Is Witchcraft a Religion?
The answer to this question lies more in the accepted definition of “religion” than in the meaning the Witchcraft.
re·lig·ion (r-ljn) n.
- a. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe. b. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
- The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
- A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
- A cause, a principle, or an activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.
(Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition)
Clearly, the word religion has many meanings. The definition above which best defines my relationship with the concept of religion is the last one: to me, true religion is living ones life according to his or her accepted governing principles. A “Christian” who regularly fails to “turn the other cheek” and “love his neighbor as himself” is not, to me, a Christian at all. To simply claim allegiance to a God or a spiritual leader is not religion, religion is a way of life.
It may not be defined by any group or term, such as Wicca, Buddhism, Judaism, in fact, some of the most spiritual and religious people I know profess no “-isms” at all. However, they have a clear set of principles that they have set for themselves, and they practice these principles consistently.
Thus, my own “religion” is a set of personal principles, guided by my Deities, which I strive to live by. My Gods and I find pleasure and communication through ritual, but it is not an indispensable part of religious practice. Religion for me can be summed up in eight words: An it harm none, do what thou will. “What thou will” is my defining set of principles, “An it harm none” is a reminder of my integral connection with Deity.
Witchcraft is, similarly, a way of life. One really cannot be a “sometimes witch” and be any good at the Craft. The skills of the Craft require daily practice and honing. Even the Witch who does not profess an “organized” set of principles, such as Wicca, will have a personal set of ethics and a regular practice to ensure she stays at the top of her game, so to speak. One could say that she practices religiously. I leave it up to the reader to draw his own conclusions, but I hope that this creates food for thought.
Dating Non-pagans
What’s the big deal? Sometimes the single witch encounters stranger things dating non-pagans than she does in her magic circle!
I used to wonder, when I was in college, why all the good-lookin Jewish boys only dated Jewish women…now I think I’m beginning to understand.
I have dated my share of non-pagans (actually, I’ve never seriously dated a pagan) and have found myself faced with reactions that I’m sure few christian women have to contend with:
- Fear: and I’m not just talking about your usual “you guys sacrifice babies!” stuff. I wouldn’t even think about dating someone that dopey. But I’ve actually been asked, on dates (usually second or third dates), if I’ve ever used a love potion on a guy, if I’ve placed hexes on ex-boyfriends…etc. Etc. Etc. One guy accused me of “doing something to him”. Honey, if you trust me that little, why did you ask me out in the first place?
- Novelty: yes, I love being a witch and it is a big part of who I am. Yes, I share that information early on so that my date knows about it. But it isn’t the only thing I want to talk about! And please don’t introduce me to your buddies as “my witchy girlfriend”. :p
- Confusion: many pagans partake of other alternative practices in addition to their religious preference. So, Joe Dateable knew a witch once, and she was into polyamory and body modification…eep eep! I’ve also had guys tell me that they understand my religious preference, but they have to eat meat, so I know how hard it is to sort out people who think one thing equals another.
- Initial acceptance, followed by growing concern: this is a common one. It’s ok to date a witch, but when things start getting “serious”, guys start to wonder if it’s ok to live with/marry/raise children with a witch. Prejudice starts at home guys…teach your children right no matter who you marry.
- My personal favorite, over-enthusiasm: I just love it when a guy is ready to “convert” after two dates. “teach me how to be a witch”, “show me how to do a spell”…etc…can we all say “oy!”?
So why haven’t I dated pagans? You’d think, given this history, that I’d be all over it. I suppose I somehow equate it to dating someone I work with…what happens to the dynamic of the circle if we are having difficulties? Currently, I’m in a committed relationship with a guy who shows only minor signs of these problems, although we’ve been through most of them. If Fate ever turns the wheel that I should become involved with a pagan, I’d certainly be open to it.
Lifting the Veil: Awareness and Divinatory Skills
Is divination a psychic ability, communing with spirits, a learned skill? Is it hereditary or inborn or acquired? Where does psychic ability end and Wicca-consciousness begin — or do they have a common root?
One of the primary skills of the Witch, Wiccan or otherwise, is to be aware. We accomplish this through a number of practices: including journaling, meditation, sensitivity training, celebration of seasonal and lunar changes, and observation of totems or familiars. Divination is a method that allows us to develop our awareness while sharpening and focusing it; precognition and clairsentience are also side effects of a sharpened awareness, but without practice and focus can be less reliable and lack control.
I use the term “divination” to refer to any method that uses a tool or prescribed practice to arrive at the accumulation of information. Thus, I could be referring to spirit communication as a Spiritualist medium might do, or reading of Tarot cards, interpretation of tea leaves, or even Technical Remote Viewing. The divinatory tool or method is merely the grease in the wheels — it helps the practitioner get the info out into the open. We all already know everything we need to know, we just don’t KNOW we know it. The tools allow us to focus on the information that we need, and move it into the realm of conscious understanding.
Of course, one does not need to be a Witch to develop a divinatory skill. The degree of awareness that one maintains naturally has more to do with personality than with any mystical force. Quiet, observant types tend to be more aware to begin with than drama queens and life-of-the-party types. But anyone can learn to be more aware by putting himself “out of his element”.
Lord Odin is certainly not a shy and retiring type. He’s very much larger than life. But by hanging himself from Yygdrassil, He re-trained his awareness and came away with great wisdom. It is like this with us as well. Someone who has difficulty focusing awareness may simply need to create a situation that challenges his comfort zones and allows him to open his awareness.
Many people wonder if these skills are inborn or hereditary. I maintain that they are like any other talent or skill: some are born with talent, some inherit talent from parents, and others learn the skills despite lack of innate talent. Someone with natural talent who never practices or hones the art isn’t likely to become as accomplished a diviner as someone with no natural talent who practices regularly, however, a naturally talented reader who practices will be a force to be reckoned with!
Some people are “gifted” (or cursed, depending on how you look at it) with a natural ability beyond their control. I am related to a precog of this type — she dreams dreams, and they come to pass. Over the years, she has developed a fear of her own apparent ability, and rather than harnessing it and training it to work under her control, she attempts to ignore it, and it continues to haunt her. Many people with clairscentience are in a similar situation, whether they fear the gift or fear losing it, and therefore do not learn to control it. This state of hyper-awareness is no more useful than a lack of awareness, and is most beneficial when it can be called on as needed or understood as useful information.
Obviously, this kind of unbidden information overload is not a trained ability, but the practices used by many to expand awareness may be used to retract over-awareness to a manageable phenomenon.
Divinatory practices are a good way to touch the divine in all, as well as one method of focusing and sharpening that special awareness that is Wicca-consiousness. The tools can also provide insight, entertainment and reflection to those who have little interest in magic, ritual or the Gods. Start with a Tarot deck, a coin, a dream diary or a pen and paper — you’re bound to learn something.
Magical Monikers
My stand on “Craft names” is simple…let your name, your own true self, find you.
When I was in Elementary School, we had this cheesy little “club”. We decided that since four of the seven of us had sticky nicknames already, everyone in our club had to have a nickname. So the people without nicknames were forced to make names up on the spot, or suffer with the name the rest of us came up with for them. Needless to say, those three kids had pretty dumb nicknames that had nothing to do with who they really were.
Some people feel that they must choose a Craft name for the sake of anonymity. That’s understandable. Some people think you just can’t practice the Craft under a name like “Sarah” or “Emily”. That’s pompous nonsense. I generally practice under the name I was initiated with, but I wouldn’t be one iota less a witch practicing under the name of “Catherine” — my Gods would still know me, my circle would still stand strong, and my magic would still sing softly. Curiously enough, “Catherine” is the name the state recognizes my clergy license under.
Now, that said, there are various schools of thought on Craft names. Some traditions hold that the name should NOT be the name of a God or Goddess. A derivative (Morgan instead of Morrigan) or a celebratory (Thorson, Breidfire, ErisianTrubble) is good. Some traditions encourage aligning oneself with one’s totems, allowing for names like RavenWolf, FoxDaughter, DragonFire. There is also the exclamatory of a particular talent, element or personality trait, lending to names like Music, River and Mirth.
There is always “pick a name, change it later” way to go, but it can get complicated when you are ready to move on (try to find something Tim/Otter/Oberon Zell/G’Zell wrote ten years ago and you’ll see what I mean). Numerology is a very good test of a name, before you make it your own, but I don’t think it’s the end-all-be-all. If you allow the name to come to you, you’ll probably end up with one that is much more comfortable. Think about it, certainly, but let it evolve, or let yourself be inspired by something within yourself. Maybe, if you’re lucky, the Gods will whisper your name to you.
EDIT: Interesting and appropriate. From T.S. Elliot: “The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter, It isn’t just one of your holiday games; You may think at first I’m as mad as a hatter When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES. First of all, there’s the name that the family use daily, Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James, Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey– All of them sensible everyday names. There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter, Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames: Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter– But all of them sensible everyday names. But I tell you, a cat needs a name that’s particular, A name that’s peculiar, and more dignified, Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular, Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride? Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum, Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat, Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum- Names that never belong to more than one cat. But above and beyond there’s still one name left over, And that is the name that you never will guess; The name that no human research can discover– But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess. When you notice a cat in profound meditation, The reason, I tell you, is always the same: His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name: His ineffable effable Effanineffable Deep and inscrutable singular Name”
White Magic*
Many of the web pages and books you see out there make Wicca and Witchcraft sound like a flowery Peace People religion. While it is, in general, a peaceful and loving practice, it is important to note that there is a dark side to all of nature. Witches recognize that nature is a balance of polarity, and the religion does as well. I want to say this loud and clear: There is no good or bad magic; there are no white or black witches! Just like everything else in life, there is positive and negative in Witchcraft. The powers are neither good or bad, it is only the intention of the practitioner that differentiates.
A witch saying “Witches DO NOT harm others” is just like a Christian saying “Christians DO NOT harm others”. It is probably true that most people, regardless of their paths, are loving people who do not seek to harm others, but you always have your upstarts. However, Witchcraft does not preach harm to others in any case; and while acting in one’s defense is acceptable, offensive or revenge work is generally considered unethical.
As far as magic goes, that is a matter of shaping energy according to one’s will to create change. Yes, it is possible to do harm this way, even seemingly innocuous harm, like attempting to force someone to fall in love with you. (Unless properly done, this can bind another person’s free will and just isn’t very nice!) In magical acts, no matter good or bad, the laws of the metaphysical universe still apply. Whatever you send out will come back to you…so if you want good things in life, it is best to send out only positive spells!
I cannot recommend doing any spell that calls for ingredients or actions that would cause immediate harm any living animal or human. The exotic ingredients you hear of in fairy tales are just that. Most spells call for candles, herbs and spices, and oils, not bat’s brains and eye of newt.
You’ll not find many spells on this site for a couple of reasons. For one, the most powerful spells are always those that the dedicated practitioner crafts himself. Another reason is that a really good spell is like a sharp carver’s knife — a wonderful tool in the hands of a master, even in those of a skilled apprentice, but a dangerous weapon in the hands of a child or a madman.
*Note: Many people choose to spell “magic” with a final “k”, like so: “magick” to differentiate from stage magic or slight-of-hand. While this is an important consideration with mixed audiences, it is my contention that on a page dedicated to information regarding Witchcraft, a magical lifestyle, it can safely be assumed that the audience is aware that we are not talking about David Copperfield here, thus I revert to the unaltered spelling: magic.
