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- What is a Witch?
- A witch is a person who practicies magick
as part of their spiritual belief or as an act of manipulating
energy. The label Witch is not specific to the religion of WitchCraft.
There are many religious faiths who also use this label.
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- The label is often associated with Anglo-Celtic, Celtic and
Southern Teutonic traditions. Within these tradtions there typically
exists a spiritual practice that underlies the use of magik.
This "label" of spiritual practice has long held some
negative conotations and major misconceptions. Actually WitchCraft
is a peaceful religion of honor and respect.
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- Other labels include, Wizard, Mage, Shaman/Shamanka and Magikan.
Warlock is also often associated with a male witch. However it
is important to note the 2 distinct meanings of the word.
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- Warlock' comes from an Old Norse word 'vardlokkur'. There
are debates about the exact meaning of the word in it's original
form, however there are several mythological tales about the
Vardlokkur guarding the gates of knowledge. In these legends,
the Vardlokkur were the wise men of divine knowledge who protected
that wisdom and guarded it with their life. The magik of the
warlock was/is to ward off evil spirits and to lock or bind them
up, keeping the sacred wisdom safe.
In the Scots dialect the word warlock, means a 'cunning man'
or 'male white witch', it is rarely used today. In part because
of the Anglo-saxon meaning, 'oath-breaker'. The label has fallen
from use and is often seen as a derogatory title.
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- The Sects Of Magik
- There are many different types of magikal sects. Just as
in the familiar Christian faith, you'll find Catholics, Baptists,
Methodist and so on, there are variations of belief in magik
and paganism.
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- Once again, it's important to note that a witch does not
have to be a member of a sect to practice the craft. Nor does
a sect have to be Wiccan to practice the craft. The sister/brotherhood
of witches is often called the WitchHood. Each of these sects
can be assoicated with one of these three major traditional groups
of the Witchhood.
- Classical Witches
~ Early Nordic which included the Germanic languages, Dutch,
Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish peoples.
- Gothic Witches
~ Celtic Anglo-Saxon which includes Druid, Irish, Scottish, and
English, as well as, many of the French, and Italian cultures.
- Neo-Pagan Witches
~ Modern NewAge American which has primarily been influenced
by the melding of all previous sects through imigration and the
country's natural evolution.
These different sects are all based on the ancient craft traditions,
but were influenced by regional customs and existing spiritual
beliefs. These sects are the result of a successful melding of
these ancient Pagan traditions and current civilizations. The
following is a small sampling of many different sects and traditions.
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The Craft Sects
- Classical Craft
- Ceremonial
- Encompases many traditional rituals with a basis of Egyptian
magick and often follow the ceremonies outlined in the ancient
Kabbalistic writtings.
- Strega
- A tradition begun around Italy around 1353 with a woman called
Aradia.
- Teutonic
- The Teutons have been recognized as one of the earliest and
formal practioners of the craft. Their ways of practicing the
Craft are also known as Nordic.
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- Gothic Craft
- Caledoni
- Of Scottish traditions, this sect is also known as Hecatine.
It continues to encompass many of the festivals and celebrations
of the Scots.
- Celtic
- A mix of Celtic/Druidic pantheon energy. This sect focuses
heavily on the elements, nature and the Ancient
Ones. With a great knowledge of healig and the magickal qualities
of nature, including plants, animals and stones, this tradition
is most commonly linked to in the Neo-Pagan sects. Aided by the
little people, gnomes and fairies, Celtic magick is full of fun,
myrth and mythology.
- Deborean
- A combination of Celtic tradition and Native American, most
often Cherokee. Formed in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, the
Carolinas and southwestern Virginia sometime between 1780 and
1800. This tradition originated as a result of marriages or family
unions between the predominantly Celtic settlers and the Cherokee
residents.
- Farrar
- A very famous husband and wife team from England, Janet and
Stewart Farrar compiled and researched many of the ancient and
modern sects to pull the best parts of all into one. Many of
today's modern sects are in one way or another based on these
studies and compiled materials.
- Hereditary
- Based on family traditions passed on generation to generation,
(does not included Channeling). Also called "Family Trades",
it is up for debate how far back on the family tree one must
go to meet the conditions of this sect. The traditions can be
passed on to blood relatives or adopted offspring which have
been raised within the family ceremonies and rituals. The beliefs
are typically Celtic in nature, but include a smattering of many
of the current and ancient structures, as well as, many home
spun ones.
- Pictish
- Also of Scottish tradition, this sect focuses heavily on
all aspects of nature. But is different from Celtic sects in
that Pictish is a solitary form of Craft.
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- Neo-Pagan Craft
- Alexandrian
- Founded in the 1960s by Alex
Sanders in England, this sect is losely based on the Gardenarian
beliefs. Sanders built his sect in England and called himself
"King" of the Coven.
- British Traditional
- A mix of Celtic and Gardenarian rituals it is the most famous
organization in the International Red Garters society. This sect
is based on the Farrar studies of Wicca and is exceptionally
structured in belief and ritual. A witch becomes part of the
Coven through a training, education and degree process.
- Dianic
- Also called "the Feminist" movement of the craft,
this sect focuses on the Goddess aspect of Wicca. It was first
brought to major attention in 1921 by Margaret Murray and includes
aspects of many Classical and Gothic traditions.
- Eclectic
- This is a label for the "everything else" in Wicca.
It does not follow any particular tradition, ritual or ceremonial
practices. Rather practioners focus on what "feels"
best and most comfortable to them. Study and practice is than
based on information gathered from books, or other practicing
witches.
- Gardnerian Wicca
- Named after it's founder Gerald Gardner in England during
the 1950s. Gardner wanted to ensure that the Old Religion not
become extinct by all the new found knowledge and inter-mixing
of beliefs. He took his cause to the media at great personal
risk to bring his cause and information to a new younger audiance
in order to bring growth and life to the ancient traditions.
- Seax-Wicca
- Based on the Saxon beliefs, this sect is very closely related
to the Gardnerian traditions. Without breaking his oath, founder
Raymond Buckland wanted to pull the ancient rituals into modern
language and acceptable ceremonies. In 1973 his dream became
a reality with the organization of Seax-Wicca, bringing Wicca
into the public as a very positive force.
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What A Sect Is Not!
- Kitchen Witch
- This label pops up every now and then, but is often frowned
upon as a derogitory term. More closely related to the Hereditary
sect, these witches are practicing healing and ceremonies based
on family tradition. "Old wives tales", Grandma's healing
concoctions and special family traditions all make up this sect
of the craft.. However, since these beliefs are often handed
down from generation to generation, the label Heredity is more
appropriate.
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- Pow-Wow
- A mis-labeled sect, based in South Central Pennsylvania.
It is based on a 400 year old German magick system and has deteriorated
into a a simple faith healing. The mis-use of the term maybe
offensive to the original practioners of a true Pow-Wow, the
Native American nations. It is advised that this term remain
connected to the originators and not to this adopted society.
Even at 400 years old, the Pennsylvania/German system is new
in comparison to the Native American beliefs. See "" for a further
discussion of this topic.
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- Devil Worship
- An important NOT!
Craft practioners do not worship "the devil", because
pagan Witches do not belief in the devil. The misconception was
mainly created by the Christian Church as a means to destroy
Craft beliefs which were often preceived to be at odds with what
the "Church" wanted spread across the world. Many detractors
of the Christian faith often site this type of propoganda as
an example of the "Churchs'" attempt to gain control
over the people.
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- Satanic
- An other important NOT!
Craft practioners are not Satanists. Satanism is also a pre-christian
pagan religion, however there are significant differences between
these two faiths. Many people often confuse Satan with the Christian
devil. Again, this is due to Christian propaganda. Satan is the
translated name of the Egyptian God Set, who was the deity of
ego and confidance. These traits when taken to extremes are simolar
to Lucifer and thus the association stuck. Satanists however,
do not believe in the existance of the devil, and do not worship
that being. They see themsevels as the God force and practice
a faith of eye for an eye. If you'd like to learn more, I strongly
suggest you visit the University Of Virginia's Religious Freedoms
site and review their study on Satanism.
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