why do witches use a broom to fly?

Question

is there a story behind it

Answer 1

Because their lipstick.

Answer 2

a common way to cleanse an area of evil spirits or negativity when casting a circle or blessing a home is to use a broom to 'sweep' them out of the space

"The broom might be, along with the cauldron, the most famous tool connected popularly with witches. Traditionally an element symbolising the union of the masculine and feminin principles, was used not for flying, but for the ritual cleaning of the working space, and protection and fertility rites. Some authors suggest the broom was the perfect place to hide the wand during the Witch Hunt, disguising it as an element of daily use.
Sir James Frazer in "The Golden Bough" gathers multiple examples of rituals that involved the use of a broom, generally as a symbol of fertility or fecunding energy. According to one of those, to assest the fertility of the fields a young woman had to circle them once they were sown, naked and riding a broomstick. In these rituals might be seen the remains of the primal fertility rituals, where the High Priest and the High Priestess symbolised the marriage of Earth and Sky, the Goddess and the God, renewing the fertility of the land. "

Answer 3

Witches don't really use brooms as transportation in the mundane world (what most call real life). It is used however as a "transportation" device in astral projection. It's also used to sweep away negative energies and is symbolic of the female.

However the Halloween images of the frail-looking old woman riding a broom are just that, imagery. Due to centuries of ignorance and intolerance toward them.

Answer 4

I like your question. You probably realize that we don't use brooms to fly, and that misconception started in the early days of Christianity, when the Church leaders took advantage of the ignorance of the people to scare them and use the people to persecute pagans and witches.

By the way, even when a broom is not as confortable as an aircraft, I prefer boats.

Answer 5

A witch's broom (or besom) is a symbol of the union of male and female. The handle is male, and the brush is female. Use your imagination as I won't explain the symbolism (but it's not hard to figure out.)

It's basically a symbol of power. Witches were generally very good at the household arts, doing spells, potions, mixing up cures and herb drinks and things of that ilk. The broom is a symbol of a woman who is excellent at the domestic arts, and who is also in balance, keeping the male and female sides balanced out in her life.

As far as flying...you gotta sit on something. Brooms are handy, and a good symbol, so sit on a broom. But not all witches were said to fly on brooms. Some just flew around on their own, or they flew on animals (familiars) or in a storm, or in a cauldron like Baba Yaga. The instrument of flight (or lack thereof) depends on the story and the tradition.

Used to be, female witches would fly with the brush pointing forward, to enhance the "feminine" aspect of the broom. Somehow, the broom got turned around, probably by illustrators of fairy tales who didn't know the proper orientation of things.

Some people say witches never flew--they just smeared "flying ointment", a potent mix of hallucinogens and drugs, on their bodies, and flew in their minds.

If the drugged-up witches acted anything like a group of drunks, you'd need a few brooms to clean up after them.

Answer 6

witches cannot fly.that is only in hollywood movies that they have created.alot of the witches,like myself,are just normal ppl living their lives on this pllanet and doing their ritual practises.we dont try to do the bad spells that ppl and hollywood has you all to believe.we try to help ppl if they need it.we do have magickal powers,but not like the show magicians.we do magick as a part of our Wicca religion.and we do not worship the devil as alot of christians think and has thought for centuries.the burning times were on the way back in the 1600's bce.they didnt think of how they acted on the burnings.that it was wrong in their deity's eyes.thus ended the early witches.but started a new revelation of the witches that are about today.the witches today,try to keep their beliefs to themselves in the closet.but for myself,i dont think that we should do that.i think that we should let it out in the open and let the world know what kind of ppl that we really are.why so many ppl believe that we are of the devil,is beyond me.but,i do know that they are believing it from the early times.
dark blessings,
Hekate's witch)O(

Answer 7

In pre-christian times a broom was used symbolically to "sweep away" bad spirits and were "ridden" to indicate how high the crops were "supposed" to grow. Check under Wiccan Rites for more info.

Answer 8

Have you seen one ????

All the Witches I know, only use their broom to sweep the floor LOL

Love & Blessings
Milly

Answer 9

It's utter crap, but if you could fly on one, wouldn't you?
Also, it's like the saying that witches kiss the ******** of the devil before a sabbat. Myth's perpetrated by "Christians" who don't understand or care to understand a different religion & who want to make every other religion dangerous, especially if women are a dominant figure.

Answer 10

Planes had not been invented then. Mostly Old women were branded as witches. They would normally be doing household chores like sweeping etc. Hence the connection.

Answer 11

It's an all purpose tool. I prefer corn brooms myself.