_________________________________________________________________ This list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) is designed as an introduction to traditional Witchcraft, as well as a reference for those investigating the way of Witchcraft for the first time. This FAQ is about Witchcraft and NOT Wicca. Witchcraft and Wicca are two seperate things. The views expressed here are reflective of more traditional forms of Witchcraft. Wicca is a religion, while Witchcraft is a way of life. _________________________________________________________________ Questions: INTRODUCTIONS * 1.1) What is Witchcraft? * 1.2) How is it related to Paganism? * 1.3) Is Witchcraft the same thing as Wicca? * 1.4) Do all Witches practice magick? * 1.5) Is Witchcraft a form of Satanism? * 1.6) Are male Witches called warlocks? * 1.7) Can I be born a Witch? BASIC ORIENTATION * 2.1) What are some common, basic beliefs in Witchcraft? * 2.2) What Gods do Witches worship? * 2.3) Who are the Ancestors? * 2.4) What is the Other World? * 2.5) What is a tradition in relation to Witchcraft? * 2.6) What is a path in relation to Witchcraft? * 2.7) What is the Homeland? * 2.8) What is the elemental correspondence to the cardinal directions, and why is it used? * 2.9) What ritual tools do Witches use? * 2.10) Is there a set liturgy or liturgical calendar? * 2.11) What is the ethical standard for Witchcraft? BELIEFS AND PRACTICES * 3.1) How do I become a Witch? * 3.2) Can I be a Christian, or a Jew, or a Muslim, or a Buddhist, or other religous affiliation, and still be a Witch? * 3.3) What is a"dedication" and "rites of passage" in Witchcraft? * 3.4) What are the major traditions in Witchcraft? * 3.5) What is a grimoire? How do I get one? * 3.6) What is a household and how do I join one? * 3.7) Do you call guardians into a sacred area? * 3.8) Do Witches believe in reincarnation? * 3.9) What is a hedgewitch? _________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTIONS 1.1) What is Witchcraft? Witchcraft is the practice of the native ways of Europe after the advent of Christianty. Witchcraft is the name that was given to these practices by the Christian Church. Before that, the people who followed a religion were just believers. There were special roles that equated to what we would now call a priesthood. These positions often involved law enforcement, settling of domestic disputes, counseling, omen consultation, blessings, administration of medication, keeping the calender, and such. There are names for those who took these positions, but the name changes with the area. People continued, even under persecution, to worship their Gods. These ways often dominated in the more remote areas, and tended to localize themselves to specific regional areas, or were kept within the members of a family. In these families, the traditions of the way were passed down from generation to generation. Many were forced to masquerade under the cover of Catholism, even though they were not truly Catholic. Ireland, however, was never touched by the Inquisition, and for the most part was free from witch-hunters in general. This allowed many practicioners of Witchcraft to continue their worship fairly unhindered. Some people who follow these native ways of Europe do not refer to themselves as Witches. The term "Witch" is something that was placed upon these beliefs. However, using the term "Witchcraft" is an easy way to collectively identify these religious beliefs and those who follow them. 1.2) How is Witchcraft related to Paganism? The term Paganism is used in contemporary times to refer to nature oriented religions which recognize the male and female duality which is found within nature. Paganism is an umbrella concept which encompasses many religions from some sects of Buddhism, to Neo-Druidism, to Wicca, and even to some forms of Christianity. Witchcraft is one of the many religions which fits under the umbrella of Paganism. Some of the older Europeans which are considered to be "Pagan" do not refer to themselves as such. The reason for this is because the term pagan refers to an unenlightened one. Instead, they will often call themselves Heathens. 1.3) Is Witchcraft the same thing as Wicca? No. Wicca and Witchcraft are two seperate things. Wicca was founded by Gerald Gardner in the late 1930's. It is comprised of Western European folk traditions and Eastern philosophy in an effort to form an OTO encampment. Although initially Wicca was based more in magickal pursuits, it has hence forth developed into a more spiritual religion. Today, Wicca can be seen as an ecclectic system of beliefs with an underlying static ritual and ethics base. Although some traditions in Wicca may cater to a specific culture, the rituals and ethics will still have this commmonality ehich identifies it as being Wiccan. Witchcraft is heavily based in traditions. There is no Wiccan Rede, Watchtowers, or the concept of self-initiation. There is, however, some form of initiation or rite of passage, and a strong concept of the homeland. Witchcraft is usually practiced by famtrads or traditionalists. Many Wiccans incorrectly refer to themselves as Witches. However, someone who practices Witchcraft will either refer to themselves as being solely a Witch, will use another manner of description altogether, will say that they follow the Old Ways or similar, or will not comment. They will not say that they are Wiccan. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 1.4) Do all Witches practice magick? No. Magick is a tool. As a tool, it can be used within any religion. Some people who follow the way of Witchcraft do not practice magick, just as some people who follow the religion of Buddhism do not practice magick. It would be inaccurate to say that magick has nothing to do with Witchcraft. However, there are those who choose not to practice magick. Foremost, Witchcraft is a way of life. 1.5) Is Witchcraft a form of Satanism? No. Satanism is a product of Christianity. Witchcraft has nothing to do with the philosophy or anti-Christian religion of Satanism. During the medieval period, the Christian Church made many attempts to phase out Witchcraft, and thus promoted the idea of the Devil as having horns. Being as any deity which existed outside of the realms of Christianity was seen as being of the Devil, it is an easy assumption that the Horned God was the Devil himself. However, the Horned God has nothing at all to do with the Devil. 1.6) Are male Witches called warlocks? In an attempt to ostracize those who followed the old ways from the realms of popular society, the Church categorized Witches as warlocks. The word "warlock" translates as the Scottish Gaelic term for a liar, oathbreaker, back-stabber, or someone generally not to be trusted. Many people use this as a term for a male Witch in contemporary society, but any Witch referred to as such will be greatly insulted by the term. Those who use the term "warlock" should not be trusted for information because they are either ignorant of the term and are most likely not knowledgeable about the Craft anyways, or they are most likely teenagers involved with pseudo-satanism who think that name sounds cool. If someone betrayed a coven, the members might mark them as a warlock by taking a blade and slashing them across the forehead so that everyone who met the person would recognize them as such and would know not to trust that person. 1.7) Can I be born a Witch? No. To become a Witch, one must become a practicioner of the way. Different traditions have different methodology for becoming a part of their tradition. For most, this involves some form of self-dedication to the Gods. Even for those born into a famtrad, a conscious decision to follow the Old Ways must be made. Basic Orientation 2.1) What are some common, basic beliefs in Witchcraft? Witchcraft is comprised of many individual traditions that may differ greatly from one another at times. However, there are some key elements which most traditions follow. One, is the keeping of secrets or mysteries. There are some things which have not been written in a book and never will be. There is usually some form of initiation or rite of passage, although it may or may not be referred to as such. For some who are a part of famtrads, this is followed through certain rites which occur when an individual reaches specific times within their life cycle. For others, the rite of passage may be done after an individual has completed a a time of study along with specified tasks. 2.2) What Gods do Witches worship? The God and Goddess are seen as the male and female aspects of Nature. They do not reign over the Universe, they instead are the Universe itself. Most of the early inhabitants of Europe followed one God and one Goddess, even though there might be many more deities in their particular pantheon. Often times the particular pair of deities someone followed would reflect some important aspect of their life such as their occupation, location, or path in life. The God is usually represented a protector or hunter, and the Goddess is often related to fertility or the land. The Gods are not ominpotent. They have egos and what we would consider to be human characteristics. 2.3) Who are the Ancestors? Witches also look to the Ancestors, or those who have gone before. The Ancestors have different names in different cultures, but the concept is the same. Witches often consult the Ancestors for advice and help. Sometimes the Ancestors can also be called on as guardians as well as advisors. We somtimes even offer them gifts and leave food out for them. The Ancestors, however, are not Gods but rather respected or honored ones. 2.4) What is the Other World? The Other World is a term used to refer to the realm where the Ancestors dwell. Most traditions within Witchcraft recogize the Other World, although the name used to identify it might be different. The realm of the Other World is often seen as being the place that lies beyond our senses, and just beyond the boundary of our dreams. In some cultures, it is seen as being the realm of the dead. There are places which are commonly recognized as being sacred loci where the two worlds might converge upon one another; these are trees, hills, lakes, rivers, caverns, wells, and even areas covered in thick mists. 2.5) What is a tradition in relation to Witchcraft? A tradition is the system or variety of Witchcraft that someone follows. Sometimes a tradition will have a specific name, which usually is in the language of the relevant culture. More commonly, however, the name of the tradition is simply that of the culture from which that system of beliefs stems from. A Famtrad is a family tradition. This term is used to refer to those whose tradition is followed within their family. Those who are famtrad often have grown up within Witchcraft as part of their everyday lives. 2.6) What is a path in relation to Witchcraft? A path is used to refer to the specific life goals that someone has within their tradition. A path can usually be defined by taking into account a person's interests, career choice, motivations, and goals in life. The Gods which a person chooses to follow are partially determined by their path in life. 2.7) What is the Homeland? It was believed by the early inhabitants of Europe that the Gods they worshipped inhabited the land itself. Many were migratory people, and so as they travelled across the continent they took their Gods with them. As they travelled, though, these people often looked toward the North Star, Polaris, for guidance. It was a fixed point in the night sky that they used as a reference point. When these early Europeans wished to honor their Gods, they created a connection between their homeland, where their Gods resided, and the land where they stood. In this way, the new land became a part of the homeland. The elemental correspondences to the cardinal directions act as a way of aligning yourself with the homeland. 2.8) What is the elemental correspondence to the cardinal directions, and why is it used? These correspondences help to align the Witch to the homeland. Most early Europeans were migratory peoples and used the star Polaris as a reference point in the night skies. The exact set of correspondences differed from area to area, as each region differed in its geography, climate, and cultural beliefs. Not all Witches use a elemental correspondence to the cardinal directions. Some worship their Gods at specific locations, and others have a different set of elements and relationships to those elements. An example would be those people of certain Celtic traditions who instead use Earth, Sky, and Water, and preferably worship on a cliffside near the ocean where the three worlds of these elements meet together as one. 2.9) What ritual tools do Witches use? There are a wide variety of tools which Witches use. Each tradition, though, uses a different set of tools. Perhaps the ritual tool used the most is the ritual blade. Some traditions use common items used in everyday life, where as other traditions demand that the tools be hand-crafted by the person for the specific use in ritual. Some of the other more popular tools used are the stang or staff, the cup or horn, the cauldron, the wand, the cord, the besom, the llech, and the sword or spear. The stang has two forms: the horned staff, and the scarecrow. The stang in it's form as a staff looks just like a staff that may or may not be topped with animal horns. The stang in it's form as a scare crow is a wooden cross with the skull at the top of some horned animal (ie cow, deer), wearing a white linen shirt. The cord in most traditions denotes those who have reached, for lack of a better term, the priesthood within Witchcraft. It is used for a wide variety of things such as handfastings. Sometimes there are even dances which are done with the cords linked together. The llech or stone has several different forms and uses. Often it is used as a foundation, and is used to stand on, or is used as an altar stone. It can also take the form of a hagstone or godstone. 2.10) Is there a set liturgy or liturgical calendar? Different traditions observe different Festivals. Some of the most common occur on the solistices and the equinoxes, and the times between them. Other observances take place on the new and full moons. Sometimes the major Festivals in some traditions are set to correspond to the new or full moon, and in other traditions they occur on specific days which are usually measured as being halfway between the equinox and the solstice. The number of observances in a year varies according to the tradition. Regardless, the Festivals are set according to the seasons and act somewhat as markers. The year usually begins in early to mid November, although in some traditions the new year will start in mid to late March. Rituals were determined by the position of the sun and moon influenced the times when one should plant or harvest their crops, breed animals, or kill livestock. These times defined when the Gods should be worshipped. Because Witchcraft differs between traditions, the exact Festival days also differs. These Festival days are usually celebrated on the evening preceding the actually day, as the night was seen to belong to the next day. The length of a day was measured from sunset to sunset. 2.11) What is the ethical standard for Witchcraft? Witchcraft teaches responsibility for one's actions. There is no good or evil. There is only the intent that one has when commiting an action. For example, a tornado, which causes a lot of destruction, is not good or evil..... It just is. Emphasis is thus placed on the intent of the action. This is such that the whole of the action is the sum of its consequences. Energy is not constant. In terms of returned energy, this means that the energy can have many things happen to it along the way including: deflection, absorbtion, transformation, etc. We do not follow a Rede, or any Law except that which is written within our own hearts. We take responsibility for our actions. Things are brought into the perspective of survival and intent of the individual. Many Witches look at this in terms of protection of clan, family, and self. So, many will take action to curse or hex if wrongfully provoked. Beliefs and Practices 3.1) How do I become a Witch? Probably the easiest place to start would be by going to the nearest library. You should probably begin by reading the legnds and folklore concerning the culture you are interested in. This will only provide an understanding of the beliefs within Witchcraft, though. The real question is something you must ask yourself, "What are my beliefs?" Your personal beliefs must correspond to those within the Craft. If they do not, then the best you can ever do in Witchcraft is to emultae the way without ever really understanding and practicing it. It must be something that is already within your heart. Most people who come to learn the traditions of Witchcraft already have some basis in the way. Witchcraft is more than holding rituals and worshipping the Gods, it is a way of life. It is an understanding of seasons and an appreciation of life. It is learning to take responsibilty for yourself and what you do. After you have a basis in the beliefs, the next step would be to dedicate yourself to the Gods. From that point, you have decided to follow the way of Witchcraft, and are a believer in the ways. You may or may not decide to seek out someone to instruct you in the traditions, and pass the lineage on to you. It, however, is advisable that you do. From there, you can make a choice to continue your learnings and become what can be called for lack of a better term, a part of the priesthood. 3.2) Can I be a Christian, or a Jew, or a Muslim, or a Buddhist, or other religous affiliation, and still be a Witch? No. Witchcraft is a way of life all unto its own. The traditions within the Craft have their own belief structures. 3.3) What is a"dedication" and "rites of passage" in Witchcraft? Dedication is when a person decides to worship the Gods, and learn the ways of Witchcraft. A dedication ritual is something that is composed by the person themselves wherein they pledge themselves to the service of the Gods. Just because someone has gone through a dedication but not through a rite of passage does not mean that they are not devoted. Devotion to the Gods is personal, and that is why it is expressed through a self-dedication. Rite of Passage, or Initiation is a formal ritual wherein a person must has spent a period of study and has reached a certain point wherein they are given a set of tasks to complete. Some traditions have different degrees, wherein other have certain points in the life cycle wherein this ritual takes place. One of the most important parts of the Rite of Passage or Initiation is when the lineage is passed down. The lineage is the line of essence which has passed from Witch to Witch for all the preceding generations. There are also sometimes Naming Ceremonies. These are sometimes included within the Rite of Passage or Initiation, although in some traditions they remain seperate. 3.4) What are the major traditions in Witchcraft? That is very difficult to say. Each family, village, and area had their own tradition. As time progressed, and the persecution began to become more severe, the various traditions began to condense and intermingle with other traditions. Many traditions merged with other traditions, and although the way was preserved, it began to take many different shapes. 3.5) What is a grimoire? How do I get one? A grimoire is a book of rituals and and lore which is usually handwritten by the individual. The name grimoire is used as a general term, as the actual name for this book is kept a secret in most traditions. Even when the name for this book is discussed, it sometimes varies from between traditions. In most traditions, the grimoire is composed by the individual, and the rituals contained therein are sometimes even written in runes or pictures so as not to be understood by someone else. The rituals themselves are based in the traditions of the particular tradition, but also contain individual flourishes as well. On occasion, the contents of the grimoires may be copied from a main book. 3.6) What is a household and how do I join one? The difference between coven and household are enough to warrant a distinguishment. For the Wiccan they might be considered to be the same. But for the famtrad or traditionalist, there is a huge difference. Not everyone in a household is necessarily of heathen/pagan religious beliefs, just as everyone within a family is not necessarily of the same religious beliefs. Often, the people who belong to a household are solitary practicioners, that only come together for specific rituals instead of always practicing together as a coven would do. A good definition of a household would be to compare it to the medieval households. It is more like a collective wherein many families or individuals might be united together. 3.7) Do you call guardians into a sacred area? Some traditions do, and some traditions don't. Guardians are often called to protect the sacred area. As many traditions do not have specific boundaries for their sacred area, the guardians can roam the area freely and protect the area from unwanted influences. In general, they are a good idea. Guardians are often the spirits with whom a person feels comfortable with and has developed some form of a relationship with. Possible guardians might be one of the Ancestors, a "spirit guide," or other spirtual entity. 3.8) Do Witches believe in reincarnation? No, or at least not in the typical sense. There are many beliefs regarding death, but usually there is some concept of the Other World where the soul goes to dwell for a time before it returns. Instead of being reincarnated, the person is transformed. Sometimes the transformation is into an animal form, and other times it is into a human, or even spirit form. 3.9) What is a hedgewitch? A hedgewitch is a tradition within a tradition that is somewhat shamanic in nature, for lack of a better term. There are many different titles that those who follow this inner tradition are called: Hedge-Rider, Hedgewitch, Night Travellers, Myrk-Riders, Gandreidh, Badbh (name of a Goddess as well as a title), and Walkers on the Wind. These are the ones who engage in spirit flight, and journey into the Other World. It is this inner tradition which utilizes such things as flying salves and potions in order to gain access to the Other World. There are certain prerequisites which must be met before one can learn this particular tradition, however. A hedgewitch is able to go into the Other World, and call back the souls of those who are about to die. They can, in this capacity, be very powerful healers. They are also able to speak with those who have passed beyond. One of the rituals by which a hedgewitch can cross over into the Otherworld is called the "Ritual of the Raven." A bird of one kind or another is usually associated with the hedge traditions. Two of the most commonly associated birds are the raven and the goose. A mention should be made that the hedge signified the boundary of the village, and thus the boundary of the known world. Not all cultures had hedges, though. Some had stone wall, or earthen works. Regardless, this term is adopted as a way to commonly identify these traditions. It should be emphasized that not all Witches follow this inner tradition. Resources Sir James G. Frazier, The Golden Bough, (New York: Macmillan, 1950). Nigel Aldcroft Jackson, Call of the Horned Piper, (Berks, UK: Capall Bann Publishing, 1994). ISBN 1-898307-09-1. Nigel Aldcroft Jackson, Masks of Misrule, (Berks, UK: Capall Bann Publishing, 1996). ISBN 1-898307-67-9. *NOTE* This book is multi-cultural and covers the Horned God from European to Middle Eastern to Hindi. Noragh Jones, Power of Raven, Wisdom of Serpent, (Edinburgh, UK: Floris Books, 1994.) ISBN 0-86315-186-8. *NOTE* Some parts of this book are heavily interwoven with pieces of medieval Christianity, but I still feel it represents a great deal of Scottish women's lore. Prudence Jones and Nigel Pennick, A History of Pagan Europe, (London and New York: Routledge, 1995.) ISBN 0-415-09136-5. Order it here! Copyright and Distribution Notice This document is copyrighted by (c) 1997 Crystal Miller. The Witchcraft FAQ may be freely distributed so long as it is in it's entirety, including all credits and copyright notice.