What is Witchcraft?

Good morning sunshine! 

   Today I am going to go over what exactly witchcraft is and the different types etc. So starting off I want to make it known that witchcraft is a practice, not a religion. Wicca is an example of one of the religions associated with witchcraft but witchcraft is simply a practice. Therefore: you can be a witch and not be Wiccan. Also another thing that I would like to point out is that Paganism is an umbrella term for all religions that are not the “main world religion” such as Christianity or Islam. So being Pagan simply means that you are believing in something different than the majority. Another term to be defined that is often associated with witchcraft is the word, “occult.” The word, “occult” scares many people off as it is associated with evil but by definition, occult simply means hidden. Sure some things considered to be occult are evil but not all. Some things associated with witchcraft could be considered occult, but that doesn’t mean that they’re automatically evil, it just means that most people don’t know or understand them and/or they’re not meant to know or understand them. Another thing that many people don’t know unless they’re a witch is how to correctly spell and define the word “magick.” When referring to real magick, like that of witches it is spelled with a “k” at the end. The usual spelling for magick or magic refers to that of magicians and the art of illusion. On this blog I will mostly be referring to magick so get used to seeing the “k” at the end of magic. 

witchcraft is a practice, not a religion

So now that we have gone over some umbrella terms let’s get into the essence of witchcraft. 

1. You don’t need a bunch of fancy or expensive tools to be a witch. Although many witches including myself collect many tools like crystals or tarot cards to assist with magick, it isn’t a necessity. The only thing necessary is a powerful intention. A wise woman once said, “nothing is more powerful than a strong woman’s intention.” (Disclaimer: men can also be witches, they just tend to be mostly women.) 

2. Nobody’s craft is the same. Unlike other religions or practices witchcraft can be completely different from person to person. This is because being a witch relies heavily on the individual’s style and intuition. For example a Reiki healer’s magick is going to vary greatly from a hoodoo practitioner. This leads me to my next point that there are different types of crafts for everyone and they hail from all parts of the world. Going back to my example, Reiki is a style of crystal healing from Japan while hoodoo is a type of magick practice from Africa. Although you may have only been exposed to one type of craft I would advise you to research until you find a style that fits you. 

3. Talent isn’t hereditary. Contrary to what many shows and movies depict, you don’t have to have “witch blood” in your family to be a witch. Anyone can be a witch if they please, it’s all about intention and believing in yourself. If you intend to become a powerful witch and psychic and you believe that you can then you will. Maybe having witches in the family could help because they can pass knowledge down to you but that is really all they can do. As someone who has psychics in their family I think it has given me a leg up personally but there is no research to back this up and this is solely based on my opinion. 

4. You don’t have to worship the devil. There is nothing inherently evil about witchcraft. I don’t care who told you that you have to sign the “devil’s book” or whatever but that is a lie made up by the Puritans to scare people into following their laws. Sure if you want to worship the devil and do evil forms of black magick then you do you (I wouldn’t suggest it though). Most witches nowadays get their “powers” from connecting with nature or feeling empowered by their craft. 

   Anyways, there’s my information dump on what exactly is witchcraft. I hope this helped clear up any confusion you may have had about being a witch. Misinformation is everywhere and the internet can be a confusing place which is why this knowledge is from years of research and slowly introducing myself to the craft. I still suggest that you do your own research and create your own opinions so that your craft fits your lifestyle and personality. These are just my findings and how I look at things. 

~Aivrey aka The Coffee Witch