They believe they can perform magic and cast spells - such as those they claim to put on the warden and guards. Literature on file with the prison administration says witches believe whatever they send out comes back to them threefold. Yet they occasionally tell their critics otherwise. I'll put a wart on their nose. And then they don't mess with me.
Wiccan ceremonies are intensely ritualistic.
A recent celebration of spring lasted all day and included a broom sweeping of evil spirits, the splashing of purifying saltwater on members, long chants and a several-course feast brought in by volunteers. One of the highlights was the burning of a straw doll in a lasagna pan lined with dirt. The offering represented the mating of Mother Earth and the Fertility God in a wish for a bountiful spring harvest. But the men say that it's the brotherhood, more than the artifacts and rituals, that is important to them. And usually everybody gets along very well.