Oooh, now that is a loaded word, isn’t it?
“WITCH”
But despite all the stories, myths, and such from all the many centuries going way back, “witch” just refers to someone who practices magic. “Magic” refers to a variety of techniques, from simple prayers to elaborate rituals, that affect energy for a purpose.
That is the barebones of the thing – all you’re doing is influencing energy to achieve certain purposes. This includes using prayers for healing to drawing down the moon for the purposes of communion.
Not all Pagans are Witches, and not all Witches are Pagans.It is true that there are Christian Witches, Jewish Witches, Muslim Witches, Hindu Witches, non denominational Witches, etc. So, just because someone indicates a practice of Witchcraft does not tell you anything about their faith-path.
Now, when most people think of Witches, they think of sacrificing animals to gods. While there are some witches out there who do do this, they are a very small minority. For the most part, spellcraft is a simple and non-theatrical affair. For instance, Witches will often empower their house-cleaning with a simultaneous energy cleaning that has no outward indication of the simultaneous activity. On the other hand, they can be elaborate rituals meant to support a goal, such as a business goal, that span the entire length of a year or years.
Things that may or may not be used in Witchcraft are:
- Stones
- Herbs
- Oils
- Incense
- Altars
- Brooms
- Swords (athames)
- Wands
- Staves
- Robes
- Wine
- Water
- Honey
- Food
- Handicrafts
- Dirt/Soil/Sand
- Drinks
- Tools (hammers, nails, screw drivers)
- Representations (photos, statues)
- Talismans
- Songs
- Music
- Poetry
- Words
- Intonations
- Rhymes
- Dancing
- Walking
- Nudity
- Moon cycles
- Seasons
- Holiday
If you have any other questions, just send me a note!