6/2/05 This witch spells trouble Jun 2 2005
This witch spells trouble Jun 2 2005
By The Evening Chronicle
A witch is throwing the Big Brother house into chaos. But what do Newcastle's very own 'witches' think?
A spooked-out Mitya Underwwod finds out more.
*********
While waiting in the Green Market for a medium to turn up and explain to me the workings of the spirit world, a well dressed lady in a white shirt with a spotty silk scarf round her neck walks in the door.
After five minutes, I realise this lady, who looks a lot like every grandma I know, isn't here to connect with her deceased husband through a medium - she IS the medium.
Margaret Ellen, 64, is the polar opposite of Big Brother's new resident spiritualist Mary O'Leary who swore earlier in the week she would not let any housemates ride her broomstick because they were not insured.
But they both claim to be spiritualists who can see auras, read tarot cards, and connect people to their deceased friends and relatives.
Sitting behind a table covered in blue velvet, surrounded by all sorts of spiritual paraphernalia, Margaret makes it clear how she feels about the misconceptions of the Wicca.
"I think it's an absolutely ridiculous. I switched on the television to watch Big Brother last night and thought they were all dressed in drag." she says
"People just seem to have been jumping on the bandwagon with the whole witch thing."
Margaret was just a young girl of seven when she realised she could see spirits.
"I was about seven years old when I made a friend who used to come and talk to me in my room. I only realised that other people couldn't see her when my sister came into my room and asked who I was talking to.
"I could picture her so clearly and later found out that it was an aunt of mine called Mary.
"It wasn't a great wonderful revelation to me, it was all I had known.
"I do not believe at all that someone can cast spells on another person which would make them do something they wouldn't normally do."
Big Brother's resident spiritualist has clearly pointed out to her housemates that she is a white witch, so where does this leave the black witch?
Margaret says: "Black witches do not exist. This is the problem with people calling themselves white witches. It implies that there are people doing bad things with the power of Wicca.
"The word used to mean old wise woman. It was a respectful term, now it means broomsticks and pointy hats."
So does Margaret appreciate the broomstick? "It think it's ridiculous. All a broomstick represents is cleaning up."
Still a slight non-believer, I'm left speechless when she tells me I had a grandad in the spirit world. I do, but I thought `who doesn't?'. But she asks if he is called Jack - and she's spot on.
Was he in the RAF? is her next question? Again, spot on.
And does the letter C mean anything because it's standing out a lot?
My grandad didn't do a massive amount in his life apart from fly in the RAF, love and care for his family, and spend 25 years working at Curtis's, a shopfitters in Leeds. Very, very spooky.
Nearby in Newcastle's Northumberland Street, another medium awaits her clients. After eventually finding her small office in the centre of town, the incredibly tanned, glamorous lady approaches me.
Torah Allison, 56, of Newcastle has spent most of her life working as a pub manager and a care worker but finally took on her role as a medium. "I wouldn't call myself a witch and I don't think that Mary should either. She is making an absolute mockery out of the spiritual world," she states.
"Even the white witches I know would never be seen with a pointy hat and broomstick."
When I point out to Torah it could just be a bit of fun, I am soon put in my place. "This girl, and others who appear on television as bumbling idiots, can do real harm to people. Not only to people like myself who will be made to look like fools and con people but to vulnerable people who are watching.
"They will either start visiting people who will just take them for a ride or think that it's something you can just start doing if you wear dark clothes and dark make-up."
Torah is adamant that people with a true talent do not take it as far as to say they perform spells, or even to tell people they have the gift.
"I know lots of people who claim they are white witches but they don't necessarily do spells. It's a joke.
"Where do you think all of her props come from? She wasn't given them by some high-powered witch, she must have bought them from a joke shop.
"Mary is acting like she has something to prove to people about her psychic abilities and her tarot readings, but this isn't how people behave."
The mother-of-three is quick to point out her `gift' is not always something to be envious of.
"I find it more of a hindrance than a help really, I am constantly hearing things and seeing things about other people's lives. You can't ever switch it off."
Like my visit to Margaret, I spend my time sitting, forcing myself not to believe. But again, I am surprised.
Torah asks me about a new car, which I just so happen to be picking up that evening. And she also guesses correctly that I am decorating at the moment - scary.
She finishes on a lighter note on the topic that most people want to know about when discussing their future, when I will meet `the one'.
Apparently in November. Roll on November!
Margaret is available for readings at Dances With Unicorns, 47 Greenmarket, Eldon Square. Tel: (0191) 2211200.
Torah is available for readings on (07904) 386335.
By The Evening Chronicle
A witch is throwing the Big Brother house into chaos. But what do Newcastle's very own 'witches' think?
A spooked-out Mitya Underwwod finds out more.
*********
While waiting in the Green Market for a medium to turn up and explain to me the workings of the spirit world, a well dressed lady in a white shirt with a spotty silk scarf round her neck walks in the door.
After five minutes, I realise this lady, who looks a lot like every grandma I know, isn't here to connect with her deceased husband through a medium - she IS the medium.
Margaret Ellen, 64, is the polar opposite of Big Brother's new resident spiritualist Mary O'Leary who swore earlier in the week she would not let any housemates ride her broomstick because they were not insured.
But they both claim to be spiritualists who can see auras, read tarot cards, and connect people to their deceased friends and relatives.
Sitting behind a table covered in blue velvet, surrounded by all sorts of spiritual paraphernalia, Margaret makes it clear how she feels about the misconceptions of the Wicca.
"I think it's an absolutely ridiculous. I switched on the television to watch Big Brother last night and thought they were all dressed in drag." she says
"People just seem to have been jumping on the bandwagon with the whole witch thing."
Margaret was just a young girl of seven when she realised she could see spirits.
"I was about seven years old when I made a friend who used to come and talk to me in my room. I only realised that other people couldn't see her when my sister came into my room and asked who I was talking to.
"I could picture her so clearly and later found out that it was an aunt of mine called Mary.
"It wasn't a great wonderful revelation to me, it was all I had known.
"I do not believe at all that someone can cast spells on another person which would make them do something they wouldn't normally do."
Big Brother's resident spiritualist has clearly pointed out to her housemates that she is a white witch, so where does this leave the black witch?
Margaret says: "Black witches do not exist. This is the problem with people calling themselves white witches. It implies that there are people doing bad things with the power of Wicca.
"The word used to mean old wise woman. It was a respectful term, now it means broomsticks and pointy hats."
So does Margaret appreciate the broomstick? "It think it's ridiculous. All a broomstick represents is cleaning up."
Still a slight non-believer, I'm left speechless when she tells me I had a grandad in the spirit world. I do, but I thought `who doesn't?'. But she asks if he is called Jack - and she's spot on.
Was he in the RAF? is her next question? Again, spot on.
And does the letter C mean anything because it's standing out a lot?
My grandad didn't do a massive amount in his life apart from fly in the RAF, love and care for his family, and spend 25 years working at Curtis's, a shopfitters in Leeds. Very, very spooky.
Nearby in Newcastle's Northumberland Street, another medium awaits her clients. After eventually finding her small office in the centre of town, the incredibly tanned, glamorous lady approaches me.
Torah Allison, 56, of Newcastle has spent most of her life working as a pub manager and a care worker but finally took on her role as a medium. "I wouldn't call myself a witch and I don't think that Mary should either. She is making an absolute mockery out of the spiritual world," she states.
"Even the white witches I know would never be seen with a pointy hat and broomstick."
When I point out to Torah it could just be a bit of fun, I am soon put in my place. "This girl, and others who appear on television as bumbling idiots, can do real harm to people. Not only to people like myself who will be made to look like fools and con people but to vulnerable people who are watching.
"They will either start visiting people who will just take them for a ride or think that it's something you can just start doing if you wear dark clothes and dark make-up."
Torah is adamant that people with a true talent do not take it as far as to say they perform spells, or even to tell people they have the gift.
"I know lots of people who claim they are white witches but they don't necessarily do spells. It's a joke.
"Where do you think all of her props come from? She wasn't given them by some high-powered witch, she must have bought them from a joke shop.
"Mary is acting like she has something to prove to people about her psychic abilities and her tarot readings, but this isn't how people behave."
The mother-of-three is quick to point out her `gift' is not always something to be envious of.
"I find it more of a hindrance than a help really, I am constantly hearing things and seeing things about other people's lives. You can't ever switch it off."
Like my visit to Margaret, I spend my time sitting, forcing myself not to believe. But again, I am surprised.
Torah asks me about a new car, which I just so happen to be picking up that evening. And she also guesses correctly that I am decorating at the moment - scary.
She finishes on a lighter note on the topic that most people want to know about when discussing their future, when I will meet `the one'.
Apparently in November. Roll on November!
Margaret is available for readings at Dances With Unicorns, 47 Greenmarket, Eldon Square. Tel: (0191) 2211200.
Torah is available for readings on (07904) 386335.
posted by Aestrea Raven at Thursday, June 02, 2005
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