In the last few decades, the ranks of Wicca and witchcraft have swelled rapidly. Although it's impossible to accurately determine how many people practice witchcraft, a study done in 2001 by City University of New York found 134,000 self-described Wiccans in the U.S.

The American Academy of Religions now includes panels on Wicca and witchcraft. The Defense Department recognizes Wicca as an official religion and allows Wiccan soldiers to state their belief on their dog tags. As of 2006, an estimated 1,800 Wiccans were serving in the U.S. military.

Undoubtedly, the Internet has been instrumental in bringing the pagan and Wiccan communities together, and in spreading information about the Craft. By enabling witches around the world to connect with one another in a safe and anonymous manner, the Internet has helped extend witchcraft's influence to all corners of the globe. Today you'll find thousands of Web sites and blog sites devoted to the subjects of Neo-Paganism, Wicca, witch-craft, and magick, along with lots of intelligent, thought-provoking ideas and scholarship. Witchcraft isn't a static belief system or rigid body of rules and rituals; it's a living entity that's continually evolving and expanding. As education dissolves fear and misconceptions, magickal thinking and practices will gain greater acceptance among the general populace and influence the spiritual growth of all people, regardless of their specific faiths.