As a child, I lived with my grandmother, a well-known magician, witch, and medicine woman. She operated from a shrine deep in the forest where her magical powers were known to many. I assisted her by taking notes of clients’ compliments and the remedies provided and helped gather herbs with magical properties.
One day, my grandmother called me into the inner chamber of the shrine, in front of a clay figure of a deity. She warned me not to make any noise and then pricked my left hand’s middle finger with a needle. She mixed my blood with herbs and powders and made a paste, which she used to mark my forehead in three places, muttered some incantations, and made seven marks on the clay figure of the deity. She then danced in a trance-like manner. Suddenly, she gave a low whistle, and a large snake-like animal appeared, licked the plate clean, and vanished. I was twelve at the time, scared, and made no noise.
Over the years, my grandmother taught me more about the ingredients and spells used for different magical purposes and gave me the witch name “Agata”. I built up power and knowledge through my experiences with her and other pagan and spiritualist shrines. I later continued to research and study different cultures and societies.