Post by loonawynd on Oct 27, 2014 0:59:32 GMT
I have been studying and practicing some form of witchcraft for 15+ years. I have found that there are five primary styles and types of witches. You have your religious witches, your spiritual witches, your philosophical witches, and your practical/craft based witches. In my years of experience I have spent time in all forms of witchcraft and to be honest I believe that a witch become more powerful and aware of their magic if they work with or engage all of these styles and practice of witchcraft at some point.
Religious witches
Religious witches
Religious witchcraft is witchcraft that involves directly the worship of and honoring of deities and spirits. There are strict rituals observed and mysteries that are experienced through those rituals. The use of witchcraft is primarily to connect with the deities and experience the mysteries. Witches here are often priests and priestess of specific deities and spirits and may perform local rituals and other services as part of their being a priest or priestess.
Wicca is a form of religious witchcraft. Most of the books out there on witchcraft focus on a Wiccan style form of witchcraft. This is also a religious style and form of witchcraft. There are other traditions of witchcraft that is religions such as the Strega Tradition (Italian witchcraft) and many other forms of Non Wiccan witchcraft. Basically the defining factor of religious witchcraft is the use of magical rituals to honor, experience, and connect to deities and mysteries.
Traditions include:
British Traditional Wicca:
*Gardnerian
*Alexandrian
*Mohsian
*Central Valley (a collective term for the traditions named below)
-Silver Crescent
-Kingstone
-Daoine Coire
-Assembly of Wicca
-Majestic
Wiccan Style Witchcraft/Eclectic Neo Pagan Witchcraft Traditions and the list does not include every tradition just commonly known ones:
Temple of witchcraft Tradition
Cabot Tradition
Corellian Tradition
Standing Stone
Green Witchcraft (as taught by Ann Moura in her three book series)
Traditional Witchcraft and other Religious Witchcraft Traditions (based in cultures):
1734 Tradition
Roebuck Tradition
Strega
Seax Wicca
Spiritual Witches:
Spiritual witches are those who practice a spiritual path. For them there may be a connection to deities and spirits but there are no specific or required rituals. The relationships between deities and spirits is very personal. This is also a mystery and experience based path. This is a path about self development and understanding. While there may be connections with deities and spirits to help with the development of self, the path of a spiritual witch is not one of worship but one of personal development and growth. The focus is on the self the relationship with the universe within and without. Religions may be an aspect of the path but they are not the definition and or limiting factor of them.
There is cross over between religious witches and spiritual witches who practice various forms of traditional witchcraft. In some styles of traditional witchcraft deities are worshiped but the focus is on the development of self through the worship and mystery experiences. Some traditions focus on cultural deities (strega) while others are a Great Ultimate Spirit style (Feri and Reclaiming for example). This is where if a witch is Christian and they use their witchcraft to connect to Jesus and God they would have a spiritual witchcraft practice.
Spiritual witchcraft traditions include:
Feri Witchcraft
Hedge Witchcraft
Traditional Witchcraft (general-land spirit based)
Philosophical witches:
These are witches whose view is more on the way they percieve the world than actual practice. While they may practice meditation, magic, and some rituals they identify more with the world view (land and nature as sacred, practice of magic, views on the soul, working with spirits etc) than anything else. The rituals and magical practices may be sporatic at best and non existent at worse. The ideas are about mental development and focus rather than spirit and practical uses. Spells and rituals are based on mental development and may contain little to no tools aside from the self.
Practical Based witches:
These are witches who dont care for a religious or spiritual practice. They are in witchcraft for personal power. They want the power to change the world and to make their dreams a reality. For some this about healing insecurities and for others it is a way to ensure a happy and healthy life. A practical witch may or may not work with deities and spirits. The work that they do is always ends or means based. Its about ensuring they have what they need and what they want and that those they care about are taken care of. Most often these witches practice forms of herbalism and folkmagic that are tied into family traditions and cultural practices.
Craft Based witches:
These are witches who again don't really care for a religious or spiritual practice. They focus on working and creating magical charms. These are the witches who would craft spell candles, oils, and talismans. They were also the ones who had the herbal healing knowledge and crafted herbal remedies and charms. Their magic was based on the items they crafted being empowered with desires/intent and natural inherent strengths.
Most witches I have spoken with and interacted with use a combination of these styles and views on witchcraft. Though many of them are often one or the other. I myself am a spiritual/craft/and philosophical witch. There are aspects that are religious but that is because my religious practices enforce my spiritual connection. Its not nessecarilly the focus of the work though.
Wicca is a form of religious witchcraft. Most of the books out there on witchcraft focus on a Wiccan style form of witchcraft. This is also a religious style and form of witchcraft. There are other traditions of witchcraft that is religions such as the Strega Tradition (Italian witchcraft) and many other forms of Non Wiccan witchcraft. Basically the defining factor of religious witchcraft is the use of magical rituals to honor, experience, and connect to deities and mysteries.
Traditions include:
British Traditional Wicca:
*Gardnerian
*Alexandrian
*Mohsian
*Central Valley (a collective term for the traditions named below)
-Silver Crescent
-Kingstone
-Daoine Coire
-Assembly of Wicca
-Majestic
Wiccan Style Witchcraft/Eclectic Neo Pagan Witchcraft Traditions and the list does not include every tradition just commonly known ones:
Temple of witchcraft Tradition
Cabot Tradition
Corellian Tradition
Standing Stone
Green Witchcraft (as taught by Ann Moura in her three book series)
Traditional Witchcraft and other Religious Witchcraft Traditions (based in cultures):
1734 Tradition
Roebuck Tradition
Strega
Seax Wicca
Spiritual Witches:
Spiritual witches are those who practice a spiritual path. For them there may be a connection to deities and spirits but there are no specific or required rituals. The relationships between deities and spirits is very personal. This is also a mystery and experience based path. This is a path about self development and understanding. While there may be connections with deities and spirits to help with the development of self, the path of a spiritual witch is not one of worship but one of personal development and growth. The focus is on the self the relationship with the universe within and without. Religions may be an aspect of the path but they are not the definition and or limiting factor of them.
There is cross over between religious witches and spiritual witches who practice various forms of traditional witchcraft. In some styles of traditional witchcraft deities are worshiped but the focus is on the development of self through the worship and mystery experiences. Some traditions focus on cultural deities (strega) while others are a Great Ultimate Spirit style (Feri and Reclaiming for example). This is where if a witch is Christian and they use their witchcraft to connect to Jesus and God they would have a spiritual witchcraft practice.
Spiritual witchcraft traditions include:
Feri Witchcraft
Hedge Witchcraft
Traditional Witchcraft (general-land spirit based)
Philosophical witches:
These are witches whose view is more on the way they percieve the world than actual practice. While they may practice meditation, magic, and some rituals they identify more with the world view (land and nature as sacred, practice of magic, views on the soul, working with spirits etc) than anything else. The rituals and magical practices may be sporatic at best and non existent at worse. The ideas are about mental development and focus rather than spirit and practical uses. Spells and rituals are based on mental development and may contain little to no tools aside from the self.
Practical Based witches:
These are witches who dont care for a religious or spiritual practice. They are in witchcraft for personal power. They want the power to change the world and to make their dreams a reality. For some this about healing insecurities and for others it is a way to ensure a happy and healthy life. A practical witch may or may not work with deities and spirits. The work that they do is always ends or means based. Its about ensuring they have what they need and what they want and that those they care about are taken care of. Most often these witches practice forms of herbalism and folkmagic that are tied into family traditions and cultural practices.
Craft Based witches:
These are witches who again don't really care for a religious or spiritual practice. They focus on working and creating magical charms. These are the witches who would craft spell candles, oils, and talismans. They were also the ones who had the herbal healing knowledge and crafted herbal remedies and charms. Their magic was based on the items they crafted being empowered with desires/intent and natural inherent strengths.
Most witches I have spoken with and interacted with use a combination of these styles and views on witchcraft. Though many of them are often one or the other. I myself am a spiritual/craft/and philosophical witch. There are aspects that are religious but that is because my religious practices enforce my spiritual connection. Its not nessecarilly the focus of the work though.