WHAT WITCHCRAFT IS
Category: Religion and Philosophy

What Witchcraft is:
Witchcraft is a spiritual system that fosters the free thought and will of the individual, encourages learning and an understanding of the earth and nature thereby affirming the divinity in all living things.   Most importantly however, it teaches responsibility.   We accept responsibility for our actions and deeds as clearly a result of the choices we make.   We do not blame an exterior entity or being for our shortcomings, weaknesses or mistakes.   If we mess up or do something that brings harm to another, we have no one but ourselves to blame and we must face the consequences resulting from those actions.   No ifs, ands or buts and no whining...

We acknowledge the cycles of nature, the lunar phases and the seasons to celebrate our spirituality and to worship the divine.   It is a belief system that allows the Witch to work with, not in supplication to deities with the intent of living in harmony and achieving balance with all things.

The spells that we do involve healing, love, harmony, wisdom and creativity.   The potions that we stir might be a headache remedy, a cold tonic, or an herbal flea bath for our pets.   We strive to gain knowledge of and use the natural remedies placed on this earth by the divine for our benefit instead of using synthetic drugs unless absolutely necessary.

Wiccan believe that the spirit of the One, Goddess and God exist in all things.   In the trees, rain, flowers, the sea, in each other and all of natures creatures.   This means that we must treat "all things" of the Earth as aspects of the divine.   We attempt to honor and respect life in all its many manifestations both seen and unseen.

Wiccan learn from and revere the gift of nature from divine creation by celebrating the cycles of the sun, moon and seasons.   We search within ourselves for the cycles that correspond to those of the natural world and try to live in harmony with the movement of this universal energy.   Our teachers are the trees, rivers, lakes, meadows, mountains and animals as well as others who have walked this path before us.   This belief creates a reverence and respect for the environment, and all life upon the Earth.

We also revere the spirits of the elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water which combine to manifest all creation.   From these four elements we obtain insight to the rhythms of nature and understand they are also the rhythms of our own lives.

Because Witches have been persecuted for so many centuries, we believe in religious freedom first!   We do not look at our path as the only way to achieve spirituality, but as one path among many to the same end.   We are not a missionary religion out to convert new members to think the same as we do.   We are willing to share our experience and knowledge with those who seek our wisdom and perspective however.   We believe that anyone who is meant for this path will find it through their own search as the Goddess speaks to each of us in her time and way.   Wiccan practice tolerance and acceptance toward all other religions as long as those faiths do not persecute others or violate the tenant of "Harm None."

What Witchcraft is not:
More information about Witchcraft is available in the Frequently Asked Questions section, but in the interim, here are the main points.

• Witchcraft or Wicca is not a cult.   We do not proclaim ourselves to be spokespersons for the divine or try to get others to follow us as their leaders.
  
  
• We do not worship Satan or consort with Demons.   Satan is a Christian creation and they can keep him.   We do not need a paranoid creation of supreme evil and eternal damnation to scare us into doing the right thing and helping others.   We choose to do the right thing and love our brothers and sisters because it IS the right thing and it feels good to do it.   I suppose it is a maturity thing.
  
  
• We do not sacrifice animals or humans because that would violate our basic tenant of "Harm None."   Anyone who does and claims to be a Wiccan or a Witch is lying.
  
  
• We have no need to steal or control the life force of another to achieve mystical or supernatural powers.   We draw our energy from within, our personal relationship with the divine and nature.
  
  
• We do not use the forces of nature or the universe to hex or cast spells on others.   Again, "Harm None" is the whole of the law.
  
  

Witches have a very strict belief in the Law of Three which states that whatever we send out into our world shall return to us three fold either good or bane.   With this in mind, a "True Witch" would hesitate in doing magick to harm or manipulate another because that boomerang we throw will eventually come back to us much larger and harder then when we threw it.

This is not to say that Witches are perfect, we are human too just like everyone else and make mistakes and errors in judgment.   Just as there are parents who love and nurture their children, there are parents who abuse their children.   As there are many who devote their lives to giving and helping mankind, likewise there are those who devote their lives to taking advantage of and using people for their own gain.   Unfortunately the same flaws in human nature applies to witches too.

Most of us continually strive to consider all potential outcomes of our thoughts and actions pausing to seriously consider the consequences before undertaking a ritual, spell or rite that could go astray.   It is when we follow the path with the love of the Goddess in our hearts and adhere to the basic tenant of the Reed that our works are beneficial and we achieve harmony and balance with all things.

The heart of Wicca is not something summed up into a few short words and can often take on different meaning to each since the Lord and Lady touch us in different ways.   To gain a fuller understanding of the Craft, I urge you visit the other pages on this site as well as following the links to a select group of exceptional Wiccan and Witchcraft sites.   Through the wisdom and words set down through the ages, you will find that you are able to understand the basis of our beliefs and how they may apply to you.   Your inner voice will also quickly let you know if the intent of what you are reading is for superficial purposes to benefit self instead of working to benefit the whole.   Remember to read with your heart, for it is when you see life and the world with your heart and spirit that you truly gain an understanding of what Wicca is.

Blessed Be!

magick wands, depending on the purpose and the Witchcraft tradition.

In many European based Witchcraft traditions, the magick wand is a simple unadorned stick of natural wood, often with the bark still intact. The wand is typically six inches to two feet in length and a quarter inch to two inches in diameter, either straight or with bends (one slight bend is the most common). The wand can be cut, but usually it is uncut and kept exactly as it was found laying on the ground in nature. Witches used to break dead branches off of trees.

In earlier times Witches broke off dead wood, never sawing or cutting live wood. This policy actually helped keep the forests healthy, because insects and other vermin went infect dead branches and then spread into the rest of the tree. In many areas of the world there are now too many people impacting the available trees and it is no longer environmentally sound to harvest dead wood directly from a tree.

Eileen Holland reports a tradition of cutting wands "from one-year-old trees, in a single stroke, at sunrise on a Wednesday." Ask for permission from the tree before cutting a wand. Thank the tree for the gift of the wand. Possibly leave a small token of thanks, such as a pebble, ribbon (natural fibers and colors), or feather.

When picking up sticks for use as a wand, the Witch will pick a natural stick that looks right and feels good when held. A Witch will recognize the right stick because it "feels" right (an inner feeling in your heart).

When picking up sticks for use as a wand, the Witch will pick a natural stick that looks right and feels good when held. A Witch will recognize the right stick because it "feels" right (an inner feeling in your heart).

Various kinds of wood are associated with specific kinds of magick and the Witch will find a wand from the right kind of tree for the magick to be performed.

The most famous of these simple stick wands is the divining rod, used for locating water or lost items. The divining wand will have a fork (two short ends that come together into a longer single length, kind of like a "Y") and is held loosely by the branched end (one branch in each hand). The wand will slightly twitch or vibrate to give the Witches hints on which direction to look.

Baculum is a witch's wand used for divination and fertility rituals. The word baculum is also sometimes used to describe a witch's broom.

In high ceremonial magick the wands are very elaborate, typically constructed of metal (or fine wood that has been covered with gold, a process called "gilding") and encrusted with valuable gems. Magick runes or symbols are carved on the length of the wand and typically there is a valuable gemstone at the tip.

Many Witches craft a much less expensive ceremonial wand by wrapping a piece of wood (such as a dowel from the local hardware store) with cloth, leather, twine, and other materials. Magick runes or symbols can be burned or carved into the wood or drawn on cloth or leather strips and wrapped onto the wand. Seashells, feathers, crystals, and other items from nature can be tied or glued to the wand.

With these kinds of homemade wands, the personal expression of the individual Witch is important. Often the choice of items attached to the wand will be based on the Goddess or God the Witch honors (for example, a wand dedicated to Aphrodite might have seashells while a wand dedicated to Diana might have small sterling silver trinkets). The important thing is to trust your heart and create a wand that matches your personality and beliefs.

A wand shouldn't be longer than the length from your elbow to your fingertips.

For some rituals or spells, the wand might have something temporarily attached to it. For example, for a Full Moon ritual, a Witch might write down the goals and desires for the next month on a small piece of paper and then tie or wrap the piece of paper on the wand.

As in most of Witchcraft, it is important to figure out what works for you personally. Something may be great for everyone else but not work for you, while another thing that nobody else does might be perfect for you. Trust your heart.

When you finish choosing or making a wand, you will want to dedicate it to magickal work. The ritual should be short and simple: place the tool on the altar, cast a circle, and perform a shrt ritual to consecrate the tool. If you belong to a specific Witchcraft tradition, use the ritual specified by your tradition. If you are an eclectic Witch or still undecided on tradition, make up your own short ceremony, possibly based around a poem you write.

If you have a permanent altar, you might leave your wand on your altar for 24 hours after your ceremony before making use of your new wand. Any of the Sabbats or New Moon or Full Moon are particularly appropriate times to dedicate a new wand.

Feel free to submit JPEGs of your personal wand. Indicate the materials, symbols, deity, Witchcraft tradition, or other special information that may help understand your wand.
correspondences of a wand

Some traditions correspond wands with the element air. Some traditions correspond wands with the element fire. In some traditions, the element is determined by the materials and decorations, including runes and other magick writing.

The wand is considered to be a phallic tool and therefore of masculine element and male energy. The wand corresponds with the planet Mars.
uses of a wand

Wands are most commonly used to channel energy. Match the wand's materials and decorations and magick writings to the kind of energy being channeled.

Wands may be used to cast a circle. Some Witches use an athame for most circles, reserving wands for casting circles of special significance.

Wands may be used to invite and control entities.

Wands may be used for manifestation.

We are not evil. We don't harm or seduce people. We are not dangerous. We are ordinary people like you. We have families, jobs, hopes, and dreams. We are not a cult. This religion is not a joke. We are not what you think we are from looking at T.V. We are real. We laugh, we cry. We are serious. We have a sense of humor. You don't have to be afraid of us. We don't want to convert you. And please don't try to convert us. Just give us the same right we give you--to live in peace. We are much more similar to you than you think." Margot Adler
bullet "If you take [a copy of] the Christian Bible and put it out in the wind and the rain, soon the paper on which the words are printed will disintegrate and the words will be gone. Our bible IS the wind and the rain." Herbalist Carol McGrath as told to her by a Native-American woman.
bullet "I don't think witchcraft is a religion. I would hope the military officials would take a second look at the decision they made." G.W. Bush (R), as Governor of Texas. Interviewed on ABC's Good Morning America, 1999-JUN-24. He disapproved of Wiccan soldiers being given the same religious rights as others in the military.
bullet "We should educate people that 'Witch' is not evil but ancient and positive. The first time I called myself a 'Witch' was the most magical moment of my life." Margot Adler. 43
bullet "When one defines oneself as Pagan, it means she or he follows an earth or nature religion, one that sees the divine manifest in all creation. The cycles of nature are our holy days, the earth is our temple, its plants and creatures our partners and teachers. We worship a deity that is both male and female, a mother Goddess and father God, who together created all that is, was, or will be. We respect life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and accept the sacredness of all creation."