News Items

Why do witches ride on broomsticks?

Ask anyone to draw a picture of a witch, and the result will probably look like a not so pretty woman with a hat riding through the air on a broomstick. But why this strange form of transportation. Why not a big black steed or a scruffy mule? Where does the link between witches and broomsticks come from?



The answer to this question depends on the audience. If you are asked this question by a child, you can always give the child-friendly version, in which the broomstick is seen as a symbol for the woman as a housewife. Women took care of the household, they raised children, cooked food and kept the house tidy. One of the most important tools of this job is … the broomstick. When people started accusing women of being a witch, the broom was seen as a secret tool of the witch, because almost every woman owned a broomstick.



Okay, so far the G-rated - and not so convincing version. What about the grown-up version?



According to this explanation the symbol of the broomstick might very well be related to the use of drugs. For ages, drugs such as alcohol, magic mushrooms or cannabis have been used by mankind to experience ‘divine’ experiences



But how does this relate to witches?



An answer to this question can be found in the book “The Role of Hallucinogenic Plants in European Witchcraft” by Michael J. Harner. Harner notes that whenever witch practices are mentioned in medieval writings, they often involve the consumption of drugs. In order to have visions witches often used hallucinogenic drugs.
And this is where it becomes interesting, because witches did not roll joints or inject themselves in order to experience the effects of these drugs. No, the typical way of taking these drugs was in the form of an ointment, applied to the skin to obtain the desired effect. The most effective place possible are mucous membranes. Where can these mucous membranes be found? Well in places like the nasal cavity, but also in a woman’s vagina. How is the ointment applied to one’s vagina. You could use your fingers, but in those times, doctors and drug users commonly lathered the ointment on a thin stick. And where could such narrow poles be found in your everyday household at that time? You’ve guessed it: a broomstick.



Harner supports his claim with some interesting quotes delivered onto us from medieval times: Here is one taken from a witchcraft investigation in 1323: “In rifleing the closet of the ladie, they found a Pipe of oyntment, wherewith she greased a staffe, upon the which she ambled and galloped through thick and thin.” And this one from 1470: “But the vulgar believe, and the witches confess, that on certain days or nights they anoint a staff and ride on it to the appointed place or anoint themselves under the arms and in other hairy places.“



So, even though there exist other theories for the association between witches and broomsticks, there is substantial evidence dating from that period to support Harner’s claim. It certainly contributed. It will certainly make you think twice the next time you see a picture of a witch riding a broomstick.

Last August, New Zealand researchers published the results of a study assessing the effect of marijuana use on cognition, as measured by IQ. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National

AMSTERDAM (AP) — The incoming Dutch government has ditched plans for a national "weed pass" that would have been available only to residents and that would have effectively banned tourists from

For the first time, two American states have legalized recreational use and sales of marijuana. Voters in Colorado, Washington and Oregon had the opportunity to make history by voting on

Visit and Like Shayana Shop on Facebook (www.facebook.com/shayanashoponline) to stay tuned for the latest news, site updates, and

The movie is structured for about the first half of its running time as a satirical instructional film about how to get your own drug cartel by working your way up from small-time dealer to local

An elderly German farmer who sowed bird seed hoping for a crop of sunflowers accidentally started his own cannabis plantation – and was mortified when police arrived to investigate. The

Four decades ago, President Richard Nixon officially launched America's "war on drugs". Generations of US politicians since have continued to crack down on illegal substances, including

Uruguay's national government could become the first in the world to directly sell marijuana to the general public. President Jose Mujica will send a bill to lawmakers calling for the government

Ask anyone to draw a picture of a witch, and the result will probably look like a not so pretty woman with a hat riding through the air on a broomstick. But why this strange form of transportation.

"World Heritage Sites are commonly understood to be culturally and/or natural important heritage that can be considered irreplaceable, unique and property of the entire world". Speaking is Dimitri

Never one to shy away from his well-deserved reputation as a weed-head, Hip-Hop legend, Snoop Dogg, 40, has embraced it even tighter by creating a smokable song made entirely of rolling paper,

A single high dose of the hallucinogen psilocybin, the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms,” was enough to bring about a measureable and lasting personality change — “openness” — lasting at least a

Town's mayor says scheme, which is legal, is chance to bring in money and create jobs A tiny Spanish country town believes it has found a way to make unemployment, debt and economic

Hey Shayana fans, we’ve got some fabulous news for you. Your favourite smart shop manager and shamaness has become even more famous than she already is. Shayana recently participated in a photo shoot

Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler approved a state ballot initiative Monday to legalize and regulate the use of marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. Voters will decide Nov. 6 whether the

It is a well known secret that celebrities such as Bob Dylan, Sting and Tori Amos have experimented with ayahuasca, a plant mixture that has been used in the Amazonian for over 1000 years. Recently

In the southern region of The Netherlands the marijuana ID will come into force on May 1. Originally the Dutch Minister of Security and Justice aimed at January 1, but several villages asked him to

AMSTERDAM - A few hits on the bong now and then turns out to be less harmful than smoking cigarettes. This is what American doctors published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last

Under changes in Czech drug policy approved Wednesday by the Cabinet, growers of psychedelic cacti and fungi will no longer face criminal punishment. The hallucinogenic plants will be removed from

The €10,000 ShayanaShop Video Contest is back and better than ever! All the scores have been reset and we are looking at a whole new beginning. We had tried to launch this competition with

From January 1, coffee shops in the south of The Netherlands must be private clubs that keep out tourists. One year later this restriction will also be applicable to shops in the rest of the

Sept. 29, 2011 - Psilocybin, the drug in “magic mushrooms,” helps many people become more open, creative and curious after they take a single high dose, a new study shows. Ordinarily,

Everyone knows the potential destructive power of hurricanes, but few people are aware that storms like Hurricane Irene encourage growth of psychedelic mushrooms. Yes, it sounds trippy, but one

A new study sheds light on why the anesthetic and "club drug" ketamine can relieve depression rapidly — in hours, instead of weeks or months. The findings may help provide new targets for developing

The psychedelic drug in magic mushrooms may have lasting medical and spiritual benefits, according to new research from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. The mushroom-derived hallucinogen,

Decision by Denmark's supreme court gives state ownership of autonomous Christiania enclave Fristaden Christiania is a commune on the site of an old barracks in the centre of Copenhagen, home to

For all those who thought hallucinogenic drugs took off in the 1960s, think again: scientists believe they have found evidence of magic mushroom use 6,000 years ago. Cave murals found in Spain

Translation coming soon. Check French version ot the website for more

January has passed and so the time has come to pick a winner. We created a program that randomly selects a winner by one click. Before you check out the link, we just wanted to say thanks to

“I dreamt of a world that is green…cannabis green !” (Shayana, Jan. 2010) Spy satellites circling around the globe will soon notice a remarkable increase in cannabis plants growing in gardens

The weed pass, a measure for keeping foreign drug tourists out of coffee shops, does not offense against the European law. Towns can use such a weed pass for opposing drug tourism and the

Shayana is looking for translators. For ALL languages except: English, French, German, and Spanish. If you are interested email us your cv, together with a short description of which language you

December has passed and so the time has come to pick a winner. We created a program that randomly selects a winner by one click. Before you check out the link, we just wanted to say thanks to

Here’s some important and rather sad news, especially for our American customers who like cannabis substitutes like Spice, Sence, Dutch Orange T-stick (and we know there are many of you). The

Dutch Justice and Security Minister Ivo Opstelten has ordered a test project in the province of Northern-Brabant restricting coffee shop acces to Dutch nationals only. He intends to “reinstate the

November has passed and so the time has come to pick a winner. We created a program that randomly selects a winner by one click. Before you check out the link, we just wanted to say thanks to

Good news for those who are fascinated by the world of ayahuasca and shamanism: a new museum is soon to be opened (too bad it's on the other side of the world). Located in downtown Iquitos,

If you planned on smoking a real American doobie on your next trip to LA or Las Vegas, you will have to put that idea back in the freezer. Unfortunately California voters soundly rejected a ballot

THE RULES How to enter Participating is easy. The Jackpot of the Month is open to everyone who places an order above 80€. After placing the order, you automatically

The installation, which includes a floating hotel room on a platform shaped like a mushroom, gives guests an "opportunity to dive into the world of soma", the museum said. Visitors to Berlin's

Ever heard of pot infused soda? In an effort to beat the "reefer madness" stigma linked to smoking weed, a Colorado-based soda company called Dixie Elixirs has developed “soda pot” as a healthy

We

PriceofWeed.com is a website that crowdsources the going prices of pot in cities everywhere and charts them on a Google map. Weed prices across the world are reported depending on the quality –

A group of Hong Kong filmmakers claim to be shooting the first ever 3D porno film, according to the AFP. The working title of the $3.2 million project is "3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy" and it

Police raiding a marijuana farm in western Canada were astonished to find black bears apparently guarding it. However initial alarm wore off when officers realised the 10 or so bears did not

Forget about marijuana and hash, the latest and coolest soft drug is called iDosing. iDosing are in fact audio doses that you can download from the internet and that should bring you into the same

In the South-American jungle, the Ecuadorian police and the American DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) found a huge submarine that was developed especially for smuggling drugs to the US. The

Weed and reggae go together like horse and carriage. Once more this is proven now that Ziggy Marley, reggae musician and son of the legendary Bob Marley, has released a new comic

Timothy Leary, a psychedelic drug advocate, whose words "Turn on, tune in and drop"* out became world famous in the ‘60, was definitely onto something. That proves an American study that was held in

The suggestion that the Mars in Botticelli's Venus and Mars is sleeping off the effects of a hallucinogenic drug comes as no surprise to Andrew M Brown, a writer who specialises in mental health.