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This idea has been floating around for ages, but it’s made a huge resurgence within social media, as memes and tests regarding a witch’s special powers have become hard to avoid. More than ever, people seem to have this idea that Pagans, specifically “real witches” all have some sort of supernatural powers.
Unfortunately, there’s no truth to this. Powers that one might even remotely consider supernatural, like clairvoyance, are extremely rare in reality. While you may find plenty of folks who claim they do, it’s just not a common occurrence.
It’s a combination of old legends and fears, combined with modern media, that have sunk this idea into the public’s minds. It was once feared that witches could shape-shift, read minds, fly, transform people into animals, see the future, and all manner of things. In books and movies, witches always have amazing abilities. Put those together, and you get the belief that they can all predict the future and turn their enemies into frogs. It just doesn’t work that way though.
In recent times it’s also become common for new Pagans (and even some older ones) to claim that they have powers as a way to stand out and make themselves look important. Unfortunately, they can rarely ever back up their claims, and will make all manner of excuses about why they can’t prove themselves.
Every person does have some special gift that they’re meant to express in this life, like singing, sculpting or being a beacon of kindness. Having abilities that could be thought of as supernatural is very rare, and interestingly enough, is not limited to Pagans or witches. Anyone of any faith can have special abilities.
*Disclaimer: I no longer practice Paganism, but I’ve left these Pagan Myths articles active because I believe they’re still valuable in helping people to understand Paganism and reduce negative stereotypes.*
