WITCHCRAFT
The rituals used in witchcraft are not just hocus pocus way of mystifying worship or mumbling meaningless words or sentences. The rituals are meant to evoke the hidden energies in nature and channel them to achieve positive and beneficial results. A witch (from old English “wicca male and Wicce female”) is a practitioner of witchcraft. Witches use their powers to harm people and property. However, there are good Witches who use their powers for healing. Witchcraft exist everywhere. In the Bible, it can be read in the book of Kings where King Soul of Isreal approached the Witch of Endor to inquire from the spirit of the dead Samuel about the outcome of a looming all consuming battle.
Witchcraft is the use of supernatural and matical powers to wrech havoc. There operations are most effective in the night. Every human on the face of the planet has an element of witctcraft in him / her. Any ill will you habour towards someone is witchcraft. The difference is that the witch gives his / her ill will power and direction. But this does not have to produce a mobid fear in you. We have a powerful ring / amulet if you suspect a witch may have taken an undue interest in your activities. And if you are under / suffering at the hands of a witch, we can nullify its effect and give you a protection against future attacks. Witchcraft is both a religion and craft. Religion also involves worship which in turn requires the performance of rituals. Witchcraft is the art of performing rituals for realising your spiritual potential.
Witchcraft is closer to paganism, which is a religion of nature. walk into the lap of nature to have a practical feel of the religion of witchcraft. Nature is the manifestation of God's glory at its best. You will be able to revere Nature for its awesome beauty and benevolence.Once you get the true feel of Nature, you will fall in love with it, appreciate it and be an integral part of it. You will acquire the basic qualification to learn witchcraft. Before you start learning witchcraft, you must remember the single most important tenet of witchcraft regarding rituals and magic: Whatever you do will come back to you three fold. If you commit a sin, you will face three-fold punishment. If you do good, you will be rewarded three times - unless one is a priest versed in the ritual of the 'scape goat' where the unwanted consequences are transferred to an animal.
You should seek tutelage of a reputed Master. Quite possibly you may not succeed with you initial attempts to be accepted by him. Once you show your sincerity and perseverance in learning the subject, you will be taken into his inner circle. The Master will lead you by hand and reveal the true secrets of witchcraft. He will remove the cobwebs of ignorance and plant new seeds of knowledge about witchcraft. Your proximity to the Master will itself be a great learning experience.
Develop the faith
We live in the world of science and reason. It is always good to remain awake and avoid following anyone blindly. But do we question the wisdom of our parents and teachers when we are young initiates? We follow them as we are told to. We have implicit faith in them. It is the same with religion of witchcraft. We have to walk a few steps on the path suggested by the teacher or guru without questioning his wisdom or trying to find reasons for the same. The taste of the pudding lies in eating it first and then finding how and why it becomes sweet. Religion or faith by their very nature defy argumentation of the type that science and logic teach us. Similarly, you should develop faith in the power of words and rituals, which to agnostics may be empty words. Your faith will invest the rituals with power and then you will see the magic of their performance.
Rituals
Rituals involve casting circles, calling quarters, invoking gods/goddess/ Mother Nature/Mother Goddess to bless you with the required energies and finally closing the circle. You can follow the established rituals for worship or you can develop your own. It is always better to write them down so that you can stick to them. Join a coven of like minded witches Covens are congregations or networks of witches who perform rituals and worship together. You can join a coven to interact with the fellow witches and discuss your problems, if any, with them. Covens provide great opportunity to learn from the experiences of others. You can seek guidance and directions from experienced witches.
Meditation
Learn to meditate daily. It will improve your focus and concentration. You will learn to be still and calm at your heart. The success of your rituals will depend on your ability to concentrate upon with a calm and quiet heart. Though not essential, it is helpful to burn incense or place flowers to create a spiritual atmosphere.
Book of Shadows
Create your own Book of Shadows or a journal of your experiments with witchcraft. Note down your feelings, emotions, bliss or disappointments and your successes or failures with your rituals, worship and magic. The true magic of witchcraft lies in feeling a blissful peace and making others get the same experience. Enjoy your union with Nature and Mother Goddess without asking anything in return. There is no end to human desires. No sooner you fulfill one desire through performance of rituals or worship, another desire crops up. Your own Book of Shadows will help you perform better by keeping a check on your mistakes.
Is it really possible for an ordinary person to understand the workings of a witch?
Probably the answer is yes. But where do the teachings come from? Are the books written by real witches? This is something you will have to find out for yourself. Being a witch is not easy. Unless you are able to be acquainted with a real witch, you can learn beginner witchcraft from them. But since that is highly unlikely, you will have to learn from a book or from an online course. To become powerful, one will need to understand what means to become a witch first. One might say that the process is different for every individual. It is like a journey and one’s trip will have to depend on the paths that one will take.
Becoming a witch means learning witchcraft as a religion of Nature. The first step, therefore, in learning witchcraft is to understand Nature and love it for what it is. You cannot love anything unless you develop a feeling or empathy for it. This is possible only when you stay close to it. So stay close to Nature. Watch the grandeur of sun rise and sun set, or, the different phases of the moon and try to grasp the mystery behind them. Listen to the celestial music in the chirping of the birds, the blowing of wind, thunder of clouds, flashes of lightning and the lapping of waves. Soak your heart and soul in the warm rays of the sun in winter and cool winds in summer. This can happen only if you find time from your busy schedule of work.
Witchcraft course is comprehensive in nature. It will first teach about the basics of being a witch, including their beliefs, their spirituality, their practices, and their customs. At this stage, one will have to ask themselves if this is really something that they want to achieve in their lives. It is not enough for one to simply read. They have to understand and really find the witch within them. Once they are done with the first step, they should prepare themselves for the second. This is where they will be taught the techniques which are applied in spellcrafting. One will be taught how to properly cast spells and how to create one. This will be an exciting period for every one desiring to be a witch. However, one should not just depend on this material. If you have time, research and look for old books that spell traditional witchcraft. This will add to your collection of knowledge. It would probably take lots of practice before one can master the techniques in being a witch. But for sure, in time through hard work and discipline, one might be able to practice skills like protection, healing, divination, and more.
The word witch owes its origin to Anglo-Saxon word 'Wicca' which itself has been derived from the word' wicce' which means 'wise'. The word 'witch' also means to 'twist or bend' which is another phrase for psychogenesis or telekinesis, a psychic ability that was demonstrated by Uri Geller worldwide on television shows. It is believed that the origin of the word 'witch' dates back to thousands of years when people widely worshipped Mother Earth or Nature as goddesses. They also revered women as they were considered the creators of new life. It is believed that the origin of the word 'witch' dates back to thousands of years when people widely worshipped Mother Earth or Nature as goddesses. They also revered women as they were considered the creators of new life. Witchcraft means the 'craft of the wise'. It is the oldest religion of the world. It remained in existence for a long time due to hereditary transfer of its knowledge. Moreover, it was practiced primarily by women because they stayed at home while the men folk went out for work. Witchcraft not only included magic, but also home medicines comprising potions, herbs, stones, oils, massages and similar other simple home remedies. This was one reason that the mothers and grandmothers taught witchcraft to their daughters and grand daughters.
There were some men witches as well, but they were not very common. Since witches provided vital health and family services, they were considered wise and were highly respected. They were not feared, but valued because they healed the sick and the suffering, both human beings and beasts. Witchcraft was a multifaceted religious practice. Witches performed hypnosis, therefore, they made the childbirth and other painful health conditions pain free. They also used telepathy, clairvoyance, intuition, dowsing, crystal gazing, trance, communication with spirits and similar other occult practices to resolve the health and other problems of the people. Religion and magic were inseparable from each other. When people flocked to witches with their problems, the high priests and other functionaries of the Christian Church felt threatened. They, therefore, attributed the magical powers of the witches to the Devil. Since the Church and the monarchy were united with each other, they started persecuting the witches. They filed cases against them in the court and sent them to jail or even sentenced them to death. So much so, the Scottish Witchcraft Act of 1563 punished even the people who consulted the witches for solving their medical problems. They accused these people of being their supporters.
The young people refrained from practicing witchcraft for the fear of persecution and those who continued their practice became old and ugly due to poverty, fear and deprivation as the time passed. This is the reason why the witches have been portrayed as old, ugly, mean and fearful. Witches loved and worshipped nature in all its manifestations. They deeply revered the earth, sun, moon, stars, planets, trees, animals, forests, clouds, rains, oceans, rivers and lakes. They felt mystified and overawed at the changing moods and forms of Nature and considered them as harbingers of change, auspicious or ominous. Witchcraft was close to paganism. Witches had a deep knowledge of the benefits of trees, plants and herbs. They, for example, had special praise for oak tree and considered it sacred. Mistletoe that grows as a parasite on oak tree was considered a valuable herb. It was used for healing and also in ceremonies and rituals. It was harvested at the Summer Solstice by using a golden sickle. When chopped, it was caught on a piece of cloth to prevent it from falling on the ground. Witchcraft was taken to North America by the Europeans who settled there. Though it was officially banned, some early settlers practiced it secretly. It was believed that witchcraft would protect them from the attacks of the Native Americans. With the advent of the New Age witchcraft has regained its old respect and is being widely practiced by highly educated people. Witchcraft is considered the most democratic religion in the world as it gives each individual the freedom to practice his own religious beliefs without referring them to any established religious regime.
In modern age, a witch is also called a Wiccan or a believer in Wicca. Witches have existed in every society of the world since the ancient times. They have been associated with performing magic. But a witch’s role went beyond the domain of magic only. She used to be the village apothecary or a doctor, who cured the patients with her potions, herbs, stones, oils, massages, chants, and, of course, rituals and magic. Her magic comprised using wands, going into trance, reading omens, communicating with ghosts and spirits. She also interpreted voices, dreams and visions that her patients saw during night or even day. Another reason that witchcraft was the primary domain of women was that men folk remained busy with earning their bread and butter and probably did not have time for such jobs. Since witchcraft was practiced mostly by women, hence it was named as witchcraft even though some men were also involved. Witchcraft was an esoteric knowledge in those days. Every piece of information, including our grandmothers recipes, which is vital for livelihood, is esoteric even today. How many of us divulge our business secrets? So, the witches passed on their knowledge only to their close and loved ones. Witchcraft, therefore, was normally inherited by the children from mothers and grandmothers. Again, like every other knowledge, some witches also used their craft for evil designs by using brooms and hexes. But by and large,witchcraft was used for humanitarian purposes. But since evil deeds attract more attention than the good deeds, witchcraft was considered an evil knowledge by the high priests of the Church and others who mattered in the society in those days.
A typical witch was portrayed as an ominous looking old woman wielding a broomstick and doing everything that was considered evil according to the edicts of the Catholic Church. Consequently witches were hounded, branded and banned with a vengeance. They were sent to prison or burnt alive on stakes mostly in European countries like France, Spain and England. With the advent of the New Age Movement, Witchcraft has been revived in a new avatar. It has been accorded the respect and recognition that it deserves. Its use for evil purposes is widely discouraged. According to the believers in Witchcraft, an evil deed returns three fold on its perpetrator. Witchcraft is now a religion called Wicca and the believers in Wicca are called Wiccans. Witchcraft is no more branded as a reprehensible practice. Now both men and women widely believe in and practice witchcraft. The word witch includes both men and women. Anyone can be a witch and yet be a Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jew, Muslim or even an atheist.
Highly educated and respectable men and women in society proudly declare themselves as witches. There are thousands of them in the United States alone and their tribe is increasing in many other countries of Europe, Australia and Canada because of the broad and inclusive nature of witchcraft that allows every individual to follow his own instincts and intuitions. Witchcraft is, probably, the most democratic religion in the world that allows for maximum freedom to every individual in thought and action. There is no regimentation of thought in witchcraft. You do not have to follow the dictates of any tradition or faith. You can develop your own rituals, chants, circles or the way you worship. You can join covens or do it alone on your own. Most witches use the Book of Shadows as their reference guide for witchcraft. They maintain their experiences with spells, magic and rituals that they find useful. We are a group of people committed to helping Others. Witches are awaking their innerself and spirituality.
Witchcraft, as the name suggest, is a ‘craft’ practised by witches. The reason why it is called witchcraft and not wizard craft is that it was mostly practiced by women in ancient times. So in a way, witch craft is usually associated with women. Another reason was that women stayed at home while the men went out to earn their living. These women helped the people especially women of their community in curing their diseases. Witchcraft, in fact, was known as the ‘The Craft of the Wise.”’ It was so called because those who practised it lived close to the nature and cured the diseases of the people, a service that nobody else could render. Because these witches stayed close to nature, they over a period of time, were able to decode the healing properties of various herbs and plants. Witch craft faced the ravages of time and slowly it began to be considered evil. There were times in history when many women were burnt to the stake for practicing witchcraft. All this was largely due to superstition.
Witchcraft is actually a ‘craft’ and not a religion. The religion that the witches follow is called Wicca. Since the basic principles and beliefs of witchcraft are also followed in Wicca, therefore, witchcraft is generally identified with religion. Witches work their craft either alone or in groups called covens. The main benefit of working alone is that you can initiate yourself into witchcraft on your own and start practising immediately. You do not have to wait for people in the coven to initiate you. The benefit of working in a coven is that you get to learn a lot from the experience of other members. A collective worship evokes more powerful energy –magic-- than individual worship. Witches know the power of prayers, worship and rituals and they use them to solve problems that afflict the people. They did so in the past and they continue to do so in the present. For example, they understand the power of positive affirmations—chants-- that are often used in prayers. When used with focus and concentration, the affirmations acquire powerful energy.
A special kind of environment is created, which is conducive to the performance of worship. Witches, for example, burn fragrant candles and incense, draw circles as they utter chants and perform their rituals. The combined impact of these practices works like magic. Wicca is the most liberal religion in the world. There is absolutely no regimentation of dos and don’ts of any kind in Wicca philosophy so long as you cause no harm to anyone. It is not like Christian religion where you are supposed to revere the saints canonized only the church. You are free to worship gods and goddesses of your community There are, therefore, literally thousands of different gods and goddesses in pantheons of different religions of the world. The ones you choose to worship depend upon your spiritual path. Most Viccans describe themselves as eclectic. This means they follow their own choice. They may worship a god of one tradition and the goddess of another. Of course, you have to consider your special needs and the domain that the god presides over. For example, if you are an artist and want help to improve your skills, crafts or handiwork, you cannot call upon Cupid or Venus to help you, as their domain is love and beauty and not arts and crafts. In your case, you have to invoke the Celtic smith god Lugh
Witchcraft is the use of supernatural and matical powers to wrech havoc. There operations are most effective in the night. Every human on the face of the planet has an element of witctcraft in him / her. Any ill will you habour towards someone is witchcraft. The difference is that the witch gives his / her ill will power and direction. But this does not have to produce a mobid fear in you. We have a powerful ring / amulet if you suspect a witch may have taken an undue interest in your activities. And if you are under / suffering at the hands of a witch, we can nullify its effect and give you a protection against future attacks. Witchcraft is both a religion and craft. Religion also involves worship which in turn requires the performance of rituals. Witchcraft is the art of performing rituals for realising your spiritual potential.
Witchcraft is closer to paganism, which is a religion of nature. walk into the lap of nature to have a practical feel of the religion of witchcraft. Nature is the manifestation of God's glory at its best. You will be able to revere Nature for its awesome beauty and benevolence.Once you get the true feel of Nature, you will fall in love with it, appreciate it and be an integral part of it. You will acquire the basic qualification to learn witchcraft. Before you start learning witchcraft, you must remember the single most important tenet of witchcraft regarding rituals and magic: Whatever you do will come back to you three fold. If you commit a sin, you will face three-fold punishment. If you do good, you will be rewarded three times - unless one is a priest versed in the ritual of the 'scape goat' where the unwanted consequences are transferred to an animal.
You should seek tutelage of a reputed Master. Quite possibly you may not succeed with you initial attempts to be accepted by him. Once you show your sincerity and perseverance in learning the subject, you will be taken into his inner circle. The Master will lead you by hand and reveal the true secrets of witchcraft. He will remove the cobwebs of ignorance and plant new seeds of knowledge about witchcraft. Your proximity to the Master will itself be a great learning experience.
Develop the faith
We live in the world of science and reason. It is always good to remain awake and avoid following anyone blindly. But do we question the wisdom of our parents and teachers when we are young initiates? We follow them as we are told to. We have implicit faith in them. It is the same with religion of witchcraft. We have to walk a few steps on the path suggested by the teacher or guru without questioning his wisdom or trying to find reasons for the same. The taste of the pudding lies in eating it first and then finding how and why it becomes sweet. Religion or faith by their very nature defy argumentation of the type that science and logic teach us. Similarly, you should develop faith in the power of words and rituals, which to agnostics may be empty words. Your faith will invest the rituals with power and then you will see the magic of their performance.
Rituals
Rituals involve casting circles, calling quarters, invoking gods/goddess/ Mother Nature/Mother Goddess to bless you with the required energies and finally closing the circle. You can follow the established rituals for worship or you can develop your own. It is always better to write them down so that you can stick to them. Join a coven of like minded witches Covens are congregations or networks of witches who perform rituals and worship together. You can join a coven to interact with the fellow witches and discuss your problems, if any, with them. Covens provide great opportunity to learn from the experiences of others. You can seek guidance and directions from experienced witches.
Meditation
Learn to meditate daily. It will improve your focus and concentration. You will learn to be still and calm at your heart. The success of your rituals will depend on your ability to concentrate upon with a calm and quiet heart. Though not essential, it is helpful to burn incense or place flowers to create a spiritual atmosphere.
Book of Shadows
Create your own Book of Shadows or a journal of your experiments with witchcraft. Note down your feelings, emotions, bliss or disappointments and your successes or failures with your rituals, worship and magic. The true magic of witchcraft lies in feeling a blissful peace and making others get the same experience. Enjoy your union with Nature and Mother Goddess without asking anything in return. There is no end to human desires. No sooner you fulfill one desire through performance of rituals or worship, another desire crops up. Your own Book of Shadows will help you perform better by keeping a check on your mistakes.
Is it really possible for an ordinary person to understand the workings of a witch?
Probably the answer is yes. But where do the teachings come from? Are the books written by real witches? This is something you will have to find out for yourself. Being a witch is not easy. Unless you are able to be acquainted with a real witch, you can learn beginner witchcraft from them. But since that is highly unlikely, you will have to learn from a book or from an online course. To become powerful, one will need to understand what means to become a witch first. One might say that the process is different for every individual. It is like a journey and one’s trip will have to depend on the paths that one will take.
Becoming a witch means learning witchcraft as a religion of Nature. The first step, therefore, in learning witchcraft is to understand Nature and love it for what it is. You cannot love anything unless you develop a feeling or empathy for it. This is possible only when you stay close to it. So stay close to Nature. Watch the grandeur of sun rise and sun set, or, the different phases of the moon and try to grasp the mystery behind them. Listen to the celestial music in the chirping of the birds, the blowing of wind, thunder of clouds, flashes of lightning and the lapping of waves. Soak your heart and soul in the warm rays of the sun in winter and cool winds in summer. This can happen only if you find time from your busy schedule of work.
Witchcraft course is comprehensive in nature. It will first teach about the basics of being a witch, including their beliefs, their spirituality, their practices, and their customs. At this stage, one will have to ask themselves if this is really something that they want to achieve in their lives. It is not enough for one to simply read. They have to understand and really find the witch within them. Once they are done with the first step, they should prepare themselves for the second. This is where they will be taught the techniques which are applied in spellcrafting. One will be taught how to properly cast spells and how to create one. This will be an exciting period for every one desiring to be a witch. However, one should not just depend on this material. If you have time, research and look for old books that spell traditional witchcraft. This will add to your collection of knowledge. It would probably take lots of practice before one can master the techniques in being a witch. But for sure, in time through hard work and discipline, one might be able to practice skills like protection, healing, divination, and more.
The word witch owes its origin to Anglo-Saxon word 'Wicca' which itself has been derived from the word' wicce' which means 'wise'. The word 'witch' also means to 'twist or bend' which is another phrase for psychogenesis or telekinesis, a psychic ability that was demonstrated by Uri Geller worldwide on television shows. It is believed that the origin of the word 'witch' dates back to thousands of years when people widely worshipped Mother Earth or Nature as goddesses. They also revered women as they were considered the creators of new life. It is believed that the origin of the word 'witch' dates back to thousands of years when people widely worshipped Mother Earth or Nature as goddesses. They also revered women as they were considered the creators of new life. Witchcraft means the 'craft of the wise'. It is the oldest religion of the world. It remained in existence for a long time due to hereditary transfer of its knowledge. Moreover, it was practiced primarily by women because they stayed at home while the men folk went out for work. Witchcraft not only included magic, but also home medicines comprising potions, herbs, stones, oils, massages and similar other simple home remedies. This was one reason that the mothers and grandmothers taught witchcraft to their daughters and grand daughters.
There were some men witches as well, but they were not very common. Since witches provided vital health and family services, they were considered wise and were highly respected. They were not feared, but valued because they healed the sick and the suffering, both human beings and beasts. Witchcraft was a multifaceted religious practice. Witches performed hypnosis, therefore, they made the childbirth and other painful health conditions pain free. They also used telepathy, clairvoyance, intuition, dowsing, crystal gazing, trance, communication with spirits and similar other occult practices to resolve the health and other problems of the people. Religion and magic were inseparable from each other. When people flocked to witches with their problems, the high priests and other functionaries of the Christian Church felt threatened. They, therefore, attributed the magical powers of the witches to the Devil. Since the Church and the monarchy were united with each other, they started persecuting the witches. They filed cases against them in the court and sent them to jail or even sentenced them to death. So much so, the Scottish Witchcraft Act of 1563 punished even the people who consulted the witches for solving their medical problems. They accused these people of being their supporters.
The young people refrained from practicing witchcraft for the fear of persecution and those who continued their practice became old and ugly due to poverty, fear and deprivation as the time passed. This is the reason why the witches have been portrayed as old, ugly, mean and fearful. Witches loved and worshipped nature in all its manifestations. They deeply revered the earth, sun, moon, stars, planets, trees, animals, forests, clouds, rains, oceans, rivers and lakes. They felt mystified and overawed at the changing moods and forms of Nature and considered them as harbingers of change, auspicious or ominous. Witchcraft was close to paganism. Witches had a deep knowledge of the benefits of trees, plants and herbs. They, for example, had special praise for oak tree and considered it sacred. Mistletoe that grows as a parasite on oak tree was considered a valuable herb. It was used for healing and also in ceremonies and rituals. It was harvested at the Summer Solstice by using a golden sickle. When chopped, it was caught on a piece of cloth to prevent it from falling on the ground. Witchcraft was taken to North America by the Europeans who settled there. Though it was officially banned, some early settlers practiced it secretly. It was believed that witchcraft would protect them from the attacks of the Native Americans. With the advent of the New Age witchcraft has regained its old respect and is being widely practiced by highly educated people. Witchcraft is considered the most democratic religion in the world as it gives each individual the freedom to practice his own religious beliefs without referring them to any established religious regime.
In modern age, a witch is also called a Wiccan or a believer in Wicca. Witches have existed in every society of the world since the ancient times. They have been associated with performing magic. But a witch’s role went beyond the domain of magic only. She used to be the village apothecary or a doctor, who cured the patients with her potions, herbs, stones, oils, massages, chants, and, of course, rituals and magic. Her magic comprised using wands, going into trance, reading omens, communicating with ghosts and spirits. She also interpreted voices, dreams and visions that her patients saw during night or even day. Another reason that witchcraft was the primary domain of women was that men folk remained busy with earning their bread and butter and probably did not have time for such jobs. Since witchcraft was practiced mostly by women, hence it was named as witchcraft even though some men were also involved. Witchcraft was an esoteric knowledge in those days. Every piece of information, including our grandmothers recipes, which is vital for livelihood, is esoteric even today. How many of us divulge our business secrets? So, the witches passed on their knowledge only to their close and loved ones. Witchcraft, therefore, was normally inherited by the children from mothers and grandmothers. Again, like every other knowledge, some witches also used their craft for evil designs by using brooms and hexes. But by and large,witchcraft was used for humanitarian purposes. But since evil deeds attract more attention than the good deeds, witchcraft was considered an evil knowledge by the high priests of the Church and others who mattered in the society in those days.
A typical witch was portrayed as an ominous looking old woman wielding a broomstick and doing everything that was considered evil according to the edicts of the Catholic Church. Consequently witches were hounded, branded and banned with a vengeance. They were sent to prison or burnt alive on stakes mostly in European countries like France, Spain and England. With the advent of the New Age Movement, Witchcraft has been revived in a new avatar. It has been accorded the respect and recognition that it deserves. Its use for evil purposes is widely discouraged. According to the believers in Witchcraft, an evil deed returns three fold on its perpetrator. Witchcraft is now a religion called Wicca and the believers in Wicca are called Wiccans. Witchcraft is no more branded as a reprehensible practice. Now both men and women widely believe in and practice witchcraft. The word witch includes both men and women. Anyone can be a witch and yet be a Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jew, Muslim or even an atheist.
Highly educated and respectable men and women in society proudly declare themselves as witches. There are thousands of them in the United States alone and their tribe is increasing in many other countries of Europe, Australia and Canada because of the broad and inclusive nature of witchcraft that allows every individual to follow his own instincts and intuitions. Witchcraft is, probably, the most democratic religion in the world that allows for maximum freedom to every individual in thought and action. There is no regimentation of thought in witchcraft. You do not have to follow the dictates of any tradition or faith. You can develop your own rituals, chants, circles or the way you worship. You can join covens or do it alone on your own. Most witches use the Book of Shadows as their reference guide for witchcraft. They maintain their experiences with spells, magic and rituals that they find useful. We are a group of people committed to helping Others. Witches are awaking their innerself and spirituality.
Witchcraft, as the name suggest, is a ‘craft’ practised by witches. The reason why it is called witchcraft and not wizard craft is that it was mostly practiced by women in ancient times. So in a way, witch craft is usually associated with women. Another reason was that women stayed at home while the men went out to earn their living. These women helped the people especially women of their community in curing their diseases. Witchcraft, in fact, was known as the ‘The Craft of the Wise.”’ It was so called because those who practised it lived close to the nature and cured the diseases of the people, a service that nobody else could render. Because these witches stayed close to nature, they over a period of time, were able to decode the healing properties of various herbs and plants. Witch craft faced the ravages of time and slowly it began to be considered evil. There were times in history when many women were burnt to the stake for practicing witchcraft. All this was largely due to superstition.
Witchcraft is actually a ‘craft’ and not a religion. The religion that the witches follow is called Wicca. Since the basic principles and beliefs of witchcraft are also followed in Wicca, therefore, witchcraft is generally identified with religion. Witches work their craft either alone or in groups called covens. The main benefit of working alone is that you can initiate yourself into witchcraft on your own and start practising immediately. You do not have to wait for people in the coven to initiate you. The benefit of working in a coven is that you get to learn a lot from the experience of other members. A collective worship evokes more powerful energy –magic-- than individual worship. Witches know the power of prayers, worship and rituals and they use them to solve problems that afflict the people. They did so in the past and they continue to do so in the present. For example, they understand the power of positive affirmations—chants-- that are often used in prayers. When used with focus and concentration, the affirmations acquire powerful energy.
A special kind of environment is created, which is conducive to the performance of worship. Witches, for example, burn fragrant candles and incense, draw circles as they utter chants and perform their rituals. The combined impact of these practices works like magic. Wicca is the most liberal religion in the world. There is absolutely no regimentation of dos and don’ts of any kind in Wicca philosophy so long as you cause no harm to anyone. It is not like Christian religion where you are supposed to revere the saints canonized only the church. You are free to worship gods and goddesses of your community There are, therefore, literally thousands of different gods and goddesses in pantheons of different religions of the world. The ones you choose to worship depend upon your spiritual path. Most Viccans describe themselves as eclectic. This means they follow their own choice. They may worship a god of one tradition and the goddess of another. Of course, you have to consider your special needs and the domain that the god presides over. For example, if you are an artist and want help to improve your skills, crafts or handiwork, you cannot call upon Cupid or Venus to help you, as their domain is love and beauty and not arts and crafts. In your case, you have to invoke the Celtic smith god Lugh
