What Witchcraft is:
The first order of business is to unload all the nonsense you learned
in childhood about Witchcraft. Most of it has nothing to do with
"The Craft of the Wise".
WitchCraft is an earth centered, nature oriented religion that celebrates
the "Old Gods". We acknowledge the power of the Divine Feminine as
well as the Divine Masculine. We honor the Goddess as well as the God,
both of whom are known by many different names in many lands.
We see them expressed in the aspects of Diana, Herne, Hecate,
Cernunnos, Astarte, Isis, Osiris, Cerridwen and by many other aspects.
We understand that all Gods are manifestations of One God,
and all Goddesses as expressions of One Goddess.
We focus our energies to positive workings of Magick,
and our principal rule is the Witch's Rede: "An it Harm None,
Do as Ye Will." Witches traditionally practiced midwifery and
healing arts, much of which use herbal approaches to health issues
and working with natural energies that are part of each of us,
and everywhere present in the natural world we inhabit.
Hollywood has used Witchcraft as fertile ground for lurid tales of
horror in order to bewitch a gullible public into spending their
hard earned money at the cinema. I have yet to see any movies
that accurately depict the practice and work of the modern Witch.
In fact, I question whether there is enough creative ability among
Hollywood screen writers to present the Craft accurately and still have an
interesting film that people will want to see. It is much easier, not to
mention profitable, to stick with sterotypical images of the Witch.
They are frequently unaware of the harm they create in depicting
the Witch as someone bent on nefarious activities and evil-doing.
This same attitude carries forward into the church. Many ministers
preach to their congregations things that are simply not true of
Witchcraft. They speak as one with knowledge, yet have never
actually met a real live practicioner of the Arts.
So, who are modern Witches, and what do they look like?
What sort of activities do they involved themselves in?
The
reason this page exists is to answer some of those questions.
Witches
are doctors, lawyers, dentists, bricklayers, plumbers,
carpenters,
computer operators, radio and television personalities,
teachers,
nursers, programmers, waiters and waitresses, bus boys,
executives,
accountants, truck drivers and every other occupation
you
can name.
We
come from all walks of life, and dress pretty much like anyone else
you
run into on the street. There are those who dress outrageously, and
those
who dress conservatively. Some like Western wear while others
are
more at home in a three-piece suit. Some wear faded jeans and tee
shirts,
while others favor Dockers and polo shirts. Some like to dress
in
black, while others are really keen on tie-dyed clothing. The point is
this:
Witches
are pretty much average folks. We don't, in general, stand
out
in a crowd. We can be counted among your friends, neighbors and
associates.
Unless you were told someone is Craft,
you
would likely never know.
Witches
like to do the same things as anyone else. Bowling, movies,
theatre,
dining, dancing, football games, arts and crafts, woodworking,
singing,
gardening, reading, writing, walks on the beach, hiking, and
everything
else enjoyed by the average person. We also enjoy the ancient
rituals
and rites of our religion. We look forward to our worship of the
Gods
and we celebrate our communion with Deity. We have festivals and
gatherings
and embrace them as a time of sharing and fellowship.
In
short, we draw power and sustance from our religion, just as the
believers
of any other religions do. We gather together, in Perfect Love
and
Perfect Trust, to join with them in the Sacred Circle. We become
conscious
of Their presence in our lives and desire Their company in all
our
affairs. We seek Their wisdom, and we depend on Their strength when
our
own grows weary. We seek to incorporate the Gods into the forefront
of
our lives, rather than turning to Them as an afterthought when things
get
rocky.
Witchcraft
is not for everyone, and that is appropriate. Our religion
requires
the same dedication and hard work as any other. It also requires
some
discipline in order to master it. One does not learn to be a concert
pianist
without years of dedicated effort and practice. One learns a trade
or
profession through years of learning and practice in order to master
their
field. So too, the Craft take time and discipline in order to master.
One
fine example is the Wiccan Rede. Though the Witches' Rede
sounds
simple enough, it is not as easy as it sounds.
"An
it harm none, do as you will."
Those
8 simple words prove far more challenging than one
would
suppose at first blush. How can we do as we will,
if
we do not understand what our will really is?
To
me, my will is my purpose for living. It is the reason
I
was born into this world. It is why I exist.
And
if I can discern that purpose for my life,
and
live my life according to that divine purpose,
then
I must also live according to that purpose.
That
is my will, and if I live accordingly,
I
cannot possibly do harm with caprice!
Whether
you are a Witch, seeking for a new path, just curious about
the
Craft, or someone who stumbled on this page while looking for
something
else is not terribly important. My hope is that regardless of
your
purpose, you will leave here better educated about what Witchcraft
really
is. There is a saying: "If you want to know about the Craft, ask a Witch."
It
is part of my ministry to answer any questions by email
-
mtaliesin@msn.com -
and
will answer to the best of my ability with accurate and factual replies.
We
are not interested in trying to convert anyone to our religion, but are
devoted
to education toward improved understanding.
For
anyone wishing to learn more about the Craft, we have a discussion
list
called AradiaHome, and you are welcome to join up and ask questions
of
real people who practice real Craft!
In
coming days, I will also provide a reference section so you can learn
more
about Wicca and Witchcraft!
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