#what is witchcraft

[lilianasgrimoire]

Witchcraft 101: An Introductory Post

What is Witchcraft?

Witchcraft is the practice of magick. It's a series of techniques one uses to harness and/or manipulate energies externally or internally to change one's surroundings of circumstances as well as themselves. This can be done through using herbs, stones, crystals, and other materials.

Witchcraft can, and is, performed in a plethora of ways. It can be done through meditation, spell work, rituals or even baking and cooking. Witchcraft is as unique as you are. To practice witchcraft you do not need a religion, however most people practice witchcraft to feel more connected to their chosen religion. Witchcraft is as unique as the individual demonstrating it.

What makes someone a witch?

A witch is a person who practices magick. Witches can come from any background, any age, race or gender and religion. The term 'witch' is a gender-neutral, universal name. A being who claims the title may do what they desire with the craft. There are many types of witches, all of which are nature based. Not all witches are interested in the same type practise, however. One may prefer the study and use of crystals, and another being drawn to divination or even one of the elements.

A witch is neither good or bad, as they are only human.

There aren't any rules to being a witch (unless your religion states otherwise). Whilst you don't have to be religious to be a witch, most witches who practise, are most commonly Wiccan.

What is Paganism?

Pagan is an umbrella term for the many non-Abrahamic religions. This included Hinduism, Wicca, Buddhism, Sikhism, etc. However, not a lot of people fall into a specific type of religion that comes under paganism but still believe in & worship more than one God/Goddess or Greater being such as the elements, for example. Many, if not most, witches, fall under the Wiccan religion.

Paganism, across all sub-genres, follow holidays/festivals, and in many religions, many they follow The Eight Sabbats, or Wheel of the Year. The Sabbats, depending on the religion, have slight variations in terms of rituals, timing and practicing of the holidays i.e. which God/Goddess is associated, traditional colours or foods. It also is up to the individual as to what they do and don't want to celebrate.

"All Wiccans are witches, but not all witches are wiccan. All Wiccans are Pagan, but not all Pagans are Witches."

Religion VS. Spirituality

Religion and spirituality are often meshed together and difficult to differentiate the two. Some people believe there is a blurred line between them, whereas another may believe they are two completely different topics.

So, how can we tell the two apart?

Religion is an institutionalised system of certain attitudes, practises and beliefs; often the service or worship of a greater being than ones self or the supernatural. A religion is often based upon life lessons and teachings of a historical or archetypal figure. Typically, there is a place of worship, such as churches, temples, mosques and cathedrals. Religion is a structured organised system that is heavily rule based with it's main focus on the faith of the religion (scriptures of being infallible and ultimate or truth. Acceptance and the surrender to the Divine are taught as the path to complete and ultimate salvation. Religion is one path for all to follow.

Spirituality is a connection that one has to something that is much larger than yourself. Spirituality is an aspect of humanity where an individual seeks and expresses meaning and purpose through the connection they experience to a moment. People who are spiritually awakened liv4e life in a reverent and sacred manner. Yoga, meditation and contemplation all help a person to start, progress and explore their journey. Many use these practices to reach out to their spirit guides, past lives and even advice from outside forces. Each journey is unique. Spirituality is often referred to as a "pathless path". Spirituality is about following your own path and learning, growing, loving and acceptance on a more personal level. Unlike religion, spiritualists do not follow a set of rules n regards to their inward journey but, faith is not dismissed and entirely acceptable to incorporate with spirituality.

[torque-witch]

Oct 22nd 2023 - Get back to witchcraft with me!

I think it's time we *try* to delve back into witchcraft, paganism and assorted shenanigans, blog style! It's been way too long for me and I feel so disconnected spiritually, so let's start with the basics and have some conversations about it now that a few years have passed.

*One big caveat may be that it's 2023 - politically and socially so many things are different or changing, so I want to go through all of my notes and ideas and hopefully re-examine them as someone in their 30's, married, nonbinary, queer, disabled and leftist.

So let's start with this - What is Witchcraft?

As I remember not too long ago, there were more frequent debates about what category witchcraft actually falls into. Is it inherently religious? Is it just a craft or tool?

Personally I feel like the general consensus is that it is primarily a metaphysical (and also physical) craft whose purpose is to help achieve very specific outcomes. It is inherently unbiased and neutral - but depending on the way a practitioner guides it, it can be used for good, evil or neutral gains.

While witchcraft isn't a religion, it can certainly be used in tandem with various or all religions based on beliefs and doctrinal rules. Many people equate witchcraft with Wicca, but *that religion was formed in the 50's and therefore postdates most historical references to witchcraft as a practice. We will return to that point!

It feels like in 2023, most modern and generally American-centric practice of witchcraft tends to include mindfulness, positive affirmations, vision boards, intentions, and working with Tarot and crystals. This of course is completely accessible and understandable for most people, which makes it ideal for the general population. Plus, it helps to destigmatize the practice, and I think it has done that for the most part.

Some talking points we could delve into would be that while this form of witchcraft or magic is definitely accessible and easy to digest (I also mean accessible to disabled folks!), sometimes it can reek of privilege, capitalism and inaccurate information. Witchcraft wasn't always easy to find resources on, the methods were often very complicated and folklore driven, you could literally get killed etc etc. And let's not forget that the "I'm the ancestor of witches you couldn't burn" is categorically incorrect and a weird take, not to mention the assumption that only women can and did practice. Again, another thing we will talk about.

Other than that I think the general modern idea is that witchcraft is the act of bending energy or reality to your will with the help of herbs, sigils, energy work, visualization, etc. Some people do not feel the need for any supplementals, some people practice witchcraft in tandem with gods or spirits. Some of us have even created new avenues in the modern age like using machines as a power source! (It's me) Witchcraft is sort of open to interpretation, but I do think that reference material and the basics of the scientific equation still are important within context. What historically works? What methods are time honored? Why do we use x to represent x in spellwork? So much of physical creation of spells is based off of ideas we have been building as a species for generations within storytelling. Some people believe that those stories and beliefs are what gives certain ingredients or methods power - because there is so much historical energy associated with them.

What do you think witchcraft is, or what does it mean to you in your practice? I'd really like to get back into the conversation, back into books and talk about theory.

And as a bonus - let's do a quick Tarot reading about what witchcraft is!

What is witchcraft - Nine of Pentacles, Reversed

I like this - basically a call to create your own path, to balance your own scales and take action to regain a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

How does witchcraft help people - The Moon

It helps people to explore their emotions, perceptions and beliefs! It helps to cultivate self-awareness, introspection and intuition. It can help to confront your fears, develop personal guidance and trust in yourself, and helps you to meet and understand your place in the world.

How does witchcraft harm people - Two of Cups, Reversed

I feel like the message is about stereotypes in one sense - that there is still a lot of misunderstanding about witchcraft societally and within our own communities that divides us or causes big rifts. Many of these problems are rooted in pride and the ego - who is right? Who is being self-destructive? I think it is a reminder that while there is absolutely a time and place for correcting behavior and beliefs with facts and evidence, that listening and being curious on both ends of the scrutiny can be beneficial.

What are you waiting for?

This is just a representation of the freedom that witchcraft gives to those that practice it. Your will is your command or desire. Where will that take you? What will your intentions be and what will they bring? Witchcraft can be as little or as big of a part of your life as you want it to be. So why not see where it takes you?

Anywho - I hope that was a fun and interesting read! I will try to do these more often as I try to re-immerse myself back into witchcraft. Expect some book reviews, local shop reviews, theory conversations! And if Tumblr isn't the spot for it anymore, I will probably be posting smaller blips on Instagram or full posts on my website. But until then.

Cara / Torque | They/Them/She dhdivination - Instagram dhdivination - TikTok SwampHag - Wix Death's Head Divination - Etsy

[thelionesswitchblog]

My passion for authentically connecting with myself and the world around me sprouted when I was 14 years old.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about different religions and spiritual practices, so I spent much of my free time indulging in binge study sessions.

I scoured the internet, prowled through libraries, and practiced meditation with intentions of enriching my own practice and deepening my connection to my higher self and to God.

In 2009, resources for learning about non-religious spiritual development existed, but were scarce. It was hard to tell if what was available was authentic, well researched, and unbiased.

Accessibility to open witchy communities was limited, and I couldn’t ask my friends or family about my “blasphemous” studies for fear of judgment or punishment.

Because of these challenges my spiritual journey was lonely and tumultuous for a long time.

Today, I am thankful for the endurance and wisdom that it took to arrive where I am and I am thankful for the connections that I have made that gave me the confidence to express myself unapologetically.

I believe that it is my souls purpose to be of service to souls like mine. It is my desire to provide to them what I used to wish I had.

From my soul to yours 🫶🏽

I am The Lioness Witch.

[atompalace-official]

[passedaway44]

[chrissy-kaos]

I don’t really feel that good at all. But i got shit to do and I gotta look cute doing it. Also fishnets go so hard 🥵

[heloocean]

[cinnamongirlsdiary]

black cats are my favorite bc they’re associated with witchcraft

[rosecoloredtarot]

I think people have become so far removed from the natural world that "witnessing nature do it's thing" is often misinterpreted as having mystical significance.

This is not meant to be a judgement of anyone, no one here is the reason we live in a society away from the wilds. But I think that the little to no exposure people have with non-human spaces turns perfectly ordinary occurrences into something of a spectacle.

"I keep seeing large groups of crows around, who is trying to reach out?" Probably no one, crows are diurnal flock animals that actively seek out people because they are smart and know we have lots of stuff they can scavenge.

"This tree in my yard put out SO many flowers but seems to be dying now, did someone curse me?" Nope! Trees, particularly fruit trees, can stress bloom, where they put out tons of flowers in response to any number of stressors. Might wanna see if you can fix the stressors to save the tree.

"I was walking around during a storm and lightning hit a tree I was near, what does that mean?" It means you should thank your lucky stars you didn't get hit yourself. Lightning wants to touch the ground so badly and will zap the tallest thing around because that is the fastest way there.

"A cat gave birth under my house, do I have a familiar now?" Maybe. But under the house is dry, warm and relatively safe. She picked that spot because its a good place to keep her babies.

All of these things and more happen ALL THE TIME, we just aren't as aware of them as we used to be. Seeing nature in action is incredible and special in it's own right, just maybe not in the way you want it to be.

[mikonez]

"I got my sin and you got your sorrow They're born from the din and come out at night"

alt versions under the cut!!

[cxndiedvi0lets]

[ha1leysblog]

[hoe4kai]

[andy-clutterbuck]

Rick Grimes in The Ones Who Live | 1x04 - What We

[ominis-gaunt-slytherin]

Sebastian Sallow by Pasta As Avatar

[maggie-doe]

mentally here