Witchcraft Basics

Witchcraft Basics

The following "frequently asked questions" are offered here to dispel
many of the myths of the Craft of the Wise.

Witchcraft IS a legally recognized religion and has been since
1985. The ways of the Witch are defined in even more detail in
various other pages on this Web site.

Frequently Asked Questions about Witchcraft, Wicca and Paganism

What is Witchcraft? Who are these Witches anyway?

A practitioner of a nature-based belief system or religion. Not all
Witches follow the same belief system. Some practice what is called
the "old religion" which has its roots in pagan pre-monotheistic folk
ways and beliefs and usually follows the seasonal cycles. These
belief systems or "traditions" of Witches are often based upon the
particular culture from whence they originated. Many Witches believe
in a polytheistic deity structure (usually based upon the local gods
and goddesses of the area of origin), but some simply practice magick
(sometimes spelled with a 'k' to differentiate it from stage magic).
Witches may practice alone as 'solitaries" or in covens. There are
also family groups or traditions which trace their practices and
beliefs within the same close group throughout several generations.

Traditional Wicca:
A modern form of Witchcraft is called "Wicca." Traditional Wicca is
based on the teachings of Gerald Gardner, is coven based and each
coven can trace its lineage (line of teaching passed on by initiated
Traditional priests and priestesses) back to Gardner himself. There
are offshoots of Gardnerian Traditional Wicca such as Alexandrian
Wicca, Georgian Wicca and many others. Traditional Wiccans are
considered a 'mystery' religion, require initiation by the coven and
have a "degree system" or different levels of rank based upon coven
training and the readiness of the initiate to accept the duties and
responsibilities of that degree. They have a core of inner knowledge-
often called the "Book of Shadows"-which is known only to initiated
Wiccans. Most Traditional Wiccans believe in the balance of
male-female divinity. Traditional Wiccans are seldom solitary except
for those 'Elders'-usually former priests and priestesses-who may
have retired from active coven involvement.

Other Forms of Wicca:
A newer form of Wicca has developed since the 1970's which is looser
in structure and practice than the Traditional Wicca. These
practitioners may follow a mixture of various or "eclectic' pagan
and/or non-pagan beliefs. Some have formed 'traditions' or covens of
their own, with or without a degree system, and have written a "book
of shadows" outlining their own belief system and coven structure.
Many are solitary practitioners who practice their beliefs and
formulate their rituals in their own way.

Pagans:
Since the terms Witch and Wiccan are often mistakenly interchanged,
many simply call themselves "pagans" or Neo-pagans" when talking with
others who may not be familiar with the complexity of the different
belief systems. But just as not all Christians are Lutheran or
Catholic, so not all pagans are Witches or Wiccan. Neo-paganism is a
term used most often to describe people who follow an earth-based
belief system or religion. Druids and the Norse tradition of Asatru
(who tend to prefer the term 'heathen") are considered to be pagan
belief systems, but their adherents are neither Witches nor Wiccans.
Neo-paganism should also not be confused with the "New Age"
movement as pagans are almost exclusively involved in distinctive
nature religions or earth-based practices while New Age spirituality
draws from many sources and esoteric spiritual techniques.

Q: Are you a good Witch or a bad Witch?
A: When you ask if someone is a "good" Witch or a "bad" Witch, it is
the same as asking someone if they are a "good" Presbyterian or
a "bad" Presbyterian. Wiccans adhere to the Rede, "An it harm none,
do as ye will." Witches, Druids and other pagan belief systems and
religions have their own ethical standards. There are good and bad
people in every society and in every religion. When a person breaks
the laws of society or the tenets of their religion, they are called
to account for their actions. To judge a person as either "good"
or "bad" based upon nothing more than their religious preference
alone has a label, too. It is called bigotry.

Q: Do you worship Satan?
A: Satan is a part of the Christian and Muslim religions. Since
pagans are neither Christian nor Muslim, Satan is not part of our
deity structure at all.We believe that each and every human being is
completely responsible for his or her own actions. To us, evil is a
choice, albeit a bad one, that a human might make, not an embodied
entity to blame our actions upon.If an individual chooses to do evil,
most pagans believe they will be punished via the laws of karma or as
a result of "cause and effect.". In other words, "What goes around
usually comes around."Many Witches and Wiccans believe in some form
of reincarnation, that the results or karma of past deeds can follow
a person from one life to the next. This may also help to explain why
terrible things sometimes happen to wonderful people or why some
people seem to have been born with certain skills and knowledge. It
may also explain why some people seem to lead a 'charmed" life.
Some pagans believe in an after-life spent in another plain of
existence. Known as Summerland, Avalon, Valhalla or simply the "Other
Side', they believe that they will be reunited here once again with
friends and family.

Q: So why do you use that "Satanic" symbol?
A: The pentagram, or five pointed star, is not Satanic. Pythagoras
used it as a symbol of health and his followers wore them in order to
recognize one another. In Medieval times, some Christian knights used
the pentagram as their symbol. To modern Wiccans the pentagram means
many things; The five points correspond to the elements Air, Earth,
Fire and Water with the top point corresponding to "Spirit". The
pentagram in a circle may also represent a human with their legs and
arms outstretched, surrounded by universal wisdom or the "Goddess" -
humankind at one with the environment. Many Witches and other pagan
practitioners do not wear the pentacle at all, but have other symbols
of special meaning to them.Satanists turn the symbol upside-down,
which puts the elements of Fire and Earth at the top (Fire symbolizes
willpower and passion and Earth, prosperity and earthly goods) and
Spirit, spirituality, at the bottom. Satanists also turn the cross
upside-down. This, in itself, does not make the cross or pentagram a
Satanic symbol. In some Wiccan traditions, the reversed pentagram is
a symbol of "second degree" status - one who has been elevated
from "initiate". To members of these traditions, the reversed
pentagram is considered highly positive and has no connection to
Satanism. A symbol is simply an image or mark in itself. It is the
mind and the beliefs of the beholder which attribute to it a
particular meaning.

Q: Do you do blood sacrifice?
A: Goddess NO! The nature of sacrifice is to give up something of
one's own in order to gain something more important. Wiccans believe
in the sanctity of all life. Most pagans believe that animals are
part of the same natural cycle of life as humans are. Witches have
long been associated with animal companions known as "familiars."


Q: Do Witches and Wiccans cast spells?
A: Yes. Well, some do anyway. However, the term "spell" is widely
misunderstood.Spells, are somewhat like prayers and are used to
create needed change in one's own life or the life of a loved one.
But while prayers are a petition to an external Deity to create the
change, most Witches and Wiccans believe that Deity is present in
everything, including ourselves. Spells, then, are the channeling of
our own divine selves, our own energies, to create the change.
Spells such as those which use love magic to gain the attention of a
specific individual, or curses, are considered "manipulative". Most
Wiccans believe that anything manipulative-that goes against the free
will of another-is considered wrong. Many other pagan paths have
similar codes of conduct based upon the tenets of their tradition or
belief and almost all believe that the responsibility for their
actions will lie with them.

Q: Are Witchcraft or Wicca cults?
A: A cult by definition is a group of people who blindly follow one
leader. As Witches, Wiccans and pagans tend to be free-thinkers,
there is no one person that we consider to be THE leader. Thus we
cannot be called a cult.

Q: Do you have ritual orgies?
A: These rumors come from our lack of taboos regarding sex. We have
no rules which prohibit homosexuality, nudity or pre-marital sex. Sex
as the generative force in nature is seen by most pagans as something
utterly sacred. We feel that the physical act of love is to be
approached with great respect and responsibility.

Q: Why do all Witches/Wiccans wear black?
A: We all don't. Many Witches/Wiccans actually seem to favor green
and/or purple. Black, however, is in many cultures a symbol of
clergy. Priests, Ministers and Rabbis all favor black as the main
color of their ritual garb.Scientifically speaking, color is energy.
The colors you see are the ones which are reflected and not the ones
absorbed. Therefore, what appears to be white, which is the
culmination of all colors in the light spectrum, is actually
reflecting all colors and absorbing none. What appears to be black,
is absorbing all colors and reflecting none. This is evident in the
fact that when one is wearing white, one feels cooler - as the fabric
is sending the heat energy outward, and when one wears black - the
heat energy is absorbed in the cloth that one is wearing, making one
feel warmer. Many Witches feel that wearing black attracts and holds
more natural energy.

Q: Aren't all Witches Women?
A: No. Neither are Wiccans or those in other pagan paths. Witches can
be either men or women. The term "Warlock" is never used to describe
a male Witch as it is considered to be a religious slur. "Warlock" is
an old Scottish word meaning "traitor" or "oath-breaker". Men and
Women alike can be Witches, Wiccans or pagans.

Q: Why would anyone want to be a pagan, a Witch or Wiccan?
A: People are generally drawn to Wicca and other pagan paths for
several reasons. Many women feel left out of more mainstream
religions because of the lack of feminine divinity. For them, the
Wiccan concept of the Goddess as Mother of all Living fills an empty
space in their spiritual search. As a nature based religion,
Witchcraft also appeals to those who feel a strong need to "get back
to the Earth" and places a major importance on protecting the
environment, which we are a part of, not apart from. People drawn to
the mystical find pagan belief systems much more accommodating as we
do not see anything unnatural about psychic ability or the use of
magic to create needed changes in one's life. It gives us the freedom
to make our own decisions about what is best for us.

Q: How do you convert new Witches/Wiccans/pagans?
A: We don't. We feel that the attempted conversion of others is a
form of religious bigotry. i.e. If one tries to convert another to
his/her religion, s/he assumes that the other person's beliefs are
not as valid as his/her own. We feel that all paths are equally valid
as long as they do not infringe upon the basic civil rights or free
will of another. According to our beliefs, it is up to the individual
to choose his or her own path. We do not try to manipulate others
into our way of thinking, we only try to educate others about our
religion so that they may better understand us. We do, however try to
help guide those who have already expressed an interest in the pagan
belief systems or religions.

Q: So what do Witches/Wiccans/pagans DO?
A: Pretty much what everybody does. We come from all walks of life.
We raise families, go to work, throw steaks (or vegetables) on
the "barbie" and hang out with our friends. We practice our religions
and belief systems, celebrate our holidays with festivals and
continue to study and explore our past while contemplating our
futures.Many covens and groups meet once a month to worship together
under the moon. Pagans tend to hold ceremonies or "circles" out of
doors as we feel that being with nature brings us closer to the
divinity who creates it.Some pagan beliefs may seem strange to those
who have not heard much about them before. Pagans, on the other hand,
are usually very well versed in the beliefs of other religions. They
find the various religious systems interesting and often encourage
their own children to learn about these other religions. Pagans
believe in free will and free choice and that an educated choice is
always better than blind obedience to any religion or dogma. We are
not "against" other religions. We have simply made our choice to be
pagan and we expect others to respect that choice as we respect
theirs.  All that we ask is that we are allowed to practice our
religion without prejudice or interference as is our right guaranteed
here in the United States under the Constitution and as outlined
within the constitutions of many other countries. The freedom to
practice religion -or no religion-as you choose-whether it be
Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or Pagan-is the freedom to follow
your spirit and your heart. This precious freedom must be defended,
protected and treasured by all or it will no longer be guaranteed for
anyone.