Paganism and Witchcraft

To most people, unfamiliar with the subject, the words “paganism” and “witchcraft” are synonymous.

However, while some Pagans are Witches, most are not.

Witches, like shamans are practitioners of specific rituals and traditions within the general framework of the tribal pagan experience.  

The word "pagan" comes from the Latin word “paganus”, meaning “country dweller”, however, there is no consensus on the exact modern meaning of the word and the label of “pagan” has various meanings to different people.  This causes misunderstandings whenever the word is used, as most people assume that the meaning that they have been taught, usually in the context of their religious upbringing, is universally accepted. Therefore one must judge the meaning implied within the context in which the word is used in order to guess at the intent of its usage. In common modern usage, it may be used in an attempt to stigmatize pagans as being anything from  “Witches” to “Worshippers of the Devil”.  However, within Western patriarchal religious societies, the most common interpretation is “heathen” and/or “heretic”.    

In its  essence, as practiced throughout the world, “paganism”,  in its ancient and traditional sense, is a veneration of Nature.  It is a spiritual way of life which has its roots in the ancient tribal beliefs of the world, generally sharing a link with the concept of animism, which is considered by anthropologists to be the earliest form of religion and animism is possibly the closest thing to a universal belief shared by traditional witches. 

Animism is the belief that all objects, all living and non-living things (in the traditional sense) possess a soul or spirit. It is considered by authors to be the earliest form of religion. Animism (from Latin Latin: anima, "breath, spirit, life") proposes that objects, places and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things, animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, and human handiwork as animated and alive. In a sense, animism supposes that if you were tru;y aware and attuned to the world around you, if you put a key in a lock and it broke, as it was breaking you would hear the key scream.

Paganism is tribal in essence as the "old religion" or "old ways" of a local “Homeland”. All pagan beliefs form a connection and reverence for their “local” natural environment. Pagans see this as their spiritual heritage and maintain the beliefs and traditions of their ancestors.

See our webpage ... Paganism



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. 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 sometimes classified as a religion; however that classification is more a legal label rather than a definition of witchcraft as a congregational approach to spirituality.

To become a witch, one must become a practitioner of the “Old Ways”. 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.