What’s the difference between a witch and a Wiccan ?
Well, there are some very different schools of thought on this, but my view is that one can practice Witchcraft in the context of any life philosophy that doesn’t oppose taking control of one’s own sphere of influence.
Traditional Wicca is a specific set of practices that is passed through lineaged training and almost always includes Witchcraft (I do not know of any Wiccan Tradition that does not include practices such as building the Temple, creating the cone of power, etc., which I would certainly consider Witchcraft.)
Eclectic Pagan paths with a “wiccish” flavor that are commonly called Solitary or Eclectic Wicca may or may not include Witchcraft.
Do you have to be Wiccan to be a witch?
I know witches who are Catholic, Buddhist, Jewish, Atheist, Hindu, Agnostic and whatever that religion where you wear half a ton of Quartz around your neck is. While some religions incorporate Witchcraft into Traditional practice of the religion, the CRAFT of Witchcraft can be used with almsot any philosophy of life. Personally, I find it does make one more focussed and adept to *have* at least a general outline of a stable philosophy, but even that is not exactly “required”.
The practices that most witches might recognize as a part of their craft have been around since paleolithic times. Early man didn’t paint pictures of a successful hunt on their cave walls for decoration; that is contagious magic. I’ve done work like that myself: Filled my wallet full of monopoly money, only to see my profits grow; drawn images of a sick friend dancing and playing, etc.
Generally speaking, when most people speak of Witchcraft, they are referring to “low” magic, which is practical, straightforward, and uses direct energy manipulation rather than channeling through an intermediary ( spirit guides, Gods, angels, familiars or other disincarnate entities ), although all of the above may be petitioned for assistance in directing the energy. That’s not to say that it is *easy*.
I have a number of resources on my website to whet an appetite. What I don’t have is a one stop guide to the 12 steps to becoming a witch (oops! now I do!), in part because the person who needs that is never going to be much of a witch anyway. One must be inquisitive, self-motivated, determined and responsible to excel in the practice.
Is the Wiccan 3-fold rule actually true?
What is the difference between Witchcraft and Wicca?
Witchcraft is a practice and a system. There are some beliefs tied to it, but they are not required. There is a huge difference between western Witchcraft and anthropological Witchcraft.
Wicca is a tricky one, because when Wicca really started to become popularized (around 1940. Actual inception dates vary, but most agree it began in the early 20th century), it meant something very specific: a lineaged, initiatory priesthood of the Old Religion incorporating Witchcraft and mysticism in the Rites. At that time, there was none of this “I’m Wiccan but not a witch” stuff. Again, it was a practice. Though there were beliefs tied to it, they were not required. The oft touted “Wiccan rede” was not a part of original Garderian Wicca; it came from another line of initiatory Witchcraft (NECTW).
Over time, and particularly in the last 20 years or so, the word “Wicca” has become remarkably diluted. Now just about anyone with pagan beliefs who likes to put colored candles at the corners of a circle calls themselves “Wiccan”. Popular books have put forth the idea that Wicca isn’t about Witchcraft at all (although I would argue that it is nearly impossible to properly perform Wiccan ritual without a strong working knowledge of Witchcraft.) and that it is merely a “belief system”.
I wrote an essay several years ago on what it means to hold on to the traditional way of thinking versus the popular “eclectic wicca” view. If you are really interested, it is available here.
I have heard that the God of the Wicca is Thor and the Goddess is Freya. Is this correct?
Every tradition of Wicca works specifically with their own patron god and goddess. In some traditions there are more than one pairing; mine works regularly with 8 deities, although one god and one goddess is given prominence at a time. Outside of Traditional Craft, pagans/wiccans may work with any deity that is willing to work with them.
It is not recommended to “mix pantheons” so as to avoid cultural conflict amongst gods that may be invited into circle. I would also caution be assured of a harmonious relationship between deities of similar cultural source; inviting Athena and Poseidon to the same party may be ill advised. Thor and Freya would probably work ok together, although Freya’s traditional consort is Frey, so that might work a bit better.
Not all Witches work with Deity, but almost all Wicca do.
Is keeping a Book of Shadows a modern, Neo-Pagan thing? Or has this been practiced for some time?
It would be relatively modern to keep a single volume in plain text as we commonly do today. Practitioners of earlier times would often keep their work in some kind of “code” and rituals were generally not written down whole cloth, both for safety (not getting inquisitated) and to ensure they didn’t fall into the hands of the unprepared. Instead rituals were memorized or parts were entrusted to various individuals within the working group.
It can be postulated that this is part of why the rituals that Gardner encountered in his initiatory group were so fragmented. After he went through the effort of shoring them up with bits and pieces taken from other ritual groups he had participated in, surely he wanted some way to ensure they would remain intact, and therefore instituted the tradition of the coven Book of Shadows.
Do you believe in Witchcraft/Magic/Witches/etc?
This is really a frequently asked question on Yahoo Answers. I’ve probably answered it two dozen different ways over time. Here are a few answers I’ve given.
Answer 1
I have practiced Witchcraft for half my life and my experiences have been largely positive. Many of my personal and community goals have been reached, quite possibly due to the practice.
To say “I believe in Witchcraft” is a bit of a stretch (other than to say that it exists as a practice), as I am a skeptic by nature, but feel that a true skeptic will at least try to prove as much as disprove any possible conclusion.
Now, why would someone practice something they don’t really believe in? It seems to help. That is why. It may be as simple as doing a little magic makes me confident that I will succeed, and therefore I persist in mundane ways where I might otherwise give up. As Granny Weatherwax* would say, “Witchcraft is mostly Headology.”
Source(s):
Answer 2
I don’t know what you mean by “believe”…I mean, I can look in the mirror at any time.
Witchcraft is a craft of witchery. Some people say the word “Witch” means to bend, or wise or some other such thing. I don’t know for sure, but I know that I have experienced changes which I attribute to the Craft. It might just be that the rituals we do alter the chemical makeup of our bodies with all the jumping and singing and incense, but it seems to have an affect. Scientific or metaphysical, my experiences say it does *something*.
As for Wicca, well, that’s a priestly caste of Paganism in my tradition. We require an initiation (again, in my tradition) and the initiation confers on one the role of priest/ess and Witch (Wicca). It’s roughly equivalent to the ordination of Catholic priests or investiture of Deacons. I don’t think there’s anything here to disbelieve, unless it’s the idea that Wicca is not valid as a religion…it’s certainly an extant practice.
What happened at Salem had pretty much nothing to do with modern Witchcraft or Paganism. The only person who was likely practicing any kind of Craft was Tibitua, and she was more likely practicing something from the African Diaspora.
