Real Witchcraft

What is Witchcraft?

Witchcraft, Wicca, the Craft and  the Craft of the Wise are all terms used by modern Witches to show connection to Witchcraft.  Witchcraft today is a renewed version of the Old Religion, with it roots based in the worship of the  God and Goddess.

What do witches believe in?

Witches do not worship (or even believe in) a devil or Satan. We believe in a god (Sprit of the Hunt) and a goddess (the Triple Goddess: the maiden, the mother and the crone).

Witches also believe that we should respect nature; we should not take more than we really need and we should seek  to repay what we have taken.  There are many ways of doing this, but every true Witch seeks to care for the world around them.

We believe in personal responsibility; there is no 'devil' or demons to make us do wrong.  What we do our fault alone, and if wrong, we should not only admit to it, but we should also seek to do our best to put it right, however hard that might be.

We also believe in personal development; it is up to each and every one of us to strive to achieve our full potential.  No-one can do it for us, although there are some who can assist, or mentor (be like a personal teacher) us.

Witches believe in reincarnation, but we do not believe that we come back as the same person, but rather that our essence is renewed and we can go on to learn more.  We also believe in the Summerlands; a place between lives (sort-of like purgatory), where we review what we have learned and need to learn, before we move forward to the next life. Where also we may meet  those who we have lost in previous lives.

The Wiccan Rede

The Wiccan Rede (law) states "An' it harm none, do what thou will".  That means no harm to anyone; to other people, to the environment, or to ourselves. 

The Law of Threefold return

Witches also believe in the law of threefold return; i.e. whatever you do is returned to you three times over, whether it is good or bad.  This is not a special law for Witches or Witchcraft, or even for magic.  It applies to everyone, in everything they do.

Who can be a witch?

Witches may be female or male.  Male Witches are not called warlocks or wizards or anything else out of fairy tales or other fiction.  Witches may work on their own, with a partner, or in a group called a Coven.  

What festivals do they celebrate?

These are the eight Sabbats or festivals which together, form the Wheel of the Year. Witches, just like other Pagans, celebrate the seasonal festivals of:

Samhain (31 Oct.)

Known more commonly as Halloween, and for Christians as All Hallows or All Souls. For us this is the new year.  It is also a time to remember the dead.

Yule (21 Dec.)

The Winter Solstice, the date of the re-birth of the Sun. In the middle of  winter we can see the first spark of light as the days start to get longer again, which promises that summer is coming soon.

Imbolg (2 Feb.)

The first buds are on the trees, the first flowers push through the frozen soil, the first birds make their nests, and the first ewes are in lamb.  Spring has not arrived, but it is close.

Oestara (21 March)

The festival of the ancient Goddess Eostar, or Astarte, whose symbols were the egg and the hare, and who is one of the oldest Goddesses of women and fertility, being traced back over 4,000 years.  Oestara is the start of spring.  The Goddess is maturing and is willing to take her place beside the God, as ruler for mankind and the earth they inhabit.

Beltane (1 May)

The marriage of the Goddess and the God.  This is their happy fate and the way they show their love for us.  Without the Lord and Lady together, we would be and have nothing.  Yet even without our devotion they will try to work the magic which makes the land fertile ready for the harvest.

Litha (21 June)

The Summer Solstice.  The days have lengthened and the nights grow long again.  The crops are sown, and the crops an land are tended to, along with the people we care for, and we look forward to the harvest.

Lammas (1 Aug.)

The feast of the Sacrificial King. This is the time when we let go of those things we have held too close that are now holding us back.

Madron (21 Sept.)

Day and night are equal again.  Judge yourself; have you done well, or should you strive harder in the next year?

What do you do at the festivals?

Witches perform Rituals to celebrate the Wheel of the Year and the Cycle of the Moon.  They also perform rituals at other times and for other purposes such as healing.  If, for example, a person wished for help in obtaining a job, a ritual might be performed to give them extra confidence for the interview.  Such rituals may be elaborate or simple.  They may involve a group or just one person.  They may take place indoors or outside, during the day or the night. 

Divination or scrying, is also sometimes practiced on the Sabbats. This is how we see what might otherwise be hidden from us. We use tools such as the tarot, crystal ball, tea leaves, runes, etc. to show us what is, or what may in the future happen.

What about 'Potions'?

Most witches practice some type of herblore, which involves mixing herbs and plants to make remedies.

Whatever your path may be, we wish you well and trust that this has answered at least some of your questions.

Blessed Be

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Thanks to Kate West for the original text.

For more information you can visit Kate West's website here.