaboli
is imprinted upon the body, mind, and spirit. The goal is
a path of self-development in Light.
FURTHER READING:
Ford, Michael W. Luciferian Witchcraft. Lulu.com, 2005.
Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. The Encyclopedia of Witches and
Witchcraft. 2nd ed. New York: Facts On File, 1999.
Russell, Jeffrey Burton. A History of Witchcraft. London:
Thames & Hudson, 1980.
Witches of Eastwick, The A novel (1984) by John
Updike about three women in a small Rhode Island town
who become involved with a man who is really the Devil .
A 1987 film based on the novel with the same title features
Jack Nicholson as the Devil.
In the plot, Alexandra Spofford, a sculptress; Jane
Smart, a cellist; and Sukie Rougemont, a reporter for the
local Eastwick newspaper, have all dabbled in the slightly
black arts since losing their husbands through death
or divorce. A few spells, such as willing shoes to untie,
pearl necklaces to break, or storms to appear; or collecting
herbs and animal leavings while “skyclad” (naked);
or flying late at night, help relieve the tedium of raising
unwanted children and going from one unfulfilling lover
to another. Each has found a third teat, possibly a wart,
on her body, supposedly a witch’s mark or DEVIL’S MARK,
and each has a large dog, or FAMILIAR. Just living in New
England puts them in the area where American witchcraft
beliefs traditionally have been strongest.
Jack Nicholson as Darryl Van Horne, the Devil, who entertains
three women of Eastwick, played by Cher, Susan Sarandon, and
Michelle Pfeifer, in The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
(AUTHOR’S COLLECTION)
Drawn to the mischief, a dark, wealthy, mysterious
stranger, Darryl Van Horne, moves to Eastwick and occupies
a large old estate. No one else lives with him but
his servant, Fidel. As in medieval descriptions of the
Devil, he is ugly, with a hairy body. He easily seduces
Alexandra, Sukie, and Jane into sexual liaisons, both
singly and together. Also as in legends of the Devil, his
body fluids are cold, and he asks the women to kiss his
backside.
The witchy women add Van Horne to their coven,
joining him and Fidel for parties with exotic food, plenty
of alcohol, and still more sex. Their SABBATs are like
the alleged orgies of earlier Devil worshippers, and the
women seem to know when to congregate at Van Horne’s
without being invited. They share with him their opinions
about the wives of the other men they sleep with,
especially Felicia Gabriel, the wife of Sukie’s boss and
editor, Clyde. To punish Felicia for her strident, narrow
opinions about Sukie and the others, the witches cast a
spell on her, causing Felicia to vomit feathers, pennies,
thumbtacks, eggshells, and pieces of insects. Their maleficia,
or evildoing, yields more evil: Clyde can tolerate
Felicia’s ranting no longer and kills her with a poker before
hanging himself.