Many people have a sense of inner power that they cannot understand
and a sense that beyond the realm of sight and sound there dwells
another kingdom. Some have precognitive dreams; some develop a working
with the tarot or other divination method. Some realize a small
power of magick, of when they wished hard enough it would come true.
Some may have had an Aunt who had mediumship abilities or a Grandma
who had a working knowledge of herbs. Many find the framework they
were taught as children had no place for these arts but then came
across Witchcraft which encompasses them all.
Witches, male (simply known as a Male Witch and not a Warlock or
Wizard) and female are from all walks of life, from all nations
and races. They are young, old, rich and poor. A witch can be a
young mother alone with children to look after or a fiercely competitive
barrister. They are people who have awoke to the fact that materialism
is not the be all and end all and that science and other religions
don’t have all the answers, they have realized ancient wisdom
and common sense.
Witchcraft is a pre-Christian religion originating
from the mist of time and is based on simple pagan traditions handed
down in folklore and country custom. Witches worship a Goddess, the
Great Mother Goddess and a God, the Horned God believing that masculine
and feminine elements are represented in everybody and everything
thus bringing balance.
Witches also honour and work with nature in the belief that Earth
is our spiritual Mother and sensing the Divine is all around and
inside each of us and not ‘out there’. Nature is sacred
to the Witch and many are involved in environmental issues, animal
rights, Greenpeace and vegetarianism etc.
There are many different types of Witch and each country has its
own Witchcraft traditions. In the United States the traditions are
influenced by Native American and West African spirituality. Alexandrian,
British Traditional, Gardnerian, Eclectic, Pictish, Kitchen, Strega
and of course Wicca (although nowadays the words Witchcraft and
Wicca are most often used interchangeably) are just some of the
many traditions Witches follow (contrary to many beliefs there is
no such category as a ‘Satanic Witch’ as Witches do
not believe in Satan). There are of course many more traditions
and each has its own way of working. Some follow strict guidelines
and are more structured in practices and ceremony, whilst others,
such as the solitary Witch, can follow a particular tradition or
can use various modifications from various traditions to suit their
needs. Witchcraft allows you to play which is necessary for the
growth of a healthy mind.
Witchcraft combines the skills of herbalism, divination and spiritual
healing and the fate, health and well being of people as well as
the weather by the power of the focused mind. Witches are known
by many different names in different parts of the world. In England,
wise women and cunning men, on the continent, herbal women and soothsayers,
medicine men and women and in West Africa, babalowos.
Wicca is not anti-Christian as many believe and many country Witches
go to church on Sunday and work with Christian angels. Many priests
dabble in herbalism and spiritual healing. Indeed Christian prayer
could be thought of as a form of spell casting.
Witchcraft is not for everybody and many people don’t understand,
maybe because they choose not to or maybe because some people regard
it as a cult (which it is not because a cult has one powerful leader
whom others follow, which is not the case in witchcraft). One person’s
path may not be another persons and some people have lost friends
because of that friend’s lack of understanding. Most choose
to keep their path to themselves. In today’s society there
is still something scary about a woman who is in control of her
mind and a man who values a woman and the role they play in society.
Witches & Witchcraft
