There is a group of women in Fort Worth that meet twice a month, but their meetings are more mystical than you might think.
Raven Moon leads the local Witches of Fort Worth, a group dedicated to the understanding and implementation of witchcraft.
The group is open to both witches and non-witches.
Raven Moon said the group aims to welcome new witches and act as a meeting place for fellow devoted witches.
Lorie Sanborn, whose aunts and grandchildren are witches, said this was her first time with the group.
“I always thought it was just me and my aunts,” Sanborn said. “I wanted to meet other witches, and I’ve been wanting to explore even more.”

Dorie Terrel has been a member since 2000 and said she would usually sit in on meetings to discuss ideas of witchcraft.
LaJeana Davis is not a witch or a member of the group but has family ties to witches.
“I’ve travelled everywhere since I was a kid,” Davis said. “Doing my own thing.”
For this particular meeting, the group met at Cosmic Crow Collective in Arlington to discuss candles, colors and magic.

Raven Moon, who has been in the group for 14 years, has been leading it since August.
She says witchcraft is meant to help the earth.
“The most important thing is an absolute love for nature,” Raven Moon said. “The most important thing I think a witch does is heal.”
Raven Moon said there is a stigma against witches, but she has not had to face that stigma herself.

“I think people are only afraid of what they don’t know,” Raven Moon said. “You’ve got to have answers for people if they ask you about your faith.”
She has also met many people who are nervous about “coming out of the broom closet.”
“There are a lot of people who come to it anxious because of their work, their jobs, their bosses, or their kids in school,” Raven Moon said.
According to Raven Moon, there are many covens throughout Fort Worth.

She said that covens can vary in size, and there is no systemic order to them.
“There is a strong witch presence,” Raven Moon said. “It is very free-form, though.”
Their next meeting is April 26, and they will be covering the uses of cauldrons and fire.