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Traditional Witchcraft FAQ 

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,What is Witchcraft?

Witchcraft  is the name that was used by the Christian Church to stigmatize the practitioners of "The Old Religions".  It is the continuation of the practices of the native spiritual and cultural beliefs of Europeans and others that existed prior to the advent of Christianity. 

Even under Christian persecution, the people continued to worship their Gods and Goddesses.  Though many were forced to masquerade under the cover of Catholicism, these older religions often dominated in the more remote regions and tended to localize themselves, or were kept within the members of a family.  In these families, the traditions of the religion were passed down from generation to generation.

Some people who follow these native religions do not refer to themselves as Witches.  However, using the term "witchcraft" is an easy way to collectively identify these religious beliefs and those who follow them.

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How is Witchcraft related to Paganism?

The term Paganism is used in contemporary times to refer to nature oriented religions which recognize the male and female duality which is found within nature. Paganism is an umbrella concept which encompasses many religions from some sects of Buddhism, to Neo-Druidism, to Wicca, and even to some forms of Christianity. Witchcraft is one of the many religions which fits under the umbrella of Paganism.

Some of the older Europeans who would be considered to be "Pagan" in religious practice do not refer to themselves as such. The reason for this is that in some cultures the term Pagan refers to an unenlightened one. Instead, they will often refer themselves as Heathens.

Is Witchcraft the same thing as Wicca?

Wicca, as founded by Gerald Gardner in the 1950's, is comprised of western European folk traditions, Eastern philosophy, and Qabbalistic mysticism.  Although initially Wicca was based more in magickal pursuits, it has since developed into more of a New Age spiritual movement.  As a movement, Wicca can be seen as an eclectic system of beliefs with an underlying static ritual and a shifting ethics base. 

Wicca is primarily an organized religion. It is an approach to spirituality that emphasizes a doctrinal set of principles and practices promulgated by an established hegemony with a structured form of ritual initiation or rite of passage within the laws of the “coven” or congregation.

Witchcraft is not a religion, it is a spiritual practice. Witchcraft is a way of being, based in the customs of "The Old Ways" and it maintains an adherence to the ancient ideas of of self-initiation and solitary practice.

The witch is a practitioner of a paganistic  lifestyle, but the paths (traditions) that individual witches follow often vary widely.  A witch will follow the principles and beliefs of the pagan philosophy, but not according to any set of parochial dogmas.  A witch's individual path comes from the epiphany of their own individual experience and the exercise of their own given talents. Witchcraft is a considered a religion, however that classification is more a legal label rather than a definition of witchcraft as a congregational approach to spirituality.

Many wiccans often incorrectly refer to themselves as witches, however, someone who practices witchcraft will either refer to themselves as being a witch, or will use another manner of description altogether. What they will never say, is that they are Wiccan.

What are some common, basic beliefs in Witchcraft?

Witchcraft is comprised of many individual traditions that may differ greatly from one another at times.  However, there are some key elements which most traditions follow.  One, is the keeping of secrets or mysteries.  There are some things which have not been written in a book and never will be.  There is usually some form of initiation or rite of passage, although it may or may not be referred to as such.  For some who are a part of family traditions, this is followed through certain rites which occur when an individual reaches specific times within their life cycle.  For others, the rite of passage may be done after an individual has completed a a time of study along with specified tasks.

What is "The Homeland" in Witchcraft?  

The homeland is quite possibly the most important aspect of traditional Witchcraft. The homeland is the home of the Gods, and in many beliefs the two are synonymous. The early inhabitants of Europe believed that the Gods they venerated inhabited the land itself. Many were migratory people, and so as they traveled across the continent they took their Gods with them. As they traveled, though, these people often looked toward the North Star, Polaris, for guidance. It was a fixed point in the night sky that they used as a reference point.

When these early Europeans wished to honor their Gods, they created a connection between their homeland, where their Gods resided, and the land where they stood. In this way, the new land became a part of the homeland. The elemental correspondences to the cardinal directions act as a way of aligning yourself with the homeland.

When a Witch is within the land that is within the boundaries of the homeland, they do not need to use the correspondences to make a connection, instead, they evoke (or invoke) the land itself. The concept of the homeland is something very integral to the religion of Witchcraft, but also something that is completely missing from Neo-Paganism.

What Gods do Witches worship?

The God and Goddess are seen as the male and female aspects of Nature. They do not reign over the Universe; they instead are the Universe itself. Most of the early inhabitants of Europe followed one God and one Goddess, even though there might be many more deities in their particular pantheon.  Often times the particular pair of deities someone followed would reflect some important aspect of their life such as their occupation, location, or path in life.  The God is usually represented a protector or warrior and the Goddess often related to fertility or the land.  The Gods and Goddesses are not omnipotent. They have egos and what we would consider to be human characteristics.

Is Witchcraft a form of Satanism?

 "Witches do not worship Satan "  Satanism is a product of Christianity and Witchcraft has nothing to do with the concept of Satanism.

Do all Witches practice magick?

Magick is a tool.  As a tool, it can be used within any religion. Some people who follow the religion of witchcraft do not practice magick.   It would be inaccurate to say that magick has nothing to do with witchcraft.  Still, there are those who choose not to practice magick.  Foremost, witchcraft is a religion.

What is the ethical standard for Witchcraft?

The life of a witch teaches that you should follow your heart and take responsibility for your actions.  There is no good or evil.  There is only the intent that one has when committing an action. Emphasis is thus placed on the intent of the action. This concept can be seen within a quote from a magical tradition that says, "The whole of the action is the sum of its consequence".  Energy is not constant and in terms of returned energy, this means that the energy can have many things happen to it along the way including deflection, absorption or transformation. Things are often viewed in the perspective of survival and some witches see this in terms of protection of home, family, clan and self and they may take action if wrongfully provoked.

Can I be born a Witch?

To become a witch, one must become a practitioner of the religion. Different traditions have different methodology for becoming a part of their tradition. For most, this involves some form of self-dedication to the Gods and Goddesses of the Earth.  Even for those born into a family tradition, a conscious decision to follow the "Old Ways" must be made.

Are Witches only Women?  

Although women do seem to predominate in the Craft and some traditions have only women practitioners, just as many others have men.  A male witch is simply called a witch and never a warlock. The word "warlock" actually means "liar and oath breaker" and it is considered an insult to call a male witch a warlock.

Can I be a Christian, or a Jew, or a Muslim, or other religious affiliation, and still be a Witch?

 Witchcraft is a religion all unto its own. Witchcraft is an Earth based religion. It is a re-linking with the life force of nature, both on this planet and in the stars and space beyond. Witches are women and men who gather on the new and full moons and at festival times to join energy and bring themselves in tune with these natural forces. They honor the old Goddesses and Gods, including the Triple Goddess of the Moon and the Horned God of the Sun and the spirits of the animals  as visualizations of transcendent nature.

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Different Types of Witches

Ceremonial Witch: A person who combines both the practices of witchcraft and ceremonial magic. They most often use a combination of disciplines and commonly emphasize Qabbalistic or Egyptian magick in their rituals.

Eclectic Witch: An individual approach in which the witch picks and chooses from many different traditions and creates a personalized form of witchcraft that meets their individual needs and abilities. They do not follow a particular religion or tradition, but study and learn from many different systems and use what works best for them.

Faery Witch: An eclectic witch who seeks to commune with faery folk and nature spirits in their magick workings. They have no organization or tradition and it has developed of its own accord through common practice. (Not to be confused with the 'Feri Movement' [see below])

Green Witch: A practitioner of of witchcraft whose focus is on the use of natural items and places. The goal of the Green Witch is upon achieving magic through communion with Mother Nature and using Her energies.

Hedge Witch: Hedgecraft is a path that is somewhat shamanic in nature, as they are practitioners of an Earth-based spirituality. These are the ones who engage in spirit flight and journey into the Otherworld. They can, in this capacity, be very powerful midwives and healers. A bird of one kind or another is usually associated with the Hedge Witch, most commonly the raven and the goose. The term “hedge” signified the boundary of the village and represents the boundary that exists between this world and the spiritual realm.

Hereditary Witch: Also known as a Family Tradition Witch, it is someone who has been taught "The Old Ways " as a tradition passed down through the generations of their family. Though you may be born into a family with the tradition, you can not be born a witch, a conscious decision and acceptance of “The Craft” is necessary to become a witch.

Kitchen (Cottage)Witch: A practitioner of witchcraft who uses the tools at hand to work their spells and create their rituals and who deals with the practical sides of religion, magick and the Elements of the Earth. Some who hear the term “Kitchen Witch” may think it is a magickal art confined only to the kitchen or cooking, but it is much more. It is about the finding of the sacred in everyday tasks, no matter how mundane they may appear to be. An increasingly popular type of witchcraft, it is about working with the energies of nature to make the hearth and home a secure and sacred place.

Solitary Witch (Solitaire): This is one who practices alone, without a coven and without following any particular tradition. Sometimes they are among that class of natural witches whose skills have been developed in previous lifetimes. There is a legend among witches that after practicing for several lifetimes, the knowledge of "The Craft" is awakened upon passing puberty.

Satanic Witch: "They are not witches "  Witches do not worship Satan.

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 Different Traditions of Witchcraft

Appalachian 'Granny' Tradition:  A tradition dating back to the first settlers of the Appalachian Mountains who came to the United States from Scotland and Ireland in the 1700's and who brought with them their "Old World" magical traditions. Those traditions were then blended with the local tradition of the Cherokee Tribes into a combination of local herbal folk remedies and charms, faith healing, storytelling and magick. The 'Granny'  Witches call themselves 'Doctor Witches' or 'Water Witches' depending upon whether they are more gifted in healing and midwifery, or if they are more in tune with dowsing for water, lay lines and energy vortexes. This tradition is termed 'Granny' from the prominent role played by older women in the mountain communities. 

Asian Traditions:  In Japan, the Shinto religion is itself a shamanistic religion and thus the Japanese do not attach negative connotations to witchcraft. The word "witch" is actually used with positive connotation in the Japanese language as a female with high skills or fame. Asian witchcraft generally centers on the relationship between the witch and the animal spirits or familiars and in Japanese witchcraft, witches are commonly separated into two categories: those who employ snakes as familiars and those who employ foxes; the Fox Witch being the most commonly seen witch in Japan. In China, witches employs books, staffs, and other implements, similar to the western traditions of witchcraft and the witches are often accompanied by familiars in the form of rabbits, which are universally associated with the Moon, with fertility and with the Goddess. The witches of China are notable for their  extensive knowledge of the occult properties of plants and herbs, as well as for clairvoyance and the study of astrology.

British Tradition: Primarily a mixture of traditional Celtic and pagan beliefs from the pre-Christian era. They often train through a structured degree process and their covens are usually compromised of practitioners of both sexes. (Not to be confused with "British Traditional Wicca". [see below])

Caledonii (Hecatine) Tradition: A denomination of The Craft that comes from a Scottish origin which preserves the unique rituals of the Scots. A fairly secretive tradition, not much is known of their rituals by outsiders.

Celtic Tradition: Practitioners of the Elements, the Ancient Ones and of Nature. They are usually healers who work with plants, stones, flowers, trees, the Elements, the gnomes, the fauns and the fairies.

Cornish Tradition: The traditional magic of Cornish Witches commonly includes the work of the making and provision of magical charms, simple rituals and magical gestures with muttered incantations, the healing of disease and injury and divination. (see below: Cunning Folk)

Dianic Tradition: A mixture of different traditions. Its primary focus is the Goddess who is worshipped in her three aspects of Maiden, Mother and Crone. A "divine feminine tradition", its covens are mostly for women only. (see: Arcadian Tradition) To an outside observer, Dianic Witchcraft may appear as a single tradition, but actually it is an intertwined group of traditions that have influenced each other over the centuries and millenia.

Pictish Tradition: Originally from Scotland, it is a "solitary witch" form of "The Craft". Pictish Witchcraft attunes itself to all aspects of nature; animal, vegetable, and mineral and it is more magickal in nature and practice than it is religious.

Pow-Wow Tradition: (from the Algonquin word “pauwau", which means literally "vision seeker") Its principles encompass shamanic like rituals of healing through visions and the application of traditional medicines, which are often accompanied by prayers, incantations, songs, and dances. The word pauwau (pow-wow) was came to be used for Native American ceremonies and councils because of the important role played by the pauwau in both. The Pow Wow Tradition places great significance on the vision seeker as the nexus of  group (coven) activites and rituals. Though some claim that the Pow-Wow Tradition is German in origin, it is more of an amalgamation of local Native American traditions with those traditions of the German/Dutch immigrants of pagan heritage who settled in the Pennsylvania region of the United States.

Strega Tradition: Originally coming from Italy and Sicily, it is said by some to be based on the teachings of a 14th century woman named Aradia. They follow a tradition that is based on the appreciation of wisdom and beauty. Stregheria is not a singular tradition, but instead a collection of practices that have descended from the native traditions of the Italian/Sicilian regions. 

Teutonic (Nordic) Tradition: From ancient times the Teutons have been recognized as a group of people who speak the Germanic group of languages. A Teutonic Witch finds inspiration in the traditional myths and legends and in the Gods and Goddesses of the areas where these dialects originated.  

Welsh Tradition: Originating in Wales, Welsh witches believe themselves to be one of the oldest traditions. Members are "awakened" to their calling and pass through 9 levels of attainment. It is hereditary, but you can "convert".

 Neo-Pagan Movements
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Asatru: Asatru is frequently regarded as one of the Neopagan  family of religions. That family includes Wicca, Druidism, and re-creations of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and other ancient Pagan religions. However, many Asatruers prefer the term "Heathen" or "Pagan" rather than "Neopagan;" they look upon their tradition as "not just a branch on the Neopagan tree" but as a separate tree. Unlike Wicca, which has gradually evolved into many different traditions, the reconstruction of Asatru has been based on the surviving historical record. Its followers have maintained it as closely as possible to the original religion of the Norse people. During the early part of the 20th Century, the National Socialist Party in Germany attempted to pervert Asatru by grafting parts of the religion onto Nazis racist beliefs. Today, some neo-Nazis groups are attempting to continue the practice.

British "Traditional" Wicca (BTW): A term used to describe the Wiccan Movement, the most prominent of which are Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca. Not to be confused with those who practice witchcraft in the British traditions of ancient Celtic and Druidic origins, Wiccans practice a modern pagan religion, more in line with the new age, humanist movement. 

Cunning Folk: The term "cunning man" or "cunning woman" was most widely used in southern England, the Midlands and in Wales. Such people were also frequently known as "wizards", "wise men" or "wise women" or "conjurers". In Cornwall they were sometimes referred to as "pellars", which originated from the term "expellers", referring to the practice of expelling evil spirits. Folklorists often used the term "white witch", though this was infrequently used amongst the ordinary folk as the term "witch" had general evil connotations. The relationship between cunning-craft and witchcraft is  controversial. The original cunning folk were oftentimes witch hunters; condemning an individual as a witch responsible for some evil or affliction and cunning crafters were called upon to perform curses against the supposed offender. Today“Cornish Witches” are often mistakenly referred to as cunning folk.

Druidism: In the Celtic religion, the modern words Druid or Druidism denote the practices of the ancient Druids, the priestly class in ancient Britain and Gaul. The historical knowledge of the Druids is very limited, as no Druidic documents have survived. Julius Caesar's ‘The Gallic Wars’ gives the fullest account of the ancient Druids and he describes the Druids as the learned priestly class, who were guardians of the unwritten ancient customary law and who had the power of executing judgment. To most people today, the Druids conjure up images of a mysterious, religious sect wearing strange robes and conducting archaic ceremonies out in the open air at Stonehenge. However, archeologists have shown that Stonehenge was built, over a period of centuries, from 2800 BC to 1550 BC, long before the arrival of the ancient Celts and there is no evidence that the ancient Druids ever used Stonehenge. Modern Druidism (Neo-druidism) came out of the Romanticism Movement of the 18th Century and is thought to have some, though not many, connections to the Old Religion, instead being based largely on writings produced during and after the 18th Century from second hand sources and theories.

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