The truth is that the practice of Witchcraft was not always a "menace" to society. There was a time when Witchcraft didn't even have a name. It simply was. It was a means of survival, a means of healing, and a simple way of life. It was only over the course of time, with the rise of newer religious beliefs, that Witchcraft was given a name and a bad reputation.

In the previous lesson, "What is Pagan Religion?", you were given a brief introduction to the history of Paganism. You learned that to be Pagan is to be a part of Nature-based religion. The same holds true for Witchcraft, but many have a misconceived notion that Witchcraft and Paganism are one in the same. This is untrue, as you can be Pagan without practicing Witchcraft, although the reverse won't necessarily hold true.

Often referred to as the Old Religion, Witchcraft is considered a folk religion that is heavily bathed in the use of magick. There are Pagans that incorporate magick into their lives, and then there are those who do not. For example, in traditions of the Native American Indians, each tribe will often have a Medicine Man. The Medicine Man is often seen as the connection to Spirit and a magickal being, while other members of the tribe do not practice magick at all, but rather go to the Medicine Man when they have need of his skills. This same concept can be applied to Witchcraft.

So, what is Witchcraft? Actually, fair warning...to give Witchcraft a specific definition is a hard task. There are many different viewpoints among current practitioners, so rather than define "what Witchcraft is" at this point, let's look at some of the beliefs, practices, and skills that are most often associated with being a Witch.

• First, and foremost, Witchcraft is a way of life. It is not something that can be done half-heartedly, nor is it a game that can be played when ever you feel like. Those that are true Witches take their practices and religious beliefs very seriously, and incorporate them into everything they do. A good rule of thumb is that ~"KNOWLEDGE IS POWER" AND POWER IS ONLY OBTAINED BY THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO UNDERSTAND ITS TRUE NATURE~, so don't expect to call yourself a Witch without truely understanding what the nature of the Craft is fully about. If you have experienced previous difficulties in finding a Witch to "take you under his/her wing", it is most likely due to the fact that there are many who would call themselves a Witch without wanting to understand what this title really means. This often causes skepticism about one's intentions, and creates a need for those that are sincere to prove themselves worthy of being taught.

• Witches can be incredible Historians. In days of old, Witches were renowned as story tellers, passing on the myths and legends of the existence of their people. Today, much of those myths and legends have, unfortunately, been lost. Because of this, there is a strong draw to finding factual information that will link Witches to their ancestoral past. A good example of this would be myself. I have always found history to be dull and boring due to the way it is usually presented. But in the last year, I can't seem to get enough of learning the secrets of the past, always searching for truths that will complete this puzzle of human evolution, migration, and the roots of religious beliefs. This often includes searching for those remaining myths and legends, then studying and learning them, because they have a strong tie to the "why" and "how".

• Witchcraft is strongly tied in with Paganism, but there are some Witches who do not associate themselves with any specific religious belief, preferring to call themselves eclectic, drawing their beliefs from many different avenues. There are also those who prefer to only refer to themselves simply as "Witch" to distinguish themselves from newer forms of Pagan religions, such as Wicca. Many Witches also don't necessarily follow a particular Deity structure. While Divine Spirit is recognized, S/He is not always given a name. Rather, the existence of Spirit is simply acknowledged as being the natural force of the Universe, and/or the "All".

• Witchcraft utilizes magick, which often involves working with the natural Elements. (Magick is spelled with a "k" to distinguish it from the magic of stage illusionist's.) However, while rooted in the Laws of Nature, Witchcraft also involves the understanding that the natural forces of the Universe span out far beyond the Earthly plain, to include the Celestial Bodies, as well as the Spirit Realm. Witchcraft is a means of combining and utilizing these forces, drawing energy and awareness from the "All", shaping this to fit their needs, then sending the energy back out into the cosmos to serve its purpose, whether it be for healing or otherwise. Witches also often work with a familiar to aid them with their magick, sometimes asking the familiar to help ensure that their sent energy reaches its goal.

• Wicca has the "Wiccan Rede", Christians have the "Ten Commandments". Witch's, on the other hand, don't necessarily follow any particular "code of conduct". Some prefer to rely on their own conscience, believing that anything they feel is necessary to survive is permissable. (This is not a practice that is widely held by all, as the laws of karma often play a large part in the practice of the Craft.)

• All forms of Witchcraft hold a reverence for Nature, and often entail the celebration of the Sabbats, signifying the turns in the Wheel of the Year. In addition, Witch's also hold rituals known as Esbats which are held 13 times a year during Full Moon, and often entail magickal work for whatever purposes are seen as being necessary at the time. If magickal work is not needed at the time of an Esbat, then that time is used to honor Spirit.

• Witch's are, more often than not, skilled at divining, which can take on many forms. Some of the more popularly known mediums used for divination are the use of the Tarot, Runes, and Palmistry. Through a chosen medium, with guidence from Spirit, a Witch can help gain insight into current situations, seek answers to past or recurring problems, and often catch a glimpse of what the future holds. Let me reiterate...divination of any type is a learned skill. Not only is helpful to know how to connect with Spirit for guidence, but simply choosing to follow the path of Witchcraft does not mean that you are automatically endowed with the gift of insight. There are those to whom this gift is received naturally, however, most must work at becoming adept at using such a gift, and all too often divination is a talent that must be learned, gift or no gift.

• Witch's are well known for their knowledge of herb lore. It is through this knowledge that many Witches practice herbal medicine. That being said, I would like to add a STRONG CAUTION to anyone interested in herbal medicine. It takes years of study to become adept at using herbs. Some herbs are extremely poisonous, even through simple contact with the skin, while others can cause many different types of medical problems if used incorrectly. Needless to say, BE RESPONSIBLE & DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE HANDLING OR INGESTING ANY HERBS!!! In addition, herbs are used in the making of incense. Just the simple act of burning some herbs can be dangerous, so please, research your herbs before choosing them or combining them for the purpose of your own incense mixtures. If you have doubts, or are unsure in any way, then don't use them and stick to store-bought...better to be safe than sorry.

Well, there you have it. I wouldn't exactly say it's in a "nutshell", but I did try to warn you that Witchcraft is hard to define. : ) As you can see, practicing Witchcraft is not all that easy to get started in. There is a lot to learn, with a great deal of responsibility associated with it. When you add the stereotypes established about Witchcraft by the newer religions, why on Earth would anyone want to be a Witch??? Again, there is no easy answer.

Witches have been well known as village healers and midwives, keepers of myths, lore and legends, and the sources of widsom and spirituality, all skills of which were, at one time, highly respected. But as I stated at the onset of this lesson, Witches have been viewed as a threat to society for centuries. Much of this stems from fear. Man is often known to fear that which he doesn't understand. A prime example of this is the sterotypes given to Witchcraft by the Christian Church, which couldn't (or wouldn't) understand the workings of magick, and in the process of conversion attempts, turned that which they didn't understand into their adversary. (It is also interesting to note that many Christian practices were derived from Pagan beliefs. We will explore this in a later lesson.) Another part of it comes from Man's need to conquer and show his force of strength. This can be seen in the Roman Empire and the Christian Church respectively, as they both set out to literally conquer the World, forcing their ways on those they conquered. Those who wouldn't accept or conform to the new ways were condemned, often labeled as Witches or evil sorcerer's in league with the "devil".

Eventually, practitioner's of the Old Religion who would not be converted were forced to take their religious practices underground in order to save their own lives. In the process, Christian beliefs began to take hold on the rest of society. Without a voice willing to defend the Pagan beliefs, the Christian accusations against Paganism and Witchcraft slowly, over the course of hundreds of years, came to be believed as fact. What hadn't been counted on, however, is that there were Pagans and Witches who would survive this unsettling time in history, secretly passing on the Old Ways to newer generations.

1. In this lesson you were presented with the statement "Knowledge is power, and power is only obtained by those who are willing to understand its true nature." Copy this statement into your journal. For a day or two, think about what this statement means to you. Then go back to your journal and write down your interpretation of it. What is your current perception of the word "power"? In what way do you see knowledge providing power? How can this power be beneficial to your life?

BACKSTUDY~BUDDY HOMENEXT

IntroductionStudy OutlineMagical Dictionary

Lesson ILesson II