The ‘Witching Hour’ has been used for centuries and typically refers to a specific time of day, most notably associated with supernatural activity. The term’s origins are shrouded in mystery, but it is believed to have originated in medieval Europe when people were particularly fearful of witches and their powers.
Many people believe that the witching hour is when paranormal activity is at its highest. They believe that spirits and other supernatural entities are more active during this time and that it is easier to communicate with them.
The Witching Hour has recently continued to be popularised in popular culture, particularly in horror movies and literature. This has led to an increased interest in the paranormal and supernatural.
What hour is the Witching Hour?
- What Time is the witching hour? Much depends on your spiritual belief.
- 11.30 – 11:59 when you do good work (after this time)
- 12:00 – 12:30 When you do bad work
- At midnight
- At 3 a.m. (which is also known as the devil hour for Christians)
- Between 3 a.m. – and 4 a.m. – widespread frenzy and panic
- Sunset to Sunrise for some Victorians
- It’s noon… The Witching Hour! – DC Comics – The Witching Hour
- if you have kids, it could even be the period before bedtime
3 am, the witching hour
They say the devil or demon is at its strongest at 3 a.m. and continues to be so into the next hour before the sunlight shines across the land. 3 am was the time rituals and other sacrificial activities took place during the cover of deep darkness. They also say the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which took place at 3 pm, making the exact opposite,12 hours later, the height of paranormal activity for devils and demons.
Early written records of the ‘Witching Hour’?
The term ‘witching hour’ was first recorded in 1793 and refers to when witches, ghosts, warlocks, and evil spirits were most active. It is a time in space when the line between the living and dead is at its closest. But is that the Full Story? Well, is, read on to find out.
It is said that Pope John Paul II coined the term ‘Witching Hour’ in 1560. However, we are struggling to locate a link to the evidence. Do you know of an earlier record? Please add to the comments below.
Superstitions associated with the witching hour
There are also many superstitions associated with the witching hour. For example, it is believed that if you hear a knock at the door during this time, it is best not to answer it. This is because evil spirits may be trying to gain entry into your home.
Another superstition is that you should not look into a mirror during the witching hour. It is believed that you may see supernatural entities or even your own death.
While many believe in the witching hour and its associated superstitions, no scientific evidence supports these beliefs. However, if you are interested in the supernatural, the witching hour can be an exciting and mysterious time to explore.
Shakespeare’s ‘Witching time of the night’
Shakespeare’s play Hamlet references the Devil and the witching time of night in 1601.
Tis now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out Contagion to this world: now could I drink hot blood, And do such bitter business as the day Would quake to look on. Soft! now to my mother. O heart, lose not thy nature; let not ever. The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom: Let me be cruel, not unnatural: I will speak daggers to her, but use none; My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites; How in my words so ever she be sent, to give them seals never, my soul, consent.
Shakespeare’s Hamlet Soliloquy, 1601
What is the Bible’s view of the witching hour?
There are plenty of references to good over evil. The Gospels tell us that Jesus died during the 9th hour, which translates to 3 pm. Satan turns this upside down taking for himself at 3 am in direct mockery of God. The darkness of the night is the time of sin. The devil attacks at night; in your nightmares, pray before you sleep. Jesus asked his disciples to ‘watch with me’ – the Watching Hour.
“You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.“
Psalm 91:5–6
“When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
Luke 22:53
5 ways to protect yourself during the Witching Hour?
If you are concerned about the Witching Hour and the potential for supernatural activity, you can do a few things to protect yourself. These include:
- Avoid going out during the Witching Hour, especially in an area known for its supernatural activity.
- If you must go out during this time, ensure you are accompanied by someone else.
- Place protective symbols around your home, such as pentagrams or crosses.
- Burn sage or other protective herbs to ward off any negative energy.
- Recite prayers or mantras to protect yourself from evil spirits.
Lasher: The Lives of the Mayfair Witches
“Lasher” is a novel by Anne Rice and is the second book in “The Lives of the Mayfair Witches” series. Set within a rich tapestry of supernatural elements and family secrets, “Lasher” delves into the enigmatic world of the Mayfair witches. At the heart of the story lies the concept of the “witching hour,” a mysterious time of night with deep ties to the supernatural powers and curses woven into the Mayfair family’s history.
The “witching hour” in Anne Rice’s LLashers is a pivotal and evocative element of the narrative. During this hour, the boundaries between the natural and supernatural worlds blur, allowing magical forces to surge. The Mayfair witch’s abilities are heightened during this hour, connecting them to their ancestral lineage. This temporal portal becomes a focal point for both discovery and danger as characters navigate their destinies while grappling with the allure of immense power.
As the novel unfolds, the witching hour takes on a mesmerizing and eerie ambience, embodying the mystique that Anne Rice is known for. It serves as a juncture where characters confront their desires, fears, and the weight of their inherited legacy. The witching hour symbolises the latent potential and uncharted mysteries surrounding the Mayfair witches, shaping their choices and fates in unforeseen ways.
In “Lasher,” the witching hour emerges as a narrative device that unifies the past, present, and future, interweaving the characters’ lives with an intricate web of magic and intrigue. As the Mayfair witches navigate the complexities of their supernatural existence, the witching hour becomes a bridge between the mundane and the extraordinary, drawing readers deeper into the enchanting world of witchcraft, familial bonds, and the timeless struggle between light and darkness.
Eddie makes contact beyond the grave in Iron Maiden’s ‘Twilight Zone.
The time between the living and the dead is an influential genre in art and music. Where this form meets can be best expressed and illustrated through the album cover art of Derek Rigg and the music of the British Metal Band Iron Maiden. There is so much going on in this art: hidden messages in graffiti on the walls, a love story from the grave in Twilight Zone, and power struggles in good over evil in Run to the Hills. Compare the tension with the calm cover of Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells.
The Witching Hour Cometh for Babies and Toddlers
The time when the work day has ended, jacket over the shoulder, and the witching hour begins for babies. 5 o’clock starts at the same time each day, late afternoons and evenings, with the newborn screaming nonstop until bedtime. Ever heard the phrase, “he/she doesn’t know what she wants!” welcome to the witching hour for parents. Typically this period is between weeks 2 -3 and begins to fade around 3 months. A regular nap time routine is out of the window; over-stimulation and tiredness create the perfect mix of full-on meltdown. Appropriately nicknamed the witching hour or as some office parents I know call it, another late one in the office.
How Babies and Toddlers Can Overcome the Witches Hour
whether it is just before midnight or 3 am, one ponders the question, what about the time zone you are in? Perhaps Witching Hour rolls around the globe as day turns to night. It may also not have been so remote to think that time zones were not at the forefront of thought when old folklore was written.
Being awake during Witching Hour is not great for the body
Our body clocks function to a set pattern, with a set number of hours of sleep of 7 – 8 hours per day. We are biologically wired to rest when the sun goes down and wake up when the morning rises. A great time of day to be alive, the new dawn. But what if you turn that utopia on its head and be alive in the shadows of the night?
One thing the light, with the lights so bright your biological clock, is ticking for work against your need to sleep during the day. The second challenge is sound. Ever opened the window at night and heard a fox three streets away, try hearing someone close a bin two doors down in the middle of the day. Sound pollution may make your 8 hours of day snooze one long challenge. But hey, some folks do not have the choice of when to snooze, from shift workers to those lucky folks living in the Northern Territories of the world where the day is spun upside down into perpetual darkness or perpetual light. Let us not forget the youth of today who club by night and, by hook or crook, work by day.
Extra Sensory Perception (ESP) Clairvoyance, telepathy
Ready to start to get spooked? Or is it just more science and biology? Somewhere between half a two-thirds of extra-sensory perception (ESP), episodes are reported to occur at night during dreams. Ghosts, demons, the devil, or your common old run-of-the-mill neurobiological and neurochemical factors at play. We all know from our days at prep school that the primary function of melatonin is to synchronize the body’s regulation of its system processes to the circadian and seasonal rhythms and, importantly, to regulate the sleep-wake cycle.
Well, melatonin may be linked to the production of the highly potent vision-inducing endogenous psychedelic DMT, which is considered a more likely neurobiological mediator of psychic experiences.
What I am trying to say, folks. It isn’t very easy.
Mary Robinson
a poet, actress author, refers to the Witching Hour in 1793
The poem “Fragment” was written on 27 Feb 1793 and published in the Oracle. It was supposedly about the moments before Louis XVI was sent to the guillotine on 21/Jan 1793. At Square du Temple. A significant part of the French Revolution occurred at Revolution Square Place de la Révolution.
The first stanza contains a reference to the Witching Hour.
“Now MIDNIGHT spreads her sable vest
With Starry Rays light tissued o’er;
Now from the Desert’s thistle breast
The chilling Dews begin to soar;
The OWL shrieks from the tott’ring Tow’r,
Dread watch-bird of the witching hour!
Spectres, from their charnel cells
Cleave the air with hideous yells!
Not a Glow-worm ventures forth,
To gild his little speck of Earth!
In wild despair Creation seems to wait,
While HORROR stalks abroad to deal the shafts of FATE!
Frankenstein Author Mary Shelley references Witching Hour in 1816
“Night waned upon this talk, and even the witching hour had passed before we retired to rest.”
While this was in the Georgian Era, Victorians would have had a copy of this book or known the character in this gothic horror story with a touch of early science fiction.
Another Scientific, rational view of what might be a ‘Witching Hour
The evolution of modern thinking has gone some way to changing the way our ancestors understood the world around them. Google, Twitter, Facebook, and the odd scientific lecture have now joined religion and Folklore from the old. So, one interesting twist to the 3 a.m. Witching Hour phenomena. Around this time, the average person goes through a deep sleep phase (REM – Rapid Eye Movement). The body cycles into this deep sleep, the heart rate lowers, and body temperatures drop slightly. In the unfortunate circumstance that you wake up, right in the middle of this phase, you will not be in the best of places emotionally, feeling odd or weird even or heaven forbade even scared, add perhaps some candlelight into the mix here. You get the picture. Weird, Superstition, or is it just our biochemistry? Comment below.
The Witching Hour DC Comics
Running from 1969 to 1975 for 85 issues, the comic series followed the exploits of three witches, Cynthia, Morded, and Mildred.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, the witching hour is a term steeped in superstition and legend. While there is no scientific evidence to support the belief in the witching hour, many still believe it is a time when supernatural activity is at its highest. Whether you think in the witching hour or not, it remains a fascinating aspect of folklore and will continue to intrigue people for many years.
Note on the Moon Picture – photograph by https://unsplash.com/@aronvisuals
