by Eriental
Greetings and Bright Blessings to you.
By your invitation, if I may, I would like to add a couple of further suggestions to support your advise to those witches who must hide their practice from "Inquiring minds" who happen to use the same PC or iMac's.
Here is what I have found that works:
1. If you need to bookmark a web site and want to keep it hidden, Edit the name of the web site.
Add it to your bookmark or favorite list, click and hold on it until the edit window opens, change the name of it in the title box. It will always come up as the original site you marked when you click on it, but, prying eye's will see it as "WWW.AuntSally'ssoapmaking.com" or something like that that doesn't draw attention to it.
Create a file name that you know will never be explored by your spouse,(i.e. romance stories, or "How to Overhaul a 350 CUI Chevy Engine" or Dr. Julia's hygiene advise) anything that you know your spouse would avoid like the plague. Drop the website in the file and keep editing the name as needed.
2. Openly state that you are going to begin researching Metaphysical, Wiccan, Pagan sites to gain an understanding of these subjects for a bible study group. The subject came up in a class at church, no one knew anything about it, so you are going to study each subject to be able to give a proper educated response in a bible study session. This is more of a move to take the wind out of any objection sail that pops up from a spouse. Keep it open, keep it up front, no (or little) suspicions are stirred up by this. You have the freedom to learn and practice as you need. Just delete all the daily "History" activity and or cookies before closing out your computer. Keep in mind, if you appear like you are hiding something, this always fires up suspicions and questions.
3. Any Occult or Witchcraft written material should be kept in the last spot on earth your spouse would want to look into. Or get a box that can be locked up with a good lock. Keep the box and the key hidden in separate locations. Claim the box is a time capsule if you have to. You have placed articles and heirlooms in there to pass on to your children or grandkids in the year ???? whatever. Create a space of privacy for yourself. Insist that your spouse respect it. The important thing is to keep the box as undisturbed looking as possible, so your spouse never suspects you are ever in it. Over the course of time lose the box further and further away from sight and attention...out of site, out of mind.
4. Do not use your standard email address for group discussions or in-coming emails from other Witches. Create or find your magickal name, then go to Excite.com or Yahoo.com or hotmail.com, sign up for their email services. They provide a private page at their sites. Enter your Magick name and a password. These are secure sites. No one but you will be able to enter. You can email and join web groups, receive and send at will through their servers. Remember to sign out when done, delete all daily history of being at the site, and your done. I highly recommend this procedure.
5. Always work spells, rituals, circle casting at a time when you are absolutely alone. For those who have to keep their Craft practices as hidden as possible, don't take risks. Don't practice anything when a spouse or family member is at home even if they are asleep. If you have to wait, then wait. Start buying incense to "Freshen" the house. Introduce it slowly, one wand or stick a week. Graduate to burning one a day. Always comment on how well the incense makes the house smell. It sets a mood. Find one or two that are not offensive to your spouse and stick with these scents to charge or cleanse the rooms for rituals. As you have pointed out on your Ritual pages and pictures Starlight, keep all ritual or altar related objects as inconspicuous as possible. I blend mine into the decor of my home. I am a collector of all types of odds and ends, I have established a pattern. I scatter my altar tools around bookshelves, candles go on any wall mounted surface or antiques. Knives are laid out on upper shelves.
Incorporate all ritual tools and emblems into every day seen "collectibles" or decorations. What the spouse sees is the "character of the home". What I see is my craft tools. The family sees it, but they don't see it, you see? I also collect crystals and stones. My family sees me buy them from time to time, and keep them in my dresser drawers, they remain ignorant to their use. To them "Dad bought another pretty stone today" is all they need know. I establish a pattern of behavior that appears normal. Suspicion is always drawn to ones self when you break your patterns.
Finally, I believe you brought this up, create "Family Traditions from the Rituals of the Wheel of the year. i.e. Yule or Winter Solstice is this Sunday. If you have a fireplace, start a family tradition of bringing in the Yule Log, decorate it, then burn it. stand around sipping egg nog or wassail, with cookies & treats. Sing some Yule Tide songs or crank up the radio to a station playing Christmas music. Play a tape or CD. Set the mood. Make it a family thing, only you know what is really being celebrated. If no fireplace, then go find a small log from an oak or birch tree if possible, decorate it with Christmas items, drill three holes in the top to hold three candles and light them on Yule day, the 21st.
These are some of my secret practices as I keep my Witchiness Hidden.
Eriental