Before you read any of the answers to these questions, I would like to point out that I do not consider that I am learned witch, or one who has assiduously studied the history of witchcraft, I have never considered this necessary. On the contrary, my particular belief system allows that magic/magick does not exist in the mysterious sense that many witches would have you believe. As a consequence I do not collect names of pagan gods/godesses, but, instead believe in a universal conscieousness, or universal mind, that people (witches and the like) can tap into to benefit themselves and others. Actually, this stance is becoming more popular in modern western countries.

I regard myself as a practical, working, self-helping witch.

Quite simply one who has good intent and who does not try to amplify their 'magick' by attempting to appeal to, or invoke, dark forces, or evil. I would consider that, in reality, the difference between white and black magick is purely related to the state of mind, or, more accurately, the mentality, of the user.

'Magick', by the way, is an alternative spelling of 'magic' invented by the Black occultist Aleister Crowley, though now it is commonly used by all those who consider that they practise 'serious' magic/magick.

On the periphery, since I was about 10. My mother routinely practised rituals, just as others would go to church. Even retrospectively I see no problem with this.

I began to take a keen interest when I was about 22, I am now in my mid-forties.

I certainly do not make it well known that I am a witch, Miranda Oakridge is a pseudonym. My husband is an electrical engineer, working for a well respected firm and my children are still in school. None of them would appreciate publicity, nor would I for that matter.

Of the people that do know, friends mostly, I would say that most maintain a fairly open mind. I am aware that people feel duty-bound to scoff and joke about it amongst themselves from time to time (and sometimes to my face), but that is often only an exercise in maintaining their own sense of credibility amongst their peers. It is not necessarily a reflection of what they really think. In conclusion, I would guess that most people are open-minded, or dis-interested. It helps that I do present myself as a rational, practical, person, rather than one who talks to trees, or pretends to see visions, which in fact I do not.

I realise, too, that some people would take extreme offence at the very word witchcraft. This would generally be because they have 'signed-up' to one of the major religions. My view of religions, generally, is that they have little to do with conviction, conversion to faith, or quest for understanding, but much to do with cultural indoctrination and, in effect, tribalism.

No, I do not really know how long that it has been practised, as I have said I am not a 'scholar' of witchcraft. That said, most witches will tell you that witchcraft is an actual pagan religion (doubtful) that pre-dates christianity. The last part is certainly true. As soon as mankind invented farming, around 6,000 years ago (I think), you can be sure that he began praying to the gods to ask for the crops to arrive on time.

Witchcraft was, in my estimation, a kind a prayer offered-up by women in patriachal (wherever men are in charge) societies. If you like, it was one early way of secretly having women priests. To this extent, yes, I am connected to every witch that ever was, including Shakespeares. Witchcraft is a fully-empowered religion for women, where the approval of men never has to be sought - this is probably the key to its existence. You will note that witch-burnings, and the like, would have mostly have been instigated and carried out by men. These days, there are probably as many male witches as there are female. Certainly sales of my book go to around 50% males and 50% females.

Go back to those first farmers in the middle east and, yes, we all came out of Africa, praying to pagan gods as we did so. When you scrutinise the two, you see that the formula is identical.

All witchcraft/magick is achieved by the same methods. That is, we offer a kind of super-prayer, which is made more powerful by the use of icons and symbols. The christian church has its own icons and tokens, but with witchcraft prayers are offered up in groups (groups of rituals, not necessarily groups of people). For instance, it is very typical when working a witchcraft ritual to perform that ritual on many successive days. Various tools and techniques are used to aid the witch in her/his visualisation of that which she desires. In addition, it is a requirement in witchcraft to try to become emotionally and even physically involved in the prayer/ritual. In this way the witch makes her/his desires very clear, very often, very loudly - hence super-prayer. My belief is that we all have a common spirituality, a connection between us that amounts to the one true god - who is, in effect, the totality of all of us. By using witchcraft, and the like, we are able to effectively make demands/requests of our god-self. This is better explained in my book!

African magick/witchcraft uses identical methods. In Africa dancing will often be involved, as will music and many symbols/icons including live, or sacrificed, animals. The methods are really identical though. That is, repetively appeal to a higher force and use icons to help you focus on what it is that you want.

The difference between myself and other witches, is that I do not believe in multiple gods, or magic words. I believe that it is the repetitive, highly focused, and emotionally-charged prayer that gets the results. That said, I also believe that it probably does help if you truly believe in pagan gods, since it will enhance your belief that the ritual will work - and that is important when looking for good results.

A tough one. Witches magick, as I have experienced it, comes more slowly, in dribs and drabs. You can influence the world around you with witchcraft, it does work, but I certainly could not turn water into wine. No, I think that I would make a distinction between the two and say that miracles (if they happened) are the work of god and not of those who merely pray to him, or who are one of the disparate parts that comprise the whole.

I learned it from my mother, who demonstrated her interest openly. I think that in the UK this must be unusual. I suspect that many people in this country become interested in witchcraft because they are lacking in some way, or deeply desirous of something that they do not have - power over their own destiny, for instance. A lot of strange people decide to involve themselves in witchcraft at various times. It is these late-comers to witchcraft who adopt the more radical posturing and insist on using ancient greetings such as 'well met,' or 'so mote it be,' instead of amen. All such use of language to get inside the witches hat, to conjure a phrase, may be valid, but not essential.

Certainly being a witch in the UK has no status attached to it, in the way that it might in some parts of Africa. In western civilisations it is something to keep to yourself. You certainly would not want it on your resume.